Thoughts for the week of...
May 31, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" Wow! It's hard to believe that this is the final "buzz" of the school-year! And what a year it has been! I am so proud of all of you for really doing an awesome job in the most difficult of circumstances. Thank you for your hard work and dedication. Thank you for your commitment to supporting your students. Thank you for your commitment to learning. We also wrap up our first "official" year as a Leader in me school. Thank you for your commitment to each other and to our collective learning in bringing in this program. The leadership/lighthouse team did a great job presenting at the board meeting! Mark your calendars for next year's training listed in the "Szczech list". This week, we wrap up with our celebratory activities! Monday and Tuesday are yours to make memories with your students. Wednesday is virtual FIELD DAY! Bravo! to Laura W for putting it together. Thursday is the building -wide highlight webinar. Info on this will be in the "Szczech list". Finally, Friday I will send via email the third grade celebration video to all of our families. Special thank you to Megan Stephenson and Nicole McKelvey for putting it together! Please share the webinar link and password with your families. Thank you for a great year! |
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Click Here for the Morning Announcements Happy Birthday! 6/1 Tracey Williamson, 6/5 Karen Sjogren 6/20 Ryan Slatton, 7/1 Casey Cook, 7/10 Laurie Frederick, 7/12 Riley Reynolds, 7/13 Jennie Finocchiaro, 7/14 Rhonda Marshall and Robyn Schmidt, 7/31 Matt Pelletier. For Thursday's Live building-wide highlight webinar:
Leader in Me training for 2020-2021
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Thoughts for the week of...
May 25, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" Hi team, I trust you all were able to enjoy the beautiful weather this holiday weekend while taking time to honor our fallen heroes. As we move into the final weeks of school, I just wanted to say thank you and YOU DID IT! With little notice you were able to provide a whole new form of instruction, connect with students, support struggling families and bring out the very best of our Woodland Meadows community. YOU are amazing! This will be the final week of formal instruction with the first week of June set aside to nurture those relationships and bring about celebration and closure to the school year. Please be sure you have completed THIS GOOGLE FORM letting me know if you can participate on our school wide Live Zoom celebration on Thursday June 4th. The device drop off and student item pick up scheduled for June 4/5th is still tentative as we will be further discussion the impact that the extension of Safer at Home order will have on our plans. Thank you for being the amazing professionals you are! |
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May 17, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" Hello all, I hope you had a great weekend! This past week I met with the Leadership team and we discussed wrapping up our instruction in the next two weeks. The final week of school will consist of end-of-year celebratory activities! We are working hard to try and recreate the wonderful end-of-year memories you typically create, but in a virtual manner.
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If you have not seen John Krasinski's Some Good News, it's totally worth it. I've included an episode below! |
Thoughts for the week of...
May 10, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" Happy Mother's Day to all of our Woodland Meadows' Mommies! I hope everyone had a nice weekend and found creative ways to celebrate the important mothers and mother figures in your life during this time of social distancing. I know that many of you enjoyed the Staff Appreciation video. If you would like to view all the photos that were submitted (some were submitted after the deadline for the video), you may find them in this google photo album. Thank you for sending the link to the MRA so we can collect our survey data prior to the Distance Learning Survey from the district (which looks like May 18 is the target date). Also, thank you for all of your hard work in closing your classroom and teaching spaces. Finally, thank you to all of you who have been joining us for our WM team meetings. We try to review important district happenings, answer any questions that may come up, and, of course, have a little fun together! Thank you for being an amazing team! Have a great week ahead! Please continue to monitor student engagement. Have a great week ahead! |
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May 4, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" I hope you were able to enjoy this beautiful weekend! And for Monday.... Happy Star Wars Day! May the 4th be with you! This week is Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week. I wanted to honor all of you, and the incredible work you are doing. I can promise you that, in addition to myself, our students and families deeply appreciate you and all you are doing to continue teaching and learning at this time. So... in your honor, I reached out to families for help and put together this appreciation video. Grab a box of tissues first.... sit back and enjoy this homage to each and every one of YOU! For the entire Woodland Team... Additionally, PTA is providing a gift certificate to Dan's for each of you to be used upon their reopening. See the link below. Thank you to our PTA, and especially Sharon Walper for coordinating! Link here for STAFF APPRECIATION CERTIFICATE |
