Sunday, November 26, 2023

Monday Morning Memo 11/27/23

         




A big shoutout and thank you to Kim V. and Victoria Miller for coordinating a fabulous end of the trimester PBIS celebration for our students. The certificates were such a nice touch and I had a few parents even mention them during conferences! 


Thank you to Paula for printing my report cards not once but twice! You are the best. 


Finally, thank you to Abbey Kadera for translating during parent teacher conferences, it is very much appreciated. 


- ❤️ Jen Groot (1st Grade Teacher Lotus)


Our PTA for sponsoring a wonderful dinner during conferences and our D114 families for providing some great desserts!!  

and

Our entire staff for grinding through a long day and a half of conferences!

-From Jeff Sefcik (Principal at Stanton)






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





I think this makes for a pretty cool visual to zoom in on the SEL target of showing grit, working even when things are hard, etc. You all know I'm a junkie for these kinds of quotes...

Please use if you think your students (or you yourself) need it! 







Building Access
If you need to get into the building on the weekend, please be sure to notify an administrator. Additionally, before asking a custodian to assist you on a weekend, you MUST clear this with an administrator BEFORE asking the custodian to report. See me with any questions about this. Also--if you ever have a question about any of this, feel free to text/call me at 847-309-3921. 


Reporting Absences
All employees are expected to enter all absences in Frontline, even if you text/call/email others to let them know you will be out. This is a professional responsibility! 




Medicaid Billing

You know who you are...please be sure to document your billable hours. This generates a TON of funding for our Special Education programming!





Stanton Book Fair
Monday, Nov 27th-Saturday, Dec 2nd
Before school and during lunch periods on the stage.
*We are STILL looking for parent volunteers. If you can help, please contact Katelyn or Sylvia at pta@foxlake114.org

Santa's Breakfast & Holiday Market
Saturday, December 2nd, 8am-12pm @ Stanton Middle School
Tickets are ON SALE Now. Use the link to purchase ahead of time.



January PTA Meeting
Thursday, Jan 11th at 6pm
Lotus Library or Virtual

Antioch Pizza Fox Lake-Battle of the Grades
Eat Out 2 Help Out Event
Wednesday, January 17th, 2023-All Day
*Dine In, Carry Out, Delivery, or Drive Thru
Come on out to support the D114PTA. Mention your grade level and the grade with the most money raised, receives a pizza party!!! 


We are looking for any parents interested in helping us plan our new event in February, Family Fun Fair!
 If you are interested, please email us at pta@foxlake114.org 





IMPORTANT!
We will be meeting to go over the tentative agreements for the new contract on Wednesday, November 29, 2PM at Stanton. If you are traveling to Stanton, please do not arrive before 1:45 PM to allow for dismissal for the Stanton kids. In order to vote on the contract, you may have to be at Stanton outside of your working hours. 

*Bus and Van Drivers: we will be meeting on Thursday at 9:30 AM in the Lotus Lounge. 

Check out our new holiday designs! Shop IEA’s Holiday Collection.

Don't forget to take full advantage of your NEA/IEA membership by checking out the membership deals and discounts at https://ieanea.org/benefits/discounts-and-deals/





Saturday, December 2--Santa's Breakfast & Holiday Market 8am-12pm @ Stanton

Tuesday, December 19--Board of Education Meeting

Wednesday, December 20--Early Release

Thursday, December 21--Early Release

Friday, December 22- Sunday, January 7--Winter Break

Monday, January 8--Back to School!!!












  

(OR GREAT STUFF WE HEARD OR SAW LAST WEEK!)


In working with Ashley Wydra's Kindergartners each week, I ALWAYS find something funny. These kids are HYSTERICAL!!! I recently introduced some of them to the term "hangry", and it has been so, so, so funny to see them try to use this and ask others if they are hangry!

Heather 💚



Please email me to share your funny stories, moments, and quotes (from kids or adults) so I can include them!!! (Ask permission first, please!) 






Especially at this very busy time of year...



