Rocket Review
Week of January 3, 2019
Happy New Year!
It was a short week back to work and school, but the kids jumped right back in! They shared some great stories about their holiday break, things they received as gifts, and talked about all the fun they had with family.
We also started our winter NWEA testing this week. This will continue throughout the month of January as all grades will take the Reading and Mathematics tests, and students in grades 3-6 will take Science as well. Results can be shared after students complete their testing with their classroom. Any students in grades K-3 will have their Reading scores reviewed and their IRP adjusted and/or discontinued with improvement in skills. Your child's classroom teacher will have more information about Reading and Individual Reading Plans that were shared and signed by parents in the fall. If you have further questions about IRP, you can also contact me and learn more about the process implemented based on the Michigan Early Literacy Law.
Friday, we finished our week with another PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support) assembly. This assembly focused on our new recognition system for students demonstrating one of the 8 Keys. Students can receive a "ticket" from any adult at Morgan when they observe students following the 8 Keys. These tickets will be put in a bucket for drawings and recognition on the morning announcements. More information on the 8 Keys can be found below in our newsletter.
Have a great week!
Mrs. Lasky
PBIS Assembly
Students can earn a "ticket" when they are showing exemplary 8 Keys behavior. All staff members can award any Morgan student they feel is demonstrating one of the 8 Keys of Excellence in any area of the school, including the bus.
When a student earns a ticket, they put their name on the ticket and circle the key they were demonstrating when they received the ticket. That goes into a classroom bucket. Once a week the classroom buckets are added to a grade level bucket by the main office.
Mrs. Lasky will pull names from each grade level each week and those students can receive something from the main office if their name is pulled. Their name will also be published in the weekly Rocket Review showing which Key they were demonstrating at Morgan.
Our PBIS team played a game of Morgan Family Feud with our students to review the 8 Keys and our behavior expectations around Morgan Elementary.
Concert Date Change!! Grades K-1
Those who reserved seats in our auction will still have those seat on March 26!
Fourth Grade NAEP Testing
Morgan was randomly selected as a participating school for this year and will be tested by representatives from NAEP on Tuesday, January 29. A team of testing administrators from NAEP will arrive at Morgan that morning to administer the assessments, which will either be electronic (on tablets) or with paper and pencil. Students are randomly selected for testing sessions and for electronic/paper pencil versions.
Morgan will not receive specific results on this assessment, but will have some information shared on overall student progress. This is not a measurement of Morgan Elementary or individual Morgan students, but a sample of fourth graders from around the United States to receive an average of how fourth graders are doing with mastery of grade level content.
If you have any questions about the testing, please contact Mrs. Lasky at 586-797-5800, or through email: sue.lasky@uticak12.org.
More information for parents on the NAEP can be found at the link below.
Principal for a Day and Announcements
Please let Mrs. Lasky know right away if the day scheduled is a conflict with appointments or any scheduled vacations so we can reschedule on a better day. If we have a "snow day" on your child's scheduled day, another day will be scheduled.
It was a random selection as to which child went first, second, etc. We are thrilled to have 29 students who earned over $250 in donations for our Color Run in the fall and qualified to be Principal for a Day! We had an additional 69 students who donated $100 or more to do Morgan's Morning Announcements!
The Principal for a Day letter will outline your child's day as Principal. Mrs. Lasky has a script for each day of announcements for kids to follow with Mrs. Lasky as they do announcements together.
Morgan Lunch Monitors
Morgan continues to look for additional support during the lunch hour. While our building is allocated a certain amount of paid EduStaff lunch monitors, we can take additional support in the form of volunteers. Students really enjoying seeing their parent/grandparent/aunt/uncle at school during the lunch time helping in the lunchroom or walking around the playground with the kids.
If you are interested in becoming a paid lunch monitor, please click on link below to start an application with EduStaff. EduStaff certified lunch monitors are paid an hourly rate each day they work. EduStaff employees can also complete additional, free, online training sessions and become substitute paraprofessionals for additional paid hours of work.
Morgan also takes volunteers with a current background check on file. If you filled out a Volunteer Sheet within the past few years, you should be able to volunteer for field trips, classroom help and lunch supervision. If you are unsure about your volunteer status, please contact the Main Office and Sharon or Melissa can check for you: 586-797-5800.
If you are interested in volunteering during the lunch hour, which runs from 11:30 AM until 12:15 PM each day, please contact Melissa in the main office and let her know what days you are available to volunteer. Grandparents/aunts/uncles/neighbors are all welcome once we have a background check on file.
