McKinley Monthly
February 2020
Dear McKinley Families,
Dear McKinley Families,
February is here! February will prove to be full of wonderful opportunities for learning and play. We have much to look forward to this month!
On Tuesday, February 4th we will have our next Family Equity Listening Session. I hope to have a strong showing of McKinley families so we can continue our conversations. We will look again at the district’s three strategic goals and at the Vision of a Graduate and discuss where we, as a school, need to continue to grow. I hope to see you there! See the segment below with comments from past participants.
Wednesday, February 5th is the Global Day of Fun! The research supports the importance of unstructured play in all of our lives. Many teachers and grade levels are adding something special in honor of the day. Be sure to bring some fun into your day as well!
February 8th is the EFW Black and White Gala--fun for adults. We will be celebrating our own Lenka Wendland, the recipient of the classroom cycle grant this year. I know that a few of our teachers have submitted grant requests for next year’s distribution. Keeping our fingers crossed!
As in the past, conferences this spring, February 13th and 18th are by request and available to any parents who would like to meet with classroom teachers. If you have not received a Signup Genius link from your child’s teacher, please contact them to receive it. Also, please see the specials teachers conference hours listed in this newsletter. They appreciate seeing parents too!
Remember, no school, February 17th. We have an all-day dine out at Saz’s this day, so head on over to support McKinley with a big plate of ribs or mac 'n cheese.
Friday February 21st is Winter Walk to School Day and Trivia Night! Please refer to the PTO newsletter for more information about these events.
I wish you all a month of fun, love, laughter, heartfelt connections, and an abundance of warm friendships. I see these everyday in this building - students supporting students, teachers and staff supporting students, teachers and staff supporting each other, parents supporting kids, teachers, and staff. The connectedness of the McKinley community is something to be proud of and we want to continue to foster. I continue to be filled with gratitude for all we have to celebrate in this caring community.
Mrs. Hoffmann
***Dates to Remember***
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Feb 4 - Parent Listening Session from 6-7:30 p.m.
Feb 8 - EFW Black & White Gala
Feb 13 & 18 - Elementary Conferences from 4:30-8 p.m.
Feb 17 - No School JK-12
Feb 17 - Saz's dine-out fundraiser
Feb 18 - Monday schedule
Feb 21 - Winter Walk to School day
Feb 23 - Pizzeria Piccola dine-out fundraiser for fifth grade celebration
Feb 25 - Green Team meeting from 3:20-4:30 p.m.
Save the date!
Sunday, March 8, 1-4 p.m., McKinley 90th Birthday Party
Wednesday, April 15, 4:30-6 p.m. Open House/Family STEM Night. STEM activities will be in the library and in the gym.
Friday, June 5, Field Day 9-3 and Groundbreaking Ceremony at 3 p.m.
Family Equity Listening Session
Hello Everyone!
I hope you can join us February 3rd from 6-7:30 p.m. for our Family Equity Listening Session. Here are some thoughts from those who attended the last session:
As a new parent to the district, the Equity Listening Session gave me great insight into some awesome things happening at McKinley. I learned about some new changes in regards to equitable practices and the continuation of traditions that make McKinley a special place.
I was able to meet and connect with other families, all with differing opinions, yet the same goal - to make McKinley a safe, welcoming, and successful place for every student.
As an educator, I am personally thankful for the opportunity to express my opinion and know the team at McKinley is taking our opinions and ideas into consideration and making positive change that will impact all students.
I believe that it is imperative to the health of the McKinley Community that parents come together in an open and supportive forum to share different experiences or potential frustrations. It is an opportunity for parents to reach beyond their normal circle and invite a different perspective.
I took away from the last meeting that there is a lot of opportunity with in the McKinley Community for changes that could improve the environment for kids as well as parents. The listening sessions are not a fair representation of the community at this time, so it is critical for more parents to come.
Learning about inclusion and equity and what that means should be important to all of us. Equity to me, doesn't mean equal, it means fair. Being aware of our own subconscious biases and the experience of others. It offers an opportunity to have a better understanding of common goals and what our different experiences in life, the community, and school might be- and acknowledging that even within the same community and school, those experiences could be greatly different.