Thanks for all you do!
-Heather 💝


Sunday, November 19, 2023

Monday Morning Memo 11/20/23

        



Meghan Reimers and Kim Mack for joining me at Big Hollow to watch a former student who transferred to Beach Park play basketball. It was great to see Ricky’s smile!!

and

Mr. Perlman and Mr. and Mrs. Peters for cheering on the Grant Jr. Bulldogs Big Ten Varsity Football players as they competed in their Super Bowl at Mundelein HS on Sunday, Nov. 12th. The kids (and parents) love to see their schools support them!!!!!!!!  

and

Laura Livesay and Leah Falster for recognizing their student leaders and champions at the board meeting. 

and

Lemar Wilson for all the work he put in coordinating the PBIS celebration and to the entire staff for their efforts in celebrating positive behaviors and reteaching where needed!!

-From Jeff Sefcik (Principal at Stanton)


A huge THANK YOU to Cary for letting me teach a vocab lesson in her room two weeks ago to get kids accustomed to me teaching.  She then also let me hijack a full half hour this entire week to teach a mini science unit for my national board journey.  It was so easy to walk in and teach knowing that Cary has prepared her kids with the know-how to be successful learners.  They ALL have been rockstars.  

Thank you Kelly and Michelle for thinking of me while out and spoiling me with treats!  Yum!

and

Thank you Russ for helping clear the clutter out of our classroom!  It helps keep me in my zen place when there isn't clutter around.

and

Thank you Amber and Erica for coming to help video record my lessons.  It is so helpful to be able to be up close to each group to catch the kids' thoughts instead of getting a video from far away.  

and

Thank you Kendra and Erica for co-planning the mini science unit and being a sounding board throughout the process.  

-Amanda Lorenz (Interventionist at Lotus)


A BIG thank you to Abbey Kadera for helping me communicate with a parent about how best to help one of our EL students!  Your time and attention is so greatly appreciated!!!🥰🥰🥰

-From Kim Leable (EL Teacher at Lotus)


-Thank you to Ellie S and Nicole B for presenting Best Practices at the agenda meeting.  What a great reminder to us all on what is best for the kids and families we serve daily.  

-Thank you to Kim V for going over the behavior data at the agenda meeting.  It is always useful information to be able to look at as a whole staff.

-Thank you to the 3rd grade team, Victoria Miller and Nicole Brinkman for recognizing our students at the Board of Education Meeting.  It was heartfelt and encouraging for us all! 

-From Natalie Udstuen (Assistant Principal at Lotus)


Ellie Seyfert - thank you for being a wonderful teammate and amazing social worker! You are truly amazing at your craft and I am lucky to get to work with you!

and

Kelly, Mollie, and Teri - thank you for letting me join your student recognition at the board meeting and the fun dinner beforehand (with Amanda!)! You are all so wonderful and a blast to get to be around :)

and

Molly Monk - thank you for lending an ear and being understanding. I appreciate you!

Thank you,

-Nicole Brinkman (Counselor at Lotus)


Thank you Mike for helping get out a website link for my littles so promptly. 

amd

Kudos to Kim for organizing book buddies. A ot of time goes into buying and organizing. Thank you!! 

and

Thank you to the third grade team for always thinking of me in your planning or activities. So appreciative. 

and

Thank you Heather for buying some fun new photo props for our Santa's breakfast! The kids are going to love them. Maybe even the adults too! 😁

and

Natalie for always staying positive and thoughtful when your organizing subs in the building. You’re doing great and keep it up. 

and

Paula and Sue for all things skyward and report cards!! You are amazing and thank you!!

-From Victoria Miller (STEM Teacher at Lotus)



Thanks to everyone who made Tuesday night’s BOE recognition so special! It was a packed house full of happiness! 

To the Stanton staff for all the hard work to get to Commendable status..no more Targeted status!!!!!  

