Monday Morning Memo: Monday Morning Memo 5/6/24---HAPPY STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK!!!!

HAPPY, HAPPY STAFF APPRECIATION WEEK!!!!!

Here are the May Happiness Challenges if you want to be ready!

Thank you for all the love, appreciation and art work given on National Lunch Lady Day! It is so nice to work for a district that values each and every person.

, The Lotus Kitchen Girls

The ECSE team for their flexibility and patience with a sudden room change! You're all amazing! And thank you to all the staff who helped move furniture and supplies in a short amount of time to make a makeshift classroom!

and

Fiona, Ellie, Erin, Lisa, Stephanie, Ben, Mary and Michelle for their collaboration and time to get the Early Childhood Outcomes completed!

-From Allie Mixon (Special Education Coordinator at Lotus)

Laura Livesay and our PBIS Team for their data presentation this week!

and

Michele Burgess for scheduling dozens of interviews!

and

Karen Mrnot and her WNJHS Team for a great message again this week. The kids are getting better every episode!!

-From Jeff Sefcik (Principal at Stanton)

Kudos to Chris Brown for your "Field of Dreams" you did upstairs. What a great idea!

and

Kudos to Mary Santi for offering to take my class to PE for me. Anytime I can avoid the stairs at this point is a major bucket filler!

and

Kudos to Gina, Adisyn, and Kim V who have been popping into my room seamlessly taking over for 5 minutes while I need to step out. It really shows the kids we are One Team, All In!

-From Emily Reczek (2nd grade Teacher)

Kudos to Sonia for helping to clean the cafeteria on Friday so Russ could help with a maintenance situation! ONE TEAM ALL IN!

-From Natalie Udstuen (Assistant Principal at Lotus)

A huge thank you to Jack Resnick for all of the feedback and information he has shared with me about a student at Stanton with many pieces to the student's puzzle! I appreciate the time he took from his lunches to talk to me.

and

A big thank you to Tim Yoder for (without fail) always responding to my emails so quickly and thoughtfully. Teacher input is so pertinent for student evaluations.

and

Long overdue thank you to Erica, Amanda, Natalie, and Katie who always answer my questions about students so efficiently and quickly to get me the information I need to write my reports. I also appreciate all of the information you provide to me regarding the interventions our students receive!

-From Kim Raufuss (District School Psychologist)

3rd Grade would like to give a kudos to everyone involved in making our trip to LegoLand possible!

Thank you:

-Halle and Jeff for driving us

-Matt, Natalie, Andrea, Paula, Sue, Sharon, and Heather for coordinating all the behind the scenes things

-Georgette, Sonia, Yesina, Penny, Hilda for preparing and delivering lunches

-Brittany and Molly for supporting our friends

-Abbey and Kim for communicating with parents

*(sorry if we forgot anyone)!

We appreciate all your help!

-3rd Grade Team

Thanks to the entire team who navigated the bus incident Tuesday and to Gina Crosthwaite for taking one for the team!

To all the members of our fabulous Kitchen Teams for all you do each and every day!

To the Lotus Kitchen team–thanks for your help with torch making on Friday!

-From Heather 💓

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

Just a Reminder...

It's been a bit since we've checked in on the Friz 5! I'll be sharing some reminders on each of the 5 over the next weeks.

Shaking up the PGD!

Come Celebrate Lisa Huck's Retirement!!!

Chromebook Pilot

Please find linked here a What, Why, and How document about student device and staff device replacement. I know much of this was shared with you at the EAFL articulation meeting (thank you!) because I've already gotten emails from certified staff who are interested in piloting the Chrome devices next year as their main device.

David Roat put together an awesome slide deck to list out the pros and cons of Chromebooks and Laptops---if you're looking for more information, please check it out.

I'd ask that you:

1. Please do a read through of the document--any questions, send them to me.

2. Email me if you're interested in being part of our learning pilot next year of certified staff trying out Chrome devices instead of laptops.

Support staff--please read through, but the plan would be for you to continue using Chrome devices!

24-25 Insurance

Our annual open enrollment period will begin on May 6, 2024 and end on May 31, 2024. Benefits will be effective September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025. All benefit eligible employees must complete the open enrollment process, even if you are not changing any elections or waiving coverage.

This year we will be hosting a virtual open enrollment meeting on 5/8 at 1:50 pm.

All staff are expected to attend the virtual meeting.

During open enrollment you can enroll, waive coverage, add family members or make necessary changes. It's also a great time to review beneficiary, address and other personal information for accuracy. Note: You must re-enroll into your Flexible Spending Plan every plan year.