If you have any questions, please call Morgan at 586-797-5800 or email Mrs. Lasky at sue.lasky@uticak12.org.
Morgan School Spirit Days
The Morgan Student Council has announced our School Spirit Days!
Friday, Jan. 25: 1/2 Day--Pajama Day
Monday, Feb. 4: Class T-Shirt Day
Thursday, Feb. 14: Wear Red/White/Pink
Monday, March 4: Class T-Shirt Day
Friday, March 29: Wear Dr. Seuss Gear
Monday, April 8: Class T-Shirt Day
Friday, April 26: Wear Favorite Sport Team Shirt/Jersey
Monday, May 6: Class T-Shirt Day
Friday, May 31: Crazy Hair Day
School Store is Back!
8 Keys of Excellence
INTEGRITY – Match behavior with values
Demonstrate your positive personal values in all you do and say. Be sincere and real.
Living in integrity means that everything we say and everything we do are true reflections of what we value, what’s important to us. Think about what your behavior says about you. Does it clearly show others what you value? Do you show up as honest and committed, or dishonest and indifferent? Are you spending your time with the people and activities you value, or is your focus elsewhere?
When we live in integrity we are sincere and true to ourselves—we don’t say or think one thing and do another. People trust and respect us, our relationships are solid, and we feel good about ourselves. Those positive feelings from others and within ourselves reinforce our values and build our reputation and self-esteem, leading us to greater success in all areas of our lives.
View failures as feedback that provides you with the information you need to learn, grow, and succeed.
When we live the Key of Failure Leads to Success we see failures as feedback, we learn from them and make the changes needed to be more successful in the future.
To live this Key successfully we may need to change the way we think about failure. Rather than viewing failure in a negative way where we put ourselves down and think WE are a failure, think of failure as a valuable learning experience. When we look at our mistakes with a view to learning from them, rather than sending ourselves negative messages, we are on the path to success.
We may be reluctant to try different things because we’re afraid of failing. Fear of failure does nothing but keep us in our comfort zone where we stick with the familiar, the “safe” choices where we don’t “risk” another failure. When we step out of our comfort zone—when we’re willing to try something new—that is when we take a step toward success.
The only real failure is not learning from our mistakes. The key to success is to look carefully at what went wrong, change what we did the first time, and try again by applying what we learned.
Think before you speak. Make sure your intention is positive and your words are sincere.
Words are powerful! They have the power to uplift and enlighten or put down and depress. A few cutting words spoken in a moment of anger can affect us for a long time, perhaps even a lifetime. On the other hand, a few kind words can make a very positive difference in how we feel about ourselves … sometimes for a lifetime.
What we say to others—and to ourselves—can have a huge impact. Speaking with good purpose is about always considering the intention of our words. It’s about communicating directly, clearly, honestly, and with a positive purpose. The first step is awareness. If we always think before we speak instead of just blurting out whatever comes to mind, we can learn to consider the reason for our words and make sure we are speaking with good purpose … will our words build someone up or put them down? We all sometimes have negative thoughts, but we don’t have to say everything we think.
There will be times when we need to share critical thoughts. At these times, if our purpose and how we phrase our words is considered first, sharing honest and direct feedback can be very positive and powerful, and build trust.
Speaking with good purpose is the cornerstone of healthy relationships. This Key fosters a positive emotional environment where people are happier, more productive, and more likely to succeed.
Focus your attention on the present moment. Keep a positive attitude.
This Is It! is about focusing on NOW instead of later, or next week, or next month, or next year, or yesterday, etc., and making the most of it. A positive This Is It! attitude can make everything we do and every day productive, fulfilling, and fun!
Life is full of distractions and opportunities to do something else, something other than what we’re doing now. Many of us spend a lot of time thinking about those other things. Instead of making what we’re doing now “it” our focus is often elsewhere—on things we wanted to do, could have done, should have done, or want to do “sometime.” Whenever our thoughts are occupied with something other than what we’re doing, we miss what’s going on around us in the moment … while we’re waiting for the next moment to arrive the present moment slips away.
When we live in the NOW we have power! With a This Is It! attitude we make the present “it” and find joyful moments that we might otherwise have missed!
Take positive action. Follow your vision without wavering.
Commitment is the breathtaking moment of making a compelling decision, jumping in, and going forward with gusto. Once a commitment is made, indecision is eliminated—there is no more “Should I or shouldn’t I?” … “Will I or won’t I?” A commitment is not made lightly—it’s about making a decision so strong that there is no going back … like a skydiver who has jumped from the plane!
