Winter Weather Reminders!

As the winter weather begins to rear its ugly head and the snow and temperatures both fall dramatically, it is important to share a few reminders with each MWS family as we prepare for the upcoming months.

(1) Please make certain that your student is dressed appropriately. Students should have winter gear for their heads, hands, feet, and bodies to keep them warm at all times.

(2) Outdoor recess actually happens in the winter! Contrary to popular belief, classroom teachers at MWS will continue to take students outside for recess each day depending on the weather. All the more reason to reference Reminder (1).

(3) Now is an excellent time to donate. If you have an new or gently-used winter wear that you would like to donate, please contact our Family Support Worker from the Community Action Council at MWS. What a great reason to clear out some space in your closets at home!

(4) Patrols still patrol. Despite the hot chocolate that is pumped into patrols each chilly morning, I have overheard a number of patrols complaining about being cold. Although it may not be "cool" or "fashionable" to dress appropriately, please assist your student in doing so.

(5) Safety first. It is always wise for students to be dressed warmly as they ride the bus both to and from school. In the event that a bus experiences any type of delay or malfunction, it is imperative that students can remain warm and safe despite cold temperatures.

Stay warm during this chilly time of year, and be sure to travel safely!

Holiday Wishes from MWS!

As we all hit the ground running with the hectic holiday season in our midst, I wanted to take a minute to reflect upon some of the many things that I am thankful for as your Principal at MWS.


(1) Students - Perhaps this is not stressed enough - at least in my case - but the students of MWS are truly something to behold. Every minute that I work at this school I am consistently surprised by a warm greeting in the hallway, a witty remark in the lunchroom, or an occasional piece of artwork that lands across my desk from a student. The students at Marion W. Savage Elementary School are polite, hard-working, and creative, and I am continually catching myself smiling as I interact with them more and more.


(2) Staff - Yet another area that I could contend I do not stress enough. It is imperative that you know that the staff, and I mean every single one of them, is collectively a remarkably dedicated group. As I visit classrooms from time to time, I marvel at the innovative things that take place in each area of our building. You would be simply amazed at some of the many things your MWS staff do on a daily basis to keep this school running so successfully! This staff is a family, and I cannot think of a better group of people to entrust your students with.


(3) Community - One of the things that continue to be impressed with at MWS has been the support that the community has for this school. From early on in my tenure at MWS I heard a great deal about the high level of volunteering that takes place at MWS, but what impresses me the most is how dedicated the volunteers truly are. It is as if there is an unwavering sense of civic responsibility that many would liken to a "career" that they have. Furthermore, this sense of community is also evident in our numerous parent organizations and from our MWS families. The support and generosity that you provide to our learning community is invaluable.


I sincerely wish you all safe travels, a restful and relaxing Winter Break, and a holiday season filled with love and joy.

Honoring Service in Many Ways

Today, November 11th, 2010, marks an annual celebration that takes place in various venues across our fine country - Veteran's Day. At Marion W. Savage Elementary this morning we had the pleasure of welcoming distinguished veterans into our school to participate in our Veteran's Day Program. Through collaboration with the Savage Legion, the Marine Corp League presented and retired the colors, Marine Veteran Chris Zollman addressed the student population about the history of this important day, Music Teacher Margaret Hinton lead the entire audience in a singing of "God Bless America" and "America the Beautiful", and "TAPS" was performed by Musician Jeremy Morgan. Students, MWS staff members, and various guests paid tribute to and honored the service of all of our veterans.

As I reflect upon the significance of this event, I feel the need to also honor the service of a number of different people in our MWS Community for their efforts and on-going contributions to our learning community. Here are a few individuals whose continued service should also be honored:

(1) Robbie Bunnell - Robbie continues to amaze me with the various ways in which she supports MWS and perhaps more specifically, me. Recently, Robbie has worked to refine and update our school brochure, she created the beautiful program for our Veteran's Day Ceremony, and she is continually thinking of additional ways in which our school community can grow, develop and market ourself more successsfully in the future. Thank you Robbie!

(2) Beth Spaude & Maria Peerboom - Running a school-wide fundraising effort isn't easy - let's face it, it can be a complete pain. Nonetheless, Beth and Maria have devoted countless hours toward raising money for our Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) and ultimately MWS. They have individually delivered gift-wrap orders to homes, lifted hundreds of boxes off of a large truck, and worked feverishly to organize and keep track of thousands of dollars. Thank you Beth & Maria!

(3) Allison Thompson - For the past few weeks the MWS Health Office has been conducting their annual vision & hearing screenings with MWS students, and Allison has been there every step of the way. When she is not spear-heading her campaigns to purchase new and more extensive recess equipment for all students, Allison is interacting with students of all ages, helping them through the exciting process of a health screening at MWS. Allison has made things run smoothly and has been a great support. Thank you Allison!

