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WELCOME TO THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR AT MORLEY
2006-07

It is with great excitement, that I welcome each of you to the 2006-07 school year at Morley! As we get ready to embrace another school year with our students, we are prepared to sustain high academic achievement, scholarly standards and outstanding character. As in the past, Morley looks ‘up and beyond’ to provide academic excellence for our students’ growth and development. The dedicated, talented staff, along with partnerships with parents and community members, will all work together to continue the legacy of excellence at Morley. There is “more to learning” at Morley, and we look forward to “shining brightly” throughout the 2006-07 school year!

WRITING CONTINUES TO BE MORLEY’S SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT GOAL
While we work on many academic goals at Morley, we will continue to focus on and refine the area of writing. We know that writing performance is critical for student success. It is our goal that each student is given the tools to write successfully and achieve at new heights in writing. We are beginning to see a “new generation” of very competent writers.

In late spring, we received the results of Morley’s 2005-06 fourth grade writing results, as scored by the Nebraska State Department of Education. I am pleased to announce that 100% of our students achieved at or higher than the cut score as determined by NDE. Our fourth grade writing results for the year 2004-05, were at the 97%. In last year’s summer letter to parents, it was stated that we were ‘reaching’ for higher scores in the 2005-06 school year. I believe we reached our goal. Now, we hope to sustain 100% proficiency, with even greater refinement in the area of writing. It is truly rewarding to realize that our students demonstrate exemplary skills and, at the same time, desire to find ‘more’ in learning to write!

Post-K Hayden Barrett, proudly shares writing samples his parents.

A WORD ABOUT THE SUMMER – It has been a wonderful summer, full of lots of energy and activity, at Morley. Bright Lights held many sessions, enriching the minds of hundreds of children in Lincoln, including some of our very own Morley Meadowlarks! We were so glad to have had the opportunity to host such a fine program for the third time.

Many parents and other volunteers, including staff and students, worked through the heat of summer days to beautify our Morley campus. Instrumental in this work was Sue Wurm, mother of Mitchell and Sam, and Rusty Bergholz, son of Mrs. Jean Bergholz and former Morley Meadowlark. Mrs. Wurm has a passion for outdoor garden areas and Rusty was fulfilling some of the requirements for his Eagle Scout status. The existing Butterfly Garden sign has been brightly painted, and the garden itself has undergone a makeover.

A lovely new garden is evolving on the south side of the building, which includes an arbor, stepping stones, charming and peaceful statuary, and many beautiful plantings. This area just begs to beckon our children’s return with their joy for learning. “What could be more inviting that a beautiful campus to invite the presence of learning and teaching?”

STUDENT SUCCESS. Morley School continues to maximize student achievement. As measured by the Metropolitan Achievement Tests, our 2005-06 third and fifth grade students gained outstanding results. In Total Reading, Morley’s third grade students scored at the 99% as compared to the district’s 79%. In Total Math, Morley third grade students reached the 98%, as compared to the district’s overall third grade Total Math at 85%. Morley’s fifth grade students Total Reading was at the 88% as compared to the district’s overall fifth grade Total Reading score of 73%. In the area of math, Morley fifth grade students reached the 90% in Total Math, while the district’s fifth grade Total Math score was at the 80%.

Morley’s 2005-06 fourth grade students’ preliminary Criterion Referenced Test results in all math areas averaged 98.2%. 100% of Morley fourth grade students were proficient in the area of Reading Comprehension, as well as in the areas of Vocabulary, Presentations, and Active Listening. 98.2% of fourth grade students were proficient in Interpersonal Communication. 100% of fourth grade students were proficient and/or advanced in the area of writing, as indicated by the State of Nebraska Standards.

Our high student achievement scores reflect the rigorous expectations and excellence held at Morley. As we have done in the past, we plan to sustain academic tenacity, and promote the passion for proving that there is ‘more to learning at Morley!”

2005-06 Fourth Grade students Robin Sarik, Chloe Kessler and Lake Larson shared samples of their exemplary writing at a PTO meeting last Spring. “Don’t they look proud?”

