10-2-2020

 Thanks for Dr. Woell for running the Town Hall Meetings and for his transparency in posting all questions and answers for everyone to see.

7 ways to do formative assessments in your virtual classroom.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/7-ways-do-formative-assessments-your-virtual-classroom

 Thanks to Todd for his help with working with and articulating with the high school for a student issue the past two weeks.

Station Rotation during Hybrid Learning:

https://www.edutopia.org/article/how-make-station-rotation-work-during-hybrid-learning

Thanks to Tim for his continued work to make sure that we are making Benjamin safe for students and staff.

Thanks to Marcia and Megan S for organizing the N95 mask fitting for our special education staff.

MJ and her students had a fun virtual visit from a Service Dog.  The kids were locked on the screen for the whole session.  What a fun and educational experience for them.  

I truly appreciate the resilience and creativity I continue to see from the staff.  Thanks for giving your best everyday!

Dr. Woell will officially announce to parents two Remote Learning Planning days today. They will take place on October 7th and 21st.  Details will follow.

I started a Principal/Student Advisory Group and we had our first meeting yesterday.  What a smart group of kids.  It is always important to hear all perspectives and they definitely shared the good, the bad and ideas for improvement. I thought you might want to hear some of the great things they had to say:

Schedule is organized and easy to follow

HW is better

Appreciate Flexible Check For Understanding

Happy about Library Book Pick-up

Responsive technology repair turn around

"Teachers usually respond to their inbox within 45 minutes, they are so responsive!"

Teachers have done a good job of answering student questions well

Teachers have stayed longer than the CFU period to help me

Neil Gaiman, famous author delivered a commencement address in 2012 titled "Make Good Art"   I think it is very relevant to our current situation. Here is an excerpt:

I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes.

Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re Doing Something.

So that’s my wish for you, and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody’s ever made before. Don’t freeze, don’t stop, don’t worry that it isn’t good enough, or it isn’t perfect, whatever it is: art, or love, or work or family or life.

Whatever it is you’re scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever.

to listen/watch the whole speech click below: