It’s hard to believe we will soon be in the month of May!
Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 30th:
Kennedy Singers Dress Rehearsal @ LMS

Tuesday, May 1st:
Veterans Visiting Kennedy School <–click for schedule
District SPED Meeting @ 3:00pm (Washington Rm 114)

Wednesday, May 2nd:
Happy Birthday Abelardo Cano 🙂
SLC to Brunswick Zone
Technology Common Plan
District 81 On-Site Registration (@ LMS from 3-7pm)
Wendy’s Night 5:00pm-8:00pm

Thursday, May 3rd:
Happy Birthday Molly McSorley 🙂
SLT Meeting @ 2:30pm
Wedding, Engagement & Baby Showers @ 3:30pm (Cafeteria)
District 81 Choral Concert @ 7:00pm (LMS)

Friday, May 4th:
Happy Birthday Brian Linhart 🙂
Happy Birthday Abby Ptak 🙂
PreK Screening
Registration Deadline!
3rd Grade Field trip to Wrigley Field (Cubs vs. Dodgers)
*RSVPs for Volunteer Breakfast are due*: Teachers, if parents RSVP to you, please relay the message to our office ladies so they can mark it down! Thank you! 🙂

Celebrations
Congratulations to Brooke on the birth of her baby: Grace, born on April 29th 🙂
also….congratulations to Molly on her recent engagement!
We are so happy & proud of Juan from Room 117 who competed this weekend at Special Olympics & earned a bronze medal for the 50 meter run & a silver medal for the tennis ball throw! Take a moment to stop and congratulate him on his awesome efforts! 🙂

Worth The Read:An article from a recent Educational Leadership issue (March 2012) that focuses on reading and the importance of teaching challenging text.
The Challenge of Challenging Text.

As we are entering the last part of the school year, here are 10 questions to think about:

1. What has been the most effective lesson of the year?
2. What topic generated the most interest from the students?
3. Who has been your greatest success story in class?
4. Who is in the most need of your help during the final part of the year?
5. What are you looking forward to the most from this point forward?
6. What new technique will you try again before the end of the year?
7. What is your progress on goals at this point?
8. Have your students had a chance to explore a topic of self-interest?
9. Do your students know how proud you are of them?
10. How can you begin, today, to explore the greater potential you have to make an impact on the lives of your students?

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 23rd:
*SPRING BENCHMARKING BEGINS*
MAP Testing Continues
READING ROOM TESTING BEGINS
SLC Swimming

Tuesday, April 24th:
3rd Grade Field Trip to The Field Museum
Faculty Meeting @ 2:30pm <—click for agenda
Reading/ELL Committee Meeting @ 3:00pm (Room 110)
Mentor Meeting @ 3:45pm (@ LMS)
New Kindergarten Student Information Night @ 6:00pm (cafeteria)

Wednesday, April 25th:
1/2 Day (Students dismiss at 10:55am)
11:00-12:00pm Lunch On Your Own
Reading/ELL Professional Development <—click for Agenda

Thursday, April 26th:
Kindergarten Field Trip to Morton Arboretum
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
Technology Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 202)

Friday, April 27th:
Spirit Assembly (Fairness)

(04/29) Special Olympics Spring Games (Track & Field) Come see District 81 students participate in events from 10:30am-2:30pm @ North Central College in Naperville. 

The 3 L’s: Learn, Laugh & Love
(Gary Puetz)
Regardless of our age in life, to succeed, we must continually learn.

Successful people also laugh a lot. They laugh at themselves, and with others. Even at this time of the school year when everything seems so hectic, there are still many laughs heard throughout the hallways and classrooms at Kennedy. 🙂

Finally, we need to love. We need to love what we do, love why we do it, and love who we do it with–our students & each other.

Thank you in advance for learning, laughing & loving each and every minute that we have remaining this school year with our students & with each other.

“Know less; Learn More…
Worry less; Laugh more…
Fear less; Love more…
….And all the good things are yours.”

