MRVED Update - April 3, 2019

MRVED Business

Upcoming Meetings

April 12th - Title III Teachers
April 18th - MRVED Common Inservice Day
April 24th - Superintendents' Advisory Council
April 24th - MRVED Board Meeting

April 18th Common Inservice Day

The spring MRVED Common Inservice Day will be held on April 18, 2019, at the Dawson-Boyd Schools. You will be welcomed with coffee, juice, and muffins to begin your day. The day will consist of attending one session for the entire morning and the afternoon will be time with your district, determined by your administrator. The choices for the morning sessions are: Social Emotional Learning, Teach Like a Pirate, and Structured Unconference. Registration is now CLOSED and no changes can be made to your lunch choice.

Closer to the inservice date, you will receive an email with detailed information including the school's address, which to door to enter, and other information. Please read this carefully. When you arrive, your meal ticket and agenda will be in the commons area at the registration table.

We look forward to seeing everyone on April 18th!

(Please Note: Districts not participating in the inservice due to a school make-up day: Minneota/Ivanhoe, Ortonville, YME)

MRVED - Did You Know

The MRVED has hosted the MELT conference for over 15 years.  Throughout the years the conference has morphed into what it is today.  Today there are around 100 sessions for educators to choose from.  The topics range from the latest drug trends to the newest technology.  One of the goals of the MRVED is to efficiently use resources to accomplish goals.  The MELT is accomplished for $12 per teacher.  To put this in perspective, the TIES conference registration costs $389.  If we were to send everyone in the MRVED to the TIES conference, the total cost would be around $252,000, just for conference registration.  The MELT is put on for around $7,000!

What is Social Emotional Learning (SEL)?

Social Emotional Learning or SEL has been a big buzzword in education over the past few years.  It's something we are hearing more and more of, but what is SEL and why is it important.  The short video below does an excellent job of explaining the what & why.

SEL Edutopia Resources

Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)

MCA-IV Science Test Specs Committee

The Minnesota Department of Education is looking for educators to serve on a committee charged with creating the test specifications for the new science test.

This committee will be comprised of K-12 teacher leaders who will use their expertise to help develop assessment boundaries for the new 2019 Minnesota science standards. Committee selection will emphasize balance of demographics, grade levels, and content areas. The committee will meet for a total of 7 days starting on August 6-8, 2019 at MDE in Roseville and continuing through the spring of 2020. Committee members must commit to attending all meetings. The meeting dates are as follows:

· August 6-8, 2019

· October 29-30, 2019

· March 3-4, 2020

You will receive an honorarium and per diem for your travel expenses as needed.

If you are interested in being considered for this committee, enter your information in the form on the link below by April 12, 2019.

MCA-IV Science Test Specs Committee Application

Tech Tip of the Week - Automastery

If you use Google Forms in your classroom, this is an Add-On for you!  Automastery is awesome and a great way to differentiate.  Maryellen West did a fabulous job!  Check out the write-up from the website.

AutoMastery is a Google Forms Add-On that allows the Form owner to send students assignments based on their score on a Google Form. The owner sets a mastery level score and a beginner level score in a Google Form and sets what link respondents will receive via email with an assignment based on their scores.

Quiz takers will fall into one of three grade categories: Mastery, Progressing, and Beginner.

If a student has mastered the material and scores at or above the Mastery Score you set, he or she will be assigned an extension activity as set by the teacher.

A student who scores above the Beginner Score, but below the Mastery Score, will be sent a progressing assignment, set by the teacher, to bring them to mastery level.
​
A student not reaching the Beginner Score will be sent a comprehensive assignment, as set by the teacher.

Ditch That Textbook - Section 3 Part 3

We will take a look at chapters 30-33 in Ditch That Textbook by Matt Miller.  These are simply my thoughts on the chapters and by no means should replace reading the chapters for yourself.

Chapter 30 is titled, Make It.  Plain and simple, if you can't find what you are looking for, make it!  As a teacher, you have some of the best available resources at your fingertips to make whatever you need for your classroom.  If you can't find a video to explain how the letters "t" and "h" go together, gather a group of students and make your own video.  Think about the learning experiences involved in that activity.  We all have awesome cameras built into our cell phones.  We have Google Docs and Microsoft Office products at our fingertips.  Some of the best creation iPad apps offer free or discounted versions for education.  Even if you think you are not creative enough to make something, try!

Miller also talks about staying in touch with students and meeting them in their space.  If your students are on Twitter, join Twitter to see what it's all about.  If your students are Snapchatting, join it and try.  Instead of thinking about how I can block these tools in my classroom, think about how can you harness their power for educational purposes.  It may not be apparent to you right away, but if you think hard enough and creatively enough, you'll find a way.  Social networking is the way of the world today.  Classroom Twitter pages are popping up all over the place.  Teachers are using Instagram to show parents what is going on in their classrooms.  Schools are creating Snapchat filters and Twitter hashtags to create a virtual showcase of their events.

We have one section left in the book and a conclusion to go.  Once you are done with this book, I encourage you to borrow it to someone during the summer.  But, don't forget who you gave it to because you will want this playbook back to start the year next year.

MELT 2017 Call for Presentation Proposals

MELT Call for Presentation Proposals
It is that time of the year again!  Time to start looking for teachers to present at the MELT (MRVED Educators Learning Together) Conference in January.  The past few years we have had some great presentations by our local teachers.  Hopefully this year can be better yet.  Last year, there were over 100 sessions to choose from throughout the day with about 1/4 of them being led by local teachers.  My goal is to get to 50% led by local educators.  This is a great opportunity to share some of the awesome and unique things going on in your classroom.  If you would like to present, please fill out the form (linked below).  If you know of someone who would do an awesome job, encourage them to present.

Stipend:

• $100 - Present one, 1-hour session
• $150 - Present the same 1-hour session twice
• $150 - Present one, 2-hour session
• $200 - Present two different 1-hour sessions

Please Note:

• If you want to present as a team, only one proposal needs to be submitted.  The person that makes the proposal will be the contact person for that group.  The team shares the stipend.
• Submitting a proposal does not commit you to presenting.  You are only providing the MRVED with information that you are interested in presenting.
• Brandon will contact you by the end of October if your session was selected.
• You may fill out more than one proposal.

Possible Session Ideas:

• Cross-Curricular Projects
• School Readiness
• SMART Training
• Teaching Vocabulary
• 6+1 Traits of Writing
• Writing in the Elementary
• Daily 5
• Daily 3
• STEM/STEAM
• Coding
• Math Strategies
• Reading Strategies
• Technology: SMARTBoard, Tablets, Content Area, Grade Level, Apps

2017 MELT Call for Presentation Proposals Form

Preparing to Attend a Conference

Education world has a nice quick read about how to prepare to attend a conference.  Now the MELT is not held in a far-away tropical place, but the concepts in this article can apply to your experience at the MELT. Give it a quick rundown today!

Preparing to Attend a Conference

MRVED Business

MRVED Meetings:
November 10, 2015  Counselors
November 11, 2015  Community Ed
November 12, 2015  FACS (meet in Marshall with Gail Polejewski)
November 13, 2015  Ag (Hutchinson tour)
November 20, 2015  Principals' Council (11:30 a.m. start time)
November 25, 2015  Superintendents' Council


MELT Update
The Call for Proposals has closed.  If you submitted a proposal, but did not receive an email either confirming or rejecting your proposal, please let Brandon know (braymo@mrved.net).  If you have any ideas for MELT, the planning stages are winding down.  Contact Brandon and let him know of your idea.  MELT registration information will be coming out the 2nd week of December.

Also, the MELT Networking Group facilitator sign-up is located in this update.  If you feel the need for your group to network, please sign-up as a facilitator or urge someone to.  If your group does not have a facilitator, your group will not network.  You can network as a content area, grade level, or even around a topic.

