September 18 Update

Happy Friday!

We finished our first 5 day week!  It's great to see routines, relationships, and learning in full action!

We've been in school for 10 days - what kind of impact are you making? 

Cheers for Peers!

Last Year's 3rd Grade Team was nominated by Kate Tepp for "I want to thank third grade for their amazing work they did with Wit & Wisdom last year! Our first week routines have been so smooth thanks to them. We did our first Socratic seminar to end the week and it was amazing-- The listening, taking turns, the ideas, agreements/disagreements, the conversations... We had to bust out a box of Kleenex halfway through.. It was incredible! Kudos to you for building the foundation to it all, it makes us excited for the rest of the year!" Way to go, 3rd Grade!

Vision Card:

Linked is our 3 building goals plus the action steps. Please take a moment to look through these, particularly the action steps.

Science Fair:

I am checking to see who has interest in coordinating our science fair this year.  This event is well laid out - if you are looking for details or to know the committment, contact Jess Zupansic or Rachel Thiemann.  

Every Minute Matters:

Now that we are underway with our schedules, I want to stress the importance of "every minute matters".   First, I want to be really clear - I understand life happens.  There are emergencies that throw a schedule off.  I totally understand that.  However, our "emergencies" should be few and far between.  

When we go over in morning meeting or let instructional time slide by just 5 minutes a day, it seems harmless in the moment. But over the course of a school year, those 5 missing minutes stack up to 25 minutes a week, over an hour every month, and nearly 15 full instructional days lost by June. That is three entire weeks of reading groups, math interventions, and hands-on science that simply vanish. Every transition, start time, and lesson block in our master schedule is designed to maximize student growth; when we protect our clock, we protect our students' learning.

By the Numbers: How Lost Minutes Multiply

• 5 minutes lost daily: 25 minutes/week | 1.5 days of school lost per year

• 10 minutes lost daily: 50 minutes/week | 3.2 days of school lost per year

• 15 minutes lost daily: 75 minutes/week | nearly 5 full days of school lost per year

• 30 minutes lost daily: 150 minutes/week | 15 full days of instruction lost per year

Every minute matters.  

Homecoming Early Release:

A few updates regarding early release...

Teddy Bear Parade - our 1st grade is doing their annual Teddy Bear Parade at 10:30am.  More to come!

Dress Up Days:  The below graphic will be shared with families (via SeeSaw and social media) on Monday.

 Picnic Lunch - We are hosting our annual picnic lunch for families on this day.  Below is information and some documents regarding the day:

• Linked is more details around this event.  
• I am looking for help on this day to eat lunch with your class (the students who do not have a family member who came with).  
• Linked is a list of families who have RSVP (this will continue to be updated as families RSVP - RSVP closes Wednesday, September 23.  

Supervision at Parade (Teaching Staff Only) - please complete the linked form showing your plan for the early release.  We are trying to do a check on how many staff will be supervising the parade.  

Indigenous People's Day - October 12:

Per state statute, we are required to provide 1 hour of programming on Indigenous People's Day on October 12.  Linked is a document from Teaching and Learning that provides some resources to support your instruction that day.  

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

I hope each of you can find some time to do something you love!  

Have a great weekend! 

-Justin

September 11 Update

Happy Friday!

Another great week.... we finished our first 5 days!  

Welcome Back List:

Don't forget to complete your Welcome Back list, including the required online trainings.  Please get this completed ASAP. 

Homecoming Picnic & Parade:

Friday, October 2 is our early release (12:40pm) for the Homecoming Parade (1:30pm).   This is the day we will also be doing the 1st Grade Teddy Bear Parade (10:30am).  More information will come in the next week; however, below is the lunch schedule if you are planning ahead.  I will be sharing the RSVP with families today (Friday).  

10:45-11:15	4th Grade
10:55-11:25	1st Grade
11:10-11:40	5th Grade
11:20-11:50	Kindergarten
11:35-11:55	2nd Grade
11:45-12:15	3rd Grade

Cheers for Peers:

Let's fill this building with gratitude and some positive energy!  Don't forget, if you see a staff doing something and want to acknowledge them, complete the Cheers for Peers form.  