PARENTAL AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT FOR OUR STUDENTS’ SUCCESS was, again, deeply felt and appreciated during the 2005-06 school year. As in the past, our parental and community involvement reached approximately 6000 volunteer hours. Ventures In Partnerships, Team Mates, older student volunteers, Union College Project Impact, neighbors, parents, grandparents, Junior Achievement volunteers, and so many other friends of Morley, continued to promote instructional and learning efforts of our students and teachers in learning and teaching. This incredibly positive support and high level of resources, is invaluable in fulfilling our mission to excel in every way.

Team Mates, VIP liaisons, Parents, Grandparents, and Community Friends of Morley are honored by staff and students at the Spring Volunteer Tea last April.
Jan Hardesty and fifth grade students are involved in "shadowing" LBL employees.

LBL Ventures in Partnership Liaison, Jan Hardesty, facilitated schedules and partners for nine of our fifth grade students in their quest to shadow LBL employees and learn about their careers. What a great learning experience for our students! LBL, also, provided Junior Achievement consultants, schoolwide, to teach our students about Economics and the American Enterprise System.

SUMMER TIME: A TIME FOR PLANNING AND LEARNING… It doesn’t matter who you are or what you do…Learning is for everyone. I look forward to being an ‘adult student’, during the summer. It is that ‘joy for learning’ thing. Some call it life-long learning. I view it as essential for my educational leadership, promoting the passion I hold for excellence.

This summer, along with many other Lincoln Public Schools leaders, I had the privilege to learn more about PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES. Simply put, ‘PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES’ is a way of finding precise strategies - as a team of educators - to do whatever it takes to intensely study the learning profiles, strengths and needs of each student for whom we are so deeply accountable and responsible.

You might ask, “Don’t we do that already?” The answer is a definite yes! The most important question, however, should be, “Can we do a better job of focusing on each student’s achievement, as a team, using the expertise of a total learning/teaching community?” The answer is, again, a definite yes! Using a medical example, the ‘patient’ comes first, and the team of medical experts respond to the patient’s medical profile. The same is true in education, the student’s learning profile comes first, and the educational experts respond to that student’s strengths and needs. “The Morley Instructional Staff has always been masterful with curriculum and strategies, and have always promoted excellence in our students achievement. Using more research-based systematic procedures and interventions, we can hold confidence that we will raise the number of star performers, like Tianye Chen and Craig Olson, at Morley School. Two different learners – two different profiles – together with a team of teachers and mentors, used their strengths and managed their needs to reach the top in the national on-line math league. We need to pursue ‘Whatever it takes’ for each Morley student to excel!

In summary, we know more about learning and instruction than ever before. At Morley, as well as in all LPS schools, Professional Learning Communities will be studied and used during the 2006-07 school year. Extra time to learn procedural interventions has even been provided in the new calendar, starting with all staff members on August 22, prior to our students return to classes on Monday, August 28. Throughout the school year, we will continue our focus on learning how to instructionally respond to our students’ academic needs.

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS. For the purpose of allowing staff time to critically and continuously examine student needs, and use student profiles in Professional Learning Communities, LPS has designated three dates – February 27, March 27, and April 24, as two hour early dismiss/release days. PLEASE BE LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FROM LPS CENTRAL ADMINISTRATION, regarding the details for these three early release days.

SUMMER – A TIME TO SAY THANKS TO OUR 2005-06 MORLEY PTO BOARD AND

TO WELCOME THE NEW PTO 2006-07 OFFICERS.

A PTO Summer Appreciation Potluck, at the home of Renee and Shawn Faden, provided a perfect time to say ‘thanks’ to the past PTO Board and to welcome the new 2006-07 PTO officers. To the left, are Mr. Shawn Faden – chair of the Morley Yearbook, Mrs. Vicki Fisher, incoming PTO President, and Mr. Daniel Wurm, outgoing President. What outstanding leadership these parents provide for parents and all at Morley School!
A special and most sincere ‘thank you’ goes to Dan Wurm – past president and parent of Sam and Mitchell, Mrs. Vicki Fisher – vice president and mother of Sadie and former Morley Meadowlark Jackson, Mrs. Renee Faden – treasurer and mother of Ryan and Nolan, and Mrs. Kathy Perry – secretary and mother of Mikaela.

A special welcome to the 2006-07 PTO Officers: Vicki Fisher - president, Anne Marie Healey – vice-president and mother of James and Catherine, Renee Faden – treasurer, and Lisa Larson – secretary and mother of Avery and Lake. With this parent leadership team, be assured that our children, parents, and staff will be supported with a strong focus on educational excellence and school/community partnerships.

