 |
@D114Stanton
@D114Lotus
@FLGSD114
#District114proud
|
A big Thank You to Linda Rasmussen for going above and beyond in helping with my kiddos. She’s a thoughtful team player!
Gayle McManamon
Thank you to second grade for inviting us to your awesome wax museum! Your students worked so hard and gave us some great information about their animals! It was a wonderful opportunity for our students to ask some great questions!
and
Kudos to the admin team for being able to keep such a big secret on the day Golden Apple came. Thank you for organizing such a fun surprise and for including so many of my loved ones!
and
Thank you to D114 for all of the support and kind words throughout this process! You ALL fill my bucket every day! I work at the best place on earth with most extraordinary people! I truly feel blessed.
-From Erica Barraza
Thank you Betty Cwiak for organizing Books for Free at Stanton... what a great way to get students excited about reading! 
-From Melissa Williams
A special thank you to Victoria Miller for all her support concerning technology and the typing of our Second Grade Animal Reports! All her extra help makes a positive difference!
and
As, you may know, we started a Math Club here at Lotus for second thru fourth grades. The thought was to limit the club to 12 or 15 children, on a first come, first served basis (or have a random drawing). However, plans changed when we had 27 kids sign up. How do you turn kids away from Math? We didn't!!!! I would like to recognize Brittney Miller and Mollie Herchenbach for helping with the club. With their support I am able group/help the children by ability. It has been a wonderful experience for all involved!
and
A special thank you to Victoria Miller for all her support concerning technology and the typing of our Second Grade Animal Reports! All her extra help makes a positive difference! and
Special thanks to Gayle McManamon for all her hard work and patience with the second grade children. Her love for reading, writing and her kind ways have spilled over. Thanks Gayle! You are appreciated! And your smile is contagious.
-From Theresa Kovach
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
Payroll Updates
There was a lot of information shared about payroll right before break. To make sure everyone has the information you need, please be sure to see the attachments to this week's Monday Memo email:
1. My memo explaining the payroll changes, originally sent out on Friday, March 23.
2. The 2018-19 payroll calendar.
As always, if you have questions, please see Becky Allard or me. We are happy to help in any way!
As a reminder, we have rescheduled the February 9 Institute Day that was snowed out to April 13. I'll send out the final agenda in next week's Memo, but the day will look pretty much the same as the original plan! :)
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 everyone who was able to attend our Spring Articulation Meeting on the Wednesday before spring break. We appreciate the questions and dialogue as we want everyone's voice and perspective to be heard. If you were not able to attend, or still have questions or concerns about any of the items discussed at our meeting, please do not hesitate to reach out!
We would like to thank administration and members alike for their collective understanding and collaboration regarding the need for some payroll changes that will ultimately benefit both the district and employees. Please be sure to review and ask any questions about the Payroll Clarification memo sent out by Heather on Friday, March 23rd to help minimize any confusion as the changes start taking effect this summer.
Upcoming Events
Staff Outing: Friday, April 13th, 3:30 p.m. @ Cuda's (appetizers will be provided by the EAFL)
Family Easter Egg Hunt: Saturday, April 14th; 10 a.m. @Lotus (thank you Cheryl Schuck!)
EAFL Executive Board Elections: Thursday, April 19th (details to follow)
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
Link to D114 Friday Facts Blog--ADDED 3/11/18
LINK to Strategic Planning Presentations/Documents--ADDED 2/25/18
LINK to Strategic Planning Presentations/Documents--ADDED 2/25/18
17-18 Payroll Schedule--UPDATED 10/22/17
Blue Cross Blue Shield:
Guardian:
Questions for thought as you read...
How do you already help ensure your students have time with all 3 levels of learning?
What's one thing you're willing to try after reading this article?
Three Levels of Learning
In this article in Phi Delta Kappan, Guy Claxton (King’s College/London) uses the metaphor of a river
to describe three levels of learning:
to describe three levels of learning:
- Knowledge and information on the surface, usually easy to see and describe
- Skills and literacies just below the surface, the expertise that enables students to use knowledge
- Attitudes and habits of mind deeper still; harder to see, these are the gradually developing
or threatened? Do they engage or wait to be directed? Are they willing to admit mistakes or do they try to
cover up their fallibility?
“Like the banks and bed of the river,” says Claxton, “every classroom channels and shapes students’
development, not just as knowers of facts but as learners. The attitudes and habits shaped at school have
a powerful impact on students’ long-term success in life.”
development, not just as knowers of facts but as learners. The attitudes and habits shaped at school have
a powerful impact on students’ long-term success in life.”
Thinking back on when he taught high-school chemistry, Claxton realizes with chagrin that he was
“unconsciously and unintentionally steering my students to becoming passive, dependent, cautious grade
addicts rather than imaginative, independent, risk-taking explorers. I made things too neat for them and
rescued them from difficulty too quickly, so they didn’t learn how to struggle for themselves. I was in such
a hurry to make sure they were catching the knowledge I was sending down the river that I paid no heed
to the deeper forms of learning.”
“unconsciously and unintentionally steering my students to becoming passive, dependent, cautious grade
addicts rather than imaginative, independent, risk-taking explorers. I made things too neat for them and
rescued them from difficulty too quickly, so they didn’t learn how to struggle for themselves. I was in such
a hurry to make sure they were catching the knowledge I was sending down the river that I paid no heed
to the deeper forms of learning.”