Families in Transition (FIT) - Guest Blogger Megan Douglas:

As a school district, we are federally required under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act to identify and support students and families experiencing housing instability. A student may qualify as a Family in Transition if they do not have a fixed, regular, and adequate place to live. This can include situations such as staying temporarily with friends or relatives, living in a hotel or shelter, or other temporary or unstable housing arrangements.

I’ve sent out a short form to help us identify students who may potentially qualify. If you have a student with an unusual or unstable living situation—or you are simply unsure whether their situation would qualify—please include them on the form. When in doubt, send them my way!

After a student is identified, I will follow up with staff for additional information and, when appropriate, connect with the family to learn more about their circumstances and offer support. Student housing information is also recorded and submitted to the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) annually.

Thank you for helping us make sure students and families have access to the support and resources they are entitled to!

Family Newsletter:

Our September Family Newsletter went out to families Thursday:  https://app.smore.com/n/fymg2.   

If you have items for the newsletter, please contact Tiffany.  

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!

-Justin

September 3 Update

Welcome Back!  It was great to have students in the building this week!

First Day Gratitude:

As much as I went home exhausted yesterday, it was a great day.  I know a lot of time and energy goes into the beginning of the year.  That time and energy does not go unnoticed.  Yesterday, I was quickly reminded of the power of this building - the way each of you COME together to make the POWER OF US.  All of you jumped right in to support each of our kids - regardless if they were in your class, program, etc.  I am truly honored to work with such amazing people who put kids first.  I'm looking forward to the best year yet!  

Responsive, Responsive, Responsive:

One of our focus areas this year is being responsive—the practice of taking our core curriculum and shaping it to fit our students' needs in real time. Think of it like cooking a great meal: when the cook tastes the soup while it’s simmering, that’s formative assessment; when the guests taste the soup, that’s summative assessment.  When the chef is preparing the soup, there is time to make adjustments (add spices, more protein, etc.).  After the soup is served to the customer, it's often harder to make those adjustments.  That's being responsive.  

While summative tests show us the final outcome, our daily observations, progress monitoring, and quick formative check-ins are how we taste the soup along the way. Paying attention to those lightbulb moments—and the furrowed brows—gives us the power to add a pinch of support or extend a challenge before the lesson is over.  This really is the art of teaching.  

Being responsive isn't about adding extra paperwork; it’s about using quick exit tickets, brief observations, and flexible pacing to meet kids right where they are each day. Every student enters our classrooms with unique strengths and learning styles, and when we let our daily observations drive our next moves, we show our students that we see them, hear them, and care about their individual growth. You are the master chefs of our school, and I am so grateful for your heart, dedication, and expertise as we nourish our students' minds and spirits this year. Let’s make it our best year yet!

Badges:

Part of our building security plan is staff wearing their district-issued ID badge.  It is required you are wearing that to work every day.  In the event of an emergency, you may be put into an unsafe situation (locked out of somewhere) without your badge.  Also, it's our way for staff to know you are cleared to be in the building (particularly if they don't know you).  

Cheers for Peers:

This year, we trying a new "Toot Your Horn".  Every Thursday, we will acknowledge a group in the building who is making an impact.  Today, our EA team was given this award.  Our 3rd Grade Team nominated them for "They jumped in and completed many teacher "to do" tasks during back to school week! You helped get us up and running!  You are appreciated - you don't go unnoticed!".  

The Cheers for Peers award is given every Thursday and comes from staff nominations.  Each of you can nominate someone!  To nominate, please complete the form (also found in the Virtual Office).  

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a GREAT long weekend! 

-Justin

August 28 Update

It's GREAT to be back!

#BestEducatorsEver

#AdultsLovingOurKids

Welcome Back "Stuff":

Linked below are some items from welcome back week...

Welcome Back Checklist

Welcome Back Pre-Slide Show

Welcome Back Presentation (Tues morning)

Below are some pictures from our drawing activity 

Cheers for Peers:

We have switched our "Toot Your Horn" to "Cheers for Peers".   

Cheers for Peers is a way for our staff to acknowledge each other - and share their impact!  Linked is the form.  These will be shared every week in the Friday blog.  If you see something, fill this out! 

First Day of School:

We will need "all hands on deck" for the first two days.  Please plan on all staff being visible (outside, breakfast, etc) at 7:50 on Wednesday and Thursday.  After that, we will resume to our normal supervision plan.  

