October 29, 2010

MAP Reports and RIT Reference Charts - District office has printed individual student MAP reports that I will pick up Thursday.  They have also provided reference charts for all 3rd grade parents and new to the district 4th and 5th grade parents.  Both documents are available for "pick-up" in my office on Friday.  The reports and reference charts (for 3rd graders and new 4th/5th) should be given to parents during P-T Conferences.  We will not be getting or giving out DIBELS reports to parents - having the conversation with parents about DIBELS, sharing scores and child's progress is very appropriate even without the reports. Teachers who used the updated Excel data sheet I sent them would have the option to print individual updates (last tab) and I would be happy to assist teams with an assessment update handout for parents if I did not update your Excel data entry sheet. 


Progress Reports - Leslie and I have started posting (hopefully) useful information on our Wiki about progress reports.  You may submit questions and we will attempt to answer them.   On Friday, please access the Wiki to post questions and provide help to each other.  Even though you will all be working independently, it would be helpful to ask and respond to each other's questions.  We will keep this information on the Wiki - and add to it - throughout the year.  


The Parent Portal to PowerSchool has been shut down until after school on November 12th. When parents attempt to log in, it will state "Invalid User Name or Password."  We have posted a message to parents on our website (see the daily bulletin link) and we will include this information in our building newsletter next week.  After school on November 12th, parents will be able to log in and view students' progress reports!


Teacher Quality Resources - Our building was allotted $5266 for professional development for the 2010-11 school year.  The BLT met Thursday morning to discuss several different options as to how to best meet the academic needs of our students and the instructional needs of our staff.  The team decided to develop action plans by grade level/PLC teams and use the money to continue each team's progress toward our SMART/building goals.  When teams have reported their plan back to me, I'll compile those plans to develop a building plan - this will be communicated with everyone late next week.  More information about the teacher quality funds can be found on the blog.


Barry in a Dress Clarification - I'm sorry to say, but the only way students (and staff) get to see me in a dress is if we reach our fundraiser goal.  As this went to print, we were about 200 Entertainment Books short of our goal of 575 books.  


Parent Teacher Conference Info - We are printing conference reminder notes for teachers to send home the end of next week.  These half-page forms will be placed in your box next week.     


Problem Solving Updates for the month of October are due to me by next Monday.  Please get the list of students in your room to your Problem Solving Core team member this week so she can get the list compiled and emailed to me next Monday.  Last month we did not have a complete picture of who and how many students we had involved in the process so please help us paint a more accurate picture!


PBIS Sheets - As mentioned (but I forgot to include it last week) in our October 20 PBIS PD, please mark "A" for adult and "P" for peer in the last two columns (Gain and Avoid).  I ordered more copies of the correct recording sheets.  


Doors - Please, please ensure doors are fully closed if you're coming in on the weekend.  The main doors on the north and west were open this past Sunday evening and the west ones were open the previous Sunday.  If you're coming in or leaving through any door, you must push or pull until you hear a click.  Thanks for helping us out with this concern!


Books for BINGO - PTO will be hosting their annual Books for BINGO night at Maple Grove on Friday, November 12th.  It will be held in the gym from 6:30 to 8:00 pm.  The PTO needs 3 more teachers to help call out numbers - please contact Carrie Foster to volunteer only 15 minutes of your time for this great event.


Box Top Contest - We will running a Box Top contest from November 5th-19th.  More information will come from our PTO next week but winning classrooms at each grade level will earn extra recess/gym time for their class!  


Fall Harvest Review - Whoa. 


Revisiting a prior post - Has anyone set up their classroom on Donor's Choose?  I would be more than happy to help you.  Here is what I wrote two weeks ago: 
Classroom Supplies - Feel like you've taken out a second mortgage to set up your classroom?  Remember each classroom has a small budget from our building budget to start.  If you've forgotten yours or would like an update on how much you have spent, see me.  There are programs out there such as Adopt-A-Classroom, Donors Choose, Classroom Wish List, andIloveschools.com that allow potential donors to browse needed classroom items and fund teacher requests.  Teachers at my previous school brought in over $3000 worth of classroom materials through Donors Choose!  Sign up and try it out.  


