Community Connection
January 2018
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News & Happenings from SAGES!
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A New Year with New Beginnings ...
What an exciting time to be part of the SAGES' family and the Waupun Area School District! Dividing the SAGES renovations into three phrases, we are excited to say that phrase one, which entails building and outfitting the new addition and transformation of the south wing is projected to be finished in mid-spring. It is our hopes to host either a classroom moving Community Night or project featured Community Night in our new wing. Also, we are excited that our students will be able to get a sneak peek at what our school will like look for the 2018-2019 school year through a virtual reality tour coming in January.
Despite some of the challenges that have accompanied the construction, our students continue to excel in the classroom. Our teachers continue to introduce elements of personalized learning within their classroom environments through voice, choice, progress charting, and projects. As we more forward to explore personalized learning, we will also be developing curriculum and programming to best utilize the new spaces and features that will be offered at SAGES come this year.
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SAGES' Intent & Open Enrollment Information
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It is almost that time of year again to reserve your seat at SAGES for the 2018-2019 school year. With a class capacity of 20, we collect this information to determine how many seats we have open to offer potential students.
It is particularly critical to follow all timelines and requests to return intent forms, as it is expected that we will have an increase of applications submitted by potential new students.
Potential students are able to submit a SAGES application during the SAGES Public School Open Enrollment time frame which will occur between February 5-April 20, 2018. Please share information about SAGES with anyone you think would be a good fit for SAGES.
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SAGES learners have been exploring the wonders of Worms...
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Our school is full of several "worm experts" after learners in grades K-3 took time this fall/early-winter to explore worms as a part of an Agricultural & Life Science unit.
Kindergarten started the trend with their already existing "DIY" Vermicomposting Bin. Their worm bin, located in the hallway just outside their classroom door, provides a great spot for banana peels, apple cores, and other food scraps to go following snack time. Rather than throw them in the trash, kindergartners are glad to reduce by placing scraps in the bin for the worms to recycle into "black gold" or compost. Other learners (especially our 1st grade friends) began bringing their snack food scraps too. This was more than the worms could handle, so the 3rd graders were inspired to get SAGES' Worm Factory 360 vertical vermicomposting tower back up and running again. Beyond that, now 1st and 2nd grade also have vermicomposting bins for their classrooms, and 3rd grade plans to provide training to all students and staff at SAGES so everyone knows how to care for our worms and the vermicomposting bins.
Along this journey, lots of research was completed about worm anatomy, worm reproduction, what worms can & cannot eat, and so many other WONDERS! You can watch a
video sharing some of the details.
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SAGES' PBIS Accountability Cards
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Students follow SAGES' Style
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Over the last month, our PBIS committee has explored improving our school culture by introducing accountability cards.
There are three different levels of accountability card. At the start of each 4-6 week window, all students will receive a green accountability card. Minor infractions of school expectations result in getting a punch on the accountability card. If the green card gets five punches, then the student drops to the yellow card and must complete a reflection sheet. Again, cards will get punched for minor infractions like blurting. After five punches, a red card will be issued and a conference will take place between the student and the PBIS team. Once the red card gets five punches, the student will no longer have a card.
At the end of each incentive window, all students with an accountability card will gain access to one of the incentives. The incentives are tiered; students who have red cards or no cards will be retaught the PBIS expectations.
This system is still being tested out to see if it is a good fit. As our PBIS team gets more training, the school-wide behavioral system may change. So far, this system resulted in students being motivated to change behaviors during the second cycle of using the accountability cards.
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Students follow Monthly Themes as part of the SAGES' Way!
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First, I'd like to extend my wishes to you for a Happy New Year!
Here at SAGES, we have monthly themes as part of “SAGES Way.” The theme for December was Generosity. In keeping with that theme and the holiday spirit, I talked to students during our classroom lessons about performing acts of kindness for others this month.
Students were asked to perform an act of kindness for someone else over the holiday season. Some examples included: shoveling snow for a neighbor, helping parents with cleaning around the house (without being asked), taking time to play a game with a younger sibling, or visiting an elderly relative in a nursing home.
To qualify as an act of kindness, they should not get paid and the act should not be something they would normally do anyway (like cleaning their room). I will be asking students about their acts of kindness this month.
I am asking for your help in this endeavor by encouraging your children in their efforts or by giving them ideas and the opportunity to do something nice for someone. You are welcome to perform some act of kindness with them.
I hope you had a joyous holiday season and I am looking forward to hearing about your children’s acts of kindness in January.
- Mrs. Morgan, School Counselor
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Throughout December, the 4K students learned the story of
The Gingerbread Man
. After reading the book to the class, the students made a stick puppet of the gingerbread man for an art project. One of our shared readings during this time was a poem titled “Oh, Where is My Gingerbread Man?” We turned the poem into a song and sang it for our Holiday Concert. The students even used their stick puppets as a prop during the song!
Our class then went on a Gingerbread Scavenger Hunt where the end prize was a plate of gingerbread cookies for the kids. We used one of the extra cookies to do a science experiment and the students had to guess what would happen to the gingerbread man if he was put in water. The students each made a prediction and drew about it in their journals. We all had so much fun with the many gingerbread man activities we did this month!
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Important Upcoming Dates/Events
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School Events/Dates
- January 2: School resumes from break
- January 3: Executive Board Meeting (3:15pm) @ SAGES
- January 5: No School (4K)
- January 15: Long Range Planning Committee (3:00pm) @ SAGES
- January 19: No school In-service
Community Events/Dates
- February 5-April 30: Open Enrollment Window
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S
chool for
Ag
ricultural &
E
nvironmental
S
tudies (
S
AG
E
S
)
PHONE: (920) 928-3136 | FAX: (920) 928-2284
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Cultivating Inquiry. Growing Minds.
Walls Optional.
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