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to see the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!

-Justin

May 29 Update

Good morning!

Another great week at McKinley!

Can you believe we are down to 5 days left (including today)?  Let's make those last 5 days into some of the best memories yet!  

Toot Your Horn Thursday:

We have two recipents - Pat Fails and Val Seath!

Pat Fails was nominated by Denise Carlson for "Thank your for the extra 30 minutes. It made my day"

Val Seath was nominated by the 2nd Grade Team for Dear Master Gardener, thank you for bringing new life and beauty back to the McKinley garden! Your passion and vision does not go unnoticed. Thank you for organizing volunteers, getting students involved, and teaching us how to take care of the garden. McKinley will be blooming because of you! 💙🌻

End of Year Checklist:

Linked are the end of the year checklists - please make sure you are getting these items all taken care of.

Teacher Checklist

Para/EA Checklist

Last Day - June 4:

Just a reminder of our plan for Thursday, June 4:

• 9:10 - Google Meet about expectations
• 9:15-10:30 End of Year Stations in building (please sign up if you haven't already)
• Over lunch hour - PTO will be here with a treat for staff in lounge
• 2:20 - meet in gym (kids should have backpacks and be ready to leave from gym) to sing the school song to our 5th graders for the last time. 
• 2:25- Tunnel out of building for 5th graders (head to front door and Justin will help you get set up)
• 2:35 - head to McKinley sign to wave goodbye to kids
• 3:00 - Happy Hour at SpareTime

Retirees & Staffing Updates:

Just a reminder - we have some amazing staff who will be wrapping up their careers next week.  A huge thank you to Annette Warner, Bernie Jensen, Lisa Revier, Denise Carlson, and Caryn Boetel for all their dedication to Owatonna and McKinley.  Additionally, we have some staff leaving us for their next chapter - Kara Boerner, Jen Schlauderaff, Joann Bergemann, Michelle Gadient, and Jill Peterson.  Jill announced last week she was leaving for Northfield Public Schools and Michelle is heading closer to home to teach in Goodhue next year.  Both will be greatly missed!  Please take a moment next week to honor/thank/appreciate them.    

An update on staffing - Hunter Evenson and Mark Clauson will be returning to McKinley next year.  Hunter will be split between Lincoln, McKinley, and Washington and Mark will be between Washington, McKinley, and Athletic Director at OMS.  We are excited to have them (back) with us!  

June Family Newsletter:

The linked family newsletter is going out to families today.  Just an FYI for you.  

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!

-Justin

May 22 Update

Happy Friday, McKinley! 

After today, 8 days left.  We can do it.  These last few days are an exciting time for many of our kids - wrapping up a school year, doing special events, and getting ready for summer break!  And, for some of our learners, they are watching their safe person, predictability, and friendships fade away into the summer.  Please be mindful of this as we close out the year - some of our students will become escalated, anxious, and start to show behaviors.  They are struggling to see some of the positives of their life go away.   These next 8 days will require excitement, positivity, grace, and understanding.  Let's love those porcupines!  

Shout Out!

We received preliminary ACCESS scores for our multilingual learners this week.  Of the 25 students districtwide who graduated from programming, 14 of them are from McKinley!  WOW!  That is 56% of the graduates are coming from our building.   A huge shout out to our staff and students.   Another special shout out to Liz, Rachael, and Caryn for our supporting our learners!  

7 Splendid Send Off's:

Below are some ideas I saw online for a way to celebrate a great school year:  

Summer Updates:

Can you believe we are already almost to the end of another great year!?   A few reminders about McKinley this summer:

• Our McKinley Office is closed Monday, June 15 - Friday, July 31.  Steph and I will return to work on Monday, August 3.  
• Our building is being used for K Kamp from July 20-July 30 (you will know if your room is being used).    There is NO Minds at Work this summer.  

End of Year Checklist:

Linked are the end of the year checklists - please make sure you are getting these items all taken care of.

Teacher Checklist

Para/EA Checklist

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great Memorial Day weekend!

-Justin

May 15 Update

Happy Friday, McKinley!

Another great week of learning, relationships, and memories!  

Love those Porcupines!  

As we move into the last 3 weeks (crazy!), please pull out your porcupines and reground yourself in loving those porcupines.  This time of year can be tough - for our kids, yourself, our colleagues, etc.   It's important we continue to provide grace, patience, and create positive memories with everyone (students, colleagues, etc).  We can love on those porcupines while still maintining consistency and love!  

Room Moves & Updates for 26-27:

A few updates in regards to next year.  We do have some room movement:

• K2 (Beck) is moving into Jen Schlauderaff's old room
• K3 (Peterson) will be in the empty Kdg room 
• K4 (Hager) will be in Danika Beck's old room
• SPED (Williams/Sommers) will be getting a door installed this summer
• SPED (Molly Hieb - new hire) will be in the front part of the empty 5th grade room; the back will be available for a flex space.
• EL (Stitzmeyer, Eickhoff, Seifert) will be located in Zupansic/Peterson's current Intervention room
• Intervention (Zupansic) will be in Caryn Boetel's old office
• 3D (Thurnau) will move to 3B (Seifert's old room)

PowerSchool:

Just a friendly reminder to get into PowerSchool to start closing out your end of the year tasks.  This includes evaluations, Peer Review, goal setting, etc).   Because of the back and forth signature process within the system, please do not wait until June 5.   

Class List Placement:

Just a reminder that next Friday, May 22, we will be meeting in collaboration time to work on class lists.  Please have the spreadsheet updated so we can print cards and be prepared for this.  Because of time, please try to join collaboration as soon as possible.   

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend - enjoy the beautiful weather Saturday!

-Justin

May 8 Update

Another great week at McKinley!  

Thank you for your help (and flexibility) with the breakfast pilot.  It's taken a team to make this happen and I appreciate each of you!  

Happy Mother's Day

Thank you for the countless ways you show up every single day. You love, guide, and inspire not only your own children, but our students who are lucky enough to learn from you. Balancing motherhood and teaching isn’t just a job—it’s a calling that requires patience, strength, and a whole lot of heart.

The care you give doesn’t stop when the school day ends. You carry it home, weaving together lesson plans and bedtime stories, grading papers and packing lunches, encouraging growth both in the classroom and at the kitchen table.

Your impact reaches far beyond what can be measured. You are shaping minds while raising hearts, and that’s no small thing.
Thank you for all that you do—for your dedication, your passion, and the love you pour into both your families and your students.

You are truly appreciated.  Happy Mother's Day!

Honorees:

On Wednesday night, our OEA hosted an evening of celebration - for years of service, retirees, and teacher of the year.  It was a great night to celebrate our McKinley staff!  

Retirees - Annette Warner, Caryn Boetel, and Lisa Revier

25 years of service - Gia Davison & Karla Wilke

30 years of service - Lynn Jensen

Each year, the OEA picks someone as the "Friend of Education" - someone who has made a signficant impact within Owatonna Public Schools.  This year, our Success Coaches were chosen.  This team is such an integral part of our work.  This past year, this team led the work to ensure our families were taken care of during the Operation Metro Surge.   

Thank you Sylvia and Nura for all you do for our students, families, and staff.   You are so deserving of the "Friend of Education" award!  

  

Last Day of Interventions:

Our last day of interventions will be Friday, May 29.  

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

Have a great weekend!

-Justin

May 1 Update

Happy Friday - AND Happy May! 

Educator Appreciation Week:

Next week is Educator Appreciation Week!  Each of you serve in a role as an "educator"... so let's celebrate each of you!  Check the picture above on the plan for the week.  

Monday's lunch will be brats, chips, and a dessert.  Please bring your own drink.  Lunch will be served in the lounge - but feel free to head out back (by the garden) to enjoy lunch outside, too!  

Toot Your Horn:

This week's Toot Your Horn is Pat Fails! Pat was nominated by Josh Tolle for "Pat makes McKinley a better place because he is here. He is fully present with a smile on his face and his joyful laughter resonating through the halls. On any given day you will see him gently teasing a student, encouraging students to make good decisions, or holding a little hand in his hands to help guide them. Pat also is a servant leader. On this particular day, Pat proactively went and grabbed a mop to clean up a spill in Aisle 5. I happened to be coming to get the mop for a spill in Aisle 23. He asked me where my spill was and said he would take care of it. It is these little things that add up to make a school culture. Thank you Pat for serving the students and staff here at McKinley. You are appreciated! Now get out there and toot that horn!"

