Hello Teachers and Staff:

Last week I wrote about the end of the first quarter and embracing the Autumn season in all it's beauty. This week is my annual reminder that one of the best ways to offer a little self-care is to carve out time for reading (and cooler weather is the perfect time for this, I think!). I swore when I finished my doctorate that I was going to dedicate most of my reading time on the "for fun" side. Although I'm notorious for hoarding all kinds of leadership books, books about good teaching and learning, and books about being innovative in education, I dedicate much of my downtime to reading purely for enjoyment.

You all know from past blogs that I am an audio book junkie (I had to literally train myself to make this switch as I am a former English teacher who swore I would never give up holding a book which appealed to all of the sensory emotions). Switching to audio truly allows me the opportunity to listen anywhere and everywhere that I have a spare minute!

Reading allows me to escape from the demands and stresses of my daily life. Engaging in a good book is shown to reduce stress even more effectively than other relaxation methods (this says a lot for me, who also love to drown my stress in a solid run!). Because reading requires concentration and focus, this mental engagement can serve as a form of mindfulness--almost a meditative experience. And of course, reading allows me to continue learning and growing intellectually. I just finished Killers of the Flower Moon, for example, and learned so much about an important, horrific, historic event.

Shoot me an email with your latest read, why you chose your book, and when you fit reading into your schedule and I will put your name in for a drawing for a book!

Incorporating reading into your self-care routine as an educator can have numerous positive effects on your well-being. Whether it's fiction, non-fiction, self-help or any other genre, finding a book that resonates with you can be a valuable aspect to self-care. Taking care of ourselves puts us all in the best mind frame in Building Successful Futures: Every student. Every Day.

#WeAre409

Tweets of the Week #WeAre409

Remember to use the #WeAre409 and tag @doc_nuge when you tweet!

Classroom Connection

This week I was able to get into 36classrooms, for an early yearly total of 306 classroom visits! As I walked into the middle school to check in I could hear there was a band class in session so was able to get into 7th grade band classroom. Band classrooms are often models for small and whole group instruction happening simultaneously, and this class was no exception. First, the teacher set high expectations when he said, "I will not allow mistakes in this key." He was teaching the class the importance of the b flat concert scale, and reinforced that this scale should become consistent and second nature as it is foundational in much of what they will learn throughout the year. Let me clear: there were multiple levels of ability in this class. I witnessed individual feedback, group feedback, and whole group instruction--all with high expectations of the end result. And although the teacher expected perfection, the teacher also set a timeline for mastery to occur. This really hit home with me because it solidified the fact that in most every subject learning foundational skills is crucial. It aligned perfectly with what we learned Monday at Visible Learning regarding surface, deep and transfer learning, in which all levels are important and the ultimate goal is transfer learning.

Mastering foundational skills provides the groundwork for understanding more complex concepts. Here are other similarities:

• Building blocks for progression: in music scales serve as the building blocks for more complex melodies and harmonies. In subjects like reading, writing, and math, foundational skills are building blocks for solving more advanced problems.
• Transference of skills: Learning the B flat concert scale involves understanding key signatures, intervals, and finger placement on the instruments. These skills can transfer to other musical pieces and music genres. In other classrooms, foundational skills can transfer to advanced concepts and real-world applications.
• Confidence and Engagement: Mastering the B flat concert scale can boost a student's confidence and engagement in band whereas mastering the foundational skill of writing a complete sentence can boost confidence in tackling writing about more challenging topics.

While learning the B flat concert scale might seem like a specific skill for a particular class, it shares common principles with foundational skills in other classrooms. These skills provide the essential groundwork (surface) for further learning (deep) and are transferable to many aspects of a student's academic journey. All are critical in Building Successful Futures: Every student. Every Day.

#WeAre409

In Staff Spotlight

Please remember to submit your peer recognitions for a superintendent staff spotlight in each of my weekly shoutouts by noon each Friday.

From an AES Classroom Teacher: Shoutout to AES administrators for adjusting staff meetings to an improved, more effective format for teachers and school culture. Also, shoutout to those in admin roles who use feedback from classroom teachers to inform the ways in which they ask those teachers to spend their time. The example they set for valuing educators and their time is appreciated and beneficial to our district and most importantly.. the students we are all here for. 

From a Tech Staff Member: Shout out to JL Ray, Hannah Nolte, Cheryl Wichman, Anna Kleopper, Dana Hare and Susan Seever for stepping out of their comfort zone to attend a PowerSchool conference where they expanded PowerSchool knowledge that will make their jobs easier yet more efficient! Way to go ladies!

From an AHS Principal: Shout out our Fall sports Coaches at AHS! I know the countless hours you put in for our students!! You are appreciated! Also a shout out to Taylor Funk, Dawn Smith, Kaylene Deware for working so hard to establish the ACT Prep Class at AHS and preparing our students to be successful n the ACT!

From the Central School Principal: Ashley Callaway has been wonderful to Central this year!! This week she donated snacks to the students who received a 3.0 gpa and above! Her positive attitude and kindness to everyone is contagious! Thank you for all you do!!

From an AES Staff Member: I would like to give a shout out to the AES Admin Team. They have incorporated Data Chats with each grade level this year, and our first Data Chat was very productive! It gave us time to really analyze our student's data and use that information to meet our students' needs. It was purposeful in determining levels of our Tiered instruction and what we can do next to support and enrich our students.

#WeAre409

Above are only some of the wonderful examples of the GREAT education happening in USD 409. I believe in you, and I thank you for all you do!

Dr. Renee L. Nugent

#WeAre409