I hope you enjoyed your time off, spending time with family, friends & those you love. Now we move to the next 4 week stretch, where it is full of learning, fun, and special events…and a holiday break to enjoy. We have lots to do with our kids from now until December 21st, and look forward to their growth when they return in January. They always seem more grown up right after the break…happens every year!

Things to keep in mind these next 4 weeks:

• For some of our students who will say “it’s almost Winter break” and lack motivation, it is time to push them & keep them excited and eager to learn.
• For our students who come from challenging circumstances at home and are feeling anxiety about not being at Kennedy for over two weeks (and acting out because of it), it is time to show them how much you care & make the most of these next 20 days.
• For our students that just keep smiling & working hard each day, it is time to pull them aside and tell them how much you appreciate them (Positive Postcard?) or perhaps give them that NOTE OF ENCOURAGEMENT that their parents filled out for them at Curriculum Night this year! 🙂

Be proud of what we’ve accomplished with our students so far this year, but please keep the focus on learning in your classrooms as we return from Thanksgiving Break. In addition, I’d encourage you to:

• Take a second and tell a colleague that you’ve noticed how hard they are working and that you appreciate them working so hard. Gratitude and appreciation are also essential for a healthy work environment. A simple thank you and a show of appreciation can make all the difference.
• Make time to reflect on some of the positives that we’ve had this year that may have been overlooked as we have overcome the challenges of not having enough time.
• Set a tone for your students that regardless of how much time is left before a long break that all of us will work hard and make the most of our school days.
• Celebrate being a member of our Kennedy School family

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, November 26th
Santa’s Secret Shop  (Browse Day)
2nd Grade Data Review Meeting with RR @ 2:35pm
Cricut Club (1st Grade Project Space) @ 3:05pm

Tuesday, November 27th
Santa’s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
Faculty Meeting @ 2:45pm (Presentation Space)
SD81 Winter Band Concert @ 6:30pm

Wednesday, November 28th
Santa’s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
New Teacher Meeting (Breakfast Club) @ 7:40am in Room B107
2nd Grade Field Trip to Prairie Lakes Theater @ 9:30am
TECHNOLOGY Common Plan

Thursday, November 29th
Santa’s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
Dr. Seuss SIP Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm (Room B102)

Friday, November 30th
Santa’s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
Happy Birthday Barbara Zawadzka 🙂

(12/02) Happy Birthday Lizbeth Hohmeier

REMINDERS:
Have you RSVP’d for the Holiday Party? Please do so by Monday, December 3rd

WINTER WONDERLAND
The 3rd annual event will be on Thursday, December 6th from 6:30pm-8:30pm at Lincoln Middle School.

It will be free admission for our families & not only will they have an opportunity to eat a delicious pasta dinner (served by the Board of Education), there will be crafts and games for children, as well as pictures with Santa.

Please fill out the Google Form here if you’re able to help! Let’s make this an AWESOME event for our kids! We need volunteers to help make each “station” a success. Your help and time is greatly appreciated!