Monday Morning Memo 1/30/23

   

OR    

So...what's your word/aspiration for how you feel? I can't WAIT to learn!!!! Thanks to everyone who has chosen to share...your words are added to the list!

Here's the list of words/feels so far!

For all those who do Medicaid billing, this is your reminder to do it! We need you to please stay on top of this!!! THANK YOU!!!! 😁

If you have no idea what this means...you don't have to do it! YAY!!!!

Andrea DeMatteo and the transportation crew for keeping everyone safe on Wednesday!

and

Matt Peters for assisting the driver and kids on Wednesday!

and

The Stanton staff for adjusting the schedule as we waited for all of our students and staff to arrive safely!

-From Jeff Sefcik (Stanton Principal)

To Andrea DeMatteo, Cheryl Carroll, and Matt Peters for handling the bus accident on Wednesday morning in such a calm way. You are amazing!!!! 

and

Thank you to everyone who has said a kind word, sent a caring thought, shared a story, and especially those hugs you've given to support me as I navigate "mom-ing" right now. I appreciate it all more than you'll ever know. 

-From Heather 😘

Please send me your kudos for colleagues each week! I'll happily post them in this section!

Here's a link to all the ideas gathered for the HOW and WHY of the Friz 5...I'll keep adding as great ideas come forward. 

A participant in a recent session shared an AWESOME app with me! It's called Lead4Ward and it's free to load on your phone. At a click you can get links to great ideas for:

Quick Checks=Checks for Understanding

Think it Up=Engagement Tasks

Just a click away!!!! This is SO awesome--check it out!!!! 

Reimbursement

I know LOTS of you are doing special little (and sometimes big!) things to keep students motivated and to celebrate successes, especially related to attendance and iReady work. I'm happy to reimburse for these purchases as long as:

*They are preapproved (just send me an email to tell me what, why, and approximate cost).

*You do your best to use our Tax Exempt status when purchasing, as we cannot reimburse sales tax. If you need a tax exempt form, please see either school office or Andrea DeMatteo.

*You keep your receipt and send it to me with a check request (forms to attach to receipts are available in both school offices). 

Let me know if you have any questions, and THANK YOU for all you do for our students!

 

Institute Day 2/17/23

I'm so excited about our upcoming Institute Day!!!! I had the chance to learn with Devin Hughes at a recent conference and was just blown away at his message. I left recharged and ready to BELIEVE...INSPIRE...ACHIEVE...in myself, in my family, in my colleagues, and in our students. Here's the big picture plan for the day:

Breakfast and Lunch provided at both schools

AM--Devin Hughes at Lotus, CTT at Stanton

PM--CTT at Lotus, Devin Hughes at Stanton

*Sweet treat in the afternoon for everyone!*

For more info on Devin, check out his website here. I just love him, and I hope you will, too. 

Lake County Educator of the Year Event!!!

Please see information on this year's event! I'd love to see some great D114 representation to share our awesomeness!!!!

The Lake County Regional Office of Education will be hosting the second annual Educator of the Year Ceremony. The Ceremony will be held at the Lake County Fairgrounds on May 10th, at 5:30 pm. There will be a social hour with dinner. The awards ceremony will take place after the dinner. Ticket information will be provided at a later date.

The Educator of the Year Ceremony will resemble a mini Oscars like celebration. I have included all of the information in this email. The information can also be found on the ROE shared drive under the Educator of the Year folder and on the ROE website under the tab Educator of the Year. We will be honoring paraprofessionals this year as our special guest. The ROE will pay for 1 paraprofessional's dinner from each school district. The district can bring other paraprofessionals if they would like to be honored.

There will be 9 categories for nominations. Districts can submit as many nominations for the categories, but all the paperwork must be included for each nomination to be considered. Paper or electronic nomination packets are due to the ROE by Friday, March 17, 2023. 

Here is a link if you would like to submit the nomination packet electronically. 2023 Lake County Educator of the Year

This folder contains all the information needed for the 2023 Lake County Educator of the Year.

 2022-2023 Information

If you have any questions please let me know. This will be a great event to recognize our amazing educators.

Have a great day,

Mike

Michael Karner, Ed.D.

Fun Events!!!

Let me know if you're interested in buying a Calcutta ticket!!!! 

Thanks to everyone for your feedback! Erica and Stephanie are sending out Lotus- and Stanton-specific supports, but I'll also post the link to a folder containing them all here so they are easy to find, everyone can see everything, and you're reminded to check them out! 

We hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!  

Don't forget to check out the discounts and deals available at ieanea.org  These can be especially helpful for planning spring break activities and get aways!