Best Practice Meeting Updates
Art Meeting
The Art teachers embarked on a special day on October 22.  The teachers had the opportunity to meet with local artists throughout the day.  The first stop was to AtoZ Letterpress in downtown Montevideo.  After hearing about the letterpress process, the group ventured to Milan to visit Celeste Suter's Fiber Arts studio.  Then the group spent the rest of the morning at Tokheim Stoneware learning new tricks and watching a true artist create clay pots.  Over lunch, the group made their way to Granite Falls to meet with David Hall and talk more letterpress and see different ways to do that process.  The last stop was to the Peterson's to see scrimshaw art.  The day was nicknamed the "MiniMeander".

Math Meeting
The Math teachers gathered at the MRVED on October 27.  The morning was spent in conversation and thought about grading practices.  After a great conversation, the group then split into district teams and tackled the process of vertically and horizontally aligning to the the math standards.  After a catered meal, the group then split into grade alike groups and networked and the day ended with Brandon talking about integration of technology.  Overall it was a great day.

Business Meeting
The Business teachers met at the MRVED on October 29 with Karen.  Much like the math group they had the opportunity to talk about grading practices within the business classroom.  Karen then took the group through a formative assessment activity and discussion.  Gail Polejewski met with the group over lunch and discussed Perkins updates.  The group networked in the afternoon and shared ideas.

MELT Networking Facilitator Sign Up

MELT Networking Facilitator Sign Up

The MRVED is looking for facilitators of networking groups.  As a facilitator you are not expected to be the expert in the room, but rather move the discussion along.  The goal of a networking group is to share resources and ideas with people who have the same interest.  They are meant to include a give & take.  Bring something to share and take something away that someone else shared.  The only networking groups that will be offered are those that have a willing facilitator.  If a networking group does not have a facilitator, it will not be held.  If you would like to sign up, please click the link below and add your name to the list next to the group you would like to facilitate.  The networking sign up will close at 3:00p.m. on Friday November 20.  If you have any questions or cannot access the form, please contact Brandon (braymo@mrved.net).


MELT NETWORKING FACILITATOR SIGN UP LINK

MELT Call for Presentations

MELT Call for Presentation Proposals
It is that time of the year again!  Time to start looking for teachers to present at the MELT (MRVED Educators Learning Together) Conference in January.  The past few years we have had some great presentations by our local teachers.  Hopefully this year can be better yet.  Last year, there were over 90 sessions to choose from throughout the day with about 1/4 of them being led by local teachers.  My goal is to get to 50% led by local educators.  This is a great opportunity to share some of the awesome and unique things going on in your classroom.  If you would like to present, please fill out the form (linked below).  If you know of someone that would do an awesome job, encourage them to present.
Payment:

• $100 - Present one, 1-hour session
• $150 - Present the same 1-hour session twice
• $150 - Present one, 2-hour session
• $200 - Present two different 1-hour sessions

Please Note:

• If you want to present as a team, only one proposal needs to be made.  The person that makes the proposal will be the contact person for that group.
• Submitting a proposal does not commit you to presenting.  You are only providing the MRVED with information that you are interested in presenting.
• Brandon will contact you by the end of October if your session was selected.
• You may fill out more than one proposal.

Possible Session Ideas:

• Cross-Curricular Projects
• School Readiness
• SMART Training
• CPI
• Teaching Vocabulary
• 6+1 Traits of Writing
• Writing in the Elementary
• Daily 5
• Daily 3
• STEM/STEAM
• Coding
• Technology: SMARTBoard, Tablets, Content Area, Grade Level, Apps

MELT Call for Presentation Proposal Form

MRVED Business

Music Teachers Meet
The Music teachers gathered at the MRVED on Wednesday, October 7 for their annual best practice meeting.  As usual the day was filled with great discussion and awesome ideas were shared all around.  The morning was centered around grading practices and a "standards audit".  The afternoon consisted of lots of sharing and planning for MELT.  Overall, it was a great day with a great bunch of educators!

