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 administrative tasks 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. This year, you will have opportunities to build confidence where it hasn’t existed, develop connections that have never been present, and generate hope with your students. Our classrooms 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 student. When we truly know them all as individuals, we can understand them as learners.
Here’s our week at a glance:
Monday, August 20th: First day of Pre School!
AIMSweb Fall Benchmarking begins! Happy Birthday Melissa Ortiz 🙂
Tuesday, August 21st: Bus Evacuation Drills <—-Click to see schedule of when your class will go!
PEP Event @ 6:00pm-7:30pm @ LMS
Wednesday, August 22nd: Common Plan: Team Leaders will distribute agenda via First Class
Thursday, August 23rd: SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
Friday, August 24th: All classroom teachers: Bring 1 student laptop & charger (the one with a star sticker) to faculty lounge after school
Welcome to the start of the 2012-2013 school year! Let’s make it the best year yet! 🙂
Remember, every parent wants their child to feel fully known, fully understood & fully loved. If we can do this for ALL students, then we will be the best school in the country!
Parents are hoping you will find the uniqueness and light in their child. Don’t give up until you discover it for each of your students!
Finally, please collaborate & be kind with one another. I truly believe you are here at Kennedy because you are the best in your field, or have the potential to be the best in your field. Learn and share with each other.
Let’s make this the best year ever!
Here is the Apple recruiting video in case you wanted to watch it:
“A key characteristic of effective teachers & leaders: they learn….about themselves, about others, and about their job.”
-Garry Puetz
WOW! It is hard to believe that we have reached the point in the school year where we only have one Friday remaining! We’ve had an awesome year of teaching & learning thus far, and I want to thank each and every staff member for the friendship and support you have shown me in my first year as principal at Kennedy.
It’s THAT time of the year…..in the middle of packing away materials, finishing report cards and last minute projects, there is one part of the year that is so bittersweet…..the good-byes! Remember to take time to tell your students what they mean to you this week. Have lunch in the classroom or outside, one final time. Ask each student to share their favorite memory. Share your favorite memories with your class. Send a Kennedy Kubbie positive postcard to every student and put it in the mail on the last day of school to wish them a great summer! ENJOY IT! It’s the happiest & saddest time all in one. Things will never be the same. You’ll never have another group JUST like them. So, while you’re counting down the last 5 days and trying to cross off those final items from your to-do list, remember to enjoy your final time together & make your end of the year count! *from Venspired
Here’s our final week at a glance for the 2011-2012 school year!
Monday, May 21st: Pass out yearbooks today! 🙂 ZOO Field Trip: 1st Grade & Rooms 103/107
SLC Swimming
3rd Grade Trip to Washington School 9:15am-11:15am
Retirement/25 yrs of service Celebration @ Great Escape (4:00pm)
Tuesday, May 22nd: Pre School Celebrations/Graduations
ZOO Field Trip: 3rd Grade
Kindergarten Graduation Rehearsals @ 9:30am & 12:00pm (gym)
Faculty Meeting @ 2:30pm
8th Grade Graduation @ 7:00pm
Wednesday, May 23rd: Kindergarten Graduation @ 9:00am (Rooms 129, 131, 132)
Kindergarten Graduation @ 11:00am (Rooms 127, 128, 130)
Common Plan (Assessment & End of the Year Records)
Thursday, May 24th: 3rd Grade Picnic Common Core Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm
PATS Field Trip to Navy Pier/Children’s Museum @ 3:45pm
Friday, May 25th: Last Day of School (1 hour long: Students dismiss at 8:55am)
End of the Year Check-Out with Donna/Melissa *click here for checklist*
LUNCH @ RAM (See email in Kennedy Conference from Celebrations Committee for Last Day Lunch)
Do you want to have an EXRAORDINARY day this week?
Don’t wait for it to happen to you….Make it happen!
