Kenneth Murphy Dolphin Digest 2022
Welcome back to the 2022 - 2023 School Year
2022 KM Grown-Up and Student Welcome Letter
Welcome Kenneth Murphy Families,
It's wonderful to have the opportunity to welcome all of our Kenneth Murphy learning community back to school for an exciting year! What an unparalleled experience we've had the past couple of school years, and what an amazing opportunity 2022 will be for all of us as we return to learn together. Kenneth Murphy's staff look forward to providing an amazing educational experience that works to close your children's learning gaps and produces growth and achievement for our students. Our focus will be to support our children socially, emotionally, and academically in a safe and healthy environment. School hours this year are 8:30 am to 3:10 pm.
I would like to begin by welcoming the following new members to our KM family: Mrs. Kaylee Price-Uribe in Physical Education, Ms. Kathleen Manley in 4th grade, Mrs. Stephanie Arthur in 2nd grade, Mrs. Jeana Santagato in Special Education Resource, and and Mrs. Loren Redding in our TABS program. How exciting for them to become part of our family at the "Greatest Elementary School on Earth!!
While the 2021 school year was not traditional in consideration of COVID and our return to learn plan, our educators look forward to a more normal school year and are committed to providing the quality education that our community has known and appreciated. Over the summer our teachers, with the guidance of our curriculum department, have worked to refine our math and ELA frameworks that will guide and align the scope and sequence of instruction across all grade levels throughout the district. Our E.L.A. framework will continue the use of thematic units that support both science and social sciences, while Bridges math will be used to support our curriculum for all elementary grade levels. We continue to adapt to meet the needs of all learners along with our diverse educational environment. To support this endeavor, Kenneth Murphy will maintain a strong focus as a Professional Learning Community (PLC), where our educators use a student centered and data driven approach to ensure that all students learn at high levels. This is a very exciting time for students in education as we evolve the execution of instruction to meet their needs.
As a staff we strive to educate the whole child; both academically and social-emotionally. This year we will be taking further steps to meet their basic needs as they transition back into a normative learning environment. Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) will focus on celebrating students that exemplify the following WAVE expectations: Work Hard, Accept Responsibility, Value Respect, and Ensure Safety. Each of these reinforce the cultural norms of our building and assist in maintaining a positive and supportive atmosphere for our students to learn in. Each month we look forward to our Distinguished Dolphin nominations at our monthly celebrations. We will also use EduGuide as an additional layer of social/emotional support for our students along with 2nd Step and Calm Classroom. You can learn more about EduGuide here.
Kenneth Murphy will maintain our supply pantry that will be available to all students. Please contact our social worker Nicholle Petts (npetts@bpd3.org) for more information if you are interested in helping to support this endeavor, or are in need of additional supports. Items may include but are not limited to non-perishable food, school supplies, clothing, and hygiene products.
As we prepare for our students transitioning back to school, we cannot predict the future so please watch out for any communications from the district in regard to changes and requirements for our school year as we receive ongoing guidance from ISBE, CDC and IDPH. Our current plan is one that is designed to the best of our ability to provide a safe environment for learning. Knowing this, we will continue to evolve our process and pivot if we experience issues we have yet to encounter. We at Kenneth Murphy continue to ask for your patience and understanding as we navigate through the unknowns and we look forward to welcoming back our community for another amazing year at Kenneth Murphy!
Your Principal, Gabe Cappozzo
Kenneth Murphy Elementary School, in partnership with parents and local community, strives to provide a caring and nurturing environment where all members feel accepted and supported. Students are given diversified opportunities to become active, responsible, and productive life-long learners.
No matter who, No matter when, All students will succeed.
!!Kenneth Murphy Open House: Mark your Calendars!!
Kenneth Murphy will be hosting an in person open-house this year and we are excited to invite all of our learning community on August 16th from 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm. We are partnering with many community organizations such as Zion Library, Zion Park District, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Beach Park Fire Dept, Lake County Sheriff's Dept, Lake County Health Dept, United Way, and Champions to name a few; we're working on more. All booths will be set up in our gymnasium. We look forward to the opportunity to meet our families, provide you with local community services, and get to see all of the updates that have taken place at Kenneth Murphy! Mark you calendars!!!
