Spring Break always arrives at the perfect time of the year! As we head into the final five days of school prior to break, I’m hopeful that students & staff will take full advantage of their time away from Kennedy. For some, it will give them time to recover from feeling under the weather, and for others it is time to spend with family & friends. Regardless of how you plan on spending the break, I hope you soak up every single second and come back re-energized for the home stretch!

Have a wonderful and relaxing Spring Break! Safe travels for those of you who are flying or taking a road trip. We look forward to seeing everyone as we welcome the students back on Monday, April 4th.

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, March 21st
Cycle 5 Assessments
Multiage Field Trip to Shedd Aquarium
Spirit Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 132)

Tuesday, March 22nd
Yearbook Committee Meeting @ 2:35pm (Reading Room)
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm
Happy Birthday Sharon Heitz 🙂 *Lift Bus Driver

Wednesday, March 23rd
1st – 3rd Trip to LMS to see the Lincoln Musical (@ 8:45am)
Rooms 101/109 Young Author’s Day (12:30pm-1:00pm)
Technology Common Plan (Breakout Sessions)

Thursday, March 24th
Rooms 103/107 Young Author’s Day (1:40pm-2:15pm)
PATS Field Trip to Navy Pier/Chicago Children’s Museum (3:45pm-7:45pm)

Friday, March 25th
Spring Birthday Breakfast in Lounge
Spirit Assembly
SLBC Swimming
Happy Birthday Diane Serio 🙂

March 26th – April 3rd: SPRING BREAK! 
(03/29) Happy Birthday Eric Humbles 🙂
(03/30) Happy Birthday David Donegan 🙂
School Resumes April 4th

Origo One
A new YouTube channel offering one minute math lessons for teachers and students. The first few videos in the series seem to be aimed at elementary school teachers. The videos offer a nice and concise representation of some elementary school math teaching strategies.

Google Drive: Search & Locate the Location

3 Tips for Using YouTube Videos in Your Classroom

3 Helpful Google Docs Updates Released Last Week

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, March 14th
Book Fair (Preview Day)
2nd Grade Field Trip to Shedd Aquarium
PARCC Testing Continues for 3rd Grade (all week)

Tuesday, March 15th
TEACHER INSTITUTE DAY: No School for Students
SCOTY Awards 4:00pm

Wednesday, March 16th
Book Fair (Buy Day)
Curriculum/Assessment Common Plan Time
Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00pm (LMS)
LAST DAY TO TURN IN PENNIES FOR PATIENTS DONATIONS!

Thursday, March 17th
Book Fair (Buy Day)
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
Talent Show Dress Rehearsal (@ 9:00am)  *Will be streamed live via Google Hangouts On Air — LINK will be emailed to the Kennedy Conference for any classrooms that want to “tune in” on their SMART Panels at any point during the rehearsal. 
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
Talent Show (@ 5:30pm) ~ Doors open at 5:00pm ~ Book Fair open before & after talent show

Friday, March 18th
Reading Room Plan Day
Buddy Event for March
5 Positive Connections by Friday! 🙂
Spring Spiritwear Sale ENDS!

Articles Worth Reading:
Restocking the Deck: How Teachers Can Counteract the Effects of Poverty on the Developing Mind 

Your Leadership Legacy: How Do You Want to be Remembered?

“Each of us lives on in the memories we create, in the systems and practices we set in place (or don’t), and in the lives we touch. We guarantee that what people will say about you [when you’re gone] will not be about what you achieved for yourself but what you achieved for others. Not how big a campfire you built but how well you kept others warm, how well you illuminated the night to make them feel safe, and how beautiful you left the campsite for those who would come after you to build the next fire.”

Apps to Check Out:
PicKids

EPIC! 

Spread the Word to End the Word is an ongoing effort by Special Olympics to inspire respect and acceptance through raising the consciousness of society about the R-word and how hurtful words and disrespect can be toward people with disabilities.

The campaign, created by youth, is intended to engage schools, organizations and communities to rally and pledge their support & to promote inclusion and acceptance!

When one student has an attitude of acceptance & inclusion toward people (especially fellow students) that is a wonderful thing. When that one student becomes many….when an entire school has a climate of acceptance and inclusion…it becomes a powerful community! Ultimately, when a school climate conveys and fosters understanding, inclusion and respect for all, the students internalize those lessons for their lives both within and beyond school.

