Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, January 13th
Sock Drive Begins!
Kindergarten Data Review Meeting @ 2:35pm
Yearbook/Technology Club (2:30pm-4:00pm)
Dr. Seuss Committee Meeting (after school)

Tuesday, January 14th
Faculty Meeting @ 2:45pm (Presentation Space)
Mentor Meeting (4:00pm-5:30pm)

Wednesday January 15th
Happy Birthday Ami Freeman 🙂
Paraprofessional Meeting @ 2:15pm (during CPT – in Conference Room)
Wizards Committee Meeting (3-4pm)
Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00pm

Thursday, January 16th
2nd Grade Field Trip to Adler Planetarium

Friday, January 17th
Happy Birthday Cheri Grimaldi 🙂
5 by Friday! Make 5 Positive Connections or send 5 Positive Postcards by Friday!

(01/20) NO SCHOOL (MLK)

Blog Post Worth Reading:
4 Ways Not to Let Others Dim Your Light via George Couros

Happy New Year and Welcome Back! I hope you enjoyed a restful, relaxing break–time to disconnect from work thoughts, time to enjoy family and friends and to just enjoy time to relax. It is amazing how refreshing the holiday break can be to come back to start an amazing 2020! I know our students will be SO EXCITED to see you all on Monday morning!

If you’re feeling the “Sunday scaries” about getting up early for the first day in quite some time, I completely understand! It’s hard for adults and kids to get back into the swing of things after such a long break. This is a great time to re-connect with students and let them do so with their classmates by giving them time to talk about what they did over break! Keep in mind, it’s a great time to review classroom management basics as we embark upon a new calendar year at Kennedy, where our students are blessed to receive quality instruction on a  daily basis in safe and orderly classrooms. I appreciate your efforts with reinforcing behavior expectations. Here’s a great blog post from Pernille Ripp on this topic: Ideas for Working with the January Slump.

Monday, January 6th
Welcome Back! School Resumes
Happy Birthday Mayra Tellez 🙂
Keep in mind…..Some students will be BURSTING to share their breaks with you! Some kids will be DYING for a HUG! Some kids will need to shake off the cobwebs! Allow for it all! Connection over curriculum on Monday!  Let’s reignite our passion and remember to bring the awesome this week!

Tuesday, January 7th
Culture Committee’s STEP CHALLENGE begins! <—email Mary Beth to sign up!

Wednesday, January 8th
Harlem Wizard’s Assembly (K-3) @ 8:15am
CPT – reconnect, plan, and regroup FLEX groups based on Winter MAP scores!

Thursday, January 9th
Vision & Hearing Re-Screens
SEL Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Upstairs PD Space)

Friday, January 10th
PreK Screenings
5 by Friday! Keep those positive connections with families going strong!

Check out this January 2020 Kindness Challenge (click the picture for the file):

This week we have some changes to our usual routine — Santa Visits, Parents’ Night Out, Holiday Celebrations and sharing holiday wishes. Then on Friday, we all head home for Winter Break where our celebrations continue with our family and friends.

From Jennifer Dinielli’s Blog:
“True for some, not for all. As Winter Break draws near, along with all of the excitement, it is not uncommon to see an increase in undesired behaviors and regression to previous behaviors in our students. For many of our students, home is a place where relationships are unhealthy, meals are not prepared, and drugs/alcohol or violence are part of daily life. For these students, many of whom we may not even be aware of their circumstances, the most consistent, positive and secure part of their life is time at school. No wonder they are exhibiting some stress. When these students walk out of our doors on Friday, there may be no breakfast or lunch, no counseling services, no celebrations, no gifts, and no one to encourage and support them.

So we support our children. We collaborate with our community to provide basic necessities (food, coats, boots, meals). We give our kids books from our classrooms to read over the break. We express that we are thankful for each other and look forward to being together again as a school community in the new year.