Breakfast:

Just a reminder that breakfast starts before school on Monday! 

Breakfast begins at 7:45 and ends at 8:10am.  Students should NOT be down in classrooms or their lockers.  After 8:10, students will be given a breakfast and sent to class (we will monitor how many this is and adjust as needed).  We will not serve breakfast after 8:10 unless the student comes late (the office will make this decision and send them).    

For lunch slips, our kitchen team will put a slip in your mailbox at the end of each day (make sure you check your mailbox each morning).  The kitchen team will come around before 8:30am each day to get the lunch slip from you.  

This is a pilot, so we will adjust as needed throughout the month of May.  

Friday Grill Out:

We're getting closer and closer to May.... which means Friday grill out!  If your team is interested in having Justin grill your lunch, please sign up with your team.  On the day of, bring in your meat and mark with your name in the lounge fridge. I will happily get your food grilled and delivered to you!  Sign up if interested!  It's a great time to enjoy the outdoors and some good food! 

IM Implementation:

Our last question & thoughts from our pilot teams (K & 5th Grade):

Question:  If someone asked you for the big differences between Everyday Math and IM, what would you say?

Response: Teachers are noticing some clear differences between IM and Everyday Math. IM is designed to build understanding over time, with concepts connected across units, while Everyday Math tends to revisit topics in a more separate, cyclical way.

In the classroom, IM feels much more hands-on and student-centered. Students are exploring, discussing, and explaining their thinking, rather than just practicing skills on worksheets. There is a stronger focus on helping students understand the “why” behind math, not just how to do it.

IM also goes deeper into fewer concepts at a time, giving students the chance to build understanding from hands-on experiences to more abstract ideas. Everyday Math, in comparison, often moves more quickly and focuses more on practice.

Overall, teachers are seeing IM as a shift toward deeper thinking, meaningful conversations, and active engagement, with more opportunities for all students to participate and show their understanding.

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!

-Justin

April 24 Update

Happy Friday!

Another great week at McKinley!  One thing I noticed this week is all the smiles, positivity, and fun energy coming from staff.  Thank you for remembering to focus on relationships, positivity, and finding the fun at work!  

Staffing Update:

SSW - I am excited to share that Megan Schulz (she is getting married and will be Megan Douglas next year) has accepted the School Social Worker position.  Megan is coming from private therapy, but has experience as a School Social Worker and Youth Mental Health Navigator for Mankato Area Public Schools.  Our interview team was impressed with her energy, passion, connectedness, and organization.   We are SO sad to see Annette leave, but excited to have Megan join our team!  

EL - I am excited to share that Kate Seifert has accepted the EL Teacher position at McKinley.  As you know, Kate is a 3rd grade teacher who has an extensive background in co-teaching, language supports, and collaboration.   Additionally, Kate is bilingual in Spanish.  Please join me in welcoming Kate to this new role!  

Summer Maintenance Form:

Today is the last day to complete any summer work you are requesting - please complete the linked form. 

Absences & Leaving Early:

May is a busy month - both professionally and personally.  And, each year, we see absences increase in May.  A few reminders - 

• Please get your absences in as soon as possible.  We need to secure subs and can't just assume we will find internal coverage.  May gets hard.  
• If you are needing to leave early, please have a conversation with me.  In the past few weeks, there has been an increase in people stopping in the office to say they need to leave early,   Please plan ahead and go through me (Justin), not Steph.  

IM Feedback:

Below is the third part in our series where I surveyed our pilot teams on Illustrative Math (IM).  

Question - What do you wish you had known the year before implementing?

Responses - Several common themes have emerged that may be helpful for planning ahead. Many teachers found that time was required up front to explore the print curriculum and become comfortable with online resources. The planning and preparation can feel overwhelming at first, especially with gathering and organizing manipulatives, but it becomes more manageable as routines are established.

A key takeaway is the importance of trusting the process. While the pacing may feel slow initially, giving students time to build problem-solving, discussion, and collaboration skills leads to stronger independence and confidence over time. Along with this, intentionally teaching and revisiting “soft skills” like partner work, sharing ideas, and engaging in math conversations is essential for student success.

