3.29

Hi All, 

I hope that you all had a wonderful weekend. We got to celebrate my lovely younger cousin Maddie who is welcoming her first baby in mid-May. Rowan was thrilled to be a helper and it was a reminder that life moves at breakneck speed. May this week bring you a moment of pause to celebrate that that's happened and what's to come. Also...how on earth is it almost April?!? 

Observations from the Field

• Joy and fun in so many ways! 
• Adults and students talking about ways to improve their experience in school 
• Folks collectively engaged in reflection and ways to improve practice 
• Teachers giving direct and caring feedback 

                         

News and Announcements 

• Reminder: Please remember to fill out this BES Connection and Belonging Dot-Tocracy. We will utilize this to make next steps for Connection and Belonging in our building. 
• Feedback Needed: Winter Thaw/Wellness **Only 4 responses so far**
• Looking for new ideas for Morning Meeting? Click Here
• Reminder: the tubes in the front lobby are looking low. Don't forget to reinforce wanted behaviors. We're looking for a 5:1 postiive to negative ratio! 
• Here's a great article about teaching regulation by modeling. Only well regulated adults and help regulate students. https://www.responsiveclassroom.org/time-out-teaching-self-regulation/
• We will start VTCAP testing for 5th graders this week. If you are protoring you a small group or a 1:1 session you will get a separate email from me today. Materials will be distributed tomorrow. 
• Reminder: Wednesday 5/6 Specials will happen from 9:20-10:00. 3rd grade will switch with 5/6.

Week 1  —- March 31st — April 2
Day/Date	Time	Who	Activity: Focus
Tuesday, March 31st	12:45-2:15	5th Grade	Science– Session 1
Wednesday, April 1st	10:15-11:40	5th Grade	Science– Session 2
Thursday, April 2nd	**Around Specials	Makeup

• Here is a great article about utilizing a UDL Approach (Low-floor/High Ceiling) for Math students. 
• Snapshot Reminder: iReady MyPath Math 
• The goals of iReady Mypath are: 
• To complete 30-45 minutes of usage per student/per week. 
• Have a passage rate of 80% 

• It's been a while since I've done a snapshot so please know that this is only for last week. I completely understand that weeks fluctuate! 
• Please know that if you're utilizing Fluency Flight that should be used no more than 10mins a day. 
• Upcoming Events: 
• April 8th: Poetry in the Library 5:30-7:30 
• May 8th: 6th Grade Spaghetti Dinner 
• May 19th: Art/Music Show 

 A Low-Floor/High-Ceiling Activity for Young Students’ Math Reasoning

•             In this article in Mathematics Teacher, Tracey Miller (North Carolina State University) describes the Goldilocks Numbers Thinking Routine (GNTR), a fun way to help primary-grade students see numbers in context and build their mathematical reasoning power. Here’s how Miller introduced the routine to a class of second graders. She said they were going to think about the number 25 and where it might be too small, too big, or just right. “We’re going to stick with that number the whole time,” she said. “We’re not going to change it; instead, we’re going to change what it’s about.” She gave some examples:

  -   Eating 25 donuts for breakfast would be too many for me.

  -   Getting 25 oats for my oatmeal wouldn’t be enough. 

  -   25 jellybeans would be enough for one person, but not for a whole class.

  Miller then told students there was no right answer as they imagined different situations for 25, things they were familiar with and cared about – people, objects, time, money – starting with too small, then too big, then just right. As students worked, she asked clarifying questions:

  -   What could you be measuring or counting?

  -   Who is this number for?

  -   When would this be true? For whom would this be true?

  -   Can you explain why that’s too much? 

  -   What would you need to change for that to become just right? 

  “Classroom discourse during this phase becomes a platform not only for reasoning but also for recognizing and appreciating diverse experiences,” says Miller. If a student says 25 chairs is too small to seat their extended family at Thanksgiving, they’re making a connection to their personal world. 

              After students have come up with ideas and presented them in three columns, Miller has an all-class discussion about what came up, asking questions like:

  -   Did any patterns emerge across contexts and categories?

  -   Could someone’s too big be your just right? Why?