The decisive act of making a commitment—when we decide to do “whatever it takes” to reach a goal—sets in motion an energy field that propels us forward on our path. At each step along the way, our commitment inspires us to take positive action and overcome obstacles, and pushes us on until we “make it happen.”
Be responsible for your thoughts, feelings, words, and actions. “Own” the choices you make and the results that follow.
Ownership is our willingness to take responsibility for the choices we make. When we take responsibility for our choices, others know they can count on us and we earn their respect.
If you tell a friend you’ll meet him at a certain time but you’re two hours late because you were hanging out with another friend, take responsibility for your choice. Don’t make up excuses like “I couldn’t help it … Billy just wouldn’t let me go.” Take ownership by saying, “I was wrong not to meet you as planned or call you when I realized I’d be late.”
When we take ownership of everything we do and say and stop blaming things outside ourselves for situations that occur in our lives, we have greater control. We may not be able to control everything that happens in our lives but we can control how we respond to what happens. By taking ownership of our actions we create a huge shift in our life.
Ownership is a whole-life concept. We can take ownership of our education, our relationships, our fitness, our fun—all areas of our life. And when we take ownership we take pride and feel confident and fulfilled.
Recognize what’s not working and be willing to change what you’re doing to achieve your goal.
Flexibility is the willingness to try something different when we realize that what we’re doing isn’t working. Many times a day we are faced with situations that are different from what we had originally planned. One way to deal with these situations is to be rigid and continue to do things in the same way over and over—another is to handle them with flexibility. Being flexible is responding to changing or new situations in ways that move us forward.
Flexibility is about not getting locked in to one way of doing something. If we’re trying to achieve something (like getting up on time in the morning) and it’s just not working, we try another way (like moving the alarm clock to the other side of the room so we have to get up to shut it off). Flexibility is about recognizing all kinds of habits or patterns or activities in our life that aren’t working and changing them, and even changing them again until we find the one that works!
Be mindful of self and others while focusing on what’s meaningful and important in your life. Inner happiness and fulfillment come when your mind, body, and emotions are nurtured by the choices you make.
When we’re in balance we make time for the things that are important to us. Staying in balance is an ongoing process about choices. We’re constantly making choices about what we do, what we say, how we feel, what we think, etc.
When questions arise about how we spend our time, we make choices depending on what’s important in the moment. We may choose to give up time with friends to finish a project for work or school, or we may choose to put aside something we’re doing to help a friend. Many of the choices we make every day—choices about school, work, hobbies, sports, family, friends, health, etc.—are about balance.
Balance is not about rigidly devoting equal time to everything that matters to us, and it’s not about totally immersing ourselves in one area of our lives to the exclusion of all others.
Balance is about considering everything that’s meaningful and important to us when we make choices about how we spend our time and energy. When we find the right balance we are happy, healthy, productive, and fulfilled.
Mark Your Calendar!
Calendar Dates
Friday, Jan. 4: PBIS Assembly: Morgan Ticket Awards
Jan. 2 - Feb. 1: NWEA Testing for all Morgan students in Reading and Mathematics; grades 3-6 Science
Tuesday, Jan. 8: Skate Night @ The New Rink 6-8 PM
Monday, Jan. 14: PTO Meeting 6:30 PM @ Hamlin Pub on 25 Mile/Van Dyke
Friday, Jan. 18: Winter Wonderland School Dance 6:30 - 8:30 PM @ Morgan Elementary gymnasium
Monday, Jan. 21: NO SCHOOL
Thursday, Jan. 24: 1/2 Day of School--11:29 AM Dismissal
Friday, Jan. 25: 1/2 Day of School--11:29 AM Dismissal
End of 2nd Marking Period and 1st Semester of School
UCS News and Updates
Skate Night in January
Morgan Volunteers PTO is hosting a school dance!
Time: 6:30 - 8:30 PM
Where: Morgan Elementary gymnasium
Why: To bring Morgan families together for an evening of fun and dancing
Cost: $5 per student in pre-sale tickets; $7 per student at the door--provided the dance is not sold out. Tickets are limited to the gym capacity per fire marshal. Parents are expected to attend with their student---this is NOT a drop off event
Morgan Elementary
Mission: Morgan is dedicated to developing lifelong learners through the working relationship of students, staff, and community.
Email: sue.lasky@uticak12.org
Website: http://morgan.uticak12.org/
Location: 53800 Mound Road, Shelby charter Township, MI, USA
Phone: (586) 797-5800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ucsmorgan/
Twitter: @MorganElementa3