Blog Archives

Gearing Up For Summer! Reading

5/27/2022

By Lynsey Fleck, Instructional Coach

The 2021-22 school year featured many amazing learning opportunities for students, excellent learner growth, and an ever-growing community of learners here at MELA. It also brought some obstacles, challenges, and many more interruptions to face-to-face instruction than we’d hoped for, which makes keeping the learning going is of extra importance this summer.

Below are a few things that you can do at home to help your child keep his/her literacy skills fresh over the summer:

Do your best to make time for some kind of reading each day. This doesn’t need to be a specific amount of time every day, or done at the same time every day. However you can squeeze in reading–looking at labels while shopping, reading a bedtime story to your child, reading a recipe, having your child read to you–will help your child maintain his/her skills during the summer months.
Make time for storytelling. Students who read and write stories well do so because they understand the structure of how stories work. After a day trip to the zoo or a family party, try having your child tell you, then someone else about the experience. Encourage your child to use order words, and ask questions like, “What happened before….?” or “What did we do after we ate cake?” to support your child in correctly sequencing events.
Talk in categories. When you are doing a regular daily activity with your child, like putting away dishes, name groups of items and give examples. This might sound something like, “First, we are going to put away all of the silverware. That includes forks, spoons, and knives. Let’s do that together.” You can also do a variation of this by asking your child to predict what items might be needed to do a particular activity. For example, “We are heading to the pool. What things should we bring with us?” or “We are going to plant some flowers. What tools do you think we might need to do that?”
Allow time for drawing. Encourage your child to take time to draw and/or write whenever time allows. If your child is very young or prefers to draw over writing, have him/her tell you about the picture or tell a story to match his/her drawing.
Encourage creative play. Creative, open-ended play, with blocks, legos, dolls, stuffed animals, or other items, teaches children to follow steps, problem-solve, and create storylines.
Talk about what you are doing using specific vocabulary. As you engage in daily tasks, talk out loud about what you are doing. Although it seems silly, doing this regularly can significantly improve your child’s vocabulary.

And last but not least….
Go places, have experiences, and talk to your child daily. These things are critical to developing your child’s background knowledge and vocabulary, which have a huge impact on reading success!

Gearing Up For Summer: Social Emotional Learning

5/23/2022

We have worked hard this year to provide social-emotional learning for all students at MELA. Social-emotional learning teaches students crucial life skills, including the ability to understand themselves, develop a positive self-image, take responsibility for their actions, and forge relationships with the people around them. As we close the door on another school year, we begin anew with a summer full of opportunity and hope for everyone! This summer season is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of making social-emotional health a priority. After the exhausting year that students, educators and parents have been through, we all really need it.

We want to set families up well to easily incorporate wellness activities into your summer fun, so with the help of our Occupational Therapist, Amy Lou Anderson, we have created an SEL packet for the summer. If you would be interested in one of these, please reach out to Ms. Erin Rudbeck or myself, Mrs. Autumn Terlouw, and we would be happy to send one home with your student(s). We have also included different websites the provide free/reduced cost events throughout the summer:

Autumn Terlouw, MSW, LICSW
Erin Rudbeck, MSW, LGSW

Admin/Office: What We LOVE about MELA!

5/12/2022

Today we finish off our series of "We Love Our School" by hearing the perspective of our administration and office team. Read our bios here!

Deb Schmitz, Administrative Assistant

I love our small staff who work hard and are always willing to assist wherever needed. Students in different grades know each other and watch out for each other, and because of this a family-like atmosphere that has been created throughout the whole school. In addition to these great characteristics, I personally appreciate and value working in a school environment that cares about our well being. From the simple things like "Good Morning" or "How is your day going?" to the recognition that a teacher might need a break. Those are the invaluable moments that are most appreciated and make MELA great.

