Week 22: 01/28/19 – 02/01/19

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Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, January 28th
ACCESS Testing Continues (RR Remains Closed)
RTI Committee Meeting @ 3:00pm (Upstairs PD Space)

Tuesday, January 29th
Paraprofessional Meeting @ 2:50pm (Conference Room)
*3rd Grade Family Sports Night = RESCHEDULED to February 5th!

Wednesday, January 30th
1/2 Day of School (Agenda will be emailed)
100th Day of School!

Thursday, January 31st

Friday, February 1st
5 by Friday! šŸ™‚

Blog Posts Worth Reading
Four Ways to Support Colleagues Who are Supporting Students in Crisis Ā – via Allyson Apsey

How to Keep Overbearing, Micromanaging Parents from Stressing You Out as a Teacher – via Angela Watson

Marie Kondo in the Classroom: How Teachers Are Tidying Up via EdWeek

12 Google Calendar Tricks You’re Probably Not Using via PCMag.com

Google Slides & PearDeck via Alice Keeler

Week 21: 01/21/19 – 01/25/19

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Today we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jrā€¦..letā€™s honor Dr. Kingā€™s memory as we begin our work week. The following Dr. King quote can help us reflect on the work we are doing at Kennedy School.

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ā€œThe function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of education.ā€

Do we hold high expectations for all of our learners?
Is critical thinking reinforced for all of our learners?
Is character education a focus in our classrooms everyday?
Are we serving others in our school community?

As you begin your week, keep the above quote in mind as you reflect on your practice.
Letā€™s have a great 4-day week!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, January 21st
NO SCHOOL: MLK Day

Tuesday, January 22nd
Happy Birthday Michelle Morgan šŸ™‚
ACCESS Testing Begins (RR & Bilingual Closed all week)
PATS Field Trip to DuPage Children’s Museum
Faculty Meeting CANCELLED

Wednesday, January 23rd
Common Plan
SLT Meeting (Rescheduled from last week) @ 2:50pm

Thursday, January 24th
Happy Birthday Ofelia Golden šŸ™‚
Charity Committee Meeting @ 7:35am
Technology Committee Meeting @ 2:35pm (1st Grade Project Space)

Friday, January 25th
Spirit Assembly!
SLBC Swimming @ YMCA
5 by Friday!

(01/26) Happy Birthday Brian Key! šŸ™‚

Blog Posts Worth Checking Out:
30 Day Challenge for a Happier Teacher You – via Pernille Ripp
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Just One Teacher Can Completely Alter the Trajectory of a Child – via Baruti Kafele

4 Skills and Traits Great Schools Teach That Will Always Be Essential – via George Couros

Week 20: 01/14/19 – 01/18/19

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Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, January 14th
Yearbook Club @ 2:35pm
2nd Grade Data Review with RR

Tuesday, January 15th
Happy Birthday Ami Freeman šŸ™‚
2nd Grade Field Trip to Adler Planetarium (8:45am-1:00pm)
Spirit Committee Meeting @ 2:35pm
Dr. Seuss Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm (B102)

Wednesday, January 16th
Board Meeting @ 7pm

Thursday, January 17th
Happy Birthday Cheri Grimaldi šŸ™‚
SLT Meeting @ 2:45pm (Conference Room)
Mentor/Mentee Meeting @ 3:45pm

Friday, January 18th
5 by Friday! Make 5 Positive Connections or send 5 Positive Postcards by Friday!

Blog Posts Worth Reading:

Restorative Practices: Set Expectations and Hold Students AccountableĀ via George Couros

Week 19: 01/07/19 – 01/11/19

Happy New Year and Welcome Back! I hope you enjoyed a restful, relaxing breakā€“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 2019! I know our students will be SO EXCITED to see you all on Monday morning!
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If youā€™re feeling any trepidation about getting up early for the first day in quite some time, I completely understand! Itā€™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, itā€™s a great timeĀ to reviewĀ classroom management basics as we embark upon a new calendar year at Kennedy, where our students are blessed to receive quality instruction on a Ā daily basis inĀ safeĀ andĀ orderlyĀ classrooms.Ā I appreciate your efforts with reinforcing behavior expectations. Hereā€™s a great post on this topic:Ā Ideas for Working with the January Slump.
Much like last year……Ā Jon Gordonā€™s ā€œOne Wordā€Ā asks you to think of one word that gives meaning & focus to your life. Jon suggests coming up with one word instead of list of resolutions.

