Thursday, February 25, 2016

Next Week at WMS


Winfield Staff Blog
February 25, 2016

Another true #TBT photo…
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From the days when he walked these halls as a student, we are proud and honored to have him here serving the community that formed him.

Attendance Challenge for more participants…
We are adding a new twist to the Attendance Challenge.  Now, any time till Spring Break, March 24th, when any class reaches 10 perfect attendance hours, the class will earn a Pizza Party.  Log your classes attendance on the google docs above and let us know when an hour reaches the magic number.

(HINT: Keep this google docs file handy by opening the file, dragging it to your BOOKMARK BAR.  Keep your BOOKMARK BAR always on top by going to Settings from the pancake in the upper right corner of google docs)


I have two Harlem Wizard Tickets.  Anyone?
Be the first to contact me ASAP if you want and can use them at the 2pm game this Sunday.

Schedule Details

Monday - Feb 29 (Leap Day)
Read with my Eyes Shut -Shirt with words
PBiS Meeting Tier 1 meeting with our special guest joining us.
Binder Teams -
  • Units of Instruction by this day.  
  • We will begin to meet for our summative evaluations for the month of March.
  • Pyramid of Academic Interventions - Ver A
TRACK PRACTICE begins after school

Tuesday - March 1
Read Across America - Cat in the Hat Day - No explanation necessary for the hat day
Word of the month - EMPATHY

Wednesday - March 2
Read Across America - Wacky Wednesday - Wacky hair, socks, clothes, etc…
Today, in 1904, was Dr Seuss’ Birthday.
Personality Pictures from Wagner in the Band Room
Early Release - HOSTED BY 7th HOUR BINDER TEAMS
  • Some Coaches for CPR Training (you know who you are)
  • Librarians for Planning
  • MAP Testing assignments & planning
  • (These bullets are created by striking the SHIFT and “8” key simultaneously)

Thursday -  March 3
Read Across America - Sleep Book - Pajama Day
Sixth Grade Planning Day
Leadership Meeting in Higgins Room
  • Attendance Challenge
  • MAP Testing Procedures
  • Build a building wide Pyramid of Academics Interventions - Ver 1

Friday - March 4
Read Across America - Many Colors Day - Wear Class Colors
End of Quarter Grades Due
Warrior Way Store
Data Meeting for Admin

Refer to these flyers around campus for details regarding upcoming events..

     AND       

Our MAP testing schedule places us testing in the early part of MAY.  Please plan around these dates.  We are working on adjusting the Semi so it is not in the middle of the MAP testing.  Semi will probably be MAY 13th.
Linked is the schedule we followed last year. What comments, thoughts or adjustments do we need to make?  Should we leave it the same?  What was it like during those days?  We used the buildings with various adjustments in the bells, times and locations….  Please review with the new teachers some of those detailed nuances, consider changes and be ready to share or comment on the document.

BULLYING?!?  Really?
Rude, Mean or Bullying?
What was that?


END OF THE YEAR PLANNING:

In Progress
Block Schedule to align with High School for the last month of school beginning April 18th
  • Regular Schedule on April 20th, 29th and May 4th, 9th
  • Summer Academy for some 8th Graders
  • 8th Grade Shadow Days to the High School
  • 5th Grade Transitions - Shadow Days for the 5th graders
  • 6th Grade Boot Camp Day at the Middle School for incoming 5th graders
    • 1 or 2 days of transitioning to the middle school
    • Practice Schedule
    • Mentors from NJHS etc
    • Locker Work
    • Lunch Procedures
    • Team Building - Connections created with staff & new students
  • Paid Teacher Planning Days for May  25, 26 & 27
    • Pacing Guides
    • Lesson Plans
    • Common Assessments
  • Student Work Review
  • Data Teaming
  • Collaboration Days
  • eValuate

PBiS
Tier 1 - Data, Warrior Way Tickets, the store will be open next Friday -  March 4th
End of the year calendar - work in progress

Volleyball Tournament
March 18th - Assemble Teams now from 3-5 in the MS Gym

Shout out at the Winfield VFW Hall



Parent Communication
Updates into your SIS gradebooks for parents have been progressing nicely.  The daily email tracking SIS updates reveals folks making changes more frequently already!  Thank you.  It came to light personally when Hatim’s (my foreign exchange student from Tanzania) teacher sent out an email with details about her gradebook updates. She told me that the late assignments would be entered before the progress reports but that she would update on-time grades weekly in SIS.  I was almost honored. :)
There are a few other ways to connect: Weebly Sites, Blogs, Remind 101, Assemblies, Facebook / Twitter, SIS Gradebook Updates, emails, Calls, IM or ???  Parents love it!

NOTE: Make-up snow day - March 24th, Thursday
(Last day of school before spring break, starting on Friday, March 25th)

You’ve come a long way…
Stokes.jpg

Conclusion
Well done this week.  It was great to fall back into somewhat of a routine.  We use that term, routine, loosely in the Middle School setting. But despite the full moon, the threat of a snow day, illnesses of staff and students, you seemed to work around everything.  That ability to “smile in the face of ambiguity” is what impresses me most about this team.  It actually happens.  You are making it that school.

Next week, Read Across America...



Sincerely,
Tom McCracken

Friday, February 19, 2016

It's a pretty big deal...


