4th Quarter

 We have made it to the the last quarter of the year.  In a year that we were not sure what it would look like or how it would work we have made it to the stretch run.  The way I look at it, every day from here to the end is gravy as last year we were at home.  I am so excited for our students to be able to finish this school year.  I am excited for our 8th graders.  They will get to finish the year unlike our students from last school year.  The fourth quarter will see our students complete the ILEARN assessment for the second time.  I really look forward to seeing where our students are in there proficiency of the Indiana Academic standards.  This data will serve as our benchmark since we didn't have the assessment last year.  We might expect more of our students to be below proficiency due to the pandemic, we will see.  

Advisory:  The fourth quarter gives us one last chance to to make a difference and to continue to grow as advisors for our students.  Each day during our 40 minutes we can listen more to our students, we can connect more with our students. we can give our students a voice, we can talk to students about their successes or lack of success, we can set goals for this last quarter,  we can reflect. on where we have been, and we can make a difference.  Make the last quarter of advisory the best quarter.  

Engagement: How is it going?  What is working?  This time of year it is important to take what we have learned about our students and about our classes and really put it to work so that students continue to be engaged and stay engaged for as long as we can keep them.  There are many distractions during the fourth quarter, we will have two week of altered schedules, spring break, high school scheduling, end of the year events, so we will have to commit to engaging our students through to the end.  I have heard some great idea and projects as I listened into department collaboration meeting last week.  

Accolades @ Lincoln:  

Betsy Bowen-  Special thanks to Betsy for stepping up and leading our LA department this semester.  Thanks Betsy.  

Kudos to Angie Bronicki for checking in on her mentee for NWEA testing last week.  Great to see our team helping each other out.  

Thanks to all of Team Lincoln for you flexibility with NWEA testing.  I know that many of you helped each other out with various tasks, making groups.  Thanks to Jen Taylor and Darlene for covering in a pinch.  

Upcoming @ Lincoln:  

Tuesday PD-  Virtual/Tech Time-  Tuesday March 16th 3:20-3:50 

                       Tuesday March 30th-  Department Collaboration 

NWEA Reading- Tuesday March 16th - 2hr Delay 

PHS High School Scheduling -  This Week through Social Studies/Humanities

Leadership Team Meeting - Thursday 7:00-7:45 

Spirit Assembly- Friday March 19th 

Grades Due-  Wednesday March 17th 8:00 a.m. 

Reports Cards sent hone- Friday March 19th 

PCSC Tech Committee- If interested contact Ted Fisher via email and copy me.  

PCSC Vaccination Clinic - Thursday March 18th 2:00-5:30 @ PHS Please see Mr. Hartley's email 

End of Quarter Reflection

 

Upcoming @ Lincoln: 

Tuesday PD - Department Collaboration - 7:15-7:45 

                       March 16th- Virtual/Technology Time 3:20-3:50 

NWEA Testing - March 11th - Math - 2hr delay schedule

                            March 16th- Reading - 2hr Delay 

8th Grade Scheduling for PHS-  Week of March 15th 

End of 3rd Quarter - Friday March 12th  Grades due by 8:00 a.m. Wednesday March 17th 

Spirit Week/Assembly- March 19th 2 hr Delay Schedule Thunder and Lightning are responsible for planning.  

Collective Efficacy

 

I came across this graphic organizer in a book that I am currently reading and thought I would share it.  What do you think?  Maybe you already know this and just haven't given it much thought lately.  This is a reminder of the effect size of Collective Teacher Efficacy on student achievement.  The effect size is 1.57 or the highest possible effect size reported for factors that influence student achievement.  When we believe in students and when we believe in the impact that we can have on student achievement then students will believe and when student have high expectations of their own ability it results in the second highest factor that influences student achievement, self reported grades/student expectations with an effect size of 1.44.  Believe in yourself and the impact that you can have with all students and believe in students.  It will help make LJH even more Amazing for our students.  

Accolades @ Lincoln 

Tornadoes and Firestorm-  Kudos to both Houses for their planning and implementation of the Spirit Assembly on Friday.  Well done.  The students had fun and great job of involving lots of kids in the game.  Our students have had such a different experience this year due to COVID so it has been great to continue our tradition of Spirit Assemblies going during this year.  Amazing work to all houses for their planning and implementation for each assembly.  We have one more on the 19th.  

I would like to give kudos to Becky Walters again as she continues to manage our daily attendance and students coming and going.  She recently has worked with several family enrolling.  Thanks Becky for your work in this very different year for attendance.  

