Monday, April 30, 2018

Monday Mid-Day Memo this week...






@D114Stanton
@D114Lotus
@FLGSD114
#District114proud

Welcome to Madeline Espinosa (HR/Payroll Specialist) and Tim Douglas (Lotus Custodian)! Both start in D114 TODAY! Please be sure to make them feel welcome!




Kudos to Joan Kantenwein for planning the end of the year field day for the students.  Thank you to Amber Mysliwiec for helping to plan some new and exciting games.
and
Thanks to Lynn Smolen who is always willing to step in and help out when needed.
-From Natalie Udstuen

Thank you David for getting the needed updates on the iPads so they were ready to go for our track meet scoring... I really appreciate your last minute help!  
and
Thank you Betty Cwiak, Jill Becmer, Michele Burgess, Michelle Serini, Greer Lally, and Fred Miller for helping to time at the track meet Tuesday afternoon... your help to put on a great meet for the athletes is appreciated!
-From Melissa Williams

To Joseph Fernandez for directing a wonderful performance of Rikki Tikki Tavi through shadow puppetry.  
and
Melissa Boyce for partnering with me and Sarah Groebe in reviewing our current ELL practices.
and
Matt Shannon for leading staff in learning in reading and writing.
and
Rachelle Peters for being Rachelle Peters!!
and
Fred Miller and the entire 5th grade team for a great job while Rich was out and to Rich Bressett for battling like a champion to get back to Stanton!
and
Barb Brown for bringing home the title of Grand Champion from the 4H IL Robotics Competition in Lake and McHenry County
and
The Mental Health and Math Teams for a great job in selecting our new and improved resources.
and
Karen Brnot and Liz Andersen and Beth Rendon for leading the NJHS and Student Council and providing so many service opportunities for our students.
-ALL from Jeff Sefcik

Thank you Greer Lally for helping out with the scholastic bowl team! You are a great Co-coach!
-Cathy Jawnyj

Thank you to Natalie Miller and Erin Connolly Jordt for all of your help and support with the Talent Show!  It is definitely appreciated!
-From Maureen DeVoss
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

Seniority List
Just letting everyone know that I'm still working to get clarification on days for service credit as well as a review of every person's assignment in order to make sure years of service are accurately documented. There are issues with staff who first worked as paraprofessionals and then move to certified positions--specifically, only years worked in a certified role count toward certified seniority and vice versa. 

Bottom line--lots of clean up needed. We're working to make sure that everything is 100% accurate by the end of the school year...and--once it's accurate--we'll be able to publish annually in accordance with the timeline in the contract (Feb. 1). 

Thanks for your patience in this process. 

Last Day of School--Repeat Info
In sincere hopes that we can now say there will be no more snow days, the last day of school for staff and students is May 24. This is an EARLY RELEASE day, but please note that all staff must "check out" before leaving for a well-deserved summer break! Please see your principals with any questions on that process. 

Student Health Lists
Please note that student health condition lists are HIPPA protected and can only be shared on a need to know basis. Jessica Lanners and I are working to streamline this, but please don't be offended if you're not given all the information you may request--there are strict parameters around this. If you have questions, please see me. 

Emergency Contacts
Please, please, please be sure your emergency contacts are updated (or completed at all) in Skyward. In three different instances this year, we have not been able to contact a family member in the time of a staff health issue. We'll make sure this is a part of the back to school process but I'd sure appreciate it if you'd update NOW. Thanks---it's truly to help make sure you are safe. 

Staffing Plan Question
A great question was posed related to the staffing plan. Specifically, I had raised issues in the fall around positions being funded by grant dollars. The reason for this is that, in addition to the salary paid from the grant, the district was expected to pay an extra 40% of the salary from local dollars...and this had been our practice. With changes in legislation, the local dollar contribution is now down to 10%, which makes paying people via grants much more reasonable and fiscally sound. While I still don't like paying an overage, this allows us to use our vast grant funding to add to our programs and services...far more than we'd be able to using only the local funds generated by property taxes. If you want more info our would like to discuss, please let me know. 



Please Be Sure...
You are not using District-paid software/apps/logins for personal family use. Many of these bill us for each user, so it's important to make sure that only D114 students are accessing our paid subscriptions. 

