We had two receipents this week - congrats to Rachael & Amy!
Rachael Eickhoff was nominated by Danika Beck for "Rachael has shown amazing dedication this year as we’ve implemented Wit and Wisdom. She’s always eager to learn, collaborate, and support our students. Her positivity and teamwork make K2 a wonderful place to teach and learn!"
Amy Wencl was nominated by Danika Beck for "Amy goes above and beyond every day in K2! She jumps in wherever she’s needed and brings such positive energy to our classroom. Her natural ability to connect with students helps them feel valued and excited to learn. K2 is a better place because of Amy!"
American Education Week:
Next week is a time to celebrate EACH OF YOU! Below is our plan to celebrate the amazing people in this building. Reminder - each of you are an "educator"!
November 25 Early Out:
As you know, we have an early release on November 25. Bob Olson sent an email last Friday with some details. Due to this, the lunch schedules (staff and students) have been changed. Please click here to see that plan.
Just a reminder -
- Teaching Staff - if you have your required trainings done, you are done at 12:40pm.
- Non-Teaching Staff - you will be doing a safety training at 1:10pm at OHS that afternoon. We will get you a lunch in and you will have time to travel over at 12:40pm.
Unified PE Fundraiser - OMS:
Unified PE is partnering with Special Olympics Minnesota again this year to offer a t-shirt fundraiser. Proceeds from the sale will help provide experiences and equipment to the Unified PE students at OMS and OHS. Orders will need to be placed and paid for by December 1st. Shirts are $15 each, and payment options and pick-up information are on the form. The link is also in this week's Husky Howler. If you would like to order, please follow this Shirt Link.
This Monday (1pm), the Owatonna Fire Department will be doing a controlled burn in the nature center. Maintenance is aware of this and will monitor wind direction to ensure that the smoke is not being brought into the building. Please avoid the nature center and that area of the school grounds Monday afternoon.
Student 1:1 Interviews:
As part of our building goals, we are conducting 1:1 student interviews to hear voices about their level of belonging. Starting next week, we have a team (Amanda, Annette, Katie, and I) who will be coming around to do student interviews. We will pull students out one by one - each interview should only take 1-2 minutes. When we arrive, we will have a roster and just start pulling students out. Below is our schedule:
Monday, November 10 (12:30-2:00) - Kindergarten & 2nd Grade
Tuesday, November 11 (9-10am) - 4th Grade
Wednesday, November 12 (9-10:30) - 1st & 3rd Grade
Thursday, November 13 (12:30-1:30) - 5th Grade
Please note - this is a tenative schedule. We will come to your room when we are ready. This note is just an FYI (nothing you need to do).
United Way Fundraiser:
Take advantage of these opportunities to have fun and donate to a great cause! 2nd Grade has already bought the "Kiel Covers Your Recess" for a WHOLE WEEK!
October ORD (Office Referral Data) & Defiant Behavior:
We decreased to 25 office referrals for the month!
Tuesday is our highest day for requests.
1-2:40pm is our highest time for requests
Defiance continues to be our most frequent behavior (see video below for strategies).
What can you do for defiance? The video above is great - below is the summary:
1. Be calm - don't match their energy level.
2. Reduce verbal interactions - don't engage in power struggles; give directions 1-3 times and move on to incentives or consequences.
3. Give teacher approved choices - "feed the need for control" - have choices already generated and give them the control to make a choice.
4. Use classroom management systems - utilize your incentives and consequences. One idea she shares is "owed time".
Snow Day Choice Boards:
We will be waiting this year to send the paper copies home (they are being updated). They will be sent home after the first snowday, and you can also send them digitally if we get to the point of the third snow day. Remember the first two snow days are not e-learning days.
Toot Your Horn Thursday:
We had a few receipents this week - congrats to the following people:
Kinzie Kruschke was nominated by Ashlee Krauss for It is so clear that Kinzie is very passionate about kids and her care for them. When she brings kids into my office for any concern, she is amazing at being their voice and making sure their needs are being met. The students and staff are so lucky to have Kinzie here at McKinley. Thanks for all you do!