Office Bulletin Board and Snow Guessing Contest - . See last week about the "snow pool" but place your guess here by November 1st deadline.  ....and because I have gifts to give....any staff member who has their family picture up on our office bulletin board by November 5th will be in a drawing for a fun prize too.  I'd like that board filled up by conferences and the holiday season.  


Dates to Note - Wow...where or where did October go? 

Monday
- 

Tuesday
- K-2 PLC (8am)
Wednesday
- 3-5 PLC (8am)
- Early Dismissal; Teacher worktime
Thursday
- District Admin Mtg (Barry AM)
Friday
- Teacher Workday (NO School)
- Elem Principals' Mtg (PM)
- PBIS Assembly (early out schedule)
November 11
- Book Fair begins

Final Thoughts for the Week

...my new addition to the FWR where I keep talking/typing and 

you don't necessarily have to continue listening/reading. 

Progress Reports II - I have thought a lot about our summer retreat building-a-plane-in-midair analogy lately.  Although the process of progress reports may have caused some stomach pains and sailor-type language over the past couple weeks, the conversation I keep hearing during PLC meetings and post observation conferences has been invaluable.  We cannot secure our tray, tighten our seat belts and land the airplane to work on progress reports.  The end product in this process will be great for the students, parents and teachers of the Waukee School District.  I had one teacher tell me that through her PLC discussions, classroom discussion and own new understanding of the grade level curriculum and expectations - she knows each of her current students' needs, progress and abilities better than she has ever in her career.  The work you are doing - I can honestly say - is not the standard in many districts across this country.  Thanks for choosing to be a positive part of the process and an important member of our Maple Grove family.  I've taken the seat belt sign off - you're free to move about the cabin. Enjoy the flight.

October 22, 2010

Welcome back, Mrs. Harvey!  Thank you and enjoy a little break, Mrs. Fay!

Friday Staff Meeting - (this part may be late as my intention was to get the FWR out Thursday afternoon) We will have a brief team-builder (1st grade) and then split into the intervention groups we were going to have during our Wednesday PD.  Please be ready to go at 8am! 

Fall Harvest Parties - Parents helping with Fall Harves parties will be allowed to come down to the rooms at 2:20 pm to begin setting up.  I shared with Allison Hamling (overall coordinator) that classrooms will be involved in instruction until 2:30 pm.  I will announce at 3:10 that clean-up needs to get wrapped up so we are done at 3:15 pm.  Parents who want to take their child at that time may do so.  If anyone has any questions or additional feedback prior to next week - please let me know.

Additional Support II - Some more good news to share after last week's announcement about additional support. Pam Swanson, Kelley Neumann and Cynthia Bugg will be joining our kindergarten team in the near future as they have accepted positions as 3 of our 4 three-hour associates. We have also been given the go-ahead to hire one lunch room/recess associate to help ease some "tight" spots in our schedule. I appreciate the support from our district office in providing support for our students as we continue to move toward our behavior and academic goals!


Progress Reports - I have a few questions regarding progress reports and the parent access to them. I will get information to staff next week regarding these two questions.

ISU Role Model Program - I added some information about a neat program teachers can take advantage of below.  I'll support any teacher/team moving forward with this.  Please email me and the BLT members if you're moving forward on this so we don't all set up times for them!

Edutopia - A great resource for any educator is Edutopia. Full of video and downloadable resources for you and your continued learning. The George Lucas Educational Foundation is dedicated to improving the K-12 learning process by documenting, disseminating, and advocating for innovative, replicable strategies that prepare students to thrive in their future education, careers, and adult lives. Additional Edutopia resources can be found on their Youtube and Facebook pages.