Here’s our (2nd to last) week (of the 2011-2013 school year) at a glance:
Monday, May 14th: Cycle 6 Assessments This Week *scantrons in mailboxes*
Certified Staff: Please complete the KEYS SURVEY by the end of the day www.keysonline.org
PreK/PATS Field Trip to Brookfield Zoo
Tuesday, May 15th: Community Outreach Committee Meeting @ 7:20am (Room 206)
Kindergarten Zoo Field Trip
Pre-K Field Day/Picnic (Kennedy Field)
2nd Grade Picnic @ North Park
Vision Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 132)
Multicultural Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 118) Mentor Celebration @ 3:45pm
Wednesday, May 16th: Happy Birthday Rebecka Mirandola 🙂
Kindergarten to Washington School for Buddies Activity
1/2 Day *click here for agenda*
Support Staff Luncheon
DLT Meeting @ 3:45pm
Board Meeting @ 7:00pm
Thursday, May 17th: 2nd Grade & Rms 101/109 Zoo Field Trip
1st Grade Picnic @ North Park Multiage Class Building @ 3:00pm (Room 103)
3rd Grade Dinosaur Fair @ 6:30pm
Friday, May 18th: Parent Volunteer Breakfast 8:15am-8:45am (Cafeteria) **Info about classroom coverage will be emailed out later this week**
Last Spirit Assembly! (Trustworthiness)
Multiage Picnic @ North Park
Buddy Activity (conference room)
**As the last day of school is approaching, it’s very tempting to hit the “cruise control” button. Let’s make a commitment to finish the year as strong as we started & not hit the cruise control button…..our kids deserve better! Students will feed off our attitude and if we expect the best from them, then we must give them the best of us! 🙂
I hope you know how much I enjoy working with you and how proud I am to be your colleague. Thank you for all that you do here at Kennedy School. You are changing lives!
Here’s our week at a glance:
Monday, May 7th: Teacher Appreciation Breakfast in Faculty Lounge @ 7:30am. SLC Swimming
Celebrations Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 104)
Tuesday, May 8th: Teacher Appreciation Luncheon in Faculty Lounge (10:30am-1:30pm)
Faculty Meeting @ 2:30pm
RTI Committee Meeting (immediately following Faculty Meeting in ROom 118)
Lincoln Band & Chorus Concert @ 7:00pm (LMS)
Wednesday, May 9th: SLC/SLBC to Washington School for Outing
Transition Meetings @ Washington School from 8:15am-1:45pm
2nd Grade/Multiage Field Trip to Brunswick Bowling
TAPS Common Plan
Thursday, May 10th: Memorial Day Dress Rehearsal @ LMS
Kindergarten Picnic @ North Park
Kennedy School Memorial Day Concerts @ LMS
***THE KEYS SURVEY IS NOW OPEN! ***
Certified Staff should complete the KEYS Survey by visiting www.keysonline.org
Then click, TAKE THE SURVEY at the top and enter our school’s zip code & select our school name. Please complete the KEYS Survey by Monday, May 14th 🙂 Thank you!
It’s hard to believe we will soon be in the month of May!
Here’s our week at a glance:
Monday, April 30th: Kennedy Singers Dress Rehearsal @ LMS
Tuesday, May 1st: Veterans Visiting Kennedy School <–click for schedule District SPED Meeting @ 3:00pm (Washington Rm 114)
Wednesday, May 2nd: Happy Birthday Abelardo Cano 🙂 SLC to Brunswick Zone
Technology Common Plan
District 81 On-Site Registration (@ LMS from 3-7pm)
Wendy’s Night 5:00pm-8:00pm
Friday, May 4th: Happy Birthday Brian Linhart 🙂 Happy Birthday Abby Ptak 🙂 PreK Screening
Registration Deadline!
3rd Grade Field trip to Wrigley Field (Cubs vs. Dodgers)
*RSVPs for Volunteer Breakfast are due*: Teachers, if parents RSVP to you, please relay the message to our office ladies so they can mark it down! Thank you! 🙂
Celebrations
Congratulations to Brooke on the birth of her baby: Grace, born on April 29th 🙂
also….congratulations to Molly on her recent engagement!
We are so happy & proud of Juan from Room 117 who competed this weekend at Special Olympics & earned a bronze medal for the 50 meter run & a silver medal for the tennis ball throw! Take a moment to stop and congratulate him on his awesome efforts! 🙂
Worth The Read:An article from a recent Educational Leadership issue (March 2012) that focuses on reading and the importance of teaching challenging text. The Challenge of Challenging Text.
As we are entering the last part of the school year, here are 10 questions to think about:
1. What has been the most effective lesson of the year?
2. What topic generated the most interest from the students?
3. Who has been your greatest success story in class?
4. Who is in the most need of your help during the final part of the year?
5. What are you looking forward to the most from this point forward?
6. What new technique will you try again before the end of the year?
7. What is your progress on goals at this point?
8. Have your students had a chance to explore a topic of self-interest?
9. Do your students know how proud you are of them?
10. How can you begin, today, to explore the greater potential you have to make an impact on the lives of your students?
Tuesday, April 24th: 3rd Grade Field Trip to The Field Museum Faculty Meeting @ 2:30pm <—click for agenda
Reading/ELL Committee Meeting @ 3:00pm (Room 110)
Mentor Meeting @ 3:45pm (@ LMS)
New Kindergarten Student Information Night @ 6:00pm (cafeteria)
Wednesday, April 25th: 1/2 Day (Students dismiss at 10:55am)
11:00-12:00pm Lunch On Your Own Reading/ELL Professional Development <—click for Agenda
Thursday, April 26th: Kindergarten Field Trip to Morton Arboretum
Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
Technology Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 202)
Friday, April 27th: Spirit Assembly (Fairness)
(04/29) Special Olympics Spring Games (Track & Field) Come see District 81 students participate in events from 10:30am-2:30pm @ North Central College in Naperville.
