Your Kubbies may be feeling the same way you are feeling about returning to school after a longer Winter Break!  (Waking up early and getting back to normal school routines can be challenging, especially on a snowy morning)……Â
Just like we shared at yesterday’s Institute Day….. go back to your plans from the beginning of the school year and mirror them these next few days! Relationships, community building, and routines should be the goal! Connect with your kiddos! You will have a whole class that is excited to see you!Â
Give them all the love and show them how much you missed them and how happy you are to see them! This week is about renewing those connections and giving them all the love. Have a great 1st day back with students!
Here’s our week at a glance:
Monay, January 8th Institute Day – No Student Attendance Happy Birthday Nancy Weir 🙂
Tuesday, January 9th School Resumes for Students
Wednesday, January 10th Happy Birthday Jeanne Keifer 🙂 CPT Meetings
Thursday, January 11th 2nd Grade Field Trip to Cernan Space Center (Wartner, Thornb, Zoladz, Makaris) – 9:15am – 11:15am 3rd Grade to LMS for BUDDIES Activity (10:05am-11:20am)
Friday, January 12th PreK Screening Kindergarten to Washington for 5th Grade Buddies Activity (8:45am-10:15am)
This week we have some changes to our usual routine — Santa Visits, Assembly, Holiday Celebrations and sharing holiday wishes. Then on Thursday, 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 Thursday, 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!
Here’s our week at a glance:
Monday, December 18th Happy Birthday, Kim Sendelbach 🙂 Happy Birthday, Nurse Denisse 🙂 Santa’s Secret Shop (Browse Day) WEAR ANYTHING FESTIVE OR THAT LIGHTS UP
Tuesday, December 19th Santa’s Secret Shop (Buy Day) Happy Birthday, Marcela Barron 🙂 Buddy Activity Today! 2nd Grade MTSS Meeting (after dismissal) WEAR YOUR FAVORITE SEASONAL COLOR
Wednesday, December 20th Santa’s Secret Shop (Buy Day) Kennedy SLC/SLBC to Washington for Winter Celebration (9-10am) **Reindeer Games*** in Cafeteria @ 2pm WEAR YOUR FAVORITE HOLIDAY SOCKS, FLANNEL SHIRT OR WINTER HAT
Board Meeting 6:30pm
Thursday, December 21st Santa’s Secret Shop (Buy Day) WEAR HOLIDAY PAJAMAS Spirit Assembly @ 8:30am*** Santa Visits Kennedy SchooL!
Friday, December 22nd Winter Break Begins!
(01/02) Happy Birthday Chrysanthe Agos (01/06) Happy Birthday Mayra Tellez
(01/08) TEACHER INSTITUTE DAY & Happy Birthday Nancy Weir (01/09) School Resumes for Students
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 the curriculum while you can. But it’s also a time for gratitude, tradition, and reflection, which is why Tales from a Very Busy Teacher created the December 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 11th New Teacher Meeting @ 3:05pm
Tuesday, December 12th asdf;ljk
Wednesday, December 13th CPT Meetings MTSS First Grade
Monday, December 4th DoubleGood Popcorn Fundraiser Starts Today!!!! Happy Birthday Michelle Miro! Northwestern Mutual Visit During Lunch Periods in Faculty Lounge Yearbook/STEM Club (2:30pm-4:00pm)
Tuesday, December 5th Kennedy Singers to LMS for Winter Choral Concert Rehearsal (9:30am-10:30am) 3-5 Chorus Concert 6:30pm
Wednesday, December 6th WENDY’S FUNDRAISER ALL DAY (Bring Flyer With You) CPT Meetings Kindergarten MTSS SWIFTMAS @ Kennedy Starts TODAY!!!! Wear a holiday hat/headband!
Friday, December 8th SWIFTMAS: Find the hidden Taylor’s around the school & bring it to the office to get a prize! Happy Birthday Cindy DeRose! 5 by Friday!
I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Break, spending time with family, friends & those you love. As we move to the month of December, full of learning, fun, and special events…and a holiday break to enjoy in just a few weeks! 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:
* 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 18 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, November 27th NO STUDENT ATTENDANCE: Full-Day Parent/Teacher Conferences
Tuesday, November 28th School Resumes for Students
Wednesday, November 29th 3rd Grade Field Trip to Prairie Lakes Theater (9:30am-12:15pm) CPT Meetings 3rd Grade MTSS
Thursday, November 30th Happy Birthday Barbara Zawadzka
Friday, December 1st PreK Screening 5 by Friday! 🙂 Continue making positive connections