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April 27, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" Congratulations to all of our Woodland Team Scavenger Hunt Participants! It was good fun and I am so glad everyone had a good time. I know it's kept you awake all weekend so I will let you know the winners.... The "Principal's Pick" team name, for an extra 5 bonus points, goes to "Good Woodland Hunting". The largest rock, for an extra five bonus points, goes to The Hermits! Toughest points to tally? Avery's team! (every fish in the aquarium?!) Every team earned over 300 points! The team that took the grand prize was "5 Gals and a Guy"! Your prize is a "30 Minute Hall Pass" to be used once school resumes. I will cover your class for 30minutes- want an extended lunch? A coffee break in the morning? Gotta run out a bit early? I've got your back. Your hall pass is in your email. Thank you for your continued efforts in distance learning. Please continue to use the no contact form to document students who have minimal engagement. Have a GREAT WEEK ahead! |
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April 20, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" It seems this weekend brought us all the seasons, from snow to rain and hail, throw in a little sunshine too! I hope you were able to get outdoors and enjoy some fresh air. Our Woodland Meadows Team Zooms are for ALL Woodland Meadows staff. This week is one you won't want to miss! We will be breaking into smaller groups and having a scavenger hunt.... with PRIZES! So, mark your calendar, set your phone alarm for Thursday at 3:00. It will be fast-paced fun so be ready to get in the game! The link is here and in the WM calendar, the password is wmlearn. It is a great opportunity for us to Sharpen the Saw and take care of our professional relationships. Thank you for all of your hard work connecting and providing remote instruction for your students. The results from our survey indicate an overwhelming amount of parents (89.8%) feel the workload was just right! Do keep connecting and supporting your families. |
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Congratulations to Laurie Frederick, who is retiring at the close of this year, and to Sarah Grann who is off to new endeavors! Have a GREAT week ahead! I look forward to seeing you THURSDAY!! |
Thoughts for the week of...
April 12, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" Happy Easter and Happy Passover! As I look forward to next week, I continue to be impressed by the outstanding work you are doing to provide great learning opportunities for our students. We are continuing to monitor engagement levels of our students and providing feedback for their efforts. Please continue to use this form each week. We will be documenting which students will need paper/pencil opportunities and provide for them thinkstretch workbooks sent to their homes, with teach check ins to monitor engagement. I was able to pop into several zoom meetings and google hangouts last week! Outstanding work connecting and building community- even while we are apart. A few reminders, student images and voices cannot be recorded. If you choose to record a google hangout or zoom, mute all participant and record your image alone. |
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Thoughts for the week of...
April 5, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" Hello, team! I hope this message finds you all well. This week we are beginning our more formalized distance learning plan. I want to start by thanking everyone for your hard work on putting together the learning plans. They look great! I know this hasn't been easy. Thank you for all you are doing for our students. As administrators, we are meeting and still working through the Governor's Executive Order to understand its implications for us. One slight shift, is that we are moving away from language such as "optional" or "supplemental". The Governor made clear that we have a responsibility to continue to engage students and it really isn't optional, although, there aren't "penalties" for students who are unable to do it. Another way we are reaching out to families is by identifying who may need paper copies of lessons. We are not sending a blanket message to all families about paper copies because we are concerned that everyone will run out to pick them up! (Kind of like what happened to the toilet paper!) We have a limited number of copies, truly for those families who need them. They are at Liberty, door #2 on the south end by the gymnasium. They are in bins labeled by grade level. If you have a family that has reached out for paper copies, or you know they will need paper copies you may tell them to pick one up at Liberty. (There are only 50 per grade level district-wide) I've created a quick spreadsheet for you enter the names and contact information for families that you have not been able to connect with during this first official week of distance learning. Please complete this form on Thursday, April 9. I will work with you on a plan on how we can reach out, make sure these families are ok and help to create a plan with them to keep engaged. Again, thank you all for your efforts! |
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Click Here for the Morning Announcements I am going to be hosting my first zoom meetings this week. Be patient with me as I work through this process. The password for both meetings is: wmlearn
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Thoughts for the week of...
March 22, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" I hope you and your family are well as we continue our support of public health and social distancing. So much appreciation to all of you for your efforts in connecting with and providing enrichment to our students. This past week we have been putting plans in place for some distance learning opportunities for our students. The work and effort from our teachers has been incredible. Thank you so much for your dedication. Also, our families really appreciate the "Storytime" readers from Woodland Meadows. Feel free to send me a video of you reading a story and I will put links in the memo to families. Enjoy the photo below that was sent to me! Above all else, Take care of yourselves and your families during this time. Please reach out to me if you need anything. |
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Thoughts for the week of...
