“Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats.” -Voltaire

Life is NOT a shipwreck, but it definitely presents challenges. Sometimes, when it is too hard to concentrate, when the kids don’t behave as you’d like, when a lesson doesn’t go as planned, or when the work piles up and time slips away, it can be difficult to find our singing voice. When we have “these days” it is important that we take time to celebrate the successes in our school. It doesn’t mean we ignore the problems, but we can certainly use “the positives” to energize our efforts to address the challenges.

Challenge for the Week: Pick at least 1 positive thing that has happened in your classroom or at school and email it to a colleague or two. Encourage them to add to the list and pass it along. Like a chain-letter (without the associated misfortune) it will be good to hear the singing…even if we aren’t in lifeboats!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, October 31st:
Happy Halloween! 
AM PreSchool Parade @ 10:30am (through the hallways of the school)
*an announcement will be made if your class would like to sit in the hallways to watch the PreSchoolers parade around the school*
1:00pm Parade Begins!! Please review the Halloween Info to see where your class will take group photos after the parade & which door you will re-enter Kennedy School.
*THANK YOU to the Halloween Helpers, too! Click here to refer to the areas where you will be helping!*

Tuesday, November 1st:
Art Stamps Due!
Cycle 2 Assessment Week!
3:00pm CPI Training (new) @ 3:00pm (Washington School)

Wednesday, November 2nd:
Math/Writing Common Plan
Community Outreach Committee Meeting @ 7:15am (Room 206)
104/105 Field Trip to Native American Museum
3rd Grade Field Trip to E. Leyden to see Jack & the Beanstalk
SLC to Washington School
District SPED Team Meeting @ 3:45pm (Washington School)

Thursday, November 3rd:
106/115 Field Trip to Native American Museum
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm

Friday, November 4th:
Trimester 1 Ends
103/107 to Native American Museum
5 by Friday!!!

(11/5) Happy Birthday Shannon O’Malley 🙂 

 I hope you had a wonderful, relaxing weekend!
Please take a moment to read this blog post on TeachFactory
about the best type of teaching we can provide our students.

Monday, October 24th:
SLC Swimming @ 10:30am (YMCA)
Math & Writing Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 107)

Tuesday, October 25th:
Ronald McDonald Friendship Assemblies <–click for schedule
School-wide voting on Kubbie mascot’s name (lobby)
Faculty Meeting @ 2:30pm & 3:30pm <–click for agenda
Mentor Meeting @ 3:45pm (LMS)

Wednesday, October 26th:
Unity Dance Day
SLC to Super Low @ 10:00am
Common Plan: SEL *Please bring your laptop to take KEYS Survey as team*
Celebrations Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm (Room 104)

Thursday, October 27th:
3rd Grade Field Trip to Goebbert’s
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
FUN FAIR/CARNIVAL @ 6:00pm-7:30pm
(Volunteers: Please plan on arriving at 5:30pm)

Friday, October 28th:
Spirit Assembly @ 9:00am (Teamwork)

Are you ready for Monday?

“Every Monday morning, when the alarm goes off, we have a choice. We can go, “Ugh…here we go again.” Or, we can see it as an opportunity. Afterall, every Monday could be seen as just the beginning. This could be the week we start something big. So…..are you ready for Monday, or should I say….is Monday ready for you?”

In honor of Fire Prevention Week, the Schiller Park Fire Department will be at Kennedy on Tuesday and Friday. Please check out the schedule below to see when your class will participate. HERE are some fire safety printable activities if you are interested.

