WE CREATE CHANGE

Starting tomorrow, January 20, 2015 Maple Lake Elementary's Rachel Challenge students have invited all of our students/staff to focus their energy on... 

                 "WE CREATE CHANGE"

This is a global service project that works to empower a WE generation.  This program encourages students to become compassionate leaders and active citizens by taking action for the issues that matter the most to them.
Free the Children is an international charity that partners with developing communities in eight countries worldwide to overcome the root causes of poverty and remove the barriers of education.
Maple Lake elementary staff and students VOTED on a country back in October 2014 with the majority selecting HAITI. Therefore...all of our fundraising dollars will go toward the specific needs of this country.
We started our fundraising efforts by first selling We Day bracelets for $1.00.  This was an incredibly successful activity bringing in enough money for 2 goats. Now we are challenging our K-6th grade students to bring in change and dollars from January 20-30th for the purchase of more goats for HAITI families as this will help them with food/education and sustainability.  
To make this extra EXCITING...we have a challenge out there for grades K-3rd and 4-6th to see which hallway brings in the most money for the purchase of goats.  The prize is pure JOY and PRIDE that they have been a  part of making change happen way over in Haiti!!!!

***Please NOTE that this Friday, January 23rd we are offering students/staff the chance to wear a HAT to school for $1.00. Again...all of this money will go toward the 
WE CREATE CHANGE campaign for Haiti.

We Day was a success!

It has already been a couple of weeks since 20 of our Rachel Challenge CLUB members and two elementary staff (Mrs. Weninger & Mrs. Harlan) from the elementary attended We Day on November 12th at the Xcel center.  What a spectacular event!!!  We all left the day feeling pumped up to do good things.

Most of you might already own one of our Me to We...be the change bracelets.  Thank you for purchasing one of the bracelets and contributing to this fundraiser.  The profit from the sale of the bracelets will go toward our Adopt a Village (Haiti) global service project.

I have attached a few of the We Day pictures to share them with you all! Enjoy!

Tonight is the start of Fall 2014 conferences

Looking forward to seeing many of my MLE families this week.  As the school social worker, it is my job to be available during conferences so that parents can STOP by my "new" office space near the Special Education wing to check in on how your child is doing this school year.
I have attached a really inspiring blog from Kelly Seibert that I thought you might appreciate as a parent :) as you meet with your child(ren)'s teacher(s).  Mrs. Weninger

http://seibertblog.blogspot.com/

Rachel's Challenge CLUB member's meeting

Today the Rachel's Challenge CLUB met in Mrs. Weninger's "new" classroom during their lunch.  This CLUB meets two times per month to plan ways that our school can pass on KINDNESS!

We are missing two students in this picture (Augusta D & Daniel N). Those pictured are:

Christopher K, Braden P., Sophie P., Claire C., Ella K., Sydney R., Bryn E., Makayla D., Sawyer J., Allison Z., Maggie L., Alayna J., Jaret D., Jack H., Joe F., Madeline G., and Sean Z

Commonly asked question:  How do students get to be CLUB member's???

Answer:  All students are given the option to sign up at the end of 4th grade. A drawing is done during one of the fourth grade lunches where 10 students are picked which means they will be the 5th grade CLUB member's starting that Fall.  The 10 fifth grade CLUB member's automatically continue as CLUB member's in 6th grade.

*If students happen to move or ask to leave the CLUB leader role, then teacher's are asked from that grade to identify students that they see as good leaders and those individual students are asked if they are interested in joining the CLUB.

NOTE:  

We ask that all MLE students see themselves as Rachel Challenge member's...this group of 20 help Mrs. Weninger plan activities and lead our school to USE KIND WORDS, DO NICE THINGS and INCLUDE OTHERS.

School Social Work duties

My name is Lisa Weninger.

I am starting my 8th school year at Maple Lake. My job responsibilities are endless...which is just the way I like it!

Typically, School social workers work with teachers, parents, and school administrator's to develop plans and strategies to improve students' academic performance and social development. Students and their families are often referred to social workers to deal with problems such as dealing with overwhelming stressors, aggressive behavior, bullying, or frequent absences from school etc.

School Social Workers are available to help students develop social skills and succeed in school both academically and socially. 

If you ask your child(ren), they will be able to tell you that they meet with Mrs. Weninger once a week as a class for Character Education. Each grade receives 25-30 minutes per week of Second Step instruction for half of the school year. This year I have started meeting with Kindergarten, Second, and Fourth grade for Character Education. That men's I will see the other grades starting the end of January 2015. The students know that I love to share my favorite books with them during Character Education class at the start of the school year so they have already heard me read the book titled, How Full is Your Bucket? for Kids book by Tom Rath and Mary Reckmeyer. Ask your child(ren) what they did each day to fill another persons bucket. That means they will tell you how their acts of kindness put "drops" in another person's invisible bucket. The idea is that when we do Nice Things, Say Kind Words, and Include Others...we are not only showing IRISH PRIDE but we are filling buckets leaving kids at MLE feeling happy. Plus, we get drops in our buckets each time we help others or show kindness. 

Another part of my job is providing a resource to students in grades 3-6 who feel like they are being BULLIED or witness some sort of bullying in our school. Each teacher in those grades has a stack of orange colored Bulyy Help Cards. The cards are there for kids to fill out and give me if they want/need help related to bullying situations. The kids all know that this is not set up to get other children in trouble. Instead, it is there as a learning tool so that we can all be reminded of how our actions affect others each and everyday. This program has proven to be a positive way for kids at MLE to get the help they deserve when faced with difficult and sometimes stressful social situations.

Special education supportive services are a large portion of what I do here at Maple Lake elementary. I spend half hour sessions with a co-teacher by the name of Heidi Kelm providing Social Group instruction. My position is made available for those students identified as a child in need of special educational support. Written social/emotional goals are drafted with the help of teachers, parents and the student themselves with the idea that positive changes and practicing can make good things happen.

Family Change Groups are available to any student that has a difficult change in their life and the impact of that change is interfering in their school day. Each grade level has a 30 minute time slot set aside per week where those students that signed up (with parent permission) meet to share stories and support one another. It is our belief that when children have a chance to see that other kids have difficult changes happening in their lives too that they will feel connected and be able to focus on their academics throughout the reminder of the day/week. Invites were sent home on Wed., September 10th through our paper/electronic Wednesday envelope. Please feel free to call me directly if you did not get an invite or you misplaced it. Direct dial #320-963-7547.

Rachel's ChLlenge CLUBis another positive behavior program I facilitate at the elementary school. Students from 5th and 6th grade signed up to be in the club as a leader. Ten students from each 5/6 grade were drawn during one of their lunch periods and announced as the leaders for the CLUB. The mission of that CLUB is to fulfill Rachel Joy Scott's goal to start a chain reaction of kindness. Different projects and outreach ideas are shared and led by this team of students. Last year we successfully led our K-6th grade students through the Pennies For Patients fundraiser. It was a huge success!

I sure hope that you can tell how much I love what I do here at Maple Lake elementary. Your support and fantastic children make working at this school the best job ever!

I sure hope you contact me with any questions, comments, ideas etc. That is how we keep getting better!!

Welcome to my blog!

This is a blog by Mrs. Weninger!  I hope everyone is enjoying their summer!