Kristina Shirokova, Office Manager

Working in the front office of MELA is such a fun place to be! I really enjoy seeing how scholars grow throughout the year. Scholars who first come to PreK can be shy and have a harder time coming in the morning in the beginning of the year, but by the end of the year, families have a hard time picking up their scholars at the end of the day because they are having so much fun. It is also such joy building wonderful relationships with our families. We get to hear lots of fun stories from the scholars and families and oftentimes are able to be the first ones to help out. MELA feels like a loving family!

Jossjan Morales, Business Manager

I love my school because of the kind and caring staff working here. Being able to enjoy looking at teachers committed to achieve their goals with their group of students makes me feel that each of them are receiving their educational skills appropriately and leaving a legacy in their hearts and thoughts. On the other hand, one of the things I love the most is being able to see how the Executive Director and the Principal along with the rest of the ADMIN team have been so inclusive in the children's environment where they are growing to become a better version of themselves. After 5 1/2 years being part of MELA, I can definitely say, I am so proud to be part of this continuously developing educational project which has fulfilled my life full of knowledge, skills and love.

Trevor Abel, Dean of Students

The climate and culture of MELA is so warm and inviting. Every staff member is here because they want the best for our scholars. All of the decisions made are made with that thought in mind. So many staff members go over and above the expectations of their job descriptions. Educational equity is at the center of everything we do here. From the minute I walked in the door three years ago and became a part of the MELA family, I knew this was a special place. Being a small school the opportunity to really get to know each and everyone of our scholars by name, and being able to have a conversation about their families, interests, wants, needs, hopes, and dreams is special. We truly are a "little school with a big heart".

Paula Barros, School Principal

I love our school because being here feels like home! When I moved to this country, all I wanted was to find a school that shared my values and beliefs, and that had on its core the idea that "it takes a village to raise a child". Since I started working at MELA in 2018, I could see right away that Ms. Fields envisioned creating a school that had a loving environment, full of equity, respect, and that gave them a lot of opportunities to be challenged and thrive academically - so it was easy to see that I had found my home away from home.

I started at MELA as the first Pre-Kindergarten teacher, and alongside the admin and leadership team, we created a program that is academically challenging as well having in mind the singular needs of our very young learners. I absolutely loved every minute of my job then, but I knew I was ready for more! After 3 years in this position, I had the opportunity to go back to an admin role, similar to what I had experienced in Brazil, my home country, and took the role of School Director of MELA. And now that I am in this role, I have the pleasure to be closer to all the students, build great partnerships and relationships with our wonderful families; letting them know that I always have their best interest in mind with every one of my decisions and actions, and work alongside the best educators. I absolutely love partnering up with families, staff, and students alike, and I am very proud of the "village" we created in our school environment.

So what is it that I love the most about MELA? Our community! Our loving staff, that advocate for our students. The wonderful families that believe in our school and see our commitment and dedication. And our stellar students, who love to learn, respect one another, and everyday come to our building with a big smile and so much happiness. I feel very lucky to be a part of our MELA family!

Danielle Fields, Superintendent and Director of Operations and Finance

Where do I even begin! As I read through what the rest of the my administrative team had to say about our charter school, I wholeheartedly agree. It is so refreshing to get to come to work everyday and work with the children, families, and staff who are all committed to the same goal--an equitable education that enables children to exponentially thrive and grow academically and personally. How fortunate am I to lead an elementary school where are families are true partners with us in their child's education. I have always believed that you can tell if a school is a welcoming and loving place for children after walking in the door and being in the building for 5 min. Over and over again, we hear from our community that we live up to our motto of "little school with the BIG heart". I encourage you all to give us a call and visit. I'm sure you'll feel and experience the same when you choose to have your child(ren) join our community of learners.

Teacher Voices: What We Love About Our School!

