February 15, 2013

 

ALL STAFF - Maple Grove will host Instructional Rounds next Thursday! Fifteen principals and district office personnel will be engaged in their own learning and collaboration around Danielson Component 3d: Using Assessment in Instruction (learning targets, feedback, student involvement and mindsets). Leslie and I are excited to have all MGE staff members be resident experts and resources for our visitors as they use inquiry learning to expand their own knowledge. Team members will be out immersing themselves in our building: talking to staff members/students and parents, collecting information and building upon their own knowledge from 9:15a until 10:45a. Thank you in advance for accommodating our visitors!

Updated Progress Reports/Conference timelines are included below. We had nearly 330 parent made conferences in the first day! Please remember to log in to check your parents' progress and send out parent reminders to those specific parents who have not scheduled their conference. The online scheduler closes next Friday.

• Feb 11-24 – Parent window open for scheduling
• Feb 15 - Close PS Parent portal closes by 4pm 
• Feb 22 – Teacher workday
• Feb 25 – Parent window closed; teachers contact/schedule parents who have not scheduled
• Feb 25 - Related Arts complete progress reports by 4pm 
• Feb 26-Mar 1 – All remaining conferences scheduled by classroom teacher and parents notified
• March 1 - Progress Reports completed by teachers; PS Parent portal opens at 4pm 
• March 2 - Conferences begin!

Last District Math PD - Our next PD will be on Feb 20 from 2:15-4:00p. Please read through the information below from Lyndsay Law. Related Arts will meet at their regular locations to continue where they left off with their PLC work and please utilize the Google.doc for your PLC notes.

• Kindergarten Team - Brookview Media Center
• 1st Grade Team - Waukee Elementary Media Center
• 2nd Grade Team - Shuler Media Center
• 3rd Grade Team - Walnut Hills PD Room (412/414-upstairs)
• 4th Grade Team - Maple Grove Media Center
• 5th Grade Team - Eason Elementary Art Room

Lyndsay Law shares: The focus for our meeting will be around the 8 mathematical practices and sharing assessment/communication resources across the district. 

The curriculum committee reviewed your feedback from our January meeting, and we have built in some time to discuss assessment and communication tools during this meeting. Please bring an artifact or tool that you will be using to assess or communicate progress for an upcoming unit. Please bring a hard copy of your artifact/tool. We will display these on tables for others to view. Make sure each member of your team has a copy as we will be in mixed teams. Coaches have grade specific items to discuss as well. Please check with a coach, committee member or e-mail Lindsay Law if you have questions. 

ESL Endorsement Opportunity - Want to be like Kirby?? Interested in earning an ESL endorsement? The AEA is offering some informational sessions regarding a great opportunity to earn your ESL endorsement with the chance to earn up to $2500 in tuition grants. More information can be found here (link opened at home for me on Safari or Firefox at school)

Next PTO meeting is Monday night. The learning piece will be hosted by 5th grade as they share their own learning and application of mindsets. We start at 7pm in the library.

Looking ahead...

• Feb 15: Staff Potluck! Valentine's Party day (2:30-3:15p). RA district PLC 2-4p
• Feb 18: 5th grade Band Solo Night (after school); PTO MTG (7pm)
• Feb 19: 2nd and 4th switch lunch; 4th grade Fine Arts Night (@ WHS)
• Feb 20: Early Out; last day of across district math PD
• Feb 21: MGE will host district Instructional Rounds. 
• Feb 22: No School (work day)
• Dr. Suess Reading Celebration Week is 2/25 through 3/1. More info to come.

Website of the Season

Make your own candy hearts. Start with this one to practice your skills: