October 27 Update

Happy Friday, McKinley!

Ordering Additional Staff Shirts:

If you are interested in ordering a staff shirt, sweatshirt, etc, you will need to purchase this online at: https://oak-glenn-gear.printavo.com/merch/mckinley-elementary

We Filled the Jar!

Next Friday, November 3, we are heading to Kaplan's Woods for a Scavenger Hunt.  Please see the linked document with your scavenger hunt and lunchroom time (this will be considered final at 3pm today).   Please remind students to dress for the weather.  If it's raining or weather is really bad, we will reschedule.  Otherwise, we are on! 

If you notice that programming times (MTSS, EL, Special Education, etc) are impacted by these times, please connect with them.  I apologize, I tried to work this out around many factors. 

Next week, you will get a slideshow to show your class to explain the scavenger hunt.  More to come!  

Halloween:

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, 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.

Volume in Building:

Over the last few weeks, I have noticed the volume in the building getting louder and louder.  It started in the hallway space, but has now moved into our instructional spaces.  A few reminders -

• Hallway - we should be walking classes/groups in the hallway and redirecting when volume is too loud.  If we are walking classes -and stopping at points to check in on volume - we should be able to get this under control.  Please start this ASAP.
• Classrooms - Please be aware of what others are doing in your spaces as you enter into louder activities.  With an open school and having kids engaged, it will create volume.  I understand that.  However, I am noticing almost screaming and volumes that are being heard across the building.  This includes adults and teaching.  One thing to remember - kids rise to the occasion.  The louder we get (or the environment gets), the louder they get.  

Daily Desired Experience Survey:

Next week, our 3rd-5th graders will be doing a survey in regards to their experience at McKinley.  This survey is aligned to a few of our goals in the Vision Card, too.  

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a GREAT weekend!

-Justin

October 18 Update

Happy MEA Break!

I hope you are planning to spend the next four days focused on the things and people you love!  

Transition Day - Monday:

This Monday, October 23, we have our first Transition Day.  Our transition days are found after long breaks and are focused on re-establishing routines, re-building relationships, and regulating students.  We found that students (and us!) need a "soft start" after a long break.  These days have helped ease back into the swing of school.  On these days, don't forget to wear your McKinley gear and comfy pants!  

Thank you to Sami, Jess, Michelle, and Gia for organizing this day.  Click here to access the bingo board for the day.  

Productive Struggle:

Please take the 2 minutes to watch the below video on productive struggle.  One of our goals is to build independent learners.  Understanding productive struggle and utilizing it in the classroom is a deep way to build this independence - at any grade level! 

Jen Schwab Update:

An update on Jen from Jodie - 

As many of you know, our friend and colleague Jen Schwab is still in a current battle with breast cancer.   She was so hopeful to have her scheduled Bilateral Mastectomy tomorrow, but there were a few road blocks.   Her last chemo treatment left her with infection and extremely low white blood counts. She was hospitalized for 10 days, and very weak.   She also has been dealing with a very painful kidney stone that she had removed through surgery yesterday.   The painful drainage tube will finally be removed on Friday this week!  In other good news, the most recent PET scan showed no cancer anywhere else in her body!

Her surgery has been moved to November 15th.  We decided maybe this is a blessing as her daughter is due to have a second baby any day!   Jen feels like this might also give her time to get her strength built back up.

Jen misses her students and being at work with all of us so much!   She is grateful for any communication, cards, emails, etc.   I begged her for other ideas of anything we could be doing, and I finally got her to come up with some gift card ideas if anyone is interested in wanting to something other than the meal train.  

1. Subway

2. Mizuki

3. Fresh Cafe

4. Old Town Bagels

5. Hy-Vee

Her home address is:  185 Hickory Lane NE   Owatonna -55060

Another option is donating to the Go Fund Me donation page that has been set up for her.  Go Fund Me:  Jen Schwab

Please know how appreciative she and her family are for all that everyone is doing and has done.   She was in great spirits tonight, and despite being disappointed that surgery was postponed, she is looking forward to some time with family this MEA.

Thank you so much!   As one of Jen's close friends for the past 31 years, I know that she is sincerely grateful, and would be the first one to do any of the above ideas for anyone else.

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

Have a great long weekend!  

-Justin

October 13 Update

Happy Friday!

I hope you've had another great week  of learning and relationships!  Just a reminder - the DNR is here today to work with our 5th graders (please see Katie Demmer's email).  

Carry the Banner:

Don't forget to carry that McKinley banner - and share all the AMAZING things you are doing with students!  Not only do we carry that banner with the outside world, but it's important we see this internally, too.  It's powerful to see what other things are happening in this amazing place. 

Learned Helplessness (this one's also important for all staff):

You've probably heard the term "learned helplessness" at some point.  In trying to help students, we can actually be unintentionally creating experiences that deepen learned helplessness.

Learned helplessness is a condition in which a student disengages, gives up, becomes helpless, and/or refuses to work.  This condition is really coming from students not having to go through the process of productive struggle (another upcoming post).  Bottom line - we can help this. 