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 16th:
Spring MAP Testing Begins   <–click for schedule
SKATE TIME WEEK in P.E. Class

Tuesday, April 17th:
Happy Birthday Laura Brown 🙂
Buddy Sub-Committee Meeting @ 7:30am (Room 109)
1st-3rd Grade to LMS to see Alice In Wonderland musical
WENDY’S NIGHT (5:00pm-8:00pm)

Wednesday, April 18th:
SLC to Target
SEL/”Catch Up On What Your Team Needs” Common Plan
PreK/PATS Spring Feast
Board Meeting @ 7:00pm (LMS)

Thursday, April 19th:
RTI Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 118)
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm

Friday, April 20th:
SPRING PICTURE DAY 🙂
1st Grade Field Trip to Stahl Theater

(04/21) Happy Birthday Anna Kaminska (yellow bus)
(04/22) Earth Day

Click here for some Earth Day ideas from Pinterest:
So many cute ideas!
    

It is my hope that those of you celebrating Easter or Passover this weekend enjoyed time with family, friends and those dear to you! Below you’ll find our week at a glance:

Monday, April 9th:
SLC Swimming
3rd Grade to LMS for 8th Grade Buddies Activity
Celebrations Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 104)

Tuesday, April 10th:
Wheel of Wisdom Assembly @ 9:15am & 1:15pm <–click for schedule*
Faculty Meeting @ 2:30pm <—-click for agenda
Reading/ELL Committee Meeting @ 3:00pm (Room 110)
PEP Event @ 6:00pm

Wednesday, April 11th:
2nd Grade to LMS for 7th Grade Buddies Activity
1st Grade & Multiage to LMS for 6th Grade Buddies Activity
SLC to Schiller Park Library
Assessment Common Plan (*PreK Faculty Meeting at team common plan*)

Thursday, April 12th: Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
Art Fair/Taste of Kennedy 6:00pm-7:30pm

Friday, April 13th:
PreK Field Trip to Morton Arboretum
*Bring a laptop & charger to lounge at the end of the day for Spring MAP Testing next week*

**Reminder to classroom teachers: Please take this short Reading Room Survey.

It is my hope that you all had a restful, relaxing Spring Break. As we enter the final 8 weeks of school, I realize this can be a challenging time for us, as both students & staff get Spring Fever. We have been working hard for 7 months and we’re getting closer to the end of the school year. Now is when we must do our best work. The cliche of “it’s not how you start, but how you finish” and “the school year is like a marathon” are so true! We must finish strong and carry out our momentum until the end of the school year. Keep in mind, the more you stray from your classroom routine/schedule, the more antsy your students will get. If you keep focused, they will follow your lead.

As we approach the final 8 weeks of the school year, it is easy for many teachers to get into that familiar habit of wishing that the year would end. I want to encourage you not to fall into that rut and make the last 8 weeks enjoyable and productive for your students.

Each and every day our students need us. Remember that you may be the only constant presence in some of our students’ lives. Make a choice each day for your presence to be a positive, constant factor. It is a great opportunity that we have to come to school and have an impact on students’ lives from day to day. We all became educators because we care about kids. When the students feel that their teachers care about them, when they feel safe in our classes, optimal learning will take place.

The video below is an oldie, but a goodie! 🙂 Remember, you have the ability to make an incredible impact on each and every student you come in contact with on a daily basis. What you say and do has such a huge impact on your students. You may never know how much you inspire your students, but please know that you do! Please take a moment to watch this video below & revisit it when needed. What we have is a gift.

Monday, April 2nd:
School Resumes (Welcome back Marisha & Ami)
*Cycle 5 Assessment Week*
Math & Writing Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 107)

Tuesday, April 3rd:

Wednesday, April 4th:
PreK to Washington School for Buddy Activity
SLC to Super Low Foods
Math/Writing Common Plan
District SPED Meeting @ 3:45pm (Washington School)

Thursday, April 5th:
NEDSRA Event with SLC/SLBC @ 8:30am (gymnasium)
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm

Friday, April 6th:
Pre School Screening
Reading Room Plan
BOX TOPS School-wide BACKWARDS Day

(04/07) Happy Birthday Mirta Cruz 🙂
(04/08) Happy Birthday Sharon Muntova 🙂 

Here’s a neat Prezi with some cool app ideas: 60 Education Apps in 60 minutes

You Are Your Words: Students can create a self-portrait with their words. Pretty neat!

Ideas for dying easter eggs:
http://inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/2011/04/more-easter-egg-fun.html 

http://www.thechocolatemuffintree.com/2011/03/tie-dyed-coffee-filter-easter-eggs.html

http://www.bhg.com/holidays/easter/eggs/pretty-no-dye-easter-eggs/?page=2

http://www.heyjenrenee.com/2011/04/kool-eggs.html

http://www.crapivemade.com/2010/03/rubber-cement-dyed-eggs.html