Mark's Monday Morning Memo
September 25, 2017
Breakfast
I want to share some expectations for students eating breakfast that will help all of us. Students should go directly to the cafeteria for breakfast when they enter the building and not report to their classroom first. Please reinforce that with your students. While we want students to learn their food service numbers, it is not efficient or safe to have them go to class to get names tags that may have that information. We will have extra support in the cafeteria to help students recall and learn their numbers. Thank you.
Communication to Families
I'm requesting that written communication sent home to families be reviewed by Kristi or me before the document is finalized, printed, copied, and sent home. We want to be a second pair of eyes and look at things from another perspective to make sure things are clear and accurate. If you have any questions about this, please check with Kristi or me. Thank you.
Thank you Avril for keeping us updated and informed!
Thank you Chris for managing the scheduling process!
Thank you Vanessa for sharing your talents with us!
KIND (sung to the tune of YMCA)
Here is the first verse and chorus to the rewitten song beautifully done by parent and playgroud/cafeteria supervisor, Ann Nasses. There are more verses if you want to share those with your students throught the year. Thank you!
Gatewood, there's no need to feel down
I said, Gatewood, pick yourself off the ground
I said, Gatewood, cuz you're in a great school
There's no need to be unhappy
Gatewood, is a place that you know
I said, Gatewood, where you're never alone
You can stay here, and I'm sure you will find
Many ways to show you are kind
It's great to say that you’re K I N D
It's great to say that you’re K I N D
We have everything for you kids to enjoy
You can play with girls and with boys
It's great to say that you’re K I N D
It's great to say that you’re K I N D
You can learn some new things, you can have a good meal
You can share with us how you feel
MakerDads
Gatewood will host a visit of the first Midwest Tour for MakerDads, a makerspace movement created by Dr. Joe Mazza, an educator from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. Dr. Mazza and the MakerDads Van will be here at Gatewood on October 9 and 10, 2017, for a two day residency that will include connecting and working with students, providing professional development for staff members, and hosting an event for our students and the males in their lives. Dr. Mazza will work with us to create the 25 maker stations he will design and leave for us. Stay tuned for more details.
PTO Restaurant Night
The first PTO Restaurant Night is tomorrow night at Lone Spur Bar & Grill on Cedar Lake Road in Minnetonka. It would be a great show of support if our PTO saw Gatewood staff members at these events. Think about participating in this first restaurant night or another one during the school year. Your support and participation is greatly appreciated.
Tier I Instruction Grade Level Meetings
This year I am adding monthly meetings with grade level teams to my practice. Last year, I received feedback that I wasn't present at every data meeting. Part of that was due to scheduling conflicts but another part was due to the amazing work that was conducted by all the educators in the room. I wasn't always sure what I could contribute or if it was valuable to have me there when much of the conversation and discussion focused on scheduling. For my learning and supporting instructional practices this year, I will be scheduling a monthly 30-minute meetings with each grade level team that I'm calling Tier I Instruction Grade Level Meetings. These first meetings will take place during the week of October 2-6, 2017. I'll be sending a message to grade level teams requesting options for a 30-minute time for us to connect. Thank you!
Lunch Practices
Thank you to teachers for helping with procedures and practices at lunch. These things you are doing are very helpful: walking your students to the door when you dismiss them for recess; creating a seating chart for students, making sure they know their spots, and sharing that with the supervisors; and having a dismissal procedure for when you arrive to get your students. Thank you very much for your support with this!
Welcome New Colleagues
Welcome to Jamie Martin who joined us last week as a playground/cafeteria supervisor. Jamie is also a parent of one of our kindergartners. Patty Ewing will be joining our team as a Title I teacher supporting students in the afternoon. Patty will be at Glen Lake in the morning. Saada Adem will be joining our playground/cafeteria supervisory team soon. Saada is also a Gatewood parent with two children here. I'm still in the process of hiring one more playground/cafeteria supervisor to complete our team.