The Kindergarten Classroom Teachers were nominated by Caryn Boetel for These ladies are working with several adults in and out of their classrooms. They have 2 each co-teachers with heavy demands of planning. They are learning 2 new curricula. Each of them have major behaviors to juggle. Even when feeling overwhelmed and frustrated, they love their kiddos every day - all of them. They find delight in each of the little or big acheivements of their classes. This is a very hardworking team that needs to be celebrated
Lynn Jensen nominated Jayme Ulrich for I want to recognize Jayme Ulrich for her exceptional creativity, positive attitude, and dedication to creating a fun and engaging learning environment. Jayme brings learning to life through imaginative activities that spark joy and curiosity in her students. Her caring personality and genuine connections with students and colleagues make her classroom a welcoming place for everyone. Jayme’s enthusiasm and warmth remind us all of the power of kindness, creativity, and positivity in education.
The Physical Education Team was nominated by Danika Beck for I had the opportunity to sit in on part of PE today (Halloween), and it was such a joy to see! The students were having fun, fully engaged, and moving with energy and excitement. It was clear that this didn’t just happen by chance, but it’s the result of the thoughtful planning, creativity, and dedication that our incredible PE teachers put into every lesson.
Just a heads-up - we have an early release on Tuesday, November 25 (12:40pm). An email will be coming, but please plan on the following:
- Teaching Staff - if you have your required trainings done, you are done at 12:40pm.
- Non-Teaching Staff - you will be doing a safety training at 1:10pm at OHS that afternoon. We will get you a lunch in and you will have time to travel over at 12:40pm.
Let's fill this school with compliments, shout out's, and positivity! Click here to recognize someone as the Toot Your Horn Thursday!
Veteran's Day:
In honor of Veteran's Day, we need one hour of instruction provided on this special day. Below are some things we will do to celebrate Veteran's Day: Please note - do not use Wit & Wisdom time for these activities.
Star Spangled Banner - meet in the library on Friday at 8:15am to listen to Mrs. Huse sing the Star Spangled Banner. She will start promptly at 8:15am.
And, finally, happy Veteran's Day to our staff who are veterans. Your service is appreciated!
Family Teacher Conferences - PLEASE READ:
As you know, we have Family Teacher Conferences are coming up (November 10, 13, and 14). A few years ago, we made some changes to conferences to increase family engagement and build deeper relationships. Some of those included moving away from "parent" conferences to "family" conferences to be more inclusive of who is the table. Also, we made a change to move away from hearing about just scores and the report card to more of a conversation. This conversation involves the family sharing their hopes and dreams, as well as the teacher being authentic and purposeful in the feedback and goals they have set. We wanted families to truly feel a partner and to know exactly how to support their child.
Below are some tips from the Search Institute on how to deepen your conferences. Please read -
Think of this (short but important) meeting as a relationship-creating opportunity. Use intentionality. Start off by sharing a bit about yourself, ask about the parents. Share a few wonderful observations about their child. Build a connection. This will set a positive tone for the meeting and create the kind of conversation that will yield benefits throughout the year.
Be the expert, but listen to parental concerns. Parents expect you to be adept at teaching, but they want to feel that you value their input too. Not focusing only on the child’s weaknesses, but also their strengths, can help parents feel like you know and care about their child.
Don’t start with the negative. Don’t begin the conversation with “I have no concerns”—that starts the exchange in deficit mode. Instead, start with a simple, plain-language description of the three things you hope the students learn by being in your class.
Emphasize your goals. Giving a syllabus or written materials is great, but talking clearly, even passionately, about your goals for the class is better. Talk about what you hope to accomplish during the semester with excitement, and you’ll be amazed at how the parents become your partners in learning.
Provide feedback—both good and bad. Give them the feedback you need to provide, such as a review of grades and assignments. But if you feel it’s necessary to point out a deficit, find a way to do it with understanding, and try also to point out a strength.
