Welcome back. I hope everyone enjoyed Winter Break and is recharged and ready to go.
Over the next week, I will be reviewing upcoming curriculum with staff and map our course of action for next three months. Our staff is working to continue to provide standards based curriculum in meaningful ways for our students.
We will also continue working with students as they mature and seek positive interactions with each other. Our students all benefit when we treat each other with respect.
I welcome parents to contact the school at any time to review curriculum goals, PBIS positive behaviors and expectations, and any other aspect of GKMS life. Only by working together can we continue to make GKMS a great place.
Monday, January 3, 2011
Monday, November 29, 2010
Holiday Season
The holiday season is here. For many, this seems to be the time of the year when we can most easily open ourselves to both giving and receiving help, encouragement, and friendship. In the current climate, some families never before needing help, find that a little would be welcome. Many families wanting to help others, find there are so many areas to be of service they can't possible meet them all.
GKMS students are focusing on a few very specific ways to help all area families - including some of our own.
Delivery of items from our October food drive found a very sparse inventory at the Genoa Food Pantry. Because of this, Student Council and Community Impact Club are hosting a movie during the final school day before Winter break. Admittance for students will be 3 food items or a hat / mitten set. All items will go to the Genoa Food Pantry.
We will also be accepting donations from the public until Wednesday, December 15th. Please bring any donations to the front office.
On a more personal level, Student Council is helping to brighten the holidays for two families by contributing gifts for younger children and food cards. Student Council is also sending holiday cards to local service men and women who will be far from home.
No matter how overwhelmed we all may feel by work obligations, family schedules, and financial concerns, it is important to me that I remember to count blessings and appreciate those around me. We all have a wealth of people to help, to count on, to give to, to receive from. I consider this a perfect time to rededicate myself and remind our students of ways to contribute and excel. To take a moment to think of others. To let others do for us. To do what we should be doing all year long.
GKMS students are focusing on a few very specific ways to help all area families - including some of our own.
Delivery of items from our October food drive found a very sparse inventory at the Genoa Food Pantry. Because of this, Student Council and Community Impact Club are hosting a movie during the final school day before Winter break. Admittance for students will be 3 food items or a hat / mitten set. All items will go to the Genoa Food Pantry.
We will also be accepting donations from the public until Wednesday, December 15th. Please bring any donations to the front office.
On a more personal level, Student Council is helping to brighten the holidays for two families by contributing gifts for younger children and food cards. Student Council is also sending holiday cards to local service men and women who will be far from home.
No matter how overwhelmed we all may feel by work obligations, family schedules, and financial concerns, it is important to me that I remember to count blessings and appreciate those around me. We all have a wealth of people to help, to count on, to give to, to receive from. I consider this a perfect time to rededicate myself and remind our students of ways to contribute and excel. To take a moment to think of others. To let others do for us. To do what we should be doing all year long.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Veteran's Day 2010
GKMS is very fortunate to welcome General Huber as our key note speaker on Veteran's Day. The ceremony will include a question and answer session with the General, a Powerpoint presentation recognizing those who serve us, several of our GKMS letter exchange servicemen, and the National Anthem sung by our very own Ms. Miranda.
The program begins at 9:00 in the old gym.
The program begins at 9:00 in the old gym.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Remembering Cody
It is a sad time at GKMS as we lost one of our 6th grade students due to a medical related condition. Cody impressed everyone with his outgoing personality, inquisitive nature, and his desire to help others. We will miss him.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Individual Student Goals
"Testing, testing, testing. These schools do more testing than teaching!" It certainly may feel that way occasionally, but I assure everyone that working with kids is still the overriding priority in all we do. However, effective testing and monitoring can help us better meet student needs.
Over the past two weeks, each student participated in one MAP test in Reading and another in Math. Each test lasted from about 30 minutes to just over an hour for most students. More can be found out about MAP testing at the NWEA site: http://www.nwea.org/
So, what do we do with the data? The Friday, October 8th Teacher's Institute will be devoted to teachers analyzing EACH student's MAP data and constructing Individual Goal Sheets. Teachers will then conference with students, discuss / clarify goals, and begin the process of meeting them.
Timely data put into action with student input is an exciting step towards helping all kids improve and meet achievement goals. That is testing made worthwhile.
Over the past two weeks, each student participated in one MAP test in Reading and another in Math. Each test lasted from about 30 minutes to just over an hour for most students. More can be found out about MAP testing at the NWEA site: http://www.nwea.org/
So, what do we do with the data? The Friday, October 8th Teacher's Institute will be devoted to teachers analyzing EACH student's MAP data and constructing Individual Goal Sheets. Teachers will then conference with students, discuss / clarify goals, and begin the process of meeting them.
Timely data put into action with student input is an exciting step towards helping all kids improve and meet achievement goals. That is testing made worthwhile.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Curriculum Night 2010
Thanks go out again to all the families who attended our Curriculum Night. I received many positive comments again about the current format. It seems clear that parents appreciate the opportunity to learn about curriculum and meet teachers.
The only drawback I heard voiced concerned families attending for two or more children. We will continue to look for ways to improve the process for families in that position.
Please feel free to leave comments regarding your thought on the 2010 Curriculum Night and changes you would like to see made in the future. All comments will be shared with the School Improvement Team and Parent Council as we look ahead to next year.
The only drawback I heard voiced concerned families attending for two or more children. We will continue to look for ways to improve the process for families in that position.
Please feel free to leave comments regarding your thought on the 2010 Curriculum Night and changes you would like to see made in the future. All comments will be shared with the School Improvement Team and Parent Council as we look ahead to next year.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Reading Comprehension
As many GKMS parents and students know, reading is a key skill to sustained success in almost any endeavor. The GKMS (and GK 424) Reading curriculum has evolved greatly over the past several years helping students succeed at a high rate. Students and teachers work daily on practicing and improving specific and targeted reading skills.
While reading an article on the Education Gateway site, I came across a few points worth reiterating with GKMS families:
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For both adults and children, reading comprehension involves not just understanding what we read but also adjusting to different kinds of reading material. As they progress, students will be able to read increasingly complex stories, understand much of what they read in newspapers, and adjust to different types of textbooks, from language arts to math.
A key to increasing reading comprehension is learning reading strategies. Encourage your child to:
• Use context clues
• Re-tell and summarize
• Employ prior knowledge
• Make predictions about "what happens next"
• Take notes or highlight important information
• Ask questions about content and vocabulary
• Discuss a book in class or at home
• Draw pictures, maps, and charts to illustrate what is read
-----
I encourage families to review reading strategies with students. Ask them which specific strategy they are currently addressing in class or to name a specific strategy that they find the most helpful.
Effective reading strategies truly have a lifelong, positive effect on our students.
While reading an article on the Education Gateway site, I came across a few points worth reiterating with GKMS families:
-----
For both adults and children, reading comprehension involves not just understanding what we read but also adjusting to different kinds of reading material. As they progress, students will be able to read increasingly complex stories, understand much of what they read in newspapers, and adjust to different types of textbooks, from language arts to math.
A key to increasing reading comprehension is learning reading strategies. Encourage your child to:
• Use context clues
• Re-tell and summarize
• Employ prior knowledge
• Make predictions about "what happens next"
• Take notes or highlight important information
• Ask questions about content and vocabulary
• Discuss a book in class or at home
• Draw pictures, maps, and charts to illustrate what is read
-----
I encourage families to review reading strategies with students. Ask them which specific strategy they are currently addressing in class or to name a specific strategy that they find the most helpful.
Effective reading strategies truly have a lifelong, positive effect on our students.
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