Accolades to Carol Gilbert as we approach the end of our winter sports season.  She has done an Amazing job of getting us through the winter season.  After a successful fall season we were challenged with a spike in COVID-19 during the winter season and she has managed the restrictions well and our students have been able to play.  Awesome work Carol, and thanks for everything you have done so that our kids could play their seasons.  

Megan Wiesenberg-  Kudos to Megan for finishing up our Blueberry.  This is a last step of a project that was part of our 7th grade PBL team over the last several years.  We are excited to display it when it is finished.  Many of our former students will be proud to see it on display.  

Brandi Brennan- Kudos to Brandi for her work with our upcoming school musical Frozen.  Students are excited and I know the show will be great.  

Thanks to our 7th grade Science teachers, Cheryl Caine, Maddie Wohlfort, and Jack Hildreth for your flexibility with 7th grade scheduling for next year.  

Upcoming @ Lincoln

Tuesday PD-  Team Lincoln PD - This week all teacher meet in the collaboration hub 3:20-3:50 

                     March 9th - Department Collaboration 7:15-7:45

             

                     March 16th- Virtual/Tech time 3:20-3:50 

NWEA End of Year Assessment-  We will do this testing prior to Spring break because when we get back from break we will be heading into ILEARN season and by the time that is over students will be checked out from the amount of testing.  So NWEA Math is March 11th and Reading is March 16th.  

Board Presentation- Jake and I will present at the board meeting on Tuesday evening about our new classes for next year and our Esports program.  

We will also be in and out on Tuesday through Thursday this week,  mostly in the afternoons as we will be attend some PD at the central office.  

High School Scheduling-  Our 8th graders will be meeting with PHS counselors during the week of March 15th-March 19th 

March Spirit Assembly-  Friday March 19th Thunder and Lightning Houses are responsible for planning.  

End of 9 weeks - Friday March 12th-  Grades due by 8:00 a.m Wednesday March 17th

Have an Amazing Week!  

Esports @ Lincoln

Engagement 

We were excited to have over 100 students attend the call out meeting for our new Esports Team.  This new endeavor at Lincoln will engage a diverse group of our students and we are excited to start the first such team in Plymouth and I believe in the surrounding area.  Esports is a growing interest among gamers world-wide and we have gamers right here at Lincoln.  This is an amazing way for us to connect with our students and increase students sense of belonging to Lincoln.  We also believe that this club will help more of our students be successful in their academic achievement as well.  Our participants are encouraged to make a commitment to represent their team with respect, responsibility, trust, and positivity both in team functions and throughout each school day.  Participants have the choice of playing a variety of games:  Mario Kart, Super Smash Bros, Rocket League, Minecraft, Chess, and Fortnite.  This exciting new opportunity for our students is all about engagement and connecting with our students.  We will share a list of the team when it is complete.  Here is a timeline of their upcoming season.  

March 1st-March 7th Preseason 

March 8th -May 2nd- Spring Season 

May 8th-16th  Playoffs 

May 17th-23rd Championships 

Advisory -  At the mid term of the 3rd quarter, Feb 11th, we have quite a bit of students that are failing one or more classes.  Please use this next several weeks to check in with your advisory students and have conversations around their grades.  Check Powerschool collaboratively and see what they need to do to bring their grades up.  Remember that when we communicate and show students how much we care about their success they will care more about their success.  These check ins with students are our way of communicating that we care about them and their success.  

Accolades @ Lincoln 

Team Lincoln- I continue to be grateful for our Amazing Staff.  In this very unique year with many unknowns and constant challenges you have remained positive, together, and Amazing.  Many of you have helped each other out and had each others back.  When other schools have either not been in session or struggled Team Lincoln has simply been Amazing.  So the only accolades that I have this we are accolades for all.  On Tuesday March 2nd we will meet in the collaboration hub for our Team Lincoln PD for a social distanced celebration because you are Amazing.  

Upcoming @ Lincoln 

Tuesday PD-  This week = Department Collaboration 7:15-7:45 (please share Zoom Links) 

                        March 2- Team Lincoln PD -  3:20-3:50 In the Collaboration Hub 

                        March 9th - Department Collaboration  7:15-7:45

                        March 16th- Virtual/Tech Time - 3:20-3:50 

Monday Feb. 22nd Building Discussion 3:20-3:50 

Thursday Feb. 25th - 7th Grade scheduling through Science classes 

Friday Feb. 26th- Spirit Assembly - Please share agenda when ready 

Check Ins-  We will do check ins over the next several weeks between now and Spring Break.  Jake and I will send invites and the check ins will be learning walks.  We will come to your room and we will take learning walks through the building visiting various classrooms.  The areas of emphasis that we will have a conversation about will be student engagement.  