Before they leave, ask one last question. This is one of the most important ways a parent can see that you really notice and care about their child and are seeking to develop a positive relationship with them; that they are more than just one among many. Something such as “What do you think I should know about your son or daughter to help him or her thrive in my class?” works. Or something more specific, such as “Tell me about your child’s sparks,” or perhaps their strengths, struggles, or “How might I be able to help your child navigate these challenging times, or give him or her extra support?”
Take notes on what you learn. Integrate what you learn from the parent into your interactions with the student, and return to your notes at your next parent-teacher conference.
Remember it’s about the relationship! Parents want to know their child is seen and cared for and that you are paying attention to the insights they are sharing with you about their child. They want to feel like they have built a connection with you. They—and you!—want to build on that connection next time you meet.
American Education Week - coming your way!
November 17-21 is American Education Week! This is a week to honor EACH of you as EDUCATORS (anyone who has a role supporting students is an educator). Below are some special events for the week....
Openings:
We have the following openings. Please help with any recruitment if you know of a great candidate -
4th Grade LTS for Kate Tepp from mid February to end of May (position is posted)
2nd Grade LTS for Michelle Gadient from January to mid April
Both positions are posted online. If you know of anyone, please help share the word (and let me know)!
Can you believe next Friday is the end of 1st quarter? Just a reminder - we do not report grades on a report card for quarter 1. Additionally, November 3 is a PD day for staff.
Porcupines: A huge thank you to our Staff Social Squad for the mid week snack and reminding us to "feed our porcupine".
I want to take a moment to remind you all about the porcupine story from the beginning of the year. It’s about this time of year where as adults we can lose patience with some of the students who don’t seem to be finding the routines yet. Just remember, they need our care the most. I would encourage you to do something with the students who are in this boat for you (play a game with them at recess, invite them to have lunch with you in the classroom, spend a couple of 1:1 minutes with them during breakfast). Invest in them; it will pay off!
All In the Hall:
Imagine you get home from a long vacation and excited to see your family. You walk in the door and notice that everyone is doing their own thing - watching TV, reading, etc. You announce your arrival and your family says "oh, hi" as you walk in. You were so excited to get home and wanted that excitement in return. That analogy brings me to a reminder - "all in the hall" during arrival. Our students enter the building every morning at 8am. It is expected we are all outside of our rooms/offices greeting students as they arrive. That first 10 minutes is a great time for relationship building - saying hi, asking how their night was, and just being around to connect with students. All in the Hall from 8-8:10. It's powerful.
October School Counseling Lessons: Empathy, Compassion, and Bullying Prevention - Guest Blogger Amanda Andrews This month in our SEL (Social Emotional Learning) lessons we’re focusing on empathy and compassion — two important skills that help our students build positive relationships, show kindness, and create an inclusive school community. We will be learning how to:
Understand and recognize others’ feelings (empathy)
Show care through our words and actions (compassion)
Stand up for others and make respectful choices
October is also National Bullying Prevention Month so we will spend time discussing what bullying actually is and how it’s different from normal conflict. We will discuss what students can do if they see it happening (bystander). The goal is to help students see that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference and that everyone has a role in making our school a safe and caring place to learn. Thank you for reinforcing these lessons in your classrooms and modeling empathy every day.
Just a reminder - as part of professionalism, it is expected you are reading this. Over the last week, I've had multiple conversations with people about things that were listed in the blog, morning announcements, or both. It is expected you are reading this to stay in touch with what's happening in the building.
Holiday Reminders:
We have students from various backgrounds who hold various beliefs. This is just the yearly reminder that celebrating holidays is not part of the curriculum and we need to be sure that we are honoring and/or educating, but not celebrating. We want to be sure that if talking about a holiday, like Thanksgiving, we do so from a historically accurate perspective. Please keep any classroom celebrations fall related (vs. Halloween related). If you have questions about specific activities, we can certainly chat more about them.
