Whitford's Weekly Update
3/6/2015
Daylight Savings Time - Just a reminder that it is Daylight Savings Time this weekend. Remember to "Spring" your clocks ahead one hour this weekend.
Loaded Update - I have quite a few resources; videos, blogs, even a link to a new writing website, within this Weekly Update. As always, these are just resources I found that I think are helpful, loaded with good information or new ideas. These are not required reading, or homework. They are here for you, so you do not have to go hunting for them. They are also here to let you know what I believe in and support, what I reflect on and hope for in all schools. If you get the chance to check them out.......Great. If not, I understand.
Staff Meetings - I really don't have anything on the agenda for this week's Miller staff meeting on 3/10/15 so I thought you could use the time to do other things rather than have me come up with something. If there is an agenda item that you think everyone needs to gather and discuss please let me know and I will add it to the agenda, if not I will plan to cancel the meeting for the 10th. I will be out on March 24th for the Miller Staff meeting, but I have arranged for Theresa Payne to come in and lead a training session on Willow as the Building Leadership Team shared an interest in having more training on that system.
Snowpants and Coat Practices - We have had made some changes to our practices with snowpants and coats after receiving complaints from students and parents about kids having to wear coats at certain temperatures. In an attempt to be more flexible and employ some Love & Logic in our practices, we decided to make students take their coats outside, but let them choose if they wanted to wear them. This has caused some concerns though too as some students have chosen to take their coats off because they were playing and became hot (even though it was below freezing out). After thinking about it a bit, I decided to check and see what the other buildings were doing so we could at least be consistent. Turns out, they all liked our old practice of having set temps to determine outerwear. So I think we will go back to the old practices. We will rehang our signs that say at what temps, coat, what temp for long sleeves, etc. Life is a pendulum.
Indoor Recess - Trust me, I hope we will not be needing to follow this plan for the rest of the year, but I also know that there's a pretty good chance that the cold isn't over and that rain will surely come. We have decided to show a video the first day of an indoor recess, but if we continue to have multiple days in a week of indoor recess, then after the first day of a video we will open it up to having games, books and drawing activities for kids to choose from. We will continue to use the assigned rooms to keep numbers even and split up students that sometimes behave better when separated. By the way, if anyone has extra tangrams we would love to have some of those for the indoor recess cart.
Digital Learning Day - I have added a new resource below for Digital Learning Day on March 13th. This has been a growing event each year and this year DPI is really pushing Wisconsin educators to share all the great things they have been doing with technology. I have attached a link to DPI's webpage for this event and what they would like each of us to do on that day to promote our use of technology in learning. Here is a link to previous activities that other districts in Wisconsin have used on this day - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AqvqnHqWoU2VdDhweFpJaXJQOVRYejBhSGduYnJqRmc&usp=sharing#gid=0
I would encourage you to be creative, take some pictures, or even invite me down to see what you are doing that day so I can take some pictures and share them out via Twitter and more.
Surround Yourself with People
If a Child is Off-Task.....
Children learn the most from....
Kudos
Thanks to the PTO for the Wonderful supper! It tasted great and warmed our hearts too. Thank You! - Jenna O
Kudos to the Library Staff for another fun Book Fair. It is nice to support our words of "You should be doing more reading at home" with ability to go right over and find some good material. - Jenna O
Kudos to Paula Becker for adjusting so quickly to our routines and schedule by helping out when needed. - Mary P
Kudos to Sue VonHaden for the Awesome job she does setting up the Book Fair! - Stephany D
Kudos to Vicki for coming back and helping out with P/T Conferences. It was good to see you again and have you here! - Tom
Thanks to all of the teachers at all 3 of the buildings! Your time and commitment to students and their parents should be lauded and recognized. Thanks again for all you do! - Tom
I also want to give a big pat on the back to Sharon Seely for putting together a SMORE for the WSRA Conference this year. I think it is a great and easy way to share all that they collected there and can easily be updated and added to. - Tom
I thought this was a great video of students making positive choices to change their school's culture. I understand we had a student with a "free hugs" sign out at recess, but was told to take it off and throw it away. I think it was an AWESOME idea.
Calendar of Events
March
9 World Languages Week
Planning Meeting (MT) - Stoffregen @Miller Office (2:15pm)
10 4K & K Registration Day @DO
Tom - Pre-Observation Meeting @Camp Douglas (11:30am)
Miller Staff Meeting @Miller Library (3:20pm) - Cancelled
Miller PTO Meeting @Miller Library (6:00pm)
11 Tom - Teacher Observation @Camp Douglas (10:15am)
Camp & Oak Staff Meeting @Oakdale (3:15pm)
12 4K & K Registration Day @DO
Tom Out - Coaching For Administrators Workshop @CESA 4 (9am - 3pm)
13 Principal's Chair Day @Miller
Tom - Lunch w/Camp Douglas Staff @Camp (11:30am)
Tom - Post-Observation Conference @Camp Douglas ((3:00pm)
16 IEP Meeting (MT) - Stoffregen @Miller Office (1:30pm)
Miller PBIS Team Meeting @Miller Library (3:20pm)
17 RIF Book Giveaway @Camp DOuglas
St. Patrick's Day Luncheon @Miller Library (11:30am)
18 Camp/Oak PTO Meeting @Oakdale (5:30pm)
19 Tom Out in AM - Admin Team Meeting @DO (9am)
Camp/Oak PBIS Leadership Team Meeting @Oakdale (3:15pm)
Camp/Oak Family Reading Night @Oakdale (6:00pm)
20 Funny Sock Day to Support Downs Syndrome
Tom - Lunch W/Camp Douglas Staff @Camp (11:30am)
Tom Out in PM - Elementary Principals Meeting @DO (1:00pm)
23 Tom Out - Personal
Miller Chip Shoppe Assembly - Fundraiser Kickoff @Miller Gym (2:30pm)
Camp/Oak IRT/BIT Meeting @Oakdale (3:15pm)
24 Tom Out - Personal
Miller Staff Meeting - Willow Training w/Theresa P @Miller Library (3:20pm)
25 Oak/Camp Staff Meeting @Oakdale (3:15pm)
27 Miller Pastries w/Parents K&1 @Miller Library (7:00am)
Miller, Oakdale & Camp Douglas Elementary Schools
Email: tomwhitford@tomah.k12.wi.us
Location: 813 Oak Avenue, Tomah, WI, United States
Phone: (608) 374-7027
Twitter: @tasdmiller