Levels of Engagement

 Time is flying by in this 2020-2021 school year.  We are now mid way through the 3rd quarter and just about a month from spring break.  It is amazing how time goes so fast.  We are coming through a nice 4 day weekend and hopefully we will get to some good consistent weeks heading into the month of March.  I know that, as I said last week, our students are in need of some consistency soon.  Here are some quick updates from our two areas of focus on the weekly blog.  

Advisory-  Social and emotional well being of our students continues to be so important as we try to help students achieve at high levels academically.  Our 40 minutes with students daily can go a long way in helping our students.  We build community in our advisory classes so that students feel a sense of belonging to Lincoln.  Our advisory classes can be an important vehicle for providing support for all of our students and to build a community of learners that trust their teachers, each other, and the school.  It is a community that should provide students with comfort and a caring adult that they can trust.  Students can learn from each other and know that they belong to a community that cares and accepts them for who they are.  This is what our advisory time is and how we continue to support students socially and emotionally.  How is you community going?  How have you continued that sense of community and belonging for your advisory students?  What do you need to do to make sure your students trust you and each other and know that they belong to a community?  

Engagement- Several years ago I read this book

In this book the author writes about 5 levels of student engagement.  Rebellion, Retreatism, Ritual Compliance, Strategic Compliance, and Engagement,  Check out this video to learn about each of the levels.  

What levels are your students at most often?  How do you know?  What strategies do you plan and implement to engage your students more often more of the time?  

Accolades @ Lincoln

Shout out to Brody Shively and Kelsie Hollabaugh as they continue to utilize our new spaces and equipment to engage our students in Wellness classes.  Their classes have looked a bit different this year as all classes have.  Students are not dressing out or utilizing the locker rooms however they have done well in engaging their students in a variety of ways and spaces.  Last week, they were using the wrestling room for some yoga activities.  Students were watching a video and exercising.  Amazing job of engaging students and using the resources available.  

Kudos to Ryan Ahlrich for his work with WIDA testing.  Ryan was in on Friday testing his virtual students during the day.  Amazing job of organizing and testing our ELL students.  We are excited to see everyones hard work with these students pay off in the results of the test.  

Kudos to Megan Atkinson for her willingness to sponsor a new club here at Lincoln.  We have been looking into starting eSports here at Lincoln and Megan has taken the lead to make it happen.  We are excited about what this can be at Lincoln and about the sense of belonging and engagement that it can provide for our students.  More information to come.  Thanks for being Amazing and student centered Megan.  

Great work to Lisa Wallyn and kudos to 8th grader Levi Hutchison for making All-State Band.  This is an Amazing accomplishment for Levi and for our band program.  Great work.  

Upcoming @ Lincoln:  

eLearning- Tuesday Feb. 16th 

Tuesday PD-  Tomorrow Feb. 16th - Virtual Learning/Tech time 3:20-3:50 

                       Feb. 23rd- Department Collaboration 7:15-7:45 

                       March 2nd- Team Lincoln PD 3:20-3:50 

ILearn- State Readiness Test-  Wednesday Feb. 17th 9:00 a.m.   Please make sure you read the instructions and ask if you have any questions.  Directions 

7th Grade Scheduling in Science classes - Feb. 25th 

February Spirit Assembly-  Feb. 26th Tornadoes and Firestorm responsible for planning.  

Have a Great Week.  

  

6 More Weeks of Winter

We learned from the groundhog that we anticipate six more weeks of winter.  Let's hope it warms up a bit in the next 6 weeks.  The last two weeks have been hit or miss and I anticipate that this will continue.  Already the next two weeks are 4 day weeks and that is not factoring in the winter weather.  Routine and structure is what is needed for middle school students to thrive however this has not been the norm lately. We will adjust and continue to stay together and stay positive.  As we move through February and the various altered schedules it is important to continue to be diligent with our supervision in hallways and throughout the building.  We also know that both advisory and engaging students really help us during these tough winter months.  

Advisory-  How does advisory help you may ask.  This is our time to connect with students and get to know our students.  We also can learn so much from students that can help us help them.  When we are out of our routine like we have been that last couple of weeks and will be the next couple our advisory time is even more important.  If you have struggled with your advisory group, every day is a new day, try to start over and connect with your students.   This connection helps students.  I believe students are more likely to be successful when they connect with someone.  That is our goal with advisory, get to know our students and connect with them.  Remember, we have data that shows that we do this well.  This is. an important time of the year to double down on the relationships that we have invested in with our students.  Keep up the good work we need it during the month of February.  

Engaging students-  As we plan our lessons and learning tasks to engage students know that our ability to engage them in meaningful challenging tasks help us provide the routine and structure that our students need.  Balance of engaging students in various ways keep things interesting but also provides the routine and structure.  I like to think students learn and engage in the following ways:  teacher to student, student to student, technology to student, and resources to student.  Providing a balance of these helps engage our students.  How will you engage your students?  How will you engage them during these tough winter months?  

