Monday Morning Memo: Monday Morning Memo 8/18/24

AHHHHH!!! It was such a great first few days back together. I truly appreciate the positive energy!!! This week will be AMAZING because the kids come back!!!! YAYAYAYAY!!!!

This Week's Wellness Invitation: Track Rest Time

Track how much rest time you get throughout your days this week. REST means taking a small break during the workday. Consider what rest looks and feels like on days you can rest versus days you're not able to rest or can't rest for very long. TIP: A great way to get REST during the school day is to be sure to take your lunch break...get to a new space, get away from work, and take care of YOU.

Kudos to Betty Cwiak, who took on the daunting task of re-organizing the Stanton lounge

copier room! It looks like a high-end

school supply boutique now!

-Michele Burgess-Administrative Assistant at Stanton

Thank you Erin Donovan for Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese on the flip side game from my wish list!

Thank you Colleen for the 1st day gift bag.

Thank you Jackie for the hat and slippers for Eliana.

Thank you Pam for the encouragement cards.

Thank you Paula for helping me shrink a page to fit my border paper!

Thank you Allie Mixon for printing my new curriculum since my Apple computer didn’t want to print

the whole

document.

Thank you Mo & Mollie for plastic labels to get all our extra supplies organized!

-Sherry Tietjen-Special Education Teacher at Lotus

To the 7th grade team

Thanks for taking me in and showing me the ropes.

We are going to have a great year!

-Renee Evans–7th Grade Math Teacher

Thank you to the Lotus Para Squad for all your help to get everything ready to start the year!

-Sue Pinkawa-Administrative Assistant at Lotus

THANK YOU, Sherry T. for always asking how you can be of assistance, and for SHARING all the supplies you have.

Thank You, Erin and Monica for inviting me to join them at their table on Thursday, so nice to meet you both!!

THANK YOU, Kim R. for your warm welcome, and for your concern regarding my transition to Lotus.

THANK YOU, Ally M. for compiling and developing scheduling for the classroom.

THANK YOU, Erica, for taking time out of your day, to assist with instructional information and supplies

THANK YOU, Ashley A. for sharing Presentations and Slides.

THANK YOU, Brittany L. for laminating, and refreshing bulletin board.

-Jackie Gorden-Platek-Special Education Teacher at Lotus

Thank you Russ for continually finding more desks and chairs for my classroom as more students

were added.

My classroom wouldn't be ready without you!

-Cary Scarpino-1st Grade Teacher

A big kudos to our amazing kitchen staff for filling our bellies last week, thank you!

Thank you to Adisyn IIlg for helping first grade with our week one copies, you are appreciated!

-Jen Groot–1st Grade Teacher

Thank you to Andrea for answering my transportation questions while providing visuals so that I could

visualize your work. I am thankful for your time, patience and kindness to make sure I truly understood.

And,

Thank you to my new crew in the ECSE classroom! Mary, Lumi, Mandi and Monica- I’m so thankful for

all

the time we had together this week getting to know one another. It’s going to be a great year!

And,

Thank you to the cafeteria staff for reaching out to confirm changes with upcoming students and also

taking

time to brainstorm and explain new procedures for the ECSE classroom.

-Erin Donovan–Early Childhood Special Education Teacher

Kudos to Mandi Otte! She has joined our para team smiling and pitching in with gusto! She asked the best questions!

She is going

to be a great addition to the Lotus team!

Kudos to Cheryl Schuck for being such a great leader; and the whole para team for pitching in and getting so much done for the kids.

Kudos to Sue Pinkawa and Paula Kvacik for knowing what to do or where to find everything we need even when their areas are "not quite

settled."

Kudos to the kitchen staff for another delicious start to the year!

Kudos to the best grade level team ever! You know who you are!

Kudos to Allison Mixon for a great start to the year! And for being open and accessible, making

everyone

feel as comfortable as possible as we start this year's adventures!

Kudos also to Matt Peters and Natalie Udsten for doing - everything!

-Chris Brown–Paraprofessional at Lotus

Kudos to our new Resource team! We compliment each others’ strengths and work well together.

Thanks for

all the support. We’ve got this!

-Karen McMurphy-Special Education Teacher at Lotus

Thank you Erica Barraza for taking the time to work with PE on the 15 day Plan and Fence posts and

Rails.

We appreciate you stepping out of your comfort zone and learning PE standards while also

encouraging us to

be vulnerable and open! We are excited to work with you more this year!

-Amber Mysliwiec & Jillian Kilty–PE Teachers at Lotus

Adam and Miguel for setting up all the Tech for our trainings on Thursday and Friday

Our Transportation Team for partnering with us in our Trauma Informed and Resilience Focused

training. I really appreciate you all being with us!

Sue, Georgette, Yvette and Karen for our wonderful meals. Great to break bread with the Foxes!

Jill, Michele and Betty for their work getting us ready for our trainings and setting up a wonderful

workspace in

our awesome new office.

Lynn, Meghan and Jill for the DIY makeover in the lounge-I heard rave reviews 5️s!!

all our veteran staff for welcoming all our new staff-gonna be an exciting year for our Fox Family!

-Jeff Sefcik–Principal at Stanton

Many thanks to Andrea and Matt for all their help in getting the Art Room supply orders handled so

quickly!!

