The Tiger Times Newsletter
Pleasantdale Middle School
April 12, 2020
4.12.20 Thoughts from Mr. Sonntag
Dear Middle School Community,
We're truly flying the plane...while we're building it. Educators across the nation are flying the plane while they're building it, with no other choice. Last year, I was so proud that we were at the forefront of schools in the state by having our eLearning plan developed and approved so we could deploy it instead of taking a snow day. We learned a lot about what works and doesn't work while educating the students from home through this process and implementation.
However, these original eLearning plans were never intended for this! They were created for a day or two, not weeks or even months. Who could have even imagined that we'd be doing school from home? Who would have had the time to develop a plan for this when it was so incomprehensible that it would actually occur? At times, the surreality still hits me. I've explained to my children and I am certain they don't really understand at this point, but this pandemic is going to be one of those topics that are taught in history classes to their kids and their grandkids!?! Surreal.
Here are some things that I've learned:
1. I have learned is that a virus cannot stop our teachers and staff commitment to our students!
2. eLearning is not the same as in-person learning.
3. At this point, connecting with the kids and checking in with them is as important if not more important than trying to help them progress through the academics.
4. We need to make some adjustments to our plans in order to sustain this for the rest of this month (and longer if directed to do so).
5. Families are working so extremely hard to manage your households and your kids' education. Thank you!
Please continue to read Dr. Palzet's updates each day as he is going to be sharing with you some sustainable changes to our programming in the near future. His voice is our one voice for the district so that everyone is receiving the same message at the same time.
Don't forget that our new attendance procedures are implemented this week. Please remember to fill out the google form that you will receive via email on Friday, April 17. For a reminder and for more information, please see Dr. Palzet's email from April 7th here or a short video (1:27) of the attendance procedure here.
Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't give a shout-out to the 5th-grade team for organizing the car parade last Thursday. It was so wonderful to see how many staff members came out to see so many families in the neighborhoods. It was a memorable experience for all.
Thank you Mrs.Triggs for your leadership, Miss McCarter for mapping it out and leading the way, and to Mr. Ratcliff, Mrs. Lauermann, and Mrs. Miglieri.
Remember, we are all in this together. Together we are #P-DaleStrong.
Take care of yourselves, continue to stay home, and be well.
Mr. Sonntag
Grade Level Assignments for eLearning All In One Place
We started sharing these documents with students this week and wanted to share them with you. These grade-level docs will be the jumping-off point for eLearning by grade level. Please bookmark these webpages because we will be updating the document each day/week.
You may not have access to some of the links contained inside the docs, but you'll be able to access them with your child(ren).
Check them out, and let me know what you think about them via email (gsonntag@d107.org).
5th Grade Assignments/Checklist
6th Grade Assignments/Checklist
Happy Assistant Principals' Day to Mrs. Malatt!
Morning Announcements Are Here!
Each day, check out the morning announcements including information, birthdays, quote of the day, service idea from home, a request to respond, and much, much more! We send these out through Schoology each morning and will begin posting to social media as well! We hope the kids enjoy just a little bit of normalcy to their days in the form of our morning announcements.
Special thanks to Mrs. Bubulka, innovative teaching coach, and Mrs. Steinmetz for getting this up and running!
No announcements on Friday, April 10 or Monday, April 13.
Student Council Information from Mrs. Driscoll and Ms. Newberry
Student Council Wednesday Meeting
Join us for Student Council on Wednesdays at 3pm.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/809276501?pwd=TVlXbjU0b2JJaXZDMW5rUG9LeXFsQT09
Meeting ID: 809 276 501
Password: 010726
Mrs. Driscoll & Mrs. Newberry
Student Council Election Informational Meeting
If you are interested in becoming an officer of the Student Council in the 2020-21 school year, please attend this meeting to find out how to run in the election. If you are not sure if you want to run, please join us to get more information so you can make the best decision for yourself.
Thursday, April 16th @ 3pm
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/513145610?pwd=cXMwaDdiUm9rZll3eURVT05JWjVkUT09
Meeting ID: 513 145 610
Password: 6j4ARi
Friday Yoga from Mrs. Driscoll
Take a yoga break this week and try this class called Yoga for Teens: Rise & Shine Yoga Class that was created and taught by a teen.
Educational Video Contest
Future Events/Activities Update
Beyond that, it is unknown at this time. The safety of all of our students, families, and staff is of the utmost importance so we will be following closely the recommendations by our state and local health departments and state and local leaders. In the end, some of these decisions will be local decisions following this guidance from the experts with all of the information. Please stay tuned to this newsletter and your daily emails from Dr. Palzet and we will keep you apprised of changes to future activities and events.
Continued Appreciation for P-Dale Middle School Staff
District Communications All In One Place
To make it as easy as possible for you, the communications from our Superintendent Dr. Palzet are all in one place. They can be found on our district webpage here.
Photography Club Sponsored by Mr. Madsen
Please check out his video about how to be a part of the Photo Club and check Schoology for the submission form.
During these times, we need to remember that sadness for kids may take many forms. Please be extra patient and show extra love during these trying times.
Quote of the Week-
"To make a difference in someone's life, you don't have to be brilliant, rich, beautiful, or perfect. You just have to care."
Good News Network
Parent Education Corner
As a follow up to this blogpost on resiliency by my very talented wife, Dr. Jessica Sonntag, the second episode of their podcast dropped this week and it is all about how to build Competency in our children. It's a great listen for parents with kids at all ages.
