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)