March 22 Update

Happy Spring Break!

I hope each of you are able to get away from work and be with the people or things you love.  Each of you gives so much to our students, families, and McKinley in general.  This is a great time to totally checkout and just be in the moment.  Enjoy your time, rest up, and get ready to come back and finish the year strong!  

Absences:

Just a reminder - if you are taking a part of a day (or even a half day) and end up having lunch, specialists, or recess in there, please connect with Justin or Steph before requesting a sub.  We've noticed an increase in half day absences in which a sub comes in for only 45 minutes of teaching.  We would rather fill that internally.   Bottom line - if it's not a solid half day of instruction, feel free to reach out to us and we can help you.  

READ Act Dates 24-25:

As you know, we have some reading professional development for next school year through the READ Act.  I am excited to see us learn and grow as teachers of reading.

Julie Sullivan has worked hard to create a solid professional learning plan for us which includes some days at workshop, MLK Day, etc.  In addition to these already set days, the school board has approved three additional days for our professional learning.  These dates are October 21, February 17, and April 21.  The reason I give you these now is to be mindful of these days when you are taking time off.  

Boundary Changes:

The school board approved K-5 boundary changes starting next school year.  As many of you know, we have an imbalance in the number of students at each of our four elementary schools - some are using every possible space while others have open rooms.  The boundary changes will help with a more balanced student population and use of space.  It's very typical for districts to re-evaluate boundaries every 5-6 years.  

One of our biggest changes in boundary is Colonial Manor, which is out behind Lowes.  Starting next year, that area will move to Wilson.  McKinley's boundary has moved west, taking in students who are currently living west of Cedar (Skyline Gardens, 22nd Street NW, etc).   These areas going to new schools will also help with transportation.  

Families will be notified next week of the change.  Families of 4th graders going into 5th grade can request to keep their child at their current school; however, siblings would go to their new assigned school.  Families have until April 5 to make this request.  After this time, we will have a more solid understanding of our student population and sections.  I apologize that staffing and this has been delayed this year.  The boundary changes impact this greatly.

On May 1 (4:30-5:30pm), we will host an open house for students who are new to McKinley.  If you are able to attend, I would greatly appreciate having some staff in the building.  This is a time for new students to see their new school.

I wanted to provide you with a quick overview of where we are at.  If you get questions from families, here is the website with a lot of information, as well as an address locator for new boundaries.   

Because this is a sensitive topic, please do not talk to classes about this.  After break, we will provide you with a list of those moving so you can keep an eye out.  However, we should not enter into conversations as we still have 2 months left of school.  If families reach out to you, you can direct them my way.  

Building Weekly Newsletter:
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Have a GREAT Spring Break!
-Justin

March 15 Update

Happy Friday!

Another great week of learning and relationships! 

Carry The Banner - 

Don't forget to carry that banner for McKinley - what stories are you sharing about McKinley?

Such great experiences for our kids....

April 1 - Return From Break:

As a reminder, April 1 is our last Connection Day of the year.  Please see the linked document for our 4/1 Connection Day.  A huge thank you to our Student Council, Val Seath, and Paige Gilligan for planning this!

On this day, we will also be celebrating the fact we filled the jar.  Linked is our plan for the celebration - PLEASE DO NOT SHARE with anyone (students will find out at Monday Morning Announcements).

MN Twins Home Opener - April 4

Update on Staffing & Planning for 24-25:

I've had a few ask about sections, staffing, etc for next school year.  This Monday, March 18, the School Board will vote to put the boundary changes into place for the 24-25 school year.   With these changes, there could be changes to the number of kids at each grade per building.  From there, we will know section numbers.  Because there is a lot of data entry that goes into enrollments and boundary changes, we are planning to finalize things right after spring break.  At that time, you should know more about planning for next school year.

5 Ways to Stop Thinking for Your Kids - 

A great article to remind us to have the thinking on the students - take the 2 minutes to read.  

Click here to read the article 

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Have a great weekend!

-Justin 

March 8 Update

Happy Friday!

Lots of FYI today... please read all. 

One of my favorite quotes... and something that I regularly have to ground myself in (especially when times feel tough).  We can get caught up in the day to day "issues" and forget about the bigger picture.  I find myself in this cycle - timelines, behaviors, emails, etc.  All of those things keep me "treading water".  When I get overwhelmed, I need to remind myself of my purpose and all the good things I experience every day - all those things that remind me why I "love to swim".

Take some time today to change your thinking from the "treading of water" to all the reasons you "love to swim". 

New Staff Member - Technology Specialist:

I'm excited to inform you that Noureddine Elghayad has officially accepted the Technology Specialist position at McKinley & Washington. Bringing with him valuable experience in classroom technology from an American school in Morocco, Noureddine will begin his training with our technology team starting Monday, March 11th and we anticipate him being comfortable on his own at McKinley & Washington by the middle of April.

Setting 3 - STRIDE:

Starting next year, we are excited to host a Setting 3 STRIDE program (2 classrooms) here at McKinley!  Currently, Washington has 5 classrooms supporting STRIDE.  Due to space issues, we are moving two of the classrooms to join us!  

