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@D114Stanton
@D114Lotus
@FLGSD114
#District114proud
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Shout out to: Kally Kibs for supporting Special Olympics with me by Freezin’ for a Reason at the Fox Lake Polar Plunge!
-From Kelly Roland
I would like to thank Erin Connolly-Jordt for letting me use her music room to take the Father/Daughter Dance pictures on Saturday!
-From Porfirio Franco
Thank YOU, Porfirio, for donating your time to take the pictures! -HF
Thank you so much to Michele Burgess who found a new/used table to fit in my office. I love it!
-From Rachelle Peters
I want to give a HUGE kuddos to Gayle McManamon who has been so kind to allow me to use her classroom for the PK vision and hearing screenings. It has made my job so much easier!
-From Jessica Lanners
Thank you to Walter Nickles for always helping the most anxious of students succeed in your classroom by using positive interventions. You're awesome!
and
Thank you to Ryan Hawkins and Liz Strba for setting up the student coffee cart in the morning. You both did an amazing job and put a lot of effort into it. My kids on my caseload that are involved are super excited!
and
Thank you to my special education team for always working together to problem solve and help students succeed. You guys are the best!
-All from Cathy Jawnyj
Thank you to Fred Miller and the entire fifth grade team for helping out while Rich has been out!
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Thank you to Janette Jennings, Jessica Richardson, and Liz Andersen for helping out while Gizelle has been out!
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Thank you to Kendra Wedl for supporting a few students during P.E.
and
Thank you to Jessica Lanners for getting the prescription for the stock of EpiPens
and
Thank you to Michelle Serini and Greer Lally for working together to coteach their upcoming Geometry unit.
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Thank you to the amazing staff at Stanton for stepping in and helping sub as needed! I cannot thank you enough!
-All from Rachelle Peters
Thank you to Christina Martorano for revamping and implementing a visual behavior management plan in one of our classrooms. She truly went above and beyond to highlight the positives of this program and visual needs for the students. The students were given opportunities for input on the reward system and ask questions to understand what is expected vs. unexpected classroom behavior.
and
Kudos to Michelle Williams to reward students in the cafeteria for displaying positive behavior.
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Kudos to Theresa Kovach for focusing on Kindness Week and discussing the importance of being kind and ways to be kind with her students.
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Kudos to the Preschool for All Team for participating in the book study, Powerful Interactions, to embrace building positive relationships with every preschool student.
-All from Natalie Udstuen
Thanks to Rachel Lundberg for all she has done to help make our Pre-K Blended Program a success. Rachel jumped right in at the beginning of the year and kicked off the program under challenging circumstances. She continued to make a positive impact as she gracefully moved from leading the classroom to supporting it. We all know that a classroom can be like a home away from home, ideally with both 'parents' (teacher and aid) supporting each other and being consistent. I was so grateful to have that with Rachel. Our united front has been a gift to our students, and it's allowed us to have a classroom that works really well. Thank you for that, and for all you've done to make this new program a success. Wishing you the very best in your role down the hall as we enter the final stretch of the year. We will miss you! 
While we are on the topic of changes, our PreK Blended Program would like to welcome Cherri Dory to our classroom. We know it can be challenging to move late in the year as we become attached to our students/class. While we can't replace your students, we do have precious ones that join me in warmly welcoming you to our Blended PreK Program family!
-From Gayle McManamon
To Natalie for sharing student successes with me!
and
To Paula Kvacik for wo-manning the fort when Sue and Colleen were out last week!
-From Heather
Mr.Olson and Mss Jawnyj are always so gracious to the Drama Club. When they are able to, they allow us to rehearse in their classrooms whenever the stage is double.booked! We greatly appreciate their generosity and support. Thank you two!
-From Joseph Fernandez
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
Final Funds Requests
While I know that February 1 has typically been the last day to request payments/orders, but it makes a bit more sense (and is my past practice) to say that all spending requests for this school year be received by Spring Break. This allows plenty of time to process prior to the end of the fiscal year.
More to come on budgeting for 2018-19, including how we'll do supply orders (which...sneak peek...will be online and not require reimbursement or receipt tracking).
Legal Issues
Per my email earlier this week:
I'd request that, if you are ever asked by ANYONE to get involved in a legal issue,
- You should reply that, "As a District employee, I cannot get involved in a family or personal situation.
- If you receive a legal document (like a subpoena), contact from an attorney, or any follow up, please let me know ASAP so that I can assist and, if needed, get our legal counsel's support.