Winfield Staff Blog
February 18, 2016
On a positive note…

...eValuate Cycle A of Content Tested


...and...
...the Cycle B of Content Tested





Agenda Details
Friday
Pretty Big Deal Details to hammer out
Annual Glow Dance in Cafe
Exit Gym to outside and return through front doors
YearBook Orders Due



Saturday
Shout out for state wrestling details - Follow @goWinfield for the latest

Monday
Binder Teams - Data Cycles due for February

Tuesday
Admin Meeting
Inner - Agency
Night Class @ Vianney

Wednesday
Technology DeBrief w Mr Neels

Thursday
PBiS Tier 1/2

Friday


In Progress
Spring Sports/Track begins Feb 29th - Start running
MAP & EOC Schedules Established  - MAY 5, 6, 9, 10 & 11
Block Schedule to align with High School for the last month of school.
Summer Academy for the 8th Graders
8th Grade Shadow Days to the High School
5th Grade Transitions - Shadow Days for the 5th graders.

Pacing Guides
Lesson Plans
Student Work Review
Data Teaming
Collaboration Days
eValuate
PBiS
Tier 1 - Data, Warrior Way Tickets, The Store
Tier 2 - Care Team

Attendance Contest Cycle
First 5 days in a row, per hour wins the meal.  Guile and Stroud recent winners...

Parent Communication
Blogs
Remind 101
Assemblies
Facebook / Twitter
SIS Gradebook Update


Make-up snow day - March 24th, Thursday (Last day of school before spring break)

Conclusion
It is such an honor to watch folks put themselves aside and work together to serve the students.  The Knockerball Event was a huge success.  Thanks to everyone from the decorations, the Go-Pro, forming teams, “secret weapons,” dueling coaches, and good fun for all.  Rest up this weekend.  

Sincerely,
Tom McCracken

Thursday, February 11, 2016

"Voluntold?"


“Voluntold?”
Winfield Middle School Staff Blog
February 11, 2016

Student Centered Instruction
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Student work at the middle school ranges from 5 paragraph essays to impromptu public speaking on favorite superheros to assignments done on Google Classroom.


#TBT  
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Hope comes from seeing others living in happiness being successful.
When we are ready to allow student into a portion of our life, we begin to gain enormous influence. Students develop hope when they see us in our past, and realize, they too will be able to “grow up” and be somebody someday. The owner of this #tbt shot has been on these pages before.  
Any ideas?


Cyber-Issues and Parent Connections
This link connects us with Channel 5 News and what some of the things kids may be actually saying in their text messages.  Beyond the LOL or IDK, it is quite revealing to see the issues they face from their point of view.

Our ongoing attendance



Counselor’s Week20160205_071749.jpg
Annual tribute and appreciation for the job done by our counselors reaches far beyond the office visits.  Our counselors work at keeping kids out of trouble, helping with soft-skills, striving to teach emotional sobriety to all those who cross their paths.  At the Middle School, every day carried a special theme of approbation and endorsement.  Teachers, staff and students all contributed to make these days memorable.   Of course food, as well as decorations and handwritten heartfelt notes were just a few of the offerings.
20160202_070722.jpg20160205_071342.jpg       20160205_071334.jpg


DATA, DATA, DATA…

Attendance, Academics, eValuate, Discipline, Parent Contact
We would like at least 90% of our Middle School Students to be here 90% of the time.
100% attendance winners -

20160208_091639.jpg

Winners earned a snack of their choice based on that hour reaching the goal.
It’s a Pretty Big Deal

On a positive note…

...eValuate Cycle A of Content Tested


...and...
...the Cycle B of Content Tested

Feb Data goes here

Upcoming
Monday 2/15
Binder Teams
Progress Reports emailed and sent home with students today

Tuesday 2/16
Board of Education Meeting at 6:30 at Central Office

Wednesday 2/17
Harlem Wizards to Plug at 9:00 am.  We will welcome the Primary and Intermediate. We should be done before the end of 3rd hour
Early Release
Conference Report Back from attendees

Thursday 2/18
Faculty Meeting in the LIbrary

Friday 2/19
It’s a Pretty Big Deal
Annual Snow - Glow Dance at the Middle School after school till about 4:30
Yearbook Orders Due

In Progress
Spring Sports/Track begins Feb 29th - Start running
MAP & EOC Schedules Established
Block Schedule to align with High School for the last month of school.
Summer Academy for the 8th Graders
8th Grade Shadow Days to the High School
5th Grade Transitions - Shadow Days for the 5th graders.

Ongoing
Binder Team Meetings on Mondays
Unit of Instructions
Pacing Guides
Lesson Plans
Student Work Review
Data Teaming
Collaboration Days
eValuate
PBiS
Tier 1 - Data, Warrior Way Tickets, The Store
Tier 2 - Care Team

Attendance Contest Cycle
First 5 days in a row, per hour wins the meal.  Guile and Stroud recent winners...

Parent Communication
Blogs
Remind 101
Assemblies
Facebook / Twitter
SIS Gradebook Update

Conclusion
Thank you to all those who “voluntold” to step up to cover, absences, conferences, illness and whatever else???  The reasons and distractions seem to go on and on, but you all continued and persist with such pleasant and willing attitudes. It seems like folks just stepped up and helped because we never know when something might happen to us!  I am so honored and impressed to work alongside each of you.

Sincerely,
Tom McCracken
On behalf of The Winfield Middle School Faculty, Staff and Students.