Winfield Middle School Parent Blog
Jan 25, 2016
Our School Board Is...
Board Member Appreciation Week
A public entity like a school district is typically led by a team. By democratic vote through the election process, this group earns the responsibility, burden, task or duty of guiding and steering the entire district. Decisions permeate the entire culture and climate of a district, and much like Washington DC, the school board serves as a crucible of ideas, perspectives and eventual outcomes centered on students. There will and should always be some negotiation and sharing of ideas and at the end of the day, the best final result.
Please make a special effort this week to express gratitude and appreciation to those citizens who make this extra effort to serve the community in this capacity. It is often a thankless position. These servants do not give of their time and energy for the power or prestige the position holds, but to serve children, futures and the community.
This servant mindset prompts us, at the Middle School, to express our most sincere thanks to the Winfield School Board: Mike Bash, Mike Bromwich, Jen Bryan, Kristen Burkemper, Melanie Jordan, Craig Politte and Jim Taylor.
THANK YOU, TEAM.
Special Accolades - Black Card or Red Card Status
Everywhere in life, we are evaluated, judged, ranked and scored. Sometimes it is discouraging to be under the microscope so often, but at the Middle School we want that to pay off for our students. We award special status to a few different groups of students meeting higher expectations in regard to behavior, academics and attendance. Our school uses a Distinguished Warriors positive recognition program at Winfield Middle School designed to be accessible for all students. Qualifying students will earn Distinguished Warrior recognition that entitles them to different levels of privileges. There are two levels of Distinguished Warriors; Red and Black.
To qualify for a Red Level; students must have a 3.5 or higher GPA; 95% or better attendance; no major discipline referrals and no more than two minor referrals in one week.
To qualify for a Black Level; students must have a 3.0 or higher GPA; 95% or better attendance; no major discipline referrals and no more than two minor referrals in one week.
Even our local newspaper made a special note.
Snow days - Mark your calendars
As addressed in our district Calendar, our SNOW MAKE UP DAY will be a full day slated for Feb 15th, President’s Day.
Upcoming Schedule
Monday - 1/25
Progress Reports are emailed and hard copies sent home with students.
Tuesday - 1/26
Wednesday - 1/27
Thursday - 1/28
Friday - 1/29
Upcoming
Feb 3 - Early Release -
Feb 19 - Middle School Glow Dance right after school until about 4:30pm. Please plan accordingly. Special discounts will be available for students earning Black Card or Red Card status.
FEB 28 - We are not sure about a rescheduling of the www.harlemwizards.com yet. Once the event is rescheduled, tickets will be available at Central Office.
On another positive note…
Schools are often tasked with the privilege of preparing our next generation for their future. While academically building their various capacities, we also serve meals, sponsor clubs and teams, host social events and support those less fortunate than even ourselves. Sometimes, these other responsibilities seem to distract us from our goal of educating our children. Listed below are results from our January eValuate tests and a POSITIVE TREND IS DEFINITELY OBSERVED. Our students are in fact getting better scores.
{See the building January data below}
...eValuate Cycle A of Content Tested
{steady overall growth. Very nicely done!}
...and...
...the Cycle B of Content Tested
@McCracken63
Intrinsic or Extrinsic?
As a principal, I get to hear great comments, thoughts and questions about motivation. Of course we want all students to be perfectly motivated, excited and willing to learn every day and always wanting to do their best, but this is still the middle school. That might not happen.
In the meantime, we work with them, encouraging them, watching true growth and learning happen and are even encouraged ourselves. Do they work for food? Would they work to go bowling? Would knockerball take it over the top? Is Six Flags a true carrot? Is our relationship what matters the most? Does knowing their name and using it politely help? Do their lives matter? Are their interests worth asking about?
It seems like these questions could go on and on, like the diversity among a population. And maybe that is part of the solution? Maybe all of these have their place? Maybe each will work with various sub-groups? Maybe some students just want to be noticed and mentioned? Maybe some need more to continue their development?
For example, a 5th grader I met last weekend showed me a “book” she had written. It took all of her 4th grade year, and one could tell she had invested many hours in the finished product. It was illustrated, published, copyrighted and bound in a hardback binding. Optimal motivational techniques for her? She might want to spend time in a game and social interaction. On the other hand, her brother will want to go outside and take risks. Like their diversity, our students have diversity and all of our programs are intending to reach different students. One program doesn’t solve all the issues but all of them together demonstrate we are willing to serve each sub-group specifically, individually and intentionally. Like our diversity, they have diversity. Hence, we respond with diverse and varied interventions. Will one work, everytime with every student? Of course not. Let’s develop what works for them.
WE WILL STRIVE TO STAY THE COURSE: PBiS, Binder Teams, Grade Levels, Steering, Classroom Rules and Procedures, Buddy Sheets, HOT Sheets, After School Detention, In-School Suspension, Out of School Suspension, Lunch Detention, Hall Restrictions, Homework Tracking Sheets, individual conversations, class discussions, attitudes, consistency, healthy conflict resolution and relationship building across the board that we engage in with the students daily.
Thank you
Tom McCracken
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