Updates - 24 February 2017

Hello everyone,

I'm reporting to you live this morning from the National Title 1 Conference as I sit in a large break-out session on the subject of Early Childhood Professional Development in Language and Literacy, one of many compelling presentations I've been able to attend over the course of the last three days.

Science Says So
We all know, from our own first-hand experience, as well as from the research that we've read over the years, that there's one proven predominant, over-arching factor that determines how students will succeed in school: socio-economics.  Poverty.  It's not a judgement, it's a fact: poor students don't usually do as well in school as wealthier ones.

At Marshall, we do a lot to try and counteract the effects of poverty on our students, we feed them, counsel them, create detailed individualized educational plans for them, and ensure they're physically active and healthy.  But still, we often find ourselves swimming upstream in this regard, battling the force of the current that is all that's happening (or not happening) to them at home every day. And as they cross the threshold and enter our school each morning, we begin this battle anew.

I was encouraged yesterday to hear school improvement expert, Dr. Joseph Johnson, speak on the subject of Leadership in America's Best Title 1 Schools, and share with the assembled teachers and administrators this simple fact: the collective efficacy of a school team can be more powerful than socio-economic factors in predicting student achievement.  What does that really mean?  It means that you, us, we as a school-team can win this fight.  Scientific research says so.  But, our experience says so, too.  By working together we know we can leverage our experience and effort to counteract any student's socio-economic status.  But it's only by working together, with a common sense of purpose and a collaborative approach, that we can accomplish this.

Excellent teaching and excellent teachers working together are stronger than the effects of poverty.

That's powerful.  Amazingly powerful.

More about my trip to Title 1 in next week's Blue Note. Stay tuned...

Calendar

• Monday 27 Feb
• Coe & White to chaperone Fisher/Baker/Fisk Snowbowl trip, 9:00
• Tuesday 28 Feb
• Payday!
• SEI Parent Night, 5:00
• Wednesday 01 Mar
• PTO in the Library, 6:30
• Thursday 02 Mar
• Faculty Meeting CANCELED
• Coe & White to chaperone Arnold/Bergs Snowbowl trip, 9:00
• Friday 03 Mar
• End of third quarter
• Saturday 04 Mar
• Viola Awards at HCCC, 5:00

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Updates - 17 February 2017

Can you name them all?

Hello everyone,

Another rainy/snowy weekend ahead, I think.  Yay.  At least it's gonna be a long one.  

I'd just like to say thanks to all our dead and former presidents.  Now, more than ever, we're grateful to you for all you've done for us.

Fun fact: officially, Monday is actually the federal holiday called Washington's Birthday. It's called various other things in different states. In Arizona it is by statute called Lincoln/Washington/Presidents' Day. Note the position of the apostrophe. The existence or nonexistence of the apostrophe, and its position before or after the S also varies by state.

And in California, it's just called "the third Monday in February" which is kind of awesomely banal.

RTI Next Week
We're going to cancel RTI Tier 2 interventions next week because we're going to be short several key interventionists.  Here's why...

I'm going to be taking a few members of Marshall's faculty with me to attend the National Title 1 Conference in Long Beach next week.  I'm excited to be able to have Cheryl Paulsen, Amy Hanno, and Janelle Reasor accompany me to this excellent multi-day series of seminars on a host of issues and concerns that are vital to our ongoing success.  I'm hopeful they will all return, as I always do, with great new ideas and inspirations to help us move our parent-engagement, reading intervention, PBIS, school leadership, and extracurricular programs forward in the future.

Heather Overton will officially have the helm as acting-principal while I'm away, and Sheila White will be available to assist with PBIS-related matters as her schedule permits.

Calendar

• Monday 20 Feb.
• NO SCHOOL - Lincoln/Washington/Presidents' Day
• Wednesday 22 Feb.
• National Title 1 Conference
• Kindergarten Registration, 4:30-6:30
• Thursday 23 Feb.
• National Title 1 Conference
• Friday 24 Feb.
• National Title 1 Conference

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Updates - 10 February 2017

Next year's holiday shirt?

Hello everyone,

Don't know about you, but I'm sure glad it's almost the weekend. Wish I could tell you it's going to be a lovely one. But I think it's going to be kinda icky out instead. Rain on Saturday eventually turning to snow overnight and into Sunday morning. I really don't like winter rain. Wrecks everything.

Still, I hope you're able to find something enjoyable to do, even if you're not able to get outdoors. Rest, read, relax. Come to work Monday renewed.

Playground Concerns
You don't need to be told, our playground is a mess.  Three feet of snow and then a series of exceptionally warm days has turned it into a swamp.  And the weekend forecast bodes poorly for its improvement.

I'm going to walk the grounds with Mr. Kuhn again today in hopes that he will be better able to understand the situation we face here whenever we have a large-scale precipitation event.  I'm hopeful he will be able to help us engineer better drainages.

Anyway, I'd really like us to continue to be able to send our kids out to recess.  But if we're going to do that, we need to make some accommodations and adaptations to our regular routines in order to continue to be able to send kids to the playground.   Prior to going out for morning/afternoon/lunch recesses, I'd like to ask you to speak with your kids directly and deliberately about a few new/temporary playground expectations I've devised until we dry out.  

I know this won't work for everyone, but maybe it will for a few. 

Please tell them to avoid puddles.  Please tell them to keep their hands to themselves.  Please tell them to keep their shoes on.  Please tell them to stay outside the orange fencing on the field.  Please tell them not to lay in the mud and/or wallow in it, build fortifications, miniature cities, or other mock dwellings in it.

We've taped off the swings temporarily to discourage kids from dragging their feet through the puddles beneath each.

