Thank you, thank you, thank you for your flexibility and for always doing what it takes for kids!
Reminder--to say THANK YOU for being awesome, we'll provide lunch on Wednesday! 🧡
For the New Year, we'll continue the monthly challenges for anyone who wants to do them. Click here for the January Happiness Challenges.
And--NEW!!!--you'll earn a sticker for each challenge you complete. You can put the stickers on this Award Board! Fun, right?!?
And I have LOTS of fun ORANGE YOU GLAD IT'S 2024 things planned...be ready! 🧡
December Challenge Gift Card Winners...
Caitlyn Fenton
Kim VanHoorelbeke
Sue Pinkawa
(Thanks to my daughter, Taylor, for her random selector skills!)
Winners---please email me the gift card location of your choice!
It's that time of year again!!!! What's YOUR word for the year? Here's mine...
My word for 2024 is RUN. Literally, I plan to reach a life goal of running a marathon this year for a very special cause. Thank you to my amazing friend Geri Parscale for partnering with me in this effort: BELIEVE 4 NICHOLAS.
To learn more and even help me out, check out my journey blog:
https://heatherrunsinto2024.blogspot.com/
RUN also means RUNNING toward the people and things I love and light me up. It means RUNNING through anything that threatens to slow me down. It means RUNNING from anything that brings me down, tries to steal my shine, or is toxic.
So what's your word and why did you pick it? Like every year, I'll make a list of the words shared with me so we can all see and celebrate them.
And--if you are running the Chicago Marathon, too, and are part of a fundraising effort to do so, let me know!
Thank you Don--- for all the help this year in the Stanton IC office! We appreciate it!
-From Katie Jalove Filippelli (Instructional Coach at Stanton)
For Jeff Sefcik, who coordinated benefits (through many phone calls, pickups and community outreach) for a family in need.
and
For Oner Medrano, while on his way out of the building, went back to a classroom to search
for a student's forgotten phone when a parent showed up after hours.
-From Michele Burgess (Administrative Assistant at Stanton)
Huge Kudos to Mary Taylor for going above and beyond assisting a family in need. Because of Mary's extra efforts our family will be celebrating Christmas together!
and
Sue, Yvette and Al for preparing a wonderful student welcome breakfast and to our entire staff for serving and welcoming our kids! It was great to see so many smiles:)
and
Don U for clearing our lot on Tuesday right before dismissal so our parents, buses and staff could safely head home!
and
All our drivers for safely delivering our kids during this crazy week of winter weather!!
-From Jeff Sefcik (Principal at Stanton)
Kudos to our new para Courtney Maas as she has not missed a beat. She flows with our team like she's been here since day one. She asks questions and runs with it. Thank you for being amazing.
From Sherry and Colleen (the dynamic duo who now are the terrific trio)
A special shout-out to Sienna, Cheryl, Abbey, Gina, Kim Lobo and Alana for helping Kindergarten during our pre-Winter break activities. The students had so much fun!
-Thanks again, Kindergarten Team
Thank you to Betty Cwiak for organizing a visit from author Tim Shoemaker! Our kids really enjoyed his message and are excited to dig into his series!
-From Natalie Molidor (Instructional Coach at Stanton) and the 5th grade Team
Thank you to Katie Jalove Filippelli for always taking the time to check in/out with my students when I am out! I appreciate you!
-From Natalie Molidor (Instructional Coach at Stanton)
Screaming the BIGGEST thank you to Ellen and Joan for their help with distributing chromebooks and chargers to my first graders in preparation for a possible e-learning day on Tuesday.
and
Another huge thank you to Don for filling my maintenance ticket so quickly and getting my clock fixed. I was lost not knowing what time it was!
-From Jen Groot ( First grade Teacher)
To the Transportation Team for bravely navigating truly crappy weather on Tuesday afternoon.
and
To everyone for planning so rapidly on Thursday for all the "what if's" for Friday and Monday.
and
To the entire D114 team for being ready to make remote learning a success (again!). I'm endlessly grateful.
-From Heather 💓
Please send me your kudos for colleagues each week! I'll happily post them in this section!
I read this and it really resonated...how often do we tell kids, "This is easy," and it really backfires...
I can specifically think of things that were supposed to be easy for me but definitely were NOT.
Calendar Committee
LAST CALL!!!
Please let me know if you'd like to be a part of the committee to work on the 24-25 school year calendar. If you are interested, please also let me know dates/days of the week that you CANNOT meet after school between January 22 and March 12. I anticipate meeting 3-4 times in total. I'd love to know who is willing and interested by TUESDAY, JANUARY 16.