STRIDE is our setting 3 (in the classroom over 60% of the day) that supports students with cognitive delay.  The program will be housed in the Learning Center and current Makerspace room - some construction will occur over the summer to close these spaces in more.  More information will come on the program, logistics, and programming.  

Please join me in welcoming this program!  

Curriculum Requests:

Attached you will find the form to complete if you have summer curriculum writing requests for the '24-'25 school year. The deadline to complete this is March 22. You will be notified by April 19 if your request is able to be fulfilled. 

Guidelines for Curriculum Requests:
1. Priority will first be given to curriculum areas, teams, or grade levels where curriculum writing is deemed necessary due to new state standards and/or new courses.
2.  Consideration will then be given for courses needing revision, updating, or further alignment.
3. If curriculum monies still remain, individual teachers or teams of teachers may be approved for requested curriculum work.
4. Requests must be submitted by Friday, March 22 and teachers will be notified by April 19 if their request(s) have been approved or denied.
5. Generally, time allotted for curriculum writing teams will follow the guidelines below:
*New Courses = 6-12 hours
*Existing Courses = 3-6 hours
6.  All summer curriculum writing work will be done at Rose Street or the Learning Zone depending on availability.

Form

BBBS Shirts:

From Beth Fink, Special Education Teacher at OHS - 

We will be selling shirts (see link) stores.courtsportsandmore.com/smile_more  from March 11-27, with shirts being done at the beginning of April just in time for the start of testing.  Shirts will be $17 with $5 going to BBBS.  Shirt sales are open to anyone in the community.  We were wondering if this information could be put in your newsletter to families and shared with teachers at your school/building.  We appreciate your help in raising money for a great organization.  If you have any questions please feel free to reach out.  

Pear Deck:

Starting next school year, we will not have a PearDeck subscription.  If you use this regularly, you will want to use your supply budget to pay for it.  Again, starting next school year.

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

March 1 Update

Happy Friday!

Another great week of relationships and learning!  We have some "guest" staff today - 

Principal - Maci Anderson (2D)

PE with Mr. Melcher - Tucker Anderson (4B)

Secretary with Steph & Intervention with Mrs. Zupansic - Lyv Hartman (4D)

School Social Worker Week:

Next week provides us time to celebrate Annette Warner, our School Social Worker!  Annette goes above and beyond and does so much to support our school - students, families, and staff!   Please take some time next week to celebrate and recognize Annette and all she does for McKinley! 

Ramadan:

Ramadan begins March 11 and runs through April 9.   This is a time our Muslim friends celebrate.  Many of our older students will be fasting during the day (we are working on a space for them during the lunch hour).  Please take a few minutes to watch the video below to learn more about Ramadan -  

Smartboards: 

With our transition to 1:1 devices, the plan has been to remove the desktop computer attached to your Smartboard.  Our Building Leadership Team has piloted this and provided some feedback on this process.  Mike Halverson, as well as many others, are examining that feedback and using it to provide PD and support moving forward.

Next school year, your desktop computer will be removed.  With this, you will use your laptop computer to project on your board.  

More to come on this - just wanting to share about your desktop computers.

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Have a great weekend - enjoy the beautiful weather!

-Justin

February 23 Update

Happy Friday!

This week has reminded me of the power of collective efficacy.    Collective efficacy, or the belief (and action) that a team of teachers can impact student learning, is one of the highest effect sizes according to research done by Hattie.  Your belief (and action) around the idea of "it's all hands on deck" truly makes a difference.  

Over this four day week, I have intentionally paid attention to this.   And, every time I saw this, I had a smile.  Our McKinley team really works together -whether it's a co-teaching relationship, partnering with Amanda or Annette, working together to plan instruction, or problem solving around how to best support the social-emotional needs of a learner.  All of these are examples I saw around collective efficacy.  

Thank you for your collaborative focus on every learner, every day.  McKinley staff are truly one of a kind.  

Staff of the Day:

At our PTO Winter Fest, we had three students win "staff of the day".  Next Friday, March 1, we will have some new staff for the day - 

Principal - Maci Anderson (2D)

PE Teacher (Melcher) - Tucker Anderson (4B)

The Real Boss (Stolp) & Intervention (Zupansic) - Lyv Hartman (4D)

Principal Anderson has declared next Friday as "teachers wear jeans cause they really love that" and "kids wear pajamas".   Please share with your students. 

Jen Schwab Update:

Unfortunately, Jen will not be returning to us this school year.  Please continue to send her positive thoughts and prayers as she recovers.  

If you know of anyone with a teaching license who is interested in this role, please let me know.  I am flexible on dates, hours, etc.  

What Does It Mean to Belong:

As a building, we have really challenged ourselves to think beyond diversity (who) to belonging (feeling valued).   I love seeing each of you focus on this every single day - working hard to be a warm demander and ensuring that all belong.  Thank you for your continued focus on this.  

Below is a graphic that is a great example of how we moved from diversity to belonging.  