(4) Pam Voigt - I am continually amazed at how quickly our new Volunteer Coordinator has organized a series of volunteer efforts and is beginning to amass quite a crew of active volunteers. Pam has taken individual projects, such as the school yearbook, and developed it into a wide network of parent volunteers working together to create a memory all students at MWS can enjoy. Whether it is Odds n' Ends or organizing Barnes & Noble night, Pam gets things done with the type of energy I admire. Thank you Pam!

(5) Amy Kierstad - Read Night is one of my favorite traditions at MW Savage, and I have to be completely honest, without Amy's work this year, I don't know if we could have pulled it off. While it is true, the MWS Site Council is responsible for organizing this wonderful event, Amy took on the brunt of the work after being "volunteered" for the task by her daughter's principal. From collecting books, to categorizing and organizing them, to generally running the event from start to finish to after-finish, Read Night was a success because of Amy. Thank you Amy!

One of the best parts of my job as principal of Marion W. Savage is to see people like the ones mentioned in this blog post in action, working passionately not only for their children, but for the greater good of our school community. I continue to be sincerely grateful for all you do!

Celebrating "Ms. Shorts-Off"

Today was, indeed, a special day in Room 205 where Ms. Schwartzhoff and her first grade students were surprised by a few guests from our community.

Members from the OfficeMax located in Savage, as a part of the "A Day Made Better" Program, interrupted an important mathematics lesson to celebrate and recognize Helen Schwartzhoff for all that she contributes to the MWS Learning Community. The "A Day Made Better" Program is a nationwide program in which employees from various OfficeMax stores around the country honor 1000 teachers selected from applications completed on behalf of these individuals.

Below is an excerpt from the application completed on behalf of Helen Schwartzhoff last spring:

"Ms. Schwartzhoff is a dedicated teacher who pours her heart as well as her soul into everything she does for each one of her students in first grade at Marion W. Savage Elementary School. Students love the creative learning experiences Ms. Schwartzhoff provides and the passion with which such activities are presented. Ms. Schwartzhoff is a genuine advocate for her students and families,and continually demonstrates that she is an integral part to our learning community."

"Ms. Shorts-Off", as one of her former students wrote on an envelope to her last year in an attempt to accurately spell her last name, was given $1000 of classroom supplies by OfficeMax as a gift to honor her dedication and support learning in her classroom. A new leather desk chair was wheeled into the room with a bouquet of fresh seasonal flowers, a new bulletin board, and an enormous box filled with everything from a digital camera to whiteboard markers to paper clips. "Look, boys and girls!" Ms. Schwartzhoff exclaimed. "Rubber bands!" First graders cheered as this statement was made and they quickly worked to to pull supplies out of the box to their glee and delight.

As the staff from OfficeMax exited Room 205, Luis, a tiny first grader, asked, "Is this my dream?" indicating that he sincerely could not believe what was happening.

"No Luis," I replied. "This is not a dream."

Luis then responded, "This is a dream come true!"

Baby Willey & A Broken Toe?

Let's dispense with the raw data to start:

Liam Owen Willey
Born: August 26th, 2010
Weight: 7 Pounds, 7 Ounces
Length: 21 Inches
Detail: Full Head of Long Black Hair
Likes: Eating Constantly
Dislikes: Sleeping

If you did not already hear, my wife, Kristi, and I celebrated the recent arrival of our second son, Liam. I think it is fair to add that Emmett, our almost 3-year old, is celebrating Liam's arrival as well. Emmett, which is not a complete surprise to us given his personality, has embraced the role of "Big Brother" in the Willey home. Emmett gives Liam a pacifier when he cries, asks to hold him all the time, enjoys gently patting the top of his head when we snuggle together, and often reminds Kristi that Liam may, in fact, be hungry. As far as mom and dad are concerned, we are adjusting to the expansion of our immediate family - or at least as much as we can adjust given the fact that this marks the beginning of the second week of the school year. Sleep is no longer a luxury experienced, and given Liam's unique schedule, it is rare to find a time when mom and dad are awake at the same time. Nothing new to us, or to anyone else with children for that matter, but an adjustment all the same.

Now, to the broken toe...

If you haven't noticed me hobbling around or walking funny lately, I'm glad. I am working feverishly to hide the fact that I have a broken middle toe on my left foot - an injury obtained in the post-delivery room on the day in which Liam was born. Here's the story:

After a long day of delivery and everything else that is associated with having a child, Kristi and I were relocated to a post-delivery room at Fairview Southdale Hospital. Our accommodations were sufficient, and we began to prepare for our first round of guests which included Emmett with my parents. Emmett brought Kristi Sweet Martha's Cookies from the State Fair, and baby gifts were opened not only for Liam, but Emmett too. As it became time to leave, Emmett, to our surprise, did not want to go and began to cry. I walked him out to Grandma & Grandpa's car trying to console him as any non-mom could do, but as he drove off in his car seat, I could hear him sob through the windows of my parents moving car - a sound I will not forget for a long time.