March 15, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" It's hard for me to believe that we will not be together this week. These are unprecedented times we are living in. I want to thank you for the outstanding work you all did, on very little notice, calming anxiety in students and parents, providing resources, supporting each other, and more. I am still receiving emails from thankful parents about the resources you have provided to them, and the connections you are making with them throughout this hiatus. There are no words to express how impressive, professional, dedicated and truly outstanding this Woodland team is. I am so proud of all of you, and so thankful to work alongside you. Thank you for taking care of our students and each other. You are all greatly appreciated. Don't forget to take care of yourselves and your families during these uncertain times. Please practice social distancing during this health crisis. Much love to all of you. |
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Mental Health and Coping During COVID-19 Tips for Working From Home Leaves on a stream meditation Talking with your children about coronavirus: How to talk to your children about coronavirus Resources: SAS district resource page for COVID19 Leader in Me At-home ideas Newsela-COVID-19 resource center, click “Get instant access” set up a free account |
Thoughts for the week of...
March 8, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" Thank you for all of your efforts this week! Our Leader in Me teams were very productive. Have you checked out our newly decorated lounge? Remember to take care of yourself with some KIND bars and ideas for Sharpening the Saw? Gerielle offered us some great feedback and next steps to take as we continue to empower our young leaders. Please email me if you are interested in coordinating our Student Lighthouse team next year. Thanks also for your dedication and professionalism through conferences. Making yourselves available to discuss the success and support of students with their families is so important. Please remember, in addition to the SWIS form, continue to make phone calls home if students are misbehaving in your class. It's an important part of our communication with families. As Gerielle reminded us, this is a good time to slow down and review expectations for behavior in the classroom, hallways, etc. The reteaching of expectations throughout the year is an important part of our PBIS. Have a great week ahead! |
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Thoughts for the week of...
March 1, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" A brand new week ahead in a brand new month! I hope everyone feels energized by this spring-like weather! Last Saturday was the FSAS Snowblast event, it was another successful gala! Thank you to all who were able to attend and support the FSAS.
This week is conferences, thank you for all of your efforts to meet with families and build strong partnerships that support students. Please let me know if you'd like my support at a particular conference. We have much to look forward to this month with all of the MIRM activities. Thank you to Bekah and team who planned them. Additionally, this week we will meet with out Leader in me coach, Gerielle during early release. Then each group will have their break out session. Lighthouse team leaders will meet individually with Gerielle as we did in October. Maranda will send the schedule, let us know if you need adjustments. |
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Create Locker Book Covers day
Bring a stuffed animal to read with day
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Thoughts for the week of...
February 23, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" As we move into the final week of February, I want to thank those of you who have been joining me in Random Acts of Kindness this month! This week, let's continue to spread kindness across Woodland Meadows, and make this last week the best one so far! We are continuing our work with fostering inclusive and diverse environments. Click below to find an article that our Superintendent, Mr. Graden, has shared. Making the effort to pronounce names correctly- It is a simple thing we all can do- and it makes a difference! As we prepare for conferences, below is a chart to help reframe student leadership traits.
Have a great week ahead! Thank you for all of your hard work encouraging young leaders! |
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Monday, 2/24 (A)- Start of a great week! Tuesday, 2/25 (B)- Mardi Gras
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Thoughts for the week of...
February 17, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" Thank you to those of you who have joined me in spreading random acts of kindness! Lots of smiles and joy throughout our building! Let's keep it going! Wednesday is our Science Fair, thank you to Nick Ball for all of your efforts to coordinate this event! Please consider stopping by to celebrate the work your students have done on these projects. It's always an impressive event! In the most recent weekly memo to families, I shared the problem-solving choice wheel. Families can help their children think through how to approach interpersonal problems that they experience. In the next two weeks, I would like to read a book to your group on kindness and discuss what it means to be kind to one another with the students. Feel free to sign up as a grade level or as a team, as I hope to read to everyone by the end of the month. Please reach out to me to schedule a time that works best for you or your group. |
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Tuesday, 2/18 (B)- Start of a great week! Wednesday, 2/19 (C)-
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Thoughts for the week of...
