ML Muster: Community Building and Builders

By Chad Walsh / November 22, 2024 / Middle Loop Muster

Dear Middle Loop Learners & Families,

"I am me because of you" embodies the essence of community, where individuals find their true selves through shared experiences and mutual support. Building a community is where great things take root and flourish, as it is within these spaces that people come together with purpose, fostering connection, growth, and inspiration.

When we unite, we blend our strengths, ideas, and passions, creating an environment where dreams are nurtured, and challenges are overcome collectively. It is in the spirit of togetherness that innovation is sparked and resilience is fortified.

By bringing people and purpose together, we build not just a network, but a home where each person’s story is enriched by the presence of others.

The past few weeks have been an excellent display of building community. To build a community, you also need community builders. These are the people in our learning community who go above and beyond to provide opportunities for us to come together. This week's Muster will spotlight examples of building community - this is something we all need to strive towards, every day.

Thank you to those who were able to join us on our ML learning walks. We hope it is a great opportunity for you to see teaching and learning in action and gain a deeper insight into how we do things at VERSO. Please make sure to share your feedback with us as we enhance the experience by clicking on this link: https://form.jotform.com/243168151546053

This builds community.

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C5-6 Carnival Fun| Community Builder

Our Carnival Fun Day was a vibrant testament to the power of learner-led initiatives, where learners took the reins in organizing and running a variety of carnival experiences. Their leadership and creativity shone brightly as they planned engaging activities, coordinated logistics, and ensured a day filled with joy and excitement for the entire school. This event not only brought our community together in celebration but also showcased the learners’ exceptional leadership and communication skills.

They confidently managed teams, delegated responsibilities, and interacted with participants, creating a seamless experience. Through this process, learners strengthened their ability to work collaboratively, think critically, and solve problems on the fly. This hands-on experience built their confidence, demonstrating that when learners are given the opportunity to lead, they rise to the occasion with resilience and enthusiasm. A big shout out to Mr. Arthur for making this happen!

ML Student Council| Pancake Friday

Pancake Friday, organized by the student council, has become a beloved tradition that brings warmth and connection to our school community. Each week, the student council members arrive at school early, prepared and eager to transform the morning into a celebration. With spatulas in hand and batter ready, they diligently set up, start flipping pancakes, and fill the air with the irresistible aroma of a shared breakfast. Their dedication to this event highlights their strong sense of responsibility and teamwork. They coordinate supplies, manage cooking stations, and welcome learners with smiles, fostering a sense of unity and camaraderie. Pancake Friday is more than just a tasty start to the day; it is a testament to the student council’s initiative and the power of simple acts of service to bring everyone together. Through their efforts, they model leadership, strengthen school spirit, and remind us of the joy found in community.

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U13 and U11 Basketball Final

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Building a responsible device-use culture and community

The information below will be presented to ML learners on Monday as we continue to build a culture of responsible device use at VERSO. We need to ensure that we all model and develop positive tech habits on how to manage responsible device use. We need to establish healthy boundaries and learn when to use devices for learning and when to use devices for entertainment. Please reinforce the below message from home as we are in this together to support our community of learners.

VERSO ML Learner Device-use Policy

Devices will be used during VERSO Learning Projects under Learning Designer's (LD) instruction. This policy helps learners focus on learning until we have a school-wide system to make sure our iPads and devices are used for educational purposes only.

This is for ALL areas of VERSO campus from the moment the learner enters VERSO to when they tap out of VERSO.

VERSO learners must agree and adhere to the following policies regarding device use to continue enrollment at VERSO

Learners may not use their phones on VERSO campus, except within @Hello office (VERSO Front Office) to call their parents. Parent contact only happens @Hello office.
Learners may not use LINE, Discord, WeChat, Whatsapp, or any other message service on their iPad to communicate with other people while on VERSO campus
Learners may not use iPad or phones, Apple-watch or other internet-connected devices on VERSO campus including pH7.
Google Chat is used for school communication. Learners will not ‘spam’ other learners and disrupt learning.
When arriving at classes, iPads must be placed in the boxes provided. iPads may be opened for learning after LD's instruction.
When arriving at EATZ, iPads must be placed in the boxes provided.
Learners may not walk around campus looking at their iPad or any internet-connected devices.
Learners will use the internet and devices at school responsibly and respectfully, accessing sites and apps that the Learning Designers (LD) have asked them to open and/or sites and apps that learners know are relevant to the class they are in or the project they are working on.

Consequence of Devices Misusage

First Instance - If a learner does not follow the agreements above, they will surrender the iPad or device to the LD or Cohort Leader until 2:45pm that day.

Second Instance - If a learner is proven to have not followed the agreements above a second time, the LD or parents will keep the device at home or school for one week.

Survey for VERSO Parents Regarding Thana City

At VERSO, we are committed to fostering a thriving community for our families. Our neighbor, Thana City, along with its facilities, plays a vital role in enhancing the overall experience for residents and visitors alike.

To better understand how we can expand their offerings to our community, we kindly ask for your valuable input. Your feedback will help us create a more engaging and enjoyable environment for everyone.

Thank you for taking a few moments to share your thoughts here —your voice matters!

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Save The Dates

28 October: ECA Q2 Begins

1 November: Q1 VERSO 360° Reports shared with families

6 November: Making Sense of Mathematics (ML and UL families/guardians)

15 November: VERSO Loy Krathong event

22 November: Professional Learning Day for LDs | No school for learners

27 November: Early Dismissal Day for Learners 1:30pm