Elementary Essentials

During the beginning of June, I will be convening a committee of classroom teachers to create a scope and sequence for next year that integrate and connect Wit and Wisdom, Writing Units of Study, Science, Social Studies, and other content. This document will be distributed at the beginning of the next school year.

The people on this committee should have experience using the Writing Units of Study and grade level Science and Social Studies content. You will be paid for three-four days in early June. If you would like to be a part of this team (3 teachers per grade level) you can register your interest by using the following link: Elementary ELA Committee for Scope and Sequence Development.

Goal: Check-in as many Journeys materials as possible during the afternoon of April 19, 2024.

Why: The district has hundreds of thousands (at least 700 classrooms) of Journeys materials in the district and by checking in materials during this afternoon accomplishes the following:

• Time is provided for teachers to locate and organize the materials that need to be checked in during their duty day.
• Assists our district materials manager (one person) with quickly checking in of these materials. We know there will be more Journeys materials that will need to be checked in, but this gives us a great start!

What Happens Between 1:00 and 4:00 PM on APRIL 19?

1. Teachers begin to gather Journeys resources to be checked in. The materials should be kept in your classroom and the person who is scanning the barcodes will come to you. The scanner may start in kindergarten or any classroom that is ready.
2. Once the Journeys materials are ready to be scanned, teachers may work on any of the job-embedded activities suggested for the afternoon. Do not wait for the scanner before you move to other tasks. The scanner will make his/her way to you as they move through the building.

• The leveled readers may be stored in plastic containers (see below). Many times it is just the tub that has a barcode on it and needs to be scanned and not all of the little books inside. If you aren’t sure the Journeys materials need to be scanned, turn the materials over and look for a barcode that has been put on by the district; if it has one, then it needs to be scanned. If there isn’t a barcode, there is no need to scan it.

Once the Journeys materials have been checked in, teachers may decide what to do with the materials next:

• Review the list of recommendations for keeping or discarding Journeys items (all grade level lists are available on the ELA website or below for your convenience).

Kindergarten List, First Grade List, Second Grade List, Third Grade List, Fourth Grade List, Fifth Grade List

• If you are still using the Journeys materials and want to keep them in your classroom until the end of school, then continue to use them.
• If you are not using the Journeys materials and do NOT want to keep them in your classroom, then you may take them to the Gaylord boxes when it is convenient for you.

What Do I Place In The Gaylord Boxes?

The only things that can be placed in the Gaylord boxes are teacher’s manuals, anthologies, assessment manuals, and other materials that do NOT have a gloss on them. These are all materials that can be recycled. Please place ONLY Journeys materials in the Gaylord boxes for now.

What Should I Dispose Of In The Trash?

Journeys materials that have a glossy shine to them that cannot be recycled. Items like instructional kit cards, high-frequency word cards, retelling cards, etc. should be thrown out or given away.

THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR ASSISTANCE WITH THIS MONUMENTAL TASK!

Here are a couple of options if you want to get started working with Wit and Wisdom now:

1. Wit and Wisdom sample bags are still available (up to 10 at each grade level). Request them from your MTSS Support Specialist or Instructional Coach
2. Wit and Wisdom online materials materials are available. Here is the log in information:

• You can explore the Wit & Wisdom In Sync platform with these credentials:
• Website: digital.greatminds.org
• Email: teacherdemo7@greatmindsdemo.org
• Password: GMTrial24!

The In Sync platform was created during the pandemic to support schools in condensing the amount of content in each module. This platform includes two options for teaching:

1. The first option is to teach the lessons just as they are written in the teacher’s manual using the suggested timing.
2. The second option is a condensed version of the lessons. These lessons can be found in the In Sync part of the platform. We will provide more guidance about using these two delivery modules as we learn how to use all the resources.

• You can explore Digital Geodes (K-2 only) with these credentials:
• Website: digital.greatminds.org
• Email: digitalgeodes@greatmindsdemo.org
• Password: GMTrial24!

Students are learning both content and language in our classrooms. Being intentional in our planning in essential for our students to be successful. To do this, we think of our lesson through the lens of Content and Language Objectives. Click on the link to learn more about how to use the objectives in your planning and instruction.

Plant sale is May 2-4. Hours are Thursday – Friday from 7am to 6pm, Saturday from 8am to 12pm.

More than 175 varieties to choose from. Many heirlooms and new 2023 plant releases. Annuals, perennials, vegetables, succulents, trees, herbs, and much more! Many unique plant types only found at ONHS. You will be 100% satisfied with your plant selections.

Very low prices with high quality plant stock. All plant sales support the Olathe North Horticulture Program/Student Activities. Cash or check only.

For more information, contact Mr. Greg Krenke, ONHS, 913-780-7140 or email gkrenkeon@olatheschools.org.

Geoscience will once again be hosting our Rain Barrel and Rain Garden workshops! These workshops are made possible through a grant from Johnson County Stormwater Management. The goal is to educate the Johnson County community about doing our part to help the environment by capturing and preserving stormwater. We will have two different workshops, rain barrels and rain gardens. Participants must be a resident of Johnson County, KS.

The Rain Barrel Workshops will be help on Saturday, April 27. Sessions start at 9am, 10am, 11am, Noon & 1pm. Geoscience students will teach you about the value of rain barrels for capturing and using stormwater in your yard. Students will also show you how to construct a rain barrel and install it at your home. Participants will receive a FREE rain barrel to take home! You can sign up at https://tinyurl.com/2024GeoRainBarrelWorkshop

On Thursday, May 2 we will host our Rain Garden workshop from 6-8pm. Johnson County residents will learn how planting native plants (that have longer root systems) can help draw stormwater down into the soil instead of letting it run into the storm drains. This helps to keep excess fertilizers and other non-point source pollutants from reaching our streams and rivers. Rain gardens are a perfect solution if you have that spot in your yard that just never seems to dry up and is always soggy. 20 lucky participants will be able to take home a rain garden kit, complete with plants, mulch and peat moss. You can sign up at https://tinyurl.com/2024GeoRainGardenWorkshop

Please check out the social studies newsletter for important social studies related items such as our last Social Studies contest (Round 5) for the school year! Enter for a chance to win!

Also, you may be interested in the "Future Voter" Sticker Contest from the Johnson County Election Office. This contest is for students K-8, and with parental consent, students can enter their sticker design for a chance to be chosen as one of three stickers to be distributed to children at polling sites across Johnson County!

I hope each of you had an amazing week. Please reach out if I can assist or support you. Thanks for all you do!