To Kim VanHoorelbeke for making this happen…

We have 4 4th graders who have finished the Keyboarding Without Tears grade level program (in the 1st Trimester)!!!!  crazy   So excited as there has only been one other last year who finished.  I made a Keyboarding Wall of Fame for them.  Pics attached.  So so proud of these kids and hope it gives off some motivating vibes.  They are on a tower skills program and I'm able to add other enrichments for these students as well.   Average for these 4 were 20 words per minute with at least a 90% accuracy!!  

-From Heather



-From Heather 💓



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






I'm so grateful for all the work you are doing to make these 5 things come to life!!!! THANK YOU for all you do each and every day for our kids!!!! 

I was just at a conference and saw Mike Mattos talk about the importance of learning targets as a key best practice for learning!!!!











Building Access
If you need to get into the building on the weekend, please be sure to notify an administrator. Additionally, before asking a custodian to assist you on a weekend, you MUST clear this with an administrator BEFORE asking the custodian to report. See me with any questions about this. Also--if you ever have a question about any of this, feel free to text/call me at 847-309-3921. 


Reporting Absences
All employees are expected to enter all absences in Frontline, even if you text/call/email others to let them know you will be out. This is a professional responsibility! 



Parent/Teacher Conferences–Updated!!!

Conferences Fall 2023

Stanton

Lotus

November 20--In Person Conferences

*Conferences 2:00 PM-9:00 PM

*Meal break 5:00 PM-6:00 PM

*Instructional support staff work  7:30 AM-8:00 PM 

*All non-instructional support staff work

REGULAR hours


November 20--In Person/Virtual

Conferences

*Conferences 1:00PM-8:00PM

*Meal break 5:00 PM-6:00 PM

*Instructional support staff

work 7:15 AM-7:45 PM

*All non-instructional support staff work

REGULAR hours

November 21--Virtual Conferences

*Conferences 8:00AM-12:00PM

*Instructional support staff

work 8:00 AM-12:00 PM

*All non-instructional support staff work

REGULAR hours


November 21--In Person/Virtual

Conferences

*Conferences 8:00AM-12:00PM

*Instructional support staff work

8:00 AM-12:00 PM

*All non-instructional support staff work

REGULAR hours

NOTE: Instructional support staff must work all hours on both days to receive 2 full days' pay. 



Medicaid Billing

You know who you are...please be sure to document your billable hours. This generates a TON of funding for our Special Education programming!





Stanton Book Fair
Monday, Nov 27th-Saturday, Dec 2nd
Before school and during lunch periods on the stage.
*We are STILL looking for parent volunteers. If you can help, please contact Katelyn or Sylvia at pta@foxlake114.org

Santa's Breakfast & Holiday Market
Saturday, December 2nd, 8am-12pm @ Stanton
*We are looking for small business/crafters for our holiday market. If you or anyone you know would be interested, please contact Victoria @ pta@foxlake114.org. 
Tickets are ON SALE Now. Use the link to purchase ahead of time.



January PTA Meeting
Thursday, Jan 11th at 6pm
Lotus Library or Virtual

We are looking for any parents interested in helping us plan our new event in February, Family Fun Fair!
 If you are interested, please email us at pta@foxlake114.org 






If you did not receive your IEA membership card, please reach out to one of your board members, so that we may check on that. With different people being hired at different times, it may still be on the way.

Now that you have your membership card, don't forget to check out the ieanea.org website to see the different offers and deals that are available to you with your union membership.




November 20 and 21--Conferences

November 22--No School

November 23 and 24--District Closed

Saturday, December 2--Santa's Breakfast & Holiday Market 8am-12pm @ Stanton














  

(OR GREAT STUFF WE HEARD OR SAW LAST WEEK!)


While recording a science lesson for national boards students had to work together to create a venn diagram to compare a baby and adult.  One particular group was assigned a chick and hen.  


What is one thing first graders found a chick and hen to have in common you ask?  


They both have a butt!  It was spoken clear as day, written on their diagram and somehow the class didn't react.  🤦

Ummm...that's amazing!!! Thank you!!!!




Please email me to share your funny stories, moments, and quotes (from kids or adults) so I can include them!!! (Ask permission first, please!) 





Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving!

-Heather 💝