February 9, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" This has been a difficult couple of weeks for all of us. Some personally, some professionally, but it has also been truly inspiring to see our team come together in support of one another. This is a good time to continue our commitment to cultural responsive instruction. This has been a journey we've been getting better with for the past couple of years, and with the recent attention on diversity it good to revisit that commitment. Below is a link to some resources put together for our district by a WM parent, moved by the recent events. We will continue to work and learn together in this area. |
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Monday, 2/10 (B)- Tuesday, 2/11 (C)-
Early Release Day
Enjoy the long Weekend for President's Day! |
Thoughts for the week of...
February 3, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" What beautiful weather we had today! A record for the high temp today. Yesterday, the most famous groundhog, Punxatawney Phil predicted an early Spring. Let's hope his prediction is accurate! February is also Black History month and Heart Health Awareness Month. In my memo to families Friday I shared some of the ways we at Woodland Meadows were recognizing those honors. Many of you are also looking for great books to read in your classroom for Black History month, Here is a nice list compiled by pbs. February is also kindness month, so join me in spreading some random acts of kindness throughout the building! Brighten someone's day! This Wednesday, we will have our next Leader in Me Action Team work sessions. This is for all staff. Have a great week ahead! |
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Thoughts for the week of...
January 26, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" The momentum and energy continues into this fresh, new week! The 7 habits tree has truly re-energized everyone. Thank you to the environment team, but also to everyone for making sure all staff and students were able to make their mark on the tree! This week the winter testing cycle for NWEA begins. Tech support will be in our building on our assigned testing days of Jan 28 and 30, however, you many test at any time. It's hard to believe this is the last week of January. Things are rolling right along- thank you for your efforts! |
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Tuesday, 1/28 (C)-
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Thoughts for the week of...
January 20, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" Today we honor a great man who had a vision to better our society. I hope you were able to spend some time reflecting on his legacy. I found this to be an incredible weekend- reflecting on the shared vision and ideas we generated together at our Leader in Me training on Friday. It was so energizing to see each group discuss their plans and to see the momentum pick up as we re-energize together! Following the PD, many of us were able to gather to celebrate the holidays at the Petrous home. Thank you so much, Emily, for opening your home to us. It was terrific to hear all of the laughter and camaraderie. Saturday brought our highly anticipated inspiring visit from Gerry Brooks. Thank you Nicole, and others who brought this vision to reality! His words were full of positive energy, and once again my mind wandered to our amazing team and the inspirational work you all do everyday. Thank you all, for going the extra mile to make Woodland Meadows such a great place to learn. For the week ahead, capitalize on the momentum and energy of this weekend. Remember that Together, we are accomplishing great things! Thank you for efforts! Have a great week ahead! |
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Tuesday, 1/21 (C)-
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Thoughts for the week of...
January 12, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" I hope everyone survived the rain/ice of the weekend and are ready for another great week at WM! Time sure flies- all year we've been planning for the events of this week: our next LIM training, staff holiday party, and Gerry Brooks! A special thank you to those of you volunteering to help with the Gerry Brooks event and to Nicole McKelvey for having the vision and bringing it to reality! |
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Happy Birthday, Wendy Portwood!
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Thoughts for the week of...
January 5, 2020 The Weekly "Buzz" Happy New Year! I am so excited to welcome everyone back as we continue our work in the new year. All are invited to join me at 8:15 Monday morning in the lounge for a little toast of Bubly to begin 2020 and wish everyone a Happy New Year! 2020 is already looking great at Woodland Meadows. Thank you to the Leadership Environment team for our LIM tree mural and our renewed lounge. All of our groups are off to a great start in growing our leadership and living the 7 habits. Thank you for your continued efforts. Thank you for your continued commitment to teaching the lessons and introducing these important life skills to our students. As you plan for the coming weeks, remember our commitment to each other and to our students for teaching these lessons. We are continuing our leader in Me journey with our creating culture training on Jan. 17. Remember this will be an extended PD day, from 1:30-5:45. We will follow and celebrate together afterward at our Post Holiday Gathering hosted by Emily Petrous. It's 2020- Let's do this! Have a great week ahead! |
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Tuesday, 1/7 (D)-
Friday, 1/10 (B)-
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Thoughts for the week of...
