Lincoln Staff Blog

First, let me start by telling you how excited I am to return to our team on Monday. I'm sure there are mixed emotions as our break ends, but I say let's focus on how fortunate we are to have had two weeks to spend with loved ones! Those weeks are essential in a profession that requires a great deal from us. I hope you all were able to unwind, relax, and enjoy those special people in your lives. Together, we've got this!

Before the break, I presented each of you with a gratitude jar. I worried that it seemed like a trivial gift, but I want you to know that gift is an important commitment from me. Gratitude is on my heart as we enter this new year. I am committed to self-care for all of us, and gratitude is a great way to get that started. I hope we can inspire each other to intentionally practice gratitude this year, especially on days when things seem tough. Perhaps you can share a gratitude note with someone to add to their jar, write your own gratitude for yourself, or select a way to share gratitude with your class, a student, or a family. Let's spread examples of gratitude wherever we can!

Here are the best things about gratitude...

✨It releases dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, increasing resilience and joy.

✨Expressing gratitude boosts our immune systems.

✨It increases our energy.

✨It re-wires our brains!

Let's do this together! 2023 here we come!

This Week

P2: Love of Learning

SEL: Tier 2

1/09 Welcome Back!

1/09 Board Meeting 6:00

1/10

1/11Late Start

1/11Kindness Club (12:00 pm), Spelling (12:55)

1/12 IEP (Peek) 8:15 - 9:15 in Art Room, will be covered by Ann MacDonald

1/12 FBA Laukus 9:15 - 10:15, will be covered by Ann MacDonald

1/12 Lisa at Ad Staff (1:00 - 2:30)

1/13

Coming Up...

P2:

SEL: Tier 1

1/16 MLK Day/No School--Certified staff reports to Lincoln School for the in-service day (8 - 1:15)

1/16 NWEA testing Window opens

1/17 PTO 12:30 (5th-grade team will join)

1/18 Lory's Place 12:30, Spelling 12:55

1/18 Lockdown Drill #2 at 2:30

1/19 T3 Meeting at Upton Rm 304 (4:15)

1/20

Future dates to know...

1/25 School Spelling Bee (grades 2 - 5 will attend in the gym)

2/23 Half Day of School

2/24 Half Day of School

💙 A new face will be joining us soon as a noon supervisor! Pam Mensinger (Mallory's mom!) will join the team once all of her paperwork is complete. As a former bus driver, a mom of 6, and many grandchildren of her own, she is excited to use her real-world experience at Lincoln School!

💛JA is still looking for volunteers. If your grade level has scheduled JA to come into your classroom, please solicit volunteers via your weekly communication with the details. If you have secured someone, please email Nina Lilley at nina.lilley@ja.org with details.

We look forward to hosting a professional learning day for all district elementary certified staff on January 16th, MLK Day, at Lincoln School. There will be a lot of staff parked at Lincoln that day. If you live close by and would welcome a colleague to park at your house, please let them know. That could help ease the parking situation for visiting staff.

Teams will begin their collaborative work day in the media center at 8:00 a.m. After a brief welcome activity, K-5 teachers will work with Joe Elsheikhi on developing your pacing guides. This will be a “gradual release” session, meaning after teams are ready for the “you do” phase, you’ll break out around the building to complete the task. *Special educators, SSWs, and Itinerants- you have additional information regarding your differentiated collaborative time.

We will snack during the 11:30 break time, and classroom teachers will hop on a virtual meet to get ready to launch IXL ELA at 11:45. We will come back together as an entire staff in the media center at 12:45 for a reflection and closing.

Here is the LINK to our IXL learning meeting for classroom teachers.

Upon returning to school, students always need a refresher on procedures and routines. Review routines together and practice as you go through the day. Stopping and trying again is a great way to let students know the expectations are non-negotiable because you care about their learning. Remember, if something wasn't working before the break, now is a great time to fix that!

Don't forget to update your lunch seating chart and review the lunchroom expectations as well.

The common expectations have been posted throughout the school. BRESA printing was down over the break, but posters will be printed for each classroom, so there is a copy of the expectations in your own classrooms. I would expect them to arrive by early next week.

I have prepared a "Common Expectations Presentation" for you to use in the classroom until your posters arrive. Please use the link for your grade level. Y5 - 2 Common Expectations Presentation or 3 - 5 Common Expectations Presentation.

The dates of the Youth Voice Toolkit seminar have been changed from 1/10/23 & 1/24/23 to 1/24/23 & 2/1/23. KRESA realized that the original start date of 1/10/23 could be hard to commit to with it being the second day back from winter breaks for many districts. Thank you to all that have signed up! We can work as teams to get students outside to cars/busses.

✔️ We care about our culture! In an effort to keep students safe and show we care, please ensure that all students are being walked out at the end of the day. Students should not be exiting the building without supervision.

✔️Revisit routines and procedures with students (not just classroom teachers!)

✔️Prepare a new lunch seating chart and give a copy to Leath Ann

✔️Note new times for your supervision schedule

✔️Share or show gratitude intentionally this week!

✔️Read our Lincoln Family Blog to stay current on what families see from our school

Email: lknuth@sjschools.org
Website: www.sjschools.org
Location: 1102 Orchard Avenue, St. Joseph, MI, USA
Phone: 269.926.3700