And even though we are tired and looking forward to a much-needed break ourselves, we keep an eye on those who are acting out more than usual. We give them structure and routine. We give them a break. We give them encouragement. This may not be their favorite time of the year.”

Thank you for ALL YOU DO for our Kennedy Kubbies EVERYDAY!

Santa & his elves will be visiting the students at Kennedy School on Thursday, December 19th. Santa will be set up in the front lobby for K-3rd (the couch area). *Santa will set up in the Pre School entryway near Door 22 for our PreK/PATS friends!

Thank you for your flexibility. As always, the office ladies will call your class down to greet Santa. Please remind your students, in the best interest of allowing Santa to visit with all 700 students, each Kubbie should be prepared to ask Santa for 1 item! We will be on hand to take photos of students & 1 “class” photo, which will then be posted on our school Flickr account for you to easily download.

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, December 16th
Winter Benchmarking
Happy Birthday Sue O’Connell 🙂
1st Grade Data Meeting @ 2:30pm

Tuesday, December 17th
PreK Tree Decorating Parties (10-11am, 1:45pm-2:45pm) in Cafeteria
*See email from Sara/Donna re: Adjusted Lunch Plans

Wednesday, December 18th
Happy Birthday Kim Sendelbach 🙂
1st Grade Field Trip to Stahl Family Theater (9:30am)
2nd/3rd Grade TAPS during CPT
Board Meeting @ 7pm

Thursday, December 19th
Santa Visits Kennedy School
Reading Room Drop Off Day
**KUBBIE HOLIDAY POSTCARDS DUE TO THE OFFICE
District SLC/SLBC Pancakes & Pajamas @ 9:30am
Parents Night Out (4:30pm-7:30pm)

Friday, December 20th
Reading Room Drop Off Day
Spirit Assembly!
Pajama and Movie Day 🙂

School Resumes on January 6th! Have a wonderful Winter Break! 

December can be a crazy time in the classroom. The kids are antsy, your personal to-do list is a mile long (professional and person), and you’re still trying to cover curriculum while you can. But it’s also a time for gratitude, tradition, and reflection, which is why We Are Teachers created the Random Acts of Kindness Calendar (below) for the classroom! Download it, print it, and share it with your students!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, December 9th
2nd Grade Data Review Meeting
Yearbook/Technology Club (2:30pm-4:00pm)

Tuesday, December 10th
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm
Chorus Concert (6th-8th Grade) @ 6:30pm

Wednesday, December 11th
PreK/K/1st TAPS Meetings

Thursday, December 12th
Vision/Hearing Testing (Room 135)
Spirit Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm

Friday, December 13th
Christmas Cookie Contest (see email from Marissa Mazzone) 
Winter Benchmarking
SD81 Holiday Party

Interested in helping volunteer for Parents Night Out next Thursday, December 19th?
SIGN UP HERE!

Welcome Back! 

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Break, spending time with family, friends & those you love. Now we move to the month of December, full of learning, fun, and special events…and a holiday break to enjoy in just 3 short weeks! We have lots to do with our kids from now until December 20th, 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 3 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 15 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? Good News Call Home?)

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, December 2nd
Santa’s Secret Shop (Browse Day) <–click for schedule
Happy Birthday Lizbeth Hohmeier 🙂
Happy Birthday Lynette Aguirre 🙂
3rd Grade Data Meeting

Tuesday, December 3rd
Santa’s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
2nd Grade Field Trip to Beauty and the Beast
SEL Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Upstairs PD Space)
Charity Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm
Fundraising Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm

Wednesday, December 4th
Santa’s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
Happy Birthday Michelle Miro 🙂
WINTER WONDERLAND
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. This year, there will be some awesome raffle baskets & silent auction items!

Thursday, December 5th
Santa’s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
Happy Birthday Becky Zora 🙂 

Friday, December 6th
Santa’s Secret Shop (Last Buy Day)

(12/08) Happy Birthday Cindy DeRose 🙂

“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. I have the best job in the world because I am 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 me so clearly what effective teachers do differently, and thanks for teaching with passion each day!