Our goal is to educate the Kennedy students, staff and community that we should love everyone for who they are and accept all differences. Please be sure to check out the email Amanda sent regarding Kennedy’s approach this year to teach our Kubbies about diversity, acceptance & perseverance. On Wednesday, we will “Spread the Love” by having students sign a pledge, promising to use kind words. Our theme this year is “Welcome to RESPECT CITY: Population Everyone”. On Thursday, we are asking all classroom teachers to read a book (the school has purchased a copy for every classroom teacher), and have your students participate in an activity where they will paint their own, unique “fish” rock. We are also asking that our whole school community wear GREEN this Thursday. 

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, March 7th
*Pennies for Patients Continues
Project Unify Week <—click to view letter that will be sent home with students
National Board Information Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 110)
PARCC Meeting @ 2:45pm

Tuesday, March 8th
Kindergarten Field Trip to Field Museum (8:30am)
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm
RTI Committee – Immediately Following Faculty Meeting
Mentor Meeting @ 3:45pm (Room 313 @ LMS)

Wednesday, March 9th
Curriculum/Team CPT
Technology Committee Meeting @ 2:45pm

Thursday, March 10th
Wear Green to show we respect and celebrate the differences in everyone!
Read “Only One You” by Linda Kranz & have each student paint a rock:
PreK Field Trip to Kohl Children’s Museum (8:45am)
Talent Show Rehearsal (2:30pm-4:00pm)

Friday, March 11th
SLBC Swimming
Book Fair Preview Day
Happy Birthday Erin Moza 🙂 

(03/13) SD81 Music Booster Pancake Breakfast (9:00am-12:00pm) at LMS

Blog Posts Worth Reading:

Take Control of Your Camera Roll with Google Photos

The 8 Best Google Chrome Extensions As Chosen By Teachers

7 Reading Readiness Apps

NewsELA Brings Leveled Current Event Articles to iPads

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, February 29th
Construction Update Meeting (2:30pm in cafe for K-3 & 2:50pm in Room 135 for PreK)
Oh, the Places You’ll Go Day – A different teacher will read in your class

Tuesday, March 1st
Pennies for Patients Begins<–flyer will go home with students with their collection boxes
PARCC Meeting with 3rd Grade @ 2:30pm (Room 202)
Happy Birthday Tami Ericksen 🙂
Green Eggs & Ham Day – Wear Green to School!

Wednesday, March 2nd
Dr. Seuss Night! 6:00pm-7:30pm **Hope to see you all there**
Happy Birthday Bonnie Bricker 🙂
Wacky Wednesday – Show off your wacky hair! 

Thursday, March 3rd
Talent Show Practice After School (2:30p-4:00pm)
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
Happy Birthday Natalie Barcas 🙂
Cat in the Hat Day – Wear your favorite hat to school

Friday, March 4th
Summative Evaluation Meetings for Non-Tenured Teachers (Scheduled by administrators)
Fox in Socks Day – Wear willy socks to school

(03/05) Happy Birthday Debi Cesario 🙂

Looking for Dr. Seuss Activities? Click the hat below:

Keep in mind we will have many visitors in our building on Wednesday for the big event! It would be wonderful if our hallways were adorned with activities that honor Dr. Seuss and Read Across America week. Please give your classroom spaces some extra TLC. Please also have your students organize/clean their Kubbies in the hallway. This is our opportunity to shine! Let’s continue to make Dr. Seuss Night a memorable event for our students, families and the community of Schiller Park!

It’s that time of the year.
Where winter break is definitely in the past.
Where we’re starting to feel a bit of the testing pressure.
We’re stressed about conferences & report cards.
When Spring Break is close…..but not quite close enough.
Take time today to remember that we alone have the power to choose our good attitude.

Be the kind of person who doesn’t allow other people or circumstances to dictate how we feel or treat those around us. Instead, be the consistent one for those around you.
Be thankful for the impact that we have on not only our students, but also on our peers.

Choose to be happy. Choose to be positive. Choose to smile. That doesn’t mean you are unaware of circumstances, or stress, or drama, or struggles….it just means you choose to RISE above it, and be happy anyway. To let your mood be dictated by your blessings and not your afflictions.

