There will certainly be some challenges this year. Things won’t always go well or how you had hoped. What will your attitude be like? Will you find the positives and/or look for solutions? Or will you complain and be a naysayer? Attitudes are contagious, is yours worth catching? We can plan and be as proactive as possible, but sometimes it won’t go well. We just need to remember that life is 10% what happens and 90% how we respond to it. Others are always watching us. Here’s to making this week supportive, visible, reassuring and positive for our Kennedy Kubbies! Donna, Tiffany & I thank you in advance for all the time & hard work you have put into preparing for Curriculum Night this Thursday.

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, August 31st
Book Fair Browse Begins (Book Fair is located in hallway near courtyard)
Starting Today: 2nd & 3rd Grade Kids Klub Students should report to the ART ROOM at dismissal

Tuesday, September 1st
Beginning of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Reading Room Plan Day
MAP for Primary Grades will continue (in classrooms/laptops on a cart)
Happy Birthday Rosa Andreuccetti 🙂

Wednesday, September 2nd
1st Day of Reading Room

Thursday, September 3rd
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
Kennedy Curriculum Night 6:00pm-7:30pm

Friday, September 4th
Wear Yellow! GO GOLD for Childhood Cancer Awareness
5 Positive Connections by Friday 🙂

09/07: NO SCHOOL (Labor Day)

Blogs Worth Reading:

Digital Tools/Apps to Kick Off the New School Year

Starting a New School Year: Nine Tips for Collaboration

Great Google Drive Add-Ons & Chrome Extensions for Teachers

12 Choices to Help You Step Back From Burnout

Curriculum Night Ideas (click on picture to take you to blog-post/link):
    

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, August 24th
New Teacher Meeting @ 2:45pm (Room 205)

Tuesday, August 25th
Evacuation Drill @ 8:45am
MAP Testing Begins <–click for schedule
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm <—click for agenda

Wednesday, August 26th
Common Plan Time

Thursday, August 27th

Friday, August 28th
Code Red Drill <–click for procedures
5 by Friday 🙂

Blog Posts Worth Reading:
Dear Teachers: You’re Not Fooling Me

First Day of School From A Kindergartener’s Perspective

The Small Changes I Can Make

What Students Remember Most About Teachers

Tech Tip: Google Docs – Change Your Default Font

What a great first week (technically 3 days) at Kennedy! As expected, there were a few tears, but the smiles and giggles outweighed the few. I appreciate everyone’s help and extra care during arrival. Thank you to ALL staff for going the extra mile to help get our year off to an amazing start. 

As we prepare for our first full week with the students, I hope you will take a few quiet moments to put aside lesson planning, forget about your “To-Do” list and consider our purpose (as a school, and as individual educators). When we walk in on Monday morning, please remember that you are a difference maker! The small gestures you make to welcome students and show an interest in their lives will have an impact. This year, you will have opportunities to build confidence where it hasn’t existed, develop connections that have never been present, and generate hope with your students. Our classrooms are filled with individuals with a variety of needs, and it’s up to US to make sure they thrive! The only way for that to happen is to build a connection with each student. When we truly know them all as individuals, we can understand them as learners. Please take some time to read this blog post entitled, “Dear Teacher…” as it perfectly captures the life of an educator.

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, August 17th
1st Day of Pre School (all hands on deck at 8:30am and 12:15pm for arrival)
Fall AIMs Benchmarking Begins
Morning Intervention Routines begin in classrooms

Tuesday, August 18th

Wednesday, August 19th
Common Plan
Board Meeting @ 7:00pm (LMS)

Thursday, August 20th
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm

Friday, August 21st
5 Positive Family Connections by Friday
Please use the Positive Postcards in the office, as well as any other form (phone call, email, note home, certificate) to make 5 positive connections with your students’ families by Friday! 🙂

Blogs Worth Reading:

Padlet  Now Offers an iPad App

4 Cues To Remember for First Days of School