How could he have done better? For one thing, he realizes, rather than providing the exact equipment
necessary for a particular experiment, he should have laid out a variety of resources, including some that
were not appropriate, and let students choose. “As teachers,” he says, “we make dozens of these choices
in every lesson, every day. Making these choices requires an awareness of the different layers of learning
and how each layer draws upon different aspects of good teaching.”
necessary for a particular experiment, he should have laid out a variety of resources, including some that
were not appropriate, and let students choose. “As teachers,” he says, “we make dozens of these choices
in every lesson, every day. Making these choices requires an awareness of the different layers of learning
and how each layer draws upon different aspects of good teaching.”
Thinking about the second layer of skill development, Claxton realizes that he should have been more of
a personal trainer/coach, designing good “exercise machines” for the target skills appropriate to students’
current level of expertise and giving constant feedback, so they would stretch to achieve their personal best.
a personal trainer/coach, designing good “exercise machines” for the target skills appropriate to students’
current level of expertise and giving constant feedback, so they would stretch to achieve their personal best.
The deepest level is different, he says: “Learning attitudes are not taught, or even trained, so much as
incubated, and we teachers have to design the incubator. To build curiosity, resilience, and independence,
we need to design the whole culture of the classroom to welcome and strengthen these dispositions.
Everything we do – how we design our lessons, how we mark students’ work, the language we use, how
we arrange the furniture, how eager we are to demonstrate our knowledge – all of these elements slowly
shape students’ attitudes.” This layer is constantly interacting with the other two, but teachers need to be
aware of all three “lest we inadvertently teach in a way that keeps our students floating on the surface.”
incubated, and we teachers have to design the incubator. To build curiosity, resilience, and independence,
we need to design the whole culture of the classroom to welcome and strengthen these dispositions.
Everything we do – how we design our lessons, how we mark students’ work, the language we use, how
we arrange the furniture, how eager we are to demonstrate our knowledge – all of these elements slowly
shape students’ attitudes.” This layer is constantly interacting with the other two, but teachers need to be
aware of all three “lest we inadvertently teach in a way that keeps our students floating on the surface.”
Claxton has four practical suggestions for building strong, positive attitudes about learning while not
neglecting knowledge and skills:
neglecting knowledge and skills:
• Not letting students use erasers – The way erasers are used in some classrooms, he believes,
“weakens children’s learning by encouraging them to hide their mistakes. Some teachers act as if being
‘bright’ means getting all your answers right the first time.” In the real world, there’s lots of trial and error,
and getting the idea that being smart means being instantly successful makes students feel stupid when
they make mistakes, flounder, or need more time. “This bad feeling,” says Claxton, “makes you want to
avoid effort and the risk of error, so your resilience and determination are undermined and you become a
weaker learner.”
“weakens children’s learning by encouraging them to hide their mistakes. Some teachers act as if being
‘bright’ means getting all your answers right the first time.” In the real world, there’s lots of trial and error,
and getting the idea that being smart means being instantly successful makes students feel stupid when
they make mistakes, flounder, or need more time. “This bad feeling,” says Claxton, “makes you want to
avoid effort and the risk of error, so your resilience and determination are undermined and you become a
weaker learner.”
• A poster with steps to take when you’re stuck – He suggests having students brainstorm self-help
suggestions on steps to take when they don’t know what to do – for example, Reread the question.
Look at the illustrations. Ask a friend.
suggestions on steps to take when they don’t know what to do – for example, Reread the question.
Look at the illustrations. Ask a friend.
• Three things I’ve already tried – When a teacher arrives to help a student, ask what the student has
already tried. Maybe the student needs another minute, or a slight hint, but not too much, says
Claxton: “Just enough to get their learning going again.”
already tried. Maybe the student needs another minute, or a slight hint, but not too much, says
Claxton: “Just enough to get their learning going again.”
• Chili challenges – Similar to restaurant menus that give a choice of how spicy a dish should be,
students might be given the choice of different degrees of difficulty – aiming for just the right level to
get them into the learning zone. “If students choose one that is too easy or too hard, no problem,” says
Claxton, “they can always choose a different one. Once they get used to being in the learning zone, they
become more resilient.”
students might be given the choice of different degrees of difficulty – aiming for just the right level to
get them into the learning zone. “If students choose one that is too easy or too hard, no problem,” says
Claxton, “they can always choose a different one. Once they get used to being in the learning zone, they
become more resilient.”
“Deep Rivers of Learning” by Guy Claxton in Phi Delta Kappan, March 2018 (Vol. 99, #6, p.
March 20--Board of Education Meeting--Final 18-19 calendar approval
April 3--D114 PTA night at Culver's--please consider donating an hour of time to help bump up the proceeds to the district! THANK YOU!
From our amazing PTA...
Hello District 114 Staff,
We are hosting an "Eat Out 2 Help Out" event at the Culver's in Fox Lake on Tuesday, April 3rd. We are looking for volunteers for one-hour time slots to help serve food at Culver's during our fundraiser. Just for having "food runners" we will earn an additional 5% for a total of 15% just for people eating out. If you would be interested in volunteering please sign up via Memberhub under District 114 Staff. https://memberhub.com/
Thanks so much for your continued support!
Thought I'd share a picture of my family from our spring break--we all disconnected and truly enjoyed time together. It was a BLESSING and time none of us will ever forget. No matter how you spent your break, I hope it filled your heart with happiness! 💝
So glad to get to work with you!
Heather
