April 17, 2026

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• Shout out to Andrea Tietz whose calm demeanor is always on display no matter what! It is so helpful to model calm responses for your students.

• Shout out to Patti, Molli and Ella who displayed calm professionalism on the phone multiple times while I was unavailable!  Thank you so much!

• I watched so many of our students and their families enter on Talent Show audition night with some trepidation, but then leave all smiles.  I know the show is a LOT of work for so many of you, but seeing the pride that our kids have in themselves is so inspiring. Thank you to the team for all you do!

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Monday, April 20
• Happy Birthday Karissa!
• Morning Duties:
• Blacktop/Playground: Tietz, Neis, Westphal
• 3K/4K playground: Ellefson, Houk
• Breakfast: Mook, Stampfl
• Lunch Duties:
• 12:00 - Wagner
• 12:30 - Westphal
• 1:00 - CaineT
• Afternoon Duties: 
• Blacktop/Playground: CaineT, OPEN
• Circle Drive: Rollins
• Talent Show Dress Rehearsal after school

• Tuesday, April 21
• Social Media Posts are due to Jenny: Mook, Braunschweig
• Lunch Detention Supervisors: Donovan, CaineB, Bingen
• Jenny in meeting from 9-11am
• Talent Show @ 6pm (A small concession stand will be available for families this year. If you would like to help out at it, please contact Lexi!)

• Wednesday, April 22
• Workout Wednesday
• Admin Assistant Appreciation Day
• Earth Day - Wear Green
• NO School for Students, Dodgeland Den is OPEN
• PD Schedule is HERE

• Thursday, April 23
• Jenny and Jen are out of the building all day at a conference
• 4th Gr. Field trip to Farm/City Days from 9am-12pm
• 1st Gr. Bank presentation in the IMC from 2:15-3pm

• Friday, April 24
• Jenny out of the building (This kidney stone is getting evicted finally!)

Nitty-Gritty

• Device Insurance Survey
• Please complete the survey that Brad sent out this week regarding device insurance. His email explains the cost for the insurance and what it covers. Click HERE for the survey.

• Attendance Reminder
• This is a friendly reminder that it is very very important that attendance is taken each morning and that it is accurate.  The system works only as well as the information that is in the system and in order for us to make sure that we are accounting for all of our students, we must have accurate attendance taken. If you make a mistake, the attendance can be submitted more than once in the morning. Thank you in advance for taking care of this important task before 8:30 each morning with all of the other busyness that happens right away in the morning!

• PD for Wednesday, 4/22
• The schedule for our PD day is HERE. We will start in the commons with a meeting with Mr. Greco at 7:30 and then there will be work time for Cox Campus.  The google form and links will be in Google Classroom before the start of the day.  Just like the other ones, you can work in a group or individually.  Just email or print the final certificate for me! 
• We will also be finalizing the digital citizenship work from this year as well.  If you need to look at this prior to Wednesday, it is HERE.
• Finally, the Sunshine Committee is hosting an Earth Day Goodie Table.  If you want to participate, the sign in sheet is HERE. It is a rare day where we will all be able to eat at the same time! 

• Looking ahead
• Please start thinking about dates, etc. that you want communicated out to our families for the May newsletter.  Sending this to Patti before April 24 will give her time to put this together to distribute on May 1 which is only about 2 weeks away already!  Yikes!!!

• Budget Process

It's that time of year again!  As we look toward the 2026-27 school year, we want to ensure you have the essential tools and resources needed to continue the amazing work you do with our students.

To keep things streamlined, we will be using a google sheet for all budget requests this year. Click on the link to make a copy of your own. If you have multiple departments or levels, you can duplicate the tab on the bottom and share with all the administrators that need access to them.

I realize there are still a few moving parts and unanswered questions regarding next year—which can make budgeting feel a bit complex! For now, please plan based on your current position and needs. If class sizes or assignments shift in the coming weeks, don't worry; we can always adjust those numbers together later.

Budgeting Tips and Reminders: Please keep the following in mind.

• Be Specific: Instead of writing "classroom supplies," please use the description space to list the specific items you need. Knowing exactly what you’re looking for helps me understand your vision!

• Include the "Hidden" Costs: Don’t forget to factor in shipping and handling so they don't sneak up on your total.

• Software & Apps: Remember to include renewals for things like Happy Numbers, ESGI, and any other digital tools you rely on.

• Professional Growth: If there is a conference you’re eyeing, please include it! While I can’t guarantee every request will be approved, I want to know what professional development you are passionate about.