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, October 17th:
Pre-K Field Trip to Goebbert’s
Event Planning Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 115)

Tuesday, October 18th:
Helping Hands Committee Meeting @ 7:30am (Room 109)
Schiller Park Fire Department Visits <–click for schedule
Dental Exams
Reading/ELL Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 110)
Multicultural Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 118)
School Vision Committee Meeting @ 2:40pm (Room 127)
CPI Re-Certification @ 3:00pm (Cafeteria)

Wednesday, October 19th:
Happy Birthday Eva Popowska 🙂
NO SCHOOL: Teacher Institute Day
District Technology Training Agenda
Kennedy Agenda
Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00pm (LMS)

Thursday, October 20th:
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
CPR Training @ 3:30pm (cafeteria)

Friday, October 21st:
Put a Cap on Bullying *wear a hat to school*
Schiller Park Fire Department Visits <–click for schedule
Reading Room Plan
5 by Friday! 🙂

*Congratulations to Kate Schnelker-Parks on her recent engagement!*

I hope you had a wonderful 3-day weekend and enjoyed this beautiful October weather with your family & friends! Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, October 10th:
NO SCHOOL: Columbus Day

Tuesday, October 11th:
Buddy Committee Meeting @ 7:15am (Room 109)
Dental Exams
Faculty Meeting @ 2:30pm/3:30pm <—click for agenda

Wednesday, October 12th:
Dental Exams
PATS Field Trip to Cosley Zoo
SLC to Super Low
Common Plan: Theme
RTI Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm (Room 118)

Thursday, October 13th:
PreK Field Trip to Goebbert’s
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
PEP Event @ 6:00pm (LMS)

Friday, October 14th:
Team Up Against Bullying (Wear your favorite sports team clothes)
*Here* is a calendar of this month’s Bully Free/Drug Free events for your reference
PreK Screenings
Kindergarten Field Trip to Didier Farm

Happy Birthday Rose Karas (10/15)

As we enter this short 4-day week, I’m hopeful you’ll take some time to read this great blog post by Krissy Venosdale regarding Energy in the Room. 

What energy are you bringing to Kennedy School each day?

THANKS to Eric for creating this awesome video of our 1st Spirit Assembly with our beloved Kennedy Kubbie Mascot:

Also, pictures from the assembly & the Kubbie’s visit to classrooms are posted on our school Flickr page here.

Enjoy some photos from the Project HeartWell 5K yesterday:

Again, thank you to everyone who supported this wonderful event! It was a huge success and a great example of our District’s commitment to a stronger community/school partnership.

Thank you to everyone who participated at our first annual Project HeartWell 5K Run yesterday! What a successful and FUN event. Many thanks to the volunteers, committee members, and participants who came to support our community/district partnership. It was great to see so many Kennedy faculty & staff members supporting this wonderful cause. It’s wonderful to see what our district and community can accomplish when we work together! Pictures coming soon……

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, October 3rd:
Kindergarten Breakfast in Cafeteria (before school) Begins!
1st Grade Field Trip to Goebbert’s Pumpkin Farm
SLC Swimming at YMCA

Tuesday, October 4th:
Happy Birthday Stephanie Alessi 🙂
Multiage Field Trip to Goebbert’s Pumpkin Farm
RTI Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm (Room 118)
Event Planning Committee Meeting @ 3:00pm (Room 115)
ELL Parent Meeting @ 6:00pm

Wednesday, October 5th:
Happy Birthday Barbara Brzozowska 🙂
Community Outreach Committee Meeting @ 7:15am (Room 206)
Dental Exams
SLC Outing to Schiller Park Police Station @ 10:00am
TAPS Common Plan
District SPED Meeting @ 3:40pm (Washington Media Center)

Thursday, October 6th:
Happy Birthday Anna Gabriel 🙂 (remind your green bus friends)
2nd Grade Field Trip to Goebbert’s Pumpkin Farm
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm

Friday, October 7th:
Happy Birthday Nicole Boulanger 🙂
KENNEDY SCHOOL Faculty & Staff Group Photo @ 7:15am (playground)
Picture Day! <–click to see schedule
Reading Room Plan Day
HIP Hanging Ornaments Sent Home with Students
(This letter will be provided in your mailboxes to staple to each ornament before sending home)

Happy Wedding to Allyson Hocking (10/08)!
NO SCHOOL Monday, October 10th

Have a great week! 🙂

“Change is good…..you go first.”
-Anderson & Feltenstein (2009)

As we embark on learning how to integrate and use new tools in our classrooms, whether it’s iPads or a Promethean Board, we must remember that effective school change depends on what teachers do and think. Since teachers are the ones with the greatest impact on student learning, we must work together and learn together!

