April 29 Update

Can you believe we are entering into May?   This year has flown by! 

Teachable Moments:

Please remember - we are entering the time of year when schedules change, students have different emotions, patience is thin, etc.  Behaviors can begin to rise.   Please remember the idea of a teachable moment.  We may need some grace when it comes to some of the behaviors we are seeing - with more and more teachable moments.  This time of year can be exciting, and hard, all at once.  We want to continue our belief around "teaching" rather than "catching" behaviors.   

Track Meet - Wednesday:

Just a reminder - next Wednesday is our track meet.  See the link for details on the schedule for the day.  

Spring Concert Video:

If you missed the spring concert, here is the video of the performance:  https://owatonnalive.lightcast.com/player/40143/454345

A huge shout out to Paige Huse, our Choir, 2nd Graders, and 3rd Graders for their amazing performance!  

We are McKinleyStrong!

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!

-Justin

April 22 Update

Happy Friday, McKinley! 

A Week of McKinleyStrong:

Below are some tweets from the week.  Please don't forget to tell our/your story to the world.  As Jimmy Casas (author of Culturize) says, "carry the banner of your school"!   If we don't tell our story, someone else will.  There are so many great things happening in this building - let's share it!  

Is it Learning or Tasks?

Please take some time to read the below piece from a blog.  I believe this is something we need to strongly reflect, process, and act on.  Moving to emergency distance learning forced us to move to an environment of task completion.  Heck, we even had one pagers made with the "things" we needed kids to do.  And, when they were finished, they were "rewarded" by having time do those things they love.  

As we have moved back to an in-person environment, it's time for us to re-look at what we are expecting of kids - during whole group, small group, and independent times.  Is what we are asking students to do "tasks" or "learning"?  Are we sending an subconscious messages to our learners when we have things like "must do's" and "can do's".  Are we priotizing tasks or learning?    Something to think about.  

Below is a blog entry I found that is well worth the two minutes to read.  

Learning vs. Task-Completing

Many of my students, when pressed, struggle to say just what learning is. They can tell you about completing tasks, checking grades, keeping track of emergency passes, and so on. In other words, they are aware of schoolish behaviors. But they can't tell you exactly what's happening when they learn or how one goes about actually doing this learning thing.

I can hardly blame them. If we're honest, most of us teachers aren't much better at communicating the difference. We tend to think of lessons and units in terms of the tasks students will complete. We have a rough time summarizing how science suggests the brain learns, how motivation works in learning and why it matters, and how one can teach students to motivate themselves and attend to whether or not they're learning.

There are actually some amazing weaknesses in our understanding of learning. For example, over 90% of educators worldwide believe that students learn best when material is presented in their individual learning style. (Source: an article from Scientific American.) And you might think, “Dang right! Differentiate for those styles, baby.” But this 90% stat is actually a big bummer because science can't prove that we learn best when we're taught according to our “learning style.” Heck, there's not even agreement on what the learning style list should include! And yet we teach the theory to our students, to our parents, in our schools of education, in our professional development.

But I'm digressing. The point of this post is that in each of our classrooms there is an infinite nuclear power plant of motivation sitting beneath us all. Doing the schoolish behaviors isn't all that fulfilling for all that many people. But learning is amazing. Learning can be emancipatory. Learning can open whole universes (for that's what disciplines are). Learning can deepen and shape our very identity.

So relentlessly teach students this difference. Guide your own professional development toward this difference. Ask hard, philosophical questions during the same hour that you ask hard, pragmatic ones. Think big and small at the same time, day by day, and the slow change will be that both you and your students will think more sharply about what school is for.

This isn't overnight success stuff; it's long, steady hiking in the same direction, upward and onward toward the peak.

Mother's Day:

As we enter into Mother's Day, I would ask you to think through what we are asking students to do and be respectful of their family dynamics.  Instead of using the term "mother", can we use the term "important woman in my life" or "someone who loves me"?  We have many students who do not have a biological mother at home, but have a woman who is taking that role.  Please think about this as you enter into any projects, letters, or activities you do around this holiday. 

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to view the building weekly newsletter

Have a GREAT weekend!

-Justin

April 14 Update

Happy "Friday"!

Classroom Teachers/Class Placements:

Classroom Teachers, a friendly reminder that all class placement data needs to be entered into shared spreadsheet by this Monday.   On Tuesday, we will be printing placement cards for our first group on Thursday.  

End of Year Student Recognition:

We will be changing our end of year student recognition process this year and going away from a schoolwide awards ceremony.   Instead, we will be doing something schoolwide to have students reflect and create something to show their celebration/pride in this school year.  This will be a schoolwide event in which we invite families in.  This format will have a lot of energy, excitement, and pride to honor every single student in the building.  

With this, I need help.  If you are interested in helping brainstorm around this day, please let me know ASAP.  I promise it will be a small time commitment.  I do need representation from each grade level and department (see your Building Leadership Team member for more details).  

Staffing Updates for 22-23:

A couple updates regarding staffing for 22-23:

Danika Brown will be joining our Kindergarten Team in K2 next year.  Danika is currently in a 4th and 5th Grade EL position, but will "return" to Kindergarten in the fall.  Danika took over in the winter for Rachel Anderson's maternity leave and has student taught at Kindergarten.  I am excited to see the impact she will have on our youngest learners! 

This week, we have hired a 3rd Grade Teacher for next school year.  Katy Furniss will be joining the 3rd Grade Team in August. Katy is currently a 2nd Grade Teacher in Austin at Southgate Elementary.  Katy has experience in 5th and 6th grade, also.  I am excited to have her join our team in serving all kids.  

Track Meet Schedule:

Please see the linked document regarding the track meet.  The track meet will change interventions, lunch, and is built around a tight timeline.  Please check this.  

Why Are We McKinleyStrong?

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend! 

-Justin

April 8 Update

Happy Friday!

Purchasing Deadline:

Just a reminder - the purchasing deadline is Friday, April 29.  This includes using any classroom or supply budgets.  Anything after that date will not be approved.

If you have questions about the balance in your classroom budget, please connect with Steph.  

Track Meet Schedule:

Please see the linked document regarding the track meet.  The track meet will change interventions, lunch, and is built around a tight timeline.  Please check this.  

Staffing Updates:

Adey Awes - I am sad to report that Adey has resigned from her position.  Her last day at McKinley will be Friday, April 29.  Please join me in thanking Adey for all she has done for our students and staff!

Kyrstin Selvik - Kyrstin will be transferring to Washington next year to teach in a self-contained setting 3 classroom in the STRIDE program.  Kyrstin has such a passion for this work and was tapped to consider this.  We will greatly miss her in the building, but know she will do great things at Washington!  

Jen Koziolek - Jen has accepted the Districtwide Mentor Coordinator position (Jane Sorensen is retiring).  Jen has such great experiences with mentoring - both new teachers, her colleagues, as well as pre-service teachers.  Jen's passion, love, and leadership will be greatly missed - but we will still see her (so, take a student teacher!).   

Amber Schlueter - Amber will be joining our Special Education team next year in Kyrstin's place.  Amber is currently student teaching at Lincoln in 2nd Grade.  She has a dual elementary and special education license and is eager to serve our students, staff, and families!  

Twitter - Learning in the Building!

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!