As you work with students, start to think about this word.  If a student shuts down, disengages, etc., ask yourself - "is the task/learning something they can do AND has directions are clearly laid out".  If so, the student may be showing learned helplessness.  The positive?  We can help this!  

Rather than sweeping in and just solving the problem, consider:  

• Focus on their effort, rather than ability ("wow, I could see how hard you were thinking on this" or "It's pretty impressive the effort you just put into this, even when it was hard")
• Break tasks into smaller chunks.  Rather than giving a list, or having many directions, break it down into smaller chunks of directions/learning (as the student starts to master this, give 2 steps instead of one).  
• Define the space - "today, we will have a lot of hard thinking in this room.  You may not understand things right away.  We will be sitting in some struggle today"
• Think about this beyond just academics.  Are we doing things for students (academically, as well as physically) that they could be doing on their own?  
• Start small!  Start noticing your students when thinking about LH.  Choose one student and try some strategies to see if you can move them from dependent to independent. 

I will continue to share strategies and resources throughout the year.  If this is something you want to talk more about, or want to brainstorm around a student,  I'd love to help.  

Article - How to Counter Learned Helplessness

Article - 17 Ways to Combat LH

CEU Committee - Guest Blogger Kate Seifert

You may have heard that we have a couple new license requirements. There is now an American Indian History and Culture component that will be in addition to the Cultural Competency Requirement; and our Reading Preparation requirement now includes dyslexia and reading and development. The American Indian History and Culture component applies to all that are renewing in 2024. Our Staff Development and CEU teams are working on getting PD for us that will meet that requirement on MLK Day, with possible additional dates. We are approving CEUs at this time but are waiting to approve final transcripts until all of the requirements are completed and posted. Clarification from the state is still coming on this, but please reach out if you have questions!

Renewing your license soon? Or 5 years from now? Either way, you are responsible for your CEU hours and mandatory requirements. If you stay on top of it each year, it will be simple at the end of the renewal period.  Here are some helpful tips for a smooth renewal process:

• Log into PD Express. Make sure your dates reflect the 5 year period of your current license. You can change this by going under the My Information tab then Preferences. The start date is the date your new license was issued; the end date is when your license expires. 

• Check out the district website for instructions and requirements. See this presentation for step by step instructions.

• Each year, take a look at your transcript to see what mandatory requirements you have, and which you still need. Try to sign up for these courses on MLK Day throughout the 5 year period. 

• Submit CEU classes as you get them done on PD express. (Most of our requirements are provided in the district and get uploaded for us!) In order to get classes approved, make sure you attach your certificate of attendance or completion. 

• Ask questions! Your CEU committee is here to help with anything you need 🙂

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Thank you for all the love, energy, and passion you have given to our kids (and each other) this week.  It doesn't go unnoticed.  You are truly some of the best - find some time this weekend to do something for YOU!

-Justin

October 6 Update

Happy Friday!

Another great week at McKinley!  

MN Pheasants - October 13:

Just a reminder - next Friday, October 13 is the MN Pheasants event at McKinley.  First, a huge thank you to Katie Demmer for all her work on organizing this!  

This day will be pretty busy around McKinley.  The event will be outside (nature center and north/west side of building).  We will have visitors, as well as media, showing up for the event.  On that Friday, please plan to be inside (unless it's recess or the fire truck visiting Kdg).  Also, please be aware of visitors and if they have signed in.  ALL visitors should have an office-issued badge on them.  If they do not, please walk them to the Office.  

Integration & Responsiveness Time:

Just a reminder - we have money allocated to integration, responsiveness, and co-teaching time.  Please complete the form to request this (integration time goes into the shared document).   After the request is approved and you do the time, please fill out a yellow paper voucher (from Steph).  Please give to Steph when you are done - do not send to DO.  

PTO Bingo Night - October 27:

Is anyone interested in helping at this event?  It goes from 6-7:30pm.  The PTO needs help and callers.  Please let me know if you are interested! 

Published Authors! 

I received word that Dr. Meagher and Michelle Simon are famous publishers!  Congratulations to Dr. M and Michelle!  See the note below:  

I just received an email from the Dr. Sophia Jeoung at Ohio State University the a book chapter I wrote with Michelle Simon has been published as chapter the new textbook from Springer: Navigating Elementary Science Teaching and Learning. Or Chapter is entitled: Demystifying Magic with STEM!

The case study is of Michelle teaching a STEM unit combining engineering practices and fairytales. The textbook is meant to be used in Elementary Science Teaching Methods courses. The chapter shares Michelle's ideas on how teaching science and engineering can help students understand how "magic" really works". The chapter finishes with discussion questions to encourage readers to reflect on the effectiveness of her teaching and its impacts on student learning.

Michelle and I worked with Dr. Gillian Roehrig form the University of Minnesota STEM Center in creating the chapter.

I appreciate all your support and want you to know the amazing teaching happening in Owatonna Public Schools and in particular Michelle Simon's classroom!

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!

-Justin