To try and ease Emmett's mind, Kristi and I agreed to "Skype" Emmett later that night from our hospital room to say goodnight to him. For those of you who are not familiar, "Skyping" is like conducting a live video phone call through the Internet using your computer. As we prepared for the call, I slid into bed with Kristi and Liam and placed the call. This is where the drama really escalates.

As we began the call it was clear that Emmett was not himself. He was trying desperately to hold himself together, but unfortunately, he started to lose it. Kristi immediately felt that Emmett should not see her, and told me to get off of the bed, and fast! I jumped up with my laptop, proceeded to trip over a variety of cords connected to all sorts of medical equipment, and fell flat on my face throwing my laptop half-way across the hospital room. The crash was so loud that nurses came rushing into the room to see what was the matter. In the meantime, my computer was in pieces, leaving Emmett to wonder what on earth happened to his mom and dad. I pulled myself together and raced to call Emmett back as quickly as I could, and I was relieved to find that he was more curious as to what happened than alarmed. Thank goodness.

When I awoke the next morning, my toe throbbed and was a deep shade of purple. At this point in time, having the convenience of a ER a few floors beneath you was helpful. I disappeared for a few hours only to return to Kristi with X-rays of my broken toe, toes taped together, and a walking boot I am supposed to still be wearing right now. I quickly became the running joke of the "Birthplace", frequently hearing new nurses say, "Oh, you're the one with the broken toe!" Kristi's entirely accurate and insightful comment to many serves to close this story and has continually been, "He just couldn't let me have all of the attention for one minute."

Revamped! - Second Edition

It is fair to say that I have been busy as of late - busy revamping my own blog and now my website pages to provide new and, perhaps, more helpful information for both new and existing MWS families. I'd like to take this opportunity to describe the changes to my "Principal's Page" which can be found on the Marion W. Savage Elementary School home page at http://www.isd191.org/mwsavage.

There are ten changes worth noting, and as the "list-oriented, overly-organized" person I am, I will share these changes with you in the numbered format below.

(1) Welcome to MWS! - This site was in dire need of repair and updating. At the top you will notice the panoramic picture of our entire MWS learning community taken last Spring. In addition, I have provided a preview of the letter that will be sent to your homes in the next few weeks along with additional pertinent information including class placements.

(2) MWS Minutes - I made a few minor adjustments to this site, the highlight being a new picture of my revamped MWS Minutes blog. I would really appreciate you joining this blog as a "follower" so that I can see just how many families are actually viewing this information. Please note: I said viewing, not reading in detail.

(3) Newsletter Articles - Again, minor adjustments were made to this page, but the key is that this site will continually allow you to download a PDF of the newsletter articles I write each month. This is not a full copy of our school newsletter (which can be found on our home page). Since these documents are PDF files, you should be able to view them despite the type of computer or operating system you are using.

(4) Our Mission - This is the first of six new sites that I have created which I hope you find interesting. Our school mission statement has always been accessible via our Site Council website, but I felt that this should have a more prominent role as staff and family members worked in collaboration in the past to create this mission. Included is a beautiful picture taken of our school that reflects the efforts of many in terms of "exterior beautification" that takes place each summer.

(5) Promoting Literacy Development - This new site serves to answer a question that I often am asked throughout the school year, "What can I do to help my student be more successful in school?" This is a list, specifically targeted toward the promotion of literacy development, which you may find helpful. Please remember that these suggestions are merely that, suggestions, and as always what you choose to do in your home to support your student is your decision to make.

(6) Helping Your Student - This site is designed as a "Top 10 List", which I hope, you will find beneficial. Included are a variety of suggestions for your consideration which could potentially influence your student's elementary school experience at Marion W. Savage in a positive manner.

(7) Photo Gallery - This new site is most certainly my favorite. The design in creating this page was to provide families with a "visual" of the things discussed in newsletters, my blog, and most importantly, what you hear from your student. In selecting a specific image, you are able to view the image a read a brief description regarding what you see. You will also have the flexibility to be able to scroll through the images after selecting one to view all images similar to a slideshow. When you are finished viewing various images, click one time on the "Back" button listed in the bottom left corner of the page to return to the "Photo Gallery" home page.

(8) About Mr. Willey - For some reason, I always have avoided divulging personal information. Perhaps one reason is that I want information to be focused on the efforts and successes of others rather than myself. However, I decided that I want to share my experiences and my family with you. I ask students and families to share a great deal about themselves - it is only fitting that I reciprocate.

(9) Contact Information - Outside of a few minor aesthetic adjustments to this site, it has remained the same. The goal of this site is to provide a face with a name and to give you the necessary information needed to contact me for support. Please feel free to use this site as you wish.

