Mark's Monday Morning Memo
August 29, 2016
They're Back!
Thank you for all you have done, and plan to do, to welcome our 500 PreK- 6th grade Gators! Thank you for developing positive relationships with students and families at the start of the year. Your attention to that will pay off during the school year.
Drills and Safety Practices
My goal is to practice a majority of our safety drills this fall. We are required to complete five evacuation (fire) drills, five lock-down drills, severe weather, and reverse evacuation drills. My practice is to announce and walk through the initial drills but then conduct some unannounced drills (our first responders expect us to do that). Please make sure you familiarize yourself with the expectations of a drill and your safe place to go. We'll conduct at least one evacuation drill during the first two weeks of school.
Arrival and Dismissal
As I become more familiar with arrival and dismissal practices, expectations and requests may be made and/or changed. I am a fan of the concept that everyone has a place to be at arrival and dismissal. Classroom teachers are greeting students in the morning and saying good-bye to them at the end of the day. The rest of us can find the best place to greet, support, supervise, help, and assist as needed. My goal is to be outside at the start and end of the day when I am here. If you need help identifying a support place for yourself, check in with Chris King or myself. Thank you!
We're Number 45!
Here's the link to something I mentioned last Monday. Others are out there telling our story and here's a good one. According to this site, Gatewood is ranked as the 45th best elementary school in Minnesota in the ranking of "Best Teachers" with a score of A-. Way to go, Gatewood!
https://k12.niche.com/rankings/public-elementary-schools/best-teachers/s/minnesota/
The Defiinition of Teamwork
This awesome team, along with Chantele Burgess, planned, communicated, and executed a wonderful welcome for some of our kindergartners and their families. New kindergartners got to stuff a pillow, demonstrate what they know, select a book to take home, and meet some Gatewood helpers. I even got schooled by one of the kindergartners who could navigate an Olympics themed game better than me. He wants me to load Minecraft on my iPad so he can teach me that!