It applies to us all! I don't feel it is the job of people who are marginalized (in general) to being the one advocating as hard as they do, for fairness. It should be...the parents and people that are in positions of social and economical "power" being aware of their privilege, role, and voice and advocating what is right, fair, and just. I don't think we are having the tough conversations yet, to create real change in our school, the access that parents and kids have to it, and that starts with self awareness, humility and truth.
People should want to attend to have their hearts and eyes open to the experiences of those around them and their kids. Working towards equity helps everyone succeed. Equality includes so many things other than just racial equality (which I think is the assumption)-as the Graduate hand out shows.
* ! * ! * ! * ! * ! * McK Attendance Line 773-1502 * ! * ! * ! * ! * ! *
Elementary Music Electives Registration for 2020-21 School Year
Attention Families of 3rd and 4th Grade Students:
Registration for Music Electives for the 2020-21 school year is open now until February 18th. An informational brochure and registration form will be sent home with your child soon. Please fill out and return the registration form indicating their choice of participation by February 18th.
Options for music electives for next school year are:
Choir- 4th and 5th grade
Orchestra- 4th and 5th grade
Band- 5th grade only
If you have any questions please contact the school office or the music teachers at your child’s school.
Whitman Middle School
If you have any questions, please contact the Whitman office at 773-2600.
New Staff Member
Mrs. Jaramillo's student teacher
Alyssa Hults
Hola! I am a student teacher from Mount Mary University and I will be teaching at McKinley and Wilson Elementary. I have the privilege of working with Sra. Jaramillo for the semester, and she is also a Mount Mary graduate! Also, I just got back from studying abroad in Costa Rica and I hope to share some of the things I learned with the students. I have 2 cats, 2 guinea pigs, and a big dog at my house. Having pet hair on my clothes in inevitable. I consider myself to be fluent in Spanish and I absolutely love little kids, so it's perfect that I am with K5-5th grade. I look forward to spending the rest of the school year in the district and gaining valuable life and teaching skills!
Mrs. Meehan's student teacher
Hello! My name is Megan Jones, and I am a graduate student of Speech Language Pathology. I currently attend the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and I am excited to be placed at McKinley Elementary school for my externship experience this semester! A little more about myself; I grew up in Sturgeon Bay, WI and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for my undergrad. I have two sisters, one of which is studying to be an early elementary school teacher, and another who is a registered nurse. My mother is also a teacher (2nd grade) so I am familiar with the school setting! After graduation, in August of this year, I hope to get a job as an SLP and move to Arizona with my older sister. I am looking forward to all that this externship experience has to offer, and I am grateful for everything McKinley Elementary will teach me this semester!
Ms Loechler's Student Teacher
My name is Madeline O’Brien and I am a student teacher from the University of Wisconsin- Stevens Point working with Ms. Loechler from January 21st through April 9th. I grew up in Wauwatosa and attended Washington Elementary school. I worked as an Education intern for the Milwaukee Zoological Society this past summer and absolutely loved it! During this experience, I worked with students from ages 4 to 15 in a variety of summer camps offered by the Education and Conservation department. I love all animals, especially cats, and hope to foster kittens this spring. In my free time I enjoy reading, puzzling, spending time outside, and hanging out with my family and friends. I’m very excited to work with all of your students and learn as much as I can from them!
MATH - from our math coach, Katrina Madden
Math is for everyone! We need to re-think what math "is" especially during students' earliest years and how critically important it is. Both at home and at school, we need to emphasize problem solving and asking questions, instead of only getting the right answer quickly. We want children to be mathematical thinkers who work collaboratively where they share and listen to others. The process and thinking and reasoning are critical skills known as the mathematical practices. These mathematical practice standards are K-12 and are habits of a productive problem solver, which we want all of our students to be!
All children are unique and will see things differently, using multiple methods to make sense of problems. Math is about representing situations and valuing different ways to solve. Exploring math by examining problems in a story or in real life makes math approachable and invites everyone to engage. (NAEYC: Where's The Math 2019)
This article The Myth Fueling Math Anxiety is a great read for all.
“There aren’t “math people” and “non-math people,” only those who work through the challenging lessons and those who surrender too soon. Helping children understand that math doesn’t define them, but can help them redefine their world, could be key to turning math anxiety into joy.”
This month, McKinley staff has engaged in trainings about English Language Arts, Culturally Responsive Teaching, and trauma effects on brain development.
