May 24, 2013

No specials on Friday. Field day schedule has been handed out. Note changes in lunch schedule.

Books - Still missing several Walnut Hills' Love and Logic books. Please return those to me ASAP. If you have any other book study books, please drop those off in my office as well. I will need The Leader In Me books back as it appears we will have a number of staff/parents engaged in that book study in June.

Speaking of The Leader In Me...if you were not able to join the study in May, we'd love to have you take part in our June study. This would be open to any staff member (associate, teacher, nutrition, custodian, etc.) and I'd like to especially extend the offer to our returning staff at MGE. Please add your name by clicking here. I will send information to those interested early next week.

Speaking of the book study...we are going to offer a Leadership Breakfast for all teachers next Tuesday morning (work day). The office staff will begin serving a "waffle bar" at 7:45a. At 8:05am, a member of the book study group and I would like to present some information for about 10 minutes around our learning during The Leader In Me book study and talk about MGE's next steps. RaeAnn will share next steps for WDE as well. This breakfast is open to all teachers and any other staff member who'd like to hear more. See you Tuesday morning!

Dates to note for 2013-14 is already in the works. Please bookmark the site and add any dates your team already has planned for the upcoming year.

Last Day Clap Out - 5th Graders will participate in a Clap-Out Parade at the end of Friday.  See the details below:

• K-4 students will sit in the hallways against the walls/lockers by 3:25 p
• At 3:25p, 5th graders will begin to walk through the building starting by the 4th grade and progress all the way through the building to the kindergarten hallway.  Encourage K-4 students to clap! 
• They will turn around (U-turn) in the K-pod so they can proceed by each other and the main office and out the front doors.
• Students/parents may take pictures by the sculpture area before heading to the bus/cars.
• Two 5th grade teachers should lead the bus students to the north sidewalk and stay with them. Two 5th grade teacher (and SPED staff should be at the parent pick-up area)
• When all the 5th graders have exited, we will dismiss students as we always do at 3:40p (walkers and bus by bus). Do not dismiss early!
• All teachers should be in hallways and then outside to help on last day! Grade level teachers should be out at the sidewalk to wave goodbye to students on buses. Related Arts/SPED at parent pick up or buses.

Final Thoughts for the Year

...please find time to read on. Even if its next week. :-) 

We have much to celebrate, but wanted to share out with the entire staff some of the data our teachers saw last week at our last PD and my commentary/beliefs on why we saw this data.

First, we met our academic goal of 80% of our students reaching 

the end of the year benchmark expectation! Way to go team!

Next, last year, our building was on the NCLB watch list, specifically

for the performance of our low-SES students in the area of reading.

This past year, we had a significant reduction in the percentage of

students not proficient within this same sub group in reading.

Maple Grove Students

This nearly 10% reduction at MGE was even more amazing considering

the district percentage for Low SES students did not change hardly at all.

All Waukee Students

We won't know whether our No Child Left Behind status will change due

to this data, but we should celebrate regardless!

We saw very similar results in math for our Low SES students! In math, we 

also noticed a large increase in "advanced" or high performing students at MGE. 

MATH SCORES - IA Assessment

So...what was the trick or the magic? I have thought a lot about this

and believe it has a lot to do with the people (you) and the focus we

had this year. Lots of work, learning and implementation of concepts

around Teaching with Love and Logic and the conversation, ideas and

implementation of activities with students around Growth Mindsets.

Is that too easy of an answer? I don't think so. I saw a quote during the book

study, The Leader In Me, that I have seen a ton of times before but it hit home

even more this spring:

You care. They notice. You "work" less. They work harder.

I've seen it over and over and truly believe this spring, you lived through it.

Some can say that Waukee is getting too big and what we do now won't work

as we continue to add kids, adults, families, buildings, etc. 

...but you showed it can work. We made it work with 770+ kids.

Each day.

Every day.

Until the end.

...because you cared. Because you noticed. Because you believe.

I cannot tell you how I excited I am to continue our work we've been doing

this year around mindsets, love and logic, leadership, feedback and engaging

students in assessing their own growth. It's good stuff and we will continue

to grow it (including outside the classroom walls) and making it our own.

Enjoy your summer and be ready to get fired up again this fall.

It will be another fun one.

I believe.

May 17, 2013

...in case you didn't get the SM-email Wednesday afternoon...