We constantly preach to our Kubbies the importance of being kind and how one small act can make someone’s day — I may be a week late to the “Random Acts of Kindness Week (Feb 14-20)” but I still challenge you to the Random Acts of Kindness Teacher Challenge — can you complete 10 simple, kind acts that will make our students’ and colleagues’ days just a bit brighter? Let’s make February 22nd-26th Kennedy School’s #RAKWEEK *A copy can be found in everyone’s mailbox!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, February 22nd

Tuesday, February 23rd
1/2 Day of School (Parent/Teacher Conferences)
*Click here for schedule! Be sure to keep it current if parents cancel or reschedule
*NO Faculty Meeting due to conferences

Wednesday, February 24th
Report Cards Sent Home (with those students who did not have a Spring conference)

Thursday, February 25th
Baby & Bridal Shower @ 2:45pm (Cafeteria)
Happy Birthday Shannon David 🙂

Friday, February 26th
SLBC Swimming
Spirit Assembly @ 9:00am

(02/28) Happy Birthday Alicia Peccatiello 🙂

Blog Posts Worth Reading:
His Smile by Jon Harper

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss Resources by Technology Rocks, Seriously

There is so much that goes in to making each day at Kennedy School successful, from arrival/dismissal duties, hallway passings, serving 400+ children hot lunch, communication with parents, 1:1 student conferences about academics or behavior, individual supports for some of our neediest students….the list goes on! And that doesn’t even include the work that goes into planning and implementing the stellar learning opportunities that you provide students each day! In addition to the day-to-day work you do to make this the best school for students, there are countless moments that you are working together as a staff to collaborate or problem-solve, showing you’re willing to do whatever it takes to ensure students experience success. Not every solution works for everyone, but I’m confident that you always keep children at the forefront of your decision-making, you never give-up on any child, and you ultimately always do what’s best for your students. That’s why we’re here. As the school year moves forward, let’s continue to work together, support one another, and more importantly, support our students! TOGETHER we can continue to move forward to make Kennedy School the best school for our students!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, February 15th
NO SCHOOL: Presidents’ Day
Happy Birthday Melissa Alicea 🙂
Happy Birthday Agnes Niewinski 🙂

Tuesday, February 16th
Talent Show Tryouts (During the day)

Wednesday, February 17th
2nd/3rd TAPS
Board of Education Meeting @ 7pm (LMS)
*Favorite Childhood Book Google Form & Picture due to Tiffany
Happy Birthday Jackie Hood 🙂
Happy Birthday Mike Deany 🙂

Thursday, February 18th
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
BPAC Meeting @ 3:15pm
Happy Birthday Nikki Culberson 🙂

Friday, February 19th
Reading Room Plan Day

Looking for a Safe Search Engine for our Kubbies?

Kiddle, powered by Google, is a site that is great for younger students.
Kiddle searches safe sites written specifically for kids, sites with content written in an easy way for kids to understand (handpicked by Kiddle editors), and famous sites written for adults but with great content (filtered by Google). A message pops up if a student tries to search for something in appropriate.

Kiddle is visual, has a big thumbnail image for each results, and is super readable since the print is larger than normal search results.

It includes options for Web, Images, News and Videos – just like Google.

Presidents’ Day Fun:
Click here to view the Technology Rocks. Seriously blog post <–tons of ideas !

Blog Post Worth Reading:
How to Break Free of the Dreaded Teacher Slump via Pernille Ripp

All They Need Is Love via Andy Jacks

Thought for the Week:

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, February 8th
Cycle 4 Assessments
PATS Field Trip to Shedd Aquarium
Jump Rope for Heart Week
Rooms 101/109 Field Trip to PF Changs
New Teacher Meeting @ 2:50pm
Happy Birthday Linda Jennings 🙂

Tuesday, February 9th
103/107 Field Trip to PF Changs
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm

Wednesday, February 10th
104/106 Field Trip to PF Changs
Kindergarten Information Night @ 6:00pm (cafeteria)
TAPS Common Plan for PreK/Kinder/1st

Thursday, February 11th
1st-3rd Grades to LMS for Washington Musical
207/208 Field Trip to PF Changs

Friday, February 12th
Trimester 2
February Buddy Event
PreK Field Trip to Stahl Family Theater
*Spring Parent/Teacher Conference Schedules due by Friday! <–click for google doc

(02/15) No School: Presidents’ Day
Happy Birthday Agnes Niewinski 🙂
Happy Birthday Melissa Alicea 🙂

Interested in ordering a Dr. Seuss Shirt?  Click here
Shirts are $20/each, come in white, black or blue with either glitter or metallic writing. Orders are due by Tuesday!

