SUB DAY HIGHLIGHTS

OVERVIEW

Check out the gallery to see what happens with our winners and superintendents.  It is all possible only with your support and entries.

2017-2018 Sub Day Winners

2019-2020 

Sub Day Winners

WINNERS 2018-2019

September: Bonita Narra (High School) & Kimberly Taylor (Deerfield)

October: Lauren Carlini (Woods) & Jane Funfgeld (Woods)

November: Brent Pohlonski (High School) & Amy Hepp (Meadows)

December: Agnes Lee (Orchard Hills) & Susan Huyck (Middle School)

January: Shannon Myrand (Village Oaks) & Lori Baranek (Meadows)

February: Cary Grimm (Meadows) & Tom Michalski (Meadows)

March: Audry Moiseeff (Meadows) & Sebrina Shields (NATC)

April: Ali Sanchez (Parkview) & Sarah Kalczynski (High School)

May: Gail O'Connor (ECEC) & Paige Pulsifer (Middle School)

SEPTEMBER-BONITA NARRA

HIGH SCHOOL

Starting Sub Day Year 2/ Dr. Matthews

Hard at Work/ Dr. Matthews

Dr. Matthews spent his first Superintendent Sub Day for 2018-2019 in Bonita Narra's Honors Algebra Two class.  While she was having her car tires rotated, enjoying a massage and an early afternoon nap, Dr. Matthews taught math and played Kahoot.  He told the class the winner of today's game will get a diploma signed by the Superintendent.  Now that is incentive!

Instructions for Kahoot/ NEF

And No Goofy Faces (Maybe One)/ Dr. Matthews

Hard at Work/ Dr. Matthews

OCTOBER-LAUREN CARLINI

NOVI WOODS

Friday afternoon was Superintendent Sub Day in Miss Carlini's 3rd grade classroom at Novi Woods.

As Dr. Matthews arrived he received two immediate questions and one statement from the students:

• Did you build this school?

• Are you the mayor of Novi?

• We are working on trying to get more recess in our class!

Good conversations before math and science...

Miss Carlini was going to enjoy her drive home to Clarkston before traffic started.  She was excited that the drive was only going to take 40 minutes instead of the usual hour and a half, and she was looking forward to an early dinner with her boyfriend.  BUT, the dinner had to wait until she finished her ALICE training...

Dr. (Mayor) Matthews thank you for your continued support of our teachers and the Novi Educational Foundation!

Getting Fired Up!/ Dr. Matthews

Wildly Important Goal / NEF

Everyone Ready? / NEF

Working Together / NEF

Instructions / NEF

OCTOBER-JANE FUNFGELD

NOVI WOODS

Dr. Webber completed his first Super Sub Day in Mrs. Funfgeld's first grade classroom at Novi Woods on a Friday afternoon.  

What did she do?  Glad you asked -  "My dad is 82 and he has lots of trouble walking and getting around, so when I called and said, "Are you ready for our date?" he huffed and puffed and tried to cover up his pain.  I gave him a window to beg off on a trip to the DIA, and he jumped on it ;-(.  We did have lunch together and then............I took a ballroom dancing lesson!  For REAL!  New York Dance (Plymouth next to the really good Taqueria).  I had missed my "beginners" group class because of conferences and they were able to fit me in for a private lesson. LOL!  So fun!"

As she and her dad were having fun, Substitute Webber was in for an afternoon of adventure!  As they returned from lunch, one student said "I lost my shoes".  Dr. Webber told her shoes were a requirement in first grade.  As she walked away, she said "I will borrow someone else's"...

To celebrate the diversity in the class, he asked the students were they were from.  Brazil, Canada, China, India, and Novi were the answers that were shouted out.  One student then tried to throw him a curve ball by saying "I'm from China but I now live in Novi".

He had a large lesson plan to get through - math, social studies, recess, and reading were just a few of the subjects Mrs. Funfgeld left for him to teach.  The students were fantastic learning frames and arrows in math, drawing an aerial view of the classroom, and trust me these first graders are strong readers!

