Week 38: 05/26/14 – 05/30/14

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From Krissy Venosdale’s post on We Are Teachers:

“This post is about you. That’s right, you and your teaching and the difference you make. It’s not something that we like to talk about. Teachers are humble and hardworking, and behind the scenes we do whatever it takes to support our kids. But you make a difference. Every single day. On the good days, the hard days and the days that feel like some kind of crazy chaos, you make a difference.

That conversation you have with your student on the way to the cafeteria, talking with him about his dog? He’ll remember that. The way you slip a few dollars into her lunch account so she can have a hot lunch today? She doesn’t even know you do it, but she feels loved.

The excitement you show when the experiment works out and the liquid bubbles over means they all get excited too. And when that experiment doesn’t work out? They’re looking to you to see how you handle it. You show them that mistakes are what learning is about, and they learn that it’s OK.

Sharing your hobbies, your passions and your goals with your students shows them that you are a learner too. Your example ignites their passions and fires up their desire to find their own hobbies and goals.

The time you took to know each of your students on an individual level, to celebrate their growths, and to remind each and every one in some way that they are a part of your classroom? It matters so much to them all.

Your honesty when you don’t know the answer, or your desire to learn more about their questions? It’s all making a difference. A difference that you may not see for many years, or even ever know in a tangible way. But it’s there. Day by day, moment by moment. One connection at a time, teachers make the world a better place.

Day by day, moment by moment, it’s so easy for this to get lost. Lost in a stack of papers. Lost in a series of conversations about strategies and objectives. Lost in the roller-coaster downhill slope of the end of the school year. But it’s there. Connect with your kids and you’ll be reminded. The best reminder of all. You make a difference.

Here’s our last week at a glance for the 2013-2014 school year:

Monday, May 26th
No School: Memorial Day

Tuesday, May 27th
2nd Grade & Multiage Bowling Field Trip
1st Grade Class Building @ 2:30pm (Room 100)

Wednesday, May 28th
1st Grade & 103/107 Buddies with 6th Grade (@ Lincoln)
Retirement Celebration @ 4pm

Thursday, May 29th
PreK Class Building @ 9:30am
Last Day of School (1st-3rd Grade) Full Day (Students dismiss at 2:20pm)

Friday, May 30th
Happy Birthday Tanya Disheva 🙂

End of The Year Ideas for Students (click below)

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HAPPY 3-day weekend!

What a beautiful 3-day weekend! I hope you’re enjoying the weather and that you are creating happy memories!

Life sure gets crazy….especially this time of the year!

Remember to STOP. Take a deep breath. Enjoy a break.

And returning to the madness of the end-of-the-year…..you’ll have a whole new outlook.

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Week 37: 05/19/14 – 05/23/14

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It’s crazy to think the end of the 2013-2014 school year is right around the corner! With that comes many invitations to focus on management issues and end of the year activities than to focus on quality teaching and learning. Please remember to finish strong! These last 10 days can be full of learning opportunities and quality experiences for our Kennedy Kubbies. Rick Wormeli says it best,

“Don’t waste the last few weeks of school on fluff and babysitting experiences. It’s not only boring to students, it’s unethical. Choose a day very soon to begin planning for one of the highlights of the year: the experiences of those last few weeks”. 

Let’s make a commitment to finish the year as strong as we started & not hit the cruise control button. Our Kubbies deserve better. Students will feed off our attitude & if we expect the best from them, then we must give them the best of us! 🙂

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, May 19th
1st Grade Picnic
Kindergarten Field Trip to Morton Arboretum
3rd Grade Visits Washington School
Meeting for K-3 certified staff @ 3:30pm (cafeteria)

Tuesday, May 20th
End of Year Buddy Event
Kindergarten Graduation Practices
3rd Grade Class Building @ 2:30pm (Room 205)

Wednesday, May 21st
3rd Grade Dinosar Fair/Young Authors <—click for sign-up link
Kindergarten Graduation Practices
Multiage Class Building @ 1:40pm (Room 103)
Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00pm

Thursday, May 22nd
PreK Celebrations!
9am: Rms 112 & 133AM
10:15am: Rms 13 & 135 AM
1pm: Rms 112 & 133PM
2:15pm: Rm 134 & 135PM
Kindergarten Graduation Practices
Kindergarten Picnic
2nd Grade Class Building @ 2:30pm (Room 115)

Friday, May 23rd
Kindergarten Graduation!
9am: Rms 130, 131, 132
11am: Rms 127, 128, 129
3rd Grade Picnic
DARE Graduation @ 2:00pm (Washington School)

(05/26) NO SCHOOL: Memorial Day

**8 Things You Didn’t Know You Could Do with Google Drive

***iPad Keyboard Tips

Week 36: 05/12/14 – 05/16/14

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Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, May 12th
Cycle 6 Assessment Week
FIELD DAY
Volunteer Breakfast 8:15am-8:45am (cafeteria) *click here to see coverage schedule*

Tuesday, May 13th
2nd Grade, 101/109 Zoo Trip
Faculty Meeting @ 2:30pm
Happy Birthday Carrie Sipple 🙂

Wednesday, May 14th
1/2 Day SIP
Support Staff Luncheon @ 11:40am (gymnasium)

Thursday, May 15th
2nd Grade Picnic
1st Grade, 103/107 Zoo Trip

Friday, May 16th
Spirit Assembly (Trustworthiness)
Multiage Picnic
3rd Grade Trip to CUBS Game

Week 35: 05/05/14 – 05/09/14

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! 🙂 This entire week is about celebrating ALL OF YOU!
I appreciate all that you do to prepare meaningful learning opportunities for your students each day, but what I appreciate the most is the safe, welcoming, nurturing learning environments that you have established for our Kubbies who LOVE coming to school each day.

I hope you know how much I enjoy working with each of you & how proud I am to be your colleague. Thank you for all you do here at Kennedy School. You are appreciated today & everyday.

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, May 5th
Railroad Assembly
8:30am-9:00am – 3rd Grade
9:15am-9:45am – 1st Grade & 109
10:00am-10:30am  – 2nd Grade & 101 & 117
Kindergarten Zoo Trip

Tuesday, May 6th
Veterans Visiting 1st & Multiage Classrooms
3rd Grade Zoo Trip
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Wednesday, May 7th
SLC/SLBC Field Trip to Pesche’s
1st/Multiage Practice for Memorial Day Show (@ 9:00am)
Teacher Appreciation Luncheon in Lounge (courtesy of Board of Education & Dr. Boyszewski)

Thursday, May 8th
Memorial Day Concert @ LMS (9:00am)
PreK Field Trip to Lincoln Park Zoo
**Last Day of Morning Reading Interventions**

Friday, May 9th
Teacher Appreciation Breakfast (courtesy of SPEA)
FIELD DAY 🙂 <—click to see schedule
***Be sure to sign up for a 5 minute technology inventory check-in slot  <—click for Google Doc. Have this check-in form printed out & be ready for Eric’s visit!

 

**In honor of teacher appreciation week, SoulPancake & Edutopia asked teachers to write a letter to themselves on their first day teaching. If you wrote a letter to yourself on your first day teaching, what would it say?

“….so keep up the great work, seek help from those around you & just know that the work of a teacher is of the greatest importance.” #teachersmatter