Malvern Learning Commons NEWS

Read Across America Day

• Dr. Seuss Reading is Awesome Assembly K-3 8:30am on March 2nd. Featuring Teacher vs. Student Dr Seuss TRIVIA
• Guest Readers!  K-3 classrooms, please sign up for a Guest Reader to visit your classroom.
• Each class is encouraged to have at least 30 minutes of DEAR (drop everything and read) time
• Breakout Edu Prize!  Select classes (those whose students made the BEST Dr. Seuss hats in our Explorer's Challenge) will be invited to try to BREAKOUT using our Dr. Seuss themed challenge and clues!  (What is Breakout Edu?)

BrightBytes SurveyWe will be administering the BrightBytes survey again this year to all PK-12 parents, all teachers, and all students in grades 3-12 in McKinney ISD. The process will be the same as last year with the window for feedback collection being February 20-March 17.

• Each class grades 3-5 will schedule a time with Miss Hefley to discuss and complete the survey
• Teachers will complete the survey during the Feb. 22 faculty meeting.  Please do not complete it in advance.
• Parents will be STRONGLY encouraged to complete this at home or during Open House on February 28.  Please make completion of this survey part of your class' check-list/bingo.  Incorporate it into class newsletters and do everything you can to help us get Malvern parent feedback and completion.

BadgemobileEach Wednesday I will roll into the Flex-Spaces with my Badgemobile (please forgive my poor artistic abilities, I tried to make it cute).  Please send me students!  If each grade level wants to look at the two-hour block and assign when each class will send students, that may be best.  Learn more about the Badgemobile here!
+ Can my whole class come?  YES!
Tech TastingsDon't forget EVERY Tuesday until the end of the year will be 15 minutes, quick USEFUL Tech Tips and Tricks to make your life easier.  No need to sign up, just show up and learn!  Learn more.....
YearbookThe yearbook is coming along.  If you or any of your students did not take pictures here at Malvern in the fall, please make sure to take part in the Spring Picture re-takes.  A few important notes:

• Yearbooks can ONLY be purchased online and the deadline for purchase is April 12.  Please communicate this with parents!   Send this flyer home or this one in Spanish !
• There will be NO extras to purchase for cash AFTER this date.  Please communicate this with parents.
• If you are part of the Yearbook Committee we are meeting Feb. 14th at 3:30 for training.