Important Dates & Details

• Wednesday Office Hours: I’ll be available this Wednesday from 12:30-1:00 to answer any questions or help you talk through your requests.

• Deadline: Please have your sheet completed and shared back with me by May 1.

This request also applies to our Dodgeland Den team, the elementary office, and those managing recess materials. If you oversee an area that requires materials for next year, I want to hear from you!

Thank you for being so thoughtful with our resources and for your dedication to our students. Happy planning!

Recess Information

Playground Usage/Extra Recess
Please make sure you are holding students accountable to following playground expectations regardless of when they are on the playground. Most common infractions are:

• Climbing up slides
• Playing tag/running on the playground structure
• Standing on or laying under the saucer swing
• Kicking balls around the playground

Thank you in advance for enforcing these safety rules.

*Please also do not take students out during scheduled recess times.

• 9-9:45

• 11:30-1

ML Information

From Consumers to Creators: Tech for MLs

For Multilingual Learners (MLs), technology is a bridge. It allows them to showcase their knowledge using visuals and audio while their English skills are still growing.

Here are three quick ways to help students create:

1. Visual Storytelling

Use Canva or Google Slides.

The Idea: Have students build "Visual Glossaries" or infographics.

The Benefit: Images allow students to express complex ideas without the stress of perfect grammar.

2. Low-Stakes Speaking

Use Camera (app).

The Idea: Replace a live presentation with a recorded video.

The Benefit: Students can re-record until they feel confident, practicing fluency in a private space.

3. Digital Collaboration

Use Padlet.

The Idea: Post a "Gallery Walk" where students respond with emojis, photos, and short captions.

The Benefit: Students see peer examples in real-time, which provides immediate language scaffolding.

The Bottom Line: When MLs create digitally, they focus on what they know rather than what they can't say yet. Try swapping one worksheet for a digital project this week!

TechKnow Tip

Happy Earth Day from Discovery Education! When logged into ClassLink, you will see this link brings you to a great curated list of resources that can be used next week. You may find the K-2 and 3-5 choice boards very helpful! Each includes a variety of bite-sized videos for your students which explore a wide variety of topics- all geared toward helping our students become ambassadors for our earth.

Friday Funny

English is such a strange, strange language sometimes. :-)

April 10, 2026

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• Shout out to the College and Career committee! (Lindsey, Klair, Steph N, Teresa)  What a fantastic week you provided for our students and the proud community members that got to come in and connect with our students as well.  I appreciate your work soooo much!

• I want to make sure that I publicly acknowledge and thank Brad and Todd for all of the hours they put in to planning and executing steps to make sure our staff and community were well informed of the details of the referendum. Behind the scenes, there were many conversations, google docs, edits/rewrites, etc. that amounted to a lot of work. While there were many people helping along the way, their leadership was instrumental in the success of the communication.  Thank you so much!

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Saturday, April 11
• Happy Birthday Melissa Caine-Arnes!

• Monday, April 13
• Dress in Floral patterns or pastel colors to Welcome Spring!
• Morning Duties:
• Blacktop/Playground: Miller, Bingen, Zastrow
• Breakfast: Donovan, Vertz
• 3K/4K Playground: CaineB, Wagner
• Lunch Duties:
• 12:00 - Schuett
• 12:30 - Miller
• 1:00 - Klink
• PM Duties:
• Circle Drive: Huelsman
• Blacktop/Playground: Huso, Lucht

• Tuesday, April 14
• Happy Birthday Mary Jo!
• Jenny in meeting from 9-11am
• Social Media Posts due to Jenny: Huso, Caine

• Wednesday, April 15
• Happy Birthday Bethany!
• Workout Wednesday
• Lunch Detention Duty: Huso, Ellefson, CaineT
• 4th Gr. Field trip to Horicon Marsh 8:30-3pm
• Jenny in a meeting from 8:30-10:30am
• Talent Show Try-outs after school

• Thursday, April 16
• If you are so inclined, let's add a Brewers Day!  :-)

• Friday, April 17
• Happy Birthday Lexi!
• Author Visit from 9:15am - 1:15pm
• Act 20 testing should be complete by today for grades 4K-3

Nitty-Gritty

• Author Visit
• On Friday, April 17, Diane Nienas will be visiting to share an important message regarding kindness through the lens of her books. I am looking forward to her visit and think it is a fantastic opportunity for our students to hear the same message they hear from all of us every week from a new person!  Plus, her books are very good too!  The schedule is HERE.

