Washington Elementary Post
November 28, 2016
Happy Thanksgiving!
Dear Families,
On behalf of the Washington Elementary Learning Community, Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family! It was nice to see many of you at conferences the past two weeks. Our attendance rate was over 98%. The few that could not make it have rescheduled for a time after the holiday. Thank you for your investment in your child's education.
Leading up to the Thanksgiving break, there were many exciting activities that our student were able to experience. It is such a joy to see our students experience the necessary struggles, challenges and ultimately success! The catch up day for reading steps was extraordinary. Over 98% of our students are on target or above on reading steps going into the holiday. Keep reading over the break! The Wildcat 2 Wildcat buddy classroom activities, k-5, provided another opportunity for mentorship and leadership. The 1st grade 50-day celebration was an outstanding example of building a culture of leadership and excellence. Jump Rope for Heart as a big success! The donation numbers are still being tabulated. The kindergarten Long Ago Day produced smiles too bountiful to measure. Parent-Teacher Conferences, with deliberate communication about students and the Washington experience, were truly well done. The list could go on and on. Enjoy the much deserved time with family and friends. Our students have earned it!
Sincerely,
Shane Baier
Principal
Culture of Leadership and Excellence Update
- I plan ahead and set goals for myself,
- I am prepared at all times,
- I think about how my choices now will affect my future,
- and I think about the positive and negative consequences of my actions.
Students met with the cross-grade level Pride Time group to learn about this habit. Check out the link Goob and Bug Collecting Kit to view thge story used to teach the habit. Please take the time to discuss Habit #2 with your child. Each month students will learn about a new habit. Next month is Habit #3, Put First Things First.
Read! Read! Read!
Washington Elementary's goals for reading are focused on meeting two important conditions to maximize student growth and learn. The two variables that impact reading growth more than any other factors are:
Expert Coaching: Teacher driven with best practice instruction/coaching
Reading Practice: A partnership between the student, parent(s) and teachers
In an effort to increase engagement and keep students moving forward with reading practice, we have been studying the research around what motivates learners. For example, when working with a student to determine goals for reading practice, how can we create the conditions for students to go beyond the basic exceptions? We b believe it begins with one fundamental question; Who owns the learning? We are working to increasingly develop the plan through the student’s eyes. Whether a student is behind reading steps are reaching for new heights, student ownership is essential. We think our Wildcat Reading plan is working. As of Monday, November 21st, 99% of our students were at or above target with reading steps. This only happens with a strong partnership between home and school.
As you are working with your child on reading steps or simply helping them reflect on the learning, consider the three conditions above; autonomy, mastery and purpose. With these three conditions present, optimal conditions for learning will occur.
Based off Daniel H. Pink’s book, Drive: The Surprising Truth What Motivates Us, we can know this about the “work” that humans do. Check out the table below to view the comparison between jobs you love and hate.
Winter Preparedness
A Plan for No School, Late States and Early Dismissals Due to Weather.
As weather conditions change, families need to make sure to make they have a plan in place for no school, late starts or early dismissals. If there is no school due to weather, stay tuned to local radio and television stations for updates. Additionally, you can contact the school district help and information line at 507-386-4777.
In the event of an early dismissal due to weather, Washington will dismiss at the time announced for elementary buildings. Please make sure you have an up-to-date early dismissal plan shared with your child's classroom teacher.
If our school district is scheduled for a late start due to weather, do not drop your child off at school. There won't be supervision available until 30 minutes before school starts.