If you have not yet received your EAFL shirt, please email Maureen DeVoss ASAP!  We have all sizes available and we will get you one this week!  maureen.devoss@foxlake114.org

The IEA and NEA also offer professional development opportunities. If you are interested, make sure to check them out here: Professional Development opportunities

A new year is a great time to develop new skills! Join Marceline DuBose and Paul Gorski (Equity Literacy Institute) for a 10-hour Racial Equity Facilitator Training! Beginning Tuesdays in March, participants will meet online for four sessions (5-7:30p CT) to learn how to sequence racial equity learning, how to aid others in understanding the institutional structure of racism and antiracist work, and how to respond to resistance in teaching about racial equity! Can’t make it one night? Don’t worry! All sessions are recorded. Additionally, participants will receive a virtual toolbox of resources to use for teaching racial equity! Learn more and register here.

PTA Skate on Grand FUNdraiser

When: Sunday, February 5th, 2023

Time: 3:30-5:30 pm

Cost: $8.00 for admission, includes skate rental

       Extra $2.00 for blades.

*If you bring your own skates, you still need to pay $8 to skate. 

*If you are NOT skating, you do NOT need to pay admission. 

*Parental/Guardian supervision is required!

 

**Our goal is to get 100+ participants in order to get 50% proceeds back to the PTA!!** 

 

Use QR code if you would like to purchase tickets in advance. Once you’re on the website you will need to change date to the event, Feb 5, and then select Special Fundraiser Event ($8.00)!

                                         

Friday, February 17--Institute Day with Devin Hughes (Lotus AM, Stanton PM)

Monday, February 20--District Closed--Presidents' Day

Tuesday, February 21--Board of Education Meeting

2022-23 Fencepost Standards all grades, all content areas!

22-23 Second Step Pacing Guide

PBIS World--This site is awesome for identifying strategies to use to support challenging behaviors! 

2022-23 Early Release/Professional Development Planning Calendar

2022-23 Assessment Calendar

2022-23 D114 Calendar

2022-23 Parent/Student Handbook

Shared folder of resources 

Link to D114 Business Office Share Folder

*check here for documents most frequently used/requested

Please let Heather know of suggestions for any documents to add to this

folder!

D114 Family Update

Work Order Request

Technology Support Request

Since we are ALL teachers, I think this is a good one for all of us...

-Heather 💝

Monday Morning Memo--January 23, 2023

  

OR    

So...what's your word/aspiration for how you feel? I can't WAIT to learn!!!! Thanks to everyone who has chosen to share...your words are added to the list!

Here's the list of words/feels so far!

For all those who do Medicaid billing, this is your reminder to do it! We need you to please stay on top of this!!! THANK YOU!!!! 😁

If you have no idea what this means...you don't have to do it! YAY!!!!

A big kudos to Kim V. for everything she does to make PBIS so successful for both students and now staff! 

-From Jen Groot (1st Grade Lotus)

Thank you Georgette for creating a Spanish document I needed to be drafted last minute! Really appreciate it. 

and

Thank you Ellie for popping into my classroom when you saw a student having a hard time. Really helped. 

and

Thank you Sue Pinkawa for always being a mediator, staying positive when anything gets thrown at you, and never saying no! You are a true rockstar!! 

and

Thank you to Kim my partner! We work well together in anything we do. Thanks for being my neighbor! (;) hope you sung that...lol)

and

Thank you, 1st-grade team, for always supporting lunchroom helpers when we make decisions. Your understanding, collaboration, and effort to help students follow Lotus Expectations do not go unnoticed. 

and

Thank you 3rd & 4th-grade teachers for allowing me to come in for a few minutes to discuss coding club for last-chance attendance. 

and

Thank you 3rd-grade team for always being flexible and working with me to give your students the opportunities for reading!! I love working with you and your students. 

-From Victoria Miller (STEM teacher at Lotus)

Maddie (Hansen) Friestedt for going above and beyond by registering one of our 8th graders at GCHS so that the student was ready to go for the in person enrollment event on 1/18/23!

and

Veronica Kretz and Oner Medrano for celebrating our kids at the Board Meeting on Tuesday evening !!

and

The PBIS Committee for another great field trip to celebrate our students expected behaviors !

-From Jeff Sefcik (Stanton Principal)

Thanks to everyone for giving 110% for our kids. We are blessed to work together.

-From Heather 😘

Please send me your kudos for colleagues each week! I'll happily post them in this section!

Here's a link to all the ideas gathered for the HOW and WHY of the Friz 5...I'll keep adding as great ideas come forward. 

I'm LOVING this check for understanding and...if you have kids talk about their work...engagement tool! This can be used in ANY content area! Let me know if you try it and how it goes!

Lake County Educator of the Year Event!!!