December 15, 2019 The Weekly "Buzz" Wow! Time passes so quickly! I cannot believe we are headed to the holiday break at the end of the week. As a special holiday gift to YOU, lunch will be provided on Thursday in the Staff Lounge. Speaking of time passing quickly, it can be easy for time to get away and get behind in lessons. As an "accountability partner", this a gentle reminder that during our LIM training, every grade committed to 1-2 Leader in Me lessons each week. We have completed 16 weeks of school. At a minimum you should have completed the first 16 lessons. As you reflect on your teaching over break, think about how you are doing with that commitment. Do you need to stay the course, slow down, or pick up the pace? As this is the final "buzz" for the year, I also wanted to thank Debbie Kurek for her flexibility and dedication to supporting our students. There is a likelihood that when we return after break she may be assigned to another building with the student whom she has been supporting. Finally, another holiday surprise! Our Woodland Family continues to grow. Join me in congratulating this WM family for the upcoming arrival of their second child! Have your guess at who it could be? Click here to find out! |
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Monday, 12/16 (C)- Let's Rock this week! Holiday Fun! Holiday Accessory Day!
Holiday Fun! PJ or comfy clothes day!
Have a great winter break! Happy Birthday to these staff members who will be celebrating their birthday during the holiday break: 12/24- Shelly McDougall 1/2- Keith Hanlon |
Thoughts for the week of...
December 9, 2019 The Weekly "Buzz" Thank you so much for helping out and keeping everything running smoothly while I was away at the MEMSPA conference! I return filled with inspiration and pride for all the great work being done at Woodland Meadows. The Leader in Me came up several times during the conference during conversations about strengthening SEL programs and promoting goal-setting and leadership with our students. Speaking of leadership, another theme was shared leadership throughout the school. I was so proud when I think of all of the many teacher-led (and student-led) initiatives we have. Bravo! You are all amazing, and I am proud to work with and learn from you. Another theme was relationships and the importance of connecting with students and parents- I beamed with pride thinking of the strong relationships we form at Woodland Meadows. You are all totally rockin' it! I also learned some important new information that deepened my commitment and dedication to the hard work we are doing. Have a great week ahead- secure in the knowledge that you are making a difference every day! Our students notice and remember the many ways you care about them. As we get closer to the holiday break, some students may become filled with excitement, and some of our students may have anxieties wondering how they will get through the break without you and the comfort of the classroom/school. Love and support them all, remembering the famous Russel Barkley quote, "The children who need love the most, will always ask for it in the most unloving ways". |
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Tuesday, 12/10 (D)-
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Thoughts for the week of...
December 2, 2019 The Weekly "Buzz" Welcome back! I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving break filled with joy and time with those you love. Join me in extending your congratulations to Brianna Schoonover- who had a very special Thanksgiving, becoming engaged to her fiancé, Ryan! The proposal came Thanksgiving day as they were preparing to host dinner for family and friends, with beloved dog Griffey by their side! Congratulations to Bri and Ryan! This week is the annual principals' conference in Traverse City, so I will be headed up there Tuesday afternoon. I can be reached by phone, text or email. Follow my tweets to keep up with some of the outstanding learning that takes place at this conference. As we move into the Holiday season, please approach the holidays with the lens of cultural sensitivity. Holiday decor/activities should represent a range of holidays and not just Christmas. Here are some resources: Some Holidays Resources:
https://youtu.be/lp3xpaLeasM https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Sv0ac-W8Vc Please note: These resources have not been vetted. you will still need to review them to be sure they are appropriate for your classroom instruction. |
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Thoughts for the weeks of...