Quote & Image from Krissy Venosdale’s blog, which can be found here

“Teaching is one of the hardest jobs in the world, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. Although my role has changed and I’m lucky enough to teach teachers, teach students, and teach myself on a daily basis, I’m still a learner first. I updated this image with some fun colors & a mosaic background, because our teaching life is made of millions of tiny learning moments, melded together into one unique experience that makes us who we are as a teacher. And that? It’s something pretty special.”

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, February 1st
ACCESS Testing continues <–click for updated schedule

Tuesday, February 2nd
Tech Roll-Out Evening for 3rd-8th grade students & parents @ LMS (5:30pm-7:30pm)

Wednesday, February 3rd
2nd Grade/Lincoln Buddies Event
MyOn Meeting for classroom teachers in cafeteria (1:55pm-2:55pm)

Thursday, February 4th
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
I Heart Art Show (6:00pm-7:30pm) <—-click for flyer/invitation
Happy Birthday Anne Weinthaler 🙂

Friday, February 5th
Pre School Screening
5 by Friday! Remember to make those 5 positive connections with students by Friday!
Happy Birthday Jenna Bartello 🙂

(02/06) Happy Birthday Dina Natalie & Heather Longo 🙂
(02/07) Happy Birthday Alanna Mixter 🙂

Mark Your Calendars:
Jump Rope for Heart takes place February 8th-12th
Talent Show Permission Slip (<–click to view) due by Friday 2/5
Kindergarten Information Night for incoming Kinder students (including those in our PreK program) on Wednesday, 2/10
1st-3rd Grade students go to LMS to see Washington School’s Musical on Thursday, 2/11
Trimester 2 Ends on Friday, 2/12
NO SCHOOL on Monday, 2/15

Blog Posts Worth Reading:
Detour “Around the Danger Zones” of Classroom Management

Building Relationships With Families of ELLs

Share 6 Encouraging Words #6WordEncourage

6 Ed Tech Tools to Try in 2016

Here’s our week at a glance:

(01/24) Happy Birthday Ofelia Golden 🙂

Monday, January 25th
ACCESS Testing Begins > > REMINDER: NO READING ROOM
*See Anne’s email in Kennedy Conference for schedule
NO BOOK CHECKOUT (Becky will push into your classrooms for a read-aloud)
Happy Birthday Brooke Gorowski 🙂

Tuesday, January 26th
100th Day of School
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm <—agenda will be emailed
Happy Birthday Brian Key 🙂

Wednesday, January 27th
Technology Common Plan <–click for agenda/breakout sessions

Thursday, January 28th
Yearbook Committee Meeting @ 2:35pm

Friday, January 29th
Spirit Assembly

100th Day Ideas from Pinterest

Today we celebrate the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr…..let’s honor Dr. King’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.

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of education.”

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.
Let’s have a great 4-day week!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, January 18th
NO SCHOOL: MLK

Tuesday, January 19th
Appy Hour in Room 110 @ 2:45pm
*Come eat some snacks & learn about QR codes! Bring your iPad!

Wednesday, January 20th
Community Information Night @ Kennedy School (6:00pm)
Board of Education Meeting at Kennedy School (7:00pm) – gymnasium

Thursday, January 21st
PreK Field Trip to Museum of Science & Industry
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm

Friday, January 22nd
Winter Birthday Breakfast int he Lounge @ 7:30am
Kindergarten Field Trip to Disney on Ice
Happy Birthday Michelle Morgan 🙂

(01/23) Happy Birthday Jen Yarnell 🙂

Are you using Go Noodle for indoor recess? If not, check out this blog post!

Looking for helpers! If you haven’t signed up already, consider spending time helping out at our 1st annual “I Heart Art” show on Thursday, February 4th. Helpers will be compensated for their time.

Also, the annual Stars on Stage Talent Show will be on Thursday, March 17th. We are still looking for helpers to facilitate the rehearsals leading up to the main event! Helpers will be compensated for their time.

Thank you to those who are able to commit to attending the Community Information Night on Wednesday evening, as well as our Board of Education meeting, both being hosted at Kennedy School this month. Please let me know if you are able to attend! Your presence and support are valuable and greatly appreciated!