MELT Call for Presentation Proposals
It is that time of the year again!  Time to start looking for teachers to present at the MELT (MRVED Educators Learning Together) Conference in January.  The past few years we have had some great presentations by our local teachers.  Hopefully this year can be better yet.  Last year, there were over 90 sessions to choose from throughout the day with about 1/4 of them being led by local teachers.  My goal is to get to 50% led by local educators.  This is a great opportunity to share some of the awesome and unique things going on in your classroom.  If you would like to present, please fill out the form (linked below).  If you know of someone that would do an awesome job, encourage them to present.
Payment:

• $100 - Present one, 1-hour session
• $150 - Present the same 1-hour session twice
• $150 - Present one, 2-hour session
• $200 - Present two different 1-hour sessions

Please Note:

• If you want to present as a team, only one proposal needs to be made.  The person that makes the proposal will be the contact person for that group.
• Submitting a proposal does not commit you to presenting.  You are only providing the MRVED with information that you are interested in presenting.
• Brandon will contact you by the end of October if your session was selected.
• You may fill out more than one proposal.

Possible Session Ideas:

• Cross-Curricular Projects
• School Readiness
• SMART Training
• CPI
• Teaching Vocabulary
• 6+1 Traits of Writing
• Writing in the Elementary
• Daily 5
• Daily 3
• STEM/STEAM
• Coding
• Technology: SMARTBoard, Tablets, Content Area, Grade Level, Apps

MELT Call for Presentation Proposal Form

Upcoming Meetings
October 14, 2015  MRVED Common Date
October 22, 2015  Art Best Practices
October 23, 2015  Principals' Council
October 27, 2015  Math Best Practices
October 28, 2015  Superintendents' Council
October 29, 2015  Business Best Practices

Please note:  There will be no update next week due to MEA break.  Have a great break!

MRVED Business

MELT
Thank you to everyone that participated in the MELT this year.  It appears it was another successful conference and the weather was fantastic (for a change).  If you have not done so already, please fill out the MELT Evaluation Form.  The feedback is vital to planning future events, so spend a few moments and provide good, honest feedback on your day.

Thank you to LQPV for hosting once again.  Everyone from the janitorial staff, to the cooks, teachers, technology coordinator, and administration kicked in to make the great day.  Also a gigantic thank you to Mary Brown for the organization and handling registration.  Thank you to all the presenters who took the time to share their expertise with everyone.

The MELT committee will pour over the evaluations in the coming weeks and the planning for next year has already begun.


Upcoming Meetings
Superintendent - January 28
Board - February 11
TAC - February 19
Principal - February 20

MELT Information

The MELT is just around the corner. We thought it would be a good idea reiterate the list of reminders and pointers about the day.  You should have received an email with the same information.

• First and foremost, the WEATHER POLICY - if the weather is inclement, any cancellation or delay relating to the MELT will be posted by 6:00 a.m. on theWCCO website under Quicklinks - School Closings. We will be listed under MRVED (just our initials.) This will also be posted on WCCO's TV channel.
• Dress in layers. The commons area (morning refreshments and lunch) could be cool because the main doors are there and people will be coming and going. Also, some of the rooms could be warm or cool depending on the number of people in the session. The gymnasium will be open and the bleachers will be down so you have a place for your jackets.
• Coffee and hot water for tea/hot chocolate (tea bags and hot chocolate not provided) will be available all morning in the commons area.
• Lunch (commons area) - there will be two lines so that lunch can be served in a timely fashion. There will be signs around the building directing you to the lunch lines.
• If you are not eating the catered meal, we suggest you bring a bag lunch. The school is out in the country and the nearby towns are not that close to allow you to drive there, eat a relaxing lunch, and return in time for the afternoon session which begins promptly at 1:00 p.m.
• An electronic evaluation will be sent out on Tuesday, January 20. Please complete it as soon as possible. We really listen to your suggestions and your feedback.
• If you are attending a networking session during the day, remember there is no "expert" presenting at these sessions. This is a time for you to bring items (websites, lessons, apps, projects, etc...) to share with others. There will be a facilitator at the networking sessions, but they are there to simply provide guidance and order to the session.
• Lastly, here are the session times in case you are not coming right away in the morning for the first session.
• Session 1: 8:40-9:40
• Session 2: 9:50-10:50
• Session 3: 11:00-Noon
• Lunch: Noon-1:00
• Session 4: 1:00-2:00
• Enter through Door #5 (follow the walkway to the left of the eagle statue). The door also has the number 5 on it.
• Be sure to stop by the registration table in the commons area to pick up your registration packet (personalized agenda, clock hours, lunch ticket if applicable). We have over 500 people picking up packets that day so if you would be so kind as to say your name when it is your turn, registration will go that much faster. The tables will be divided up by the first letter of your last name, so look for the signs on the wall behind the tables to get into the correct line.

