Week 3: 08/25/14 – 08/29/14

Thank you for opening up your classrooms to our Kennedy Kubbies and setting the tone for a culture of caring. It’s wonderful to observe classrooms where teachers and students care about learning, about each other, and care about our community. Remember, the first weeks of school set the tone for the entire year. If our students leave school feeling excited about themselves as learners & about you as their teacher, then you’re doing something right! Always remember that our students will meet ANY expectation we set for them, as long as we are firm, fair and consistent with these expectations and build relationships with our students so that they will want to meet them. The best way to accomplish this positive relationship-building with our students is simply caring deeply about them as learners and as little people–and taking the time to get to know them, in addition to showing them just how much you care.

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Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, August 25th
MAP Testing Begins (in both faculty lounge & art studio)–Beginning today, K-3 art will be in classrooms (on a cart) *click for schedule
**Please review both Code Red & Evacuation Drills with your class!!!!
New Teacher Meeting @ 2:45pm (Room 100)

Tuesday, August 26th
Code Red Drill (to take place unannounced sometime during the day)
Faculty Meeting @ 2:50pm in cafeteria
Mentor Meeting @ 3:45pm

Wednesday, August 27th
Common Plan Time

Thursday, August 28th
Evacuation Drill to North Park @ 9:00am

Friday, August 29th
Happy Birthday Audrey Tillack 🙂
Reading Room Plan Day
Schedules & Split Lists Due to the Office by the end of the day!

(09/01) No School: Labor Day
(09/01) Happy Birthday Rosa Andreuccetti 🙂

Week 2: 08/18/14 – 08/22/14

What a great first week (technically 4 days) at Kennedy School! As expected, there were a few tears, but the smiles and giggles outweighed the few. I appreciate everyone’s help and extra care during these first few days. Thank you to ALL staff for going the extra mile to help get our year off to a great start! 🙂

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As we prepare for our first full week with the students, I hope you will take a few quiet moments to put aside lesson planning, forget about our never-ending “to do list” and consider our purpose (as a school, and as individual educators). When we walk in on Monday morning, please remember that you are a difference maker! The small gestures you make to welcome students and show an interest in their lives will have an impact. Tis year, you have opportunities to build confidence that never existed, develop connections that have never been present, and generate hope with your students. Our classrooms at Kennedy are filled with individuals with a variety of needs, and it’s up to US to make sure they thrive! The only way for that to happen is to build a connection with each and every student. When we truly know them all as individuals, we can understand them as learners.

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Here’s our week at a glance:

Monday, August 18th
1st Day of Pre School
Fall Benchmarking Begins (Aimsweb)

Tuesday, August 19th

Wednesday, August 20th
Board of Education Meeting @ 7:00pm

Thursday, August 21st
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm

Friday, August 22nd
5 by Friday! Make 5 positive connections with families by Friday!
*Try out the positive postcards in the office 🙂

(08/23) Kennedy & Washington ABC Pool Party 7:00pm

Articles Worth Reading

What Students Remember Most About Teachers

Shine Together

The Power of a Positive Educator