Welcome Back! 

I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving Break, spending time with family, friends & those you love. As we move to the month of December, full of learning, fun, and special events…and a holiday break to enjoy in just a few weeks! 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 break…happens every year!

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 18 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? Good News Call Home?)

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 27th
NO STUDENT ATTENDANCE: Full-Day Parent/Teacher Conferences

Tuesday, November 28th
School Resumes for Students

Wednesday, November 29th
3rd Grade Field Trip to Prairie Lakes Theater (9:30am-12:15pm)
CPT Meetings
3rd Grade MTSS

Thursday, November 30th
Happy Birthday Barbara Zawadzka

Friday, December 1st
PreK Screening
5 by Friday! 🙂 Continue making positive connections