As of today, the weather looks like it will cooperate and it is set to be a great day of learning for all. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact either Brandon (braymo@mrved.net) or Mary (mbrown@mrved.net). We look forward to seeing you all on Monday!

MRVED Business

MELT Update

MELT is only 10 days away!  All presenters have been working hard on creating an engaging and worthwhile experience for everyone.  LQPV has been busy getting ready to host over 500 teachers.  Mary has been feverishly handling last-minute registrations and making sure everyone is well-informed.  We are looking forward to a great day of learning for everyone.  Look for an email next week with more specific instructions as to where to park and enter, wifi information, etc...  All the information from the email will also be in the update next week.

Upcoming Meetings
January 16, 2015  Community Ed
January 19, 2015  MELT
January 28, 2015  Superintendents' Council
February 9, 2015  Title III Teachers
February 11, 2015  MRVED Board (7 p.m.)
February 19, 2015  Teachers' Advisory Council (TAC)

LAST Day to Register for the 2015 MELT

MELT Registration Open

TODAY is the last day to register for the 2015 MELT.  If you have not registered already, please do it right now!  Registration closes at 3:00 p.m. today (December 19).

MELT Brochure

MELT Registration

MELT Information

Date: January 19, 2015

Time: 8:40-2:00

Location: Lac qui Parle Valley High School

MELT Reminders a la Mary Brown

1.  If you have a student teacher in January, please have them register by December 19, 2014 and select the district where they will be doing their student teaching.  Direct them to the MRVED website (www.mrved.com) and they can click on the MELT Registration article and it will take them to the brochure and the registration link.  If they are unable to do this by December 19, please have them contact me directly at mbrown@mrved.net or 320-269-9297.

2.  If you are presenting at the MELT, please register for your own session.  If you have already registered and haven't done this, no worries, I will register you for your own session.  Do not reregister.

3.  If you have selected to eat the catered meal, please pay your district the $5 by January 10, 2015.

4.  Lastly, if you did not receive a confirmation email at the completion of your registration, it is because you have entered your email incorrectly.  I have had about a half dozen emails come back to me because of that. I have corrected your emails in the registration but I'm not sure the program resends a confirmation.  

MELT 2015 Registration

MELT Registration Open

2015 MELT Registration has been open for a week. So far over 250 educators have registered and some sessions will start to close due to large numbers.  Register today to ensure you get into the sessions you want.  Registration will close next Friday, December 19, at 3:00 p.m.

MELT Brochure

MELT Registration

MELT Information

Date: January 19, 2015

Time: 8:40-2:00

Location: Lac qui Parle Valley High School

MELT Reminders a la Mary Brown

1.  If you have a student teacher in January, please have them register by December 19, 2014 and select the district where they will be doing their student teaching.  Direct them to the MRVED website (www.mrved.com) and they can click on the MELT Registration article and it will take them to the brochure and the registration link.  If they are unable to do this by December 19, please have them contact me directly at mbrown@mrved.net or 320-269-9297.

2.  If you are presenting at the MELT, please register for your own session.  If you have already registered and haven't done this, no worries, I will register you for your own session.  Do not reregister.