INFINITEC MONTHLY NEWSLETTER FOR MAY & SUMMER 2018
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE NEW ELC ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY WEBSITE!!! This newsletter will be posted there, as well as, cheat sheets for a variety of common assistive technology tools.  


Infinitec is an Special Education and Assistive Technology Initiative that provides webinars, workshops, resources and other services to member districts.  Their website not only includes a calendar of events of one day webinars and workshops, but also free archived webinars of a variety of topics for staff with any level of knowledge.  Please contact Brandt Rosen (brosen@elced.org) for more information of what Infinitec has to offer.  

VIEW FREE WEBINARS WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR A FREE ACCOUNT:  
Click here to register for a free account.  For ELC member district staff and parents ONLY.  When signing up, under "District/coop," be sure to type in the "Exceptional Learners' Collaborative."  Please remember that if you sign up, one day webinars are archived for a certain amount of time following the time of the webinar, so it's good to sign up even though if you may not be able to attend the exact date and/or time of the webinar.  You will be able to watch the webinar later. Please visit the MyInfinitec Online Classroom for archived webinars and earn CEUs.  


WORKSHOPS/CONFERENCES:

FUN APPS, SOFTWARE OR RESOURCES:
  • Group Buys Have Arrived for 2018!- Purchase technology at a discount through Infinitec Group Buy Program from Attainment Company, Cadan Assistive Tech, News2You, Mayer Johnson Boardmaker Online

PLEASE CONTACT BRANDT ROSEN brosen@elced.org or (224)513-6455 FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR ISSUES


Image result for keep calm and love speech therapy
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
Don't forget...if you have a maintenance request, please use the work request link to share it. Our team will take care of it ASAP!




As we head toward the end of the year, please be sure that you let David/Mike know of technology issues you may be having. We're currently building next year's budget so if there are issues--we need to know. THANKS!




Education Association of Fox Lake News and Updates
The insurance committee will be meeting today, Monday, to continue to investigate insurance options for next year.  The RIF committee will be meeting on Tuesday and the executive board is looking forward to meeting with Heather on Wednesday of this week.  Thank you to everyone who serves on one (or more) of these committees for your service to the association and the district!

Thank you to everyone who voted in the April 19th executive board election and to Maureen DeVoss and Matt Shannon for running the election.  ​

EAFL Executive Board Election Results (43 ballots received)

President: Melissa Williams 42/43

Vice President (Certified): Maureen DeVoss 43/43

Vice President (Non-certified): Chris Brown 43/43

Treasurer: Katy Gardner 43/43

Secretary: Betty Cwiak 43/43

Region Representative: Cathy Jawnyj 43/43

Lotus Building Representative: Tiffany Tardio 37/37

Stanton Building Representative: Kendra Wedl 37/37

​New executive board members will take over on June 15th.  ​

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





Flat Rate Stipend Payment Request Form--Updated 12/10/17



17-18 Payroll Schedule--UPDATED 10/22/17
Mentor Expectations
Mentoring Log Sheet

Mileage Recording Form


Blue Cross Blue Shield:
www.bcbsil.com

Guardian:
www.guardiananytime.com

Workshop/Conference Request Procedure



Questions for thought as you read...

Take a look at this infographic...
Which facts surprise you?
Which facts motivate you?



May 2--Special Board of Education Meeting 7:00 PM--Limited scope of transportation planning for 2018-19

Week of May 7---STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK! 

May 15--Regular Board of Education Meeting


Thanks for your kind words and TLC. My father in law had been sick, but we were shocked that he passed away so suddenly yesterday. I appreciate your care and concern more than you know.


Enjoy the sunshine!
Heather
at

Sunday, April 22, 2018

Spring has sprung!!!!






@D114Stanton
@D114Lotus
@FLGSD114
#District114proud



A HUGE thank you to our bus drivers, Becky L, Christy, Norine, Hallie, and Tina. A HUGE thank you to our kitchen staff and another HUGE thank you to Sue, Paula, Colleen, and Andrea in the office for helping the fourth-grade team and students in operating a smooth field trip to Camp Duncan. We couldn't have done it without you!!
-From the 4th grade team


Thank you to the entire D114 family for the cards, flowers, warm welcome back, and overwhelming support. There is no doubt in my mind that it helped drive my goal to get healthy and return this year.
and

Thank you to all of the Stanton staff for supporting Mr. Miller  while he was Mr. Bressett during my unexpected absence.
     
and

Thank you to Mr. Miller for filling in and taking care of my fifth grade class during my absence I really appreciate the effort.
       -All from Rich Bressett
RICH--we're thrilled you're back!!! H.F.

