March 16, 2012

Home Stretch - Coming back from spring break, we will have 8-1/2 weeks left of school! Wow. Coming in the form of memos soon :-) will be information about annual/summative conferences, class-list meetings  and related arts scheduling for 2012-13. This is an advance, THANK YOU, for putting up with (and completing!!!) many year-end nuts-and-bolts items while maintaining focus on what matters: student learning and achievement! I also appreciate you making a conscious effort to choose joy throughout the next 9 weeks! Those on the outside, don't realize how much more there is to teaching, counseling, being an associate, custodian, secretary or feeding our kids on a daily basis...I do...and I appreciate all you do to make Lyndsay and my job easier.


Early Out Schedules - March 28 is a professional development early out day. An agenda will be sent to all staff prior to March 26. That Friday (March 30), we run an early out schedule in order for our RA team to attend a PLC+ opportunity with Shuler's RA team. We appreciate everyone's flexibility to make this happen.

March 20 - Hopefully you'll be "unplugged" from work next Tuesday, March 20, but in case you are not, please know that the district will be without phone and internet service for a large portion of the day as the high school does some work. This would also affect district email through webmail/smart phones.

March 26 - I will be out of the district still on Monday, March 26. Lyndsay will be to Maple Grove by 9:30 am and be here the remainder of the day.

March 26 - Leslie returns!  ....and PLC+ dates are as follows: 3/29 is 2nd/4th; 4/3 is 3rd/5th; 4/5 is 1st/K. The schedule came out from Lyndsay today! Conflicts, let her know.

Speakers & Assemblies - Recent events at a school district in Iowa have lead to suggestions from SAI (School Administrators of Iowa) for all Iowa districts regarding bringing in guest speakers and/or assembly programs. It was suggested to provide all teachers with the understanding of four important points:

• Any speaker coming in to classrooms should be approved by the principal prior to speaking event. 
• Ask the speaker in advance if they will be showing any videos or clips. Preview those clips.
• If your guest violates expectations or a teacher feels uncomfortable about the presentation, you have the authority to end the presentation immediately.
• If your guest shares, says or does something inappropriate, write down all the facts and notified the building administration immediately.

...and in light of the recent events, I will be contacting our Magic Storyteller prior to our April 20th assembly! :-) 

Looking ahead...
* Mar 28 - Early out PD @ MGE
* Mar 29 - Instructional Rounds @ SMS
* Mar 30 - Early out schedule (RA @ SE)
* Apr 2 - 2nd gr field trip
* Apr 4 - Early out (math curriculum focus; RA district teams)
* Apr 4 - Tornado Drill
* Apr 6 - Barry in Iowa City (recruiting fair)
* Apr 9 - MAP begins!
* Apr 14 - PTO Carnival @ YMCA; 6:30-8:30p
* Apr 18 - Early out (MGE PLCs: math 'digestion'; MGE RA PLC)
* Apr 20 - 4th/5th AM HS music event;
* Apr 20 - PBIS Assemblies: Magic Storyteller in the PM (EO schedule)

March/April At-Bat Songs!

 This wild card bunch is just that - Wild!

Good luck guessing!

This month's contestants include:

Mark Joye, Lorri Lynde, Toni Rand and Shelley Wagaman - custodians

Tasha Turner, kindergarten; Abby Masters, 2nd grade

Shanlyn Doll, counselor; Thresa Stone, associate

Moonlight Sonta - Beethoven

Back in Black - AC/DC

Note: this person's 1st song was too inappropriate to even be on here!!

Free Bird - Lynyrd Skynyrd