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)