Wow, is the timing and relevance of this blog post most appropriate ….. You must 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 18th
Celebrations/Culture Committee Meeting (2:30pm)
Kindergarten/Reading Room Data Meeting @ 2:30pm
Dr. Seuss Committee Meeting @ 2:50pm (Room D115)

Tuesday, November 19th
Happy Birthday Shandi & Alissa Hammer 🙂
***SPIRITWEAR ORDERS DUE! Bring all orders received to OFFICE!
K/1st Grades to LMS for Lincoln Musical (9am)
PreK Thanksgiving Feasts (in Cafeteria) 9:45am-11:00am and 1:30pm-2:45pm
Innovation Team Meeting @ 2:30pm
Buddy Reading Night @ Washington School (PreK/K/4/5th grades) at 6:00pm

Wednesday, November 20th
*Little Cesar’s Pizza Delivery Day!
2/3rd Grades to LMS for Lincoln Musical (9am)
2/3rd STEAM CPT in 1st Grade Project Space
ParaProfessionals Meeting @ 2:10pm (Conference Room)
Wizards Committee Meeting @ 3:00pm
Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00pm (Board Member Appreciation)
*Please remember to turn in your cards to Sara’s Office by today!

Thursday, November 21st
November Buddy Event
Happy Birthday Emily Kronlage 🙂
Thanksgiving Potluck in Teacher’s Lounge!

Friday, November 22nd
November Budy Event
SLBC Swimming @ YMCA

Thanksgiving Break: November 23rd – December 1st 

COMING SOON (after Thanksgiving Break)……..
WINTER WONDERLAND!
The 4th annual event will be on Wednesday, December 4th from 5:30-7:30pm 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. This year, there will be some awesome raffle baskets & silent auction items!

 Please fill out the Google Form below 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!

SIGN UP HERE <—–*******Have you signed up to help yet!?

Parent-Teacher conferences offer teachers & parents the opportunity to see, celebrate and support each individual child. Just as we all appreciate praise for our efforts, parents appreciate praise for their efforts & their child’s progress. As you offer information about the students in your room, always remember that you are speaking about someone’s ‘whole world’ and remember to be mindful of how that information will be received by your audience. I’m confident you will exude professionalism and confidence this week as you inform parents about curriculum, assessment, grading/reporting, strengths & opportunities for growth. I know you will continue to develop a positive working relationship with your families and deepen that home-school partnership. Thanks for all that you do in preparation for this very busy week!  If Donna, Sara or I can offer you any support this week with conferences, please do not hesitate to ask.

*Please make sure to keep the master Fall 2019 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!

Blog Posts About Conferences:
6 Tips To Get the Most Out of Parent Teacher Conferences

What I Really Want to Ask At All Those Parent-Teacher Conferences
(excerpt below) 

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, November 11th
American Education Week*
Parent/Teacher Conference Week
3rd Grade Veterans’ Day Performance @ 9am (LMS)
Happy Birthday Becky Shoufer & Julie Fister 🙂 

Tuesday, November 12th
Happy Birthday Sara Mixa 🙂
NO FACULTY MEETING (P/T Conferences)

Wednesday, November 13th
Happy Birthday Stephanie Polakowski 🙂
Kennedy Singers to LMS @ 9am (Rehearsal)
PATS Field Trip to Wonder Works
NO CPT (P/T Conferences)
Paraprofessionals Meeting @ 2:10pm – Conference Room
3-5th Grade Chorus Concert @ LMS (6:30pm)

Thursday, November 14th

Friday, November 15th
Happy Birthday Sandy Montes de Oca 🙂 
NO STUDENT ATTENDANCE – Full Day P/T Conferences

WINTER WONDERLAND
The 4th annual event will be on Wednesday, December 4th from 5:30-7:30pm 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. This year, there will be some awesome raffle baskets & silent auction items!

