Monday Morning Memo--September 25, 2017

@D114Stanton @D114Lotus @FLGSD114 #District114proud

  

To Colleen Hitzler, David Roat, Donielle Williams, Kathleen Winkiel and Gizelle Wells for their commitment to building an outstanding opportunity for our students to experience Science Technology Reading Engineering Art and Math (STREAM)!  We have 43 students in our first rotation.  Great job everyone!

and 

To Becky and our drivers for being flexible problem solvers and always delivering our students safely to and from school! 

and 

To Carmen Carbajal and Montse Huerta for continuing to build our offerings to our adult learners of English.  We recently partnered with the College of Lake County and had 32 adult learners participate in the placement exam.
--all from Jeff Sefcik



To Chris Katuzny, Jo Arado, Karen Ryczek, and Yvette Stauner for putting together an amazing lunch for our Transportation meeting on Tuesday. 

and

To all our bus drivers, van drivers, and aides for another great meeting! Thanks for all you do!

and 

To Rachelle Peters for making sure a student got enrolled, even enlisting the help of the police to do so!

--all from Heather :)

Thank you to the Preschool Team for hosting our PreK Gym Night. We had lots of families participate, it was well-planned and everyone had a great time!
-from Natalie Udstuen

A big thanks for Joan for doing a reading evaluation on a student to give me the most accurate information for a problem solving meeting! Thanks Joan!
-from Amanda Lorenz

​Thank you to David Roat for getting the technology set-up for ​our articulation meeting on Wednesday, we appreciate it!

-from The EAFL Executive Board

To the full D114 Trivia Night crew for spending your Saturday donating your time and trivia skills to a worthy cause. And Gizelle---we'll get you next year! :)
-from Heather

When you have a kudo to share for someone, please just email me and I'll include it here! The goal is to create system celebrations--so your input is truly welcome!

                         

News from the Business Office

Field Trips/Activity Routes

In order to more efficiently track our routes and plan for special events, we've asked our bus drivers to start using a new form (see below) for event routes. When you are the teacher/sponsor on the route, the driver will be asking you to "sign off" to indicate that the bus is all clear. Thanks in advance for partnering for our students' safety! 

PERA and SLOs

Thanks so very, very much for all your hard work related to SLO assessments! I had the chance to meet with both the Evaluation committee as well as members of the EAFL executive board. We have come to consensus on the following for the 2017-18 school year related to the 2 required Type 3 assessments needed for us to measure student growth:

SLO 1--will be completed as planned and as you already did to start the year. Please keep up the great work!

SLO 2--Teams have the option to either:

1. Use SLO 2 created by the team (or in works now) OR

2. Use a team-created common sunit assessment to get both pre- and post-instruction data.

We'll also be revisiting the entire topic of student growth metrics during the second semester to continue to reflect on our practices as well as identify ways to improve as we move forward.

If you have questions or need assistance in creating either your team SLO or common assessment, please reach out to your principals or to me...we are MORE than happy to help!

Continuing Education Opportunity

Information from Benedictine in case you're interested...

FACILITIES UPDATES

THANK YOU for submitting your work requests using the online system!!! Keep it up!

Keep watching for technology updates and news you can use! 

Education Association of Fox Lake News and Updates

Thanks for a great articulation meeting on Wednesday of last week!  A final copy of the revised Constitution and Bylaws will be made available by the end of the week.  

THANK YOU to everyone who has expressed an interest in serving on a committee!  We will work on getting in touch with volunteers as the committees are planning to meet.  If you are still interested in volunteering, please let Melissa Williams know.  

Upcoming IEA Events:

- Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Presentation in Libertyville on 10/2/17 from 5-6:30 Click Here to Register

- Resilience: The Biology of Stress and The Science of Hope documentary viewing and panel discussion in Libertyville on 10/4/17 from 4:30-7:00 Click Here to Register (dinner provided)

- One Conference (Professional Development for Support Staff) 10/20-10/21 in Oak Brook Click Here to Register

- IEA Professional Development Conference 12/1-12/2 in Springfield Click Here to Register (Early bird pricing ends 10/15)

Melissa Williams, President 

Maureen DeVoss, Vice President for Certified Staff 

Chris Brown, Vice President for Non-Certified Staff 

Katy Gardner, Treasurer 

Betty Cwiak, Secretary 

Barb Brown, Region Representative

Matt Shannon, Stanton School Representative

Tiffany Tardio, Lotus School Representative

Business Office "Who Do I Go To"

Work Order Request

Technology Support Request

17-18 Payroll Schedule

Mentor Expectations

Mentoring Log Sheet

Mileage Recording Form

Early Release Plan 17-18

Questions for thought as you read...

In prepping for Bob Eaker--the "Yoda" of PLCs and master story teller--to come learn with us on October 6, I thought this was a great read.