Bluebonnet LunchAny student who has read 5 or more Bluebonnet books is invited to the special Bluebonnet Lunch on February 24th during their lunch period in the Learning Commons.  To claim their invitation, students need to speak to Miss Hefley.
Cardboard Challenge, Arcade and Spring Extravaganza!It's coming!  The week of April 22 will be our LAUNCH.  I will send information out at this point including an announcement to share with students, I would also LOVE to talk to classes/grade levels about this challenge.  If you are not sure what this is, learn more here (beware the page needs to be updated).  I will have plenty of cardboard in the Learning Commons if students need it, hope to have tape and markers on hand as well this year.  
Please plan to attend our Spring Extravaganza on May 17th 5-7pm.  Not only will we have the bookfair open that night, we will have the Cardboard Arcade in the gym, the In-N-Out AND the Perot Trucks out front!  A great night of fun, but we will need LOTS of volunteers.  Students who submit games will be required to attend and winners will be announced at 7pm.
Spring Book Fair: The Spring Book Fair is May 15-19.  We will have two days of preview and shopping beginning on Wednesday the 17th.  It will also be open during the Spring Extravaganza.  This is a great time for kids to buy some books to read over summer break!  Please encourage students and families to participate and encourage summer reading overall.
Supporting your T-Tess GoalsIs technology part of your T-Tess goals?  Please let me know what I can do to support YOU and your goals.  I am happy to offer 1-on-1 help, to support your team with their specific needs and also encourage you to take part in all of the opportunities for tech PD you can including Tech Tastings, reading the Toilet Paper Tech and TRYING new things, I am about to send out a 17 Things to try in 17 I encourage you to TRY as many as you can, and this summer we will have another Badge competition!
Explorer Stations and Language LabExplorer Stations are our version of Maker Space, and it is an ACTIVE part of our Learning Commons.  Thank you to all of the teachers who send students each day and each week!  If this is not a part of your routine, please consider adding it:  here is the pass! Each week (or two) I post new challenges, but I am always open and looking for new ideas.  If you would like to integrate the Explorer Challenge with upcoming curriculum or events, please let me know.  
Based on teacher feedback we will expand our Maker-Space to include more "Playker-Space", Tinkering,  and STEM materials that students could use instead of working on the current challenge.   Look for a new pass and new materials to be added over the summer.  If you have any suggestions for materials, please let me know ASAP.  It is my hope that these materials would ALSO be used by teachers in a separate language lab or even your classroom!
NEW: Padcasters! Thanks to my MEF grant we have two amazing iPad, camera and microphone combination tools to help us make some REALLY cool videos (ones you can see and HEAR!).  If you have any students or projects that might want to use these I would be happy to work with them.
Maker FaireThe last week of school May 30 - June 1 will again want to take advantage of this time for our Maker Faire!  I want to present teachers with two options:  1.  Maker Faire in the Learning Commons (like last year) we will supply and set up various stations for students to complete and teachers can sign up for a 1-hour window during those three days.  2. Each TEACHER creates ONE station (STEM/Maker theme) for their room and all students travel as a group to each room.  This could be 1-2 DAYS of stations, depending on how we decide to structure it.  VOTE HERE!
Book BucksMarch will begin a NEW PUSH for more Book Bucks.  ALL teachers are encouraged to CATCH KIDS READING!  The Explorer Challenge for the beginning of April is to SYNERGIZE as a class to submit the best "Caught Reading"  commercial (a PSA for Reading), so I encourage you to start collecting images of your students "Caught Reading"  OR make this a class job or effort and pair it with Book Bucks.  Think outside of the box too and look for these kids during ANY downtime:  bus duty, car duty, after testing, when in line, etc.

• *  If you need more Book Bucks, please let me know.  We would be happy to give you as many as you need.
• *  While students are welcome to come shop the Book Buck story ANYtime they have at least 4BB, we will also have books available again at Book Fair for BB purchase.  

Testing and Computer LabThe computer lab will be closed for testing on the following dates:  March 13-17 and March 28-29; April 3-28 (end of year MAP); May 8-10.  For those of you who are REALLY reading this, please email me and I can schedule your iStation time on April 1st.  The ONLY day of April the lab will be open.  Please let me know your first and second choice of times for that day.  
End of Year Book and Technology CollectionMay 12th will be the last day for book checkout and we will begin sending you and your students' notices for overdue/missing books after Book Fair.  Students are responsible for paying for lost books.  They may use cash, checks, Book Bucks, or work off time during recess. Please help all students find their books, clear their records and keep our collection complete.
All Teacher iPads must be ERASED, RESET and checked in with the MRS by May 25th.  Teachers who plan to return to an MISD school may keep their laptop over the summer, and teachers who plan to return to MALVERN may keep a Master iPad over the summer as well.
Textbook InventoryMay 16th, 3:30 will be Inventory TRAINING.  Each team should plan to send at least one member to this training.  If no one can make it, or you would like to be trained sooner, please speak with the MRS.  
Each team is responsible for the electronic inventorying of THEIR textbooks and textbook closet by May 25th.  How you complete this is up to your team.  After you complete your inventory each team will be provided with a list of (hopefully zero) missing items that they need to track down before June 1.  MISD charges Malvern for missing items, and this cost may be passed along to grade levels.  
SummerSummer?  Yes, we are thinking about summer already!  This is a great time to Sharpen Your Saw.  I hope to offer a Book study, badges and mini-badges, and encourage you to take advantage of trainings and conferences and informal PD.  Converge is a GREAT McKinney ISD conference where you can meet other local teachers and learn SO much.  ISTE is coming to San Antonio and if you have even a day to visit it is well worthwhile (I will be there, let me know if you come!).  If you can find any EdCamps, they are WELL worth the time!
If your team would like to take advantage of their time off to schedule a half or full day informal PD customized to your needs I would love to invite you to meet at Malvern (everyone needs to bring some food and make it a fun, relaxing day).