3.  If you have selected to eat the catered meal, please pay your district the $5 by January 10, 2015.

4.  Lastly, if you did not receive a confirmation email at the completion of your registration, it is because you have entered your email incorrectly.  I have had about a half dozen emails come back to me because of that. I have corrected your emails in the registration but I'm not sure the program resends a confirmation.  

MRVED Business

Industrial Technology Best Practice Meeting
The Industrial Technology teachers gathered on Thursday, November 20.  The group first met at Lakeview Schools to meet for about an hour before heading to Extreme Panel in Cottonwood for a tour.  Extreme Panel makes insulated paneling for homes.  After our tour of Extreme Panel, the group gathered for lunch and shared stories and ideas.  After a great lunch discussion, the teachers headed to Mid Continent Cabinetry in Cottonwood for a tour.  Overall it was a great day and the instructors had the opportunity to see how a few products are made and talk about their trades.  Thank you to Lakeview schools for allowing us to use a room and Extreme Panel and Mid Continent Cabinetry for opening their doors to us.

MELT Update
TODAY is your last opportunity to sign up to be a networking facilitator.  Check the document link below to see if your group already has a facilitator.  You do not have to be the expert in the room, simply start and end the meeting on time, and move things along.  If you have trouble placing your name in the sheet, please let Brandon know.

Networking Facilitator Sign Up

Registration will be coming out in a few weeks.  You will want to register early as sessions fill up FAST!  Watch the update in the coming weeks for registration information.


Upcoming Meetings

November 26, 2014  Superintendents' Council
December 2, 2014  Language Arts
December 4, 2014  World Languages
December 5, 2014  Social Studies
December 10, 2014  MRVED Board (7 p.m. meeting)

MELT Networking Facilitators Wanted

The MRVED is looking for facilitators of networking groups.  As a facilitator you are not expected to be the expert in the room, but rather move the discussion along.  The goal of a networking group is to share resources and ideas with people who have the same interest.  They are meant to include a give & take.  Bring something to share and take something away that someone else shared.  The only networking groups that will be offered are those that have a willing facilitator.  If a networking group does not have a facilitator, it will not be held.  If you would like to sign up, please click the link below and add your name to the list next to the group you would like to facilitate.  The networking sign up will close at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday November 18.  If you have any questions, please contact Brandon (braymo@mrved.net).


MELT Networking Group Facilitator Sign Up

MELT Networking Session Facilitator

The MRVED is looking for facilitators of networking groups.  As a facilitator you are not expected to be the expert in the room, but rather move the discussion along.  The goal of a networking group is to share resources and ideas with people who have the same interest.  They are meant to include a give & take.  Bring something to share and take something away that someone else shared.  The only networking groups that will be offered are those that have a willing facilitator.  If a networking group does not have a facilitator, it will not be held.  If you would like to sign up, please click the link below and add your name to the list next to the group you would like to facilitate.  The networking sign up will close at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday November 18.  If you have any questions, please contact Brandon (braymo@mrved.net).

MELT Networking Group Facilitator Sign Up

MRVED Business

LAST DAY! MELT Call for Presentation

The MRVED is once again looking for people to present at the annual MELT conference in January.  The 2015 installment of the MELT will be held at Lac Qui Parle Valley High School on January 19.  This is a great day to showcase some of the great things you are doing in your classrooms.  Presenters will be paid a small stipend for their efforts.  If you are interested in providing a session, please click on the link below and fill out the form.  Filling out the form does not guarantee or bind you to providing a session.  If you don't want to present, but have great ideas for possible sessions, email Brandon at braymo@mrved.net.

If you are willing to present and provide a session click HERE


Title I Best Practice Update
The Title I teachers came to the MRVED for their meeting on Thursday, October 30.  The morning was spent looking at high impact vocabulary words as well as researching, finding, and sharing intervention resources.  Lunch was great as usual.  The group then had the opportunity to network with a group of their peers.  The day ended with an activity on motivation.  Overall, it was a great day of learning.