• Professional Development is April 22
• Looking ahead: The schedule for the day will be out next week, but please know that there will be time to work on the reading comprehension module from Act 20 on Cox Campus, as well as some time to work together on digital citizenship/digital continuum. The Den will be open that day as well in rooms 109 and 102. If you have any questions, please let me know!

• Budgets for 2026-27
• As we look toward next year, it's time to begin identifying your classroom needs. We will share the formal budgeting process and deadlines next week, but in the meantime, please start thinkning about the essential items you'll need.
• We want to make sure we're spending our money wisely on the things that really make a difference for our students. Go ahead and start your lists now so you're ready to go when we send out the forms next week!

Recess Information (from Jenny)

We’ve reached that time of year where "spring fever" is in full swing! Our students are struggling a bit more with unstructured time, which means our presence at recess is more important than ever.

To keep our playground a "low-stress" zone for everyone, please make every effort to be at your duty station on time. If an emergency pops up and you can't make it, just give Patti a quick heads-up so we can get someone out there to help.

Once on duty, let’s focus on active supervision. By spreading out and moving through the groups rather than congregating in one spot, we can catch those "teachable moments" and prevent injuries before they happen.

Thanks for being such a proactive team and for looking out for our kiddos!

Below is a slide I've used before. While there is nothing new here, there are some good reminders for us all.

TechKnow Tip

ClassDojo has made posting your creations even easier!! They now have integrated Canva into their Story postings. To get started, follow the directions on the picture below. After allowing the appropriate permissions, you can click on the Canva button and all your recently created posters, assignments, or slide decks will appear! Let Christina know if you need a bit of help getting started.

ML Information

Student-Led Projects: Letting Multilingual Learners Lead the Way

Want to boost engagement and language growth simultaneously? Give your Multilingual Learners (MLs) the steering wheel. When students choose their own project topics, they transition from "doing school" to "sharing their world."

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The Three-Step Approach

• Reflect: Start with Passion
  Let students pick a topic they love (e.g., video games, cooking, or animals). This lowers anxiety and makes them want to find the right words to express themselves.

• Refine: Build the Scaffolds
  Students lead the topic, but you provide the tools. Use graphic organizers to map ideas and sentence frames (like "I am researching... because...") to help them structure their thoughts.

• Look Ahead: Connect to Growth
  Ask students how their project relates to their future goals. This helps them see themselves as capable, bilingual experts.

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Why It Works

Feature	Benefit for MLs
Choice	Increases motivation and "bravery" in using new English words.
Relevance	Vocabulary is learned in context, making it easier to remember.
Agency	Builds the confidence needed to participate in all subjects.

Quick Tip: Start small! Try "Genius 15"—fifteen minutes on Fridays where students research any topic they choose.

The Bottom Line: When we let students lead, we don’t just teach them content; we teach them that their voices and interests have a seat at the table.

The result? You’ll see students who aren't just learning English, but using English to teach us about what they love.

Friday Funny

So I really wanted the Friday Funny to be the mouse story from Room 117, but I did share that at the staff meeting. It's so great, I decided reliving it here is good for us all! In case you missed it, you just have to talk to Ms. Vertz and team! Shanalyn's retelling is the absolute best and I could never do it justice.  However, I do know who I will be calling if god forbid I need help with this problem!  And HUGE shout out to Virgil and Kari who then "re-homed" the little creature!  If you want to see the picture again, it's below. 

March 27, 2026

Next Week is Spring Break!  I hope you all have a fantastic break doing things that make you happy, with people that build you up and you return for the hectic end of the year rejuvenated and ready to go!

I am including things here for the week we return because I don't want to write one next week. 😆 So from here on out, you could stop reading and just save it for a bit if you wanted!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• This week one of our former students came down to share some awesome news about how far she has grown and that she is ready to be even more independent at school! She (as well as her dad) wanted the Elementary staff to know how much they appreciate all of the teachers and staff for helping her to get here. She told me that her dad would tell her stories about things she did in the elementary and her exact words were, "Why did I DO that?!"  If you know who IVB is and had the pleasure of working with her, please know that you made a difference in her life!

• Whew! Forward Testing is mostly in the books! I know that this is a stressful week for kids and the routine is off for so many that thrive on consistency. Thank you for all you have done to make this as easy and smooth as possible for our students. Your efforts have definitely been noticed!

• I watched First Graders participating in their PLTW module by analyzing different types of wings that birds have.  I love the hands on nature of these units and how they were able to explain which motion required more energy!

