March 13, 2026

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• Shout out to Christina!  Her colleague shared with me how helpful she was for her class to help the kindergartners research for their writing piece using books and their ipads.  Way to go Christina!

•  Shout out to Patti, Teresa and Jen who have really had to step in and take on more stuff this week when I needed to go home to rest.  I can not possible thank you enough!

• Thank you to Carrie, Liz, Brad, and all those that made the musical come together!  Our students are so lucky to see our talented students perform for them!

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Monday, March 16
• Morning Duties:
• Blacktop/Playground: Miller, CaineB, Bingen
• 3K/4K Playground: Wagner, Donovan
• Breakfast: Vertz, Zastrow
• Lunch Duties:
• 12:00 - Braunschweig
• 12:30 - CaineB
• 1:00 - Fortmann
• Afternoon Duties:
• Blacktop/Playground: Huso, Lucht
• Circle Drive: Rollins

• Tuesday, March 17
• Forward Testing starts at 8:15am - See schedule and Modified Specials schedule for this week HERE.
• 4th/5th gr. morning recess moved to 9:45-10am for T-W-Th
• Mrs. Rollins is proctoring groups for Forward and unavailable for the morning.
• Wear Green for St. Patrick's Day
• Social Media Posts due to Jenny: Donovan, Fortmann
• Jenny in a meeting from 9-11am

• Wednesday, March 18
• Workout Wednesday
• Lunch Detention Supervisors: Stampfl, Miller, Zastrow
• Forward Test Continues: 8-11:30am
• 4th/5th gr. morning recess moved to 9:45-10am for T-W-Th
• Mrs. Rollins is proctoring groups for Forward and unavailable for the morning.
• HS is administering the Pre-ACT test - will affect TA attendance
• Referendum Information meeting at Reeseville Municipal Building @ 6pm

• Thursday, March 19
• Happy Birthday Chris V!
• Forward Testing Continues: 8-11:30am
• 4th/5th gr. morning recess moved to 9:45-10am for T-W-Th
• Mrs. Rollins is proctoring groups for Forward and unavailable for the morning.
• Referendum Information meeting at Dodgeland @ 6pm

• Friday, March 20
• 1st Day of Spring - Wear Pastel Colors
• Make-up Testing for Forward

• Saturday, March 21
• Happy Birthday Brittany!

Nitty-Gritty

• School Supply Lists
• Thank you all for completing the supply lists for First Day kits. I will start to advertise this for parents/families in the coming weeks. I have used the lists on the site to update the supply list that will be sent out to parents for next school year.  As a grade level, can you please update the other two columns on the document (other essentials, desired extras) so that it will be ready for families?  Please do this before Spring Break starts. Thank you!

• Attendance Update
• If your class has filled in the SuperHero chart, let me know so I can bring the Trojan Cart to your class.  You can put a star in the box (or a sticker) when everyone is present at school in your class.  Helping our students see how important it is to be present in school will help them to build strong habits as well.

• Personnel Updates
• Sarah Patton's last day with us is Monday, March 16. Please help me thank her for the many ways that she has helped us at the elementary this school year, especially in the last month where she has been in the elementary wing all day long!  We are still working on a plan for coverage going forward, but it will be shared as soon as the plan is solid!  Good Luck to you Sarah!

• Talent Show
• In case you missed it, Sue O'Toole has another great entry for staff for the annual Talent Show!  Please contact her to join the fun!  The show has a dress rehearsal on April 20 after school and the performance is on TuesdayApril 21 at 6pm.

• Newsletter Articles/April Calendar Dates
• Please email Patti any information for the April calendar or newletter before Monday, March 23 so that the calendar/newsletter can be sent out before Spring Break. In addition, if you have any announcements that need to be shared for April, please let her know that as well!

PD Spotlight

Today I was at Cesa for the monthly Principal network and Ted said something that stuck with me.  I wanted to share it with all of you because it fits with my own philosophy of how I want us to work together; staff to staff and also staff to students.  He said:

Remember: A Question never asked is never Answered.

As we continue to work together this spring and there may be a lot of unknown things, I challenge you to ask the questions you have. If you want to talk through things with me, stop in or use my calendly link. I challenge you to work with your colleagues to ask the questions you have.  Together, we can work towards finding these answers and contributing to a culture of open communication and collaboration.

ML Information

Beyond Words: The Power of Non-Verbal Cues

For a Multilingual Learner (ML), a full day of spoken English can lead to "brain fatigue." When every instruction is a decoding puzzle, students can quickly become overwhelmed. One of the most effective ways to lower this cognitive load is to let your hands do the talking.

Using non-verbal cues isn't just for classroom management; it’s a powerful tool for checking understanding without putting a student on the spot to produce perfect English sentences.

Why It Works
Non-verbal cues provide a universal language. They allow MLs to engage with the content and the community while they are still building their verbal vocabulary. By reducing the reliance on spoken language, you ensure that "language" isn't a barrier to "learning."

TechKnow Tip

The built-in markup tools within the iPad Photos app are a hidden gem that can incredibly enhance our daily classroom activities. With just a few taps, you and your students can easily draw, highlight, and add text directly onto any image or screenshot. This makes it a great way for students to take notes or show their learning right on top of diagrams, reading passages, or photos of their real-world projects. Incorporating this simple feature saves instructional time by eliminating the need for third-party apps while keeping your digital workflow seamlessly streamlined. I highly encourage all staff to explore these tools this week to see how quickly they can transform a basic picture into an engaging, interactive educational experience! Click here to get started.

Friday Funny

So...Sometimes, I come across a clip that makes me stop and think, "What did I just watch?"  Yet, I was laughing so hard I was crying.  This clip from a British TV show is one of those times.  It's a a 4 min. clip, but it is worth every second your time.  Enjoy the endorphin, serotonin, and dopamine rush!  :-)