  -   Why does that context make the number feel just right? What makes it too much or too little? 

  Agency is an important theme, Miller believes. She tells students, “Today you built the unit to fit the number – you got to decide what that number meant.” Different perspectives is another theme. In a GNTR she did with the number 100, a student said that 100 water bottles would be just right and got immediate pushback from other students, who were thinking in terms of that many bottles for one student. But the student clarified that it was 100 water bottles for 100 students. “This sparked a rich discussion about how context and audience shape number interpretations,” says Miller. 

              In another lesson, students worked with fraction, which were above their grade level: how two slices of pizza could be too little if the slices were small, and how half a cookie would be just right only “if it’s half of those big ones,” said a student. This revealed an understanding that the value of a fractional part depends on the size of the whole – an essential understanding when working with fractions. “In this way,” says Miller, “GNTR acted as a scaffold for future rational number learning by encouraging students to shift their interpretation of a number based on changing contexts and quantities.” 

              She’s found that insights from the Goldilocks routine have carried over to students checking to see if their answers to other math problems make sense. She asks, “Would that answer be too much, too little, or just right for this situation?” Over time, Miller has found that students internalize this kind of reasoning and use it to judge the reasonableness of their answers. 

              “By engaging with the GNTR regularly,” she concludes, “students began to approach numbers not as fixed facts to memorize, but as ideas to reason about, adapt, and make meaningful. This empowered them to participate more confidently in mathematical conversations and laid the foundation for the kind of flexible, context-sensitive reasoning that will support them in future learning.” 

  “Math That Fits: Goldilocks Numbers Thinking Routine” by Tracey Miller in Mathematics Teacher, March 2026 (Vol. 119, #3, pp. 193-196); Miller can be reached at tlmille3@ncsu.edu. 

Marshall Memo 1130

Last week I sent out a survey on how AI is being used in teacher evaluation and 1,280 Memo readers responded. Here are the results, and here are the main points from an analysis of the written responses to an open-ended question:

• The use of AI for teacher evaluation is largely unregulated, with very few guardrails, policies, and norms and minimal training.
• Many respondents felt strongly about maintaining human judgment in teacher evaluation. "Supervision is relational and cannot be automated," was one comment. "It should assist, not replace," said another.
• Transparency was an issue, captured in this comment: "Teachers should know if AI is involved."
• There was concern about protecting the privacy of information about teachers and students.

The quotes and articles in this week's Memo come from Communique, Education Week, The Learning Professional, Kappan, How We Frame Machines, Mathematics Teacher, Edutopia, and Reading Research Quarterly. The headlines:

• "Friction by design" in teacher professional development
• Teachers' "time poverty" when launching new curriculum initiatives
• The supports needed to implement high-quality instructional materials
• Five things we know about how teachers are using AI
• A low-floor/high-ceiling activity for young students' math reasoning
• Creative performance tasks to boost world language learning
• A tribute to Courtney Cazden

If you want an HTML version of this week's Memo, please click here. To listen to a podcast of last week's issue (#1129), click here. For a podcast of this week's Memo, log in at www.marshallmemo.com later this week and click Podcasts.

What's Happening at BES?

Monday 3/23
Tuesday 3/24
Wednesday 3/25	K-6 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20 Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room
Thursday  3/26	2:55-3:25 Whole School Meeting
Friday 3/27	Team Meetings K-2 Attendance/Behavior  3-6 Academic

Where is Celia?

Monday 3/23	HJC 8:15 Union Meeting 9:15-10:00 Meeting at Central Office 11:00-12:00
Tuesday 3/24	Student Meeting 8:30-9:30  Principal's Meeting 10:00
Wednesday 3/25	K-6 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20 Meeting 12:00-1:00  WCLT Nuts and Bolts 1:00-2:00 Student Meeting 2:15 Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room
Thursday  3/26	Student Meeting 8:15  Celia/Susanne Check In 10:00  BES SST 10:00-10:45 Meeting 1:00  2:55-3:25 Whole School Meeting
Friday 3/27	Student Meeting 11:40-12:10  Team Meetings K-2 Attendance/Behavior 3-6 Academic

3.22

Hi All, 

I wanted to share another deep thank you for all that you did to make Caregiver Conferences and Winter Wellness (Spring Thaw Wellness) a success. You show up in ways that make our school better everyday. Thank you for all you do. 

