Hammerschmidt's Happenings
April 27 - May 1
Dear WHS Staff,
Last Day of School for Remote Learning
Right now, the last day of school for Remote Learning for students is May 29. That said, the Governor continues to evaluate whether schools have to make-up for days when they were closed due to COVID-19. Should we have to make-up those days, this would mean our last day for Remote Learning would be June 2. We will provide more information closer to the end of the school year, but right now we are planning for May 29.
Access to Buildings: Safety is our Priority Focus
Below you will find information for the different employee groups in the district:
Our norms, habits, traditions and protocols are vastly different for finishing this school year. There will be things that will need to wait until restrictions from the stay at home order are lifted, so we appreciate your patience and understanding. That being said, we are asking for the following to occur:
In order to follow social distancing guidelines, we will be allowing all staff to come into the buildings the week of May 4th. Staff members will be assigned a day in a way that best addresses your buildings structure and needs. Your assigned date will come in a later communication from your principal. During this time, staff will be asked to gather, bag and label students items for a later pick-up date, which is tentatively scheduled for June 3rd. If, for any reason, coming in during your scheduled date is not an option for you, please know that we will work with you and attend to any incomplete tasks. Right now, our focus remains on your safety.
EC & ELEMENTARY BUILDINGS ONLY
A schedule with specific logistical information as to how student items are gathered and organized will be communicated by your principal at a later date.
MIDDLE SCHOOL ONLY
We understand staff will have a variety of questions regarding the logistical complexities of where student items are stored (PE lockers, student lockers, classrooms, etc.). Mike Fumagalli will be working with team leaders on developing a plan that best supports all of our staff while keeping your safety as our priority.
FOR SCHOOL NURSES
For our school nurses, you also will need to come in during this time to gather and properly organize all student medication to ensure these can be picked-up on June 3. If there are medications that need to be provided to students earlier than June 3, please work with your building principal on determining how those can be distributed earlier. You will also use this time to gather student files that will need to transfer from JSECC to the elementary buildings and fifth grade files to GWMS.
FOR ALL STAFF WHO ARE RETIRING, CHANGING BUILDINGS OR MOVING CLASSROOMS
We recognize that more time is needed for staff who will be vacating a room. There will be a separate day provided to people who are needing to completely pack-up their room for either a transfer or a retirement. Your current building administrator will work with you on scheduling a separate day for this effort.
Staff Laptop Collection
Given current circumstances, we will NOT be collecting staff devices and you will be able to keep your device through the summer. The Technology Department is exploring the possibility of remote imaging to ensure proper updates can be made to keep your device safe and protected. That said, if classrooms do have devices (other than carts), we ask that you please make sure the devices and chargers are in a place that is easily visible to Technology Staff.
End of Year Parties/5th Grade Celebrations
Given the current state of the COVID-19 Pandemic, we are not able to move forward with any end of year parties, including the traditional Fifth Grade Farewell celebration/ Instead, the Grade 5 parent committee is working hard to plan a special way to honor our fifth grade students while honoring while social distancing. More details will be forthcoming. In addition, we do intend having our current fifth graders visit their elementary school next year, prior to starting at Westlake, so we can offer them a proper goodbye.
What you can expect more information about next week….
Future of Kindergarten Orientation
Glenn Westlake Middle School Promotion
Progress Reporting on Students
Retirement Celebration & Honoring Staff Years of Service
Supply Ordering for Next Year
Collecting Items from Staff Who Are Not Returning Next Year
Grade Level PLCs with Interventionists
These PLC meetings will take place during your existing PLC time that is identified on the WHS Daily Connections Schedule.
In preparation for this PLC please think about the following questions and be ready to share with the team.
- What types of activities are going really well with strong student engagement?
- What difficulties are you experiencing?
- What feedback from students/ parents can be shared?
- Any suggestions moving forward?
While these meetings will be informal in nature, I want them to be as meaningful as possible. Your advance reflection about the questions above will be beneficial.
Questions & Ideas about End of Year at WHS
Good Luck Messages for Grade 5 Students- Help Needed
Tweets of the week:
Kristen Rosemeyer
If you were to write a book about yourself, what would you name it?
Kristen's Make Believe World
Favorite Memory of a recent school experience:
I went with our 6th grade to Camp Tecumpseh last year for Outdoor Education. This was hands down the best time spent with students, as we all grew together and had way too much fun! Highly recommend this experience to any and all!
Fondest Memory of your own elementary experience:
I loved Buddies. It was fun to spend time with both older and younger students and to have extra faces in the halls that you could recognize.
Words That Describe Me:
Positive, energetic, & playful
Bucket List:
See the Northern Lights in Iceland.
What is your hidden talent?
I can crab walk backwards (& forwards?)
What advice would you give to someone just starting off their career in education?
Be open-minded to accept advice from coworkers but trust yourself & build relationships with your students.
What is the last joke that you recall:
What do Cubs fans and long neck beers have in common? They're both empty from the neck up.
Best Concert Experience:
Coldplay at Soldier Field
Staff Shout Outs!
Administrative Professionals at WHS
An enormous heart-felt THANK YOU is nowhere near enough for the support, teamwork, and leadership of this office super team. You are truly amazing. I am blessed to have you as partners in service to our students, staff, and families of WHS!
WHS Staff "Shout Out" Nominations
GCN Tutorials are Available for 2020-21
Please use the login information provided:
CLICK HERE for the GCN Login Site
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Stay safe, stay positive!
Rebecca Harris
Our Amazing WHS Kids!
Watch This Amazing Video Again and Again!
PTA Update- Staff Appreciation
Given the current limitations, I , too, would like to postpone the Staff Appreciation efforts normally done during the first week in May, so that I may properly honor you all when we can be together.
PLEASE DO NOT MISTAKE THIS TO UNDERESTIMATE THE APPRECIATION, ADMIRATION, RESPECT, AND HIGH PRAISE THAT I HAVE FOR YOU!!!
Need a Name Spinner for Your Google Meet:
This tweet caught my eye, thought I would share:
Wheel of Names! I used this on a whim in an online book chat today to see who would present their thinking next. Turned out to be a bit fun! wheelofnames.com/#
Offline Choice Boards: How Are You Integrating Offline Learning into Your Online Class?
If teachers or parents are looking for ways to engage students in offline learning activities at home, below is a choice board I designed. This choice board is composed of activities that encourage students to think critically and creatively, document their learning, reflect on these unconventional learning experiences, and share what they’ve worked on with their peers.
THANK YOU HEALTH CARE WORKERS AND
Contact Me Anytime!
Email: ddanielski@sd44.org
Website: http://wh.sd44.org/
Location: Wm Hammerschmidt Elementary School, Hammerschmidt Avenue, Lombard, IL, United States
Phone: 630-677-8457
Twitter: @ddanielski