Instructions / NEF

Q&A / NEF

Thank You / Dr. Webber

Words To Live By / NEF

Making Connections / NEF

SEPTEMBER-KIM TAYLOR

DEERFIELD

Dr. Webber's next assignment was as the library media specialist at Deerfield for Kim Taylor.  As he worked with the students, Ms. Taylor "went shopping and came home to start wrapping Christmas presents. It was a very relaxing afternoon and I was excited to start my weekend a little early."

The afternoon started with 1st graders, then kindergarten, then 2nd graders, finally an assembly to see Mrs. Bedford get turned into a human sundae.  At 12:50 as Dr. Webber met the students in the hallway and sang Christmas carols as the students entered the media center, the students were excited to learn they would be building tangrams using Osmo.  As instructions were given, out of the mouths of babes came a few questions for Dr. Webber.  First they liked his suit so they told him he looked fancy.  A student asked if he was "a real doctor"?  The final question was "if we don't remember your name can we call you Fancy Doctor?" 

Making Connections / NEF

Instructions  / NEF

Collaborating / NEF

Question & Answers / NEF

NOVEMBER-AMY HEPP

NOVI MEADOWS

Compliments of Dr. Matthews, Mrs. Hepp ran to the post office...after the lunch crowd.  She also got to do some Christmas shopping during the daylight hours!  

In the meantime, Dr. Matthews was helping 6th graders check out media books.  He gave a book talk to Mr. Burry and Mrs. Erickson's class.  He also walked to Mrs. Dial and Mrs. Kuhn's class as they played Breakout-EDU.  In his down time, he was shelving library books!  It was a busy afternoon for him.

The best question of the day came from a shy 6th grade girl who asked "how do you figure out snow days"?  We assume she was wishing for one soon...

Question & Answers / NEF

Checking Out / NEF

Agree? / NEF

Things That Make You Go Hmmm / NEF

All About My Favorite Books / NEF

Work Together to Solve the Puzzle / NEF

DECEMBER-AGNES LEE

ORCHARD HILLS

For Our Visitor of the Day / NEF

No Truer Words / NEF

Thanks to Dr. Webber, Mrs. Lee who calls her students "her little Angels" left early to run errands and Christmas shop.  There was no time for Dr. Webber to run errands!  2nd graders are great, and when there are 20 of them...well, that is a lot of fun!

The students studied math and writing.  They read to each other while enjoying hot chocolate.  They spilled hot chocolate.  They cleaned up hot chocolate.  Some spilled again.

"Docter Webbr, will you have a tea party with me?"  "Mr. Webbr you are the nicest substitute teacher ever!"  "Mr. Smith, I want to make a snow globe for the substitute teacher" were just a few of the great questions and statements from these fantastic kids.

Dr. Webber spent the afternoon with these students who were very well behaved, used great manners, and are eager learners.

What are Our Targets / NEF

How High Can We Go? / NEF

DECEMBER-SUSAN HUYCK 

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Mrs. Huyck from the MS left before 11:00.  Why?  Because Dr. Matthews pulled her ticket for the Superintendent Sub raffle.  She was on her way to Farmington because her kids had 1/2 day of school.  Together they were all going to have lunch then go to the Zap Zone!

No Zap Zone for Dr. Matthews...instead it was 7th grade math.  They were working on comparing and scaling.  But before the lesson started, the students watched a 2 minute video about a cartoon character wanting to go to Canada because he could drive 90 and gas was only $1.20.  What he didn't know was that was 90 kilometers/hour and gas was sold by the liter.  One student said quietly "I don't need to know how to covert that if I don't ever go to Canada".  

It was just before lunch so one student asked if Dr. Matthews had any candy.  He quickly replied, Mr. Baker does, ask him at lunch time.

But truthfully with all the fun and funny comments (like one student said "I will volunteer as tribute" as he was approaching the dry erase board to answer a math problem) these kids were great.  I saw students helping other students with their math.  And they were not asked to do that!  They were well behaved and no suspensions!  It was a good day.