Upcoming Meetings

November 4, 2014 - Guidance Counselors
November 5, 2014 - Phy Ed/Health
November 13, 2014 - Social Workers
November 18, 2014 - FACS CANCELED - RESCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 16, 2014
November 20, 2014 - Industrial Tech

TEACHERS WANTED!!

MELT Call for Presentation

The MRVED is once again looking for people to present at the annual MELT conference in January.  The 2015 installment of the MELT will be held at Lac Qui Parle Valley High School on January 19.  This is a great day to showcase some of the great things you are doing in your classrooms.  Presenters will be paid a small stipend for their efforts.  If you are interested in providing a session, please click on the link below and fill out the form.  Filling out the form does not guarantee or bind you to providing a session.  If you don't want to present, but have great ideas for possible sessions, email Brandon at braymo@mrved.net.

If you are willing to present and provide a session click HERE

2015 MELT Call for Presentations

MELT Call for Presentation

The MRVED is once again looking for people to present at the annual MELT conference in January.  The 2015 installment of the MELT will be held at Lac Qui Parle Valley High School on January 19.  This is a great day to showcase some of the great things you are doing in your classrooms.  Presenters will be paid a small stipend for their efforts.  If you are interested in providing a session, please click on the link below and fill out the form.  Filling out the form does not guarantee or bind you to providing a session.  If you don't want to present, but have great ideas for possible sessions, email Brandon at braymo@mrved.net.

If you are willing to present and provide a session click HERE

MRVED Business

Best Practice Meeting Updates

Science

The Science teachers gathered at the MRVED this past Tuesday for their best practice meeting.  The day started with an activity to help reflect on differentiation in the classroom.  The activity produced some great discussion centered around how can educators effectively differentiate in the classroom. Then the group spent the rest of the morning in data analysis and really diving into their assessment data.  Everyone was filled after a great lunch at Pizza Ranch.  In the afternoon, the group had the opportunity to network and hear from Patrick Moore of PBS.

Upcoming Meetings
October 15, 2014  MRVED Professional Development Day
October 21, 2014  Math Best Practices
October 23, 2014  Business Best Practices
October 24, 2014  Community Ed
October 29, 2014  Superintendents' Council
October 30, 2014  Title I Teachers

There will be no MRVED update next week due to the Education Minnesota break.

MELT

Thank You
The MRVED staff would like to thank everyone for another great MELT conference!  This year was bigger and better than any year prior.  The MELT would not be possible without all the great presenters and facilitators.  Also, a hats off to everyone in the Lac qui Parle Valley school district for being such gracious hosts.  The custodial staff had the building in excellent shape for around 500 people, the kitchen staff did a marvelous job on the meal and served people quickly and effortlessly, the student council was of great help throughout the day, the teachers had their rooms ready for every session, and the administration did a great job with organization of the day.

Thank you to all the teachers that attended the conference this year.  Your dedication to becoming better educators does not go unnoticed.  We hope you got a variety of new ideas, strategies, and approaches for your classroom.  The MRVED staff is ever-impressed with the professionalism of our teachers.

On a personal note, Brandon would like to thank Mary Brown for all the hard work and extra hours she has put in over the past few months in getting everything organized, taking the numerous phone calls, and answering all the emails.  The MELT would never go as smoothly as it does without Mary's hard work and effort.

MELT Evaluation
Please take a couple minutes out of your busy day to tell us how your sessions went at the MELT.  We value and take into account all feedback.  The feedback is not only reviewed by the MRVED staff, but also our Teachers' Advisory Council, Principals' Council, Superintendents' Council, and Board.  We try hard to improve the experience every year.  Some of the changes you see (or don't see) are based upon the feedback given by teachers.  All feedback is anonymous and taken seriously.  Click on the link below to access the evaluation.

MELT Evaluation Link

MRVED Meetings:
February 4, 2014  Physical Education & Health (combined meeting)
February 5, 2014  MRVED Board (7:00 p.m.)
February 6, 2014  Social Studies
February 7, 2014  Title III Teachers
February 12, 2014  Principals' Council
February 20, 2014  Teachers' Advisory Council
February 26, 2014  Superintendents' Council