When do you use stories to help students learn?

When do you encourage students to tell stories to share their learning...with you, or with others?

The Impact of Telling a Story

In this article in The Guardian, Brianne Carlon Rush cites brain research on how much

more powerful a story is than using facts and figures. In one experiment at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business, 5 percent of an audience remembered a statistics-centered presentation versus 63 percent that remembered a story. “Research shows our brain are not hard-wired to understand logic or retain facts for very long,” says Stanford professor Jennifer Aaker. “Our brains are wired to understand and retain stories. A story is a journey that moves the listener, and when the listener goes on that journey they feel different and the result is persuasion and sometimes action.”

What’s true in marketing and advertising is equally true for teachers who want their

students to remember important knowledge and skills. Some common principles:

- Develop a true understanding of your target audience.

- Identify emotional drivers – what audience members care about, what ignites their

passion.

- Use names and details from the audience. “The more relatable your story is,” says

Rush, “the more your audience will respond.”

- Tailor your story to the medium you’re using, whether it’s a lecture, movie, or tweet.

- Add credible information to your story. “No one says facts and figures should be

completely eliminated from your storytelling,” says Aaker. “When data and story are

used together, audiences are moved both emotionally and intellectually.”

- Get the audience involved in the story, perhaps by using a contest or managing a

hashtag.

“Science of Storytelling: Why and How to Use It In Your Marketing” by Brianne Carlon Rush

in The Guardian, August 28, 2014, http://bit.ly/2vKVL0p

THIS FRIDAY, September 29--D114 Day of Service!!

Congratulations to Jamie McCormick (4th grade at Lotus) on your engagement!!!!! 

When you have news or pictures to share, please let me know! I'd love to include them in the "And Finally" section of the Monday Memo! 

Thank you so much for all you do each and every day! It's an honor to work with you! Heather

Happy Monday!

@D114Stanton @D114Lotus @FLGSD114 #District114proud

  

Kudos to Sami Harshaw for having each member of the Kindergarten team take the Strengths Finder test so we could work cohesively and see what each persons strengths are! It has made me view each person in such a positive light and recognize what we each uniquely bring to the table. You rock! 
-From Samantha Rusciolelli

Kudos to Jeff for meeting the police on Elm Street to move cars that were parked in a restricted area. Jeff had the problem resolved before our bus arrived. This allowed us to stay on time on our route and get the kids to school on time and safely! 
-From The Bus Drivers!

Kudos to Jill Glauser, Kathy Lamberty and Linda Rasmussen for making these amazing visual supports for our snack time in the ECSE and blended programs.  The kids are already verbalizing so much more! You guys are the best!-From Abbey Vraney

When you have a kudo to share for someone, please just email me and I'll include it here! The goal is to create system celebrations--so your input is truly welcome!

                      

News from the Business Office

Lotus Color Copier

Thanks for the feedback on the color copier, everyone! While it seemed like a good idea to put it in the conference room, it's becoming clear that this move is creating a real issue for our staff. So, Maureen has kindly agreed to put the copier in her office, as her door is almost never closed and this will allow staff to get their copies ASAP. 

Thanks for your patience, and thanks for sharing your frustration. While I don't want anyone frustrated, I always want to try to solve any problems that are out there---so thanks for letting me know of the issue. 

Thanks also to Mo for being such a team player! 

Field Trips

Please note that all field trips must be requested at least two weeks in advance of our monthly transportation meetings. This allows us to schedule and plan for trips---not an easy task with our few buses/vans and all the routes we run!

To be on the safe side, I'd suggest making sure that any field trip request is turned in on the 10th of the month before the trip. So, if you want to take a trip in NOVEMBER, I'd suggest that you turn in the form by October 10. Thanks so much for all the advance planning--this allows us to support your efforts and make sure we're all organized!

Professional Development

Thanks to everyone who has filled out the needs assessments. The survey is still open, so click the link below to share your input. You can trust that we'll use it in planning!

Click here to access the survey. 

Please also note that we continue to support and encourage attending workshops to build your skill set. In fact, I've sent out a couple to people already that I'd like them to attend! If you have a conference you want to attend, please complete the form and attach the registration details. We'll either provide a purchase order or a check so that you do not have to pay costs out of pocket. I'll be reviewing all requests, so feel free to contact me with any questions or for additional information.  

Stipend Ideas???

Great news! As a result of some programming/support changes, we now have a few stipend positions that have been budgeted for but now can be filled with a new offering. Please contact me or Melissa Williams if you have an idea for a new club/extracurricular offering!!!! 

FACILITIES UPDATES

The Spiceworks link was acting a little wonky (technical term..LOL!) last week. It seems to be up and running again, so please use it for submitting your maintenance requests!

Keep watching for technology updates and news you can use! 