Accolades @ Lincoln

Traveling Awards-  Great Job Team Lincoln for recognizing several of our classified staff this month.  Lori Day was recognized for her work with our technology efforts as she received the traveling award for curriculum and instruction, the book titled Relentless.  Lori definitely is relentless in her daily work.  Sandy Cartwright was awarded the creativity award for her always creative ways of covering classes when teachers are out of their classrooms.  Fabian and Jesus were awarded the student centeredness box of joy for building great relationships with our students and specifically helping relate to our hispanic population.  Great work to Team Lincoln for recognizing their efforts.  

Erin Sarber-  We welcome Erin back from maternity leave.  Erin got the year started then was out for the arrival of her third child and now she returns.  We are excited for her return.  

Jessica Runk-  Jessica has moved into her permanent position, 7th grade Humanities, with Kevin Garrity.  We are so appreciative of Jessica's help with Erin's maternity leave and we are now able to just slide he into her new position.  Jessica definitely was at the right place at the right time.  We are excited for her to be a part of Team Lincoln.  

Upcoming @ Lincoln

Tuesday PD-  Department Collaboration 7:15-7:45 Please be sure to share your Zoom links with Jake and I.  

STAT Team Meeting-  Monday 3:20-4:00 

Progress Reports - Thursday Feb. 11th 

Elearning Day Friday Feb. 12th 

Presidents Day Monday Feb. 15th 

January 31st

Engaging our Learners

When students are engaged they care, thus we continue to look at ways that we can increase their engagement.  When students care they take ownership of their learning and often achieve more than they think is possible.  Students care more when they have loving caring role models as their teachers.  We know our students feel they have really positive relationships with teachers.  A large percentage of them feel that they have at least one adult at school they can confide in.  These facts certainly help us increase the engagement because of these positive relationships.  How are you using your positive relationships with your students to increase engagement and students caring?  

Advisory

It was great to see advisory classes engaged and having fun during our Spirit Assembly on Friday.  We appreciate the continued fidelity to community circles weekly.  Let's look at what to do with students who balk at participating or even mock the community circle time.  We know it always is best practice to communicate the purpose or objectives with the whole group at the beginning, during, and after a lesson or activity.  This communication can help sell our students on the why we are committed to community circles.  With those students that resist, make it a point to check in with these students and make it a point to connect that check in with our community circles.  Review with your resistors your expectations for community circles and their role in your established community.  Sometimes participation can just mean being listener for others.  How can a resistor play a role?  What will success look like for this resistor?  We all know that resistors can make it difficult to achieve success with community circles so make it a point to check in with them and work with them to resist less and play their role within your community.  

Accolades @ Lincoln:  

Kudos to the the Avalanche and Hurricanes for their planning of the Spirit Week and Spirit Assembly.  Special thanks to Betsy Barron for taking the lead on organizing the activities and Spirit Assembly.  

Special thanks to Jesus Jiminez and Chloe Kulwicki for their flexibility over the last couple of weeks.  They have been willing to help us with Becky being out along with helping in various classrooms.  Thanks to Ryan Ahlrich for your flexibility with the situation as well.  

Kudos to Susan LaFree for her growth mindset.  She currently is doing a project in her 7th grade math classes to teach the concept of scaling.  This year she has shown a growth mindset by expanding her project to include her blocked math students.  She showed a growth mindset by believing in these students.  If students are going to believe in themselves we must first believe in them.  Great job believing in your students.  

We welcome Dawn Dickey to her new role at Lincoln.  Dawn moves from hall monitor to the head of our kitchen.  Please congratulate Dawn when you see her in the lunch line.  

Upcoming @ Lincoln:  

Tuesday- Team Lincoln Day 3:20-3:50 

                Feb. 9th Department Collaboration 7:15-7:45 

                Feb. 16th Virtual Learning/Tech prep 3:20-3:50 

                Feb. 23rd Department Collaboration 7:15-7:45

February Spirit Assembly -  Feb. 26th Tornadoes and Firestorm responsible for planning

Class of 2025 Meeting with PHS Counselors-  Friday Feb. 5th 11:00-11:30 via Zoom 

Engagement- Providing an exemplar can increase engagement because students know where they are going and what success looks like.  

Students are motivated by the social aspect of learning.  When we balance learning opportunities for students, motivation and engagement increase.  

Believing in our students to do more than they think they can will increase student engagement.  Why? Because we cannot fool them, they know whether you believe in them or not.  

Have an Amazing Week!