Staff Bulletin
December 19, 2014
DISTRICT 64 STAFF BULLETIN
Dear District 64 Staff,
As we head off for the winter recess, I find myself reflecting on my 6 months in District 64 and what we have already accomplished as a team in 2014. It is my belief that as a district, we have much to celebrate.
Holiday Spirit is in the Air
Kudos to our amazing music staff for their hard work preparing for the delightful holiday sings. I thoroughly enjoyed visiting all the performances!!
5 Essentials Climate Survey Coming in January
When you return from winter recess, we will be participating in the 5 Essentials survey. All parents, teachers and students in grades 6-8 across Illinois will have an opportunity to participate in the Illinois 5Essentials Survey: Organizing Schools for Improvement. The survey was designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school. As a parent, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness.
In January, we will email you an invitation to access the survey online. I hope all staff members take the time to provide thoughtful constructive feedback on how we are doing so far in the 2014-15 school year. The survey results will serve as our baseline and guide how we continue to work together and continuously improve as a district.
Research shows that schools strong on the ``5Essentials” are 10 times more likely to improve student learning.
The survey identifies five indicators that can affect school success:
Effective Leaders
Collaborative Teachers
Involved Families
Supportive Environments
Ambitious Instruction
5E survey reports will be included in the School Report Card released by ISBE in October.
System Overview Assessment with the CEC
As you may recall, we will be engaging in a district-wide assessment conducted by the Consortium for Educational Change. They will be serving as an external audit team and visiting our district from Tuesday, February 3 - Thursday, February 5. It is my hope that as many staff members will participate in this opportunity to meet with the auditors and share their insight on how the district is doing in the key areas of learning, collaboration and results.
A schedule for site visits is being developed and a communication will go out to staff and community regarding our desire for their participation in this important process.
At the conclusion of the 3-day visit, the internal self-study team will receive a verbal report of preliminary findings. Within a month, we will receive a written report of findings that will be presented to us by a member of the CEC external audit team. Typically, they provide three high-impact recommendations within each category to consider. Once the results are shared, we will work as a District to assess how best to actualize data to improve our work in the areas of learning, collaboration and results. This data will also serve to inform Strategic Planning.
We are looking forward to engaging in this process and using the results generated to continue to improve our practices as a District so please lend your voice in February!
Day of Code
Congratulations to our technology team for launching the Hour of Code initiative. I was able to see some of it in action and it was quite remarkable. Thank you for going above and beyond.
Thank you for your hard work and partnership in doing this important work. I wish each of you a safe, restful and happy holiday season!
Warmly,
Laurie
HOLIDAY BREAK
The last attendance day for students and staff is Friday, December 19. The holiday break begins Monday, December 22 with all students and staff returning on Monday, January 5, 2015. Enjoy your break!
NEWS FROM DISTRICT 64’s WELLNESS COUNCIL-Get ready to see RED!
As part of its Staff Wellness initiative, Wellness Council is partnering with the American Heart Association in February, to promote Heart Health. The AHA has recently rolled out a new anthem, “Life is Why.” To understand more about the campaign, please view this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fSLvlsV3JyQ
Stay tuned for news about District 64 activities scheduled for the week of February 9, 2015!
CONGRATULATIONS
FOR SALE
NEXT BOARD MEETING
Monday, Jan 26, 2015, 07:30 PM
Jefferson School, 8200 North Greendale Avenue, Niles
WANTED
Used bike for daughter at college. Her locked bike was recently stolen, so now she needs another one to get her to and from classes! Too far to walk!
contact Sharon at sstake@d64.org
2014 – 2015 PAY DATES
12/18/14 (Christmas Break 12/22/14 to 01/02/15-Returning Monday, 01/05/15)
1/02/15 -Thursday, January 1, 2015 (New Years Day), 1/15/15 and 1/29/15
2/12/15 and 2/26/15
3/12/15 and 3/26/15– Spring Break begins on 3/30/15 to 04/06/15-Returning Tuesday, 04/07
4/09/15 and 4/23/15
5/07/15 and 5/21/15
6/04/15 and 6/18/15
7/02/15, 7/16/15 and 7/30/15