Dental/Vision Coverage:

Employees are no longer required to take Dental/Vision Insurance through the district. If you do not use our Dental and/or Vision insurance plan, feel free to waive coverage.

Please reach out to Maddie Mercado with any questions or concerns, and please check your email for all needed links/materials.

Company Nurse

Please know that our nurses are required, when staff report injuries, to have the staff member:
1. Complete an injury report
2. Contact Company Nurse

Our district insurance policy requires this. If we don't consistently follow this practice, we put the District in a place of liability, and I can't let that happen. That's why I get a copy of every injury summary report of injury---part of my job responsibility is to monitor for these, follow up with staff, and ensure that we are in compliance.

I know it can be a pain, but I really need everyone to follow the protocol. Thanks in advance!

24-25 Student Registration

FYI, registration for next year is open ! If families pose any questions that you can't answer or need assistance, please just direct them to the office. We got this!

Summer Curriculum Work
Hello!!! Just reminding you that it's that time of year...when I ask for your ideas and proposals for summer curriculum work! THANK YOU to the teams who have already sent in ideas! WOW....amazing!!!!!

Here's WHAT:

Summer Curriculum Writing:
What do YOU want to work on this summer?

Example Projects:
*Using Flash Back (will be created during upcoming CTT time) to plan to Flash Forward for next year
*SST Planning
*Fencepost work, including 3-2-1 unit designs and 15 day challenge plans
*Stuff YOU want to work on!
Here's How:

Email Heather:
Name(s)
Purpose of the work/intended outcomes
Proposed number of hours
Proposed schedule and plan for work

Notes:
Work must be completed onsite.
Artifacts of the work must be shared with Heather.
Timesheets must be completed, and pay rate is the curriculum rate/hour.

Looking forward to seeing your great ideas! Please send any questions my way!

Let's Get Running!!!!!

We are so excited to share that we are hosting a Girls on the Run 5K on Saturday, May 18 at 8:30AM at Stanton School. A team of 3rd and 4th grade girls from Lotus have been working hard towards their goals in the Girls on the Run program. We are going to celebrate their unstoppable strength, resiliency, and courage at our community 5K. Each girl is unique with her own personal goals, so it is important that we encourage girls to go at their “Happy Pace” and that the goal is simply to keep moving forward towards the finish line (time does not matter!).

FREE ways YOU can support our 5K:

Run and/or walk it with our girls *all participants will need to complete and sign a waiver

Cheer for our participants along the way and/or at the finish

Volunteer to help the event run smoothly

Here are some important details about this event:

Race is on Saturday, May 18 at Stanton School

Race starts at 8:30am

Parking is available in the Stanton School Parking Lot

Volunteers will be helping direct runners.

Runners MUST STAY on the designated course

We look forward to you joining us in our community celebration! Please reach out to Mollie Crow or Kelly Roland with questions. THANK YOU to Mollie and Kelly for making this amazing event happen!!!!

Field Trips

FYI--field trips are already booked on the following dates. No additional trips can be booked on these dates:

May 14th - 4th Grade - Camp Duncan - End of year class trip

May 20th - 8th Grade Class Trip

May 23rd - 1st Grade - Chicago Botanic Gardens

May PTA Meeting

Thursday, May 9th, 2024

6:00 pm @ Lotus Library or Virtual

We are voting in new positions! Please attend.

Use the link to join: https://meet.google.com/rps-xjos-qnn

Family Rocket Launch

Thursday, May 16th 5-8pm (Rain Date: Friday, May 17th)

Lotus School -Use the Events Entrance

Dinner will be served!!

*Bring a 2 liter bottle for your rocket!!

You will decorate and launch your rocket!! Enjoy some dinner and snacks to celebrate the end of the year!!

Save the date: The next EAFL Spirit Day will be on Tuesday, May 21st. Join us that evening for a Board Meeting at Lotus!

What is YOUR passion project? Do you have one? Do you need money to get it going? IEA is here to help you get that project off the ground. Click below to start the application process

Click here for application:

All applications submitted January 16th to July 15th will be reviewed and applicants will be notified of their funding status by August 15th from score@ieanea.org.

Benefit Highlight - CustomGuide Interactive Training Courses for IEA Members & Staff

Did you know IEA members and staff have access to the interactive online CustomGuide training library for free? Brush up your Business Communication Skills with the Business Writing, Effective Presentations, or Email Etiquette courses!

Self-register for an account then login to access these courses and more. Questions? Reach out to Kelsey.Harms@ieanea.org

Cubs-Padres game at Wrigley Field - Special Ticket Offer for all Educators

Tuesday, May 7, 6:40 p.m. Learn more here.