Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, January 11th

Tuesday, January 12th
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm in cafeteria
Mentor Meeting @ 3:45pm (LMS, Room 313)

Wednesday, January 13th
1/2 SIP Day (agenda will be emailed on Monday)

Thursday, January 14th
Happy Birthday Jen Fullone 🙂

Friday, January 15th
Happy Birthday Ami Freeman 🙂

(01/17) Happy Birthday Cheri Grimaldi 🙂
(01/18) NO SCHOOL: MLK

Make sure the day off of school next Monday today isn’t just about a day off. It’s a reminder, from our past, that we are all here to do something. Ask your students, colleagues & each other, what that something is.

Thanks to Martin Luther King, Jr. for the great quote & the great reminder:

Below From Venspired:
The best part about a New Year is that it always feels like a fresh start. No matter what. We turn the page, finish one calendar and start another. We try to start remembering to put the right year when we write the date (I’m sure most of us will be writing 2015/2016 tomorrow on our boards!).

2015 was a year full of memorable moments—may your 2016 be a year of “new”….
new ideas, new connections, new challenges, new gratitude, new perspectives.

As we embark on the second half of the school year, I encourage everyone to take some time and reflect on your performance since the beginning of the school year. The KEEP, STOP, and DO activity always helps me reflect on my practices; both professional & personal. What do I want to keep doing? What do I want to stop doing? What do I want to start doing?

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, January 4th
School Resumes
MAP makeups this week
*2nd, Multiage & 3rd Grade Teachers: Please be sure to enter your Winter MAP data into the Google Doc & schedule a Winter MAP Data meeting with me by the end of the week.
Aimsweb Winter Benchmarking Begins

Tuesday, January 5th
PATS Field Trip to Museum of Science & Industry
Dr. Seuss Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 110)
Yearbook Committee @ 2:35pm

Wednesday, January 6th
Happy Birthday Mayra Tellez 🙂
Happy Birthday Callie Biasco 🙂
Curriculum Pacing/Planning Common Plan Time

Thursday, January 7th
SLT  Meeting @ 3:00pm

Friday, January 8th
5 By Friday !

Below are some New Years Ideas from Pinterest:

Blog Posts Worth Reading:

9 Strategies Teachers & Leaders Should Add in 2016

Excellent Websites for iPads in the Classroom

New Year, New Challenges

Remember…..You might be the ONLY smile a child sees each day.
Your hug might be the ONLY hug he/she gets for the holidays.
Every day really IS a chance to make a difference.
Let’s make these next 5 days great ones for our Kennedy Kubbies 🙂

Donna, Tiffany and I appreciate all that you do for the students and families of Kennedy School. We value each one of you as members of our team! We wish you and your families the most joyous of holiday seasons. Thank you to the entire Kennedy staff for always caring and taking pride in what you do! Thanks for perservering through the stressful times. Thanks for finding blessings & positives all around you. It has been a fantastic 2015 and we are looking forward to seeing you all again for what promises to be an even brighter 2016!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, December 14th
Santa & The Village of Schiller Park visit Kennedy School (in gymnasium)
School Spirit Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 132)
MAP Testing Continues
Cycle 3 Assessment Week

Tuesday, December 15th

Wednesday, December 16th
December Buddy Activity
Tech Common Plan
Happy Birthday Sue O’Connell & Ola Heitz 🙂
Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00pm (LMS)

Thursday, December 17th
1st, 2nd and Multiage Classrooms Participate in HOLIDAYS AROUND THE WORLD “field trip/assembly” in gym
(2nd Grade: 8:30am-9:15am)
(1st Grade: 10:30am-11:15am)
(Multiage: 12:30pm-1:15pm)
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm

Friday, December 18th
Polar Express Day!
Spirit Assembly @ 8:45am
Happy Birthday Kimberly Sendelbach 🙂 

(12/29) Happy Birthday Jimmy Kennedy 🙂

Blogs Worth Reading:

To Teachers Everywhere
Golden Rules for Engaging Students in Learning Activities
Google Drive Search Updates
Reindeer Fun
Christmas Games 

A great activity to do before Winter Break….what we’ve accomplished in 2015 and what we want to accomplish in 2016!

