Authentic Learning Opportunities

 This past week, Cole Johnson, Katelyn Howell, Cole Hess and Carissa Meyer finished their entry into the Harvard Innovation Center Neuromaker Challenge.  With the help of Ray Niehaus and Industrial Designer Mick Hetman from Hetman Designs, this group of students completed the challenge of building, programming and applying sensors in the hand that would allow for the prosthetic to perform sensitive tasks that a real hand could do.   The team was developed with a myriad of Career Pathway knowledge from computer science (Carissa), Engineering (Katelyn and Cole Hess) and Biomedical (Cole Johnson) that allowed them to learn how to pull from each other's strengths, work as a team and perform a learning task for an authentic audience.  You can see their contest video entry below.  It is only 2 minutes - so I hope you can watch it!  (Under the Video Tab)

For me, authentic, project-based learning opportunities are such an important component of learning.  Research shows that when PBL projects are implemented well that it helps students with long-term retention of content, prepares students for deeper learning and high-level thinking skills, improves problem solving skills, and improves students' attitudes on learning.  We have been fortunate over the past few years to provide our students with these opportunities in our classrooms and I hope we can continue to be a front runner in education reform by continuing to partner with local business and industry to create opportunities for our students such as these.  

This project is a celebration of all of your hard work.  It takes all of us to help students attain the knowledge and skills to complete in a project such as this.  Thanks to all of you for providing strong background knowledge to these students.  My challenge to all of you is to continue to look for authentic ways for students to grow and develop.  You will change a student's trajectory in life and help them see that learning is fun!  

Videos:

Neuromaker Challenge - PC

What I Learned

                                                                    Shout Outs: 

* Shout out to Carol Schwoeppe, Seth Gehlhausen, Melissa Toothman, Nancy Poehlein and Kris Walsh for providing our junior high students the opportunity to work together and perform a community service project this week.  Students created tie blankets, Christmas Cards and videos for the Nursing Homes.  They will be delivered this week.  Doing things for others is a great way to increase empathy and connection for our students.  Thank you for helping our students serve others!

If you haven't heard, Commodore Manufacturing is selling Christmas Ornaments in Guillaume's Store!  Could be a great last minute stocking stuffer!!  Great job CM!

Reminders: 

* Grades are due at 11:59 on Wednesday, January 6th

* There are 5 more gift cards available for tomorrow!!!  Last Chance to find an Elf!

* First day back to school is January 4th

* Feel free to wear Jeans this week!

Laughter

 We have all heard the old adage that "Laughter is the best medicine."  Truth is, it really does have positive short-term benefits - including releasing feel-good endorphins.  Long-term effects include a improved immune system, pain relief and improved mood.  

                  Dr. Boogren's self-care invitation this week is: Laugh, giggle and snort.  

     * Watch funny videos:   This is a video that my son Justin and I giggled at for a while this weekend.  (Maybe it is just because I come from a family of boys.)

        Funny Teacher Video

   * Spend time with animals

   * Be silly - have fun with your kids!  

   * Sing at the top of your lungs. 

   * Share a funny story with others. 

   * Learn and Share new jokes or tricks!  

Important Information: 

Speaking of Laughing - 12 Days of Christmas Video Taping will be held on the stage.  A time will be set and shared tomorrow.  Even if you were not there last time, please feel free to join us for the fun!

Early College Activity - On Tuesday, December 15 and Thursday, December 17th students in the 11th and 12th grade that are interested in attending a 2 or 4 year college are encouraged to report to the library for programming during 2nd period.  Recent graduates will be sharing their experiences of college.  This is a very powerful experience for our students and helps them understand the importance of their high school experiences.   Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.    

Surprise and Delight:  This week, we have a couple of surprise and delights for our students.  On Monday/Thursday during 2nd period students will be called out by grade for hot chocolate and Tuesday/Friday Subway Cookies will be delivered during 3rd period.  These surprises should be quick and easy.  We know the time you have with your students is valuable - but these fun breaks are important for learning as well!  

Christmas Dress Up Days:                        Monday - Christmas pajamas

Tuesday - Santa hats, reindeer ears, and Christmas socks

Wednesday - for the Staff - Red (for Ed) & Green (for PC) Christmas day 

Thursday - Red/Green day

Friday - Ugly Christmas sweater 

Missing Work Link:  Please continue to use the missing list link.  If you have a student that you feel needs some extra time this week to make up work - please let Phil or Jody know and we will try to get them to school on Wednesday.    https://forms.gle/9kC4woyVYacs72zSA

Grades:  Reminder that grades will be due January 6th at mid-night for students.  If you have students that have incomplete grades, this information has to be added in the high school office - you can let Phil or Jody know.  Please remember to have learning opportunities through the end of the day on Tuesday.  