Power Cord - I learned something new this week...if you didn't get a chance, please read and watch! (from IT support) Please take a minute to watch this humorous educational video from tested.com regarding the suggest way to wind the power cable on your MacBook power supply. It can cost us as much as $85 to replace a MacBook power supply so simply winding up the cable in a different manner can save the district money. If you have questions regarding this email please talk with your building technician.


Free Office Pool- ...I will organize our first (and maybe last?) office pool.  Why?  ...because I am a competitive person, I'm enjoying the warm weather and the kids keep asking me the question at lunch: "When do you think it will snow, Mr. Barry?"  The person who correctly guesses (closest to) the time and day of our first snow will get a wonderful prize from my prize box (TBD).  No complicated rules - it will be the first snow flakes I see out my window...not "first inch" or "first ground covering snow." You don't have to be a MGE employee to enter. :-) Place your guess here.  November 1st deadline. 

Kudos go to...

• I'd just like to extend kudos to Kara Hedrick. Her office is like Grand Central Station, and yet she is always calm, cheerful, and compassionate to all of our little friends, no matter how large (or - let's be honest - imaginary) their "owies" are. I know this is her first position in a school setting, but she is a natural and we are lucky to have her. :)
• Congrats on looking so studious, MGE teachers!

Please keep Tara Broich, her son Jackson and her entire

family in your thoughts and prayers.  I appreciate everyone

stepping up in Tara's absence so she can focus on Jackson. 

Monday
- BLT Regular Mtg (8am)

- K-12 Technology Mtg (PM)
Tuesday
- K-2 PLC (8am)
- PLC+ 3rd/K
- District Soc Stds Mtg
Wednesday
- 3-5 PLC (8am)
- PBIS PD @ 2:05 pm
Thursday
- BLT Mtg TQ$ Discussion (7:45 am)
- District Math Mtg
- Fall Harvest Party 2:30-3:15

Friday
- Teacher Workday (NO School)
- Elem Principals' Mtg (PM)

ISU Role Model Program

Dear Educator,

The Program for Women in Science and Engineering at Iowa State University has
energetic Role Models who would love to visit your classrooms to present fun,
hands-on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) activities to K-12 students.  The goal is to show all students, with special emphasis on females and minorities, that they can enjoy and understand the essentials of STEM activities. Our Role Models are pursuing degrees in these areas and they would take pleasure in spreading their enthusiasm to younger students!

This Role Model Program is funded by grants from industry and donations from
individuals.  Therefore, PWSE does not have to charge for the visits!  It's a great way to enrich and diversify your curriculum.  In addition, our activities are a
great fit with specific units in your science and mathematics curriculum!

For a description of a sample of our activities and additional information, check
out our website at http://www.pwse.iastate.edu/rolemodels.html and for our list of
hands-on activities we provide: http://www.pwse.iastate.edu/PDF/rolemodelactivities.pdf.

I am currently setting up visits for our fall semester.  You may email me at
rolemodels@iastate.edu<mailto:rolemodels@iastate.edu> if you are interested in
hearing more about the program or if you would like to set up a visit.  Please
include your name, your school/organization, possible dates and times, any
activities you are interested in doing, the grade level of your students and how
many students we will be working with.

Also, if you know of any additional teachers from your school system or organization who may not know about us, please forward this e-mail to them if you think they may be interested.

Thank you so much, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Addie Van Nimwegen
Student Role Model Coordinator
Program for Women in Science and Engineering
Iowa State University
rolemodels@iastate.edu
515.294.5814

October 15, 2010

Progress Report Clarification - There will have a short meeting on Monday, October 18 for any staff member involved in doing progress reports.  Please report to the library at 8:10 am.  There was also an email from Sharon Ingebrand regarding PowerTeacher Gradebook - please take the time to read it.