Thank you to my wonderful K team, Dory AND wonderful EAFL board members for helping take on all of my responsibilities Thursday.  Your willingness and kindness are such a blessing.  
-From Tiffany Tardio

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!


        
Image result for make a difference




  


News from the Business Office

Certified Staffing Board of Education Presentation
At Tuesday's Board meeting, we presented the certified staffing plan for 18-19, and it was approved. The actual memo is attached to the Monday Memo email, so please check it out and let me know if you have questions or want additional information. All position postings will go up and out early this week. The staffing plan for support staff will be presented in May. 

Last Day of School
In sincere hopes that we can now say there will be no more snow days, the last day of school for staff and students is May 24. This is an EARLY RELEASE day, but please note that all staff must "check out" before leaving for a well-deserved summer break! Please see your principals with any questions on that process. 

403(b) Benefits Info
Please see the Monday Memo email for a flyer of information about 403(b) benefits!



Special Education Support and Training
On May 9, the direct instruction "gurus" we'll be working with will be on site to spend some time with us, seeing our programming, and talking with you. During early release time, they'll share some initial thoughts as well as the plan for further training. More details on the plan for the day coming, but they also asked that I share some informational links related to direct instruction with you:



www.nifdi.org also has a pretty thorough online tutorial, which would be beneficial for you to dig into ahead of any training! 

Please remember, these intensive programs would only be used for/with students who meet the criteria. Our goal is that the maximum number of students possible access our tier 1 curriculum and supports and that these methods are reserved for our most needy, most discrepant learners. 
Image result for keep calm and love speech therapy
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
Don't forget...if you have a maintenance request, please use the work request link to share it. Our team will take care of it ASAP!



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.  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
Thank you to Matt Shannon and Maureen DeVoss for running the EAFL Executive Board Election on Thursday! Ballots will be counted early this week.  

All IEA members should have received voting information for the 2018 IEA Spring Election to their home address.  Voting closes at 1:00 p.m.On Wednesday, April 25th so be sure to vote by going to http://www.ieanea.org/elections and logging in with your member ID and password.  You will also need the election code and pin that was mailed to you.  


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




Flat Rate Stipend Payment Request Form--Updated 12/10/17



17-18 Payroll Schedule--UPDATED 10/22/17
Mentor Expectations
Mentoring Log Sheet

Mileage Recording Form


Blue Cross Blue Shield:
www.bcbsil.com

Guardian:
www.guardiananytime.com

Workshop/Conference Request Procedure



Questions for thought as you read...

Knowing that behaviors tend to need even more support at the end of the year...
Which of these strategies are already in place for you/your students?
What is one thing you could add or try? 


SIX SIMPLE, PROVEN WAYS TO REACH YOUR MOST DIFFICULT STUDENT

Over the years, I've had my share of difficult students. (Haven't we all?) 
And each time, I try new ways to be proactive in avoiding meltdowns before they happen, 
work harder at creating a positive and support environment for her, as well as finding 
support for us both. 
Today I'm sharing six steps that have been consistently effective in managing a 
difficult student. My hope is that these will bring some help to you as well. 

1. Be patient. This seems obvious, but no matter your patience level, understand that it 
will be tested. When you think you’ve reached your limit, dig deep and find some more. 
Step away from the student and take a breath. Ask a peer to look in on your class while 
you walk the hall. Whatever you need to do - just don’t reach your limit. Passing the line 
puts you in a zone that isn’t good for you or the child. You’ll say things and make decisions
 you’ll later regret and encourage negative behavior from the child.

2. Set routines and schedules. Research clearly shows that kids thrive when they have 
well-established routines. Routines create boundaries and allow children to find comfort 
in the familiar. This is especially true for students with behavior issues who crave stability, 
even predictability, to avoid feeling out of control.

3. Be consistent. This is perhaps one of the hardest aspects of managing dozens of children
 at once, but by far the most important. Kids have to know that you mean what you say and
 that you are trustworthy. It’s easy to want to give in to circumstances or let behaviors
 slide every once in a while, especially when you’re pressed for time and simply need to 
move on. However, students need to see that they can rely on you in the small things so 
that they feel comfortable trusting you with the big things. When you establish a schedule, 
stick to it! When you assign consequences for breaking rules, follow through – even when 
it’s tough.

