March 27 Update

Happy "Friday"!  Happy Spring Break!

Furniture:  

Just a friendly reminder  - please take care of any items (from Bob Olson's email) before you leave for break!  If you have questions, please let me know.  

April 10 - Tornado Drill:

Please mark on your calendars that the statewide tornado drill is Thursday, April 10 at 1:45pm.  Please check the virtual office for the tornado map so you are aware of your safe spots.  

Staffing Update:

An update on Special Education for next year.  Matt Williams will be joining us next year s a K-5 Special Education teacher.  Matt is an Owatonna graduate, as well as a graduate of UMD with a degree in elementary and special education.  Matt is currently an intern in 761 at Lincoln and Wilson Schools.  Please join me in welcoming Matt to our team!  

We will be finalizing sections and other staffing after break - I will share with you when I know.   

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Reminder - Monday, April 7 is a Connection Day! 

Have a great weekend!

-Justin

March 21 Update

Happy Friday!

Another great week at McKinley! 

How to Overcome Learned Helplessness:

One of the things we need to continue to focus on is creating rigorous opportunities where our students participate in deep thinking, learning, and productive struggle.  One of the strategies to help support students' learning is to avoid learned helplessness (in all aspects of a students' day).   Please take 2 minutes to read the linked article:  https://www.k12dive.com/news/helping-students-overcome-learned-helplessness-special-education/742588/

Check in on Vocabulary:

One of our big rocks this month has been around vocabulary.  At the end of our Staff Power Hour, we did a Call to Action around vocabulary.  How is that going?  What shifts have you made?   Dont' forget to check in with your accoutability partner before spring break.  

Personal Appliances & Furniture - coming soon:

Coming soon, you will receive an email from Bob Olson regarding items (in your classroom and work spaces) that are from home.  This includes fridges, lamps, microwaves, chairs, etc.  Because of safety codes and energy use, these items need to be taken home.  If a student were to get hurt on furniture (not purchased from the District), you could be responsible as the item is your personal item.  And, appliances are increasing our energy use.  More is coming - however, take some time to start removing these items before spring break.  If you have questions, I'm happy to connect.  

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Have a great weekend! - Justin

March 14 Update

Happy Friday!

My deep profound thoughts for you today....

(In case many of you are not old like me, Google Wilson Phillips....)

Pot of Positivity - Today is your last day! 

Last day to get a shamrock in for your acts of positivity!  Spread that positive energy!  

Drawing will be Monday at 2:45pm in the library!  You do NOT need to be present to win!   

Blog Winner!

Last week, there was a hidden message in the bottom of the blog that said to email me if you had read that far.  We had many people enter - linked below is a drawing for the person who won either a lunch or 30 min prep.  Click here to watch the drawing -  Video

Inclusive Schools Week - next Week!

Next week, we celebrate Inclusive Schools Week!  Each day, we will celebrate with a different dress up theme.  Please share with your students and families.   Thanks to Lynn Jensen for organizing the above dress days!  

Next Friday, March 21 is World Down Syndrome Day.  Join me in wearing colorful, bold, or mismatcheed socks on this day.  Linked is a website which provides resources for teachers if you'd like to do something with your classroom.  

Small Group & Leveled Texts - the "Myth":

As we are doing our amazing Science of Reading learning work, the idea of small group and leveled readers has come up.  It will continue to come up as you move into the comprehension module, too.  Even outside of this work, I am hearing about how leveled readers and small groups are not beneficial in a literacy block.  I want to clarify, as I've been struggling with this one - leveled readers are the concern, not small group instruction.  The basic concerns with leveling readers comes down to the fidelity of the leveling (it's hard to find exactly where a student is due to the word choice, complexity, and themes in a story), as well as the idea we never get them into grade level text.  This was a big a-ha to me.  When we only program at their level, they never experience challenging, complex text.  That creates a gap that is almost impossible to close after 4th grade.  

I put this in the blog to remind you that we have an opportunity to make great impact with our MTSS/small group time for students left in your classroom.  This is a great time to reteach a skill, pull kids to challenge them in text, or just confer with readers.   This is the prime time to provide differentiation, which will always have a great impact on learning.  Differentiaton is powerful.  

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Have a great weekend! 

March 7 Update

Happy Friday!

Toot Your Horn Thursday:

Jess Zupansic and Rachel Peterson are our receipents for Toot Your Horn Thursday!

Jess was nominated anonmously for Jess is such a postive force at McKinley. All the kids know and love her. She does such a wonderful job supporting students and holding students to a high standard. We appreciate all she does for our students. I also want to give Jess a HUGE shout out for taking on the science fair! This is a big job and has so many moving parts. Thank you for making this happen for McKinley!

Rachel was nominated anonymously for Rachel has stepped into her new role and done a really wonderful job. It is fun for the big kids to be able to work with a familiar face in intervention and she has a wonderful balence of care and high standards. I also want to say a big thank you for helping to put the science fair on for McKinley students. The science fair take a lot of work to plan and put together. We appreciate all the extra time and effort! Thank you!

If you see Jess and Rachel today, thank them for being amazing!