			Children enjoyed the Faden pool as their parents celebrated Morley PTO successes!
			PTO Board members meeting in the summer.

Along with our PTO officers, I would like to encourage you to join the Morley PTO. Your support for and connection to other families, staff members, volunteers, and community, not only given a sense of being part of the Morley team and ‘partner in learning’ for our children, it gives so much more. The family connections, relationships, volunteerism, and serving as a resource, are all invaluable as we educate our young Morley Meadowlarks. I know our PTO Board is highly committed to providing child/family learning activities, so please plan to join and be a part of that educational mission.

STAFF AND INSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES FOR 2006-07…
CHANGES IN STAFF – Miss Joanna Rempe, will be teaching first grade at Morley. Miss Rempe was an outstanding first grade teacher at Zeman last year. We are very excited to welcome her to Morley!

Miss Courtney Brock and Ms. Nancy Streeter have switched positions at Morley. Miss Brock will be teaching second grade students, and Ms. Streeter will be a full time teacher in the Resource Program. Both Miss Brock and Ms. Streeter have dual endorsements in general elementary instruction and special education. Ms. Streeter, previously, taught in the Resource Program at Morley, so she will bring lots of expertise and experience to this position. Miss Brock has expertise in the second grade curriculum, as well as the total k-5 program after using it last year, with children, in the Resource Program at Morley. Miss Brock, also, has taken the LPS classes this summer, specifically for second grade teachers. Rarely, does a principal have the opportunity to find this caliber of master teachers, who process so many multiple strengths, flexibility, and capacity!

Mrs. Theresa Howell, will share her resource skills with Morley students as well as Cavett students. Mrs. Howell has taught in the Resource Program for several years, and most recently, was full time at Cavett. Mrs. Howell will be at Cavett in the mornings and Morley in afternoons. I am very pleased that Theresa will be at Morley as an experienced and valuable member of our Resource Team!

Mrs. Mary Heim, coming with many years of elementary teaching experience, will be a Reading Recovery teacher at Morley. We are pleased to welcome Mary to the Morley instructional team! Mrs. Lennea Lacey will continue in her Reading Recovery position, as the other member of this important reading team for first grade students.

Mrs. Jeanelle Brester, will continue in her relatively new position as Morley’s Health Technician and the newest member of the Morley Office Team. Jeanelle has been a member of the Morley Staff for some time. I am so pleased that Mrs. Brester will continue to share her positive teamwork and sparkling spirit with all! Jeanelle is the mother of fourth grade student, Jaime. Jeanelle is, also, a highly involved PTO membership chairperson and parent volunteer.

Mrs. Marion Carr will continue her work as a paraeducator at Morley. Marion is the parent of two former Morley Meadowlarks. Marion’s major responsibility as a Response to Interventions Para, will be to assist teachers in monitoring K-2 progress in reading. Mrs. Carr will receive precise inservice, as the new year starts, to learn how to use brief ‘probes’ to measure literacy skills critical to early reading success.

I believe we have an extraordinary Morley staff. Each is a leader, and each is very excited about joining other team members to help our children excel and learn. We are so fortunate to have such instructional capacity!

INSTRUCTIONAL CHANGES are fewer in number for this coming year, and lie in the academic areas of Handwriting, First Grade Math, Wellness and Fitness, and in the areas of Procedural and/ or Systematic Interventions such as Professional Learning Communities, Response to Interventions, and Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills. As the new year unfolds, more specific information will be shared to offer clarity to the above instructional changes.

DON’T MISS MORLEY’S OPEN HOUSE AND SAFE WALK/RIDE TO SCHOOL NIGHT on Thursday, August 24, 5:00-7:00 PM. It is a great time to meet classmates, teachers, parents, sign up for PTO memberships, take care of hot lunch accounts, and have a very rewarding time. Until then, I hope you will enjoy the final days of summer, resting and reading a good book! You might even wish to memorize that wonderful Morley School Song!

Coni J. Schwartz, Principal

MORLEY SCHOOL SONG Together we will learn, Together we will grow, We’re proud to be at Morley, We gladly let it show. Doing what we need to do, To make our future bright, Where there is more to learning, We’re soaring to new heights. It’s Morley, it’s Morley, Our name we proudly say, As tomorrow waits for us, Our future starts today.