October 23 Update

Happy Friday, McKinley!

Another GREAT week of learning, relationships, and teamwork!  

As I'm finishing up 1:1 Barometer Checks with Staff this week, I am so thankful to work alongside of each of you!  Each of you have such passion, love for our kids, and pride in our McKinley community.  Thank you for making an impact!  

Cheers for Peers!

I've missed a few weeks, so we have a few Cheers for Peers!

Yuska nominated the Stride Paraprofessionals for We all know how busy our workdays at STRIDE can be and how much we rely on one another to keep things running smoothly\. I’d like to thank everyone for the great teamwork that is developing among the paraprofessionals, as well as for the initiative to share the Setting 1/2 paraprofessionals with us today\. It really helped our day run more smoothly, and I truly appreciate the collaboration and support\!

Jess Zupansic nominated Tamra Gonzalez for Tamra genuinely loves her students and is passionate about helping them learn and grow. I especially appreciate that she is never afraid to ask questions or seek out new ideas.Every time I talk with her, she manages to make me smile and laugh, and I feel lucky to have her as a colleague!

Karen Thurnau nominated Tonya Goettl for Tonya has been so ready and prepared for our class to experience the Makerspace area. After the students come back she has provided me feedback and sent pictures of the students showing off their creations! The kids love to see pictures of themselves and love hearing the positive feedback! Thank you for making an positive impact Tonya!

Staffing Update:

A couple updates for staffing...

Mercedes Zavala has accepted the K-5 Educational Assistant position and will start today.  Mercedes was once a McKinley student herself and has experience working with Migrant Education. 

Mallory Olson will be filling in for Danika Beck during her maternity leave (end of November through early April).  Mallory has experience teaching Kindergarten and 1st Grade and will be a great addition to our Kindergarten team. 

National School Psychology Week:

School Psychology Week is coming up November 1st–7th, and it’s a great opportunity to show our appreciation for the amazing work our school psychologist does! We are so fortunate to have Cecile Dokkestul as a valued member of our team. She provides such important support to our students, and I’d love for us to take a moment to let her know how much we appreciate her!  

Please take a few minutes to fill out the digital appreciation card and share a note of gratitude, a kind message, or a few words about how Cecile has helped you or your students. Let’s make sure she feels celebrated and knows how much she means to our school community!

Thank you for taking a moment to spread some appreciation and kindness! Staff Social Squad

Safety & Emergency Updates:

Just a few reminders - 

• Linked is our Weather & Emergency Closing Plan.   Please save this somewhere - it will remind you of the plan in the event school is closed/released/etc.  
• This week, we had three different situations were staff were "aware of their surroundings" - seeing an unusual person on school grounds, checking for a badge, and then alerting us in the office.  GREAT JOB!

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!
-Justin

October 14 Update

Happy MEA Break!

A short weekly update...

I hope you each can find some time to turn off your school mind and enjoy the things you love.   Enjoy every minute of your four days away!  

Connection Day - 10/19:

We have our first connection day on October 19.  For those of you who are new to McKinley, we do a Connection Day after a long break.  The day is designed around rebuilding relationships & re-establishing routines.  A team has designed a choice board for you to do with your classroom at points during your day.  It's a great way to transition back to school after a long break!

Manager of your Space - (Guest Blogger former employee Danielle Nystrom): 

Have you ever had a moment where things in your classroom have been chaotic and you weren’t sure what to do? Same here! We all know the intricacies of classroom management. Not to mention how challenging it can be when a student displays a behavior that doesn’t fit the classroom expectations we have set. 

How do you respond? How do you let the student who is struggling know that they are seen and heard without bringing too much attention to the display? On the flip side… How do you let the rest of the class know that you “have this” and that they are safe when unexpected things happen? As they say, the struggle is real!! While things are chaotic and disruptive at times, it's important to remember that YOU are the manager of your classroom space. You can keep the space calm and positive despite the disruptions that will inevitably occur.

Remember! Your presence has an impact. Your facial expressions, your body language, your voice tone. Everything you do impacts the environment and communicates something to those around you. Stay calm (even when you have no clue what to do…. It happens to all of us!). Acknowledge that you hear the sound or see the movement (“I can hear the noise” or “I see there is more movement right now”), remind the class that they are safe, and thank those who are doing their job.  If the display continues, remind the class that they are safe (again) and that sometimes we need different things to help regulate our bodies and emotions. Feelings are big and sometimes unexpected things happen. Normalize it as much as you can. It helps build empathy and keep things calm. Everyone (kids and adults included) experience big emotions and it's important to work through that. It looks and sounds different for everyone… and that is ok. When we respond in this way, we are communicating that everything is ok, that we are managing what is happening, and that when big feelings happen- it’s ok. We work through it together. 