!!FREE!! Back-to-School Haircuts by Tricoci University of Beauty Culture in Libertyville
Kenneth Murphy Open House
Tuesday, Aug 16, 2022, 04:00 PM
Kenneth Murphy Elementary School, West Wadsworth Road, Beach Park, IL, USA
About Your Principal; Mr. Cappozzo
Hello KM Community,
My name is Gabe Cappozzo and am the principal of Kenneth Murphy Elementary. I have been in the district for 15 years; starting as a substitute teacher in 2006. I taught 3rd through 5th grade Emotional Behavioral Development Special Education at Oak Crest Elementary for six years. I then moved into a district behavioral interventionist position for two years, housed at Beach Park Middle School, which afforded me an opportunity to work with all schools, teachers, and students within the district. In 2016 I accepted an Assistant Principal position at Beach Park Middle School, and am beginning my 6th year as the principal at Kenneth Murphy. I am the father of a wonderful 14 year old daughter and a grateful husband to my wife Laura who is a Speech Language Pathologist at Oak Crest elementary. My family and I are accompanied on our daily journey by our two dogs, Bella (Chihuahua-Pug) and Sophia (Frenchie-Boston), and our cat Chloe. I enjoy spending time with my family, traveling, riding my bicycle, and having the opportunity to lead our Kenneth Murphy learning community!
Educational Leadership Philosophy
I believe that instructional leadership is not to be in charge, but to take care of those in your charge. The vision, passion and commitment to students learning at high levels is intrinsic and infectious as it inspires similar qualities in others. Inspirational leadership leads by example; modeling a positive attitude that motivates the culture and climate. With a strong belief in the power of a positive and collaborative culture, the focus is not on what we do or how we do it, but on why we do it. Everything we do in education maintains a focus centered on students learning at high levels; not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well. We will do this together as it’s an impossible task to be done alone.
I believe in the importance of bringing the community together and empowering them to share the leadership role. Within the school community this starts with the Principal working with others to understand individual strength, interest, and ability and then fostering that to develop leadership throughout the building; leaders create more leaders. Focusing on individual strengths and interest conveys that I value their expertise, builds trust needed to move forward with the vision and mission, and builds an intrinsic motivation to excel. Effective teachers tend to also be effective leaders. Within the classroom this translates into more effective teaching, and as a result increases student learning.
I believe in the strength and value of our parents. Without the support and involvement of our parents our jobs become increasingly more difficult. Extending invitations to our parents to be involved, and providing them opportunity for that involvement is a focus to the overall success of all stakeholders. We are unable to maximize success for our students without the involvement of our parents, and this will be a continued focus throughout my leadership.
I believe in Professional Learning Communities and their direct correlation to student achievement. My belief is so strong that PLC’s are not an option for effective instruction, but are necessary to increase student achievement. Grade level teams will be collaborative and will include support services. Lateral meetings with grade level teams will provide transparency of what is being taught and what is needed by those above and below. Time will be made for teachers to observe each other as a best practice. Teaching in a silo will no longer exist. I understand that new initiatives can be scary and participants become wary of change. Knowing this is an expected response, it’s imperative that this process be community centered, where individual concerns and successes are heard, valued, and considered as the process is regularly assessed and tuned for effectiveness. Being present during team meetings, available, providing guidance, and working together to understand the process will be ongoing. I also believe that using PLC goals as a component for evaluation maintains a centered school wide approach to the overall goal of achievement.
I believe and support the power of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and the direction our district is taking to establish continuity in our curriculum that is aligned throughout the district. The strength that PBIS and Restorative Practice has provided our buildings as an intervention for social and emotional learning is evident in the data, where major referrals continue to decrease and celebrations continue to encourage students to make good choices. The tuning of our Response-to-Intervention process through MTSS is providing a roadmap for students in need of intervention, and is creating a fluid entry and exit process where students are getting what they need when they need it. And finally, the establishment of Professional Learning Communities (PLC) is bringing teachers together to look at our curriculum, identify important standards, build learning targets, create common assessments, and ask ourselves: Where are we now, where do we need to be, how will we know when we are there, and what will we do for our students that need remediation or enrichment?
I believe in supporting and building a sense of community. Professional development will be focused on supporting staff needs based on staff input and aligned with the districts initiatives. Evaluations will be used as a tool to provide support and feedback when needed to ensure best practice and encouragement, and allow for guidance in professional development so that all teachers continue to excel in their craft. As a school we will celebrate regularly our student accomplishments and show our appreciation for their diligence. Opportunities will be provided to get together as a community outside of work to celebrate one another and reward each other for the dedication, sacrifice, and hard work it takes to be an educator in today's ever changing and challenging environment.
In summary, I believe that leadership cannot be done alone. Ensuring that our students learn at high levels cannot be the sole responsibility of any one individual, and therefore needs to be a process where all stakeholders are involved. Creating a culture and climate of respect and rapport is necessary, but this can only be done through modeling and involving all participants. Experience builds trust, and trust takes time. Involving everyone within the building will work toward a sense of community and there is no time better than the present to begin. My leadership style is one of mutual respect, where the focus is on creating a fun and collaborative atmosphere that supports both the students and the staff.
Gabriel Cappozzo
Email: gcappozzo@bpd3.org
Website: https://www.bpd3.org/o/kmes
Location: Kenneth Murphy Elementary School, West Wadsworth Road, Beach Park, IL, USA
Phone: 847-599-5060
Twitter: @BPD3KM