4. Develop personal connections. This is huge! As teachers, we do our best to get to know
 our students – their academic strengths and weaknesses, how they learn best, what interests
 them, etc. But, in order to reach your most difficult kids, you have to go a step further. 
Find big and small ways to interact with that child one on one. Here are a few that worked 
for me:
At the end of the day, leave a personal note in the student’s desk for him to find when he 
comes to school the next day. This sets a positive tone at the beginning of the day and gives
him something to look forward to.
Create an open, running dialogue. Have a two-way journal where your student can write 
when she’s most frustrated. Then create a place where she can turn it in to you discreetly 
and a time when you can respond.
Have a regular lunch date. Invite your student back to the classroom to eat lunch and 
discuss his progress every so often. Or, take your lunch to the cafeteria and eat with your 
entire class, but sit next to your student so that he feels special.
Find another staff person the student admires and allow time for mentoring. For my boys, 
I tried to find a male teacher the student liked who was wiling to check in on them regularly.
It could be as simple as allowing the student to visit the other teacher’s class during the last
five minutes of each day to ask how his day went and provide positive feedback on good 
choices. Guidance counselors are also wonderful resources for possible mentors. 
Attend an after school activity. This one can be difficult with your busy schedule, I know. 
However, it’s a surefire way to gain respect and show that you truly care. In an especially
 difficult class, I had several boys who played together on the school’s football team. 
So I found out when they were next playing at home and showed up at a game. To be 
honest, I can think of 100 things I’d rather do than watch football. But, attending that game
 was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. The boys were impressed that I took the 
time to show up and treated me differently every day after. Trust me – if you can find the 
time, work a game, recital, or match into your schedule. You won’t regret it.

5. Provide the student with tools that work. Sometimes we’re so focused on teaching 
reading, writing, and arithmetic that we forget that students also need to be taught basic life 
skills. It’s easy to assume that children are being taught at home how to manage feelings, 
respond to disappointment, and treat others with respect. Sadly, this isn’t always the case. 
Rather than assuming students who act out are doing so because they enjoy it, understand 
that oftentimes disruptions occur because students simply don’t know the right way to 
express what they are feeling. 
Providing students with tools for managing frustration as it occurs will help diffuse little 
sparks before they become raging fires. In my classroom, I taught students how to use 
this form when they could feel a problem brewing. It’s short and to the point allowing 
students to identify the issue, possible causes, and ways they might manage it. It’s meant 
to teach students to reflect and be proactive about managing feelings rather than allowing 
problems to fester and consume them. It takes just a few minutes to complete and allows 
students with time away from peers or situations that might be difficult. When ready, the 
student brings the completed form to you so that you can talk about it together during an 
appropriate time.

6. Create a strong home-school connection. I’ll be honest, for me this was most difficult 
to do. I’ve had more than my fair share of difficult parents, and at times, I was hesitant to 
reach out. And frankly, sometimes time just got the best of me. When juggling the dozens 
of things to get done every day, it’s easy to let parent phone calls slide. It's never planned 
that way, but unfortunately it happens.
To help solve this last issue, I created a reflection sheet for students to complete at the end 
of their day. One asks students to reflect on areas in which they struggled and identify ways 
they can make better choices during the following day. In the beginning, I had only the 
students who earned a tally complete the sheet. It was stapled into students’ agendas where
 parents would sign that they had seen it and could leave a comment for me. 
I also wanted to acknowledge positive choices that were being made throughout the day so 
I created a companion page. Students list one area that went well for them, note how they 
were able to make positive choices, and identify a way to continue that behavior the next 
day. This too went home in agendas so that parents could praise students for a job well done.
 I found that the sheets usually worked better than phone calls as students had a record of
great behavior that they could look back on throughout the year. 

Following these steps won’t solve every behavior problem that arises during the year. 
However, they will go a long way towards creating a positive environment in which students
 feel noticed and valued. 

https://everythingjustso.org/blog/managing-behavior-reaching-your-most-difficult-students




Week of May 7---STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK! 


You may have already received this info, but just in case...





Thanks for all you do! Have a wonderful week!
Heather
at
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