Classroom Guidelines/ NEF

Heading In / NEF

Working Through The Problem / NEF

Today's Lesson / NEF

Helping Each Other / NEF

Today's Lesson is What? / NEF

Reflections / NEF

JANUARY - SHANNON MYRAND

VILLAGE OAKS

Superman can leap a tall building, Wonder Woman can stop bullets, Spiderman can spin webs, but I'm telling you - teachers are the real Super Heros!  Dr. Webber got to spend his afternoon with 18 kindergarten students while Mrs. Myrand from VO got to have lunch with a friend, go shopping, go for a run, and for the first time in a long time - be able to pick her kids up from school!  While she was enjoying her afternoon off, it was business as usual in her class.  

Dr. Webber faced tough questions.  Like, What's your name?  Are you a grandpa?  Can you going to tell us a joke?

But he was able to stay on task and teach these kids about problem solving, supply and demand, and needs vs. wants.  Dr. Webber shared some needs - food, shelter, air, clothes.  The kids shared some of their wants - a nerf gun, a toilet, a dog, a bike, a cat, super fast shoes, a phone, a Nintendo Switch, a pirate ship, and 1,000 dogs.

It was a great afternoon of learning and making friends. 

VO Pledge / NEF

Introductions / NEF

Sharing / NEF

Q&A / NEF

FEBRUARY - CARY GRIMM & TOM MICHALSKI 

MEADOWS

Dr. Matthews subbed for Cary Grimm while Dr. Webber subbed for Tom Michalski.

Both teachers left at 11:30.  Mr. Grimm was going to pick up his 4 year old and go to lunch.  He also bought his wife a massage so she could enjoy her afternoon.  Mr. Michalski was heading to the gym.  Then he was going to pick his son up from school, which is something he normally doesn't get to do.

Dr. Matthews walked into the class as they were reading.  He asked if there were any Grimm class rules.  He was told the rules are:

• No fighting, play fighting, or physical contact

• No running around

• We can only eat healthy snacks

• No plastic water bottles are allowed in class

Dr. Webber walked into the class and gathered the students in a circle.  He talked about his teaching experience.  He then asked the students if they had any questions.  He then was asked:

• Why are you wearing mismatched socks?

• Do you like Kermit the Frog?

• Where did you get that cool math tie?

• Do you like U of M or OSU?

So after the class rules and intro questions were finished, the substitute teachers were going to dive deep into ELA, persuasive writing, and math.  But before that, Mr. Brickey stopped in to do some "observing".  It was an afternoon that will not be soon forgotten.

ELA / NEF

Q&A / NEF

Rules to Live By/ NEF

Winning!! / NEF

Roundtable Discussion / NEF

MARCH-SEBRINA SHIELDS

NOVI ADULT TRANSITION CENTER

Dr. Matthews spent part of his day with the students from the Novi Adult Transition Center (NATC).  As Mrs. Shields was going to enjoy her afternoon with "her hubby going to a movie", Dr. Matthews got to enjoy lunch, PE, Reading, and a Social Skills Game.  Today was a non-working day for the students so they were going to be in the classroom most of the day.  On working days they go to TJ Maxx, the Civic Center, ACE, Novi High School, and Premier Pets, to name a few.

The afternoon started with the 9 students introducing themselves and saying their 2 favorite things.  Some of the favorites were:  bowling, playing with an iPad, listening to Eminem, going to a car wash, playing bagpipes, traveling, cooking, and eating pizza. 

Mondays are sometimes baking days, but today was not one of those days.  So instead a student offered to make Dr. Matthews some lemonade.  It made the students day when Dr. Matthews accepted his offer!

Introductions / NEF

Clean-Up / NEF

Lunchtime / NEF

Introductions / NEF

Introductions / NEF

Tour Highlights / NEF

Updates / NEF

APRIL - ALI SANCHEZ 

PARKVIEW

Dr. Matthews spent the afternoon substitute teaching a 3rd grade class at Parkview.  Since Ali Sanchez was one of the winners of the Superintendent Sub raffle this month, she was able to leave early.  She had big plans.  Her grandfather in Minneapolis is turning 80 this weekend, so she was flying out to spend time with him and other family members/friends at his birthday party!

