April 3rd - 7th
Published 033017
Published 033017
#onthemap???
Just a brief examination of these scores shows incredible growth and progress. Anticipation reigns.
As protocol suggests, the GREEN Boxes are this year 2016-17 and the RED Boxes surround last year’s scores.
What can we do for anyone reaching their personal best on this last April cycle of eValuate tests?
As protocol suggests, the GREEN Boxes above are this year 2016-17 and the
RED Boxes below surround last year’s scores.
We have one more eValuate cycle to go!
BBQ Hot Dog Coupon for the Field Day Lunch for anyone getting a Personal Record this last test?
As protocol suggests, the GREEN Boxes above are this year 2016-17 and the
RED Boxes below surround last year’s scores.
A building wide focus on achievement and academics is only part of the progress. Questions of the Day, good pedagogy, feedback, formative testing and collaboration all seem to be contributing factors. Keep it up!
For the week of March 27th - 31st
Monday - April 3
- Track Practice continuing
- Cardinals Opening Day - Jeans and Cards wear
Tuesday - April 4
- Culture/Climate Committee Meeting
- Summer Journey Planning Meeting at CO. Send questions/concerns to office.
Wednesday - April 5
- Early Release Day = 8th grade to host
- Summer Academy List
- MAP Rosters
Thursday - April 6
- Chess Club - Mr. Utlaut’s room
Friday - April 8
- Follow the link to add your student's name and nominating features
Upcoming/Ongoing
- Step Up Days for the 5th Graders
- We have worked these days into a different type event this year. We are working on a plan to maximize our learning as well as set the minds at ease of the incoming 5th graders.
- TBD: May 15th or 16th
- All 5th grade students will visit the building together.
- They will travel, tour, explore lockers & lunch in small groups.
- Details will follow.
- Binder Meeting to be April 11th and not April 13th.
- City Museum Cut Off Date is Friday, March 31st
- The trip is not till April 13th.
- Summer School Registration till April 26th - ALL STUDENTS WELCOME
- Semi-Formal Student Dance - April 21st
- BOGO Book Fair - April 24 - 28
- NJHS Induction - April 25 at 6:30 pm in MS Gym
- Spring Choir Concert - May 2nd
- Middle School MAP Testing - May 4th - 11th
- Field Day - May 15th - The Consummate Ac Lab Challenge
- Spring Band Concert - May 16th
- Six Flags - Due, Tuesday, April 18th
- Last Day of School - May 17th
- High School Graduation - May 21st at 2:00 PM
- End of the Year Schedule - Staff, if you follow this link, you might be able to comment as well as edit the document if necessary.
- Summer PD Planning and Data Days
- May 22nd, 23rd & 24th
- 2017-18 6th Grade Back to School Night - Thursday, August 10, 2017
Attendance
Still climbing!
Let’s continue growing our relevance, rigor and relationships
to help our students each reach their best #nextlevel and urging them to want to attend.
Follow up Notes and Comments
Summer Data mining and Planning Days
Here are some follow up details from our Summative discussions about the Summer Planning Days that so many asked about. John Neels will have a brief Technology Talk Training on each of those mornings for any staff here in the summer. Then to follow up, we are thinking the ELA Teams will have a trainer here on Monday, with follow up for the teams for the next 2 days. Similarly, math will wait and use Tuesday as their first day, then follow up the two days after. Science will have PD on Wednesday and follow up on Thursday and Friday.
- Monday, May 22, ELA
- Tuesday, May 23, Math
- Wednesday, May 24, Science
Social Studies and PE may also have two days. SPED will join MATH on their days. We will have the Media Center open that week as well. (Library)
Summer Student Learning Opportunities
The Summer Journey, as hosted by Catapult Learning and eValuate, is taking registrations till April 26th. Late signups might be allowed but depending on our final numbers, we could all be in the Intermediate building or the Middle School. Regardless, our preferred material delivery dates could be May 1st, May 2nd or May 15th, respectively.
Summer Academy will still operate with the selected group of 8th graders invited. Unlike recent years past, transportation will be available for any Winfield Students. Instead of the Summer Journey, eighth grade students will also have an academic focus in the AM and the adventure based Summer Academy session in the PM.
Please be considering 8th grade candidates to invite to the Summer Academy. Please use the categories of attendance, behavior and academics as primary parameters to determine inclusion on the list. We will have an informational meeting with those students shortly.
School Wide Six Flags Registration Procedures
The students have already been signing up for the trip. We request checks payable to Winfield Middle School or Winfield School District. Discourage cash. Please use the office provided envelope to prepare to submit all student monies to the office AS SOON AS YOU COLLECT DAILY DEPOSITS in the morning. I will be picking these up during my morning rounds. Students will then log-in through their Chromebooks and confirm their registration choices using the google forms. (NOTE: They might need their school account to log in.) Final Trip Registration Numbers will also determine staffing needs. Thank you for your flexibility in this matter while we assemble this epic trip for the students. I have already heard a few say, they have “never been to Six Flags before!”
Back to School thoughts (already?)
After the huge success last year, we will mimic our 6th Grade Back to School visit again this year. Preliminary dates imply we’ll host it August 10th, the Thursday before school actually begins.
- Let’s also consider a club recruitment area, table, informational booth or other device to make the incoming families feel like there are opportunities for them here in this building as well.
- Yearbook, Chess, Art etc
- We will probably retain the Black Tuxedo CONCIERGE shirts for us all and order new ones for students new to the Mentor Process. Consider students for this leadership opportunity. We will also retain the shirt credit for attending staff.
Minor or Major?
We also discussed tuning our Master Building Schedule. No small amount of effort, strategy and forethought about teaming up a pair of 6th grade ELA teachers was spent. We have looked at the options from many angles and might not fully reach that goal next year. With that in mind, we are looking and minor adjustments to our current situation and NOT the major reworking as introduced.
Conclusion
I have enjoyed our Summative visits. Discussions about teaching, learning, students, diversity and goals have all lead to a deeper level of insight to personal and professional perspectives. Open an honest conversations are both refreshing and motivating. Thank you.
For instance, the metaphor of the Jeopardy Game helps articulate differences in the evaluation tool. Playing jeopardy is definitely a great way to get high engagement scores (NEE Indicator 1.2). Category for $100! Creating a Jeopardy Game by picking the content, creating the questions, and then organizing the questions in increasing levels of difficulty demonstrates critical thinking (NEE Indicator 4.1). They are not the same. Just because a student is participating, that doesn’t mean they are maximizing or reaching their highest levels of deep thinking. Watching the eValuate scores climb indicates students are doing more than just playing along. They are thinking deeply about the content. Learners consider variables, applications and extrapolations into other situations to verify true mastery and then, scores climb!
Keep up the good work. Ask them to make up the questions for the next exit survey. Ask them to design a math problem where you give them the answer and they derive the problem. Our eValuate scores lead us to consider that is already going on! Let’s finish strong and assemble a bonus for anybody that reaches a Personal Record on their final eValuate score in April. What do you think about a Field Day Coupon for a grilled Hot Dog?
Pace yourself. We still have 6 + weeks to go!
Tom McCracken
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