Principal's Update- Friday, May 27, 2016

Happy Friday, everyone!  And, happy Memorial Day weekend!

Our EL Family Potluck was a huge success!  We had over 100 people join us for this event.  A  HUGE thank you to Laurie, Sylvia, Caryn, Nura, & Nicole for their hard work planning this.  It's a great night filled with friends and good food (from around the world!). 

 

1st Grade took their learning to Dartt's Park today to do 5 stations, all focused on soil and rocks.  The kids had a great day of learning in the real world!

Popcorn with the Principal Winners for 5/26/16

 

Laptops in Classrooms
Please turn your classroom laptops into Clayton by June 8, 2016.  Clayton WILL NOT be coming to your room to find the computers- they need to be in his office.  Also, please mark them as your room number.

7 Days of Summer Eve
We are gearing up with 7 days left until summer break.  Click here to access each of our theme days - join in with us and have some fun! 

End of Year Video
As I sent out, Amanda is making a fun end of year video to show students what we really do when school is out.  Please connect with your "team" and determine what you will do for your video segment.  Then, connect with Amanda and set up a time to video this before June 1st!

Update on Office Construction
Just an update - there will be no office construction this summer.  Due to bidding, the office project will hold off until next summer when we add a gym, art, and music room onto the building.  So, one more year of a tight office!  :) 

End of Year Checkout
An email will be coming next week regarding an end of the year checkout.  Please make sure you complete this and prepare your room/space to be cleaned this summer.

A Letter From a Parent
Below is a link to a parent letter to her child's teacher.  This letter is something online; however, it could be addressed to each and every one of you.  You all play a critical role in our students' lives - each and every one of you.  Take some time to enjoy this:   http://www.huffingtonpost.com/elizabeth-laing-thompson/a-letter-to-my-childrens-teachers-from-a-grateful-parent_b_7495972.html

Building Weekly Newsletter
Click here to access the weekly newsletter

Have a great, long weekend!
-Justin

Principal's Update- Friday, May 20, 2016

Happy Friday!
I am out tomorrow all day (Friday, 5/20) - Justin Lang is available for anything you need. 

Can you believe we are nearing the end of the 15-16 school year?  Only a few more weeks and summer vacation starts.  Let's finish strong!

McKinley 60th/STEM Gallery/Ice Cream Social Night
We had a great night celebrating 60 years of McKinley.  A huge thank you to all who helped make this night a success - a lot of work went into this!  It was an awesome night of celebrating McKinley! 

Scheduling Changes/Field Trips
Teachers, if you have a scheduling change, special event, or field  trip, please update the shared document I sent out.  This is a requirement.   

DIBELS Spring Benchmarking
A huge thank you to the EA's for their flexibility and hard work in completing the DIBELS spring assessments.  This data has been put into your mailbox; there has been great growth in this area since winter!  Please remember to update the spreadsheet in 365 by Wednesday, May 25th.  Your math facts, DAZE and Words their Way assessment data also needs to be entered into the spreadsheets in the CBM folder under assessments.  First grade, please remember also to complete and record your nonsense word fluency.  See Libby with questions. 

Discovery Lab
Discovery Lab closes next Friday, May 27th (other than for MacLeod's music classes).  As you know, the Discovery Lab will be transitioning to a different instructional space for the 16-17 year.  If you have personal materials in this space, please remove them before May 27.  I will spend some time boxing the science/building resources and supplies to store for next year. 

Class Placements- Tuesday
Classroom teachers will meet on Tuesday, May 24th to create class lists for next year.  Teachers, please have your cards completed by this time.  Staff, if you know of students who should not be placed together, please let the child's classroom teacher know prior to this day.

5th Grade Graduation
The 5th Grade Graduation is Friday, June 3rd from 1:45-2:15pm.  Due to limited seating, we are doing some work now to see if it can be streamed into classrooms.  More information will come on this!

Stages- Goals
I am doing a mini-session for support staff on Tuesday, May 24th from 7:30-7:45am.  This will include entering goals only.  If you want to attend, this is open to any staff who work on goals.   As we get closer to the end of the year, I will individually email you with items that need to be addressed in Stages. 

Building Weekly Newsletter
Click here to access the weekly building newsletter

Valet Parking for the Week
The Valet Parking for the Week goes to Literacy Coach Libby Zeman.   Libby has been a great addition to the instructional support in this building (and Wilson).  Libby has an extensive background in reading and knows how to support/coach people.   The thing that impresses me the most about Libby is her desire to continually grow- individually, but also as a McKinley team.  I am so grateful for Libby and all the work she does to support reading in our building.  Thank you, Libby!

It's going to be a nice weekend- get outside and enjoy it!
-Justin

Principal's Update- Friday, May 13, 2016

Happy Friday the 13th! 

Discipline/Behavior Follow-Up
As I discussed with teaching staff, please watch the reasons you are referring students to the office for discipline.  I am, in no way, saying that students should not come down here.  What I'm asking is to ask yourself, "Would I have sent this same behavior down in October?"  We are going to do some work with PBIS and behaviors for our August Workshop.

