Thursday, March 30, 2017

From #ontheMAP to #NextLevelTeaching


April 3rd - 7th
#onthemap???
Just a brief examination of these scores shows incredible growth and progress.  Anticipation reigns.
As protocol suggests, the GREEN Boxes are this year 2016-17 and the RED Boxes surround last year’s scores.
What can we do for anyone reaching their personal best on this last April cycle of eValuate tests?
As protocol suggests, the GREEN Boxes above are this year 2016-17 and the
RED Boxes below surround last year’s scores.
We have one more eValuate cycle to go!  
BBQ Hot Dog Coupon for the Field Day Lunch for anyone getting a Personal Record this last test?
As protocol suggests, the GREEN Boxes above are this year 2016-17 and the
RED Boxes below surround last year’s scores.
A building wide focus on achievement and academics is only part of the progress. Questions of the Day, good pedagogy, feedback, formative testing and collaboration all seem to be contributing factors.  Keep it up!


Attendance
Still climbing!  
Let’s continue growing our relevance, rigor and relationships
to help our students each reach their best #nextlevel and urging them to want to attend.

Follow up Notes and Comments
Minor or Major?
We also discussed tuning our Master Building Schedule.  No small amount of effort, strategy and forethought about teaming up a pair of 6th grade ELA teachers was spent.  We have looked at the options from many angles and might not fully reach that goal next year.  With that in mind, we are looking and minor adjustments to our current situation and NOT the major reworking as introduced.
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Saturday, March 25, 2017

Welcome Back to WMS, Spring 2017

Middle School Schedule for March 27th - 31st
You’ve seen the “soft opening” of the first ever
Now get ready for the Grand Opening of the Summer Journey Registration Window
We will host an assembly on Monday, March 27th, first thing to let all those invited know about the details… Early Signups will be honored as well! What will you do this Summer? Have fun AND learn at the same time? We will! Come join us! You’ll also EARN a crisp Ben Franklin for PERFECT attendance and we’ll have breakfast, lunch and transportation!
NOTE: There is still time to take a vacation after the regular school year and before the Summer Journey begins!
Spring Break, Equinox
Equi - nox  = Equal night and day times when the sun is directly over the equator, splitting the northern and southern hemisphere.
Did anyone try and balance an egg?
I wonder who took this shot from the middle of the road???
Thursday presented a gorgeous sunrise!
For the week of March 27th - 31st
Monday - March 27th
  • Summer School Kick off for 6th and 7th graders ONLY
    • Traditional Summer School and Summer Academy available for 8th graders
  • Track Practice continuing
Tuesday - March 28th
  • 5th Grade Step Up Day
    • We are working on a plan to maximize our learning as well as set the minds at ease of the incoming 5th graders
  • Photographer here taking PERSONALITY PORTRAITS this AM
These order forms are available in the office AND online at:
Use Password:  WINFIELDMS
Please send receipt to photographer.
  • Bright Futures Meeting
Wednesday - March 29th
  • Bus Evacuation Practice in the gravel lot in the AM as students practice these seldom used but necessary emergency procedures
  • 5th Grade Step up Day
Thursday - March 30th
  • Chess Club - Mr. Utlaut’s room
Friday - March 31st
  • City Museum with Book Club
The Mathletes hosted some delicious fun while celebrating Einstein's Birthday!
Q. How big is a Quadrillion?
This day was filled with mathematical explorations, and trying to really understand how the distance around a circle is ALWAYS 3.14 times the diameter. Food, life size measuring, tongues, and technology helped students wrap their heads around the concept of pi!  Did you know pi goes well beyond the 3.14… that we all know. In fact there is NO END to how far it goes on. One mathematician use a bank of 100 computers to figure out pi to 2,000,000,000,000,000 places! (Quadrillion) WOW! Cool.
Upcoming/Ongoing
Middle School Track
How about that track team with over 50 middle school students involved!?
The tradition continues here at Winfield Middle School with students breaking records, practicing, and growing into fine competitors as they face competitors from all over the Conference. Nice work, to all the coaches, players and parents doing the many things  necessary to organize and lead these scholar athletes to their #nextlevel.
“Honey, does this dress make me look fat?”
Reflecting: Speaking of next level…
One of the best things about serving as your Principal is the variety of challenges and puzzles we get to solve, every single day! On a typical school day,  every district employee  might be asked to wear an expansive number of hats, from leader, to manager, to disciplinarian, to nurse, to sounding board, to friend, to parent, to teacher or even custodian or food service worker. It is this diversity that piques our interest, drives our motivation and keeps us striving to make it as good as we can get it. Never satisfied with “good enough,” we push ourselves and EVERYONE in the community to grow, get better and improve their serve. Paying closer attention to detail, reaching for personal records and striving to master objectives in content, relationships and athletics as never before.
This is the Middle School. This is maturity, growing up and getting to the next level. I picked up a book, ALATEEN - a day at a time over the break and opened it to a random page, where the topic suggested the need for a “personal willingness to change from within.” Immediately, I was reminded of how sometimes, even our children face obstacles and distractions that we NEVER would have considered possible just 10 or 15 years ago. With the advancement of Social Media, students learning cyber manners, not saying or typing whatever they think is a necessary skill. However, finally getting an understanding of how discussions happen is an even more important skill to master! We are preparing them for a future that does not exist, yet!
Also forefront in the text was an overarching theme of growth;  we can and do get better, but it takes work, time and effort on our part. Students today face many more obstacles, cyber issues and socially motivated choices. Gone are the days when a student faced simple choices; now, with everyone connected, the choices are continuous and digitally recorded!
As a young man, I had to learn how to master the deflection, especially to the questions like those above that posed limited constructive responses. In the same way, students today need to learn not to say, or write things if the reader will struggle reading them. We try and suggest students THINK, before they post. Is it TRUE, HELPFUL, INSPIRING, NECESSARY, OR KIND? If it is NOT, do not send or post it, PLEASE!
Together, with all of us maintaining the same message of compassion for and understanding of the diversity around us, we will continue on our path of success and growth. Well done Winfield. Keep up the positive comments and encouraging attitudes as we wrap up the 2016-17 school year. We are not done yet!
Honored,
Tom McCracken


