The Warhawk's Nest
End of December -Jan. 3rd
We wish you a bright and merry Christmas! Enjoy your time off. Take time for you to relax and enjoy friends and family. We will see you in 2020!
STAR Reading Test
STAR Math Test
Revisiting Our Expectations: The Warhawk Way
- Post Expectations: Make sure your specific classroom expectations are posted in your classroom & ensure that what you expect from students is clear. We will be referencing your classroom expectations during the assembly.
- Reinforce Expectations in All Settings: All adults can work to help hold our students accountable to our expectations. We have Warhawk Way posters hanging in all settings, if you see a student not following our expectations. Stop the student and talk with him or her. Point out the expectation they are not living up to. Let them know, we have high expectations, but we know they can live up to them.
- Practice Expectations: Students will sometimes need to practice the expectation. For example, if a student is running down the hall, politely ask them to stop and share the expectation. "Remember our expectation is to walk in the hallway. Would you please try that again."
- Call for Back Up: If you have addressed an expectation with a student and he/she continues to struggle to successfully demonstrate the behavior expectation, please call Cory or Anna. We will come to work with the student either in class or down in the office.
Reading Achievement: We All Can Help
- Read Just Right Texts: It's important to have students read at their independent reading level when working independently and at their instructional level when they have adult support. We have to be careful not to assign texts that are too difficult, especially when students are reading on their own.
- Offer a Variety: Allow students to read a variety of texts rather than focusing on repeated readings. Doing so improves word recognition and comprehension skills.
- Allow for Time to Read: Giving students time to just read is important. This time increases students' sheer volume of reading and increases word recognition, decoding, and comprehension. We need to build in time for reading. ELA teachers, even when you are focusing on a writing unit, please build time into your day to have students read as well.
- Avoid Interrupting/Correcting Students: Often we find ourselves interrupting struggling students when they are oral reading, offering verbal cues/responses. Rather than stopping our students each time they read a text incorrectly, give them time to self-correct and encourage them to reread the section. For example, "I'm not sure that made sense. Please reread that sentence/paragraph." Doing so encourages students to self-correct and combats word-by-word reading.
- Sign Up for Library Time: If you haven't already, check in with Trish to set up a weekly time to take your students to visit the library. ELA teachers, make sure you head to the library weekly with your students. This is a great time for kids to stock up on new books and just enjoy the space in the library to chill out and read. Trisha also prepares lessons for the students aligned with ELA standards. There's a lot of great things happening in the library; you won't want to miss out!
I Don't Teach Reading:
Regardless of the content area you teach, you can always reflect on reading opportunities your students have within your area of study. Often, we find our students having to read in other content areas, especially science and social studies. Keeping the above recommendations in mind will always help. Here are some other opportunities to consider:
- Talk with your ELA team member, learn more about where your students are at in regards to their reading levels. This can help you to determine if your texts are the appropriate level for all students.
- Contact Kerstin. I'm not sure if you know this, but Kerstin loves reading and is our book guru! She is ready and willing to help you find additional texts and/or tailor your existing texts to accommodate for your students who are struggling readers.
- Contact Your Literacy Team: Kerstin, Trish, and Sam are always ready and willing to help you find texts in your content area that can help meet the reading needs of all of your students. They strive to make reading opportunities accessible to all students.
- Check Out the Book Room: Kerstin has spent a great deal of time collecting/ordering and organizing a wide variety of texts, including texts that would work with science and social studies. Go check it out, or check in with Kerstin and she'll be happy to help you out.
Upcoming Events
January:
- 2nd- All School Assembly Auditorium @ 7:50 am
- 7th- Youth Frontiers (seventh grade)
- 13th- Report Card Window Opens
- 14th- Chorus Concert 7 pm @ Lincoln
- 16th- End of Second Quarter
- 17th- No School for Kids (PD Day)
- 18th Staff Christmas Party
- 20th- No School for Kids (PD Day)
- 24th- Winter Ball
- 27th- Report Cards Due
- 28th- 5th Gr. Northside Orchestra/Band Concert @ 6:30 pm
- 31st- Report Cards Sent Home
Summer School Deadline is Approaching!
Summer School All-Inclusive TEACHER application
Summer School PARAPROFESSIONAL application
Please feel free to visit the MPSD Summer School site for all things Summer School.
Enrichment courses for the Middle and High School can be any time throughout the summer that does not conflict with scheduled activities for 6-12 students. Locations of Wellness, Athletics, and Enrichment are to be determined. Dates/times regarding registration for wellness, athletics, enrichment, and the catalog will be coming in March. Academy registration will be ready for conferences in February.
Thanks so much for supporting opportunities for all students throughout #MantySS2020.