Levy Informational Meeting:
On Tuesday, October 28, our four elementary schools are hosting a Levy Informational Meeting for families to hear about the upcoming levy. Below is the flyer that will be sent home (via SeeSaw) on Monday, October 20. You are more than welcome to join us to hear about the levy!
Another great week of learning, relationships, and productive struggle!
Toot Your Horn Thursday:
Every Thursday, we pick 1-2 people (more this week to catch up) who were nominated by their colleagues for being amazing.
Denise Carlson was nominated by Josh Tolle for Denise took my random query about Braille books and connected me to some wonderful resources that were happy to come in and share with my classroom. (I have braille stickers now!) She also has navigated many new things this year. I am very appreciative of Denise and the heartbeat that she brings to this school from one of the most important spaces to any school, the library. Thank you Denise for being such a greathearted person and all you do for these students, this staff, and this community at large.
Rachael Eickhoff was nominated by Eric Oppegard for Co-teaching with Rachel is amazing, especially as we navigate our new W&W curriculum. She plans engaging lessons and cares about all the learners in the classroom, including me. Her support and teamwork have made the start of this year wonderful. Thank you, Rachel, for all you do!
Joan Biegert was nominated by Eric Oppegard for Joan does an amazing job of helping us meet the needs of all our learners. She goes out of her way to make sure she is connecting with everyone. She always puts her learners first! We are so lucky to work with her. WAY TO BE AMAZING!
Karen Thurnau was nominated by her 3rd grade team for Karen has dove into our Wit and Wisdom and is organizing and planning ahead, and sharing all of this with our team. She is working long hours and making documents for us to make it easier for our team to navigate the new resource! Thank you Karen!
Linked below is our September Office Referral Data. Each month, I will provide a summary for you to see any patterns in our office referrals. Click here to access the document.
PD in your Pocket - Behavior as a Continuum (PLEASE READ):
First, thank you to everyone for always going above and beyond to support every students' needs. The staff in this building is second to none.
I want to challenge your thinking around the word "behavior" When we hear this word, we think of defiance, refusal, property destruction, etc. We often go immediately to the "what they aren't doing right" or the "negative behaviors". The true word is really a continuum and not just a negative word. Everything humans do is showing behavior - from hugging someone, completing a project, skipping down the hall, to swearing, pushing, etc. Behavior is communication. I bring this word up because we can often get caught in the "behavior is out of control in my classroom/space". I challenge you to start thinking of specific behaviors and NOT just the word "behavior". For example - instead of "the behaviors are SO out of control in my classroom" try using the specific behavior itself - "my kids are really struggling with self control and staying engaged in whole group right now". Just those words changes your focus from a large "what can I do?" to a more specific skill to teach and reinforce.
Behavior is a continuum from positive to negative. And, behavior is communication. And, don't forget we have a team to help support you if you need it.
Belief System: Last Monday, our teaching staff engaged in some work around our beliefs and mindset. Below is a few thoughts for ALL staff to think through our beliefs...
Do you believe all kids can learn? Do you truly believe this? Or, are you an educator who makes comments like "Oh, that kid" or "Man, it's only been a month with these kids!" Your belief system determines so much of your daily experiences. First, your beliefs will determine your outlook for the day. If you are looking for negativity, you will find it. If you are out seeking the positives, you will find many of those! Secondly, your belief system can make or break a students' experience here at school. This includes your thoughts and biases. If you have already "painted a picture" of a learner in your room - and it's not positive - I challenge you to get to know that student more. Find time and patience to learn more. And, if you are biases are standing in the way of this work, walk to your bias. Learn more about it... challenge it... decrease the way you think about it. The quote below is from Jimmy Casas, a former principal and now author/presenter around school culture and all kids. What legacy do you want to leave?
McKinley Building Goals:
Our 25-26 building goals have been completed. A huge thank you to our Building Leadership Team for helping with this extensive process. Linked are the goals. Please take time to read through the action steps, as you are responsible for many of the action steps.