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Monday, March 13, 2017

How many hats do you wear?


Middle School Schedule for March 13th - 16th

Is “Thank You” ever enough?

I want to express my gratitude for the way our community stepped up continuously in the recent past. Winfield has faced many obstacles, hurdles and hindrances in the past few weeks, but as a team, you ALL have stepped up. Weather, illness, doctor appointments, accidents, hospital visits, dentist visits, allergies, sick kids, sick selves; it seems like there are emergencies EVERY SINGLE DAY. Getting all 317 students to school every day seems like just about all we can handle. It is hard to pinpoint one single or pivotal role, but if I had to pick one, it would be our office administrative assistant, Kristen. Her ability to wear at a minimum, four hats, was proven this past week. She fills in for the counselor, administrator and custodian all while seamlessly completing her own responsibilities. She copes with multiple voices, students and bodies around her desk, all vying for her attention. She portrays a positive attitude under all this pressure serving the students, parents and staff like they were all her own! She gets kids their lunches, teachers copies, fields phone calls, bus notes, and excused absences, all within a brief span of time. Yet, she persists like a trooper, vesting herself in a better future for all of us. If you see her, how about a special shout out? Thank you, Kristen.

One Reason...

Mr McCracken took a few selfies to prove he was actually working while at Tan Tara.
Thanks again KG for shouldering ALL the extra duties!