I have exciting news to share with all of you. Trina Graen has accepted an internal transfer from Shuler (reading lab) to Maple Grove for the 2013-14 school year as our ESL teacher! Trina brings a ton of knowledge and experience with how to effectively work with struggling readers. Before teaching at Shuler, she had taught "Title One" at MGE with intermediate level students. Take time to welcome Trina this spring or summer.

...we are also excited to announce Kim Wolf as our assistant principal for the upcoming school year. Kim is currently a 1st grade teacher in ADM and has had many leadership roles and responsibilities during her time there. She comes with wonderful recommendations and will hit the ground running this summer as she supports MGE and Shuler this fall. Kim will be visiting MGE on Monday so if you are able to stick around the building after school, I will be taking her around the building and introducing her to staff informally.

PBIS posters should remain in the classroom even if you are "moving next door." If you arrive in the room and cannot find the posters, let me know.

TODAY - please return Love and Logic books to Doug if they belong to Walnut Hills. They need them by Monday. By checkout, those leaving MGE should please bring to Doug's office any other book-study books (except Leader in Me) you have been given through BLT, PBIS, etc. 

Related Arts progress statements will be done by no later than 4pm Wednesday. You may print your end of year reports for the cum folder when those are entered. Print a copy to send home on the last day if the family does not have internet access. This will not be done from the office so please do this for your own students.

Check list reminder from Perrigo...
1) Schedule a time with Leslie to check out materials if you are leaving the building. 

2) All benchmarking kits need to be returned to Leslie's office by Tuesday 5/21. 

Check list - not on the list, but you do need to move over your folders over to Google-mail (waukeeschools.org) before too long in to the summer. IT has provided a "how-to" video to help. 

Next week items to note...

• 5th Grade track and field is on Tuesday
• Associate reviews will take place on Wednesday. If you have not signed up, please do so today outside the appropriate office (Diann or Doug)
• Early out schedule on Wednesday with the all school assembly beginning at 2:45p. Kindergarten should begin heading to the gym at 2:35p and will will announce each grade following.
• Everyone, please be out in the hallways before and after school each day next week to help reteach expected behaviors and reinforce positive behaviors.
• Clap-out for our 5th graders will begin at 3:25pm on Friday. Please have all students sitting outside their classrooms by that time. Our 5th grade students will parade through the hallways starting from 4th grade down through the kindergarten hallway. When all 5th graders have left the west entrance, we will make an announcement that school is dismissed for the 2012-13 school year! 
• All staff should be in the hallways and walk out with the students on Friday. Your team should send two of your team members with students to parent pick-up and the rest should be with students waiting for and going to the buses. It is always fun to say good-bye outside! :-) 

Real Men Do Cry...

I didn't say it well enough during PD on Wednesday because it is challenging for
me to say good bye or good luck or see-you-later to so many staff members and 
students at the end of the school year. I joked that "real men do cry" and although
I consider myself a pretty emotionally-in-check person, it does sadden me to see
so many good kids, parents, teachers and staff move on this year. I truly wish each
of you the very best. Teachers and staff leaving - please know how much I appreciate
all you have done during your time at MGE to make it THE place to learn, grow,
laugh, love and live. Other buildings, colleagues, parents and kids are fortunate to have
you in their lives next year. May continued success and happiness find you each morning.

May 10, 2013

Check out the Dates to Remember

...missing anything?

Associate end-of-year reviews are scheduled for Wednesday, May 22. A schedule will be posted outside Diann and my office on Monday, May 20. The meetings will last 10-15 minutes. 

Our PTO rocks! You knew that, but they proved it again this week. What a treat! Make sure to say thank you to your parents and any PTO members when you see them.

PD next week will begin with a celebration of births/weddings. Building goals, celebrations and an introduction to next year's goals will take place before we use the remaining time to allow teams to share your celebrations. Please keep you songs, dances, skits, presentations to under 10 minutes. Always fun to hear/see how far we've come each year....I can't wait! :-) 

New principals will be in place in the coming days! Samara Galindo (Sheldon's) will be your assistant principal tomorrow afternoon and Noah Van Wyk (Costa's) will be the principal-for-the-day on Tuesday, May 14.

Check-out form will be in teacher's boxes by Monday morning. Please note several items must be initialed by other people than Diann and I. This should be done prior to checking-out with Diann or I.

Field Day - The schedule for lunch/recess is below. Please note there is NO specials that day as all related arts teachers are helping with field day.

