It's about the learners

Saturday morning I was reading a post by George Couros called Focus on the "Learner" and it got me to thinking about the choices we make for our students every day.  We decide when classes start and stop, the learning activities during those classes, and when and if they can leave the classroom.  As we approach the month of May, please continue to be deliberate about the choices we make for our students.  Provide more opportunity for choices for our students, too.  Let's do what George mentions- focus on the learner and not just on the learning.

Great things I saw this week...

• Robots in 5th grade.
• Kids reading and writing, in LA classes and outside of LA classes.
• Passion projects in 6th grade.
• Kids excited for the play.
• The nervous energy and excitement of Jackie and Michael getting ready for the play.
• Roller skating, rugby, and golf in PE.
• Kids learning together in Geometry.
• The kids in the play, and Michael and Jackie and Carey's son, Ben.
• 5th grade at BizTown.  Check out this animoto of the day.
• Field trip in the hallways by 6th graders to develop ideas for fantasy writing.
• Miniature golf design in PE due to the inclement weather.
• Listening to a student and parent speak German during Homework Club.
• The flexibility of the staff providing opportunities for learning in different environments.

Calendar

Monday, May 1st

• Student Senate spirit week
• Mayhem Monday (wear wacky attire)
• 7:15-8:30  volleyball practice

Tuesday, May 2nd

• Student Senate spirit week
• Pajama Day
• Power Day
• 8:00  IEP
• 9:45  IEP
• 3:15  IEP
• 4:15-5:15  Homework Club

Wednesday, May 3rd

• Student Senate spirit week
• College Gear Day
• 7:15-8:30  volleyball practice
• 1:30  A-team meeting

Thursday, May 4th

• Student Senate spirit week
• Fandom Day (May the 4th be with you)
• Grade level/specials meetings
• 4:15-5:15  Homework Club
• 4:30  Literacy meeting

Friday, May 5th

• Student Senate spirit week
• Squad Day (Twin Day)
• Grandparents'/ Special Person's Day
• See the link here
• 7:15-8:30  volleyball practice

Saturday, May 6th

• Volleyball tournament at Arrowhead

Tweets, blogs, and quotes
Why Spirit Week Matters to Middle Schoolers (from MiddleWeb, a daily newsletter I subscribe to for inspiration.  Please think about this during Spirit Week next week)

How to Be A Teacher Reading Role Model- Without Actually Reading In Front of Your Class (from Pernille Ripp)

Because of 4AM (from Brett Hagler)

#PIAchat from Monday (Check out what my colleagues are all about.  We'll be presenting at the National Principals' Conference in July.)

There is Not Only One Road to Success (from George Couros)

Your Guide to Running a School Like Disney World (from Lynn Colon, one of my #principalsinaction friends. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

@mertonint on Twitter

#mertonint on Twitter

Merton Intermediate on Facebook

Merton Intermediate on Instagram

School board presentation from 4.24.17

Family smore from 4.27.17

Mustang Medal Challenge

Let's try to write at least one Mustang Medal by lunch time today.  I'd love to send out a picture on Twitter showing examples of the great things our kids do for each other and you every day.  Check your mailbox for a few to fill out.  I'll be making phone calls and sending these home early next week.  C'mon!  Help me make phone calls all day on Monday!

Be the one!

Jay

Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell

Thank yous!

Many of you may have noticed the condition of our school when you arrived on Tuesday.  I sure did.  It looked just like the first day of school.  Jim Hannon and Ruby Jankowski did a phenomenal job making our school look almost brand new again.  I mentioned this to the students on Wednesday morning and I'm hopeful that with my reminder, and your reminders, that our school will look this good all the way through June.  Thanks, Jim and Ruby!

The kids got right back to learning.  Did you notice?  The expectations and procedures that you have put in place are ingrained in the students.  I was a smiling principal as I took my colleague and friend, Jeff See, around the school on Tuesday.  He was impressed by you and our kids.  So was I.  Thanks to all of you!

The Forward Exam might be completely done for the year by the end of the day today.  Thank you for your flexibility and for reminding the students to give a complete effort.  The students did a great job.  You should be proud of them.  Thanks for all that you did to get them prepared.

The discussions we had at grade level meetings about our kids, even the tough discussions, just prove to me how much you care about and love our kids.  The conversations we have about them with no one else around are even more special.  Thanks for always keeping the kids first!