For the short week of March 13th - 16th
Monday
  • 8th Grade Shadow Day at the High School
  • Track Practice until Thursday
  • Mandatory Cheer Meeting
Tuesday
  • PBiS Tier 2
  • Math is hosting a pi-day event
  • Board of Education Meeting
Wednesday
  • 8th Grade Shadow Days
  • Early Release Day
  • Math Collaboration Day
Thursday
  • Chess Club - Mr. Utlaut’s room
Friday
  • Spring Break

Upon return, March 27th
  • Kick off assembly for ‘Summer Journey’

Upcoming/Ongoing
  • Step-Up Days for the 5th Graders
    • 3/28
    • 3/29
    • 3/30
    • 4/4
    • 4/6
  • Summer School Registration till March 16th - ALL STUDENTS WELCOME
  • SPRING BREAK - March 17th - 24th
  • Ac Lab Challenge - March 31st
  • April 6 - Bumper Volleyball Tournament 2:45 - 4:30
  • Semi - April 21st
  • BOGO Book Fair - April 24 - 28
  • NJHS Induction - April 25 at 6:30 pm in MS Gym
  • Spring Choir Concert - May 2nd
  • Middle School MAP Testing - May 4th - 11th
  • Field Day - May 15th
  • Spring Band Concert - May 16th
  • Six Flags - May 12th - Begin to sell after Spring Break.
  • Last Day of School - May 17th
  • Graduation - May 21st at 2:00 PM



These pillars represent components of both the Honor Society as well as the Junior National Honor Society for Middle School Students. Induction in these types of service organizations leads to deeper connections, positive influences, role models, and further depth in the entire educational experience we call School.



One of the reasons Kristen had to work so hard was because I was out of town speaking at the National Honor Society State Convention on the Four Pillars of NHS. Throughout the week, KG held down the fort with fantastic agility and grace. Thanks again.
Speaking out of town about these pillars helped me articulate their true meaning. Leadership, Scholarship, Citizenship, and Service formulate the cornerstones of the application and acceptance process of the Society. They have deep, advanced ,and challenging definitions, but they might also be quite simple. Let’s investigate each term further.
LEADERSHIP
Leadership carries many illustrations, quotes, quips, and little phrases to help us better explain what it means to be a leader. For our purposes, let’s say ”leadership” is doing the right thing, regardless. Acting with integrity, doing what is right, even if nobody else is doing it and taking the high road, even if nobody else follows.. Of course, it is nice to have “followers,” but they might not be right behind. Taking the high road often implies it is harder, more challenging, vacant or lonely--and probably even less traveled Regardless, do the right thing!
SCHOLARSHIP 
Scholarship carries an overtone of great study, perfect report cards, lots of book learning, but further exploration may lead to implications for all of us! For instance, if “scholarship” is doing things right, all the time, the rest of us can participate in scholarship by doing the best we can do in any and all endeavours. Academic avenues are not exclusive. We might do our jobs right, stack our boxes at work properly, work smarter, leave things better than found them, and not take those shortcuts. Our act of scholarship may not be doing the right thing, but doing things right! Some may even consider that management.
CITIZENSHIP
Citizenship is just being part of the team. We are all part of various groups, teams, clubs, cliques, as well as countries, cities, and states. Advocating for the entire community takes the focus off ourselves and onto the bigger group. Citizenship might be just as simple as advocating for the team! As a teammate, it could be giving it your all. As a friend, it might be acting as an UPSTANDER and not just a BYSTANDER. A student might behave better in class. Regardless of the group, each of us can act as a part of the team, participating, contributing, and bringing a positive attitude to encourage the betterment of everyone involved.
SERVICE
Finally, Service means making those around you comfortable. Friends, co-workers, parents, siblings, and classmates describe a few of the people we come in contact with throughout our day. Humbly placing others above ourselves, serving their needs and allowing them to pass through doors first are a few simple examples. A hostess, waiter, or concierge will foresee, plan for, and solve a customer’s need before the customer even realizes the deficiency. For instance, a good waitress will never let the tea disappear and have the glass rattle with ice.
Of course, these “soft skills” are only part of our overall purpose at the Middle School. Yes we want to get our scores as high as possible, but not at the cost of these social skills so hard to measure! The Honor Society combines all four indicators and invites many students to apply, but only a portion actually achieve the status and gain induction into the society. Kudos to them.

Briefly,

Tom McCracken
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