ā€œA single word can be a powerful thing. It can be a ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp or biting or rich and soft and slow. A single word can be a catalyst for enriching your life!ā€

I challenge you toĀ chooseĀ one word thisĀ Januaryā€“a word to focus on, reflect upon as one goes about daily life. Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2019? It can be something tangible or intangibleā€¦it could be a thought or a feeling or an emotion. The key is to find something that has personal meaning forĀ you. Donna, SaraĀ and I look forward to re-connecting with you all, hearing all about your Winter Breaks, and reflecting at our faculty meeting on Tuesday afternoon! Be prepared with your ā€œONE WORDā€.

Hereā€™s our week at a glance:

Monday, January 7th
Welcome Back!
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!Ā Ā Letā€™s reignite our passion and remember to bring the awesome thisĀ week!

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*Welcome Back to Mayra Tellez, paraprofessional in SLC, who is returning from maternity leave!
*Welcome to Jessica Rock, student teacher working with Becky Zora

Tuesday, January 8th
Faculty Meeting @ 2:45pm

Wednesday, January 9th
Common Plan Time

Thursday, January 10th

Friday, January 11th
PreK Screening
5 by Friday! Keep those positive connections with families going strong!

Blog Posts Worth Reading:

6 EdTech Tools to Try in 2019 by Jennifer Gonzalez of Cult of Pedagogy

9 Tech Resolutions for Teachers to Make in the New Year via Erintegration

Week 18: 12/17/18 – 12/21/18

Letā€™s make this an amazing weekĀ for our KUBBIES!

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This week we have some changes to our usual routine ā€” Santa Visits, Parents’ Night Out, HolidayĀ Celebrations and sharing holiday wishes. Then on Friday, we all head home for WinterĀ 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.

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So we support our children. We collaborate with our community to provide basic necessities (food, coats, 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 KubbiesĀ EVERYDAY šŸ™‚Ā 

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Santa & his elves will be visiting the students at Kennedy School on Thursday, December 20th. Santa will be set up in the front lobby for K-3rd (the couch area).Ā *Santa will set up in the Pre School entryway near Door 22 for our PreK/PATSĀ 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 šŸ™‚Ā We will be on hand to take photos of students & 1 ā€œclassā€ photo, which will then be posted on our school Flickr account for you to easily download.

Here’s our week at a glance:

(12/16) Happy Birthday Sue O’Connell šŸ™‚

Monday, December 17th
Winter Benchmarking Continues
Holiday Fund Gift Wrapping (2:30pm)
3rd Grade Data Meeting with RR
RTI Committee Meeting (3:00pm)

Tuesday, December 18th
Winter Benchmarking Make-Ups
Happy Birthday Kim Sendelbach šŸ™‚
Charity Committee Meeting (7:35am in RR E217)
Parents’ Night Out (4:30pm – 7:30pm) >> It’s not too late to volunteer! Sign up here!Ā 
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Wednesday, December 19th
Reading Room Resumes!
PATS Field Trip to the Schiller Park Library (9:15am-11:30am)
TAPS (2nd & 3rd Grades)
Board Meeting @ 7:00pm

Thursday, December 20th
Santa visits Kennedy School
*KUBBIE holiday postcards due to office!