Dr. Matthews started by teaching the students some breathing exercises.  After everyone was ready it was a great afternoon of writing workshop, win time, read aloud, reading workshop, clean up, and finally pack up and go home.  BUT FIRST - it was time to get acquainted with crayfish!  Twenty some 3rd graders tend to get excited on a Friday afternoon, especially when crayfish come out.  They had some good questions about them:

• Why do some only have 1 pincher?

• How smart are they?

• Why are they slimy?

• How do they pee?

They also picked good names for some the crayfish:

• Lollipop

• Cupcake

• George Washing Machine

It was a great afternoon!

APRIL-SARAH KALCZYNSKI

HIGH SCHOOL

Dr. Webber was lucky enough to sub for Sarah Kalczynski who in turn left early to spend time in Ann Arbor with her husband.  They were able to walk around campus where they met 22 years ago, then do a restaurant crawl at some of their old favorites.  Dr. Webber stepped up to teach an afternoon of AP Psychology at NHS.  There was great, and I mean great conversation around the topic "My experience in Novi Public Schools".  Highlights, impact, constructive comments, and questions was the assignment.

What was heard in just a few minutes was eye opening...

Our students are exhausted, stereotyped, stressed, and show more courage than most ever will.  This generation of kids is so far advanced than the last.  

Today was very impactful.  Thank you Dr. Webber for being a true advocate for our students!  It is great to work in a district where teachers and administration truly care about the well being of our students.

MARCH - AUDRY MOISEEFF

NOVI MEADOWS

It was a beautiful afternoon and Meadows counselor, Audry Moiseeff was able to meet one of her best friends for lunch at Ottava Via located in Corktown in Detroit. It is one of her favorite spots and the weather allowed them to sit on the patio!  Then they made a few other stops around town. This included picking up dessert from the bakery "Sister Pie" and enjoying it while taking in this view of the Detroit skyline from Belle Isle.  While she was enjoying her afternoon, Dr. Webber filled in for her.

It was a great afternoon of showing each student that they are important and have value.  

Thank you counselors and social workers for what you do o a daily basis!

Thank you Dr. Webber for your continued support of the NEF!

MAY-PAIGE PULSIFER

MIDDLE SCHOOL

As Paige Pulsifer was having lunch with a friend and getting ready for her puppy's 1st birthday on Thursday, Dr. Webber was teaching her 7th graders about sound intensities.  First Dr. Webber introduced himself to the class and talked about his extensive teaching experience.  He then opened it up to questions. 

They asked:

• Please tell us about Africa

• Did you really teach in prison 

• Are you and Dr. Matthews friends

• And then it got real - "what is the most important thing you have learned from a student that doesn't involve education?  

Dr. Webber's answer - keep trying, keep moving.  A great question and a great answer!

NOVEMBER - BRENT POHLONSKI

HIGH SCHOOL

Brent Pohlonski left the HS at 10:30 to go to his 2nd grader daughters field trip at Heritage Park.  He was looking forward to it since his classroom was being covered by a substitute teacher.  That teacher was Dr. Webber.  

Honors Precalculus students were going to be taking their Limits quiz.  There was 9 minutes before the quiz started.  "Good morning" said Dr. Webber with little response.  He said, let's try it again "Good morning".   The class responded back with a robust good morning. 

Dr. Webber quickly introduced himself to the class, then took the last 5 minutes and allowed the students to participate in a mindfulness lesson and meditate.  He offered a piece of advice to all by saying "one piece of life doesn't define us".  Keep trying.  It was a great way to spend a few minutes before they took their quiz. 

MAY-GAIL O'CONNOR

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION CENTER

Gail O'Connor from the ECEC was able to spend her Friday afternoon with her sister celebrating her birthday at the Gallery Restaurant in Bloomfield Hills. 

Dr. Matthews was able to spend his day making student binders, hole punching, fixing paper jams in the copy machine, taking payroll to the ESB, assisting in the office, and high-5ing students.

They both had a great afternoon!