Education Association of Fox Lake News and Updates

Last Wednesday, members of the executive board had the opportunity to meet with Heather to collaborate on ways we can continue to work together to make District 114 the best it can be.  We are thankful to have this time together to share and listen to ideas, and plan for positive growth.  

On Wednesday, September 20th we will be meeting as an entire association for our 1st semester articulation.  The meeting will be in the Stanton cafeteria at 1:45 p.m. Looking forward to seeing everyone there!

We are looking for committee volunteers!  If you are looking to serve the district and let your voice be heard in an area that interests you, consider joining a committee.  Committees are a great way to help make positive changes for our students and staff.  Some of the committees include the evaluation committee, professional mentor committee, insurance committee, strategic planning committee, and wellness committee.  We will touch on committee membership more at articulation on Wednesday, but if you would ever like more information, or to volunteer, please touch base with Melissa Williams.  

Upcoming IEA Events:

- Federal Student Loan Forgiveness Presentation on  10/2/17 from 5-6:30 (https://www.cvent.com/c/express/11dc87ca-d142-42fd-9181-86be2206e4d8)

- Resilience: The Biology of Stress and The Science of Hope documentary viewing and panel discussion on 10/4/17 from 4:30-7:00 (https://www.cvent.com/c/express/17583953-403f-4dc7-8a20-11465597a8ee)

Melissa Williams, President 

Maureen DeVoss, Vice President for Certified Staff 

Chris Brown, Vice President for Non-Certified Staff 

Katy Gardner, Treasurer 

Betty Cwiak, Secretary 

Barb Brown, Region Representative

Matt Shannon, Stanton School Representative

Tiffany Tardio, Lotus School Representative

Business Office "Who Do I Go To"

Work Order Request

Technology Support Request

17-18 Payroll Schedule

Mentor Expectations

Mentoring Log Sheet

Mileage Recording Form

Early Release Plan 17-18

Questions for thought as you read...

What are you seeing us plan for differently this year?

How can we continue to improve?

How has professional learning already impacted your practice this year?

Have you indicated areas where you want to grow in the needs assessment survey (click to access)?

By Anthony Muhammad--October 26, 2016

Collective Inquiry and Building Shared Knowledge

One of the factors that makes the PLC at Work model unique is the emphasis on building shared knowledge and building the professional capacity of practitioners. The traditional school model featured individual development, and the PLC model supports collective development. In fact, one of the key principles of the model is that learning for educators is the key to improving student learning (DuFour, DuFour et al. 2016). One of the most important responsibilities of a school leader is to invest in the capacity of those who influence student learning. In the PLC process, we call this activity Collective Inquiry.

A central theme in my literature has been that “if people don’t know better, they can’t do better.” In the book, The Will to Lead, The Skill to Teach, I emphasize that the essence of leadership is the ability to use leadership influence to improve professional practice and productivity (Hollie and Muhammad 2011). Leadership is a balance of support and accountability. Effective leaders recognize that accountability is only ethical and useful if a leader first provides his/her subordinates with all that they need to have a reasonable chance to be successful. One critical need of a professional is access to powerful and relevant learning opportunities.

In my experience as both a school leader and consultant, I have observed several different effective methods to address this critical need without adding an additional time-consuming obligation for teachers.  

1)      Integrate a short article for a team to review and discuss during collaborative time after reviewing data on a learning standard for which all of the team members struggled to generate desirable outcomes.

2)      Use aggregate student achievement data to design a professional development plan based upon evidence of student gaps in learning essential standards.

3)      Arrange for a group of teachers to observe another teacher who has been highly successful at moving large numbers of students to mastery on a particular standard or topic.

4)      Use technology to allow a teacher access to a video or live stream of another teacher teaching an essential standard for which he/she is trying to improve pedagogy and student results.

5)      Gather a team and visit a school that has created a system or strategy that your staff has been trying to address, but has been unsuccessful in doing so.

In a world that is growing more interconnected and competitive every day, it is more critical than ever that we ensure that our children have the knowledge, skills, and dispositions necessary to have a fighting chance to thrive in this environment. This reality means that consistent, job-embedded professional development for educators is not a luxury, it is a necessity. School leaders must have the courage to break down the walls of isolation, not just in professional practice, but also in professional learning. If we learn together, we grow together. A school can’t be a Professional Learning Community (PLC) without professional learning.

September 19--Board of Education Meeting at Lotus, 7PM

September 20--EAFL Articulation Meeting during Early Release

September 23--TRIVIA NIGHT! We only have 3 seats left! HURRY, HURRY, HURRY!

September 29--D114 Day of Service

I was talking with a friend last week about all the plates life has me spinning right now, and she sent me this...

It was awesome, and reminded me of why she's my friend...and how much we all need each other. So, know that I hope you're learning that, if you hang out with me...you'll believe you can do anything, too!

Let's make this week amazing! Thanks for all you do! Heather