Teachers also noted the value of letting learning unfold—resisting the urge to over-explain and instead allowing students to discover strategies and concepts. With time and experience, the flow of lessons becomes more natural, and both teachers and students grow more comfortable with the structure and expectations.

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!

-Justin

April 17 Update

Happy Friday!

Another great week of learning and relationships at McKinley!  

Toot Your Horn Thursday:

We had three receipents this week - Denise Carlson, Andie Zwart, and Amber Sommers!

Amber Sommers was nominated by Liz Stitzmeyer - Amber consistently faces each day with energy and joy. She is a leader that leads by example and is always sharing strategies and encouragement to those of us on her team. She is ready to volunteer her time to help her teammates. Amber knows her stuff-she's so knowledgeable in strategies for teaching and reinforcing social skills. Her students adore her and so do I! Keep up the good work!

Andie Zwart was nominated by those who do time and effort -  A Time and Talent calendar, that is turned in every quarter, has been added to our work load. This has caused stress and frustration to many of us. Andi helped lots of us, last quarter, to get this together and sent to Shari Mensink on time. Andi was so patient with us. Well, she took it a step farther and sent us step by step instructions that we were able to follow and submit this ourselves. Yeah!!! Thanks for being amazing Andie!

Denise Carlson was nominated by Val Seath - Denise Carlson has always gone above and beyond in her role as an EA and as a SAC supervisor. Here are just a few examples from the last month alone-

Recently, Jaxen (my 4th grade son, who is also in SAC) brought home a small hand-knit dragon. It came with a folded origami box and handwritten note about how to take care of it. I asked him about it and he said that "Mrs. Carlson gave it to me. She gave them to everyone in morning SAC!" I was so touched that someone would spend the time to hand make the fun toy dragons, fold the boxes and write the notes- for each student! What an incredible heart Denise has! I also have a student that is diabetic. She came back from the library the other day with two brand new books that she checked out. She was thrilled that they were both picture books about children who also have diabetes. She was so proud and showing them to everyone with the best smile on her face! Denise orders books that make students feel like they belong and shine a light on different experiences to help grow empathy. My student's books about diabetes and Jaxen's dragon were brought home. Families see those things and they are clear examples to our families that Mrs. Carlson cares about our students at McKinley and cares about their lives beyond these walls. Thank you for being YOU, Mrs. Carlson.

Friday Grill Out:

We're getting closer and closer to May.... which means Friday grill out!  If your team is interested in having Justin grill your lunch, please sign up with your team.  On the day of, bring in your meat and mark with your name in the lounge fridge. I will happily get your food grilled and delivered to you!  Sign up if interested!  It's a great time to enjoy the outdoors and some good food! 

5th Grade Graduation:

FYI - we surveyed students this year about an interest in a formal graduation.  Our students chose against a graduation and instead wanted an afternoon at the park to celebrate their end of 5th grade.  I notified families yesterday, but wanted you to be aware too.  

Fastbridge Schedule:

With the end of the school year in sight, that means FastBridge testing is around the corner.  Our FastBridge Spring Benchmark Assessment window runs May 4th-22nd. Please open and view the relevant parts of this document that has all schedules, resources, and plans for spring benchmark assessments.  

FastBridge Benchmark Assessment Plan - Spring 2026

• ALL staff should look at page 1 (Schedule at a Glance) and note important testing days and times that may impact your schedule.
• Classroom Teachers: Read page 1 & 2 and click on the linked assessment plan for the grade you teach. Add dates and times to your calendars & lesson plans. 
• T2/T3 Intervention Teachers: Read page 1 & 2 and see schedule and plan on linked Intervention Plan Page. Prior to assessment, review testing protocols and gather materials for any assessments you will be giving (linked on your page).
• SpEd/EL: Read pages 1 & 2 and linked SpEd/EL Plan page and familiarize yourself with schedules and plans for any grade-levels you support. Prior to assessment, review testing protocols and gather materials for any assessments you will be giving (linked on your page).

Our benchmark assessment window is an important time to collect information and academic growth on all students. There's a lot of pieces to this puzzle and it's very important you are familiar with your role in helping collect all of this information as efficiently and accurately as possible. If you have questions, please talk with Katie Demmer. 