This weekend was Maple Open House Weekend! I hope that you got a taste of something sweet. Rowan and I took a detour after a ski day and visited a small home based operation this weekend and I'm still dreaming of the smell in the sugarhouse. 

                         .                     

News and Announcements 

• Winter Wellness (Spring Thaw) 2025 Feedback. Please take a moment to fill out this survey.  
• https://forms.gle/QM46aYU1NTMiYn8M9
• Reminder: WCUUSD (K-6) Opinion Writing Prompt due March 31 ---- LCAP link
• WIN Cycle 3 ends: 4/10/26 - consider upcoming need & necessary Form A's
• VTCAP
• Weeks will be as follows: 
• March 31st-April 2nd.  5th Grade Science 
• April 7th-9th- Math Week for 3-6
• April 14th-16th-- Literacy Week for 3-6 
• Testing Days: 
• Tuesday—- Downing/Velez          
• Wednesday—- Wagner/Armstrong           
• Thursday—- Rob
• Notes: 
• 3/6 Teachers if you'd like to switch days around I am more than happy to do that. 
• Schedule with accommodations/assignments and groups will be out ASAP. Kudos to the 3-6 SPED team for helping me with accommodations!
• Important: Training for VTCAP will take place during staff meeting this week. Please plan to be there especially if you support a student grades 3-6.
• Reminders about the iReady Program 
• The Principals had an opportunity to meet with Curriculum Associates and do some professional learning. I was reminded of the Try---Discuss---Connect Framework that anchors the curriculum. 
• Remember that students make meaning out loud and with actions. We want smart math thinkers not just the "right answers" thinkers. 
• Here are a couple of resources about getting kids talking about Math 
• Talking about Math --- Video of math in action. 
• Student Signals Video  https://login.i-ready.com/central/Search?resource=645b5f47-0ae7-4ef5-9596-041d1dbf272

Here is the link to that PDF if it's helpful!

Mid-Session Legislative Report

The mid-session legislative report is now available. This information was current through 3/15/26. There are 21 summaries of education related discussions and/or bill pro!posals from the Vermont 2026 Legislative Session. 

Military Children Support/Resources

I'm not currently aware of any families that are in active deployment. However, there are some families who may be wondering about this or anticipating an event in the future. Please utilize these resources as needed. 

• MIC3 and Partner Organization Deployment Resources
  
• Month of the Military Child Toolkit
  • Interactive Map
• Vermont’s page on mic3.net
• Guide for Parents, School Officials, and Public Administrators
• MIC3 Brochure
• Webinars and Videos
• Sign up for The Wire – The Commission’s Monthly Newsletter
• Commission Training Available

Here's a great Article from the Marshall Memo! 

An Adaptable Classroom Desk Arrangement 

            In this Edutopia article, instructional coach Tyler Rablin says that for years as an ELA teacher, he was constantly dreaming up new desk arrangements for his classroom. Sometimes he would have students practice shifting from one to another, moving desks and chairs to different configurations for individual, whole-class, and small-group work. But he found that switching was disruptive and time-consuming, and the search for the perfect desk arrangement continued. 

Rablin found a strategy that allowed students to quickly shift between three different formats without moving their desks. How is that possible in a small classroom (his was 35 feet by 30 feet) with 34 students? Here are the key elements (click the article link below to see his diagrams):

-   Student desks (with unattached chairs) are arranged in a double horseshoe.

-   The desks in the outer horseshoe are against the side and back walls of the classroom.

-   Three tables are in the middle of the inner horseshoe.

-   Two tables are against the wall at the front, by a whiteboard and smartboard.

-   Bookshelves are below the whiteboard and smartboard.

-   In the middle of the front, there’s a podium (no room for a teacher desk).