(10) Parent Resources - While our home page has most, if not all, of the links and information families may need, I wanted to also provide a few resources that you may find valuable. Under each image you will find a direct link to the website for the resource listed which will open in a new window. I hope and plan to add to this site as I find (or think of) links that would be of impact for you. I welcome any recommendations from the MWS Learning Community.

Before I conclude this post, I would again like to invite you to become a "follower" of MWS Minutes. Your comments and feedback are equally important to me, so please do not hesitate to share your thoughts directly on my blog. I look forward to seeing you all again soon!

Revamped!

If it has been awhile since your last visit, I cannot blame you. Much of the content and overall design of this blog has remained the same for the past two years. However, as I am certain you can quickly see, much as changed. Allow me the opportunity to highlight some of the features that this blog now has that may lead you to consider bookmarking it.

(1) Links - MWS Minutes now has direct links to the MWS Twitter & Facebook websites, as well as to our school website. There is also a direct link to the ISD 191 website for your convenience as well. I would encourage you to visit each of these sites as they are very well-constructed.

(2) Become a Reader - You now have the option to follow MWS Minutes not only through various social networks, but you can link to our site in a Reader account feed should you decide to create one. This is an easy way to stay in touch with new blog entries without having to continuously visit the website.

(3) Video & Images - An effort will be made to incorporate streaming videos as a part of this blog, and more images will be shown to help visually illustrate many of the wonderful things that take place at MWS on a daily basis.

While this blog will remain a work in progress, I am committed to ensuring that more posts, resources, and interesting items will be included on a much more frequent basis. Enjoy!

PTO Elections Approaching!

Attention All MWS Families,

As May draws near, our annual PTO Executive Board Election will be held on Monday, May 17th at the PTO General Meeting at 7:00 p.m. in the Media Center. If you are interested in joining the PTO, running for office, or discovering new ways in which you can volunteer your time and support our school, I would like to encourage you to attend our meeting on April 12th at7:00 p.m. as well. The PTO is/has been responsible for numerous successful events that have taken place throughout our school year and are/have been extremely generous of their time and support. The following positions are open for election with a brief synopsis of the responsibilities that are included with each position:

THE PTO EXECUTIVE BOARD

PRESIDENT
The President should be willing to dedicate 2-4 hours per month for meetings, including the Executive and General Membership meetings.
Responsibilities
a. Conduct all PTO Executive and General Board meetings.
b. Confer with the Principal prior to all meetings.
c. Prepare agenda prior to meetings.
d. Work with teachers to assess their needs.
e. Attend district meetings, as necessary.
f. Create upcoming school year calendar with Principal and Board members.
g. Interact with the Site Council.
h. Coordinate elections of Board members.
i. Coordinate summer budget meeting.
j. In August, hire/find professional to perform an examination of PTO financial records; and said professional to prepare a written summary [letter] for presentation to the Board.
k. Vote only to break any ties on motions.

VICE PRESIDENT
The Vice President should be willing to dedicate 2-4 hours per month for meetings, including the Executive and General Membership meetings.
Responsibilities
a. Conduct PTO Executive and General Board meetings in the absence of the PTO President.
b. Assist the President with duties as needed.
c. Take and distribute meeting minutes when the Secretary is absent.
d. Organize childcare for the PTO meetings when necessary.
e. Be timekeeper at the PTO General Membership meetings.

SECRETARY
The Secretary should be willing to dedicate 2-4 hours per month for meetings, including the Executive and General Membership meetings.
Responsibilities
a. Record minutes of the Executive Board meeting and distribute to Board members.
b. Record minutes of the General Membership meeting and distribute to Board members.
c. Make meeting minutes available for the M.W. Savage website.

TREASURER
The Treasurer should be willing to dedicate 4-6 hours per month for meetings, including the Executive and General Membership meetings.
Responsibilities
a. Responsible for checking/savings account.
b. Receive and deposit all money.
c. Pay out funds in accordance with the approved budget or as authorized by the Executive Board.
d. Prepare, along with the Executive Board, the yearly budget for the new school year.
e. Present budget and financial report to the Executive Board and General Membership meetings for approval.
f. Keep an accurate record of receipts and expenditures.
g. Prepare year-end financial statements for audit.
h. Monitor and renew tax-exempt status.

PUBLIC RELATIONS/COMMUNICATIONS
The Public Relations/Communications person should be willing to dedicate 2-4 hours per month for meetings, including the Executive and General Membership meetings.
Responsibilities
a. Coordinate media coverage of PTO sponsored events.
b. Prepare and distribute PTO promotional flyers.
c. Coordinate information for monthly school newsletter.
d. Provide information to Webmaster or individual(s) responsible for maintaining and updating school website, as it pertains to PTO news, information, and events.