Nov. 17, 2019 and Nov. 25, 2019 The Weekly "Buzz" Thank you for taking time to meet with the parents of our students during last week's parent-teacher conferences. Building relationships is paramount to our success. I know it makes for a long week-- this one complete with a snowstorm! As we complete this week, and move into Thanksgiving week, I want to let you know that I see and appreciate the many extras you do to make Woodland Meadows such a great learning community. The extra hours you put into your classrooms after the school day has ended, the early morning preparation, the additional work time you've set aside with your leader-in-me team, I see it and I am ever-so grateful. The phone calls, the conversations, the carefully chosen words... The important partnerships you build with the parents and the students do not go unnoticed. This team shows its dedication to Woodland Meadows, to our WM family, to creating a system greater than just ourselves each and every day. From the way we support one another, to how we lend a helping hand, I thank you wholeheartedly. I am deeply grateful to work with such an incredible team of professionals. I hope you know that you will be in my thoughts on Thanksgiving Day when we share our many blessings. And... on that note. Gratefulness BINGO is going well and I have talked with so many of you who truly are enjoying this time of showing appreciation and gratefulness! Keep it up! In continuing with our commitment to cultural sensitivity, it is important to remember that the Thanksgiving season is not one of celebration for all people. Here are some links to help us provide a deeper perspective. |
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Tuesday, 11/19 (B)-
Monday, 11/25(A)- Start of a great week! Tuesday, 11/26 (B)-
11/30- Happy Birthday, Elizabeth Green! |
Thoughts for the week...Nov. 10, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" Wintry weather seems to be in our midst. There is an advisory posted for tonight, so plan ahead to leave early to allow yourself extra time in the morning. Traffic is likely to move slowly and there may be accidents. Please be careful traveling. As we think about our 7 Habits, this is a great time to be proactive and plan ahead. If you do find that you are running late, please notify the office. I've been following so many wonderful #wmgrateful posts! Finding time for gratitude is important for our wellbeing. I can't wait to see more Grateful Bingo posts! |
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Tuesday, 11/12 (D)- SNOWDAY
Thursday, 11/14 (D)- Half Day/conferences pm Friday, 11/15 (E)- Half Day/Records pm |
Thoughts for the week...November 3, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" My favorite thing about November is how we take time to think about our many blessings, good fortunes, dumb luck, or whatever you'd like to call it. We take time to be grateful. So this year, I have put together a little gratefulness BINGO game! Here are the rules:
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Thoughts for the week...October 27, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" When Witches go riding, And black cats are seen, The moon laughs and whispers, ‘Tis near Halloween! And at Woodland Meadows, Surprises in store- One you will see as you walk through the main doors! Ghosts and goblins walk through our spooky halls Costumes and giggles for the big and the smalls. And this Halloween brings more surprises for you! Guess who they are, not just one surprise, but two! “Is this a trick or treat?” you might ask Just answer these riddles to unmask! She has surprised us with costumes
That truly inspire And at the close of this year She will retire! Not enough clues you say- You truly need more? This special lady helps everyone Who walks through the door! Click Here for the answer to riddle #1 Another woodland baby! That’s right, it’s for real! A first time visit from the stork I’m announcing it with zeal! She’s a real cool cat She poses with a fiddle Celebrating nursery rhymes Have you solved this riddle? Click Here for the answer to riddle #2 |
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Tuesday, 10/29 (D)- Wednesday, 10/30 (E)- TEAM W meetings
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Thoughts for the week...October 20, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" Welcome back from a terrific fall weekend! I hope you were able to enjoy some the incredible fall weather and see some of the Autumn colors in Michigan! This week, PTA will be having their fall festival. Please consider stopping by to show your support. PTA also has the book fair taking place this week. This is a great opportunity for our students. October 31 will be a big day for us. In addition to Halloween festivities, we will be meeting with our Leader in Me coach during the early release time. I am excited for Gerielle to meet this amazing staff! I will be continuing phonics meetings with each grade level. Grade level leaders, please reach out to me to schedule a time in November. Great PD opportunities are available-
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Monday, 10/21 (C)-
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Thoughts for the week...October 13, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" One, two, three and three, two, one Guessing games are so much fun! Our Woodland Family we love you so- It’s so exciting to watch our family grow! New Woodland babies, we’re expecting three! Whose family is growing? Who can it be? Give it some thought, then take your best guess-Don’t rush to reveal the answers of this test. Our first surprise, who might it be? This Spartan is expecting child number 3! Click to reveal answer At every big game this teacher shouts “Go Blue!” And soon they will welcome baby number two! Click to reveal answer Our final surprise, at least for this week, When I found out, it was hard not to speak! So much joy and excitement, I just might burst Because this baby will be this teacher’s first! Click to reveal answer Join me in congratulating these happy families! Additionally, join me in welcoming Debbie Kurek back this week! Have a wonderful week ahead! |
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Enjoy a well-earned Fall Break! |
Thoughts for the week...October 6, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" It's good to be back! Special thanks to everyone for going the extra mile to keep things running smoothly while I was away. I know that doesn't happen without everyone's help. Thank you! The EdLeader21 conference was really powerful. It was validating to see how schools across the country are putting together their own portrait of a graduate (for us, our SAS compass). Many looked to our work to help guide them with their next steps, and for others, we looked to their work to guide our next steps. The dedication to serving our students and providing them educational opportunities that prepare them for their future was inspiring! I am so glad to be part of this amazing WM team that isn't afraid to take risks and do whatever it takes for our kiddos! Speaking of next steps, this week we will have our first Building focus meeting- which is our Leader in Me Action Team work sessions! In the next couple days you will be hearing from your facilitator with more information. Looking forward to a great week ahead! Danc-athon! |
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Tuesday, 10/8 (E)- Favorite Team day!