Kiel Individual Goals:
I wanted you to be aware of two of my personal goals (and action steps) for the year. The first is instructional leadership in which the bulk of this goal is around completing 2 walkthroughs per week (with feedback to the staff). The second is around belonging and our theme "All In, All Welcome". The bulk of this goal is around 1:1 interviews with students and staff (please sign up for next week!) to gather feedback around their experience and level of belonging.
As you all hopefully know, I am a lifelong learner. I'm excited to continue growth in these two areas.
Holiday reminders: We have students from various backgrounds who hold various beliefs. This is just the yearly reminder that celebrating holidays is not part of the curriculum and we need to be sure that we are honoring and/or educating, but not celebrating. We want to be sure that if talking about a holiday, like Thanksgiving, we do so from a historically accurate perspective. Please keep any classroom celebrations fall related (vs. Halloween related). If you have questions about specific activities, we can certainly chat more about them.
Instructional Coaches Day - Monday:
This Monday is Instructional Coaches Day. I can truly say we have the best coach - Katie Demmer. Katie wears many, many hats in your building. However, her primary role is support for us all to do our job better. And, she rocks at that. Please take some time on Monday to recognize Katie for all her gifts.
National Chewing Gum Day:
A huge congrats to our winner Lynn Jensen! I hope you all had fun with this!
Alright, I'm going to go deep and personal with you.
These last few weeks have been difficult. And, it isn't just one thing. I think the new has worn off. I have found myself stressed, short, overwhelmed, etc. This "spot" of stress is somewhere I will visit, but I don't like to live in it. I've been doing some deep reflection around why this is. As much as it's hard to admit it, I think it truly comes down to my perspective. Because I'm overwhelmed and stressed, I am seeking the negative things that are draining my energy. The above picture (one of my favorites) is something I'm going to take to heart over the next few months. I can't control what others do - what I can control is my perspective every day. I get that power in EVERY interaction to decide my perspective.
I only share this because I can feel it's heavy for many of you, as well. After you read this, take some time to think about your perspective - what "seat" are you taking every day on the bus?
Media Opt Out:
Please make sure you are checking your students who are "media opt out". If you send students down with a Positive Office Referral, please put a post it note (or call) to let us know they are media opt out.
Indigenous People's Day - Monday, October 13:
Indigenous Peoples Day falls on Monday, October 13 this year. All schools are required to do one hour of instruction related to Indigenous Peoples. Below are two resources for you to use on this day:
Happy Homecoming! Another great week at McKinley! Just a reminder of today's Homecoming Picnic plan.
Fire Drill/Raptor Feedback: Thanks for your work around this week's fire drill. Moving forward, we will be using Raptor for communication (reporting students with you, staff accounted for, and your location). If you have feedback on your experience with Raptor Wednesday, please add it here before Monday at 8am.
Collaboration Starts Next Week: Just a reminder - we have collaboration Tuesday (SEL) and Friday (MTSS groups). Linked is the plan for quarter 1's collaboration dates (subject to change if days 1-5 switch).
Introducing... Book an Appointment with Demmer
Guest Blogger Katie Demmer, Teaching and Learning Coach
This week I learned how to create appointment slots on my Google Calendar. This will allow anyone with the link to schedule an appointment to meet with me. It already looks at my Google calendar for times I have available in my schedule, without having to wait for an email back from me about when we could meet! Click the link below to check it out!
So, if you'd like to find a time to connect on something or have me visit your classroom, click on the booking link above and select a time that works for our schedules. You'll then have the option to select the location (my office, your classroom, virtual), and add any notes about what you'd like to meet about or anything you'd like me to have prepared for our meeting. We'll both get it added to our calendar and get an email reminder a day before that we are meeting. You can schedule same day appointments (2 hours prior) up to 30 days in advance. Appointment times are set for 30 minutes, but if you feel like you need longer, you can book multiple appointments or we can cut the time shorter if it's a quick check-in. I've added the link to the Virtual Office as well if you need to come back and find it later. You can also find a new sign on my office door with where I am and a QR code you can scan to open my appointment calendar. I'm hoping this helps streamline communication and make it easier for everyone to find times to connect when needed!