Check out these resources below:
124 flipcharts, weblinks, and resource packs for Halloween
50 really useful iPad tips & Tricks

Please take 3 minutes to watch this great clip on the topic of change.

Accepting that we will always be faced with numerous inconsequential changes as well as a few potentially significant changes is necessary for our sanity. Recognizing how to ignore the former & learning to embrace the latter is yet another way we Teach with Passion each day at Kennedy School.

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, September 26th:
SLC Swimming at YMCA
PEP Committee Meeting @ 4:00pm (Faculty Lounge)

Tuesday, September 27th:
PATS/PreK Field Trip to Lincoln Park Zoo
Faculty Meeting @ 2:30pm/3:30pm (Multipurpose Room) <–click for agenda
Mentor Meeting @ 3:45pm (LMS)

Wednesday, September 28th:
1st Grade Field Trip to Safety Town @ The HIP
SLC Field Trip to Brunswick Zone
Common Plan: Assessment
RTI Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm (Room 118)
District Technology Committee Meeting @ 3:45pm (LMS)

Thursday, September 29th:
Happy Birthday Stefanie Widmaier 🙂
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm

Friday, September 30th:
Spirit Assembly (Friendship) @ 9:00am

Happy Birthday Sarah (Ziebart) Sicher 10/1

Remember: Our District 5K, Project Heart Well, is this Sunday, October 2nd. Check-in is at 8:00am & the run/walk begins at 9:00am. The event starts & finishes at Kennedy School. We look forward to seeing you attend, as it is a great opportunity to demonstrate our commitment to community involvement. Please sign up to participate or volunteer. Please join us as we show our children that working together, we can all make a difference!

Have a great week & an awesome weekend, as we change from September to October!

If you haven’t seen it already, you must take a walk down the stairwell closest to the elevators to see the Keith Haring-inspired mural on the walls connecting the Art Studio to our Music Room. THANK YOU to Blanche for sharing her time (even on weekends!) and talents to work on designing and painting this beautiful mural. Many of our Kennedy Kubbies offered their talents to helping create this mural alongside Blanche and we are proud of everyone’s efforts. As a result of Blanche’s vision and creativity, District 81 families and staff will be able to enjoy this mural for years to come!

[Happy Belated Birthday to Danielle Peckhart (9/18)]

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, September 19th:
Cycle 1 Assessments Week
Happy Birthday Roger Pape 🙂
Code Red Drill @ 9:30am <–click on link to see Code Red Procedures
Writing Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 107)

Tuesday, September 20th:
Happy Birthday Michelle Lang 🙂

Wednesday, September 21st:
Bridget Elliott’s Birthday 🙂
Flu Shots 7:30am-9:00am @ Kennedy ($25)
9:30am-10:00am  @ Washington
10:30am-11:00am @ Lincoln
SLC to SuperLow
Writing Common Plan
SIP Committee Meeting @ 2:50pm <—see attachment for room #s
Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00pm

Thursday, September 22nd:
Lincoln Investments in faculty lounge during staff lunch sessions
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm (office)

Friday, September 23rd:
Reading Room Plan

Happy Birthday Britney Taylor & Lorena Esqueda (9/24)
Happy Wedding Day to Marissa Frankos (9/24)
Happy Birthday Marta Ocon (9/25)

I want to leave you with this video that is worth all 7 minutes. It’s a Convocation speech, given by 2011 graduate Michael McBride.

My takeaways from this inspiring video:
“A teacher’s job is infinitely more important than teaching. It is helping children learn to live, to laugh, and to love.”

“The best teachers I’ve had didn’t teach me….they inspired me.
They didn’t test my knowledge….they tested my character.
They didn’t capture my attention…..they captured my heart.”

Teach with passion and excitement today & everyday… 🙂