PTO VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR
The PTO Volunteer Coordinator should be willing to dedicate 2-4 hours per month for meetings,including the Executive and General Membership meetings.
Responsibilities
a. Assist Site Volunteer coordinator in all of the above responsibilities as needed.
b. Track volunteer hours.
c. Send Thank-yous to facilitators.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Beth Spaude or Kim Robinson at your convenience. Thank you for considering this wonderful opportunity to support MWS, and I hope to see you at our April and May meetings.

A New Hand to Hold!

At this time I would like to share with you that Kristi, Emmett, and I are expecting a new addition to our family. Yes, we are having a baby! Well, I guess I'm not and neither is Emmett, Kristi is, but we will all have a new hand to hold in our immediate family. Being the astute planners we are, Baby Willey is due to arrive right around the first day of school this September. I cannot think of a more calm and peaceful time to bring a new child into the world! Emmett has seemed to grasp onto the idea, at least to the best of his ability, and has been seen kissing the baby "inside mommy's tummy". On behalf of my family I would like to ask that you keep us in your thoughts as we begin this wonderful new journey together.

Half-Way to Graduation Day

Recently, our 6th Grade students celebrated their "Half-Way to Graduation Day" here at MWS. For the first time in MWS history, the principal was asked to provide the keynote address to students. Here is a copy of that speech to students:

Today we have come to the half-way point of our journey together. Obviously then we are a little sad because, after all, we have all been together for number of years now. We have gotten to know one another very well. We have gotten to know each other's good points and bad. We have learned to live with each other and to have fun together. So it is understandable if we are sad to begin thinking about leaving old ways and old friends.

Yet today is a very exciting day too. It's like the day you stand in an empty room and imagine how it will be if you paint it. Your life is that empty room and you are the individuals that will determine the design for that space. It is up to you what you make of that room.

Some of you will like a clear uncluttered look to your lives. You may, in time, strike off on your own and do just your own thing. Yet more of you will want a more cluttered look and you will be the type of people who will always want to be surrounded by your family and friends. Some of you will be adventurous in what you choose; others will prefer the safe and familiar path.

So even though we are sad, we are also glad. We are glad that you are being given the opportunity to continue your education. We are glad that you will be given the chance to join choirs and football teams, to act on the stage and, of course, to study. I know that on a wet or snowy Monday morning you would much prefer to lie in bed than to go to school, but you need that second-half of your schooling if you are to achieve your dreams.

You see there is just a chance that you might not become a professional basketball player or a pop star, and if not you might need and ordinary boring old job such as being a principal for instance. So, while you prepare to enjoy all the social life Junior High School has to offer, I recommend that you do a balancing act and continue to study as well.

Now though all you can think of is that you are half-way to graduating and let me say that you are graduating in style. We are very proud of you, just as your parents and family members are proud of you. You will be missed here at Marion W. Savage Elementary. You have brought to us your individual talents and skills and hopefully we have managed to help you develop them. When we look at your photographs on the wall and in yearbooks we will think of you and the happy times we had together.

Today we are wishing you well in your future. We are hoping that you will enjoy your new schools and that you will continue to be a credit to this school and to us. More importantly we want you to be a credit to yourselves and your families. We are sure you will be because you are, every single one of you, special in some way.

So face the future knowing that you are special and that you have something wonderful to bring to the world. Grasp every opportunity you get and make the most of it. Don't be afraid of new ideas, but keep those old-fashioned standards of behavior and high expectations in mind. Whatever style or design you choose for that room of yours decorate it thoroughly and well.

Above all, don't forget to come back and visit us. You'll be warmly welcomed because, after all, you will always be one of our own.

In closing, I would like to say thank you and share my appreciation to all the families for supporting your student’s education and our school. It is through your hard work, dedication and sacrifices that make your students successful. 6th graders, I challenge you to continue to work hard and to be the best you can be in the second-half of your journey. All of us here at MW Savage wish you the best. Congratulations!

Holiday Greetings to All!

As Winter Break approaches and we all look forward to a variety of family traditions and celebrations, I wanted to take an opportunity to wish every MWS family, every MWS student, and every MWS staff member a very happy holiday season from my entire family.

This year has brought many exciting developments to the Willey family, the largest perhaps being the explosion of language that has erupted from our 2-year old son, Emmett. We are continually amazed on a daily basis as to the things that pour out of his mouth, all appropriate of course! As you all consistently remind me on a frequent basis, this time is precious, and my wife Kristi and I have been amazed at how quickly this time flies.

