Life lessons from Ted Lasso- Be a Goldfish!

If you have not watched Ted Lasso yet, you might want to jump on the bandwagon. This feel good series follows Ted Lasso, an American college football coach who is hired to coach an English soccer team with zero experience in the sport.

One of the mantra's Ted talks about is that we all should "Be a Goldfish". In Ted's definition, being a goldfish means forgetting the things you can't change so you can move forward in life. What's not to admire about that? You know what the happiest animal in the world is? It's a goldfish. It's got a 10 second memory. 

It was wonderful to get around to schools this week, to see the flurry of kids and learning taking place. Students that ate their lunches in the gym/cafeterias for the first time ever and teachers smiling through exhaustion after what felt like 2 a day tryouts for those athletes in the crowd.

A few things happened this week that were likely out of your control. Be a goldfish!

You control the positive relationships you are building with each and every student.

You control the academic expectations of your classroom.

You control the outrageous love you give to your students and your teammates.

Now enjoy the weekend ahead and "Be a goldfish!"  

Instructional Coaches ensuring excellence in SDW!

We are optimistic about the level of support for our classroom teachers this school year!

For the first time, we are able to have 6 of our schools (Hillcrest, Hadfield, Banting, Whittier, Meadowbrook and Prairie) that will have a full time literacy coach in their building to ensure we can follow the literacy coaching model to fidelity as prescribed. It follows a 60-20-20 model of support. 60% coaching teachers and teams, 20% of time in small group intervention with students and 20% meetings with the Principal, planning professional learning and data analysis to help strengthen literacy in the entire school setting. 

We are encouraged by the impact this can make in the area of literacy at these schools for our students and we thank all of our instructional coaches for helping support teachers in the School District of Waukesha!

Professional Development Calendar for 21-22

HERE is the Professional Development Calendar for the upcoming school year for the planners out there. Ok, you are teachers, this means ALL of you. :-)  

SDW Summer SAIL...coming soon!

On June 15 and 16, 2021, we will be meeting with our SAIL Teams to kick off the 2021-2022 school year!  Our schedule this year will look a little different than what we've done in the past.  The high school teams will be meeting in the West Media Center, the middle school teams will be meeting in the Les Paul Media Center and Cafeteria, and the elementary schools will each meet at their own sites (although some may be meeting at alternate sites).

We are celebrating our 6th summer running SAIL (Student Advancement In Learning) in Waukesha and we have over 240 participants taking part in this continuous improvement process over these 2 days!

June 15 schedule:

8:00 School SAIL teams meet to situate the day

9:00 am - full group Webex

10:00 am - 1:00 pm - SAIL team work

(Lunch built in site dependent)

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm - full group Webex

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm - SAIL team work

3:00 pm - day ends

June 16 schedule:

8:00 School SAIL teams meet to situation the day

9:00 am - full group Webex

10:00 am - 3:00 pm - SAIL team work

(Lunch built in site dependent)

3:00 pm - day ends

Our SAIL days lay the foundation to our continuous improvement work. The overall purpose is to help schools build focus and coherence around their school goals and related short-term cycles of intentional action planning, leading to significant adult practice and student achievement gains over the long term. We are Waukesha proud and are looking forward to getting better together! 

#SDWSAIL

AVMR Summer Training Opportunities

This summer, there will be an opportunity to receive training in AVMR Course 1 or AVMR Course 2.  AVMR Course 1 will be meeting from July 26th - July 29th, and AVMR Course 2 will be held August 2nd - August 5th. The time will be 8:00 - 3:30 each day. 

Add+VantageMR® give teachers tools and assessments to use with students in order to identify their current understandings of number concepts and then provides activities to help support data-driven instruction. It is one of those professional development opportunities that changes how you look at students mathematically and how you can better meet their needs.

AVMR Course 1 involves teachers learning about Math Recovery® assessments and focusing on a continuum of learning in relationship to the Learning Framework in Number. Teachers learn to use a series of three assessments to develop a profile of number knowledge for children: number words and numerals, structuring, and addition and subtraction. The profile then assists teachers in making informed instructional decisions to advance students' knowledge and skills. (Recommended for Kindergarten on up)

AVMR Course 2 is a continuation of the numeracy continuum of learning in regards to the Learning Framework in Number. You will learn about place value and multiplication/division assessments that can be administered to your neediest students to know exactly where they are in their numeracy development so you can make instructional decisions that will help to move the students along in their learning. (Recommended for first grade on up)

If you are interested in participating, please fill out the Google Form and indicate which course you would like to join. You NEED TO take course 1 before attending course 2 and must attend all of the dates/times for each particular course.

If you have any questions about this training, please contact Rose Palmer.  (rpalmer@waukesha.k12.wi.us)

Professional Development Dates for the 21-22 School Year

 

Controversial Issues in the Classroom- Policy #2240

I thought May 7th seemed to be a good time for all of us to read or re-read our board policy around controversial issues. I have provided it for you below. I have also included for you a resource that Butler Middle School used recently titled, Preparing your class to discuss controversial issues. We want to help support you in providing a successful classroom environment during this last home stretch of school.  Pro-active communication with students and families is still the best way to ensure that we are ALL committed to the educational excellence and care we want for all of our students.

The Board of Education believes that the consideration of controversial issues has a legitimate place in the instructional program of the schools.

Properly introduced and conducted, the consideration of such issues can help students learn to identify important issues, explore fully and fairly all sides of an issue, weigh carefully the values and factors involved, and develop techniques for formulating and evaluating positions.

For purposes of this policy, a controversial issue is a topic

1. on which opposing points of view have been promulgated by responsible opinion.
   
   

2. likely to arouse both support and opposition in the community.

 

The Board will permit the introduction and proper educational use of controversial issues provided that their use in the instructional program:

1. is related to the instructional goals of the course of study and level of maturity of the students;
    

2. does not tend to indoctrinate or persuade students to a particular point of view;
    

3. encourages open-mindedness and is conducted in a spirit of scholarly inquiry.

Controversial issues related to the program may be initiated by the students themselves provided they are presented in the ordinary course of classroom instruction and it is not disruptive to the educational setting.

Controversial issues may not be initiated by a source outside the schools unless prior approval has been given by the principal. Issues pertaining to human growth and development, as defined by statute, are subject to 118.019, Wis. Stats.

When controversial issues have not been specified in the course of study, the Board will permit the instructional use of only those issues which have been approved by the principal.

In the discussion of any controversial issue in the classroom or in the course of professional duties, a teacher may express a personal opinion, only after all student discussion on the topic has concluded, and shall identify his/her personal opinion as such, and must not express such an opinion for the purpose of persuading students to his/her point of view.

The Board recognizes that a course of study or certain instructional materials may contain content and/or activities that some parents find objectionable. If after careful, personal review of the program lessons and/or materials, a parent indicates to the school that either content or activities conflicts with his/her religious beliefs or value system, the school will honor a written request for his/her child to be excused from particular classes for specified reasons. The student, however, will not be excused from participating in the course or activities mandated by the State and will be provided alternative learning activities during times of parent requested absences.

(See also Policy 3310 – Freedom of Speech in Noninstructional Settings)

© Neola 2011