Mike Szotek and David Roat - A huge thank you to you
both for fixing the bug in my computer, Thank you so much!
Andrea De Matteo 
Thank you to all the ladies in the cafeteria! You do so much for me and everyone else in this building! You are always making sure that I have food in my belly! :)
and
Thank you Lisa Huck for being a mom to me! I appreciate you and everything you've done for me!
and
Thank you Mike Szotek for helping with all my technology needs and giving us the promethean board! The students love incorporating technology in PE!
and
Donny you are one amazing guy for always helping Lisa and I with anything that we need! It does not go unnoticed!
and
Thank you Sue for always helping me with everything that I need! Also.. thank you for always putting up with me and my one million phone calls a day to ask a variety of questions! You are amazing and I love working with you!
- All from Amber Mysliwiecand
Thank you Sue for always helping me with everything that I need! Also.. thank you for always putting up with me and my one million phone calls a day to ask a variety of questions! You are amazing and I love working with you!
Thank you 4th grade teachers for sending your students to help Kinders with wish-list writing for the book fair and Santa's shop! I know the volunteers appreciate it, I appreciate it, and my students love having big kids help them! <3
From Tiffany Tardio Weber
Emily Armbrecht for walking her choir kids over to GCHS is the freezing cold so they all could enjoy the Grant HS Holiday Choir Concert.
and
Mandy Bartlett and Kendra Smeigh for providing a wonderful learning opportunity for our ILP kids through the Culver's Coffee Cart - We have our first graduate!!!
and
Karen Brnot for getting the NJHS involved in several new projects!
and
All the Stanton Staff volunteering to participate in the 2 X 10 relationship building strategy.
and
Lemar Wilson for volunteering to supervise the Stanton Art Club.
and
Fred Miller and Jamie Smeigh for volunteering to supervise Stanton's Meme Club.
and
Kate Wicklander, Oner Medrano, Sarah Posey, and Keli Swierczek for all their hard work this past week with our ILP-B kids!
and
Walter Nickles for starting every day in such a positive - Good morning how are you?
and
Everyone that gives 100% to our students every day because it's the right thing to do!!!
-All from Jeff Sefcik
Thank you Kelly Roland for your door decoration that was very helpful in calming down one of my students :)
and
Thank you to the kitchen staff that quickly put together a hot chocolate cart for the book exchange. You're the best!
and
Thank you to the ladies that joined the book exchange. Although it was a small gathering, we still had fun :)
-All from Mollie Herchenbach
Thank you Lynn Smolen, Erica Barraza and Jessica Urban for your assistance in the office this week.
and
Thank you Erin Connolly-Jordt for organizing all of the winter performances for the grade levels and choir. The kids did an amazing job!
and
With all the performances we have had, also means there is a lot of behind the scene work that needs to be done. Thank you Tim Douglas, Russ Xhemaili, Kent Jorgensen and Eddie Villarreal for all the set ups and take downs.
and
Thank you Lisa Huck and Gayle McManamon for your assistance in the hallway the past few weeks.
and
I would really like to thank the entire staff for coming together and helping out these past few weeks. Everyone has been willing to pitch in and help out in any way possible. It has not gone unnoticed and I truly appreciate all of you!
-All from Matt Peters
Anyone can give a SHOUT OUT to anyone, so please send those positive notes to me and I'll publish each Monday!
Discipline Corner
I am soooo excited about the work, learning, and sharing that's happening at both buildings! YOU are awesome!
Our kids face challenges and therefore can be challenging.
So, here's this week's focus for supporting our learners...
CLEAR PROCEDURES AND ROUTINES!
Our kids face challenges and therefore can be challenging.
CLEAR EXPECTATIONS
Thank you to Amanda Usyak (PreK) for sharing your classroom expectation chart. Our littlest learners know what's expected when it's build to meet them where they are!
GREAT WORK!
GREAT WORK!
So, here's this week's focus for supporting our learners...
CLEAR PROCEDURES AND ROUTINES!
"Routines are the backbone of daily classroom life. They facilitate teaching and learning…. Routines don’t just make your life easier, they save valuable classroom time. And what’s most important, efficient routines make it easier for students to learn and achieve more."
—Learning to Teach…not just for beginners by Linda Shalaway
Here are some amazing resources and samples to show how well a classroom runs when the procedures and routines are:
Clear
Consistently
Taught to Mastery
Here are two videos that demonstrate a teacher that has done the procedural expectations and routines with the class and you briefly see their room running smoothly.
This is a link to a whole collection of videos of different teachers setting expectations.
Also, see the attachments attached to this week's Monday Memo email for more tools. Thank you, Amanda Lorenz, for finding and sharing these!
TOSA Corner
The Winter iReady Diagnostic will begin until Ja
iReady Usage Goal = 80% or our students receive 30-49 minutes per week
iReady Proficiency Goal= 80% of our students receive 70% or higher on their lessons
Thank you Cheri Dory and Pam Exon for organizing our holiday party on Friday, it was great to see such an awesome turnout!
If you'd like to learn more about the IEA's stance on the Fair Tax issue, please click HERE.
The results are in from the Regional Assembly Election that was held earlier this month! Colleen Sternbenz and Sharon Rada from Gavin will be representing our cluster at the RA and Rosalina Esmez of Mundelien will represent the region as the ethnic minority representative.
Melissa and Cathy will be attending the Region 49 meeting this week on Wednesday. Among other issues, we will be looking to see how the Region can support our district's upcoming referendum. If you are ever interested in attending a Region meeting, please let Melissa or Cathy know!
If you are interested in nominating one of your colleagues for an IEA award you can do so HERE. Nominations close January 15th.
Melissa Jakstas, President
Maureen DeVoss, Vice President for Certified Staff
Chris Brown, Vice President for Non-Certified Staff
Katy Gardner, Treasurer
Betty Cwiak, Secretary
Cathy Jawnyj, Region Representative
Kendra Smeigh, Stanton School Representative
Tiffany Tardio Weber, Lotus School Representative
Thank you to the Wellness Committee!!!
Digging in a bit on Pete Hall's 10 keys to a healthy brain...the last one is #10!
10. Gratitude. We’re often told to count our blessings. Well, that’s actually a really good idea. Practicing gratitude improves our psychological health, increases happiness, enhances empathy, reduces aggression, and decreases the desire to seek revenge. Folks who write in a gratitude-journal right before bed report sleeping better, too. And who wouldn’t want better self-esteem and mental strength, two other benefits that are two simple words away from our grasp? You’re welcome. And thank you. (Psychology Today)
10. Gratitude. We’re often told to count our blessings. Well, that’s actually a really good idea. Practicing gratitude improves our psychological health, increases happiness, enhances empathy, reduces aggression, and decreases the desire to seek revenge. Folks who write in a gratitude-journal right before bed report sleeping better, too. And who wouldn’t want better self-esteem and mental strength, two other benefits that are two simple words away from our grasp? You’re welcome. And thank you. (Psychology Today)
2019-20 Assessment Calendar--Winter iReady being moved to January!
D114 Friday Facts--Blog sent to all families each Friday--let me know if you ever have something you'd like added. Thanks to Sue Pinkawa and Jill Becmer for helping me with this each week!
*check here for documents most frequently used/requested
Please let Heather know of suggestions for any documents to add to this
folder!
Blue Cross Blue Shield:
SEL Pacing Guides
