Winfield Middle Parent Blog
November 14, 2016
Welcome,
The different schedules we’ve needed in the past week really affect our students with a broad range of atypical behaviors. At school, we continue to front-load, then intervene as necessary, teaching manners the entire time. The students might not have mastered the expected behaviors for assemblies, special events and the less structure that surrounds those activities. Regardless, our goal is not to eliminate these events, programs and activities but teach students how to behave in any circumstance.
Schedule:
Monday:
- 7th Grade basketball against Silex (girls@5:00; boys@6:00)
Tuesday:
- The Board meeting is today
- 7/8th Boys Basketball against Orchard Farm (7th@5:00; 8th@6:00)
Wednesday:
- Red/Black Card Celebration
- Early Release
- Winter Sports pictures are:
- 12:35 pm - MS Girls Basketball @ MS Gym
- 1:00 pm - MS Boys Basketball @ MS Gym
- 1:35 pm - MS Cheer @ MS Gym
Thursday:
- Math Planning/Collaboration Day
- 8th Grade basketball against Silex (girls@5:00; boys@6:00)
Trying to be BRIEF this week. Just a few scheduling details for the week. The students actually flourish within these routines. Distractions like last week are wonderful learning opportunities for them to explore in a safe and secure setting. In the Middle School we support them, pull them aside and intervene, guide and then re-direct them in proper and expected behaviors. They really don’t know yet, but together, we can get them to their #nextlevel.
From The Middle School,
Tom McCracken
What follows is our final Board of Education monthly report.
We have shared some of this information but other things may be redundant.
--------------------------------------------------
Soft skills as well as hard skills!
Why post our goals? Why publish those goals? Why share them with others?
* Math - 24% up to 34%
* ELA - 59% up to 70%
* Science - 37% up to 45%
* Attendance - 90/90 & 95%
* Discipline - Reduction of Majors by 20%
* Parent Involvement - Increase the realistic opportunities for parents to connect with the Middle School
Middle School Goal #1: 1 Student Achievement
The numbers at the dots are as follows:
2009 16.7
2010 18.5
2011 6.7
2012 17
2013 7.9
2014 5.7
2015 6.9
2016 16.7
The year is followed by the percent of schools in the state we exceed.
Nicely done! Yes, last year, www.schooldigger.com increased our scores and ratings. Major contributions in math and among the cohorts progressing through the building and a tighter bell shaped curve for us demonstrated increased consistency in the building among the teams. Well done team. I would like to stay focused on our Pick Three Activity as a steering force.
Building Snapshot- eValuate
2015
2016
2. 
MATH
3. 
Note: Math at 4% and 3 % last year.
This year we are at 4% & 5%.
4. 
5. 
Note: ELA was at 18% last year.
This year we are at 24%
6. 
eValuate questions are all displayed on the computer screen.
For instance…
ELA
7. 
8. 
Math -
9. 
10. 
#2: Student Behavior
11. 
The minors are increasing while the majors are decreasing.
12. 
RED CARD/BLACK CARD STATUS
(Think grades, behavior and attendance)
These students have managed to attend school according to expectations, behaver properly, and achieve higher marks in their academic endeavors. Building wide, 158 students have met those proficient expectations. Through the Red Card/Black Card Programs, they earn discounts to events, special incentive days and
HOW MANY OF EACH GRADE?
61- 6th graders
48- 7th graders
56- 8th graders
Intervention
13. 
14. 
Attendance
2016 = 96.06% YTD 2015 = 95.25% YTD
Sports,
Note that score, 29-28, GOOD GUYS at Winfield Middle School.
#overnightsuccesstakesfiveyears
#victorylane
Political News from the Middle School,
A quick, non-binding student presidential poll at the middle school announced our prediction at 2:46 pm on Tuesday afternoon, right before the end of our day. We expected Trump to win 66% of the popular vote! After watching the rest of the evening unfold, we were impressed by our own predictive acuity.
(We MAY have a potential career as pollsters and political extrapolation for performance results.)
Some of our current events Link to Tandem Calendar
- Nov 9th - Brunswick #onthemap Celebration
- Nov 10th - Fundraising Pizza Hut/Limo Ride
- Nov 11th - Veterans Day
- Nov 16th - Red/Black Card Celebration
- Nov 21st - Meganmeierfoundation.com seminar for school culture
- Nov 29th - Myra Collins Math PD Day
- Dec 7th -
- Early Release
- Pepsi with the Principal
- Dec 8th - ELA Planning Day
- Dec 13th - PBiS Tier I & II PD Day
- Dec 14th - HS/MS Choir Concert
- Dec 19th - Middle School Band Concert
- Dec 21st - Early Release - Semester End
These 8th graders demonstrated great composure while hanging out with their distant cousins from the high school. During our celebration, we kept our word, followed up and invited the 9th graders that contributed to our status to join us for an event at Brunswick XL Zone in O’Fallon.
#Solid
“Yeah, We’re cool!”
Seriously:
Watching our team of Middle School Teachers work, share, interact, collaborate, cooperate and inspire each other continuously impresses me. Watching the students with their generous hearts, kind spirits and cooperative attitudes reflects the solid quality upbringing in households throughout Winfield. From the comments and interactions with parents at events and practices, to the way folks step up to help each other, to so many positive remarks and notes of encouragement, to the daily lunchtime conversations, this community is becoming home. As only a 7 year veteran, I will always feel like “the new guy.” Regardless, I am proud and privileged to play that minor role. In fact, last Thursday I was supervising lunches with 300 of my favorite people, (students) and I had an epiphany. I realized how fortunate I am to be able to serve this community of families, community and staff. Corporately, we all blend within our diversity and even though we don't all agree on everything, we model tolerance and acceptance for each other and the children like few other settings or environments. These insights combined with the encouragement from supervising lunch periods continues to increase our compassion for our students.
The Middle School is about…
- Formative Assessment
- eValuate/MAP Incentives like Brunswick
- Curriculum Development
- Parent / Teacher Conferences
- Students of Poverty
- Student/Teacher Relationships
- Fundraising to afford extra activities
- Chromebooks for All
- Ac Lab Challenges/Assemblies
- Digital Dream Work
- MobyMax for all
- eValuate for all,
- Results Review
- eValuate Problem of the Day
- Newspapers in Education
- NewsELA
- Data Walls
- NEE Teacher Evaluations
- Units of Instruction
- Indicators & Strategies
- Lesson Plans
- Word Walls
- Good Teacher/Student Relationships
- Pacing Guides
- Student led lessons
- Bully prevention initiatives
- Thrive Presentations
- Lesson Plans
- Readers/Writers Workshop
- Curriculum Maps
- Student Self Reported Grades
- Teacher Support
- Collaborative Work Grant
- Math Consultants
- ELA Trainers
- Teacher Collaboration
- Block Scheduling in ELA
- Student Centered Classroom
- Binder Content Meetings
- Parent Positive Postcards Home
- PBiS
- WOWs, Tokens, Tickets
- SWBAT
- Collaboration Days
- Pepsi (& Pizza*) with the Principal
- Staff Celebration
Serving students, community and staff of Winfield,
Tom McCracken
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