Calendar
Monday, April 24th

• 7:15-8:30  volleyball practice
• 4:15-5:15  BLT meeting
• 7:00  School Board meeting

Tuesday, April 25th

• 4:15-5:15  Homework Club
• 4:30  volleyball games at Stone Bank

Wednesday, April 26th

• 1:30  Parent meeting
• 4:00-5:00  Sphero Club

Thursday, April 27th

• 7:15-8:30  volleyball practice
• No grade level or specials meeting, unless you need to meet with me
• 10:15-11:45  6th, 7th, and 8th graders visit Primary School for play
• 7th/8th grade schedule
• 1/2 block- normal
• 3/4 block- during 5th hour (No specials or study halls)
• 6/7/8/9 blocks- normal
• 2:20-3:50  3rd, 4th, and 5th graders visit Primary School for play
• 4:15-5:15  Homework Club

Friday, April 28th

• 7:00PM  Play at Primary School

Saturday, April 29th

• 2:00PM  Play at Primary School
• 7:00PM  Play at Primary School

Tweets, quotes, and blogs
People are Always Your Best Resource (from George Couros)

Hugging a Porcupine (from Rob Miller- This is a must read!)

@mertonint on Twitter

#mertonint on Twitter

Merton Intermediate School Facebook page

Merton Intermediate School on Instagram

Student assembly from 4.19.17

Family smore for 4.21.17

So, I watched the Bucks game Thursday night (#FeartheDeer) and they were awesome.  They looked so much better tonight than they did on Tuesday.  I thought about what the differences were in just two days.  They played at home (a familiar location).  They made adjustments (what they did Tuesday wasn't good enough).  Everyone stepped up their game (the effort was there for 48 minutes).  Some players who didn't play much on Tuesday had a chance on Thursday (they changed things up).  On defense, they made great rotations (they covered for one another).  They communicated when things went well and, more importantly, when things didn't go well).  They reminded me of you in your classrooms every day.  You make the learning space familiar to the kids, you make adjustments, you give a complete effort, you take risks and change things up, and you step up for each other.  The Bucks have #FearTheDeer.  We are #mertonint!

Be the one!

Jay

Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell

Did your learning stop?

I started this blog post on Monday while sitting in a hotel lobby in Minnesota after a run along the Mississippi River.  Lauren, Jen, and I were visiting the University of Minnesota on our 5 school college tour over Spring Break.  I read some posts on Twitter, read an article or two from blogs I subscribe to, and then came across this blog on Twitter from Todd Schmidt, "Let Them Experience the Rain."  I thought about how many times I have stopped students from doing what they're doing, not realizing the learning that was going on.  It might not have been what I wanted them to learn, but it was definitely what they wanted to learn.  Then I thought a little more.  What if we did this more often- provide a learning target, share it with the kids, and then get out of their way and let them discover and learn on their own?  Imagine the variety of ways the kids could learn, some that we probably haven't even thought about before.  We would also benefit from learning right along with them.  Anyone willing to give it a try?

Calendar
Tuesday, April 18th

• Welcome back!
• 7:15-8:30  volleyball practice
• 4:15-5:15  Homework Club

Wednesday, April 19th

• RtI/PLN Wednesday
• 8:00-8:15  staff meeting in the gym
• 8:45-9:15  student assembly (No need for staff to attend.)
• Forward Exam makeups starting at 9:30 in the STEM lab
• 1:30-3:00  A-team meeting
• 4:30  volleyball games at Kettle Moraine

Thursday, April 20th

• 7:15-8:30  volleyball practice
• grade level and specials meetings
• 4:15-5:15  Homework Club

Friday, April 21st

• 6:30  Choral concert at Nature Hill in Oconomowoc

Tweets, quotes, and blogs
The Game of School vs. The Game of Life (from AJ Juliani- Please take the time to watch the 8 minute video.  It's quite thought-provoking.)

How to Never Lose Your Passion in Education (from Kelisa Wing)

To the Very Last Day (from Pernille Ripp)

Output or Compliance (from George Couros)

What Could Go Right? (from George Couros)

A Strong Line of Fighters (from Jenny Fischer, Merton alum, shared with us by Sarah Kasprowicz, but I needed to share it again.)

@mertonint on Twitter

#mertonint on Twitter

Merton Intermediate School Facebook page

Merton Intermediate School on Instagram

EdCampMKE

On Saturday, May 13th, EdCampMKE is coming to South Milwaukee High School.  See this link if you are interested.  EdCamps are great ways to learn and connect with educators, and they're free!

