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@D114Stanton
@D114Lotus
@FLGSD114
#District114proud
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To Janette Jennings, thank you for always going above and beyond in the classroom to help the students. Your compassion and hard work is greatly appreciated! You rock :)
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Thank you Paula, Michele and Rachelle for all your help with my Skyward issues! I couldn't have made the changes without you :)
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Thank you Jessica Richardson for all the extra time you put into helping the PD students this week!
-From Donielle Williams
Thank you Theresa Kovach for kicking off Mystery Readers in Kinder.. And for an AWESOME built-in lesson!! :-) KT loved the story you read us! (picture)
-From Tiffany Tardio
Thanks so much to Paula Kvacik and Sue Pinkawa for all you do to ensure our enrollment data is accurate in SIS and for double checking the EBF data!
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To Wauconda District 118 for donating gently used Chromebook carts to us!
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To the team at Stanton working to set up the Coffee Cart--what a great way for our most needy students to grow their functional skills! A huge kudo to Liz Strba for making ALL the visuals and schedules for this so that the kids have the structure and support they need to make this a truly functional task!
-All from Heather
-All from Heather
Thank you to Jamie McCormick and Stephanie Brual for allowing us to come in and video tape your students engaging in the mathematical practice standards. You are amazing teachers and we can't wait for everyone to see these awesome examples.
-From Erica Barraza and Maureen DeVoss
To all CICO Coaches/Staff- I just wanted to say thank you for checking in/out with your student each day and taking the time to fill out students cards!
-Kim VanHoorelbeke
Thank you to our wonderful Lotus admin and office staff (Heather, Matt, Natalie, Lynn, Sue, Paula and Colleen) for continuously diving in and helping our kids “in the moment” no matter how difficult the situation. Your support to the kids and staff amazes me each and every day! Thank you for helping kids do everything from writing apology notes (Paula!) to helping kids take deep breaths and then re-focus on that frustrating math assignment (Heather!). It really does take a team! You are all amazing!
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Thank you Heather for leading four engaging strategic planning sessions. It was wonderful to witness a variety of people come together for our kids. Thank you for fostering a safe environment where all thoughts, opinions and suggestions were welcome!
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Thank you Natalie Udstuen and Michelle Magness for your support and professionalism in a difficult situation!
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Thank you Brittany Mason, Peggy Styx, Erica Bender and Chris Brown for everything you constantly do for some of our neediest students! I’m not sure who’s luckier to have you - the kids or us staff!
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Thank you Christina Martorano for listening, brainstorming, and for consulting with me daily. I’m lucky to work alongside you and I appreciate you!!!
-All from Cari Miller
P.S.--Cari, I'm always happy to help! I like feeling like I can make a difference in a student's day, so don't hesitate to ask or just grab me! :)--Heather
I wanted to give a kudos to Jackie Harmon. I really enjoyed helping her in the classroom this year. I’m sad I will not be in there to help our little group the rest of the year, but I know they will finish the year strong! Thank you for all the guidance and support this year. See you in the hall :)
P.S. You’re doing a great job!
-From Mollie Herchenbach
A HUGE thank you to everyone who chaperoned the Stanton Student Council Valentine's Dance on Friday night!! 
Rachelle Peters
Niccole Culbertson
Maddie Kerr
Sarah Swearingen
Kendra Wedl
Jamie Smeigh
Connie Lancaster
Katy Gardner
Liz Strba (and her fiancee, Andrew)
Gina Crosthwaite
and thanks to Jim O'Toole for working around us and for clean up!
-From Liz Andersen and Beth Rendon
I'm sending a big THANK YOU and GREAT JOB to Brittany Mason who seems to appear out of thin air whenever I need an extra "hand" with my new friend! It really helps to avoid a larger struggle!
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THANKS to Teresa Kovach who is a daily encouragement to me!
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To ALL the teachers on the 2nd floor who encourage me as I escort one friend or another back and forth!
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To Lynn Stolen who steps in to help in the roughest part!
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To Christina Martotano and Cari Miller who know the path through the tough parts of the job and honor and guide me!
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Especially to my partner, Erica Bender, I wish I could find the words! I hope you know how I appreciate you! You ROCK!
-All from Chris Brown
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!
"If you were a doctor and you could give another doctor/your colleague the antidote to save the life of his/or her patient you would not think twice about it! It would be your moral responsibility.So...
Teachers, if you were more effective at teaching a skill based on the team’s common assessment than your colleague--shouldn’t it be your moral responsibility to share that antidote with your colleague in order to save or enhance the lives of his/her students?
Moral and collective responsibility!
They are not your kids or my kids they are Our Kids!"
-My Buddy Brian Butler
News from the Business Office
OMNI Letter
Please see the correspondence from OMNI, attached to this week's Monday Memo email. :)
Contracts
To protect you and D114, please don't EVER sign a contract with any provider without first showing the document to your principal. All agreements or contracts for any service to/for the district MUST have an administrator's approval. Please trust that this is to protect all of us! Thanks, and let me know if you have questions.
Comp Time
While it may have been a past practice, please know that "comp time" is not something that is allowable by school code nor something that's indicated in the collective bargaining agreement. In addition to this...it also, if used for anyone, creates unfair conditions or treatment for everyone else. Every staff member has sick, personal, and--in some cases--vacation time, and these have parameters for use. If you have questions or would like to discuss, please see me--I'm happy to discuss! :)
Strategic Plan Next Steps
Now that the "big picture" work of strategic planning is complete--and THANK YOU to all participants!--we'd like to re-open the opportunity for any and all staff to add input and be part of the work. Please see below for the strategic priorities that were identified:
If you'd like to be a part of working turning these priorities into action plans, please email me and let me know which one(s) interest you.
