Monday marks the start of Teacher Appreciation Week! The entire week is about celebrating ALL OF YOU who influence the lives of our students. I certainly appreciate all the little things you do, but what I appreciate the most is the safe, nurturing learning environments you create for our children. I’m reminded daily of how hard you work to make a difference in your students’ lives and the lives of each other.

Thank you for your unwavering commitment to the children at Kennedy School. I continue to be both inspired and empowered by your dedication and passion! The children are blessed to have the experiences you provide. I hope you enjoy your special week and as we enter into the “home stretch”, please keep your eye on the children and know you have made an incredible impact on their lives.

I hope you know how much Donna, Kim and I enjoy working with you and how proud we are to be your colleagues. Thank you for all that you do here at Kennedy School. You are changing lives!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, May 6th
SLC/SLBC to Washington to practice (8:45am)

Tuesday, May 7th
PreK Field Trip to Brookfield Zoo
Kindergarten Kenny Popcorn Party
Culture Committee Meeting (2:45pm-4:00pm)
SLT Meeting (2:50pm)

Wednesday, May 8th
School Nurse Day
Happy Birthday Jen Mauck 🙂
SLC/SLBC to Washington for the Family Music Therapy Showcase @ 9:00am
MTSS Meeting Second Grade
CPT Meetings
***Kennedy McTeacher Night*** 4-7pm @ Rosemont McDonald’s

Thursday, May 9th
Kennedy Singers (2:30pm-3:00pm)

Friday, May 10th
Happy Birthday Aicha Koukous 🙂

(05/12) Mother’s Day

Written by Paige Givens:

6 more weeks. I can do this. I can! There is so much left to get to. I’m going to have to make every minute count. No days “off”. I’m going to have to use every second to make sure those kids are ready for the next grade. I don’t want them going on with holes in their understanding. Wow….I’ve got so much to do in only 6 weeks, and some of that will be interrupted by meetings, PD, testing, and a mountain of end-of-year paperwork. Can I really do this, and do it right? I can do this. Okay… 6 more weeks…..

Down the hall, another teacher sits at her desk and gazes around her classroom. She thinks to herself… 6 more weeks. 25 years of being an educators, and now it all comes down to 6 more weeks. This room has held my career within its walls. It’s seen the tears, the frustration, the laughter, the wonder, and the joy. It’s been a stage for miracles. That one boy–wow–I thought he’d never start reading, and then, boom! One day, the light came on and he was reading everything he could get his hands on! And then, I taught his son years later, and Jenny’s boy, too. I wonder if those kids remember me? I wonder if they know how much I loved teaching them? How they helped me, REALLY helped me, through that year when my life was upside down? I’m tired. I’m ready for retirement, but goodness–I will miss this room. These kids. I will miss standing at my door and getting hugs and good morning smiles each day. I’ve done it for 25 years, and now I have just 6 more weeks…..

Next door, another teacher turns on her computer and sighs to herself….

6 more weeks. If I can just get through the next 6 weeks, I will be free of this place, at least for the summer. Free of the pressure. Free of the frustration of giving, giving, giving and seeing nothing gained. I wonder if that one is going to act like she did yesterday? Because there is no way I can fight through 6 more weeks of that all day long. I need some help. I’m so burnt-out. Let’s see….I’ve covered all of my standards, so I’m going to coast through these next weeks and make them go as fast as I can…ugh, 6 more weeks.

Across the hall, a teacher thinks to herself as she posts the day’s assignments….

6 more weeks. I’m going to miss these kiddos. All of them. Yes…all of them! I hope I’ve done what they need every day. I hope I’ve shown them how much I love them! I hope that this one ate dinner last night, or he’s going to be starving this morning. I’ll need to make sure he eats breakfast either way. I hope that this one got some shoes that didn’t have a hole on the top. Shoot! I should have gotten her some while we were on break….why didn’t I remember that? Well, I still have 6 weeks to help these kids. I can do a lot in 6 weeks….

And on the bus, a child solemly stares out the window and thinks….

