“When asked to identify what made the school so good, every person, without fail, said it was the people of the school: the children, the families, and most importantly, the staff. Nobody said, ‘We have a really great computer lab’ or ‘a brand new reading textbook.’
(Eaker, DuFour, & DuFour, 2002)

With the Thanksgiving holidays quickly approaching, I thought it was a great time to simply offer heartfelt thanks to all of you for enriching the lives of our students. Whether you are a returning teacher, a teacher in a new role, or a teacher new to Kennedy School, I am sincerely thankful that you are here. Donna and I have the best jobs in the world because we are surrounded by the hardest-working teachers in the world. In the above quote, Eaker & colleagues have clearly stated what makes our own school great: It is not our facilities, or our curriculum, or technology; instead, it is each of you performing great deeds day in and day out. THANK YOU for teaching us so clearly what effective teachers do differently, and thanks for teaching with passion each day!

The timing and relevance of this blog post are most appropriate ….. Please take 2 minutes to read Beth Houf’s post, entitled Exhausted Educator, I See You!  As she says:

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, November 14th
Vision/Hearing (K-3 Students)
Motivational Monday
1st Grade Data Review Meeting @ 2:45pm (E221)
New Teacher Meeting @ 2:50pm (D205)

Tuesday, November 15th
Vision/Hearing (K-3 Students)
Happy Birthday Sandy Montes de Oca 🙂
New Teacher/Mentor Meeting (4:00pm)

Wednesday, November 16th
Staff Thanksgiving Feast in Lounge (sign up to bring something here)
CPT Meetings
Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00pm

Thursday, November 17th
November Buddy Event
Kennedy Singers @ 2:30pm
TWD @ Bub City (3:15pm)

Friday, November 18th
NO Spirit Assembly Today (we are waiting on the new sound system in the gymnasium)

(11/19) Happy Birthday Shandi Hammer
(11/20) Happy Birthday Rosa Worwa

11/20 – 11/25 THANKSGIVING BREAK

(11/21) Happy Birthday Emily Kronlage
(11/22) Happy Birthday Suzanne Schoepke

(11/28) No Student Attendance / Full Day Parent-Teacher Conferences

How often do we pause & think why we are grateful? I challenge each of you to take some time each day to reflect on the things, events, or people you appreciate. Better yet….if it’s a person, let them know how thankful you are for their role in your life. THANK YOU are two simple words that have the power to transform our health, happiness, performance, and success. Grateful people are happier & more likely to maintain good friendships. Gratitude and appreciation are also essential for a healthy work environment. A simple thank you can make all the difference. Be sure to say thank you to those around you each and every day! Below is a November kindness & gratitude challenge…..give these a try!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, November 7th
Happy Birthday Julie Taggart 🙂
Yearbook Club (2:30pm – 4:00pm)
3rd Grade Data Review Meeting w/Reading Room (E221)

Tuesday, November 8th
NO SCHOOL for students or staff – Election Day
Happy Birthday Maria Rodriguez 🙂

Wednesday, November 9th
Veterans Day Rehearsal (3rd grade) 9-11am
CPT Meetings

Thursday, November 10th
Veterans Day Rehearsal (3rd grade) 9-11am
Kennedy Singers (2:30pm – 3:00pm)
Spirit Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm (Art Room)

Friday, November 11th
Happy Birthday Becky Shoufer 🙂
Happy Birthday Julie Fister 🙂
FALL BIRTHDAYS CELEBRATION
Vision/Hearing Screenings
Veterans Day Performance @ LMS Little Theater 9:30am

*Please make sure to keep the master Fall 2022 Conference Google Doc updated as changes are made! Also, please notify staff members who have added a “comment” or “note” in the cell so they are aware that a conference time was changed!