A great example of this comes from the first week of school last year. A student was seeking attention any way that she could get it. The display  included blurting out frequently and jumping off her desk and around the room like a frog. The teacher reached out for support, and we talked through the different scenarios and ways to approach it in a positive way, knowing she would have another opportunity (or several) to redirect the behavior.  When the class came back, the student picked up right where she left off. The behavior was acknowledged, the positive behaviors were reinforced, the attention was removed from the unexpected behaviors and the class moved forward. While this doesn’t always “end” the behavior immediately, the teacher reinforced the idea that she is the manager of the space and that the class is ok and safe- even when there are unexpected sounds and movements happening. 

In the heat of the moment, we can easily be overcome with our own emotions, especially if the display is something that has been repeated multiple times. We may feel unsure of where to go first, what to say, and how to juggle it all. Just remember… Your presence has an impact. How you respond will impact the rest of your class. You are the manager of your space and students will learn to trust that in watching how you respond to a behavior display.

Here is a reminder image that may help in those big moments! It takes practice! Just like everything that we teach! This is something that takes time to build. Students will give you many opportunities to practice. Use each display as an opportunity to validate feelings, meet students where they are at, and most importantly, manage the classroom space. 

Building Weekly Newsletter:
Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!
-Justin

October 9 Update

 Happy Friday!

This appeared in my social media yesterday.  This reminded me that we are responsible for finding those "happy moments", even in the chaos of the day.  It's important we find the "joy" and enjoy those little moments  - a laugh, smile, story from their life, etc.   And, I disagree with the end to this quote - research says a strong relationship creates safety in a classroom which in turn creates high levels of learning.   Find those joyful moments today!  

Indigenous People's Day - Monday:

Per state statute, we are required to provide 1 hour of programming on Indigenous People's Day on October 12.  Linked is a document that provides some resources to support your instruction that day.  

Connection Day - October 19

We have our first connection day on October 19.  For those of you who are new to McKinley, we do a Connection Day after a long break.  The day is designed around rebuilding relationships & re-establishing routines.  A team has designed a choice board for you to do with your classroom at points during your day.  It's a great way to transition back to school after a long break!

Lunch Count:

Starting Monday, October 19, we will be moving to an electronic lunch count (linked here).   Please have your lunch count entered into this sheet every morning.  We will use this same sheet every day (they will delete numbers after they have them).  I do have a request into Infinite Campus to have this be added as part of your attendance (hopefully someday).  This will start after MEA break. 

Perception Survey:

Next week, our staff and 4-5th graders will participate in a Perceptions Survey.  This survey is importnat information for our District.  Please watch for this email and take the survey when you can. 

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend! 

Justin

October 2 Update

Happy Homecoming!

Looking forward to a great day - Teddy Bear Parade, Picnic, and the Parade.  Go Huskies!

EA Opening:

Gabrielle Howard, an EA, resigned early this week.  The position is posted if you know of anyone interested.  If they are, please have them apply ASAP.  I'm screening applications and setting up interviews this weekend.  

Starfish:

Back in August, we kicked the year off with the Starfish Story.  If you recall, the boy was throwing starfish back.   A man questioned him, stating there were too many starfish on the beach to save.  The boy threw a starfish back in and said "it matters to that one".   

Never underestimate the power of your everyday actions. The extra minute you spend listening, the quick word of encouragement, or the quiet patience you offer might feel small in the moment, but to the person on the receiving end, it can change everything. You may never see the full ripple effect of the light you bring to work each day, but please know this: every single little effort matters, and you are making a difference.

Halloween:
Halloween is on a Saturday this year. Woo hoo!! Just a friendly reminder - we have moved away from doing Halloween activities, including having students dress up on this day. Not only is the dress up a distraction (and fear factor of some costumes) but it becomes an equity issue with some not celebrating, having the funds to get a costume, etc. We are not doing any dress up.

Also, we have moved away from celebrating Halloween. This includes any jack-o-lanterns, skeletons, death, etc. Many teams have still found fun ways to turn this into a fall event - STEM activities around designing and building with a pumpkin, for example.

If your team is planning anything and want to run it by me, I'd be happy to offer any help.

McKinley Gear:

We will continue our tradition of McKinley gear on Mondays! 

A huge thank you to Steph for organizing our newest "gear"! 