A quick, yet humorous story to share with you that truly encapsulates what we are dealing with at home with our son. I had picked up Emmett from daycare on a recent winter evening and it was dark and beginning to snow. On the way home I decided to stop and get gas as my father constantly (and still does to this day) reminded me to never have less than a 1/4 tank when it gets cold. In an attempt to keep Emmett entertained for a mere 3 minutes while I tried to accomplish this task, I gave him my cell phone, which I do from time to time for him to play with. I then proceeded to tell him that we were almost home and that mommy was waiting for us. As I re-entered the car, Emmett handed me my phone and repeatedly commented that "Mommy's not home." Having been a long day, I, as many parents do from time to time, engaged in an argument with my 2-year old son that in fact his mother was home and we would see her shortly. Eventually, he repeated the phrase enough times that I conceded and sat silently as we drove the remaining 1/2 mile to our home.

As we pulled into the garage Emmett exclaimed, "Mommy is home!" as I rolled my eyes in the front seat. When we walked inside, my wife asked me if I let Emmett call her on my phone on our way home. I, of course, said no, but acknowledged that I let him play with it while we were getting gas on our way home. "Listen to this," she said, and she proceeded to play a 1-minute phone message that my son had left for my wife on her cell phone without my knowledge while I was pumping gas!

No wonder he kept saying, "Mommy's not home!" in the car. How could she be if she was not answering her phone and he had to leave a voicemail message for her? Please note: Emmett had to first, unlock my phone; second, figure out how to dial the right number; third, know when he could leave a message and then do it; and finally, when to hang up the phone.

Why do I share this story with you? As the holidays approach, all too often my wife and I are guilty of focusing on what we may be receiving or what is causing us stress and discomfort in our lives. Instead, moments such as this and the numerous other moments you experience each day with your children as they continue to amaze us - that is what we need to be spending our time appreciating. Our children are our gifts, perhaps the best we can ever receive.

On behalf of Emmett, Kristi, and myself, I wish you the happiest of holiday seasons, and I truly hope that the new year finds you healthy, happy, and well.

"The Spirit of Giving Tree"

As the holiday season is already off and running, I wanted to take the time to explain a new and welcoming seasonal addition to the front entryway at Marion W. Savage Elementary School - "The Spirit of Giving Tree". This tree was a collaborative effort among multiple staff members and students alike. As you can clearly see in the picture, MWS First Grade students are standing next to the tree, celebrating the newly created decorations they took the time to make and hang themselves - all in the spirit of giving.

The purpose of this tree is to serve as a reminder to one and all how important the act of giving to others truly is, around the holiday season in particular. Due in large part to the current state of our economy and unemployment in our area, it is possible that numerous families in our school community do not have enough food to eat. In "the spirit of giving", you will see boxes beneath the tree already filling up with food donations. As your family visits the grocery store in the upcoming weeks or even is cleaning out the cupboards of your kitchen, please feel free to send any non-perishable food items with your student to MWS and place them under the tree. All collected food items will be donated to the Community Action Council, which currently does not have enough food to give to families in need.

A dear friend and member of our learning community sent me the following quote, and I think it may serve appropriate as we consider tradition at Marion W. Savage Elementary and work to keep our school spirit alive. This is a portion of a local author's feelings on change in her community:

"We have work to do - all of us...the entire [MWS] community - staff, students, families, the community. We can question the changes, because that makes us reflective of the process. We can voice concern - AND celebrate the successes, because that forces us to take a broad look at exactly what is going on. But we must be committed members of the team."

Now, perhaps more than ever, I would like to invite each and every member of the Marion W. Savage learning community to be or to continue to be a committed member of our MWS team. The success of our students depends upon it. I wish you the happiest of holiday seasons, and I hope that your family continues to grow and prosper as the new year approaches.

Read Night Success!

On Thursday, November 5th the MWS Site Council sponsored its annual Read Night at Marion W. Savage Elementary School. At this event, students had an opportunity to exchange picture books and chapter books, adults could do the same, all could view an exciting puppet show in the Media Center, and finally cap the evening off with some ice cream to support our 6th Grade Send Off fundraising efforts.

I would like to specifically recognize the work of Amy Kierstead, the Chair of Read Night for 2009 for all of her hard work and efforts. I would also like to recognize Michelle Hertle for her support with these efforts as well. The Site Council also played a role in planning this event, so I would like to thank Jinny Riggs, Robbie Bunnell, Stacey Wollmuth, Pat Mitton, Digger Anderson, Chelsea Rudie, Briana Benson, Annie Jarzyna, Sara Strahota, Natalie Bauleke, Micky Hubanks and Polly Burns. Thank you as well to the many MWS Staff members who served as volunteers for this fine event as well.

On a side note, I would also like to thank Maria Peerboom and Beth Spaude for all of their efforts in distributing Sally Foster gift wrap to families who supported our school fundraiser. I know that many volunteers were involved in the process as well, and I sincerely thank you for your help.

Thank you to one and all for making Marion W. Savage Elementary School such a fun place to be!