Happy Friday! We made it through our first five day week!
If you haven't completed your welcome back list, please do so by Friday, September 19. I am still missing things (impact statements, elementary school pictures, voicemails). Please take care of this ASAP.
Homecoming Next Week:
A couple things about Homecoming:
Please start checking on family plans for early release (12:40) on Friday.
Linked is our plan for the picnic. Please take a minute to read this closely. All students must be checked out in the office if they are leaving early. Also, it was great having teachers eat lunch with their class last year (and a great way to engage with families). If you are able, I would greatly appreciate it.
Early Release is at 12:40pm; parade is at 1:30pm.
Teachers - normal work hours. Two options - supervise at the parade or stay here at school and work.
EA's - clock out at 12:40pm
Paras - Three options - supervise at parade, clock out at 12:40pm, or stay back and work on your required trainings. Please let me know your choice.
Go Huskies!
Fire Drill - Wednesday:
We are having our first fire drill next Wednesday. We will be using Raptor for this. A few minutes before the alarm goes off, we will activate the drill on Raptor. You will get an alert (it's a loud buzzer). Once you are outside and safe, please go into Raptor and note the students you have/are missing. This will be a learning expereince for us all, but please try and go in and mark you are safe.
Collaboration:
Collaboration starts on September 23. Our first focus will be SEL. Please note - because of the Homecoming early release/picnic, we do have two collaboration times the week of September 22. This is because we follow a day 1-5 and not a M-F schedule. This won't be a regular thing, as most times will be seperated by a week. Please note - starting September 18, you do not attend library or Creation Station for that five day rotation.
PD in your Pocket:
Each week, I will highlight a new tip for you as an educator (please note - I didn't say teacher. This is applicable to all staff who support student learning).
Today's tip is around creating independence. Linked below is a video (Cult of Pedagogy - she's fabulous). Skip ahead to 1:44. Jen provides some tips on how to create independence in your classroom by asking questions with questions. Please, please, please - take the 4 minutes to listen to Jen's thoughts.
“One of our main goals as teachers should be to build students’ independence,” says Jennifer Gonzalez in this Cult of Pedagogy article/podcast. “The more we do for our students and the less they do for themselves, the more we perpetuate a cycle where they become helpless and dependent on us.” Gonzalez kicks herself for answering too many student questions when she was a teacher. “I used to think of them as baby birds in a nest, with all of their beaks open, waiting for the mother bird to feed them,” she says. “I remember feeling like I was constantly racing around trying to meet everyone’s needs.” It’s quicker to answer the question than to push students to do more of the work, but “that short-term efficiency comes at a long-term cost,” she says. “It keeps us working harder than we need to and prevents students from developing the habits that will make them more independent.” Gonzalez’s suggestion to her former haggard self and many other overextended teachers: when students ask a certain kind of question, pause and answer them with questions that build self-sufficiency. And pose your questions with the right tone of voice and a smile, not in a way that embarrasses kids.
Some examples: -
Where might you find that information?
Where on the handout could you look for that?
What resource could help you answer that question?
What is our task completion routine? (when students ask what to do when they’re finished).
Thank you for all your time, energy, and passion into making this the best start yet!
Homecoming:
September 15-19 is our Owatonna Homecoming Week! Below are dress up days for the week.
Additionally, we have an early release on Friday, September 19 (12:40pm). Additionally, we have our yearly Family Picnic on that day. More info to come.
For early release, please plan -
Teaching Staff - supervision at the parade or working back here at school. If you are supervising, please plan to be present and helping enforce that students are doing what's expected and staying off the road.
Paras - supervision at the parade, work back at school, or clock out (please see my email and let me know your plan)
As you enter this Friday, remember - you WILL have impact. We don't get to decide that. What you do get to decide is what kind of impact you want to have - positive or negative. :)