Linked is an article - please take 3 minutes to read this.   This article helps breakdown what "indicators" are there when belonging happens - for students and staff.  Please read.  

 

New Area Code - from Mike Halverson:

As you may already know, a new area code, 924, has joined the existing 507 area code serving southern Minnesota. The 507 area code is expected to run out of new numbers in early 2025. Existing customers will keep their current telephone numbers, but new customers, or requests for additional lines, may be assigned the new 924 area code once it’s activated. In preparation for the new 924 area code, all customers within the 507 area code region should prepare for 10-digit dialing.

It is important to update your phone number wherever you have it listed to include the area code as well. This may include websites, newsletters, email signatures, syllabi, etc… Example (507) 123-4567 vs. 123-4567

Important Dates

January 30, 2024: local calls can be made with either 7 or 10 digits, and all local calls will continue to be local.

July 30, 2024: all local calls made within the 507 area code region must be placed using 10 digits (area code + the 7-digit telephone number). Starting July 30, calls placed using just 7 digits will not be completed.

August 30, 2024: new telephone lines or services may be assigned numbers using the new 924 area code.

Key Information

• You can still dial 4-digit telephone numbers for in-district calls if making calls from a district telephone.

• You will still need to dial a 9 to get an outside line for local or long-distance calls if making calls from a district telephone.

• Your current telephone number, including your current area code, will not change.

• You will need to dial the area code + telephone number for all local calls, including calls within the same area code.

• You will continue to dial 1 + area code + telephone number for all long-distance calls.

• What is a local call now will remain a local call.

• The price of a call, coverage area, or other rates and services will not change.

• You can still dial three digits to reach 911 and 988, as well as 211, 311, 411, 511, 711, and 811 where available

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Have a GREAT weekend!

-Justin

February 16 Update

Happy Friday! 

A few updates...

Steph Out Next Week:

Just a reminder - Steph is out next week.  She will not be available to answer emails - Selena is covering for her all week.  Please be aware of this as you make requests next week.  

Literacy Professional Learning:

As you know, Minnesota has passed some legislature (READ Act) around literacy instruction.  A lot of this legislature will require us to look at some professional development for the upcoming year (Julie Sullivan was here a few weeks ago to talk through this).  

As many of you know, there is a ton of research around literacy and how fundamental that is in the path for students - in school and in life.  One of those that resonates with me is the pipeline between a student reading by 3rd grade and the path to future incarceration.  That along shows us how important high quality literacy instruction is for students - it's really a life changing thing.

That leads to our work next year around professional learning and literacy.  I am jazzed at the idea that our staff will have dedicated, job-embedded time to dig into reading research and practice.   Some of my post powerful learning as a teacher was engaging in the Reading First grant as a teacher at Wilson.  Next year's work will allow us time to think, reflect, collaborate, and challenge our thinking around literacy.  I'm excited to think about the power of this and how each of us will grow as educators of reading! 

PTO Bingo Callers:

Our PTO is hosting a Bingo Night on Friday, March 1.  They are looking for callers -  our students love seeing staff do this.  If you are interested in helping, please email the PTO (mckinleystempto1@gmail.com) or myself.  Thank you for considering! 

New Staff:

On Tuesday, we have a new staff member joining us - Grisel "Esme" Zamora.  Esme works our SAC program and will be joining us from 8:30-11:30am (Monday through Thursday) to support some students with language needs.  Our EL team and Katie have created a schedule and shared with teachers who will work with her.  If you see Esme on Tuesday, please welcome her to McKinley! 

Building Weekly Newsletter:
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Have a great weekend-  enjoy your extra day(s) off! 
-Justin

February 9 Update

Happy Friday, McKinley!

Another great week of learning and relationships!  

Don't forget about the All About You Challenge - take care of YOU!  

Your Presence Has Impact:

Thank you to Sami Nelson for sharing this the first quote. 

This is a great reminder for us around our impact - often something we don't get to see immediately.  It's also a great reminder of the things that students pick up on and remember - the way they felt working with you.  Your presence has impact.  We may not know it now, but it does.  And, every interaction we have could be the one they remember forever.  Are your interactions something you want remembered 10-20 years later?

Family Teacher Conferences - PLEASE READ:

As you know, we have Family Teacher Conferences next Tuesday and Thursday (3-7pm) and Friday (7:40-12:00).  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 - 

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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?”

7. 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. 

8. 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.

Leap Year: 

Join us for some Leap Year Activities on February 29!  

Board Report - Monday:

On Monday, Annette Warner, Amanda Andrews, Kate Seifert, Katie Demmer, Amanda Wood, and Liz Stitzmeyer will be sharing our work to the school board.  This starts at 5:30pm - please consider joining us to show your support to the amazing work and people in this building.  Linked is the slideshow that we will share with the board.  Please join if you can! 

Celebrations:

As you know, we are honoring one staff member in the morning announcements for the month of February.  Please consider nominating a staff! 

Building Weekly Newsletter:

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Try to find some time for YOU this weekend!  

-Justin