April 30 Update

Happy Friday, McKinley!

Staffing Changes:
We have two staffing updates that I need to share with you.  First, Grace Thurnau has resigned at the end of this school year. Grace is going back for her Masters in Social Work and will be devoting her time to school.  She's been a great addition to our team and has a successful career ahead of her.  We wish her the best of luck!  Secondly, Katie Gunderson has resigned and will be done next Friday, May 7.  Katie has accepted a position at Gopher Sport.  Katie has been a wonderful addition to our EA team and will be greatly missed!  We also wish her the best of luck at Gopher!  

Closing out the School Year:

We are nearing that point - May.  Plants start to come alive, the sun and warmth are out, and we are ready for summer break.  I get it.  It's been a long year and you are counting down the time until you can "check out" and recharge your battery.  Even though we are entering May, we still have a solid month left of school -  24 days.  That doesn't sound like much.  When you think of what else is 24 hours - 132 hours, 7,920 minutes, etc.  you realize that we have a lot of instructional time left in our year.  Please make sure we are taking advantage of this - all while building relationships and creating memories for our learners.  Check your mindset every day, schedule more happy hours, go for a walk after work... whatever you need to do to make this an amazing ending for our learners!

End of Year Activities:

A few things to update you on regarding end of year - 

Family "Good-Bye" Drive Through is scheduled for Thursday, June 3rd from 6-7pm in our drop off/pic up lane.  As you remember from last year, this was a highlight - for kids and staff.  Please consider joining us.  

5th Grade Graduation is Wednesday, June 2 from 1-1:30pm.  This event will be held virtually - please consider watching in your classroom.  

Last Day (Friday, June 4) - we have a team looking at what this will look like.  More to come! 

Please don't forget to let Steph know if you have grade level or classroom events so we can get them on the building calendar.  

Summer Reading:

Yesterday, I put books in your mailbox.  I did this in case you find summer a better time to read and learn, opposed to the school year.  I find myself in this scenario.  I want to clarify who is reading what book -  

• Culturally Responsive Teaching and Brain is for teaching staff only.  This includes all teaching staff - classroom, Special Ed, EL, Specialists, etc.  If you do not have a copy, you should have completed the survey.  If you didn't, please see me.  
• Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man is for all staff.   You should have received a copy in your mailbox.  We will use this as a basis of our learning work next year.   This book is great. 

Educator Appreciation Week:
Next week is a week to celebrate YOU!  Thank you for all that you do for our scholars.  Linked are some ways we plan to celebrate you next week! 

Building Weekly Newsletter:
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Have a great, relaxing weekend!
-Justin

April 23 Update

Happy Friday, McKinley! 

I know - you're feeling tired.  We are tired - you aren't alone.  We saw this above picture from a presenter - it speaks SO TRUE now.  Please continue to take care of YOU.  We need this - now more than ever.  

Jeffers Training:

Please see the note below from Tom Meagher.  Jeffers is a great resource with awesome PD.  The McKinley Staff has engaged with Jeffers in the past - with great success.   And, you get free journals!  Consider joining them for the below PD: 

Minds at Work 2021:

Minds at Work 2021 registration will be coming out next week.  We will be using the May Fastbridge data to determine eligibility.  We are closing registration on the last day of school.  Please watch for this email and let me know if you have questions.  

Building Weekly Newsletter
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Just a reminder that next Friday is your last day to spend classroom/supply budget money.  There will be no purchases after Friday, April 30.  

Have a great weekend! 
-Justin

April 16 Update

Happy Friday!  

Absences: 
We are starting to increase the amount of absences that we have in the building.  I know things come up - illness, emergencies, etc.  Please make sure you are reaching out to Steph or I for planned absences - and planning ahead by putting those into AESOP.  Lately, we've been getting absences entered in the day before - things that could have been entered prior.  As you know, this creates an impact on others as they are pulled to sub.  Please be aware of this as we close out the year.  

Last Day Countdown:

As we close out the year, please be aware of the "last day countdown" with students.  I understand students - and you - can be excited for the end of the year.  However, this isn't the case for all learners.  Some are fearful of losing the consistency, safety, and relationships of school.  Also, the countdown sends the message that we have to "serve" the time before summer.  I'm asking you not to engage in this, but instead focus on the instructional time we do have together.  

COVID Numbers:

I have heard from a few of you in regards to the COVID % at McKinley.  Please know that we are doing everything we can to help with social distancing and mitigating COVID.  You are doing great work - please keep this up!  The percentage is a weekly percentage (that can drastically change) that includes those who are positive, but also those at home with symptoms or those in quarantine for a close contact.  This week alone, we had many students who were home (getting tested) for symptoms that were similar to allergies.  To be preventative, we are asking those families to get tested.  Those numbers can skew our data.  Also, please know that we had reached almost 18% before we moved to distance learning.   We are in a great place  - because you are doing great things to help keep McKinley safe.  