• Shout out to Ella and Betsy that have been very flexible for the last two weeks especially but also the month before with the unexpected staffing shortage in their hallway/department.  They have both stepped up and helped out with students and been patient and compassionate throughout each day! Thank you both!

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Monday, March 30
• Happy Birthday Brad!

• Wednesday, April 1
• Happy Birthday Steph N!

• Sunday, April 5
• Happy Birthday Mandy!

• Monday, April 6
• Your Future Starts Now! Wear your school spirit or colors!
• Act 20 testing starts (ORF, Vocabulary, etc)
• HOSA Fundraiser at Pizza Ranch
• Jr. Coach Meeting 9:45-10:10am
• Morning Duties:
• Blacktop/Playground - Caine-Arnes, Schulte, Fortmann
• Breakfast - O'Toole, Schuett
• 3K/4K playground - Chambers, Braunschweig
• Lunch Duties:
• 12:00 - Stampfl
• 12:30 - Vertz
• 1:00 - Tietz
• PM Duties:
• Blacktop/Playground - Juech, Klink
• Circle Drive - Betsy
• New Para Duties for April
• Breakfast: Longfield, Lexi
• PM Circle Drive: Eneida, Uttech

• Tuesday, April 7
• Your Future is Bright! - Wear sunglasses and bright colors
• Run for State @ 8:15am
• Social Media Posts due to Jenny: Juech, Cook
• Para PD meeting @ 3:15-3:45pm in IMC
• Election Day

• Wednesday, April 8
• Dress for Success - Wear a nice outfit you would wear to an interview
• Lunch Detention Supervisors: Wagner, Juech, Neis
• Talent Show entries are due
• Staff Meeting at 3:15pm in IMC

• Thursday, April 9
• Be all you can Be - College apparel or Green/Camouflage (Military)
• Jenny at Cesa until 1:15-1:30pm
• PD Pop Up about The Art of Digial Reading in IMC from 3:20-3:45pm

• Friday, April 10
• What do you want to be - Dress for your dream career
• Career Parade @ 8:15am
• Jenny and Teresa in a meeting from 10:30-11:30am

Nitty-Gritty

• System Maintenance
• Next week during Spring Break, the Tech Team will be working on system maintenance.  If you are in the building to work (especially on Tuesday), please plan accordingly as there may be technology disruptions throughout the week.

• Forward Testing Update
• Most of our 4th graders have completed the Forward exam, so we will not need to change the schedule for specials, recess, etc. for the building on April 7. I will still be doing make up testing that week for any that are left, but that will be only a handful of students. Please disregard the April 7 specials schedule on the original document!

• Act 20 testing
• Starting on April 6, the literacy AimsWeb assessments need to start being given to students. The assessments need to be completed by April 17.  All students in grades 2-3 should complete the ORF and Vocabulary subtests.  Students in 4K need to complete the Initial Sounds subtest. 5K and 1st grade students need to complete all of the Early Literacy subtests.  See this document HERE for the exact subtests for them.  Math subtests can be completed starting on April 20.

• Room Reservations/Event Planning
• If you have an event that you will be using a specific space for in the building, please make sure that you have completed a Room Reservation request.  If in doubt whether you should complete it, just fill it out to make sure that the custodial and Tech department are in the loop as well as Kimi for the District Calendar.  This includes the Spring Concerts, 5K graduation, field day, etc.  Whatever we can do to help with communication, will ease confusion and stress later!  Thank you!

• College and Career Week
• Thank you to the committee for putting together another awesome week for our students.  The dress up days and the many activities for the week were in their email. If you want to reread any of the details, the link is HERE. Also, see below in the Behavior Specialist section for a place to note any guest speakers that you will have visiting that week!

• Author Visit Book Sale
• Attached to the calendar will be a flyer to order one of our Visiting Author's books. The form will be due by Friday, April 10 so that the books can be ordered and delivered before her visit on April 17.  I will also be adding this to Dojo as well.

ML Information

Finishing Strong: Reflecting & Refining for Our Multilingual Learners

We’ve officially entered the final stretch! For our Multilingual Learners (MLs), the fourth quarter is a vital time to bridge the gap between "learning the language" and "mastering the content."

As we navigate these last few months, let’s focus on solidifying their growth through strategic review and intentional looking ahead.

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🔄 Review & Reteach with a Language Lens

Now is the time to revisit the "big ideas," but remember: re-teaching isn't just repeating. If a concept didn’t click the first time, it might have been a linguistic barrier rather than a cognitive one.

