Monday Memo
Week of April 29
What's going on this week?
Monday, April 29
2:15 Morning Meeting
Tuesday, April 30
MCA Testing 3-6
Wednesday, May 1
7:15 PLCs - Large group meet in Spanish Room
MCA Testing 3-6
Thursday, May 2
7:20 Social Wellness
K character 8:05
1 character 8:20
MCA Testing 3-6
Friday, May 3
7:20 Summer School
2 character 8:05
3 character 8:20
2:15 Funfest
MCA Testing 3-6
May Character Word of the Month - Respect
Respect is a way of treating or thinking about something or someone. ... People respect others who are impressive for any reason, such as being in authority — like a teacher or cop — or being older — like a grandparent. You show respect by being polite and kind.
Recess Duty
April 29
Chelsy - Janel (K-2)
Jill - Ashley (3-6)
May 6
Denise - Kelvin (K-2)
Chris - Jennifer (3-6)
Let's Read TEAM Academy!
Let's read a book as a school. Feel free to join us! If you have suggestions for other books to read let me know!
May book = The Penderwicks by Jeanne Birdsall
Spring Open House (conferences)
Thursday, May 9, 2019, 03:00 PM
220 17th Avenue Northeast, Waseca, MN, USA
April - May Reminders
Healthy Habits Calendar
Encourage your students to do the Healthy Habits Calendar for the next three weeks. Return them to me on Monday, May 13 to be eligible for the prize drawing!
Student computer use during MCA testing - All student computers will be off limits during MCA testing starting April 17. They will be available again on Tuesday, May 7. They can still be used during the after school and extended day programs. During testing, students will need to be in their classrooms so they do not disturb students. We will be using the K-1 computers for small groups to test and the media center. No computers can be used for the next 2.5 weeks other than during testing. Think of it as a good screen time detox for the kids...If we finish testing early, we will let you know!
Morning Meeting time switch during MCAs - We did this last year and it worked out really well. So our students can prepare for testing and be ready to start at 8:30 we will move All School Morning Meeting to 2:15 on the following dates: April 29, and May 6. We can move Kindergarten SMART to mornings on those days so they don't miss out.
Summer School - Dates are July 9-August 9 - Monday -Thursday each week - 8-11 AM. I'll share the Google form the first week of April if you want to sign up to help plan or work at summer school. If you want to help plan, we will meet on Friday May 3 at 7:20 AM in the media center.
Meet your teacher! - We will have all students switch to their teacher for next year on Thursday, May 23 from 8:15-8:45. During that time you can have them do a morning meeting with you, talk about next year, etc. 6th grade will go back to Kindergarten for that time!
4-6 Wolf Paw Store - Please date Wolf Paws given to 4-6 graders. They can save them from April 1 - end of year to use at the Wolf Paw Store (open Tuesday mornings in May).
Bike/Walk to School Day - We will encourage students to bike and walk to school on Wednesday, May 8. I'll talk to the bus companies again to see if they can drop off at the park and we can encourage parents to drop off there too. I'll share more info as we get closer to the date. PLCs will meet on May 7 that week (Tuesday).
End of Year Carpet Cleaning - We won't have the carpets cleaned until June. We will ask that everything is moved out of your classroom when you leave on Tuesday, May 28. Bigger items can stay in your rooms. When we know the exact dates and times in June, we will ask for some help moving furniture back into rooms. Usually it only takes about 1 hour when we have the help!
Last Week of School
Monday - spring concert at 6 PM at Central Building Auditorium. Teachers come by 5:30 to meet students. Have kids meet by 5:45.
Tuesday - K-2 field trip & LAST DAY of after school and extended day
Wednesday - 9 AM talent show in gym. 12:30-2:30 Activity day - Each class will rotate together to different activities outside (if raining will will reschedule to Thursday).
Thursday - 8:15-8:45 - Classes switch to their teacher for next year. Summer Reading Program talk in media center - 9:00-9:15 - K-2 and 9:15-9:30 3-6. 6 PM 6th grade graduation ceremony in gym - all staff are welcome to attend!
Friday - 9 AM Awards in gym (I'll share more info in the next weeks about awards) - school picture on the grass (on way to park) - 11 AM lunch at the park - kids can play there for the rest of the day. If raining we will stay at school and plan something else for the kids (bingo, movies, extended funfest, ect.)
Dairy Queen Night
Tuesday, May 14, 2019, 05:00 PM
Dairy Queen Grill & Chill, North State Street, Waseca, MN, USA
Talent Show!
Good Reads
Daily Five Tip of the Week
Our Instrument of Choice—Books
Lori Sabo
Issue #562
Music acts like a magic key, to which the most tightly closed heart opens.
—Maria von Trapp
Music has the power to move us, inspire us, and take our breath away.
I was reminded of these truths recently as I listened to the Seattle Festival Orchestra perform compositions by Mozart, Sarasate, and Rimsky-Korsakov. The music washed over the audience stirring our imaginations. Soloists performed technically demanding pieces, leading us to envision forest scenes of Roma dancing around blazing fires. They played haunting melodies, which sent us, voyeurs, to mentally witness Sultana Scheherazade weaving tales of intrigue and adventure for the sultan to save her life.
When I wasn’t being transported by the musicians’ proficiency and craftsmanship, I was wishing I could do that—wishing I had the skill to unleash such magic from an instrument.
Then I realized I do. And so do you. We just play a different instrument. We play books.
Our read-aloud time is a daily concert of words that entertain and inspire our audiences. Just as a musician transports us by reading and playing notes, our students experience the delight, surprise, and grief of each moment as we skillfully recite words on a page. Moments like
- when incriminating photos fall out of Fox’s pocket (Fox in Love by Edward Marshall);
- when Chloe finds out that Maya moved away, and their teacher gives everyone an important object lesson about kindness (Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson);
- when Lilly slips the mean note into Mr. Slinger’s bag (Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes);
- when Abilene finds Edward (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo);
- when Rafter and Benny discover their superpowers are embarrassing instead of super (Almost Super by Marion Jensen);
- when Ken’s awe and delight over having a robot of his own turn to dismay and fright (Enginerds by Jarrett Lerner); and
- when 13-year-old Will must decide whether to use a gun after a memorable ride down an elevator (Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds).
We must not let time crunches and schedule demands rob our students of read-aloud time. We are the concertmasters, and letting our voices wash over our audience, carrying them to places unknown, is the surest way I know of to inspire them to pick up our instrument of choice.