October 7, 2011

(Added 7:05am on 10/7) The laminator has been fixed again but please do not use it until the instructions are put back up. Lamination continues to get rolled around the back gray rollers. You must pay attention to what you are doing when you're laminating. Parents who have not been shown how to use it, should not be asked to use it, ever. If it breaks down again, we will have to come up with a different usage plan before it is fixed and useable again as it has taken a lot of people time and money to keep it running properly.


Friday Events - Please review the expectations for "Start Somewhere Walk" Kara sent out last week. Have fun with it and enjoy the weather!  The fundraiser assembly will begin at 3:00 pm. Have students ready for dismissal BEFORE you come to the assembly in case it runs longer than expected. There will be no early out schedule run. Kindergarten students should head to gym at 2:50 pm. We will announce grades following grade levels. I will ask the rep to keep them no longer than 25 (yes - up 5 minutes) minutes and we will open the lunchroom wall so we can exit quickly. :-)


Lunch Procedure Changes - Starting Monday, Kindergarten through 3rd grade will exit for recess using the hallway doors just to the east of the lunchroom. Except for kindergarten, cold lunch baskets/buckets should be placed along the south wall between the lunchroom and the new exit doors and students should make sure their cold lunch bags are not thrown all over. Kindergarten cold lunch baskets should be placed near where cold lunch students line up after washing their hands. Teachers should let students know of these changes (especially kindergarten!)! Thanks. :-)


After School Duty Review - I appreciate the great feedback everyone provided to me about current reality and ideas for positive changes after school. Here is what I came up for after reviewing the current duty assignments, watching what is taking place and reviewing the feedback.


Immediate changes needing to take place today

• Do not dismiss parent pick-up and bus students until the bell rings. We have too many students leaving for parent pick-up and the buses and no adults on supervision. 
• 3rd/4th grade teacher on bus duty will walk the first group of students out to the buses and must bring a walkie. We need adults outside prior to students coming out and multiple walkies will help with communication
• The walkie in Jone's room will be moved to Costa's room in order to have two walkies in that pod.
• ALL teachers should be out in the pod/just outside your door to assist with traffic and behavior every day. We need all hands on deck each day to help students understand expectations. For five minutes - we need all staff to help.
• Repeat bus announcements.
• Reteach expectations

Ideas worth trying...

• Teachers on duty may walk their class down to their pod area or another classroom just prior to the bell to make sure you're on duty on time.
• Move bus signs in your pod area to help congestion or split students up.
• Move bus signs (3rd/4th pod) around the corner so students can sit along the walls and not in bunches.
• 5th grade hold bus students in 5th grade pod until 1st buses are announced and then 1 teacher walk students down to 3rd/4th grade pod.
• PBIS lessons specific for dismissal (I'll get these typed up and to staff soon).

Going to Skype with Kids Soon? Have your students watch this student created Skyping Etiquette for the Classroom video to help them get started...and then have your students create a How-To video for Skype or something else you do/use!


Document Cameras - In order to get daily use out of our two document cameras, each will be be located in two shared classrooms (Sheldon/Costa and Miller/Grote - bold is "home" room). If you have need for one or would like to try it out, please give those teachers a day's notice and let Carrie know where it is located at all times. When Carrie is on maternity leave, Amanda Robinson will be her long-term sub.  Any questions - please see Carrie.


PBIS/PSC - Due to me getting ready for instructional rounds on October 20, I am moving the Problem Solving Core team meeting to Friday, October 21st. PBIS will remain on Oct 20th.


Donor's Choose - Anytime you have a project funded, please complete the form located here so we can track the amount of resources coming in to our building. I looked at the list today and we are still missing some of the projects I know were funded last year so PLEASE ADD YOUR FULFILLED projects soon!!  


PT Conference Info - Conference sheets are placed out in the main hallway next week. PD on Wednesday will be focused on PT conferences and there will be time for teams to collaborate. More info to come.


Items to note for next week...
Monday - Project Based Learning PLC meets @ 8:00am
Tuesday - LEGO Robotics informational meeting @ 6:00pm; MGE PAC @ 6:45pm
Wednesday - Early Out / PD





At-Bat Song Contest - Group B (October)!It is time to get to work on ending the trash-talking from the Related Arts team!This month includes some more revealing songs from our staff. Good luck!

Float On - Modest Mouse	Get Rhythm - Johnny Cash
Firework - Katy Perry	Group B includes: Beavers, Bode, Broich, Dirksen, Graziano, Harvey, Huisman, Jones, Pals, Swyter    ANTI-PRIZE Motivator:  The team with the lowest score for the year has to sing one of the songs chosen by the winning team at a spring staff meeting!!