Here’s our week at a glance:

(12/06) Happy Birthday Michelle Nelson 🙂

Monday, December 7th
Happy Birthday Dr. Kim Boryszewski 🙂
Lunch & Learn with 1st Investors
Paraprofessional Meeting @ 2:50pm (lounge)
ABC Parent Group’s Winter Wonderland @ LMS (6:00pm-8:30pm)

Tuesday, December 8th
Happy Birthday Cindy DeRose 🙂
Yearbook Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm

Wednesday, December 9th
Happy Birthday Mandy Carlson 🙂
PATS/PreK Tree Decorating Party 2:00pm-3:00pm (cafe)

Thursday, December 10th
SD81 Band Concert @ 6:30pm (LMS)

Friday, December 11th
Reading Room Plan Day
Holiday Party 

Blog Posts Worth Reading:

Calling All Learners & Teachers for Hour of Code 2015 via Edutopia

You Totally Have Time for #HourofCode by Krissy Venosdale

5 Great Things You Can Do with Google Sheets by Richard Byrne

Dear Students: A Letter to All of Our Amazing Students by Ryan Steele

Welcome Back! I hope you enjoyed your time off, spending time with family, friends & those you love. It’s crazy to think we only have 15 days with our Kennedy Kubbies before Winter Break. In these 15 days, we have a lot of work to do & lots of wonderful learning experiences to provide our students. 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 15 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?)

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 30th
Happy Birthday Barbara Zawadzka 🙂

Tuesday, December 1st
Winter MAP Testing Begins <—click for schedule

Wednesday, December 2nd
PATS Field Trip to Schiller Park Fire Department
Santa’s Secret Shop (Browse Day) <–click for schedule
PreK/K/1st TAPS Meeting (schedule will be emailed to Kennedy Conference by Mandy)

Thursday, December 3rd
Santa’s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
Kennedy Singers Rehearsal @ LMS (8:40am)
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
SD81 Choral Concert @ 6:30pm (LMS)

Friday, December 4th
Pre School Screening (No PreK for Students)
Santa’s Secret Shop (Buy Day)
Happy Birthday Michelle Miro 🙂

(12/05) Happy Birthday Becky Zora 🙂

This week we have some changes to our usual routine — Hearing & Vision screenings, Thanksgiving Feasts and sharing holiday wishes. Then on Friday, we all head home for Thanksgiving Break where our celebrations continue with our family and friends.

True for some, not for all. As Thanksgiving & Winter Breaks draw 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.

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 soon.

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 kids EVERYDAY 🙂

**From Jennifer Dinielli’s Blog

How often do we pause & think why we are grateful? I challenge each of you to take some time each day this week to reflect on the things, events, or people you appreciate. Better yet….if it’s a person, let them know how thankful you are for their role in your life. THANK YOU are two simple words that have the power to transform our health, happiness, performance, and success. Grateful people are happier & more likely to maintain good friendships. Gratitude and appreciation are also essential for a healthy work environment. A simple thank you can make all the difference. Be sure to say thank you to those around you each and every day!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, November 16th
American Education Week

Tuesday, November 17th
2nd Grade Field Trip (104/106) to Mitchell Museum
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm

Wednesday, November 18th
2nd Grade (207/208) Field Trip to Mitchell Museum
Technology Common Plan (team leaders will share agendas)
PATS/PreK Thanksgiving Feast (2-3pm)
Dr. Seuss Committee Meeting @ 2:50pm (Room 110)

Thursday, November 19th
Staff Thanksgiving Potluck in Lounge
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm

Friday, November 20th
Spirit Assembly
PreK Field Trip to Shedd Aquarium
Happy Birthday Rosa Worwa

(11/21) Happy Birthday Emily Kronlage
11/23 – 11/27: Thanksgiving Break
(11/25) Happy Birthday Emily Moran
(11/27) Happy Birthday Shannon Luster

Blog Posts Worth Reading:

I Was Wrong by Benjamin Gilpin <–reflective post about using recess as a consequence

We Draw Closer by Jon Harper

Interactive Thanksgiving Resources by Technology Rocks, Seriously

Challenge for the week~Make every student in your class feel like a star!

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 child’s progress. As you offer information about the students in your room, always remember that you are speaking about someone’s ‘whole world’ and remember to be mindful of how that information will be received by your audience. I’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 working relationship with your families and deepen that home-school partnership. Thanks for all that you do in preparation for this very busy week! If Donna, Tiffany or I can offer you any support this week with conferences, please do not hesitate to ask.