Also, please complete the referral completely.  I'm seeing referrals with missing pieces- this is defeating the purpose of data tracking and PBIS.

Field Trips & Special Events
If your class/grade level is doing something "out of the ordinary", please put this into the shared document that I sent out.  This includes on and off site events.  This document helps for a few reasons - master scheduling, if we need you or a student, and if we need to change programming for the day.  Please enter your events into this.

Last Day of EL & Intervention
Last day is Friday, June 3.  Please continue to do your Power 1/2 Hour until then, also. 

Ice Cream Social ~ STEM Art Gallery ~ 60th Anniversary
Next Wednesday, May 18th is our Ice Cream Social/STEM Art Gallery/60th Anniversary.  If you are around, you should attend.  A lot of work has gone into this special event. 

Summer Learning Calendars
The Summer Learning Calendars will be coming out soon - keep an eye out for this.  Please take some time to discuss this with your students.  Each of our students has shown so much growth this year, we want to continue that learning into the summer.  Students who complete their calendar and return it will be invited to a PTO Breakfast with some great prizes!

School Building Plans
I believe Superintendent Grant has shared this, but I wanted to include it in the blog also.  The proposed building plans are online and available for you to see - http://www.owatonna.k12.mn.us/page/2858    The plans are for both the new Willow Creek Elementary and the new Owatonna Middle School.

Building Weekly Newsletter
Life has been crazy in the office - we will send the weekly building newsletter out later today! 

Valet Parking for the Week
The Valet Parking for the week goes to Nura Elmi.  Nura is a wonderful member of our McKinley team!  Nura does an amazing job working with students, families, and our staff.  Nura has a positive attitude that can be seen in everything she does.  Thank you for all you do, Nura!


Have a great weekend, everyone!
-Justin

Principal's Update- Friday, May 6, 2016

What a beautiful day we have in store for us!  According to Ch 4 News, it's a "top 10 weather day!".  We have a second group of Rochester teachers in the building today visiting STEM.  Thank you for your willingness to let them into your classrooms yesterday.  During the first group's visit yesterday, they had nothing but positive things to say about your teaching and our building. 

Thank YOU!
This week is Teacher Appreciation & Food/Nutrition Services Week.  A HUGE THANK YOU to our kitchen staff.  I served lunch (for some of the lunches) yesterday.  I am not sure how Lori, Stacy, or Laurel do it.  Not only is it physically exhausting, but the kids move through so quickly.  I'm not sure how they do it- thank you for all you do!

Teachers - I can truly say we have the best teaching staff in this building.  I have never met a group of teachers who are so dedicated, focused, and compassionate about students and learning.  I love your willingness to do anything to help make students successful and safe.  Thank you for that!

All Staff - Even though it's "Teacher Appreciation Week", you are all educators.  Your focus on what is right, your humility, and the level of relationships you build helps make this the best place to be! 

DIBELS Benchmarking is Upon Us!
Some of our EA's will be completing the DIBELS benchmark assessments, May 11-20th.  Please keep in mind when your grade is scheduled, so that they are aware of why they are being pulled out and remind them about being efficient with their transitions.  During other gaps or time or make-ups, EAs will come and pull students that they did not get to during their initially scheduled times.  We appreciate your flexibility with this. 

Also, our hallways need to be as quiet as possible so that EAs can hear what the students are reading (and so students are not distracted by a passing class or group of students). 

Thank you for your help in providing the best environment that we can for gathering this benchmark data!  Data will be copied for you as grade levels are completed.  Please see Libby with questions or concerns.  Click here to access the benchmarking schedule

Track Meet- Tuesday
Our McKinley Track Meet is Tuesday, May 10th.  A huge thank you to Tom, Peggy, and Kyle for their hard work in preparing this - it's a great day for our students.  If you haven't already, please sign up for a work station in the lounge. 

Please be flexible with this day - everyone's schedule is changed.   Also, please discuss behavior with students.  Even though we are at OHS and they are not directly with an adult, we follow the same expectations.  Please be clear with students- any discipline will be handled by me and will more than likely result in a loss of a field trip.  Click here for the track meet schedule

Summer Learning Calendars
We will be participating in a summer learning program for June- August.  The program will run like last year - students will get a calendar to record their learning minutes.  Also, our library will be open Wednesdays to check-out books and work in the garden.  More details will be coming on this! 

Building Weekly Newsletter
Click here to access the weekly building newsletter

Valet Parking for the Week
The Valet Parking for the Week goes to Courtney Hugs!  Courtney brings a level of passion, positivity, and excitement to our building.  The thing I appreciate the most about Courtney is her POSITIVE focus on what is right for students!  Courtney has been a wonderful addition to our Kindergarten team - I look forward to seeing her continue to influence our youngest learners.  Thank you for all you do, Courtney! 


Take some time this weekend to get outside, focus on you, and enjoy those around you!  We've got only a couple weeks left- let's finish strong!

-Justin
#mckinleystrong