Madison Middle School

By barsotti_p 　https://blogs.4j.lane.edu/madisonstaff/2021/02/19/february-19-2021/

Hi Madison Staff,

It’s four weeks until Spring Break…I’m thinking of making one of those linking chains to count it down 🙂

Here’s what’s happening this week:

This Week’s Schedule:

Quick Links: Please make sure you’re signed into your 4J Google Account to access many of these links.

• SPED/Gen Ed Collaboration Log – Complete the full log at the beginning of each unit. Complete the last 2 questions weekly for students on IEPs who are not engaging or are not on track.
• COVID Protocol Suggestion Box – Please add any suggestions or concerns here.
• This Week’s Focus Lessons:
  • Monday: Self Check and Ms. T videos
  • Tuesday: Reflection around compassion
  • Wednesday: Bring your pet to school assembly
    • Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/93057533803?pwd=N2ZqMmx3bkgxZzgxT2xjV1h4L0FhUT09
    • Meeting ID: 930 5753 3803
    • Passcode: 820937
  • Thursday: SEL Lesson – Helpfulness
  • Friday: Team Building – 10 Strikes

Madison INFORMATION      

• Staffing: Alan Carr is rejoining Madison as the Learning Center EA starting on Monday.  He will be taking over Jeremy’s job of supporting the LC class and some 6th grade support.  If you know Alan, please send him a welcome back email.
• Wednesday PD: We will start talking about hybrid and what it can look like.
• Hybrid Planning Updates: 
  • Master Schedule: Rechelle has been working very hard to create the smallest cohorts possible for trimester 3.  The students will be cohorted based on electives with special consideration that all advanced math students or students receiving IEP support will not be traveling together.  Some of your prep periods might change but none of your classes are changing unless we have already talked.
        
  • Safety Drills: We did 2 fire drills this week, one for the A-Day students and one for the B-day students.  I have to say, they were super fast 🙂
        
  • Questions?: If you have any more questions about this transition, please send them to me. Middle School administrators will start talking about hybrid soon.
     
• Madison Book Group: This week, we will be talking about chapter 5 – Intersectionality.
            
• Weekly Check In:  Don’t forget that the weekly check in includes a space to celebrate each other. Linked here is the staff weekly check-in. I’d like to know how you’re doing and be able to offer support for those who need it.
  Here is the shout-out from last week: Jim Colton shows up day in and day out, and always has a good attitude even when he is called upon for icky jobs.
   

    

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING AND OTHER INFORMATION

• Learning with other Educators: This is an ODE opportunity that was sent to Gina and I which we thought was pretty cool.
• Coping with Change and Uncertainty: In this article, originally published in Mental Health for Educators, author Phyllis L. Fagell offers 6 suggestions for educators to regain a sense of control during this tumultuous times.
   
  • Reframe your personal narrative
  • Prune and preserve relationships
  • Build community and foster collegiality
  • Be specific when naming emotions
  • Exercise agency
  • If you can’t fix it, aim for acceptance
      
• A Simple Way to Self-Monitor for Bias: Teachers concerned that they might be showing bias against students in marginalized groups can use a short checklist for self-assessment. Those five areas are discipline, calling on raised hands, cold calling, “This kid is in the wrong class”, and good times. See this article from Edutopia for more information.
       
• Mars Landing: Linked here is a toolkit for teaching students about the Mars landing, happen on February 18.

What’s Coming Next Week: 

I hope you have a wonderful week!

Peter and Gina