Please see information on this year's event! I'd love to see some great D114 representation to share our awesomeness!!!!

The Lake County Regional Office of Education will be hosting the second annual Educator of the Year Ceremony. The Ceremony will be held at the Lake County Fairgrounds on May 10th, at 5:30 pm. There will be a social hour with dinner. The awards ceremony will take place after the dinner. Ticket information will be provided at a later date.

The Educator of the Year Ceremony will resemble a mini Oscars like celebration. I have included all of the information in this email. The information can also be found on the ROE shared drive under the Educator of the Year folder and on the ROE website under the tab Educator of the Year. We will be honoring paraprofessionals this year as our special guest. The ROE will pay for 1 paraprofessional's dinner from each school district. The district can bring other paraprofessionals if they would like to be honored.

There will be 9 categories for nominations. Districts can submit as many nominations for the categories, but all the paperwork must be included for each nomination to be considered. Paper or electronic nomination packets are due to the ROE by Friday, March 17, 2023. 

Here is a link if you would like to submit the nomination packet electronically. 2023 Lake County Educator of the Year

This folder contains all the information needed for the 2023 Lake County Educator of the Year.

 2022-2023 Information

If you have any questions please let me know. This will be a great event to recognize our amazing educators.

Have a great day,

Mike

Michael Karner, Ed.D.

Calendar Committee

Please email me ASAP if you are interested in being a part of the Calendar Committee to make the plan for the 2023-24 school year. We'll set meeting dates based on the availability of those interested. THANKS!

Did You Know?

Our amazing Food Services Teams have served 55,740 meals so far this year? WOW! Fabulous, right???

Great Opportunity!   

Please see below for a great learning opportunity, provided by an amazing, former D114 teacher!

Fun Events!!!

Let me know if you're interested in buying a Calcutta ticket!!!! 

Thanks to everyone for your feedback! Erica and Stephanie are sending out Lotus- and Stanton-specific supports, but I'll also post the link to a folder containing them all here so they are easy to find, everyone can see everything, and you're reminded to check them out! 

We hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!  

Don't forget to check out the discounts and deals available at ieanea.org  These can be especially helpful for planning spring break activities and get aways!

If you have not yet received your EAFL shirt, please email Maureen DeVoss ASAP!  We have all sizes available and we will get you one this week!  maureen.devoss@foxlake114.org

The IEA and NEA also offer professional development opportunities. If you are interested, make sure to check them out here: Professional Development opportunities

A new year is a great time to develop new skills! Join Marceline DuBose and Paul Gorski (Equity Literacy Institute) for a 10-hour Racial Equity Facilitator Training! Beginning Tuesdays in March, participants will meet online for four sessions (5-7:30p CT) to learn how to sequence racial equity learning, how to aid others in understanding the institutional structure of racism and antiracist work, and how to respond to resistance in teaching about racial equity! Can’t make it one night? Don’t worry! All sessions are recorded. Additionally, participants will receive a virtual toolbox of resources to use for teaching racial equity! Learn more and register here.

PTA Skate on Grand FUNdraiser

When: Sunday, February 5th, 2023

Time: 3:30-5:30 pm

Cost: $8.00 for admission, includes skate rental

       Extra $2.00 for blades.

*If you bring your own skates, you still need to pay $8 to skate. 

*If you are NOT skating, you do NOT need to pay admission. 

*Parental/Guardian supervision is required!

 

**Our goal is to get 100+ participants in order to get 50% proceeds back to the PTA!!** 

 

Use QR code if you would like to purchase tickets in advance. Once you’re on the website you will need to change date to the event, Feb 5, and then select Special Fundraiser Event ($8.00)!

                                         

Friday, February 17--Institute Day with Devin Hughes (Lotus AM, Stanton PM)

Monday, February 20--District Closed--Presidents' Day

Tuesday, February 21--Board of Education Meeting

2022-23 Fencepost Standards all grades, all content areas!

22-23 Second Step Pacing Guide

PBIS World--This site is awesome for identifying strategies to use to support challenging behaviors! 

2022-23 Early Release/Professional Development Planning Calendar

2022-23 Assessment Calendar

2022-23 D114 Calendar

2022-23 Parent/Student Handbook

Shared folder of resources 

Link to D114 Business Office Share Folder

*check here for documents most frequently used/requested

Please let Heather know of suggestions for any documents to add to this

folder!

D114 Family Update

Work Order Request

Technology Support Request

Just for laughs...

I hope it's a happy week for you!

-Heather 💝

Monday Morning Memo (long weekend version)--1/16/23

 

OR    

As has been our tradition, I'm inviting anyone who has picked an inspirational word for 2023 to share it! My friend Tina inspired me to add a different take on this for us to consider...and that is--what's a word to describe how you want to FEEL this year? I think both interpretations are cool, so if you have a word/feel, please share it with me, and I'll make a document to capture all the amazingness out there!