• Multimodal Magic: If a concept was taught through text, review it using visuals, infographics, or short video clips with captions.

• Interactive Word Walls: Don't just look at the walls—use them! Have students categorize existing vocabulary or play "I Spy" with academic terms.

• Structured Talk: Use sentence frames and starters to help MLs explain a concept they learned back in October. Giving them the "how" to say it unlocks the "what" they know.

🛠️ Reflect & Refine

Take a moment to look at your students' language proficiency data.

• What stuck? Celebrate the academic language they are now using naturally.

• What’s still fuzzy? Identify the specific "language of the discipline" (e.g., the way we use "table" in math vs. ELA) that needs one more pass.

• Refining means tweaking your scaffolds. Are they ready for a little less support, or do they need a more specific tool for the final project?

🚀 Looking Ahead: Building the Bridge

We want our MLs to walk into the next grade level feeling like scholars. Focus on transferable skills:

• Metacognition: Teach students to recognize which tools (dictionaries, graphic organizers, peer buddies) help them most.

• Confidence Boosters: Highlighting their growth in English—and their home language—builds the stamina needed for the challenges of a new grade level.

ML Tip: Use "Total Physical Response" (TPR) during your reviews this month. Connecting a physical movement to a complex vocabulary word is a high-impact, low-stress way to ensure long-term retention.

Behavior Specialist Information

College and Career Information
Please make sure to enter any guests coming in to speak about their careers HERE.

HERE is the information for College and Career week. Pennants were placed in your mailbox. Watch for an email for the parade details Friday at 8:15.

Recess Information

Junior Coach Meeting
Junior Coaches will meet Monday, April 6th from  9:45 - 10:10 in the PLTW lab. Please have them bring their snacks.

Playground Evacuation
Please review the procedures in the event we need to evacuate the playground. There is no drill currently planned, but it is always good to review periodically.

TechKnow Tip

During Spring Break, take a moment to think about your digital wellness. Digital wellness is the pursuit of an intentional and healthy relationship with technology. Take a look at this graphic, “Boundaries for Digital Wellness”. Reflect on yourself as a technology user and think about starting a conversation with students about this too. Digital wellness is one facet of being a well-rounded digital citizenship, something all students and staff are aspiring to be.

Friday Funny

My nephew is in 3rd grade and taking the Forward exam for the first time. His teacher sent a set of cards home for parents to write their student encouraging notes to open during the testing breaks. So my sister asked us each to take a card to write a note to him so that they weren't all from her. Below is the one that my brother wrote. He makes cards for all of the nieces/nephews for Birthdays and puts goofy drawings in them. I thought you might enjoy his version of an encouraging message. I wonder what my nephew will say! :-)

March 20, 2026

 Hear Ye, Hear Ye

• Shout out to Dom, Patti, Andrea S who were here early on Tuesday morning and working to get the supplies all ready for the testing groups so they could start testing at 8:15!  Thank you all so much!

• I’ve seen James helping out all over the building, but this week he officially added 'Substitute Teacher' to his resume! He told me he’s happy to cover as long as it’s for a strictly-enforced 15-minute maximum. Seriously though, thank you James for jumping into the trenches with us—even if the 4th/5th grade hallway found your guest appearance highly entertaining! (See below for the evidence!)

• I watched a VERY entertaining group of Kindergartners "fool" their teacher into thinking they had disappeared.  Shout out to Mr. Cook who got them to be quiet under the big parachute for a pretty good amount of time too!

• A HUGE shout out to Team Dodgeland that were flexible, encouraging and positive with our students as they were under some stress to complete the state testing. I also appreciate that as a team you continued to provide feedback throughout the week!

What's Happening at Dodgeland?

• Saturday, March 21
• Happy Birthday Brittany!

• Monday, March 23
• Morning Duties: 
• Blacktop/Playground: Neis, Westphal, Stampfl
• Breakfast: Tietz, Ellefson
• 3K/4K Playground: Houk, Mook
• Lunch Duties
• 12:00 - Lucht
• 12:30 - Arnes
• 1:00 - Schulte
• Afternoon Duties:
• Blacktop/Playground: CaineT, Juech
• Circle Drive: Jenkins
• Newsletter articles due to Patti
• School Board Meeting @ 6:30pm