Yom Kippur
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Thoughts for the week... Sept. 29, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" Thank you for your support of our Pancake Supper! We served a record number of guests and earned some money to support our school! It is such a fun event and a tradition that keeps getting better and better. Thank you to Mary Marshall for your leadership on this event, and to each and every one of you that came out to make it a success! This week, I will be traveling with several others to Houston to continue our work with EdLeader 21. This work supports our efforts in providing students future focused opportunities as illustrated in our SAS compass. My team is focusing on how each of the elementary buildings has their own focus for the year, but are still aligned with teaching the attributes, most specifically "positive communicator". Have a great week ahead- keep up the great work! Woodland Meadows is a great place to learn because of each of you! Your dedication to the students and to supporting each other is outstanding! |
The "Szczech" List
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Happy Birthday, Alison Taylor
Friday, 10/4 (C)- Happy Birthday, Annie Millspaugh!
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Thoughts for the week... Sept.22, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" What a beautiful weekend! I hope you were able to enjoy the warm September weather. This Saturday was the Saline Homecoming Dance which followed an impressive Homecoming Football game win! I was able to see many photos which were just beautiful! This was the last "homecoming" that some of our staff will experience as "colleagues" of ours, but of course they'll always be part of the Woodland family. Join me in sharing congratulations to our friends who will be retiring at the close of the year. We have three, to my knowledge... Can you guess who they are? 1. This dedicated teacher walks the red carpet, displays a Saline flag she once won, and for the first time she comes to school with her lovely grandson! Answer#1 Here 2. She's moved several rooms, trained several staff, she always steps up to help and offer a laugh. She helps teachers with tier 1, 2, and 3- do you know who she is... Who can it be? Answer #2 Here 3. Her gentle demeanor, so loving and kind, she supports kids and steps up to help and manage our bus lines. Answer #3 Here 4. We celebrate those friends, they will surely be missed, but for this last one you see, there is quite a twist! This special friend was gone, but is now coming back! Can you guess who she is... have you been keeping track? Answer #4 Here Thanks for playing along with these fun announcements! Have a great week ahead! |
The "Szczech" List
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Monday, 9/23 (D)- Start of a GREAT week!
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Thoughts for the week... Sept.15, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" Another great week at Woodland Meadows is upon us! This week is spirit week at other buildings across the district which will lead up to the Homecoming football game on Friday. You may be getting some questions about whether or not we will have spirit week. In the past, we have scheduled our PTA fundraiser on the same day as Homecoming and correlated our spirit week leading up to this fundraiser with the spirit weeks at SMS and the Highschool. We were not able to do that this year due to the early scheduling of Homecoming. Woodland Meadows WILL be having spirit week leading up to our PTA Danc-athon on October 11. Also, a folder has been created to house the Leader in Me info from your weekly dept meetings. It makes sense to just keep agendas/minutes/notes from your weekly dept meetings in this folder instead of having a separate one for Leader In Me. So, let's streamline and just use this folder. Our Leader in Me coaching call went very well. Woodland Meadows received lots of praise for how organized and prepared we have been for this work. Thank you to all of you for your dedication to making this a success! Finally, we are extending the deadline for the building-wide SLO for Leader in me until after our coaching visit on October 31. So, if you start to receive notices about being late on the SLO just ignore them. Have a great week ahead! |
The "Szczech" List
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Tuesday, 9/17 (E)- Wednesday, 9/18 (A)-
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Thoughts for the week... Sept. 8, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" Another beautiful autumn weekend in the books! I trust everyone found time to refresh and enjoy the weekend. We are beginning week three and students are settling in to routines. THIS is the time to start depositing and building capital in your relationship accounts with the families of your students. Build those accounts with positives letting them know that you see how special their child is! Here is a challenge for the month of September... are you ready?! Dearest Teachers, This September challenge reserved for the bold. Just pick up the phone and watch things unfold. Two kiddos each day, just dial up their folks. Speak words of praise and offer them hope. Positive deposits pay off down the road. Time to tell our own story and see how it grows! I'll be doing the challenge, too! Also, please keep your eyes open for any parents in the halls with out visitor badges and redirect them to the office. Have a great week ahead! |
The "Szczech" List
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Monday, 9/9 (D)- Start of a great week at WM!