6 more weeks. That’s all I get. Only 6 more weeks to call that teacher mine. I only get 6 more weeks to see her smiling at me, to tell her about my days at home, to smell her lotion. I only get 6 more weeks to get some good food for lunch and breakfast, for her to give me a snack. I’m glad she doesn’t get mad at me for not having a snack. I only get 6 more weeks to listen to her read stories. I like her voice. It’s never too loud or too mean. I only get to listen to her for 6 more weeks. I wish we could come to school every day, even on the weekends. Even in the summer. And I wish she could be my teacher all the time. But that’s not how it works. I get 6 more weeks. That’s not very long….

There are a lot of ways to look at 6 more weeks. How can we make it count?

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 29th
6th Grade Buddies Visit Kennedy 1st Grade (9:00am-10:00am)

Tuesday, April 30th
Kennedy SLC/SLBC to Washington (9:00am-10:00am)
7th Grade Buddies Visit Kennedy 2nd Grade (9:30am-10:30am)

Wednesday, May 1st
CPT Meetings
MTSS – 1st Grade

Thursday, May 2nd
8th Grade Buddies Visit Kennedy 3rd Grade (10:00am-11:00am)
Kennedy Singers (2:30pm-3:00pm)
Kindergarten Round Up (6:00pm-7:00pm)

Friday, May 3rd
School Lunch Hero Day!
5 by Friday! Make 5 Positive Connections by Friday!

(05/04) Happy Birthday Abby Domingo 🙂

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 22nd
Buddy Event
Reading Takes Us on WILD Adventures – Wear Animal Print!

Tuesday, April 23rd
Reading Makes Our Futures Bright – Wear Sunglasses!
2nd Grade Field Trip to Theater (9:45am-12:00pm)
SLT @ 2:50pm – Raffle Basket Making in Kinder Project Space

Wednesday, April 24th
Reading Makes us Glow! Wear BLACK or NEON!
Administrative Professionals’ Day!
Happy Birthday Lauren Wartner 🙂
MTSS – Kindergarten
ALL HANDS ON DECK for Literacy Night! 6:00pm-7:30pm

Thursday, April 25th
Reading Is Out of This World – Wear Something with GLITTER, STARS or SPACE!
Kennedy Singers – 2:30pm-3:00pm

Friday, April 26th
Cozy Up with a Good Book – Wear PAJAMAS!
5 by Friday! Continue making positive connections with families!

(04/28) Happy Birthday Lynn Anama! 🙂

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 15th
Happy Birthday Tod Schrader 🙂
1st – 3rd Grade to LMS for the Lincoln Musical (Descendents Jr.) – 9:00am
Yearbook/STEM Club (2:30pm-4:00pm)
New Teacher Meeting (3:05pm-3:45pm)

Tuesday, April 16th

Wednesday, April 17th
CPT Meetings
MTSS Meeting – 3rd Grade
Chipotle Fundraiser (4-8pm)
Board Meeting 6:30pm

Thursday, April 18th
Kennedy Singers (2:30pm-3:00pm)

Friday, April 19th
Neurodiversity Day – Wear Rainbow or tie-dye clothes!
5 by Friday! Keep making those positive connections with families!

04/20 Opening Day Parade for Schiller Park Baseball & Softball
HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, April 8th
Happy Birthday Sharon Muntova 🙂
Solar Eclipse Day 🙂

Tuesday, April 9th
Culture Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm (Conference Room)
SLT Meeting @ 2:50pm (Kindergarten Project Space)

Wednesday, April 10th
CPT Meetings
2nd Grade MTSS Meeting

Thursday, April 11th
Kennedy Singers (2:30pm-3:00pm)

Friday, April 12th
Spring Picture Day! *schedule here*

(04/13) Happy Birthday Ani Brugioni 🙂

It is my hope that you all had a restful, relaxing Spring Break. As we enter the final 10 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 10 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 10 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 1st
NO SCHOOL

Tuesday, April 2nd
Teacher Institute Day

Wednesday, April 3rd
School Resumes for Students
Happy Birthday Carli Russo 🙂
CPT Meetings
1st Grade MTSS Meeting

Thursday, April 4th
Kennedy Singers (2:30pm-3:00pm)
Board of Education Meeting 6:30pm

Friday, April 5th
5 by Friday!