My word for 2023 is BELIEVE...again! I have lots of reasons for selecting this word again. My mind often gets in my own way, so BELIEVING is a way to "outsmart" myself. I'm also in the middle of writing my own solo book (working title: Believing from the Inside Out), and I've set a goal to finish it this year. 

So...what's your word/aspiration for how you feel? I can't WAIT to learn!!!!

Here's the list of words/feels so far!

For all those who do Medicaid billing, this is your reminder to do it! We need you to please stay on top of this!!! THANK YOU!!!! 😁

If you have no idea what this means...you don't have to do it! YAY!!!!

Thank you to Maureen, Emily, and Misty for being so supportive as I transitioned to the team this week. You have been so patient with me and all my questions. All of your help made this week so much fun and non-stressful

Thank you Natalie Molidor, for your amazing preparation for your leave. You left nothing undone. 

(She shouldn’t be reading these but something tells me she might be checking her email still)

-From Christine Spittler (Super Sub at 2nd Grade)

Bryan Bailey for always putting his students' best interest first! 

The Stanton PBIS team for doing so much this year for the students!

The 6th grade team for helping Mr. Perlman with a smooth transition!

Mr. Perlman for jumping right in with his LOA for Mr. Miller!

Cassie Curtis for her endless amounts of energy in class!

Matt Shannon for buying the staff pizza - Thank You! 

-From Stephanie Kaye (Instructional Coach at Stanton)

Thanks in advance to everyone in advance for understanding that I'm a little broken right now. Our oldest, Katie, is having a hard time right now and has decided to take the spring semester off from Madison for us to all focus on getting her well. I heard a long time ago that, as a parent, you can only be as happy as your most unhappy child, and I can attest to that being true. Positive vibes and any prayers are much appreciated. She WILL find her way, and we are her biggest, loudest, most obnoxious cheerleaders. 

-From Heather 😘

Please send me your kudos for colleagues each week! I'll happily post them in this section!

Here's a link to all the ideas gathered for the HOW and WHY of the Friz 5...I'll keep adding as great ideas come forward. 

I've been using this format as an engagement strategy in trainings, and it's working great when I'm introducing an idea and want to pit stop for them to process. You would certainly change the topic and the headings, but the "big idea" and the visual image are really being embraced by those learning with me. Give it a try! 

Calendar Committee

Please email me ASAP if you are interested in being a part of the Calendar Committee to make the plan for the 2023-24 school year. We'll set meeting dates based on the availability of those interested. THANKS!

Did You Know?

Our amazing Food Services Teams have served 55,740 meals so far this year? WOW! Fabulous, right???

Great Opportunity!   

Please see below for a great learning opportunity, provided by an amazing, former D114 teacher!

Fun Events!!!

Let me know if you're interested in buying a Calcutta ticket!!!! 

Thanks to everyone for your feedback! Erica and Stephanie are sending out Lotus- and Stanton-specific supports, but I'll also post the link to a folder containing them all here so they are easy to find, everyone can see everything, and you're reminded to check them out! 

Be sure to wear your EAFL t-shirts on Tuesday, January 17 and to join the Board of Education meeting virtually or in the Lotus cafeteria at 7:00 PM!  This is a great opportunity to get to know what is going on in the district.

Have you checked out the IEA/NEA deals that are available to you? Whether you are looking to travel, join a gym, update your Sam's club membership or just want to save a little money on take out....check out the Discounts and Deals available to IEA/NEA members: Deals and Discounts

Ideas for starting a community partnership or school project?  Look into applying for a SCORE Grant for your project or idea!  Score Grant information The grant is good for up to $1000! 

Tuesday, January 17--Board of Education Meeting at 7:0 PM at  Lotus or via Google Meet

2022-23 Fencepost Standards all grades, all content areas!

22-23 Second Step Pacing Guide

PBIS World--This site is awesome for identifying strategies to use to support challenging behaviors! 

2022-23 Early Release/Professional Development Planning Calendar

2022-23 Assessment Calendar

2022-23 D114 Calendar

2022-23 Parent/Student Handbook

Shared folder of resources 

Link to D114 Business Office Share Folder

*check here for documents most frequently used/requested

Please let Heather know of suggestions for any documents to add to this

folder!

D114 Family Update

Work Order Request

Technology Support Request

I love this article and the podcast that expands on it about "joy snacking". Check them out if your interested in learning more!

Article

Podcast on Spotify (or search "Joy Snacking" on whatever you use to listen to podcasts)

I hope you have a wonderful week!

-Heather 💝