Building Weekly Newsletter:
Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!  Go Huskies! - Justin

September 25 Update

Happy Friday!  Another amazing week! 

Cheers for Peers:

Congrats to this weeks' receipents - Christa Kain and Nura Elmi!  Congrats to these two educators! 

Christa was nominated by Mallory Baumann for "Christa sees many students every day, yet she still takes the time to learn about them so she can better support them. Whether it's for a short time or three times in one day, she always wants to see the full picture. The kids feel seen, and she makes our days smoother! Christa is the best! Thank you for all you do!"

Nura was nominated by Katy Furniss for "Nura comes into my room to support a friend and her face instantly lights up when Nura comes in to help her. Not only does Nura take the time to help this friend, but she also helps anyone else that needs it. She brings a patient and calm presence into our space that is so appreciated! You're the best at what you do, Nura! Thank you for everything you do to support staff and students at McKinley!"

Homecoming Next Week:

A few updates regarding early release...

Teddy Bear Parade - our 1st grade is doing their annual Teddy Bear Parade at 10:30am.  They will share a parade route.  Please be seated and ready by 10:30am.  

Dress Up Days:  The below graphic will be shared with families (via SeeSaw and social media) on Monday.

 Picnic Lunch - We are hosting our annual picnic lunch for families on this day.  Below is information and some documents regarding the day:

• Linked is more details around this event.  
• I am looking for help on this day to eat lunch with your class (the students who do not have a family member who came with).  
• Linked is a list of families who have RSVP (this will continue to be updated as families RSVP - RSVP closes Wednesday, September 23.  

Supervision at Parade (Teaching Staff Only) - please complete the linked form showing your plan for the early release.  We are trying to do a check on how many staff will be supervising the parade.  

Update from CEU Committee:

Hello Awesome Educators! This is a reminder from your CEU committee to check on your hours and renewal dates. Even if this is not your renewal year,  please stay on top of what requirements/hours you have already completed and what you have left to complete. Our CEU committee meets a few times a year formally, but works throughout each week to get hours approved. 

We moved to PowerSchool last school year. You can view all of the requirements that were completed from PD Express (our old system) by logging on to PELSB and looking up your license. 

1. Check in the PELSB site (online license renewal) for any hours listed from 2024 and earlier. 

2. Look at the transcript from PowerSchool to see what you still need to complete.  

3. Complete the missing requirements. 

All of the steps for completing hours, renewal, etc can be found on our district website, under License Renewal. If you have any questions, please reach out to our CEU committee! We are here to help!

Inclusive Schools Week:

Inclusive Schools Week is December 7-11, 2026. We are looking for a team this year to help create some district-wide activities for our students.  We are planning to meet 3-4 times (7:30am) to get this planning up and running.  Please let me know of your interest by October 2, 2026.  Thank you for considering!  

October Family Newsletter:

The following October Family Newsletter will be shared with families today.

Writing Letters of Support:
School staff are sometimes asked to write letters of support for parents, guardians, or others involved in child custody disputes or other legal or personal matters. Requests for letters written in your professional capacity, based on information obtained through your school role, or that could reasonably be understood to represent the district must receive prior administrative approval. If you receive such a request, refer it to your principal before agreeing to write or provide a letter. Additionally, employment verification requests should be directed to Human Resources. These types of requests require careful review to protect confidentiality, maintain appropriate professional boundaries, and avoid involving staff or the district unnecessarily in private disputes or court proceedings. This expectation does not prohibit you from writing a personal letter on your own time as a family member or friend; for example, in support of a sibling. Such letters should clearly reflect your personal relationship and firsthand knowledge outside your school role. Do not use district letterhead, your district email account, your school title to imply district endorsement, or confidential information obtained through your employment. If your personal and professional roles overlap, or you are unsure whether approval is needed, consult your principal before proceeding.

Building Weekly Newsletter:
Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!
-Justin

September 18 Update

Happy Friday!

We finished our first 5 day week!  It's great to see routines, relationships, and learning in full action!

We've been in school for 10 days - what kind of impact are you making? 

Cheers for Peers!

Last Year's 3rd Grade Team was nominated by Kate Tepp for "I want to thank third grade for their amazing work they did with Wit & Wisdom last year! Our first week routines have been so smooth thanks to them. We did our first Socratic seminar to end the week and it was amazing-- The listening, taking turns, the ideas, agreements/disagreements, the conversations... We had to bust out a box of Kleenex halfway through.. It was incredible! Kudos to you for building the foundation to it all, it makes us excited for the rest of the year!" Way to go, 3rd Grade!