As a staff we are continuously striving to make McKinley the best possible place for all students to experience exceptional academic and social growth. In January more of our staff members attended Equity Training; classroom teachers and Special Education teachers engaged in English Language Arts best practices learning; we learned more about Culturally Responsive Teaching Practices; and we engaged in an activity about brain development in response to ideal and non-ideal life experiences. Let the learning continue!
Ms. Kumferman’s Korner –News from your School Social Worker
Happy February! This month’s focus is on nurturing your child’s mental health! My intern, Nick, and I continue to talk with students about the importance of growing our brains in all sorts of ways, not just academically. Social and emotional growth is important, too! We might help students talk through their feelings about a particular situation, identify which Zone they are in, help them with problem solving, practice tools for calming, or even facilitate a conflict resolution process. These are all important skills to help nurture a child’s mental health and advocate for specific needs. Here are some examples of how you can help to support your child. Helping a child to feel good about himself/herself is a lifelong skill!
Colgate Oral Care Recycling Program
Homework Help!
https://www.brainfuse.com/highed/helpNow.asp?a_id=FDAD2B64&ss=&r=
Tosa Rec Dept - Tosa Tots Academy: Subs Needed!
Wisconsin Weather!
We go outside every day, unless the weather is extreme. Please remember to send hats, coats, and gloves to school every day. When it snows, children need snow pants, boots, scarves, and gloves or mittens for playground play. Students without proper snow gear stay on the blacktop only during recess, which can be disappointing when there is a fresh pile of snow outside.
Our district rarely closes, since few students in the district stand outside to wait for buses. District policy is that a “feels like” temperature of 5 below is the standard for indoor recess; however, we will be reasonable with the call. Negative five degrees and sun with no wind after a week of 20 below can feel like a welcome heat wave; whereas, negative five with biting wind feels terrible for kids having to be out for 20 minutes.
New this year: during inclement weather days we will allow students into the building at 8:05 to go directly to their classrooms. We ask that parents leave their kids at the door. We will help students get to their classes if needed.
Girls on the Run
Girls on the Run registration opens February 1st!
Let’s kick READING into...
OverDrive is a free library collection for all elementary students to check out ebooks and digital audio books on personal devices.
It’s as easy as 1,2,3
1. Visit https://wsdlcwi.libraryreserve.com/ or open the app
Sora on any smartphone, tablet, mp3 player, e-reader, or computer. Choose Wauwatosa School District from the dropdown.
2. Login: Library card number is your school username
(same as logging onto your chromebook)
Pin is your password (same as logging onto your chromebook)
3. Read in your browser or download the epub/kindle book!
Happy Reading!
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact:
Meegan Archambo, Elementary Library Media Services Coordinator
Crossing Guard Hours
M, T, Th & F
7:50 to 8:50 & 2:50 to 3:50
Wednesday
1:50 to 2:50
* * Tosa Cares * *
Tosa Cares is a local, non-profit organization located in Mount Zion Lutheran Church that helps families with food donations and so much more. Here are the dates for the monthly food distributions. You are encouraged to contact Linda Ertel before you come either by email Tosacares@gmail.com or phone 414-861-4725, or you can just show up on one of these dates.
2020 dates:
March 7
April 25
June 13
August 8
October 3
November 21
Tosa Cares is also always looking for donations of food, or cash. There are three permanent donation sites/times which you can find on their website: tosacares.org
Here is a list of the most needed items:
- Cereal
- Nonperishable fruits, vegetables and juices
- Peanut butter and jelly
- Spaghetti sauces and noodles
- Pastas and rice
- Canned protein, such as chicken, tuna and beef stew
- Snacks such as granola bars, crackers, popcorn and cookies
- Packaged dinners, especially those with meat
- Hearty soups
- Toilet paper, diapers, baby wipes, paper towels and tissues
- Personal care items such as shampoo, hand soap, lotion and toothbrushes and tooth paste
- Dish soap and laundry soap
Visitor/Sign-in System
Office Max / Office Depot Gives Back
McKinley contact info
Website: https://www.wauwatosa.k12.wi.us/McKinley
Location: 2435 N 89th St, Wauwatosa, WI, United States
Phone: (414)773-1500