Friday, December 21st
Reading Room Drop Off
Spirit Assembly 9am
Pajama & Movie Day šŸ™‚

(01/06) Happy Birthday Callie Biasco šŸ™‚

Blog Posts Worth Reading:
3 Ideas for Taking Care of Yourself Before the Break by George Couros

Our Students by George Couros

What is the Point of a Makerspace by Jennifer Gonzalez of Cult of Pedagogy

Strong Relationships with Students Matter. Here’s How via Bill Ferriter

Will You Check On Me? via Danny Steele

Week 17: 12/10/18 – 12/14/18

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Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, December 10th
MAP Testing Begins!
Kindergarten & 1st Grades to LMS for Musical @ 8:45am
Kindergarten Data Review with RR @ 2:35pm

Tuesday, December 11th
2nd & 3rd Grades to LMS for Musical @ 8:45am
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm

Wednesday, December 12th
Winter Benchmarking
PreK/PATS Tree Decorating Party (2-3pm in Cafeteria)
TAPS (PreK, K and 1st)

Thursday, December 13th
Winter Benchmarking
Spirit Assembly Committee Meeting @ 2:35pm

Friday, December 14th
Winter Benchmarking
D81 Employee Holiday Party!

(12/16) Happy Birthday Sue O’Connell šŸ™‚

Blog Posts Worth Reading
How to Build a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom Where All Learners Feel Safe

The Perfect Response to a Child’s MisbehaviorĀ via Bill Ferriter

Ways to Differentiate Instruction for ELLsĀ via EdWeek

Reclaiming Handwriting via Pernille Ripp

Winter Break Blues – How to Help Kids Who Are Dreading the HolidaysĀ via We Are Teachers

Week 16: 12/03/18 – 12/07/18

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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 youā€™re still trying to cover curriculum while you can. But itā€™s also a time for gratitude, tradition, and reflection, which is why We Are TeachersĀ created theĀ Random Acts of Kindness Calendar (below) for the classroom!Ā Download it, print it, and share it with your students!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, December 3rd
Yearbook/Technology Club (2:30pm-4:00pm)
1st Grade Data Meeting w/RR (2:35pm)
*Cricut Club in 1st Grade Project Space at 3:05 for anyone interested in crafting!

Tuesday, December 4th
Happy Birthday Michelle Miro šŸ™‚Ā 
PreK Field Trip to Kohl Children’s Museum (9am-12:30pm)
Fundraising Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm (D116)

Wednesday, December 5th
Happy Birthday Becky Zora šŸ™‚
DIP DIP HOORAY during lunch periods

Thursday, December 6th
1st Grade Field Trip to West Leyden HS (9:30am-12pm)
SLT Meeting @ 2:45pm (Conference Room)
WINTER WONDERLAND @ LMS (6:30pm-8:00pm)
**It’s not too late to sign up to volunteer! Sign up here
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Friday, December 7th
Happy Birthday Dr. Boryszewski šŸ™‚
5 by Friday! šŸ™‚

(12/08) Happy Birthday Cindy DeRose šŸ™‚

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Click here for the PDF version

Blog Posts Worth Reading:
Exhausted Educator…I See You via Beth Houf

We are all one team.
We are all trying our hardest and bringing our best each and every day.

Our kids matter.
Our staff matter.
You matter.

Week 15: 11/26/18 – 11/30/18

I hope you enjoyed your time off, spending time with family, friends & those you love. Now we move to the next 4 week stretch, where it is full of learning, fun, and special eventsā€¦and a holiday break to enjoy. 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 breakā€¦happens every year!