Here’s how the three configurations happen, with desks and tables remaining stationary:

            • For individual work, quiet reading, and tests – Students sit at their desks facing outward, signaling the shift to independent work mode. This reduces distractions, increases student privacy, and allows the teacher standing at the front of the room to look over all students’ shoulders and see every laptop screen. Rablin also found it easier to have individual conferences with students at one of the middle tables. “With most students facing outward,” he says, “the layout created a little bit of privacy for those interactions.” 

Students can also use the middle tables for impromptu collaboration with other students (after checking with the teacher). “This collaboration would happen close to the middle of the room and out of sight of the other students,” says Rablin, “which allowed me to monitor things and minimize the distraction to those still working independently.” 
            • For all-class mini-lessons, videos, student presentations, and discussions – Students spin around and sit behind the inner horseshoe of desks and the two tables. Rablin has found two benefits to this configuration: (a) students are now facing away from their own laptops and are less likely to be distracted by them; and (b) students are somewhat closer to each other and to the teacher at the front of the room, with greater proximity supporting a full-group dynamic.

            • For small-group work – Students form groups (designated by the teacher) using the inner horseshoe, the middle tables, and the tables at the front of the room. Students bring their own chairs, or use extra chairs at the new locations. 

            This plan worked for Rablin, facilitating the three different types of learning experiences. He notes one additional benefit: “The quick physical transitions helped students transition mentally to each activity.” 

“An Unconventional Seating Plan Designed to Benefit Focus and Learning” by Tyler Rablin in Edutopia, March 5, 2026

What's Happening at BES?

Monday 3/23	HJC 8:15 Curriculum Council 4:00
Tuesday 3/24
Wednesday 3/25	K-6 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20 Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room  Board Meeting at U-32 6:15
Thursday  3/26
Friday 3/27	Team Meetings K-2 Academic 3-6 Attendance/Behavior

Where is Celia?

Monday 3/23	HJC 8:15 Union Meeting 9:15-10:00 SPED Team 11:40  ***Celia out at CO from 12:15 on Act 78 Review 12:30-1:30  Discussion with JMA and Steven 3:00 Curriculum Council 4:00
Tuesday 3/24	WCLT Meeting in Person  **Celia out until 11:00
Wednesday 3/25	K-6 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20 Meeting 12:00-1:00  WCLT Nuts and Bolts 1:00-2:00 Staff Meeting 3:10-4:45 Art Room
Thursday  3/26	Student Meeting 8:15  BES SST 10:00-10:45
Friday 3/27	Student Meeting 11:40-12:10  **Steven in building 11:30-12:30  Team Meetings K-2 Academic 3-6 Attendance/Behavior

3.15

 

Hi All, 

I hope that you all enjoyed your weekend. We celebrated two family birthdays this weekend! Anytime we get an opportunity to celebrate I am always reminded that we gift that we (all of us) have to be in this life together. Remember to let your people know that you care, life is too darn short! We are truly fortunate to be able to do what we do everyday and to be with each other. Give thanks to your colleagues as you can this week, it lightens to load for everyone. 

Observations from the Field 

• Staff working to connect with families and provide support in multiple ways 
• Folks stepping up to cover open duties 
• Folks checking in on each other and providing support 
• Sharing yummy treats in the office 
• Teachers giving clear directions/expectations of group work---hearing a working buzz when I walk into a classroom is one of my favorite things
• Teams working together to clarify goals and expectations 

News and Announcements

• Reminders from the Front Office:

  • #1--FIELD TRIPS- due to the shortage of drivers, the bus barn informs me that we have to get field trip requests in ASAP--that being said, we would like to have field trip requests in no later than April 1st.
  • #2--SUNSHINE FUNDS-- As we know....we just did Sunshine for Chef Jake.  That made our new Sunshine balance $12.00.   I will be putting envelopes in your mailboxes today.  Please donate to the cause if you can so that we can take care of the end of year luncheon AND gifts for any other staff members that may be leaving.
  • #3--PAPER Reminder...anytime you can, please use colored paper for copying.  This is the time of year that we are rationing paper.  Would prefer not to buy more if we don't have to.
  • #4--If you can pre-plan for any supplies you may need for Spring and the end of year, please get your orders to me ASAP.  The district cuts us off from ordering at the beginning of April.  I have to stop ordering (except REAL emergencies and graduation) by April 15th.  Easy to remember because its tax day!!!
• Staff Communication --- Rumor Mill
• This last week I have heard many different stories that are floating around the building that have no factual evidence. This behavior has caused harm, worry and concern for others in the building. 
• I want to remind folks rumors start when people share stories that they have no first hand evidence/experience of/in. Before you share something you may want to ask yourself "is this my story to tell?" 
• This behavior is counterproductive to the  culture of respect and care they we outlined at the start of the year. It is also not a professional behavior and is not aligned with the professional expectations set in the Danielson Rubrics. 
• Moving forward please: 
• Please make sure that you are not s:
• haring information that is not yours to share or a story that you were not a direct witness or participant in
• We talk to, not about a person or situation 
• Please follow our communication protocol if you need to discuss something with a colleague 
• Reminders/Clarifications
•  We will be posting for the Schoolwide BI position. Once I am made aware of the posting date I will be reaching out to convene a hiring committee. 
• There is no staff meeting this week as time in lieu for caregiver conferences. 
• Clarification on Upcoming Notifications:
• The 3.20 assignments that Steven is referring to are building reassignments. I.E. You are an employee who will be offered a letter of intent but will be asked to teach in a different building. 
• Any reassignment will come from HR from the Office of the Superintendent on 3.20. 
• The CO is working to issue Letters of Intent as quickly as possible and they have to be issued before or on April 15 for Teachers. 
• Classroom assignments (who's teaching what/where) will come much later in the spring, as they typically do. Some of this is dependent on the returning of letters of intent and, as always, subject to change and following contract language.

What Does Freedom Mean to Me? Vermont Student Art and Poetry Contest In celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence, middle and high school students across Vermont are invited to share their voices through art and poetry reflecting on the theme “What Does Freedom Mean to Me?” Presented by the United States District Court for the District of Vermont in partnership with Town Hall Theater, this statewide contest encourages young people to explore the meaning of liberty, community, and the future they hope to shape over the next 250 years. Selected works will be featured at a public celebration and exhibition on Constitution Day, September 17, 2026, at Town Hall Theater, and may also appear in digital or print showcases. Students may submit one original artwork and/or one poem, with entries due May 15, 2026. Learn more and find participation details for schools here: https://bit.ly/townhall-250 Marshall Memo 1128 This week's quotes and articles come from The New York Times, Education Gadfly, TNTP, R.E.A.L. Discussion, Educational Leadership, Montessori Life, Harvard Business Review, Stanford Social Innovation Review, and School Library Journal. The headlines: Built to last: the characteristics of durable school success Key shifts to give low-performing students a coherent experience Teaching reading, writing, and discussion in an AI-saturated world Elena Aguilar on PD that actually helps teachers How Montessori education is sometimes misunderstood Using AI to generate decodable texts "Managing up" when your boss suffers from insecurity Four ways of thinking about philanthropic giving A tribute to psychologist Edward Deci Recommended books for young teens If you want an HTML version of this week's Memo, please click here. To listen to a podcast of last week's issue (#1127) click here. For a podcast of this week's Memo, log in at www.marshallmemo.com later this week and click Podcasts.

  

What's Happening at BES?

Monday 3/16
Tuesday 3/17
Wednesday 3/18	K-6 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20 Board Meeting at U-32 6:15
Thursday  3/19	Winter Wellness All Day  Bingo Night 5:30-7:00
Friday 3/20	Caregiver Conferences  9-11 Strategic Mapping/Chronic Absenteeism Leadership Work

Where is Celia?

Monday 3/16	Union Meeting 9:15-10:00 Meeting 10:30-11:30 @CO SPED Team 11:40  Meeting 1:00-2:00 with SDP/JMA
Tuesday 3/17	Principal's Meeting 11:00  Team Check in 1:00  Team Check in 2:15  Student Meeting 3:45
Wednesday 3/18	K-6 Teacher PD 8:20-9:20 WCLT Nuts and Bolts 1:00-2:00 Board Meeting 6:15-?
Thursday  3/19	Winter Wellness All Day  Bingo Night 5:30-7:00
Friday 3/20	All day I-Ready Training