What's News at Magee?
#2 - January 2017
Habits of Mind at Magee
You may have heard about Habits from your students if you have heard things like thinking flexibly, persisting, managing impulsivity, striving for accuracy, and wondered - Where did they come up with this? While there are 16 Habits, it would be completely overwhelming to expect students to be able to know and identify all of them and in their daily work.
Magee has chosen 5 to focus on this year. Managing Impulsivity is the Habit that runs throughout the entire year, along with Kindness (which is not an "official" Habit of Mind!). I kicked it off in the beginning of the year by sharing that I would work on managing my impulsivity by decreasing the amount of times I talk in the hall - because, many times students and small groups are working in the hall and I do not want to disturb them. I told students we could greet each other with a smile and a wave. Students DO remind me when I am not managing my impulsivity in the hallway - and often recognize that they could do better too!
So far this year at Magee we are continuing to grow and develop in the areas of: Persisting, Managing Impulsivity, Striving for Accuracy, Listening and Understanding with Empathy, Thinking about Thinking (Megacognition), and Kindness. Habits of Mind develop over time. We are all better with some habits than others, and are continually works in progress!
PBIS and Blue Tickets
We have implemented two things this year to further strengthen our PBIS program. The first is Mindful Monday Assemblies. Every other Monday, we start the day together in the gym with "live" announcements. We celebrate birthdays and teach about Habits of Mind as a whole group during this time. In addition, we have implemented a system of acknowledging when students meet and exceed our expectations with blue tickets.
Students can earn blue tickets from ANY Magee staff member. Blue ticket jars are brought to our Monday assembly where tickets are pulled out and students whose tickets get pulled participate in a fun acknowledgement activity - extra recess, game time in the gym, a book with hot chocolate, etc. Students have really enjoyed the acknowledgements and activities.
PBIS also has a status system embedded in to help students self monitor their behavior. A part of that system is the Think Sheet - which students work through when they have 3 reminders from adults that they need to change their behavior. A Think Sheet is just that - it is an opportunity for students to THINK about their behavior and talk through a plan of how to handle situations in the future. Think Sheets are sent home so that parents have the opportunity to talk through the behavior with students and to bring awareness that their student needed some extra reminders at school. Please know that when these come home that a staff member has processed through the situation with the child at school - and a minor consequence may have been enforced with it. For example, if a child is throwing wood chips and is asked several times by an adult to stop, he or she will process through a Think Sheet and bring it home. That child may also be asked to play on the blacktop for the rest of recess - to allow for some time to process the situation and think about his/her actions. We ask that you talk about the Think Sheet with your child and sign and return the Think Sheet to school the next day.
The next step beyond a Think Sheet is an ODR or Office Discipline Referral. Students can progress to and ODR through status changes, or go directly to an ODR based on behavior. An ODR generally means that Mrs. Sterner will speak with the student, determine logical consequences, and call home. ODR's also come home to be discussed, signed and returned to school.
PBIS is based on positive teaching and reinforcement of a common set of expected behaviors, using the same language - for both students and adults. When students are not able to meet behavior expectations, reteaching happens. RETEACHING is part of being a kid! Every child will learn and be able to meet expectations at different times - and that is OK! Our job is to continue to teach children and help them be the best version of themselves that they can be - and to communicate with you so that you can help to reinforce expectations at home! THANK YOU for your support!
Math Computational Skills
PTO - Something for everyone!
"Many hands make light work." ~John Heywood
This quote is very true and applicable to the work of PTO's across the country. At Magee, we are blessed to have a very active PTO with volunteers to help at our many events - which is NOT to say that the PTO is not always looking for new members and volunteers! Everyone has ideas to contribute!
This year, Magee will be having a complete turnover of the PTO Board. Many have 5th graders moving on to KMMS, along with the belief that new people bring new ideas to our traditional events, as well as new events of their own! This is where YOU can make a difference! Please come to a meeting to see what PTO is all about - you will not automatically become president, I promise! BUT, you will see the many different ways you can be involved in PTO - big jobs, small jobs, jobs you can do alone or jobs you can do with a committee! There really is something for everyone! The next meeting is on Tuesday, February 7 at 7PM in room 107 (right next to the Conference Room and big enough for a crowd!). I hope you can make it and thank you for considering becoming involved with the Magee PTO!
Winter Concert
To view the concert go to www.kmsdmusic.net - The Kettle Moraine Music Parents Association supports all music in the Kettle Moraine School District! Thank you to Mr. Pat Hoppel for filming the concert - it is fabulous to watch online!
Report Cards and Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences will be on Thursday, February 23 from 4-7 p.m. and Friday, February 24 from 8 a.m.-noon. Like last year, these conferences are on an as needed or optional basis. Conference sign up will also go live through SignUp Genius on Friday, February 3 at 8AM.
Student Handbook Updates
The Magee Elementary Student Handbook is full of information that families will find useful. It will be available on our website soon. Important information to note are the policy about birthday invitations, requests for homework in advance of vacation, and when students can/should return to school after being ill.
Upcoming Dates...
February 2 - Early Release; Scoopie Night at Culvers in Wales 4:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
February 3 - Parent Teacher Conference Sign-Ups Live on SignUp Genius
February 7 - Habits of Mind Book Study 6 p.m. (Perform Community Room); PTO Meeting 7 p.m.; School Board Meeting 7 p.m. (KMHS Library)
February 9 - Early Release; District Wide Forensics 5:45 p.m. at Wales
February 13 - KMMS 5th Grade Student/Parent Orientation 5:30 p.m./7 p.m.
February 15 - PRN Event: Coping Skills& Stress Management 6:30 p.m. Cushing
February 16 - Early Release
February 21 - School Board Meeting 7 p.m. KMHS Library
February 23 - Early Release; Parent Teacher Conferences 4-7 p.m.
February 24 - NO SCHOOL STUDENTS; Parent Teacher Conferences 8 a.m.-noon
February 23-25 - KM Perform Musical Production KMHS
Magee - Contact Us
Email: sterners@kmsd.edu
Website: http://www.kmsd.edu/Domain/10
Location: W313S4134 Hwy. 83 Genesee Depot, WI 53127
Phone: 262-968-6450
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mageeelementary/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
Twitter: @kmmagee