Not actually our students,
but they almost could be

Please tell them not to play any kinds of run-and-tag, run-and-push, or run-and-tackle games like cops-and-robbers, FBI, monkey-on-the-ground, and/or other kinds of games that lead to the aforementioned physical interactions that commonly result in a kid ending up on the ground where it's super muddy and gross.

For the next little while, please pay extra close attention to our students' whereabouts whenever it falls to you to keep an eye on them outside.  Please do whatever you can to keep them dry.  Thanks.

FUSD STEM Night at NAU
Earlier in the week, Mrs. Reasor wrote to all of you:

"Marshall must participate in the community STEM night.
DATE: Monday, March 6th, 2017
TIME: Doors open 5:30 - 7:30pm (set up ~5pm)
TABLES: two six foot tables
NO Electricity

We all know Marshall makes this our STEAM night! Our table has been an event favorite. I need to know who will participate this year. What interactive project can you bring to the table? Wish to display something? Great! Marshall is doing AMAZING things! This is our chance to show the community! Please let me know as it is one month away! Put some students in charge of an activity. We will stand back and watch the magic. Bring it guys! Please reply all so we have a solid plan!
I Marshall!"

A few of you have already let her know what you're willing/able to demo/display at this (required for all schools) well-attended, exciting, community-wide outreach event.  If you haven't done so already but find yourself eager to showcase your wares and abilities before a massive crowd of curious onlookers, please let her know of your commitment ASAP.  Thanks!

Tax Credit Campaign

Our collections have slowed down some this week.  We've been parked at about $25,000 for some time.  That means we're still approximately $15,000 short of the fundraising goal we've set in order to sustain your fieldtrips and our highly successful and popular magnet programs for another year.

Thanks, as before, for doing all you're able to do to get this message in front of your parents, friends, neighbors and others before they pay their 2016 taxes.  Once they've paid them, it's too late to make a contribution to our school for last year.

Remember: this program works to our advantage, but it also works to the advantage of everyone who pays taxes in the state of Arizona, you included.  The state has already withheld from all of our paychecks a substantial amount of money, well in excess of the $200 (for individuals) and $400 maximum contributions folks can make to our school.  The tax credit program merely allows taxpayers to "move" that money out of the state Treasury Department and into Marshall School's accounts.  It's really very simple.  But it's also an essential component of our annual funding formula. 

More information about the state's public school tax credit program is available on the school blog.  Contributions can be made by check to the front office and/or online by clicking the Click Here in the Blue Note Blog sidebar at-right.

Thanks for all your efforts in this regard.

Science Fair

We're going to hold our 30th Annual Marshall Science Fair next week! Wow!

At dismissal time during the Fair, our kinders will gather in the Science Lab rather than in the Gym. When buses are called all other students will line up when they're called, one bus at at time, in the hallway in front of the school office. 

We will not use the Gym at all for bus dismissal during the Science Fair. 

Sure hope you will considered joining the throngs of people who will turn out for our annual Science Fair Family Night event on Wednesday evening. Parents love it when you're there right along with them to oogle and praise the great work your students have done.

Thanks for your flexibility with lunch and the school-wide support of this unique, hallmark event.

Mon. 13 Feb.
Science Fair setup, 7:30am-11:30am
Science Fair interviews (5th graders only) 9:00am – 11:20am Science Lab
Science Fair judging 11:30am – 6:30pm Gym
Sack lunches in classrooms.
Gym unavailable ALL DAY.

Tues. 14 Feb.
Science Fair class walk-throughs during school hours
Sack lunches in classrooms
Gym unavailable ALL DAY

Wed. 15 Feb.
Science Fair class walk-throughs during school hours
Sack lunches in classrooms
Gym unavailable ALL DAY
Science Fair Family Night 5:00-6:30pm 

Thurs. 16 Feb.
Science Fair clean up 8:00-10:00am
Regular lunch schedule.
Gym available after clean up.

PTO RAK Spirit Week
Our awesome PTO's RAK Week committee has been hard at work coming up with some great ideas for their first annual Random Acts of Kindness event. Here are the spirit days they intend to promote next week:

More information about RAK Week events is was forwarded to you this morning.  Please check your email.

Calendar

• Monday 13 Feb
• Site Council in the Library, 4:00
• Tuesday 14 Feb
• Payday!
• Coe @ HR director selection committee, 3:00
• Wednesday 15 Feb
• Science Fair Family Night, 5:00
• Friday 17 Feb
• Emergency drill (Fire), 9:30 
• Be prepared to improvise if your evacuation location is under water, a bog, or covered with snow
• Faculty Meeting, 1:00

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Updates - 03 February 2017

Hello everyone,

Well, it's February.  And, the halcyon days are officially and completely over for sure.  They didn't last long.  But then, they never do.

Sorry for my repeated absences from work this week.  The required (for admins) two-day Adaptive Schools seminar all day on Monday and Tuesday was beneficial training for our small team, I think.  And on Thursday I was able to get to know the first five (of eight) applicants for Exceptional Student Services (SPED) Director in (75 minute) interviews.  FYI: I'll be out again on Monday to complete the last three of these interviews.  I'm hopeful the committee (there are 12 of us representing many aspects of the district) will select a couple outstanding candidates from this pool to send forward for round two interviews with Mr. Dirksen.

Then the committee to hire a new Human Resources Director starts on 14 February.  I was asked to be on that one, too.  I know that means more time out of the building for me, most likely.  And I'll be sorry about that, too.  But, in the interest of finding folks who will help us all do our work well rather than halt or hinder us from doing it, I feel like I'd rather have a voice in this process than not, ya know.

Calendar

• Monday 06 Feb
• Coe at ESS Dir hiring committee,  8:00-1:00
• Coe at Admin, 1:00-4:00
• Friday 10 Feb
• Kindergarten Valentines dance, 6:00

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