Things to keep in mind these next 4 weeks:

  • For some of our students who will say ā€œitā€™s almost Winter breakā€ 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 20 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?) or perhaps give them that NOTE OF ENCOURAGEMENT that their parents filled out for them at Curriculum Night this year! šŸ™‚

Be proud of what weā€™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, Iā€™d encourage you to:

  • Take a second and tell a colleague that youā€™ve noticed how hard they are working and that you appreciate them working so hard.Ā 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 weā€™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.
  • CelebrateĀ being a member of our Kennedy SchoolĀ family

Hereā€™s our week at a glance:

Monday, November 26th
Santaā€™s Secret ShopĀ  (Browse Day)
2nd Grade Data Review Meeting with RR @ 2:35pm
Cricut Club (1st Grade Project Space) @ 3:05pm

Tuesday, November 27th
Santaā€™s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
Faculty Meeting @ 2:45pm (Presentation Space)
SD81 Winter Band Concert @ 6:30pm

Wednesday, November 28th
Santaā€™s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
New Teacher Meeting (Breakfast Club) @ 7:40am in Room B107
2nd Grade Field Trip to Prairie Lakes Theater @ 9:30am
TECHNOLOGY Common Plan

Thursday, November 29th
Santaā€™s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
Dr. Seuss SIP Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm (Room B102)

Friday, November 30th
Santaā€™s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
Happy Birthday Barbara Zawadzka šŸ™‚

(12/02) Happy Birthday Lizbeth Hohmeier

REMINDERS:
Have you RSVPā€™d for the Holiday Party? Please do so by Monday, December 3rd

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The 3rd annual event will be on Thursday, December 6th from 6:30pm-8:30pm at Lincoln Middle School.A8D71519-D409-41E6-A417-DD7E7BD1A932

It will be free admissionĀ 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.

Please fill out the Google Form hereĀ if youā€™re able to help! Letā€™s make this an AWESOMEĀ event for our kids! We need volunteers to help make each ā€œstationā€ a success. Your help and time is greatly appreciated!

Week 14: 11/12/18 – 11/16/18

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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 childā€™s progress. As you offer information about the students in your room, always remember that you are speaking about someoneā€™sĀ ā€˜whole worldā€™Ā and remember to be mindful of how that information will be received by your audience. Iā€™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! Ā If Donna, Sara or I can offer you any support this week with conferences, please do not hesitate to ask.

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
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Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, November 12th
American Education Week!
Parent Teacher Conference Week Begins!
NO SCHOOL for Students – Full Day of P/T Conferences
Happy Birthday Sarah Mixa šŸ™‚

Tuesday, November 13th
Happy Birthday Stephanie Polakowski šŸ™‚
*No Faculty Meeting (Conferences)
Winter Choral Concert (3rd – 5th grades) @ 6:30pm

Wednesday, November 14th
PreK/PATS Thanksgiving Feast (2-3pm)
*No CPT (Conferences)
Board of Education Meeting 7pm

Thursday, November 15th
Happy Birthday Sandy Montes de OcaĀ šŸ™‚
*Staff Thanksgiving Pot-Luck in Lounge*
NO SLT Meeting (Conferences)
Fundraising Committee @ 2:45pm (Room D116)
Winter Choral Concert (6th-8th grades) @ 6:30pm

Friday, November 16th
5 by Friday! Make those positive connections with families!

Looking for Conference Ideas? Check out this Pinterest board.

Blog Posts Worth Reading:
“It’s What You Learn After You Know It All That Counts Most” by George Couros

4 Skills and Traits Great Schools Teach That Will Always be Essential by George Couros

Week 13: 11/5/18 – 11/9/18

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Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, November 5th
3rd Grade Data Meeting with RR @ 2:35pm
CRICUT CLUB @ 3:05pm (1st Grade Project Space)

Tuesday, November 6th
Teacher Institute Day – No School for Students <—click for agenda

Wednesday, November 7th
Hearing/Vision Screenings (Room 135)
Technology Team Check-In (2:45pm)
ParaprofessionalĀ Meeting (2:45pm – 1st Grade Project Space)

Thursday, November 8th
Happy Birthday Maria Rodriguez šŸ™‚
3rd Grade to LMS for Veterans Day Rehearsal (8:45am-10:30am)

Friday, November 9th
Veterans’ Day Performance (10:30am at LMS)

11/10 Happy Birthday Gloria Reyes šŸ™‚
11/11 Happy Birthday Julie Fister & Becky Shoufer šŸ™‚

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