Rethinking the classroom calendar

I admit it, I have a laminated calendar very similar to this in my classroom:

It's very cutesy and frustrating to change out each month.  As diligent as I am, I inevitably miss a child's birthday each year and that's super uncomfortable.  The calendar just kind of hangs there without any student input.  

Next year, I'd like to change that.

So I purchased a very basic desk calendar:

Before the school year starts, I'll go through and label all the crucial days: staff development days, three day weekends, and student birthdays.  

But here's the change:

I'm going to have students write their Reading Ranger goals, both short and long term, on the calendar.  When they achieve their goals, they'll get to highlight their goals and we'll do a classroom celebration.   

Students will get excited because it's a small brag wall, but it's the goals they've set.

I'm excited because I will keep this calendar by my small group table to help with accountability.  If all my data (in terms of students' goals) is in one place, it should stream line my goal setting weekly meetings.  Plus if I'm saving time on goal setting conferences (which will be Mondays and Thursdays), that leaves more time for small strategy groups and book chats.

Of course, the calendar will still be cute...but now, also practical.

What new strategies are you trying in your classroom next year?