Warm regards,
Mr. Willey

Flu Update @ MWS

Dear MWS Families,

On our list serve today you will be receiving a district communication regarding an update on the influenza outbreak throughout our community. This communication will also be posted on the front page of our school website for you to view as well. Please encourage as many others as you can to take the time to view this information as it will hopefully answer any questions or concerns you have.

Some families have called me directly or emailed me asking for specific actions that the school is taking and what we are doing to minimize the spread of this illness. On the ids191.org website there is a link in which you can view the district's Pandemic Influenza Response Plan for 2009-2010 which highlights what actions are being taken and by whom both at the building and district level.

As a parent myself, I completely understand your concerns. My wife and I worry whenever we take Emmett out in public, regardless of the location, and we share many of the fears you are expressing to me and feeling yourselves. I can only assure you that the staff at Marion W. Savage Elementary School is taking every recommended action from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Center for Disease Control to keep our school clean and safe.

While I am fully aware that this may not alleviate all of your fears, I am hopeful that it provides you with some relief. I remain confident in the efforts of the MWS staff to provide a clean and safe environment for all of our students. If you would like to contact me directly via phone or email to share your concerns or discover any additional information from me, please feel free to do so.

Warm regards,
Mr. Willey

Dancing the Night Away!

On Friday night, the annual (except for last year) Fall Ball commenced in accordance with Homecoming festivities at the High School. Several hundred students and parents attended this event and many proceeded to "rock the dance floor" for most of the evening. Sixth grade students sold concessions to raise money for the annual 6th Grade Send-Off, and all kinds of glowing devices were sold. With the "mood lighting" and music, the bracelets and necklaces stood out on the dance floor. Door prizes were given out to many families which included, but were not limited to: pumpkins, pumpkin pies, caramel apples, and more.

A special thank you goes to Megan Allen, Karen Johnson, Kim Robinson, and all of the parents who volunteered their time setting up, chaperoning, and cleaning up after this event. Numerous students personally informed the principal that they had "an awesome time" and one went so far as to ask, "Can we have another one of these this year? This is the most fun I've had at this school!" I'm not sure if that was compliment of the evening or not, but I'll take it!

Back & Better Than Ever!

As we near the conclusion of the second full week of school in the 2009-2010 school year at Marion W. Savage,it is my pleasure to report that we are off with a bang!

While stressful for many involved, we did survive Picture Day with a new company on the first day of school. Will we do it again? To date I am not certain. I am speculating that we will continue with the first week of school next year, but perhaps not the first day. I would like to personally thank the parents who volunteered their time on this day. We would not have gotten everyone photographed without your help. Thank you!

Information regarding Influenza and H1N1 has been pervasive. Many teachers and school staff are reinforcing handwashing as the scientifically proven best way to aid in keeping everyone healthy and happy. Please encourage your students to engage in this practice diligently. Also, if your student makes a habit of washing hands before they leave for school and upon arrival at home the risks would be greatly reduced.

It was great to see many of you at our Parent Information Nights as well. I am hopeful that you had a positive experience connecting with your student's teacher as we begin the school year. Establishing a positive relationship between the classroom and home can only enhance the educational experience for each student. Thank you to the many people who volunteered their time setting up and distributing materials for these events. Your help is appreciated!

Wishing you an enjoyable last few days of summer!
Mr. Willey

Welcome Back, Welcome "Patch"

One day later, and 15 gallons of pickles remaining, our annual open house has completed. Thank you to all families who were able to come, meet with your student's teacher, and reconnect with our community. For those of you who were unable to attend, please know that you were missed, and we hope to see you soon.

As seen last night, our new mascot "Patch" made his triumphant debut. In keeping with the history of our community and trying to connect it to our elementary age population, "Patch" was born. Hopefully you had an opportunity to grab a new MWS button last evening, and I would love to hear your feedback regarding our new logo. Many families and students alike expressed an interest in making similar shirts available for students in the near future. If enough interest is generated, I would love to explore this possibility.

Our Parent Information Nights are right around the corner beginning on Thursday, September 10th with 1st, 4th, and our DCD Program hosting events. 2nd Grade and Kindergarten will follow on Tuesday, September 15th, while 6th, 5th, and 3rd grade will host on Thursday, September 17th. We hope to see you all then!

Welcome back to Marion W. Savage Elementary. Best wishes to all students, families and staff for an exceptional school year!

The End of Summer Is Near!

Leave it to your principal to remind you that your precious few days of fun in the sun, uninterrupted family time, and vacations to exotic locations will soon come to an end as the start of the 2009-2010 school year is right around the corner. In an effort to continue to keep you as updated as possible, please check out the list of updates below:

(1) Construction Complete!
As of early this week all construction to the playground and parking lot areas has completed. These newly paved areas were recently re-painted, teather and basketball hoops were put back into place, and the playground received a new load of fresh wood chips. Please make a point to check out this area when you come to our Back to School Open House on September 3rd!