Building Weekly Newsletter:
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Have a great weekend!
-Justin

April 9 Update

 Happy Friday, McKinley! 

Just a friendly reminder that I see you.  I see all the energy, time, and passion you bring to this year of change.  Keep trying.... we've got this. 

Office Coverage Next Week:

Steph and Selena are out next week; below is the coverage of our Main Office:

Monday - Justin Kiel

Tuesday - Theresa Caswell

Wednesday - Cheryl Summer

Thursday - Taylor Ethen (& Michelle Krell)

Friday - Steph is back

Please know that we will not be able to support all requests during this week, as we will be short-staffed.  Please be flexible during this time.   Also, please email Justin Kiel with any office-related requests (Steph is in Arizona and I want her to RELAX!). 

Also, I am out at the U of MN on Thursday and Friday.  Thursday, we have Michelle Krell covering.  Friday, Steph will be back and will work with Justin Lang and Libby Zeman for coverage.  

Thanks for your flexibility! 

Class Placement Process:

Our class placement process for 21-22 has started.  Our "clusters" have begun to look at students and will start to place them in tentative sections.  In a few weeks, classroom teachers will receive a spreadsheet to begin to enter in your ratings.  We will use these to guide our process.  

Linked is a document with some background information, as well as some possible dates for teams to meet.  I will be sending out invites as this gets closer.   More information to come! 

COVID Protocols:

I reported last week on two updates for protocols around recess and student collaboration.  Due to a rise in numbers, let's hold on having two classes do recess and having additional student collaboration.  I'd like to wait another week or two and monitor numbers before we make this change.

Additionally, please continue to keep track of class seating charts and/or partner work.  Steph and I came in last Friday to do contact tracing.  We ended up not sending ANY students home because the teacher had everything organized and made sure that students were at least 4-6 feet apart in their classroom seating chart.  This was so helpful - unfortunately, we need to continue to monitor this.  

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Click here to access the building weekly newsletter - Week of April 19

Have a great, relaxing weekend!

-Justin

April 1 Update

Happy "Friday"!  And, it's already April!

I hope you are able to enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend!

The "Depth" of Positive Relationships:

This is an area we've always felt strong with - we build relationships with students.  This has always been something I love about our McKinley Staff.

Linked is an article on building relationships and what brain science says.  I know, I lost you when I said "brain science".  This article is written in a very practitioner-friendly way - very easy to read. 

Here's my challenge for you - to read the article and truly reflect on the depth of relationship(s) and the ways you build these relationships.  The more I am reading around this area (and work at the U of MN), the more I am realizing the different levels of relationships.  We show our love and care by doing morning meetings, smiling, giving high fives, and providing happiness in a classroom.  And, those things are great!  When you look at the "depth", is that a deep connection? Or, are students truly feeling safe (especially intellectually safe), valued, and feeling they can question/comment/provide feedback honestly?  That's a whole new level of relationship.  Take some time to read the below article and think on relationships in your classroom.....

March Office Referral Data:

Below is a link to our ORD (office referral data) for the year - with February and March as the focus area.  Take a glance at the data - do you notice patterns or areas that are higher than others?  If you see on the top of this document, it's broken down by three races - white, black, and Latino.  You will notice that our SWIS (the program we use) breaks this down into a risk factor - or who is being referred in a disproportionate way.  Our McKinleyStrong Team looked at this data and, moving forward, will start to track this data by race and student groups, also.  I think this data is a great self-reflection at this point - who is being referred (as a building) and why is this?  We will have more conversations around this as the year continues. 

COVID Protocols:

The McKinleyStrong team met this week and discussed our current COVID procotols.  We are going to monitor numbers over the next week (we hope they stay low!).  If numbers stay low, we will be looking at two possible protocol changes.  These are optional, meaning that you can continue with current practices if it's working.   

The first optional change is around recess.  After April 12 (McKinleyStrong Team will give the green light), you can combine two classes once a week for recess.   We do not want whole grade level recess.  For example - 1A and 1B may have recess together on a Friday; 1C and 1D have it on the same day.  This is completely optional - if recess is working for you and your students, continue what's working!  

The second optional change is around student collaboration.  Again, after April 12 and the green light from the team, you can allow a new partnership to form during the day involving student collaboration.  We are asking this only happens once a day and is noted somewhere (in the event we need to contact trace).  For example - my students sit by their guided group and are partners throughout the day with the two students who sit next to them.   For a math lesson, I may have a student work with another student from across the room.  Again, one time a day and record who is partners.  We will monitor this and see if we can create more student collaboration.

Again, this isn't a "go" until McKinleyStrong Team communicates this (after April 12).  I am only sharing in the event you want to start thinking or discussing possibilities.  And, also, this is optional.  You do not have to do the above things.  If it's working, keep doing it.  

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Have a great, long weekend!

-Justin