Horace Mann
I've been asked to let you know that Drew Bonaventura is now fully overseeing any D114 staff members' Horace Mann accounts. Any and all questions should be direct to him at Andrew.Bonaventura@horacemann.com or 847-268-3090. David Rutkowski is retired and no longer overseeing our account---and it gets confusing when info/questions are directed to him.
THANKS!
PARCC Updates
We’ve gotten some new information related to the PARCC assessment, which we’ve been told will NOT be used in 2018-19. It’s my new understanding that another company has bought all the questions from PARCC and will also adopt the entire format...so it’s more that the company providing the assessment will no longer be the same. However, the set up and data will translate across the systems. I’ll continue to keep you posted on this.
PLC Institute---We Want YOU!
PLC Institute---We Want YOU!
I'm so excited to share that professional development funds have been set aside to send a D114 team to the Professional Learning Communities Institute at Lincolnshire, IL (aka Stevenson High School) this summer! This is such a great institute---and the best of the best in PLC work will be there presenting...and I get to join them, too!
If you'd like to join our team in learning, please let me know.
Did I mention I'm super excited!?!?!?
Speech and Language Tips from Abbey
Check out this week's tips from Abbey! She came up with the fabulous idea of putting each week's ideas on a slide, then adding the slides so all the info is in one place...you can go back and look at any time!
Click here to see her amazing ideas! Updated today!
FACILITIES UPDATES
Keep watching here for updates!
YES, YOU CAN CHAT!
Thanks to our amazing tech team (aka Mike and David), Google Chat/Hangouts is now open for staff use. Please note that students cannot access this feature. I LOVE Google Chat--it's a huge timesaver.
Below is a link to a great video explaining the basics of Hangouts. I did have to edit it to shorten. I also have the link to add the Google Hangouts extension to Chrome. The extension and Hangouts are only available to staff.
Video link:
Extension:
Mike and David are happy to help if you need assistance!
Education Association of Fox Lake News and Updates
Chris Brown, one of the most kind, caring, compassionate, and loving people I have the privilege of knowing, recently posted the following on her Twitter page. “Each time I see, hear or feel unkindness, hurtfulness or thoughtlessness, I will push back with love.” I loved it so much and wanted to share it with you all as well. Sometimes it is difficult for me to explain to others what exactly “it” is that makes this staff so amazing, but maybe it’s simply love; the love we as educators put into our work and give to our students every single day. I am so thankful to work with such a loving and dedicated group of educators. I know it isn’t always easy and sometimes it’s actually the hardest work we do, but know that the love you give truly makes a difference every single day.
Well said, Melissa (and Chris) ♡-HF
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
17-18 Payroll Schedule--UPDATED 10/22/17
Blue Cross Blue Shield:
Guardian:
Questions for thought as you read...
Are you a "changemaker"?
Are you helping your students be "changemakers"?
How do you know?
David Brooks on “Changemakers”
In this New York Times column, David Brooks says that low-level, repetitive work is rapidly being taken over by machines. In the emerging economy, he believes, rule-followers who plod through mechanical work will find themselves out of work, and the advantage will go to changemakers – “people who can see the patterns around them, identify the problems in any situation, figure out ways to solve the problem, organize fluid teams, lead collective action and then continually adapt as situations change… It doesn’t matter if you are working in the cafeteria or the inspection line of a plant, companies will now only hire people who can see problems and organize responses.”
How can we develop this capacity in children? Imagine a 12-year-old girl telling a parent about an interpersonal problem at school. “This is a big moment,” says Brooks. “You pause what you are doing and ask her if there’s anything she thinks she can do to solve the problem, not just for this situation but for the next time it happens, too. Very few kids take action to solve the first problem they see, but eventually they come back having conceived and owning an idea. They organize their friends and do something. The adult job now is to get out of the way. Put the kids in charge. Once a kid has had an idea, built a team, and changed her world, she’s a changemaker. She has the power. She’ll go on to organize more teams. She will always be needed.”
One of the key qualities of changemakers is cognitive empathy – the ability to perceive how people are feeling in evolving circumstances. Another quality is agency – the belief that you can and must make a difference. “Today,” says Brooks, “schools have to develop the curriculums and assessments to make the changemaking mentality universal. They have to understand this is their criterion for success… Millions of people don’t feel that they can take control of their own lives. If we could give everyone the chance to experience an agency moment, to express love and respect in action, the ramifications really could change the world.”
“Everyone a Changemaker” by David Brooks in The New York Times, February 9, 2018,
Wednesday, February 28--EAFL Executive Board/Heather monthly meeting--3:20 at Stanton
March 20--Board of Education Meeting--Final 18-19 calendar approval
Please continue to keep Rich Bressett and Gizelle Wells in your thoughts as they recuperate.
Thanks so much for all you do every day!
Heather