• Tuesday, March 24
• Social Media Posts due to Jenny: Klink, O'Toole
• Forward Test starts again for 3-4-5, Note the Schedule HERE for specials.
• 4th/5th gr. morning recess moved to 9:45-10am
• Mrs. Rollins is proctoring groups for Forward and unavailable for the morning.
• Hall of Fame Ceremony is from 1-2pm in the HS gym (We are not attending, but wanted you to know it is happening - and it may affect TA hours in your room)
• Jenny leaving for a dr appt at 2pm
• Pop-Up PD @ 3:20 in the IMC on virtual field trips

• Wednesday, March 25
• Summer School Registration begins
• Staff Meeting in IMC @ 3:15pm
• Lunch Detention Supervisors: Schuett, Westphal, Klink
• Forward Test from 8-11:30am, Note the Schedule HERE for specials.
• 4th/5th gr. morning recess moved to 9:45-10am
• Mrs. Rollins is proctoring groups for Forward and unavailable for the morning.

• Thursday, March 26
• Opening Day for Brewers! Wear your Brewer Attire!
• Forward Test from 8-11:30am, Note the Schedule HERE for specials.
• 4th/5th gr. morning recess moved to 9:45-10am
• Mrs. Rollins is proctoring groups for Forward and unavailable for the morning.

• Friday, March 27
• Happy Birthday Shanalyn!
• Spring Break starts at the end of your day!
• Citizenship grades for March due in the gradebooks

Nitty-Gritty

• Summer School
• The summer school booklet will be out early next week (after the board meeting). If you have any students that you want to recommend for a course, please complete this form for each student and send home with kids on Tuesday if you can. (The grades are for the grades they will be entering next school year so it matches the booklet.) Please email a list of the students that you recommended for each course so I can follow up if they do not sign up. 

• Supply Lists for 2026-27
• If your grade level has not looked through the "other essentials" and "desired extras" columns from last year's supply list, please do so as soon as you can. If there are any changes that need to be made, please let Patti know so she can update the document she is working on.  We would like this to be in the April newsletter, so thank you in advance for doing this!

• Attendance Charts
• If you have a completed attendance chart, let me know and I will schedule a time to come to your classroom with the Trojan Cart.  :-)

ML Information

Unleashing the Writer Within: Low-Stakes Writing for MLs

Writing can be one of the most intimidating hurdles for Multilingual Learners (MLs). When students are worried about perfect verb tenses or spelling, their creative spark often gets smothered by anxiety.

The secret to building confident writers isn't found in a red pen—it’s found in low-stakes writing.

Shift the Focus: Ideas Over Accuracy

For MLs, the goal of daily writing should be fluency and expression, not grammatical perfection. When we lower the "affective filter" (the stress barrier), students are more likely to take risks with their new language.

3 Quick Ways to Get Ideas Flowing

• Quick Writes: Give a 3–5 minute timer and a fun prompt (e.g., "If you could have any superpower, what would it be?"). Tell students: "Don’t worry about spelling—just keep your pencil moving!"

• Dialogue Journals: Students write a short note to you, and you write back. Don't correct their mistakes; instead, model the correct grammar in your response.

• Visual Prompts: Use an interesting photo or a short video clip. Ask students to write three things they see and one thing they wonder.

Strategies for Success

Feature	Instead of...	Try...
Drafting	Correcting every error.	Celebrating a great vocabulary choice.
Language	English-only rules.	Allowing "Translanguaging" (using words from their home language).
Assessment	Grading for grammar.	Giving a "completion" grade for effort and ideas.

***Pro Tip: For your newcomers, allow them to draw their ideas first and then label them with one or two words. A picture is a bridge to a paragraph!

By making writing a daily, low-pressure habit, you help your MLs see themselves as authors who have important stories to tell.

***Click Here for 20 low-stakes writing prompts!

TechKnow Tip

Canva for Education provides a comprehensive, easily accessible library of design templates specifically tailored to meet the diverse needs of 4K-12 classrooms. The platform offers thousands of customizable options, ranging from interactive presentations and daily lesson plans to printable worksheets, report cards, and vibrant classroom decor. With its intuitive drag-and-drop interface, educators can quickly adapt these professional designs to fit the exact learning level, subject, and style they need for their students. Utilizing these visually appealing resources not only saves you valuable preparation time, but also helps foster a more engaging and interactive learning environment for young children and teens alike. Explore the extensive collection today to discover how effortlessly you can elevate your everyday instructional materials: Explore Class Project Packs

Friday Funny

When I am scrolling news links, I often get sucked into articles that are mindless and just plain odd.  But the article/blog I read this past week was about pictures that get funnier the longer you look at them.  I just had to share some pictures that I think fall into this category that you might laugh at too!

And of course this one sent to me from our colleague!  :-)