(04/07) Happy Birthday Beata Dering & Mirta Cruz 🙂

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, March 18th
*Tropical Day
Yearbook/STEM Club (2:30pm-4:00pm)

Tuesday, March 19th
NO SCHOOL – Election Day

Wednesday, March 20th
*Neon Day
CPT Meetings
MTSS – Kindergarten
SCOTY Awards – 4pm
Board of Education Meeting – 6:30pm

Thursday, March 21st
*Camo Day
World Down Syndrome Day – Rock Your Socks Off

Friday, March 22nd
*Kennedy Spirit Day
Spirit Assembly @ 9:00am

(03/24) Happy Birthday Caroline Mills 🙂
(03/29) Happy Birthday Eric Humbles 🙂

03/25 – 04/01 SPRING BREAK
04/02 – Teacher Institute Day
04/03 – School Resumes for Students

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday March 11th
Yearbook/STEM Club (2:30pm-4:00pm)
New Teacher Meeting (3:05pm-3:45pm)

Tuesday, March 12th
Buddy Event
Joe Vance (Financial Advisor) Visits Kennedy Lounge during Lunch Periods
MTSS Committee Meeting (2:45pm, Conference Room)

Wednesday, March 13th
Talent Show Rehearsal @ LMS (9:00am-10:30am)
MTSS – 3rd Grade
CPT Meetings

Thursday, March 14th
Talent Show Rehearsal @ LMS (9:00am-10:30am)

Friday, March 15th
Happy Birthday Miranda Flanagan 🙂
3rd Grade to LMS for the Lapel Show (9:00am-10:00am)

(03/16) Happy Birthday Louise Stompor

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, March 4th
NO SCHOOL – Casimir Pulaski Day

Tuesday, March 5th
Happy Birthday Victoria Bevilacqua 🙂
SLT @ 2:50pm (Kindergarten Project Space)
Project Unify Basketball Game @ LMS @ 3:45pm

Wednesday, March 6th
CPT Meetings
MTSS Second Grade

Thursday, March 7th
IAR Testing Begins for 3rd Grade Students (Please be sure to extend good luck & confidence to any 3rd grade students & teachers you see!)
NO KENNEDY SINGERS
Talent Show After School Rehearsal (2:30pm-4:00pm)

Friday, March 8th
Pre School Screening

(03/10) Daylight Savings Time Starts

*We’re coming to the end of February …..boy time is flying!
I’m sure some of us are happy to put February behind us and out of our minds….. but before we do:

What were you grateful for in the month of February?

We are so grateful to work alongside each of our Kennedy family members….. we SEE all that you’re doing and value your commitment to the children and families of District 81. Thank you for your unwavering dedication …. even in the midst of all the challenges we may be facing this school year.

Here’s a Spring Conference TO DO list for your reference (thanks, Stacey).
As a reminder….please make sure to keep the Conference Schedule updated, in the event conference times get changed!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, February 26th
Scholastic Book Fair Week! – Browse Day on Monday
Happy Birthday Jamie Yu 🙂
K-2 to LMS to see the Washington Musical (Annie, Jr) 8:45am-10:15am
Yearbook/STEM Club (2:30pm-4:00pm)

Tuesday, February 27th
Scholastic Book Fair – Buy Day
3rd to LMS to see the Washington Musical (Annie, Jr) 8:45am-10:15am

Wednesday, February 28th
Scholastic Book Fair – Buy Day
1/2 Day of School for Students
Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences
Happy Birthday Alicia Peccatiello 🙂
PORTILLO’s FUNDRAISER

Thursday, February 29th
Scholastic Book Fair – Buy Day
Talent Show After-School Practice (2:30pm-4:00pm)

Friday, March 1st
Happy Birthday Tami Ericksen 🙂
5 by Friday – Continue making those positive connections!

(03/02) Happy Birthday Bonnie Bricker 🙂
(03/03) Happy Birthday Natalie Barcas 🙂

All Welcome to Attend/Visit the SD81 Pancake Breakfast @ Lincoln Middle School this Saturday! Our Kennedy Singers will be performing at 9:00am in the gymnasium.