And...thanks to everyone who participated by giving four Tuesday nights of time to making our District even better:
Joan Kantenwein, Jeff Sefcik, Matt Dabrowski, Carrie Schultz, Bill Lomas, Kim VanHoorelbeke, Nannette Kiesgen, Mandy Stochl, Karen Morris, Erica Bender, Natalie Udstuen, Sarah Bochniak, Stephanie Altergott, Donny Schmit, Cari Miller, Rachelle Peters, Kimberly Sherwin, Kelly Merrill, Michael Lescher, Sarah Ferens, Matt Peters, Andy Martin, Carmen Carbajal, Melissa Williams, Becky Allard, Denise Kelley, Maureen DeVoss, Greer Lally, Luisa Juarez, Cathy Jawnyj, Michele Burgess, Mike Szotek, David Roat, Betty Cwiak, Abbey Vraney, Victoria Miller, Theresa Kovach, Walter Nickles, and Maureen Koenig.
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!?!?!?
Continuing Education Opportunity
We are recruiting for the following March 2018 cohorts:
Master of Arts in Educational Leadership - Principal Endorsement (MAEL-PE)
- classes will meet Thursday nights, 5pm - 9:30pm
- classes begin March 15, 2018 (next cohort will be Spring 2019)
- interviews scheduled for Wednesday, February 21
- orientation is Wednesday, February 28 at 5pm
- cohort commitment forms being accepted until Tuesday, February 20
- cohort limited to 16 students (only 4 spots left!)
- AU students have a 100% pass rate on the Principal Endorsement exam!
Master of Arts in Reading Instruction (MARI)
- classes will meet Wednesday nights, 5pm - 9:30pm
- classes begin March 14, 2018
- cohort commitment forms being accepted until Thursday, March 1
- cohort limited to 18 students
- Reading Teacher Endorsement only, or full Master of Arts in Reading Instruction (Reading Specialist)
- reduced tuition rate of $300/credit hour for the first two classes - this cohort ONLY (savings of $1020) - last chance!
We are also recruiting for the following Fall 2018 cohorts:
Master of Arts in Educational Technology (MAET)
- Educational Technology Endorsement
Director of Special Education
Doctor of Education
- Leadership in Educational Administration (Superintenden
- Leadership in Curriculum & Instruction
- Advanced Standing (have Superintendent Endorsement and want to complete degree)
All classes will meet in downtown Woodstock.
For more information, contact:
Amy Carzoli, Director of Enrollment
Aurora University Woodstock Center
815-337-6273 | acarzoli@aurora.edu
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
Region 49 is currently accepting nominations for Region Chair and Vice Chair, as well as nominations for those interesting in serving as delegates at the 2018 National Education Association Representative Assembly in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The election committee strongly encourages you to discuss any nominations with the nominee prior to nominating them for a position in order to ensure they are interested in the position. Nominations are due by February 26th, please email Melissa Williams for the nomination form. The election for the positions will be held March 15th.
From the IEA Website:
"On February 24, 2018, working people from across the state of Illinois are coming together to stand up for our rights and freedom to organize and participate in our unions. This day of action is a part of a nationally coordinated effort, to show our unity in the face of the Supreme Court as it hears arguments over a case called Janus v. AFSCME that threatens to strip Americans of our freedom to come together in strong unions, build power, and have a voice at work. We need to stand up for our unions. Unions make sure every child has access to a high-quality public education. Unions built the middle class. Unions make our country strong. Join us in Chicago as we stand in solidarity and unison with others through the Illinois Working Together coalition. Come help us protect our right to organize. Meet and unify with members of other unions."
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...
How do you err on the side of positive?
What's one thing you could do differently to add even more positivity to students' days?
Always Err on the Side of Positive
By George Couros on Feb 18, 2018 07:20 am
From the beginning of my teaching career, I remember trying to go out during recess and playing basketball with kids, because I was passionate about the sport, and that meant something to the students. Not only did this boost my confidence as I grew older that I could still score on 12-year-olds on the playground, it was also a great way to connect with both students I taught and didn’t teach that year.
I have a personal policy that if I was to pass a student or an adult in the hallway, I would always acknowledge them in some way positive. A little “hello” or positive comment to someone could significantly improve their day, whether you know it or not. I know that when I go to the gym and get a friendly hello or acknowledgment from someone working at the counter when I check in, it can improve my mood and change my workout, and sometimes, my entire day.
There is a lot of bad stuff in our world. Maybe there is more than there has ever been, perhaps we are just more aware of it, or maybe it is both I don’t know. What I do know is that a subtle positive interaction with a student (or adult) walking in the hallway could be a pebble in the ocean that eventually changes the tide for that child.
Or maybe it doesn’t.
I also know that no matter how many times I acknowledge someone positively, I never run out of opportunities to do it again.
The safest bet is to always err on the side of positive. Small interactions can make a massive difference.
February 20--Board of Education Meeting
Please keep Rich Bressett (5th grade at Stanton) in your thoughts and prayers. He remains hospitalized and is still intubated and sedated while his medial team works to determine how to help him progress and how to address the issues at hand.
Appreciate every moment, and have a wonderful week!
Heather