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Thoughts for the week... Sept. 2, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" Hopefully you have enjoyed a lovely long weekend in honor of the labor day holiday! A special thank you to Alicia, Shannon, Keith and Brianna for their incredible sportsmanship in representing Woodland Meadows at the Ag-Olympics! A good time was had by all! Also, thank you for a successful community meeting! It was a great start to the school year! Several tragic events took place nationwide (and beyond) this weekend. During difficult times, we as individuals, and as a society, tend to be at our best. We come together, offer help and support, and do more to help others. It seems we recognize that our own pains, inconveniences, and challenges pale in comparison to those in need. When faced with tragedy, we really do amazing things. It begs the question: Why don't we do better during the "good" times? In thinking about that, I am proud of our Woodland family. We, too, have faced good times and challenging times. I am so proud of how this team comes together to support one another. As we move into week 2, reach out and offer a helping hand, an encouraging smile or step in where you can. I know it will be appreciated! |
The "Szczech" List
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Tuesday, 9/3 (E)-
Thursday, 9/5 (B)-
HAVE A GREAT WEEK AHEAD! |
Thoughts for the week... August 25, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" You may not believe it When you overhear But the 19-20 school-year Is finally here! Our team came together Had some awesome PD The 7 Habits and teaching students About the Leader in Me. Some of us traveled, And some stayed near- Concerts, boats, campfires Smiles from ear to ear. The building is ready Floors shining bright, New carpet in music and I-Lab What a beautiful sight! Our letters went out, they calmed anxious moms Nancy and Ronda, you sure are the bomb! Thanks to Scott, Kerrie and Sue Who scrubbed, cleaned, managed new furniture too! Teachers, your rooms are ready, For those sweet little faces Thanks for your hard work Making great learning spaces! Our tutors and paras, we’re thankful for you Supporting our learners Such important work you do! Alison, Rhonda and Annie That great cafe team Feeding our students The cafe runs like a dream! We welcome new staff, Alicia, Wendy and Hope We searched the county with only the best in our scope! No principal could be prouder of this terrific staff So remember: self-care and take time for a laugh! Our Woodland family is back! The school year is new- Remember you can count on me, And I’ll count on you. |
The "Szczech" List
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Tuesday, 8/27-
check out our friends in Swartz Creek below! |
Thoughts for the week... August 19, 2019
The Weekly "Buzz" |
Thank you to Nicole and Megan who will be running our student media club! They will provide a link to the morning announcements that will soon be located here!
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Wow! It's hard to believe another school year is upon us! I am thrilled to continue our Leader in Me journey together this year. Much of our time together will be focused on this work. So, communication of important information through this weekly memo will be essential. Please be sure to read the memo each week and allow time to check out the links and attachments. It's going to be a great year!!!
August 21 – All Staff
August 21 – All Staff
- 7:15-7:50 – Refreshments – Saline High School Commons
- 8:00-9:00 – Opening Ceremony – Saline HS Performing Arts Center
- 9:15-10:00 – ESP Meeting – Saline HS Media Center (ESP staff should punch out before attending this meeting)
- 9:15-10:00 – SEA Meeting – Saline HS Performing Arts Center
- 10:15-11:45 – Building Staff Meeting – Media Center at WM (ESP staff should punch back in at WM for this meeting)
- 11:45 – 1:00 – Lunch on Your Own
- 1:00 – 3:00 – Building Activities (SAS Learning Spaces & More) – Please review this presentation (8 slides) before our meeting: Y5-5 Learning Spaces Slide Deck
- 1:00 – 1:45 – Special Education teachers will meet with our para team to review assignments for this year (note, change of time so you can return to the HS on time for your meeting with Molly/Monica)
- 1:00-1:45- Grade level teachers please meet with me to set up SeeSaw accounts, answer any questions about Y5-5 Learning Spaces Slide Deck
- 1:45-3:00- Set up for Open House/twitter challenge
- 2:00 – 3:00 – Paraeducators return to Saline HS for PD w/ Molly Garcia & Monica Ellis
- 5:30 – 7:00 – Woodland Meadows Open House
- 8:00-3:00 Launching Leadership Training