Making the Most of Parent-Teacher Conferences

7 Ideas for Meaningful Parent-Teacher Conferences

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, November 9th
Parent/Teacher Conference Week
Hearing & Vision Screenings (in conference room)

Tuesday, November 10th
Happy Birthday Gloria Reyes 🙂
2nd/3rd Veterans Day Rehersal @ LMS
Faculty Meeting Today – RESCHEDULED to next Tuesday, November 17th due to conferences

Wednesday, November 11th
Happy Birthday Julie Fister & Becky Shoufer 🙂
2nd/3rd Veterans Day Performance @ LMS (9:00am)
Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00pm (LMS Little Theater)

Thursday, November 12th
Happy Birthday Sarah Mixa 🙂
NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS: Parent/ Teacher Conferences

Friday, November 13th
Hearing/Vision Screenings (in conference room)
NO Reading Room (ACCESS Testing Training)

(11/15) Happy Birthday Sandy Montes de Oca 🙂

Blog Posts Worth Reading:
I’ll Never Resign by Krissy Venosdale

Phonics Strategies for Young Learners Using the iPad by Kristi Meeuwse

Looking for ideas for Parent/Teacher Conference Week? Check out my board on Pinterest here.

Here are some Veterans Day Ideas, too!

November is officially upon us as we are surrounded by beautiful warm colors & cooler weather. I hope you had a refreshing, relaxing Halloween weekend and are ready for the week ahead (I hear it’s going to be a 70 degree week ahead!)

As parent-teacher conferences are upon us, I wanted to share a blog post (an oldie but a goodie) with some tips to keep in mind. Parent-Teacher Conferences offer teachers and parents the opportunity to see, celebrate and support each child. Conferences have provided me with some of my most rewarding moments in teaching. Just as we appreciate praise for our efforts as educators, parents appreciate praise for their efforts & their child’s progress. Our school calendar sets aside days for parent-teacher conferences each year; however, I believe great teachers like all of you at Kennedy know that parent-teacher conferences are held throughout the entire school year. A great teacher keeps the student, the team, and the parents informed at all times! Let’s make sure we reach our weekly goal of 5 positive connections by Friday!

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, November 2nd

Tuesday, November 3rd
Mentor Meeting @ 3:45pm
101/109 Mitchell Museum Field Trip @ 9:00am

Wednesday, November 4th
103/107 Mitchell Museum Field Trip @ 9:00am

Thursday, November 5th
Hearing/Vision Screenings (in conference room)
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm

Friday, November 6th
Picture Retake Day
Reading Room Plan Day
Hearing/Vision Screenings (in conference room)
5 By Friday! 🙂

(11/08) Maria Rodriguez’ Birthday (cafeteria)

Blog Posts Worth Reading:
Google Sheet Explore ROCKS

9 Google Apps Productivity Tools & Tips for Teachers

It’s Not a Technology Issue

Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, October 26th
Red Ribbon Week: Remember to have your students trace their handprint and Say “Boo” to Drugs by adding their ghost hand to the pledge on the wall outside the cafeteria! 
Tune Out Drugs – Listen to music during transitions or work time
Cycle 2 Assessment Week

Tuesday, October 27th
Sock It to Drugs – Wear Crazy Socks
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm
BPAC Ice Cream Social 3:30pm-4:30pm (gym)

Wednesday, October 28th
Red for Red Ribbon Week – Wear Red to Show You Are Drug Free
Costco Teacher Appreciation in the Faculty Lounge during lunches

Thursday, October 29th
You Have the Power to Say No to Drugs – Wear your favorite superhero T-Shirt

Friday, October 30th
5 Positive Connections with Parents by Friday!
We are Kind Kennedy Kubbies – Wear your Kubbie gear for the Spirit Assembly
Spirit Assembly @ 8:45am
AM PreK Parade @ 9:00am
Multiage, 2nd, & 3rd Grade Parade @ 10:00am
PM PreK, Kindergarten & 1st Grade Parade @ 12:30pm
Trimester 1 Ends

**Reminder for Tenured Teachers*
Tenure teacher professional growth meetings completed before November 1st.
ALL tenured teachers must complete a Professional Growth Plan.

Looking for some Halloween Ideas? Check out my Pinterest board here !