Additional Support Coming! - We are excited to share that we will be getting some support for our large kindergarten classrooms in the near future!  We have been given the approval of hiring four 3-hour associates to support the morning literacy block.  Currently we are in the midst of application review and interviews.  I hope to have two associates start the week of October 25th and the other two start sometime the during the following 1-2 weeks.   We were also given the go-ahead to increase Kristin and Julie's time working with kids by 1/8 each!  They will be using the time to extend their support to 2nd grade students.  I am thrilled and excited to see what the extra time and support will do for our students.


Office - Please give attention to Kara's email about not sending students to the nurse's office between 1:00-1:30 pm each day. We are asking that you use your best judgement and only send children that need immediate attention and we appreciate you using your best judgement.  With only 1 person at the front desk between 12:30-1:30 pm, it becomes challenging at times.

Printing - If you're nearing or reached your copy limit, just see me to discuss adding more copies.  The limit is not assigned as a "final decision" but more as a self-check system.  As mentioned in previous FWR, Paula and I will continue to speed up the PO process to allow us to use AEA printing more efficiently.

Local Grant - ABC5 has shared their annual $1000 grant opportunity for metro teachers.  I would love to see 1 or more teachers apply for the grant this year (if nothing else, try to go for  a projector in your classroom?)!  If you need assistance with the grant process, wording or correlation to your goals or the building goals, let me help!  More information can be found on the FWR blog and the application can be found on the ABC5 website.


Classroom Supplies - Feel like you've taken out a second mortgage to set up your classroom?  Remember each classroom has a small budget from our building budget to start.  If you've forgotten yours or would like an update on how much you have spent, see me.  There are programs out there such as Adopt-A-Classroom, Donors Choose, Classroom Wish List, and Iloveschools.com that allow potential donors to browse needed classroom items and fund teacher requests.  Teachers at my previous school brought in over $3000 worth of classroom materials through Donors Choose!  Sign up and try it out.  

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. For more information, please go to the Children & Families of Iowa Web site at http://www.cfiowa.org/ and click on“domestic violence services.” Their site provides information on domestic violence as well as phone numbers for the Iowa Domestic Violence Hotline and local crisis lines. Another great resource is the Domestic Violence Awareness Project at http://dvam.vawnet.org/.  Even more useful information can be found at a blog of the Carlisle MS counselor.  If the links within the site do not work at school, they can be accessed at home.  Please share with others if you feel necessary.


Spiders Revisited - Several rooms were sprayed on Thursday and our hope is that our (not so) little friends find warmth and food outside...if they survived the spray.  The gentleman who came in to do the work said the rooms near the doors will likely see return visitors so set up that spider terrarium and make it a science project!

Please welcome - Last week, I omitted welcoming another student teacher who will be starting next Monday in Mrs. Grimm's room.  Please make sure to welcome Lindsay Gardner to the MGE Family.  Clay Young as the new SMS Assistant Principal.  Clay taught MS in Waukee and will be assisting Michelle and the team at South with their mission this year.  Our 5th graders will get to know Mr. Young next year!  


BUSY WEEK NEXT WEEK!! - Please see the schedule below and always check the blog calendar for future dates.


Kudos go to...(Reading below, it sounds like Librarian week to me!  Keep the Kudos coming!)

• Pam Mefford, Meggan Bebout, and the Reading Incentive Team for all their hard work putting the guest readers and activities together for this week (received multiple times).
• THANK YOU Meggan Bebout and all the other related arts staff for providing extra help for our struggling friends!  What would we do without you???  
• Also...THANK YOU Pam Mefford for being so helpful with pulling different books to compliment what we are working on in the classrooms.  YOU are appreciated!
• Matt and Kacie for covering Kelly's class this week during interviews.

Monday
- SPED Mtg (8am)

- Progress Report Update (8:10 am)

- PTO Mtg (7pm in library)
Tuesday
- K-1 PLC (8am)

- PLC+ 2nd/5th
Wednesday
- 3-5 PLC (8am)

- Marron/Barry @ 504 Training (AM)

- Early Out

- PBIS PD @ 2:05 pm
Thursday
- Mrs. Harvey returns!

