KUDOS! - Thank you to all staff who were willing to allow the 8th graders to come into your classrooms and spaces for the Underground Railroad simulation with Stephanie Rummler! It was great to see the students so engaged and to see your support throughout!
- Thank you to our 6-8 BLT team for your open conversations and collaboration when it comes to planning for our systems, culture, and environment within the new 6-8 building!
- One large decision the team decided on was to keep grade level wings: 6th, 7th, 8th. The 6th graders will be the wing on the upper level closest to the office area. 7th will also be on the upper level above 8th grade. 8th grade, therefore, will be the academic wing on the lower level!
- Kudos to Eric Sulik, Ryan Hoffman, Jon Nelson, Hans Block, and Jennifer Pelnar for your assistance with determining additional equipment needs within STEM, Art, and Wellness/Fitness Center for the new 6-8 spaces!
Article: In lieu of an article this week I thought it would be fitting to read and reflect on some quotes as Monday, January 18th is Dr. Martin Luther King Day. As we continue to check and find our blindspots, notice our biases, and work to not cast judgement on others our students need us. They need us to speak up and out, to acknowledge when words or actions can be hurtful to others. As we begin this week which of these quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King speaks to you?
- Thank you to all staff who were willing to allow the 8th graders to come into your classrooms and spaces for the Underground Railroad simulation with Stephanie Rummler! It was great to see the students so engaged and to see your support throughout!
- Thank you to our 6-8 BLT team for your open conversations and collaboration when it comes to planning for our systems, culture, and environment within the new 6-8 building!
- One large decision the team decided on was to keep grade level wings: 6th, 7th, 8th. The 6th graders will be the wing on the upper level closest to the office area. 7th will also be on the upper level above 8th grade. 8th grade, therefore, will be the academic wing on the lower level!
- Kudos to Eric Sulik, Ryan Hoffman, Jon Nelson, Hans Block, and Jennifer Pelnar for your assistance with determining additional equipment needs within STEM, Art, and Wellness/Fitness Center for the new 6-8 spaces!
Article: In lieu of an article this week I thought it would be fitting to read and reflect on some quotes as Monday, January 18th is Dr. Martin Luther King Day. As we continue to check and find our blindspots, notice our biases, and work to not cast judgement on others our students need us. They need us to speak up and out, to acknowledge when words or actions can be hurtful to others. As we begin this week which of these quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King speaks to you?
Information/Reminders
- Elective Teachers:
- In preparation for the 6-8 course selections we need to present all of the new course offerings/proposals to the board for approval. The set date for the presentation is February 8, therefore, all approval forms need to be shared and sent to me by Monday, February 1 so that I can put them together.
- HERE is the document you need to complete for each course that is new. If the course has all the same content within it that has been taught in the past it does not need to go to the board.
- This document is intentionally "view only". Simply make a copy, title your new course Google Document like below:
- New 6-8 Course (Course Name)
- The plan is also to update the board at this time in regards to 6-8 scheduling in general.
- Monday, January 18 - K-5 District Essential Skills
- Just keeping you in the loop! Our K-5 team will be looking through our Social Studies Essential Skills in preparation for the following week where they will be hearing from two different curriculum companies to start the process of a social studies K-5 adoption.
- Wednesday, January 20 - Burlington Connected Staff
- Staff teaching a section we will be having a Zoom meeting this Wednesday from 10:30-11:00 to ensure everyone is on the same page, answer any questions, etc!
- HERE is the schedule & information shared with families for Burlington Connected.
- HERE is what our staff are using to organize things for the start so that all of their emails, Google Classroom Links, etc are all in one place for students who are participating.
- Wednesday, January 20 - BLT 6-8 Planning from 12:00-1:00
- We will be meeting via Zoom again to continue our discussions about systemic and cultural decisions when it comes to how the 6-8 students and staff will function within the new building.
- The zoom link and invite has already been shared with BLT members!
Looking ahead:
- Thursday, January 28 - Parent/Teacher Conferences from 4:00-6:00
- BLT asked that conferences shift from 3:30 start to 4:00 start like we usually do. Therefore, conferences on the 28th will be from 4:00-6:00. I sent an invite to everyone already along with a document to track who you are having attend conferences. Please make sure you are working on scheduling these starting this week!
- Friday, February 12 - 8:00-4:00 Inservice Day
- ALL staff (certified & non-certified) are asked to be in attendance from 8:00-11:30. Non-certified staff, you have hours for the 12th on your return to work notices but they were subject to change. Therefore, wanting you to know the hours shifted a bit!
- Certified staff your work day is 8:00-4:00!
- More details as to what will be taking place when will come in the upcoming weeks!
Pictures from this past week!
Scott Staude working, at one of the new whiteboard tables that will be in all academic classrooms, with a student to check his understanding of scale factor.
Students in Mike Jones's and Amanda Thate's 8th grade math class working together on a pixel graphic by combining like terms.
Images taken this week of the new 6-8 building! The first one is the ceiling in the commons area - they are currently painting the beams in the space black.
Stairs on both sides of the commons area are in!