Illustrative Math (IM) Feedback:

This is the second part in an ongoing series where we hear more about our new math resource for next year.  As you know, our Kindergarten and 5th Grade teams are piloting this year.  Below are some thoughts from those teams around this week's question.  

Question - How does your math block look different this year when thinking of instruction and student learning?

Response from Pilot Teams - Pilot teachers are describing a meaningful shift in how math time is structured and experienced. Many have worked to create dedicated math blocks that allow for flexible small groups and partnerships, co-teaching, and different levels of language support to better meet student needs.

Instruction has become much more student-driven and hands-on, with less “sit and get” and more opportunities for students to explore, use manipulatives, and learn through stations. Teachers are talking less and instead facilitating learning—encouraging students to develop their own strategies, explain their thinking, and collaborate with peers.

There is also a stronger focus on student discourse and reasoning, even though it can require more wait time and patience to support all learners. Overall, classrooms are moving toward more engagement, deeper thinking, and reduced reliance on paper-pencil tasks, with teachers gaining better insight into student understanding through observation and discussion

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!

-Justin

April 10 Update

Happy Friday!

Today's update is a long one - sorry.  Please read carefully!  

No Toot Your Horn Thursday receipents this week - if you want to nominate someone, please complete the nominaton form. 

Staffing Update:

Another staffing update..  Steph Hager has accepted our Kindergarten position for next year.  Steph is not new to Owatonna or McKinley - she is an Owatonna graduate and is student teaching with Paige Larson.  Please join me in welcoming (as a full-time staff) Steph to her team!

Statewide Tornado Drill - Thursday:

This Thursday, April 16 is the MN Statewide Tornado Drill.  We will be doing our McKinley drill at 10:30am on this day (please note - we will not be doing the statewide drill time at 1:45pm although the sirens will still sound).  Please check the Virtual Office to see where your area/class goes for a tornado drill.  

Class List Process:

We are entering the time of creating class lists for next year.   This is a quite intense process in which teams look to the best placement/environment for our students to grow and thrive.  Click here to see details regarding the class list process.  

Please remember - all families need to complete the Classroom Environment form to request a placement.  If a family reaches out to you, please refer them to this step.   There are no "side deals" where parents are asking teachers to have students placed into seperate rooms.  We put a lot of time, energy, and thought into these placements and need the process followed.  

Breakfast - Pilot Program in May:

Starting May 4, we are piloting breakfast in the lunchroom before school.  This pilot will do two things - move breakfast to before school to create additional learning time AND provide our students warm breakfast choices each day.  This will be something we are piloting in May to see if we continue into the 26-27 school year.  

What is the plan to provide breakfast?   When students arrive, they will have the choice to go into the lunchroom to eat or stay outside.  Breakfast will be served and kids will eat in the lunchroom from 7:45-8:10am each day.  After 8:10, breakfast will become a grab and go (students will get the food and return to their classroom).   We will be mindful of late arrivals and buses and still provide students with breakfast. Additionally, we will be shifting some supervision from outside into the lunchroom with our AM arrival teams (I will share directly with those impacated).

Summer Maintenance List:

Linked is the request for summer maintenance work. This form is for items in your classroom/work area that need attention - fixing things, replacing broken, repainting chips or damage, etc. Please complete this by April 22. After that, we will notify you if your project is being addressed.

Illustrative Math (IM):

Next year, our district will be switching our math resource to Illustrative Math (often called "IM") in grades K-5 (Kindergarten and 5th Grade are currently piloting this).   This change will be a great thing - we have been long overdue for a new math resource.  As we get closer to next year, we are providing teacher teams some opportunties to learn more about IM.  Our Kindergarten and 5th Grade teams graciously completed an interview on their experience with math this year.  I have taken all of their responses and put into Chatgpt to help us understand the new resource a little more (from our internal experts).   For this week's blog, our teams will share their thinking around this week's question - "What are celebrations when you think of math and IM implementation?"

A big celebration is how students are thinking about math. They’re not just giving answers—they’re explaining their reasoning, trying different strategies, and learning from mistakes. Classrooms are becoming more student-centered, with rich conversations and collaboration happening regularly. Best of all, students are starting to see themselves as mathematicians and are building a more positive mindset about math overall. 

Building Weekly Newsletter:

Click here to access the building weekly newsletter

Have a great weekend!

-Justin