 Please fill out the Google Form below 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!

SIGN UP HERE

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, November 4th
1st Grade Data Review Meeting @ 2:30pm

Tuesday, November 5th
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS – Teacher Institute Day (agenda coming)
Happy Birthday Giselle Alvarez 🙂

Wednesday, November 6th
Chili Bar in Faculty Lounge
3rd Grade to LMS at 9am for Veterans’ Day Performance Rehearsal
KENNEDY SCHOOL TOUR – District 48 Visiting @ 1:00pm
K/1 STEAM CPT – Plan on Meeting in 1st Grade Project Space

Thursday, November 7th
Vision/Hearing Testing
Happy Birthday Maria Rodriguez 🙂

Friday, November 8th
PreK Screenings
Vision/Hearing Testing
3rd Grade to LMS at 9am for Veterans’ Day Performance Rehearsal
*5 Positive Connections by Friday!
*Please try to have your report cards printed by today! If there are any issues, we need to know about them so we can help resolve them! 

(11/9) Happy Birthday Lauren Thorn 🙂

*Please make sure to keep the master Fall 2019 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!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, October 28th
Red Ribbon Week: Dreams, Not Drugs (Wear Your PJs)
2nd Grade Data Review with RR @ 2:30pm
*Storybook Pumpkins: Begin working with your group!* See Sara’s Email

Tuesday, October 29th
Red Ribbon Week: Wear Your Favorite Superhero T-Shirt
Innovation Team Meeting @ 2:35pm
*Storybook Pumpkins: Work with your group!
Mentor Meeting (4:00pm-5:30pm)

Wednesday, October 30th
Red Ribbon Week: Team Up Against Drugs (Wear Your Favorite Sports Team Shirt)
Fall Birthday Celebration
*STORYBOOK PUMPKINS during CPT today!
Wizards Committee Meeting (3:00pm)

Thursday, October 31st
Happy Halloween  <—click for info
Parades at 8:45am, 12:30pm and 1:00pm

All Kindergarten Rooms: 10:30-10:50
All 1st Grade Rooms: 11:00-11:20
All 2nd Grade Rooms: 11:30- 11:50
All 3rd Grade Rooms: 12:00- 12:20
**Paras will be in the lunchroom to help with lunch but there will not be recess.
*NO AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES! Kennedy Singers Cancelled & SLT Cancelled.

Friday, November 1st
End of Trimester 1

**Reminder for Tenured Teachers*
Tenure teacher professional growth meetings completed before the end of the week!
ALL tenured teachers must complete a Professional Growth Plan.

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, October 21st
Bus Driver Appreciation Week 🙂
RED RIBBON WEEK BEGINS!
5th Grade Buddies come to Kindergarten (9am-10:15am)
3rd Grade Data Review Meeting @ 2:30pm
Dr. Seuss SIP Committee Meeting (D115) @ 2:50pm
Celebrations Committee Meeting

Tuesday, October 22nd
SPED Apple Orchard Field Trip
Faculty Meeting @ 2:45pm (Presentation Space) – ELL FOCUS
Washington School Community Forum @ 6:30pm

Wednesday, October 23rd
UNITY DAY – Wear Orange
CPT – ELL FOCUS (continued)
Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00pm

Thursday, October 24th
WEAR RED  for RED RIBBON WEEK
PreK Parent/Student Workshops
Kindergarten Field Trip to Didier Farm
SEL Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm (Upstairs PD Space)
BPAC Meeting @ 430pm at Washington School

Friday, October 25th
Fall Picture Retakes (depending on if we get fall pictures delivered Monday or Tuesday this week)
Spirit Assembly @ 9:00am
TRUNK OR TREAT! 4-6pm in Kennedy South parking lot! <—please let me know if you’re available to volunteer!
**Reminder for Tenured Teachers*
Tenure teacher professional growth meetings completed before November 1st.
ALL tenured teachers must complete a Professional Growth Plan.