AEA Print - When teams fill out the copy/print sheets for the AEA order, leave the account number blank and use "Maple Grove #0445" for the school. Requisitions may be emailed directly to Paula. These are due prior to checkout.

Last teacher day - Teachers may leave anytime after 2:00p if your check-out list has been approved. Diann will be working at MGE in the AM. Sign-ups for times will be posted the last week of school.

PLC Teams may choose to meet during the last cycle. If you do not plan on meeting, please contact the person who covers you class.

Blogs - Please refer to Nicole Lawrence's email about what to do with your blog. Copy and paste any information you want to ensure you keep to your computer. 

Maple Grove Field Day Lunch/ Recess Schedule (May 24)

3rd lunch 10:50-11:10 recess 11:15-11:35

2nd lunch 11:15-11:35 recess 11:40-12:00

1st lunch 11:40-12:00 recess 12:05-12:25

4th lunch 12:05-12:25 recess 12:30-12:50

K lunch 12:30-12:50 recess 12:55-1:15

5th lunch 12:50-1:10 recess 1:05-1:35

Session One:

K, 1st Grade 9:10-11:10

Session Two:

2nd, 3rd and 4th Grade 12:55-3:15

May 3, 2013

It's May?!?!? You want me to do what? Wow...

I know much is asked of you know - and this is in addition to the "much" that
is asked of you all year long. Please do me a favor. If you need to scream, yell,
complain, punch someone...come to my office. That may allow you to save your 
sweet smile, laugh, kind words, hugs and encouragement for the students and in your
classroom and your colleagues on your team who need it. 
So just take a number and stand in line...my door is now open.

Celebration Time! Our May 15 PD will be our last professional development day this year. Just like the previous two years, we will use that time to highlight growth and celebrate a successful school year. In addition to the BLT sharing results from our CSIP/Data day on May 6th, teams should plan a short presentation. Be creative, be simple, be funny, ...choose your venue....but celebrate your team's and your students' success.

MAP and Data - All 3rd-5th grade teachers were emailed your students' MAP reports. Iowa Assessment and MAP reports are in your box to be sent home with students today (Friday). Your BLT member was given some timelines for when benchmarking should be completed and data entered on the Google.doc.

Scheduling for 2013-14 - Related arts team started working on the schedule this week. Our hope is a draft is out to staff for input/edits so we can leave with a tentative* schedule for the fall. This will allow for team planning and classroom schedules to be developed. * We work in Waukee...sections can always be added or subtracted. :-)

Personal Leave Payment Forms for certified staff are located below on the counter below my mailbox. If you have personal day(s) left, fill out the form and place in the manilla envelop standing up to the left of the forms. You must do this by the check-out day.

Ugh - Looking at my week next week, please bear with me. I will be out of the building Monday AM, all day Tuesday, until 2pm on Thursday and in a meeting (at MGE though!) Friday PM. Melissa will be here Mon, Wed, Thurs and Diann here Tues, Wed and Fri so you are in good hands.

Sack lunch - If your team is ordering sack lunches for students, please use the form located on the nutrition website. Wouldn't hurt to bookmark it for future use too:  http://www.waukee.k12.ia.us/nutrition/forms/

Post from the past...

As I reflect upon the last few weeks at MGE, rereading this post from last 
year hit home with me even more. Please take time to read and reflect 
upon your own classroom and your students' finish to school year.
I'm also being serious about my offer above...our kids need your best each day.

It is about this time of the year where we may see students act out who for reasons we cannot always understand. Sometimes it is a kid just being a knuckle-head or a bit of the case of summer-fever. Other times there is a deeper cause. In my previous district, I had a student break down in my office after a rough few days in the classroom and tell me he was worried about summer because there wasn't going to be anyone home during the day nor breakfast or lunch everyday. His thinking might have been that if he acted out enough he'd "have to" stay longer at school. It was an "ah-ha" for me. The acting out as a reaction to the uncertainty of not having a routine and consistency that school provides was something I had a hard time understanding until the student just stated it. 

We do have students at Maple Grove that will be faced with uncertainty - whether it be not having a consistent meal, no adult attention, or having positive peers around him/her. Please take time these last couple weeks to recognize the cause of some of behaviors and seek supports from Nicole, Shanlyn and our office if needed. Reach out yourself. Plan activities that engage students minds. Be kind.I appreciate you being consistent but also patient and compassionate at the same time. Just like Calvin, our kids may need to be smothered with affection. :-)