I hope that you all had a chance to enjoy your family and friends over Spring Break.  I sure did.  Jen, Lauren, and I visited UW-Oshkosh, the University of Minnesota, UW-Eau Claire, Carroll University, and the University of Wisconsin.  Jen and I both talked about how much college has changed since we were in school.  All of our travels to colleges made me realize that I am celebrating my 30th college reunion and 35th high school reunion this year.  It's crazy what you think about when you're driving around Wisconsin.  I tell you about our travels for two reasons.  The first is to remember never to take your family for granted.  Make time for your family as often as you can because things change so quickly.  The second is because of what I witnessed, and heard, from some of the university students who were our guides.  They spoke about the opportunities they have, their professors, their classes, and their university.  They spoke about the pride they have in their school and in their courses.  Let's make these last weeks of the 2016-2017 school year prideful ones for our students and for each other.  Let's find ways to celebrate the great things we offer our kids every day in our classrooms and in our school.  The kids deserve it, and so do you!

See you soon, and be the one!

Jay

Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell

R-E-L-A-X

We've made it.  Spring Break is upon us.  Your efforts, and the efforts of our kids, has been fantastic.  Now it's time to relax.  But when you relax, it doesn't mean that you stop learning.  Find a good book.  Check out Twitter.  Over Spring Break, Jen, Lauren, and I will be checking out 5 different colleges.  Jen and I have a lot to learn about when it comes to helping Lauren select the right college for her.  Between visits, we'll have plenty of time to relax and enjoy one another's company.  I have a book or two I want to read, and I know that I'll be checking out Twitter from time to time.  But the most important part of the next week will be having a chance to relax.  I'll be refreshed and ready to get things going again on April 18th.  I'm sure that you will, too.

Great things I saw, and heard, this week...

• Snap circuits in Science
• 7th and 8th graders writing poems
• Students teaching their classmates in math
• The focus of our students completing Forward Exam makeups.  Their positive attitude continues!
• Students working together with partners or in groups, even when they weren't with their best friends.
• The way you continue to engage students right up until Spring Break.  Keep them learning and they'll keep on behaving.
• Writing and researching and collaborating in Language Arts and Math
• A phone message from Jim thanking the volleyball teams for all of their help this week in setting up the gym
• Our custodians setting up the gym for the NJHS induction ceremony
• Floor hockey in PE
• The flexibility of our staff with changing schedules and Forward Exam makeups
• Conversations at the copy machine in the morning
• Discussions about the voting age in Social Studies
• The kids at the NJHS induction ceremony.  You have done amazing things with all of our kids and these students are examples of that.  Here's the video that was shown during the ceremony.

Calendar
Friday, April 7

• I'm out all day.  College visit with Lauren and Jen.

Saturday, April 8- Monday, April 17

• Spring Break (Have fun, learn a little, relax a lot)

Tuesday, April 18

• Severe weather week (Tornado drill one day this week, depending upon weather.)
• 7:15-8:30  volleyball practice
• 4:15-5:15  Homework Club

Wednesday, April 19

• RtI/PLC Wednesday 8:00-9:15
• Staff meeting at 8:00 sharp

Tweets, quotes, and blogs
Preparing Kids for Jobs that Exist Now (from George Couros)

Empty Kids into the Gift Shop (from Dave Burgess)

(from @matthew_arend on Twitter)

What We Ask of Our Students and What We Do (from George Couros)

(from Pinterest)

On Parent Assumptions and Fear of Change (from Pernille Ripp)

(from Pinterest)

Innovate Together (from George Couros- There's a terrific poem in this blog.)

@mertonint on Twitter

#mertonint on Twitter

Merton Intermediate School on Facebook

Merton Intermediate School on Instagram

Family smore for 4.7.17

Back to School grants
I know we just got to Spring Break, but here's an opportunity through Meemic Insurance for back to school grants.  It's an easy process and takes little time to complete.  Here is the link if you are interested.

Practice what you preach
Today is one of those days when I'm practicing what I preach.  I'm putting family first.  Lauren, Jen, and I are visiting UW-Oshkosh, our second college visit.  Ron is in the district and can help with any big issues that arise.  If you want to have some fun on the last day, it would be awesome if you stopped down during lunch or recess to hang out with the kids.  Many of them are taking family trips while others will be staying around Merton.  They might not admit it, but they will miss us.  Having some fun at recess or just sitting with them and enjoying lunch would mean more to them than you can imagine.
Be the one!
Jay
Take care of the kids.  Take care of each other.  Take care of yourself.- John Gunnell