Vision Card:

Linked is our 3 building goals plus the action steps. Please take a moment to look through these, particularly the action steps.

Science Fair:

I am checking to see who has interest in coordinating our science fair this year.  This event is well laid out - if you are looking for details or to know the committment, contact Jess Zupansic or Rachel Thiemann.  

Every Minute Matters:

Now that we are underway with our schedules, I want to stress the importance of "every minute matters".   First, I want to be really clear - I understand life happens.  There are emergencies that throw a schedule off.  I totally understand that.  However, our "emergencies" should be few and far between.  

When we go over in morning meeting or let instructional time slide by just 5 minutes a day, it seems harmless in the moment. But over the course of a school year, those 5 missing minutes stack up to 25 minutes a week, over an hour every month, and nearly 15 full instructional days lost by June. That is three entire weeks of reading groups, math interventions, and hands-on science that simply vanish. Every transition, start time, and lesson block in our master schedule is designed to maximize student growth; when we protect our clock, we protect our students' learning.

By the Numbers: How Lost Minutes Multiply

• 5 minutes lost daily: 25 minutes/week | 1.5 days of school lost per year

• 10 minutes lost daily: 50 minutes/week | 3.2 days of school lost per year

• 15 minutes lost daily: 75 minutes/week | nearly 5 full days of school lost per year

• 30 minutes lost daily: 150 minutes/week | 15 full days of instruction lost per year

Every minute matters.  

Homecoming Early Release:

A few updates regarding early release...

Teddy Bear Parade - our 1st grade is doing their annual Teddy Bear Parade at 10:30am.  More to come!

Dress Up Days:  The below graphic will be shared with families (via SeeSaw and social media) on Monday.

 Picnic Lunch - We are hosting our annual picnic lunch for families on this day.  Below is information and some documents regarding the day:

• Linked is more details around this event.  
• I am looking for help on this day to eat lunch with your class (the students who do not have a family member who came with).  
• Linked is a list of families who have RSVP (this will continue to be updated as families RSVP - RSVP closes Wednesday, September 23.  

Supervision at Parade (Teaching Staff Only) - please complete the linked form showing your plan for the early release.  We are trying to do a check on how many staff will be supervising the parade.  

Indigenous People's Day - October 12:

Per state statute, we are required to provide 1 hour of programming on Indigenous People's Day on October 12.  Linked is a document from Teaching and Learning that provides some resources to support your instruction that day.  

Building Weekly Newsletter:
Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

I hope each of you can find some time to do something you love!  

Have a great weekend! 

-Justin

September 11 Update

Happy Friday!

Another great week.... we finished our first 5 days!  

Welcome Back List:

Don't forget to complete your Welcome Back list, including the required online trainings.  Please get this completed ASAP. 

Homecoming Picnic & Parade:

Friday, October 2 is our early release (12:40pm) for the Homecoming Parade (1:30pm).   This is the day we will also be doing the 1st Grade Teddy Bear Parade (10:30am).  More information will come in the next week; however, below is the lunch schedule if you are planning ahead.  I will be sharing the RSVP with families today (Friday).  

10:45-11:15	4th Grade
10:55-11:25	1st Grade
11:10-11:40	5th Grade
11:20-11:50	Kindergarten
11:35-11:55	2nd Grade
11:45-12:15	3rd Grade

Cheers for Peers:

Let's fill this building with gratitude and some positive energy!  Don't forget, if you see a staff doing something and want to acknowledge them, complete the Cheers for Peers form.  

Families in Transition (FIT) - Guest Blogger Megan Douglas:

As a school district, we are federally required under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to identify and support students and families experiencing housing instability. A student may qualify as a Family in Transition if they do not have a fixed, regular, and adequate place to live. This can include situations such as staying temporarily with friends or relatives, living in a hotel or shelter, or other temporary or unstable housing arrangements.

I’ve sent out a short form to help us identify students who may potentially qualify. If you have a student with an unusual or unstable living situation—or you are simply unsure whether their situation would qualify—please include them on the form. When in doubt, send them my way!

After a student is identified, I will follow up with staff for additional information and, when appropriate, connect with the family to learn more about their circumstances and offer support. Student housing information is also recorded and submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) annually.

Thank you for helping us make sure students and families have access to the support and resources they are entitled to!

Family Newsletter:

Our September Family Newsletter went out to families Thursday:  https://app.smore.com/n/fymg2.   

If you have items for the newsletter, please contact Tiffany.  

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!

-Justin