Thanks so much to Mike S. for getting all things technical ready to go for the start of the year!

Kudos to Jillian (new Specials Team member) for jumping right in and positively contributing at our first

team meeting!

Big thanks to Russ, Tim, Eddie, Don, and Kent for all your work in getting our building ready! I

particularly

appreciate you putting all the Art Room furniture back where it was, and the sparkly clean floors!!

Wishing everyone a great year!

-Gayle McManamon-Art Teacher at Lotus

Stanton staff - Everyone has been so welcoming! Every day I’ve met new people who have been

genuinely

kind and friendly. Thanks for making me feel like I belong in just a couple of days!

Collette de Oliveira-EL Teacher at Stanton

Thank you to Michelle Magness, Mindy Auld, Mary Foesterling, Mary MP, Dina M., Tasha P., and

Autumn for a

wonderful team prep day on Friday. I truly appreciate everyone's openness and willingness to lay clear

expectations and groundwork for a productive year for everyone!

-Ben Landmesser–PreK Teacher

Sherry for being such a great leader and teammate. She really has worked so hard and helped those

around her

be successful! Thanks a ton!!

-Ashley Arff-Special Education Teacher at Lotus

Thank you Meghan and Jill for all your time and effort helping to make the Stanton Lounge project a

success!

I would not have been able to do it without all your help!!

-Lynn Smolen-Special Education Coordinator at Stanton

Kudos to Sarah Gallivan for jumping into new territory with enthusiasm and an open mind.

Also, thank you to Mo DeVoss and Christine Spittler (both now and in advance) for all the support and

help

you'll provide to Sarah to help make the first 8 weeks a success to my 2nd graders!

-Emily Reczek–2nd Grade Teacher

Sherry Tietjen, Ashley Arff,

Misty Madula, Courtney Maas, Megan May for an amazing team bonding meeting on Friday. I look

forward

to an amazing year.

Cheryl Schuck for always keeping me sane. Loved our adventure to Lake Geneva last week.

Mary Fisher for asking for help with her bus duty and getting a head start on knowing what she needs

to do.

Way to be proactive.

-Colleen Robinson-Paraprofessional at Lotus

Sarah Gallivan- We are so excited to have you on our team and for all of the hard work that you have

already

put in this week. You are going to do amazing things!

- The Second Grade Team

All my appreciation to the paras that worked so hard on bus tags, backpacks, sorting and delivering

t-shirts.

You were AMAZING!!!.

Also, thanks to the kitchen staff who fed us 2 days in a row. What would we do without them?

Welcome to all the new staff . Hope you all enjoy your new home at Lotus.

-Cheryl Schuck–Paraprofessional at Lotus

Thanks kitchen staff for making sure we were fed and full both institute days! We are so lucky to have

you!

-Betty Cwiak-Paraprofessional at Stanton

Kudos to the transportation team that participated in summer school. It is important for some of our

students to

continue their education and you help make it possible.

Kudos to the transportation team getting ready for the new school year.

Everyone that helped getting the new buses ready and keeping our vans running and repairs done

over the

summer!!!! What a great team!

-Andrea De Matteo–Transportation Coordinator

Thank you to Lynn Smolen and Meghan Reimers for showing so much TLC for the Stanton Staff Lounge.

Thank you to Cheryl Schuck for organizing all the things to get the year started.

Thank you Kim Husko for sharing your desk story during STARR training on Friday to help show that a reset space can be anything or anyplace as long as it's clear for the kids!

From Heather 🧡💛🖤

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

Try this..

Use ChatGPT, Magic School AI, or Gemini to get a list of options for PERSONAL GREETINGS AT THE DOOR for learners at the grade level(s) you support!

IF YOU TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID...

You are expected to return to work as soon as you meet the following criteria:

• Be free of fever for at least 24 hours (without medication)

• Be free of vomiting and or diarrhea for at least 24 hours.

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.

Masks are available in the office for all staff who wish to wear one.

Please let me know if you have any questions!

Be on the lookout for key information from our fabulous PTA!

Key 2024-25 Dates (so far)

August 19th

Meet and Greet

Lotus 12 - 2

Stanton 1 -3

April 22

Day of Service

We'll be forming a committee of parents and staff to plan this event for the SPRING of 2025

October 21-25 Book Fair

Family Reading Night (Lotus)

October 23

Santa's Breakfast and Stanton Book Fair--TBD

February 22

Family Fun Fair (Lotus)

May 2

Rocket Launch (Stanton)

Possible Star Wars Theme

Rain date May 9

Welcome back to Everyone!

The EAFL Board is looking forward to another amazing year!

Please note: Our first articulation meeting as a staff will be held on Wednesday, August 28 @ Stanton. Our start time will be 2:00 PM. Here are a couple of reminders:

- The meeting is for EAFL members only.

- If you are traveling over from Lotus, please arrive after 1:45 PM to help Stanton get all of the students and parents out of the parking lot safely.

- We will meet in the cafeteria and we will have treats!

We look forward to having this time together to celebrate a new year and get you any important information that is upcoming.

*If you did not get your EAFL T-shirt, please see one of us at the articulation meeting to get it.

Don't forget to check out the IEA/NEA website to learn more about your rights and opportunities as a union member. There are discounts available under the Our Members tab as well!