Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 25th
Spring AIMSweb Benchmarking Begins
School Spirit Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 132)

Tuesday, April 26th
Volunteer Breakfast (8:45am-9:45am) <–coverage schedule will be emailed
PATS Field Trip to the Trail Side Museum
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm

Wednesday, April 27th
3rd Grade Visits 8th Grade @ 11:15am (Buddies)

Thursday, April 28th
Kennedy Singers to LMS @ 8:40am for Rehearsal
SD81 Spring Choral Concert @ 6:30pm

Friday, April 29th
LAST Spirit Assembly of the School Year
Spring Buddy Activity

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 18th
MAP Testing Continues

Tuesday, April 19th
3rd Grade Field Trip to the Field Museum
Happy Birthday Chris Gonzalez 🙂

Wednesday, April 20th
PATS/PreK Spring Feast (2-3pm) in Cafeteria
Groundbreaking Ceremony @ 6:00pm (all are welcome!*)
Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00pm (hosted @ Kennedy this month * all are welcome! )

Thursday, April 21st
1st Grade Field Trip to Kohl Children’s Museum
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
Happy Birthday Anna K (Yellow Bus Driver) 🙂

Friday, April 22nd
PreK Field Trip to Field Museum
Earth Day
GO BLUE FOR AUTISM!

Blog Posts Worth Reading:

A Nice Little Update to the Plickers iOS App

Kahoot Adds a Team Mode

How to Change Your Google Profile Image and Why You Should

Fair Is Not Equal

What I Really Want to Ask At All Those Parent/Teacher Conferences

Earth Day Ideas (Click each picture to link up to the resource):
             

As the ABC Countdown begins this Thursday which counts down the final 26 days of the 2015-2016 school year, remember to look to the end of the year as setting the stage for next year. A strong finish helps build for a successful year to come. To ensure a strong finish and a positive launch to the next school year, keep the following in mind:

*Have high expectations for all. The end of the school year is not only about celebrations. It’s about learning. Focus on what is important and find the balance between keeping learning at the forefront of your classroom and enjoying those “end of the year” celebrations.

*Be well planned. Act with intention and purpose each day. Students thrive on routine and consistency. Just because the weather is getting warmer and field trips are blooming, the last thing you want to do is lose focus. It’s important to ensure that the learning process continues to bloom and that students are engaged!

*Keep a positive and hopeful attitude. This time of the year can be emotional and exhausting for all. Remember to find the good stuff. It’s there if you take time to look for it.

I challenge each of you to look at the number of days remaining this school year as the number of days you have to MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

 Instead of saying you have ____ days left of school until summer break, think of it as:

____ days together to make lasting memories
____days left to share this adventure
____days left for us to grow together

Each and every day our students need us. Remember that you may be the only constant presence in some of your students’ lives. Make a choice each day for your presence to be a positive, constant factor. It’s a great opportunity that we have to come to school and have an impact on students’ lives from day to day.

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 11th

Tuesday, April 12th
Spring MAP Testing Begins
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm

Wednesday, April 13th
1/2 Day of School
*Puzzle pieces due!
2nd/Multiage (101/109) to LMS for Buddies Activity

Thursday, April 14th
ABC Countdown Begins! “A” Author Day
SD81 Spring Band Concert @ 6:30pm

Friday, April 15th
Spring Picture Day
Swimming
GO BLUE for Autism Awareness Month

Check out the video below Bridget found and wanted to share:

“I am Autism” – Jack Mayor from James Edward on Vimeo.

It is my hope that you all had a restful, relaxing Spring Break. As we enter the final 7 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” is 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 7 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 7 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.

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 4th
Welcome Back!

Tuesday, April 5th

Wednesday, April 6th
1st Grade, 107 & 103 visit 6th Grade (Buddies) @ 9:00am

Thursday, April 7th
1st Grade Field Trip to Stahl Children’s Theater (9:00am)
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
Happy Birthday Beata Dering 🙂

Friday, April 8th
PreK Screenings
Happy Birthday Mirta Cruz 🙂
Happy Birthday Sharon Muntova 🙂

Blog Post Worth Reading:

One More Round by Hamish Brewer

“It’s that time of the year where we find out what we are all made of, what we stand for, and if we are truly all in for children and each other.”