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@D114Stanton
@D114Lotus
@FLGSD114
#District114proud
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Thanks to everyone for an awesome Institute Day on Friday! Huge thanks to:
*The kitchen staff for all the yummy eats!
*The mental health time for coordinating and leading the SEL work!
*The math team for making the afternoon happen!
*The math team for making the afternoon happen!
*To Jessica and Kim for leading the learning with our paraprofessionals!
*David and Mike for being everywhere ready to assist with our tech needs!
*To EVERYONE for being one team...all in in learning!
-From Heather
Huge thank you to Don Ukleja for going above and beyond to help with the new shed construction on the back playground, finding various pricing quotes to stay in budget, and fixing the fence to help us stay in code with our upcoming Preschool monitoring visit.
-From Natalie Udstuen
Thank you to D114 for the cards, kind words and beautiful flowers. It's truly appreciated as I heal from surgery!
-From Maureen Koenig
Thanks to the paraprofessionals at Stanton who helped get the star charts put together for Warrior Training and the fitness award signs on lockers!
-From Melissa Williams
The Lotus egg hunt went off better than expected. Thanks to Erin Connelly-Jordt for helping to lay out eggs and bunnies and letting us have a dance party in her room. Thanks to Matt Peters for the use of the specials part of the building so our guests were warm and dry. Thanks for all the parents that brought their kiddos out in this icky weather to hunt for goodies. A fun time was had by all. And last but not least to my husband Todd who supports my craziness.
-From Cheryl Schuck
Thank YOU, Cheryl, for such an awesome event for our families!
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
Budget Planning for 18-19
We are starting to prep for next school year, including budget processes. With the launch of Evidence Based Funding (EBF), all funds specific to a building have to be coded to that building---so next year's budget will look very different that those developed in the past. We'll share this work as we go! More to come, especially for those of you who have specific budget lines. Please note that we'll start at zero and build based on needs rather than allocating a set amount that is then spent down.
This does NOT apply to supply items, which will be allocated per the contract. More to come on that, too--we have a way to keep our processes in place but eliminate the need to keep and track your receipts. :)
Just a reminder...the surveys for Friday's Institute Day remain open until NOON on MONDAY. At that point, we'll close them and use the information to make decisions. As promised, the data will be shared out along with the decisions made. THANK YOU for your input and engagement!
In case you didn't complete the surveys on Friday, they are linked here just in case you need them!
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
EAFL Executive Board Elections are this week Thursday, April 19th!
At Lotus please vote outside room 103.
At Stanton please vote in the library.
You may vote for candidates who were nominated during our March articulation meeting and/or write-in candidates.
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...
I chose this one after a great conversation with the middle school Science team on Friday. :)
What surprises you about these findings?
What can you connect with?
Young Adolescents 101
In this Cult of Pedagogy article, Jennifer Gonzalez says she never planned to teach middle school, but that was the level with job openings as she finished her training, so she dove in – and ended up falling in love with the kids’ quirky characteristics. Here’s her analysis of what’s going on with 11-14-year-olds, along with advice for educators working at that level:
• Kids care more about what their peers think than pretty much anything else. For example, a boy who loves chocolate milk refuses to have some in the cafeteria because someone said chocolate milk is babyish. Gonzalez suggests using this characteristic to our advantage: get the coolest girl in the class who likes Shakespeare to lead the lesson, or promise five minutes of time to chat with each other at the end of class in exchange for focused work.
• They are horrified by what their bodies are doing. Pimples, body odor, oversize feet, developing too slowly, and all the rest. The best advice for teachers: don’t draw attention to what’s happening with individual students, and understand if a student doesn’t want to be called up to the front of the class.
• They tend toward hyperbole. There’s a spider in the corner? “Get ready for a wall-climbing, horror-movie-screaming, Armageddon-style wig-out,” says Gonzalez. “Whether it’s due to limited life experience, hormones wreaking havoc on emotions, or the trying on of identities, young adolescents tend to exaggerate just a bit.” Her advice: don’t overreact, describe problems in a calm, rational way, maintain a sense of humor, and model the way a healthy person navigates life’s little surprises: “Yes, spiders can be scary. Let’s take care of this little guy so we can get back to work.”
• They are mortified by public praise. Elementary students may beam at being recognized for having written a good essay, but that changes in middle school. A word to the wise: praise, but keep it private.
• They can’t be trusted with confidences. “Throwing a surprise party for another teacher and want to let your kids in on the secret?” says Gonzalez. “Consider the surprise ruined.” At this age, kids can’t resist the temptation to share this kind of information. Her advice: “Treat your middle-school kids the same way you should treat the Internet: Don’t share anything you aren’t willing to see broadcast in public.”
• They’re fascinated with you as a human being, but then they’re not. Young adolescents are emerging from being the center of their own childish universe to becoming aware that other people see the world differently. “They may be intensely interested in you, sometimes,” says Gonzalez. “They’ll ask all kinds of questions about your personal life, your family, the kind of food and music you like, and whether or not you cuss and drink outside of school hours.” But then they’ll revert to acting as though you don’t exist. Her advice: Be restrained when answering personal questions (present a G-rated version of your life) and understand the transition they’re going through.
• They are pulling away from their parents. This is a normal part of adolescence, but middle-school kids need adult guidance more than ever. Gonzalez’s take: “As a trusted adult in their lives, you’re in a unique position to influence these kids and fill in the gaps that have been left by their self-imposed isolation from their own families, so remember to be the adult: Advise responsibly, model smart decision-making, and unless you suspect genuine abuse, avoid taking the child’s side over their parents’. You are in partnership with the student and their primary caregivers; be sure your students are always clear about that.”
• They are still kids. One minute they’re having a serious discussion about the symbolism of a Robert Frost poem, the next they’re making rude noises with their armpits and asking if they can drink the water from the fish tank. And they’re wiggling all the time, especially the boys. Gonzalez’s advice: build movement into your lessons, take advantage of kids’ childish enthusiasm and willingness to help out, and don’t expect mature behavior to last very long. They’re actually acting their age.
“8 Things I Know for Sure About (Most) Middle-School Kids” by Jennifer Gonzalez in Cult of Pedagogy, October 1, 2014, https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/middle-school-kids/
April 17--Board of Education Meeting (with student and staff recognition)--7:00 PM at Lotus
April 22--Promote Fox Lake Earth Day event at Millennium Park in Fox Lake. The Gathering will start at 11:00 AM and will include speakers rom different local environmental organizations, music, a craft for kids and more.
Proud mom moment...
Last weekend, Katie (our oldest) and her Color Guard team won their circuit competition. So incredibly proud of them (and of her in particular). Here are a couple of my favorite pictures...
Let's make this week amazing!
Heather