(2) MWS Makes AYP!
As perhaps you've discovered MWS was not one of the schools listed in the newspaper for not making AYP on the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments in the 2008-2009 school year. This is actually something to celebrate. Truthfully, I would much rather see the media publish a list of those schools who did make AYP and celebrate their accomplishments, rather than focusing on those who did not. Credit for this accomplishment goes to the students, teachers, and parents for working together! Congrats MWS!

(3) MWS Loses Title I Services
Due to a reduction in federal and state funding as well as an increase in the district average of students who qualify for free/reduced lunch services, MWS will join Gideon Pond, Rahn, and Harriet Bishop as one of four schools in ISD 191 that will not have Title I services for students in the 2009-2010 school year. It is my hope that we will work together as a learning community to discover solutions that may exist to alleviate this loss.

(4) MWS Goes Completely Online!
Well, not completely, but the September 2009 newsletter will be the final newsletter printed for all families and distributed from the school directly. From October on all newsletters will be located on our school's website for you to view and download at home or work. Printed copies will still be available for families without access to the Internet, but we are looking to reduce our printing costs and save money in the immediate future.

(5) Letters to Families
In the upcoming days you can expect to receive a letter complete with information regarding your student's class placement and many other items. I would like to take this opportunity to remind you that all placements are final, and changes will not be made in student placements. Enclosed you will also find your Fall Picture information from Lifetouch so that your family is prepared for picutres on the first day of school.

I wish you an enjoyable last few days of summer, and I look forward to reconnecting with you all on September 3rd!

Summer Update @ MWS

As summer progresses quickly out of our grasp, I thought that the end of July would be a perfect opportunity to provide you with some updates and information you may find helpful as we prepare for the upcoming 2009-2010 school year.

(1) MCA Test Results
I am hopeful that you were able to view the Star Tribune article publised a few weeks ago highlighting the outstanding scores of MWS students in the areas of reading and mathematics. The hard work of our students and staff most definitely paid off as we were very successful. Expect more detailed information to come as the school year begins.

(2) MWS Construction
The complete resurfacing of all asphalt areas at MWS is nearing its completion. Both parking lots and the playground areas were completely replaced, and a new concrete curb was poured around our playground equipment to replace the railroad ties. Painting and finishing touches are expected in the next few weeks.

(3) Inside MWS
As always, and I am certain a surprise to no one, our school is beginning to look fantastic. Norm and Dave have been working feverishly to wax floors so that I can fix my hair in the reflection! Classrooms are cleaner than ever. We are having a new stage curtain installed in early August to match the new dropdown divider that was added during last school year. I am looking forward to using the stage for concerts and special events at MWS this year.

(4) Back to School Open House
Please remember to book your calendar on Thursday, September 3rd from 4-6pm for our annual Back to School Open House at MWS. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet teachers, become reconnected with friends in the community, and munch on a pickle with the principal (had to keep the alliteration going). Some new surprises will be unveiled during this time, so please make sure you don't miss it!

(5) MWS Website
If you are reading this blog, chances are you are already aware that our website has been evolving over the course of the summer. MW Savage is even represented on twitter.com! Be sure to check it out whenever possible. We are always looking for ways in which we can communicate most effectively with families.

(6) Picture Day = First Day of School
Yes, we will be having our Fall Pictures on the first day of school. "Why on earth would we do that?" you may be thinking. Well, here is the logic trail I am operating on, despite how logical it may actually be. The first day of school is one of the most widely attended days of the school year, students usually dress nicely on this day, and it would not be nearly as intrusive to learning if it were later in the school year. Will it work? We shall see! Expect to see new information coming home from our new photography company, Lifetouch.

(7) "Celebrity Reading" @ the Savage Library
Thank you to all students and families who attended my reading at the Savage Library. I am told it was one of the most widely attended in history. Even the Mayor of Savage heard that it was packed! Thank you for coming!

I hope your remaining days of summer treat you all well, and I look forward to seeing you in a month!

Farewell MWS Families & Thank You!

Dear MWS Families,

On a very personal level, I would like to thank you for your continued support, guidance, and assistance on a number of different levels. You have invited my family and I into your community and welcomed us all with open arms. You have been at school to volunteer your time, raise money for our school, and support everything that we are trying to accomplish as a learning community. You have shared your input, voiced concerns, and provided constructive feedback to help make MWS a better place. As a first year principal in a new school district, I feel lucky to be here, and I am excited to see what the future holds for all of us for many years to come.

On behalf of my family I would like to wish you a restful, relaxing, and enjoyable summer with your family. I hope that you travel safely, and I look forward to your return at our Open House on September 3rd from 4-6 pm.

Best wishes,
Jeremy Willey
Principal, MWS