5/5/2022

Written By: The Teacher Leadership Team (Lisa Horn-4th Grade Teacher, Jessica Anderson-Music Teacher, Kat Waltz-Kindergarten Teacher, Andy Theis-5th Grade Teacher)

What the Leadership Team does:
Teacher leadership is not a destination, but a journey. At MELA, the teacher leadership team helps administration and staff on this journey by providing a bridge to bring together all parts of the school community to create a more positive school culture and improve student achievement. Teacher leaders can be seen at MELA mentoring other teachers, facilitating professional development meetings, having weekly conversations with administrators, and taking initiative on different ways to increase student achievement. Here are a few words from the teachers that are a part of the leadership team:

Jessica:
Working at MELA, I now understand why the school is known as the “little school with the big heart”. The staff here are so kind and care about each other, uplifting the accomplishments of others during our weekly staff shout outs on Fridays. Relationships come first between students and staff above all else. Students are rewarded for positive behaviors by teachers with MELA tickets, celebrating them being mindful, empathetic, leaders, and being accountable in their learning. MELA is full of heart and you can see it in every student and staff member that brings their own unique identity and positivity to our school to make it a safe and welcoming place for all.

Kat:
“Little School with a Big Heart” is what MELA is known for in our community. The positivity and inclusiveness between the staff, students, and families is what makes MELA a one of a kind school. The staff go above and beyond to ensure each student and family’s needs are met. The culture within the school is one of acceptance, love, and support. I truly could not ask to be a part of a better school community!

Andy:
Between the incredible staff and amazing students, MELA is a very special place. From day one, I truly felt at home. Our close-knit community and commitment to building and maintaining relationships is a key component to our success. As a small school, students and staff and able to get to know each other across all grade levels. Staff members look out for all students regardless of grade or age. They say it takes a village, and I feel as if we are that village. MELA is an incredibly special school and it will always hold a place in my heart.

Lisa:
My favorite thing about working at MELA is the people. With our school being smaller it allows for so many opportunities to interact with other grade levels and staff. I look forward to Wednesday Passion Projects because I get to teach another grade level and build those relationships early as they move up to my class in the next year or two. MELA is my second home and I love coming ‘home’ everyday.

Paraprofessional Voices: What We Love About Our School

5/4/2022

Trevor Abel, Dean of Students

One of the many groups of people who have a profound effect on the learning of scholars here at MELA are our paraprofessionals. Paraprofessionals are multi talented individuals who provide instructional, behavioral and other support to scholars both inside and outside of our classrooms. We have paraprofessionals who work with individual students as well as support small groups of students. They work with our classroom teachers to meet and support the individual learning needs and goals of our scholars.

We are fortunate to have six qualified individuals who serve our school as paraprofessionals. They are in a majority of our classrooms and do great work every day. One of the strengths of our paraprofessional team is their ability to build and maintain relationships with students. Most of our students know who they are, even if they are not in their classroom on a regular basis. Our paras each bring flexibility, and their own strengths to help us meet our goal of providing the best educational experience possible for our student population.

Here are some things that our paraprofessionals LOVE about working at MELA:

"One thing I appreciate about MELA is its small size. I can see our slogan, 'The Little School with the Big Heart,' at work each and every day. Constantly I see kindness and willingness to help from not only my own students, but students from every grade level. I feel that our small size grants me the opportunity to build relationships with scholars that I might not otherwise get a chance to see."

"Another thing I love is our after-school program on Wednesdays. I enjoy seeing scholars from almost every class play and interact with each other, while doing new activities that bring out their creativity. Additionally, I enjoy being able to spend time with the scholars that I otherwise don't get the pleasure of having in my own class."

"There is always a staff member to come by and cheer you up."

"I love the support and confidence that we get from our teachers."

"I love how we work together as a family here at MELA."

Our paraprofessionals are an integral cog in the MELA machine and we could not achieve our organizational goals and mission without their tireless work. So thank you paraprofessionals, one of the things we love about MELA is YOU!

21-22 School Year Blog

Gearing Up For Summer! Reading

Gearing Up For Summer: Social Emotional Learning

Admin/Office: What We LOVE about MELA!

Teacher Voices: What We Love About Our School!

Paraprofessional Voices: What We Love About Our School

Archives

Categories

Contact Us

Quick Links