Pot of Positivity Challenge - next week!

Join us in a Pot of Positivity Challenge next week to acknowledge all the postiive, amazing people in this building every single day.   Remeber - you can turn in as many 3 by 3 sheets as you'd like.  For every one you complete, you get a new entry in for some amazing prizes (you do not need to be present to win).  

Family March Newsletter:

The family newsletter was sent last week - just sharing!  

School Social Worker Week:

This week is School Social Worker Week!  Thank you to Annette for all the love, knowledge, and advocacy she brings to our building.   Annette is an amazing school social worker and we are so thankful for her every day! 

No Excuses Mentality:

I'm going to be vulnerable with you in this post.  I have followed Eric Jensen for years - and was reminded of this quote a few days ago.    Full transparency, it was the reminder I needed at this time of year.  I'm not sure if it's the time of year, that it's February, or what the reason... I have fallen into the blame game.   And, I don't think I'm alone.  This is the time of year that gets hard.  I'm fully acknowledging - and admitting - my patience and "fuse" are short. 

This quote reminded me that I play a role in this, too.  And, that's sometimes a hard pill to swallow.  As much as a student plays a role in their learning, we do too.   If they isn't being successful in the environment, some of that falls on them.... and some falls on us.  

I put this quote in the blog to remind us of our mindset.  We have impact and we get to decide what that impact is.  I'm going to re-focus on my mindset around the "no excuses" mindset.  I have impact and I'm deciding that impact will be positive and purposeful.  (If you have read this far, please email Justin to be entered for a drawing)

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Have a great weekend!

-Justin

February 28 Update

Happy Friday!

Toot Your Horn Thursday!

This week's receipent is 3rd Grade Teacher, Katy Furniss!  Katy was nominated by Karen Thurnau for "Our third grade team would love to thank Katy for keeping us afloat this year in 3rd grade! She has gone above and beyond to make sure we have what we need, when we need it. She has helped all of us transition into 3rd grade from our previous job assignments. Thanks Katy for all that you do for us!" THANKS FOR ALL THAT YOU DO, Katy! :)

Staycation 2025 - Wednesday!

Next Wednesday is our annual "Staycation!" This is a day for us to pretend to be on vacation and enjoy the day together. Linked is the itinerary for the day. Feel free to add events or dramatize the day to make it a great memory!

Ramadan:

Ramadan starts this evening (February 28). Below are reminders for our school staff to help support our students who are celebrating Ramadan.

Referrals - please read carefully!

• MINOR - you are handling the situation, but want it documented.  The student DID NOT come to the office.
• MAJOR - you asked for help.  You want someone else (more than likely me) to address the situation with the student.  The student WAS sent to the office. 

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Have a great weekend!

-Jsutin

February 21 Update

Happy Friday, McKinley!

Just a reminder of today's bowling plan.  Hope you have a great time bowling!

All in the Hall:

Just a friendly reminder about morning arrival.  We have an "all in the hall" mindset that we've used for years.  When arrival time comes, all staff are in the hallway greeting students as they come in.  Please be mindful of this.  I understand that this is a time to talk to each other, as well.  However, our biggest priority is that welcome committee ensuring that students are greeted with a friendly smile.    For reference, here is some background and possible ways to greet students.  

Cause I Ain't Got A Pencil...
I've shared this in the past - a great reminder for us all.  Every time I read this, I am reminded to listen to our students to empathize and understand each of their lives.  We often assume - and use our biases - to determine what we think students should do.  However, when we really listen, we find out that there is more to the "story" than we are observing.  This always leaves me thinking - is this really an issue in the big picture of things?

You're Invited - Staycation!

Toot Your Horn Thursday:

We had no receipents yesterday.  I know there are a ton of amaizng people in this building doing great things. Please take a minute to nominate someone for this honor!  


Building Weekly Newsletter:
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Have a great weekend!
-Justin

February 14 Update

Happy Valentine's Day!  And, happy Friday! 

Toot Your Horn Thursday:

This week's receipent is our setting 1-2 Para Team!  Kate Seifert nominated them for "Our para team works so hard for all students and staff. They are willing to try anything that benefits the kids, come to early morning meetings, and pour their hearts into their work. They serve many students and all grade levels and do it with grace and kindness."

Connection Day - Tuesday:

February 18 is our next Connection Day.  A huge thank you to 3rd grade for planning this day!  Click here to see the bingo board.  

Yearbook Pictures:

Our PTO asked me to remind you to upload any pictures that would be a great addition the yearbook.  Linked is folder which is broken down by dates.  Thank you for helping our PTO out!

McKinleyStrong Slips & Celebration:

We filled the jar!  Woo hoo!  Next Friday, we are heading to Sparetime to bowl!  Click here to see the plan for the day. 

Just a reminder of the power of positives.  We can often get stuck in only acknowledging when things go wrong.  Don't forget to acknolwedge tghe postives, too!  Below is the breakdown from the McKStrong slips by grade level:

K - 245

1 - 200

2 - 294

3 - 239

4 - 135

5 - 251

total - 1,364  

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Have a great weekend!

-Justin