I hope everyone enjoyed this beautiful weekend! I’d like you to try a challenge. First, divide a piece of paper into three columns. In the first column, make a list of  all your students. Try not to use alphabetical order, line order, or table groups to help you remember. Just write the names as they come to mind.

Then, in the middle column, next to each child’s name, write one thing you know that child likes to do or cares passionately about.

In the third column, make a star if you’re sure the child knows that you know this about him/her.

The results of this activity can be quite humbling. There may have been 1 or 2 students whose names didn’t come to you right away in the first column—That’s a sign that you need to spend more time with them.

In the second column, you may have had difficulty knowing an interest….This shows that you may need to find out more about that child’s gifts & hopes—maybe lunch with the teacher, extra time to chat at arrival, or being together during Friday Free Time.

The names without stars in the third column show that one cannot assume students know that we care about and appreciate their talents & interests….we need to connect with them!

Students who have positive relationships with their teachers TRUST. Knowing students well is essential if you want to engage them (and their parents) in working with you to address or change any problematic behaviors. Building positive teacher-student relationships is work that continues throughout the school year, and one of the aspects of teaching where there’s always room to improve. Give this exercise a try!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 29th
2nd Grade Field Trip to Shedd Aquarium
Spring Benchmarking Begins
Reading Room Testing Begins

Tuesday, April 30th
1st/Multiage Field Trip to Stahl Family Theater
Wendy’s Night 5:00pm-8:00pm

Wednesday, May 1st
PreK (Rms 112/135) Field Trip to North Park Village Nature Center
1st Grade Buddies Trip to LMS @ 9:30am

Thursday, May 2nd
PreK/PATS Field Trip to Lincoln Park Zoo
Kindergarten Young Authors Day @ 1:00pm
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
Happy Birthday Abelardo Cano 🙂 

Friday, May 3rd
PRE SCHOOL SCREENING
3rd Grade Trip to Cubs Game
Happy Birthday Molly McSorley 🙂

(05/04) Happy Birthday Abby Ptak 🙂

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 22nd
MAP Testing Continues
Earth Day: Classroom Teachers- Please remember to include a “No Power Hour” in your schedule!
PreK Field Trip to North Park Village Nature Center (Rooms 133 & 134)

Tuesday, April 23rd
Happy Birthday Angela Mastromauro 🙂
3rd Grade Field Trip to Field Museum
Faculty Meeting @ 2:30pm & 3:30pm <—click the link to see our faculty meeting Tackk
Retirement/25 Years of Service Celebration @ 4:00pm

Wednesday, April 24th
3rd Grade to LMS for Buddies Activity
1/2 Day: K-3 students Dismiss at 10:55am/AM PreK @ 11:30am

Thursday, April 25th
Veterans Visit Kennedy School  <–click to see schedule
Kindergarten Field Trip to Morton Arboretum
Spring Band Concert (5-8) @ LMS

Friday, April 26th
Spirit Assembly (Fairness)
April Buddy Event!

Here are some Earth Day ideas from Pinterest. Click on the pictures to connect you to the website:

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 15th:
Spring MAP Testing Begins (in faculty lounge)

Tuesday, April 16th:
1st-3rd Grade to LMS to see The Wizard of Oz musical
Environmental Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm
PEP Family Event @ Kennedy School, 6:00pm

Wednesday, April 17th:
SLBC to Dollar Tree
PreK/PATS Spring Feast (2:00pm-3:30pm)
Common Core Common Plan
Board Meeting @ 7:00pm (LMS)

Thursday, April 18th:
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
Retirement Celebration @ 4:00pm

Friday, April 19th:
Spring Picture Day 🙂
Kennedy Singers to Washington @ 9:15am for Centennial Rehearsal
5 by Friday!
Loaves & Fishes

(04/20) Village of Schiller Park Centennial Celebration @ Stalica Park
11:00am-1:00pm

(04/21) Anna Kaminska’s Birthday 🙂 (yellow bus driver) 

From Venspired:

There are lots of things we cannot control. People who aren’t in education for the right reasons. Testing mandates. Kids’ troubled home lives. The media’s portrayal of schools. Poverty. Kids dealing with survival over learning math. Budget cutbacks. Feeling unsupported by the world.

But there are things we can control.

The way we treat children from the moment they walk in until they leave us at the end of each day. The connections and relationships we build with our students. The daily lessons we shape. The photos we take and memories we create with our students. The message we share and live. Modeling digital citizenship for our kids. How we react to comments on social media and open dialogue. Reaching out to support others who might not feel supported. The way we treat our colleagues every single day. These are things we can control.

Above all? We can control what we see when we look at a situation. Education. Do we see a hopeless outcome where it all seems lost? Or do we see education is not hopeless.

The magic that takes place at Kennedy School each and everyday is so full of hope that it’s busting at the seams! It’s in the kids we teach!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 8th:
Happy Birthday Sharon Muntova 🙂

Tuesday, April 9th:
NO SCHOOL: Teacher Institute Day  <–click for agenda
Buddy Committee Meeting @ 7:20am (Room 109)

Wednesday, April 10th:
2nd Grade Buddy Activity (@ LMS)
Happy Birthday Ashley Yucuis 🙂
Common Core Common Plan

Thursday, April 11th:
District RTI Committee Meeting @ 3:45pm (@ LMS)
PATS Field Trip to Navy Pier (@ 3:45pm)
Taste of Kennedy/Art Fair 6:00pm-7:30pm

Friday, April 12th:
5 by Friday! 🙂
*Laptops to lounge after school to set up for MAP Testing!