I hope you'll take a look at this and it will help you as we parent through these different and challenging times. Enjoy!
Episode #1 Royal-ly Resilient Video Podcast: Episode 1-24:36
This provides an overview of the book and allows you to get to know the presenters.
New this week! Royal-ly Resilient Video Podcast: Episode 2-24:26
Episode #2 focuses on developing competency in our kids and how as parents sometimes, we just need to "get out of the way" and allow children to "do".
Brené Brown's Podcast Has Been Very Helpful...
There is so much content out there. I'm trying to be the filter for this content. This is 24:56 that I think you should listen to, and then listen to it with your significant other, and then listen to it with your middle/high school-aged children. My hope in sharing just a few of these resources is that one of them will help you.
Brené on Comparative Suffering,
the 50/50 Myth, and Settling the Ball
We have collectively hit weary. This is especially true for the brave folks on the front lines of this pandemic and for the people who love and support them. And, it’s also true for all of us. In this episode, I talk about strategies for falling apart, staying connected + kind, and giving ourselves permission to feel hard things. --Brené Brown
Summer Academy Registration is Open
Although there may be snow on the ground, Pleasantdale District 107 is gearing up for our Summer Academy 2020! We are excited to offer students currently in grades PreK - 7 the opportunity to take summer enrichment classes to further their learning while having fun!
Summer Academy classes will be held at Pleasantdale Middle School on Monday - Friday from June 8 - July 2 (no class July 3 in observance of Independence Day) with classes offered from 8:50 AM - 12:00 PM.
*Continuing this year! Pleasant Dale Park District has coordinated with the school district to provide an opportunity for families to send their children to Park District Summer Camp for a reduced rate. This opportunity is available only for families with children attending all 3 sessions of Summer Academy classes.*
To sign up, please see the 2020 Summer Academy Program Guide here.
Calendar Dates for the Year
If you are like me, you want to know the dates for the year as far in advance as possible. As long as you understand that something may change due to unforeseen circumstances, I’d like to provide you access to the dates we’ve planned for the year (many of which are in the paper calendar you received in the mail). To access the middle school calendar dates, please click here.
Collections at the Middle School-Keep Collecting, Please
We collect the following at the middle school:
1. Pop Tabs-The Pop Tab competition by grade has begun so please continue to collect Pop Tabs for us throughout the year. We donate them to Ronald McDonald House to support families of children with cancer.
2. Box Tops for Education-These are all given to the PTO to support our schools!
3. Lids-Our Elements of Nature Club (EONC) 5th graders are collecting clean lids to drink and food containers to create art to put around the school. There is a collection place in the front hallway outside the office.
Throughout the year, there are other collections and drives that occur. Keep an eye out for how you can support the causes that are important to the students and staff here!
Tiger Tipline
While it is always best to talk directly to a staff member, we understand that sometimes this can be uncomfortable or difficult for students or parents. At Pleasantdale Middle School, we offer the Tiger Tipline as an anonymous tool for reporting unsafe, uncomfortable, or unkind behaviors and situations. We explicitly teach the students that if they ever see something or hear something that makes them feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or is unkind, either online or in person, they should tell a “trusted adult” which could be parents, school personnel, or other adults in their lives. The Tiger Tipline can be accessed here and we will post the link in Schoology and create a shortcut to the link on the student devices for easy access.
School Spirit Fridays!
Lunch information-Grab and Go Meal Available During Closure
"Beginning March 17, we will offer meals to any child in the community,18 or under, who needs nutritional support. In partnership with our food service provider, Just A Dash, we will provide breakfast and lunch at no charge. Pick up times are between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM. This week we will provide lunches on Tuesday (today), Wednesday, and Friday. Moving forward, these “Grab & Go” meals will be available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays through April 6 (and during spring break). To encourage social distancing, we will provide curbside service. Simply pull up to door #25 in the back of the middle school (7450 S. Wolf Rd., Burr Ridge), and food will be brought to your vehicle."
Review complete email from Dr. Palzet about Grab and Go Meals During School Closure
Follow Us on Twitter @Pdaleprincipal for updates and pictures of the happenings around the middle school!
Follow pdalemsactivities on Instagram for reminders about school spirit days and events throughout the year!
This Week...
No eLearning Monday, April 13.
Tu-F-eLearning for students
Wednesday, April 15, 3 p.m.-Student Council Meeting
Thursday, April 16, 3 p.m.-Informational Meeting for Student Council Elections for 2020-2021
Remember, parents, Friday you will submit attendance for the week (4/14-4/17).
Next Week...
eLearning M-F for students.
Wednesday, April 22, 3 p.m.-Weekly Student Council Meeting
Parents will submit attendance on 4/24.
Questions? We're here to help!
Athletics: 708-246-7382
Mr. Mark Dreher, Athletic Director, mdreher@d107.org
Attendance notification: 708-246-3210, extension 5 or email middleattendance@d107.org before 8:20 a.m., please.
Health Office: 708-246-7619
Mrs. Denise Rende, Nurse, drende@d107.org
Main Office: 708-246-3210, extension 0
Mrs. Stacey Tantillo, Secretary, stantillo@d107.org
Ms. Maria Cuevas, Clerical Aide, mcuevas@d107.org
Mrs. Brianne Malatt, Assistant Principal, bmalatt@d107.org, 708-246-7373
Mr. Griffin Sonntag, Principal, gsonntag@d107.org, 708-246-7609
Social Worker: 708-246-7505
Ms. Carrie Castaldo, Social Worker, ccastaldo@d107.org