Links:   We have some more students that have been added to the 4 day a week list and the on-line list.  You can find the links to these documents below: 

        Hybrid Document

      

        On-Line Students

Lunch - A reminder we will have a staff lunch on Wednesday.  COVID friendly lunches will be delivered at 11:30 in the high school office. 

 

Our students are so lucky to have such a caring and inspiring faculty and staff.  Remember, you are the light to so many.  Let it shine this week!  

Self-Care Tip:  Kindness - Research shows that doing good for others stimulate positive areas in your brain, helping us create positive feelings!  It gives us purpose and self-worth.  

    This Week's Invitation:  Commit to paying kindness forward (hold the door open, smile, offer compliments, assume positive intent for everyone you meet.)    Count how many times you were able to pay it forward each day!

Looking forward to seeing everyone back in the building!  

Spreading Cheer -  Calling all teachers/assistants who are interested in having a little fun with our students!   We would like to create a 12 Days of Christmas Parody that is similar to the video below.  If you are interested in joining several other teachers in creating this, please meet at the stage on Wednesday, December 9th at 11:30.  Our plan is to practice this week and record it next week!  The more the merrier! Even if you don't want to look goofy, we will need singers!  We all need some JOY in our lives this season!

12 Days of Christmas Parody - Click here for a laugh.

Important Information: 

* COVID - Just a reminder that Social Distancing, Mask Wearing and Washing Hands are all the best defensive methods against COVID-19.   Please spread out students throughout your classrooms and help them remember these steps of safety!  Seating charts are a key part of our success as well.  Thank you!

* Lunches:  During the Hybrid Only, all students will be eating in the cafeteria during their lunch times.  Assistants who cover lunches in the classroom, please report to the cafeteria during this time.  If we have too many students, we will ask you to help us take them elsewhere to eat.  We will resume lunches in the classrooms when we are back in-person.

* Attendance:  Please continue to mark students who are not in your class absent.  We will clean up their attendance in the high school office.  We know our on-line and hybrid list may not be accurate and we hope to get it back to very accurate this week with all of your help!

Important Documents: 

We know it is very difficult to keep up with the documents that house information about COVID schedules ad students.  I have created a folder in the Teacher Resource Folder in Google to organize these for you.  I hope it helps!

* Hybrid Updates - Please take a look at this document for Hybrid updates/student schedules.  We have asked some students to attend for 4 days a week and we are starting to get some students in on Wednesdays.  Also, there are a few students that are switching days.  All of this information can be found on this document.  You will notice the tabs at the bottom.  One tab is a list of students and the days they will attend, 2nd tab is a list of 4 day a week students that do not have IEPs and where they should report on their opposite days, and the 3rd tab is our schedule for Wednesday students and assistants.    Everything on this document will continue to change and evolve.  Document is HERE.  

* On-Line Students - We have had a few more students decide to remain on-line.  We are asking all students that are on-line to please stay virtual through January 15th.   On this document you will see the additional list of students all of the way to the right.  We will continue to place new students here.  Document is HERE. 

* Missing Work - Please continue to fill out the google form HERE for missing work.  If you are someone that is trying to help students get caught up on work and would like to see the list of work missing, HERE is the link to the sheet where all of the information is populated.  Teachers, if you have a chance and can strike a link through work that has been completed, it would help us stay focused on what needs to be accomplished.  

Final Exams:   In a 7-12 building with Early College High School in the mix, we need to have the flexibility for all of you to be able to wrap up the semester appropriately.   We ask that students are engaged in meaningful work each and every day - what ever that needs to look like for your students.  Here are a few logistics: 

      * We will not block time on any of our days remaining in December.  All class periods will remain the same. 

      * On December 21, 22 we will NOT bring in Thursday/Friday students.  Thursday/Friday student's last day in person will be December 18th.  

      * Grades are due in the gradebook by January 6th at midnight.  Please make sure that all incomplete grades are cleaned up by this time so that semester grades are accurate.  Transcripts are very important for seniors during this time of the year for scholarship and college application purposes.  

Winter Break Cheer: 

     * Wednesday, December 9th - Please stop by the high school office to enjoy a Hot Chocolate/Coffee Bar!  COVID free goodies available!

     * Wednesday, December 16th - Lunch will be provided.  Details later!