MRVED Update - March 9, 2022

MRVED Business

MRVED Meetings 

Friday, March 11, 2022 - Title III Paraprofessionals

Friday, March 18, 2022 - Title III Teachers (Virtual)

Wednesday, March 23, 2022 - Superintendents' Council

April 14, 2022 Information

The April 14, 2022, MRVED Common Inservice Day will be held in Benson at the Benson High School.  Registration will be sent out early next week.  If you have a student teacher this spring, please have your student teacher register through the registration link as well.  We need to plan our seating accordingly.  

The schedule for the day is as followed:

9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. - PJ Fleck

10:00 a.m. - 10:20 a.m. - Break/Breakfast

10:30 a.m. - 11:20 a.m. - Networking

11:35 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. - Community Building Activity

12:20 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. - Lunch

1:05 p.m. - 1:55 p.m. - District Choice

For lunch, your administration is asking everyone to eat at Benson High School due to a shortened lunch time.  The cost is $7.00 and is to be paid to your district. DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY TO THE MRVED.  The following are your lunch options:

Option #1:  Chef Salad with a breadstick, fruit, and a cookie.

OR

Option #2:  Chicken Salad Croissant with fresh vegetables, fruit, chips, ranch cup, and a cookie. 

If you choose NOT to eat the boxed lunch, you are asked to bring your own lunch to eat at Benson High School.  Please note that there is NOT a cooler to store your lunch and a microwave is NOT available to warm up food, so please plan accordingly.

You will receive an email prior to the April 14th Common Inservice Day with everything you need to know for the day.  A personalized agenda will be handed out when you arrive at the Benson High School. 

***Registration will close on Friday, March 25th @ 4:00 p.m.***

Resources

Ukraine/Russia Conflict Resources

As teachers we make an instructional decision to talk or not talk about current events. Sometimes we shy away from topics that may seem controversial, or we shy away from topics because we don't fully understand the topic ourselves. Either way, we know our kids are hearing and seeing news from Ukraine. Here are some resources to enrich your own knowledge of the Ukraine/Russia conflict.

• How to Talk to Kids About the Ukraine Invasion (PBS)
• Talking to Kids About the War in Ukraine

Legislative Update

You might have heard about Minnesota legislation pertaining to the "Parents Bill of Rights" or a requirement to have at least one, full-time social worker in every building. It can be very difficult to keep up to date on everything that is being proposed in the legislature. The Minnesota Rural Educators Association (MREA), does a fabulous job keeping track for you. Check out their latest legislative update. The Minnesota School Board Association also does a nice job with a summary document weekly.

Professional Learning

Testing 1,2,3

Testing 1,2,3  has been shared previously, but as we start gearing up to MCA testing, questions about testing seem to arise. The Testing 1,2,3 website developed by the Minnesota Department of Education is a great resource to help answer many of your questions. It has everything from data analytics, to test specs, to ideas on how to teach certain standards and benchmarks. There is a TON of information on this website, check it out today!

Book Study

Row the Boat - Chapter 7 & 8

Chapter 7 & 8 in Row the Boat by PJ Fleck is all about his first couple years in Minnesota. How he had to establish the RTB culture to a team that was divided. Going through the growing pains again of building the RTB culture.

Coach Fleck tells the story of Casey O'Brien, a five-time cancer survivor. Coach Fleck was looking for that one person in Minnesota that would be his rower. Casey O'Brien came to him one day and asked if he could join the team. He was everything that Coach Fleck was looking for. Check out the two videos below, the first one tells the story of Casey and the second video is him getting into his first college football game.

One part of this chapter, other than the Casey O'Brien story, is when Coach Fleck is talking about the decision to come to Minnesota. After making his decision, his wife told him, "You will make your biggest impact where it will be the hardest" (Fleck, 64) He quotes the Cadet's Prayer..."Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half-truth when the whole can be won" (Fleck, 64).