Staff Illnesses
As you are well aware, germs and sickness continue to hit everyone. Please remember that the following guidelines are in place:
1. Each learning space, bathroom, and lounge will be DEEP CLEANED daily, much like we did during COVID. This means:
- Disinfecting spray used
- All surfaces sanitized
- All doorknobs/sink hardware sanitized
2. All staff MUST follow the same sick guidelines we apply to students. These days are counted as sick days. The guidelines are as follows (
linked here and copy/pasted below):
Sick Day Guidelines: Making the right choice!
Dear Parents: To help prevent the spread of illness, we would like to give you some guidelines to help with your decision on whether or not to send your child to school. We ask that you keep your child home if he or she:
• Has a fever of 100.4 (oral) degrees or higher
• Has cramps and or vomiting • Has a sore throat with fever (see below)
• Has a persistent cough (dry or productive)
• Has diarrhea (three or more episodes in 24 hrs)
• Has a rash or open and draining sores
• Has symptoms that prevent him or her from participating in school, such as:
o Excessive tiredness or lack of appetite
o Headaches, body aches, earaches
o Severe sore throat (could be strep-throat even without fever. Other symptoms of strep throat in children are headache & stomach upset. Contact your pediatrician to assess or diagnose strep throat).
If your child has recently been ill, please be aware of the following guidelines before having your child return to school, athletic or social activities:
• They should feel fit for at least 24 hours.
• Be free of fever for at least 24 hours (without medication)
• Be free of vomiting and or diarrhea for at least 24 hours.
• If strep throat, they must be on the appropriate antibiotic for at least 24 hours.
• If conjunctivitis, they must be on the appropriate eye drops for at least 24 hours or cleared by a physician.
• Rash illnesses should be assessed by a doctor. If chicken Pox is suspected, keep home for at least 5 days after the appearance of the rash or until all blisters have scabbed over.
3. If you test positive for COVID, please let me know immediately. You may return to work as soon as you meet all the criteria above. I am not asking for a 5 or 10 day window at this point; rather, you must meet the return to school criteria listed above. You are STRONGLY encouraged to wear a mask upon your return to prevent the spread of illness to others. Please alert me as to your date of return. Any days out are sick days.
4. Masks will be available in the office for all staff who wish to wear one.
Please reach out to me with any questions, for clarification, or for support. Your safety and the safety of our students remains our utmost priority!
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!
In Case You're Interested...
Eat Out 2 Help Out-Antioch Pizza-Fox Lake
D114 PTA Presents: Battle of the Grades @
Antioch Pizza -Fox Lake: Eat Out 2 Help Out Event
When: Wednesday, Jan 17th, 2024
Time: 10:30 am-9 pm (dine-in, pick-up, drive-thru, or delivery)
Where: Antioch Pizza-Fox Lake
*Please mention the event AND the grade level at the time of purchase in order for the PTA to receive 15%, as well as the grade level.
The Grade with the most sales will receive a pizza party!!
Skate on Grand FUNdraiser
Sunday, February 4th 3:30-5:30pm
More information to come.
**We are looking for ANYONE interested in helping us plan our NEW event in February, Family Fun Fair!
If you are interested, please email us at pta@foxlake114.org we plan to have a meeting this month to gather some ideas!!
Don't forget to join us virtually at the Board of Education meeting tomorrow evening at 7PM.
Join the IEA Region 49 Facebook page. This is another great way to learn about the different happenings in our region and to communicate with other educators:
2024 Aspiring Educators Spring Conference RFP - If you or someone you know someone who
would like to be considered to present a 1-hour professional development session to Aspiring Educators at their Spring Conference on April 5-6, 2024, please forward this link to the application. Proposals are due no later than January 31, 2024, with notifications of acceptance going out in February. Staff and members are welcome to apply! 2024 Aspiring Educators Spring Conference RFP Form
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
BURROUGHS EDUCATION SCHOLARSHIP: $2,500 for College-Bound Seniors
(Sponsored by Woodruff Johnson Evans & Haugen Law Offices)
Deadline to apply is Jan. 31
The Burroughs Education Scholarship is named in honor of Dr. Stacy Burroughs, past Director of the ESP Program at the Illinois Education Association. Applicants must meet the following requirements:
· Be a graduating high school senior heading to college
· Have at least one parent or legal guardian who is a school employee
The scholarship is awarded based on academic achievement, career goals, and character. www.woodrufflawyers.com/giving-back/scholarships.
Tuesday, January 16--Board of Education Meeting at Lotus--7PM
Friday, February 16--Institute Day
Monday, February 19--School Closed--Presidents' Day
Monday, March 4--SCHOOL IN SESSION--Emergency Day Make Up
(OR GREAT STUFF WE HEARD OR SAW LAST WEEK!)
We were telling kids that tomorrow is “holiday attire” day for spirit wear. The kids were asking what “attire” meant and one kid says “I’m gonna wear my monster truck shirt cause it has a tire on it.”
HAHAHAHAHA!!!
Please email me to share your funny stories, moments, and quotes (from kids or adults) so I can include them!!! (Ask permission first, please!)