- PLC+ 4th/1st

- MGE's PEPPER POT-LUCK!!

- Character Council Mtg w/students (8am)
- Barry @ Instructional Rounds (BVE)

- Meteor Shower @ night :-)
Friday
- Staff Mtg (8am)

* 1st grade - team builder / 3rd grade - treats/breakfast

- Meteor Shower @ night :-)

Laugh everyday - its like inner jogging.

Michelle Winder

October 8, 2010

Celebrate Reading Week! - Thank you to the Reading Incentive team for setting up next week's celebration events.  What book character are you dressing up as on Tuesday?  Do you have a suggestion for me?  Maybe I'll dress up as the character most often suggested by teachers and students.  We will run an early out schedule on Friday.  We will have the latest-and-greatest early out schedule in your boxes by Wednesday of next week as we understand their are 'competing' copies out there.  :-)  Have I told you lately how much I love schedules?

Progress Reports - From the professional development I attended and the feedback I heard from other grade levels, the conversation around our updated progress reports was worthwhile and helped us better understand the expectations.  Continued conversation as a team is important and I feel some vertical conversation to help with consistency and compare notes would be worthwhile also.  I will consult with our BLT members but one Tuesday-Wednesday PLC will be devoted to this conversation as we near progress report time.  If you have other questions or thoughts, please let Lyndsay, Leslie or I know.

All-For-One-and-One-For-All Attitude - The Related Arts team has demonstrated another way our entire  Maple Grove family is working toward the same goal:  improving student achievement and behavior!  Thanks to Meggan and the entire related arts team for stepping up and offering nearly 6 hours a cycle of support to our grade level teams!

Walkies - Just a reminder that 4th grade should return (by a student is fine) the two walkies to Kelly White and Sara Swyter's rooms after lunch and recess.  We are in the process of ordering additional walkies so every team can keep one.  That may be 4-6 weeks so please follow the process in place until then. 

Copying - I appreciate everyone giving last week's memo your attention and providing feedback to me. Paula and I will work toward 'streamlining' or speeding up the turnaround time on AEA orders.  Thanks in advance for helping us pinch in this area to increase the monies available in other areas.

In the Loop - Thank you to classroom teachers for keeping me in the loop by including me on your weekly newsletter.  I will be honest and say that I cannot read every single one sent to me but I have used them to look back upon when I've had a parent question and shared a few when we've had new students to Maple Grove!  Keep them coming!

Speaking of Newsletters - If something (pictures and/or news) you've shared is worth letting our community know too, please send that to Paula so we can include in The Branch and/or the DSMR's Every School, Every Thursday.  What a neat way to highlight the great things our kids are doing in the classrooms!

Student Teachers - We will have two student teachers starting in our building over the next couple weeks.  On Oct 11, Holley Fairholm from Upper Iowa will begin in Kelli Van Meter's room.  Then on Oct 18, Kara Beckstrom will be with Taryn Bode in our preschool room.  Please help them feel welcome and part of our Maple Grove Family!

Kudos to... (email or stop in to let me know who needs a pat on the back)
- Kristin and Julie for putting on a great Reading Lab parent presentation last night!

Dates to Note

Next week:  Celebrate Reading Week and Hearing Screening

Monday
- PBIS Mtg (8am)
Tuesday
- K-2 PLC (8am)
- Dress as your favorite character (staff and students)
Wednesday
- 3-5 PLC (8am)
Thursday
- Character Council Mtg (8am)
- Lang Arts Curriculum Mtg
Friday
- 4th Grade Field Trip
Oct 19 - PLC + (2nd and 5th)
Oct 21 - Sara Harvey returns!

Oct 21 - Staff Potluck (Pepper Team)

Oct 21 - PLC + (4th and 1st)

Oct 22 - MGE Staff Mtg (1st gr team builder; 3rd gr treats)