The 3 L’s: Learn, Laugh & Love (Gary Puetz) Regardless of our age in life, to succeed, we must continually learn.
Successful people also laugh a lot. They laugh at themselves, and with others. Even at this time of the school year when everything seems so hectic, there are still many laughs heard throughout the hallways and classrooms at Kennedy. 🙂
Finally, we need to love. We need to love what we do, love why we do it, and love who we do it with–our students & each other.
Thank you in advance for learning, laughing & loving each and every minute that we have remaining this school year with our students & with each other.
“Know less; Learn More… Worry less; Laugh more… Fear less; Love more… ….And all the good things are yours.”
Tuesday, April 17th: Happy Birthday Laura Brown 🙂
Buddy Sub-Committee Meeting @ 7:30am (Room 109)
1st-3rd Grade to LMS to see Alice In Wonderland musical
WENDY’S NIGHT (5:00pm-8:00pm)
Wednesday, April 18th: SLC to Target SEL/”Catch Up On What Your Team Needs” Common Plan
PreK/PATS Spring Feast
Board Meeting @ 7:00pm (LMS)
It is my hope that those of you celebrating Easter or Passover this weekend enjoyed time with family, friends and those dear to you! Below you’ll find our week at a glance:
Monday, April 9th: SLC Swimming
3rd Grade to LMS for 8th Grade Buddies Activity
Celebrations Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 104)
Tuesday, April 10th: Wheel of Wisdom Assembly @ 9:15am & 1:15pm <–click for schedule* Faculty Meeting @ 2:30pm <—-click for agenda
Reading/ELL Committee Meeting @ 3:00pm (Room 110)
PEP Event @ 6:00pm
Wednesday, April 11th: 2nd Grade to LMS for 7th Grade Buddies Activity
1st Grade & Multiage to LMS for 6th Grade Buddies Activity
SLC to Schiller Park Library
Assessment Common Plan (*PreK Faculty Meeting at team common plan*)
Thursday, April 12th:Kennedy Singers @ 2:20pm
Art Fair/Taste of Kennedy 6:00pm-7:30pm
Friday, April 13th: PreK Field Trip to Morton Arboretum
*Bring a laptop & charger to lounge at the end of the day for Spring MAP Testing next week*
**Reminder to classroom teachers: Please take this short Reading Room Survey.
It is my hope that you all had a restful, relaxing Spring Break. As we enter the final 8 weeks of school, I realize this can be a challenging time for us, as both students & staff get Spring Fever. We have been working hard for 7 months and we’re getting closer to the end of the school year. Now is when we must do our best work. The cliche of “it’s not how you start, but how you finish” and “the school year is like a marathon” are so true! We must finish strong and carry out our momentum until the end of the school year. Keep in mind, the more you stray from your classroom routine/schedule, the more antsy your students will get. If you keep focused, they will follow your lead.
As we approach the final 8 weeks of the school year, it is easy for many teachers to get into that familiar habit of wishing that the year would end. I want to encourage you not to fall into that rut and make the last 8 weeks enjoyable and productive for your students.
Each and every day our students need us. Remember that you may be the only constant presence in some of our students’ lives. Make a choice each day for your presence to be a positive, constant factor. It is a great opportunity that we have to come to school and have an impact on students’ lives from day to day. We all became educators because we care about kids. When the students feel that their teachers care about them, when they feel safe in our classes, optimal learning will take place.
The video below is an oldie, but a goodie! 🙂 Remember, you have the ability to make an incredible impact on each and every student you come in contact with on a daily basis. What you say and do has such a huge impact on your students. You may never know how much you inspire your students, but please know that you do! Please take a moment to watch this video below & revisit it when needed. What we have is a gift.
Monday, April 2nd: School Resumes (Welcome back Marisha & Ami)
*Cycle 5 Assessment Week*
Math & Writing Committee Meeting @ 2:30pm (Room 107)
Tuesday, April 3rd:
Wednesday, April 4th: PreK to Washington School for Buddy Activity
SLC to Super Low Foods
Math/Writing Common Plan
District SPED Meeting @ 3:45pm (Washington School)
Thursday, April 5th: NEDSRA Event with SLC/SLBC @ 8:30am (gymnasium)
SLT Meeting @ 3:00pm
Friday, April 6th: Pre School Screening
Reading Room Plan
BOX TOPS School-wide BACKWARDS Day
