Resurrection Weekly Update #5
The Way to Stay in Touch with All Things Res: 9/18 - 9/22
The Principal's Corner
Reflection
With today’s renewed focus on Catholic identity in schools, it is critical for us to examine our role in the mission of the Church. When a shadow, a family, a student walk into this building, they sense that something is different, something is unexpected, something is, in fact, extraordinary. That "something" is part of our identity. At Mass today, I was struck at the excitement and enthusiasm with which our young women sang our alma mater. As I stood on the stage, I thought to myself this energy, this joy is really an example of God's love. As Sr. Donna renewed her vows, I saw the intrigue and awe on the faces of our students. I thought to myself, this is an example of God's love. As I watched our young women make a public commitment to serve as Anastasias, I thanked God for their witness.
As we move into next week, I ask us to consider what are we doing to enhance the "something" that is part of our identity.
What I am (still) working on....
This week, we are continuing STREAM integration framework conversations, as well as exploring the addition of online AP courses for the humanities. Additionally, we are looking at creative ways to continue the UbD conversations. More to come on these exciting topics...
THINK big....START small...GO FOR the early win!
Amen,
Mr. P
What's Happening at Res
Daily Breakdown
- Practicum Guest Speakers for all students in the Practicum program: Seminar A & B
Tuesday Sept 19th - Red Day
- Activity 2 meets, please review the Activity 2 Schedule and responsiblities
Wednesday Sept. 20th - White Day
- Senior Class Meeting with Jostens: Seminar A in the Little Theater - Please have students go directly to the Little Theater and sit with their seminar.
- Faculty Professional Development: 2-3:15 PM in the Library
- College Night: 7-9 PM in the Gym
Thursday Sept. 21st - Red Day
- Practicum Guest Speakers for all students in the Practicum program: Seminar A & B
- Academic Council Meeting: 3:15-4 PM in the Main Conference Room
Friday Sept. 22nd - White Day
- PSAT Pre-Administration Meeting: 7:30-8:15 AM in the Library - All students taking the PSAT are required to attend the Pre-Administration meeting and need to bring a #2 pencil.
- Junior Class Meeting: Seminar B in the Little Theater - Teachers, take attendance in your classroom and then bring your students down to the theater for the meeting.
- Jr. Bandit Fine Arts Workshop: 5:30-8pm at Resurrection
Shoutouts!
Outstanding happenings around the building:
Ms. August earned her MASTERS degree from St. Xavier!
Mr. Green did an AWESOME Kahoot activity that had all of the honors algebra 1 students shouting out answers, working on problems, and enjoying Math!
Ms. Martin provided an interesting handout for her RtI communication.
Sr. Mary Ann for using music in her teaching.
Ms. Ulczak for all of her efforts with the school profile!
Ms. Ulker for landing her dream job in Kansas! We are going to miss you! Rock Chalk Jayhawk!
Ms. Martorano and Ms. Henighan for their help with our Liturgy today!
Ms. Kancler for her work with our Lit. Choir today!
Mr. Longo for Chamber's terrific performance at Grandparent's Night.
Ms. Bohlander for coordinating the student performances at Grandparent night.
Speaking of Grandparents night, Ms. Martorano and Ms. Marchetti did a FABULOUS job with the event! It was great seeing the students with their grandparents.
Res Community Members Spotlight:
Mr. Brad Mulick, Religion Faculty
I am an avid player of board games, card games, and role-playing games (like Dungeons & Dragons), and I enjoy this hobby with my family.
I love music of all kinds, and have a special affection for Heavy Metal. Would you like to see my Iron Maiden Fan Club membership card? My dog, Trooper, is even named after an Iron Maiden song :-P
My wife says I'm really good at trivia, and my kids are always telling me to audition for Jeopardy!
Ms. Mary Katherine Bolandher, Theater Faculty
I grew up with my grandparents in a small town (750 people) in Northern IL where my nearest neighbor was 1/4 mile down our gravel road with 6 dogs, 2 goats, countless chickens, and an ornery duck.
Before starting work at Res, I stage managed professionally all over the state. My one fun claim to fame is working with Grey's Anatomy star Sandra Oh (who played Christina Yang) when she left the show to star in Death and the Maiden at Victory Gardens Theatre Company.
I have a much younger sister, Sarah, who is 13 years old and loves theatre and basketball. I've played the flute and percussion since I was 10 years old
Technology Updates
Digital storytelling has become a popular form of assessment for student learning. The ability for students to combine the art of storytelling/narration with a variety of multimedia tools leads to opportunities for increased student learning, engagement and increased amplification of student voice. We are blessed at Resurrection to have amazing tools at our disposal for teachers and students to engage in this form of teaching/learning. The Innovation Lab has a fully equipped Digital Recording Studio, with microphones, professional lighting, green-screen and professional software. Additionally, students have the ability to "checkout" tools for multimedia use. This includes the same tools that can be found in the Recording Studio (mics, green-screens, etc.). This allows teachers to have the comfort of mind that if they choose to assign a multimedia project, their students will all have the ability to create a high quality product.
We partner this amazing hardware with a whole school subscription to WeVideo. WeVideo is an amazing, browser based movie editing program that students can use for a variety of purposes. Students are taught how to use WeVideo in Digital Literacy and can always stop by the Innovation Lab before school or during seminar to work with a Tech Leader on any questions they may have about the program. If you are curious about the type of high quality, innovative learning experiences that you can use digital storytelling and WeVideo for, take a moment to check out their Twitter for posts of how teachers all over the country are utilizing it. Here at Res, we have a number of teachers who have used this form of assessment with quality results. Check out the following examples:
Sr. Mary Ann's Religion 4 - Noelle McGlinn's Personal Profile
Nicole McGrath's Religion 1 - Tatiana Tomacic's I Believe Video Essay
History of Chicago - Katia Velisaris' Video Final
Tech Leadership - Nina Stuckel's CSpan Student Cam Competition Video
Curriculum Updates
Faculty Professional Development
Take away's from Wednesday, 9/13/2017:
This Wednesday, teachers engaged in department-wide UbD work.
- First, we discussed options for standards frameworks and chose the one framework to be used by all members of the department.
- Next, departments identified three to four discipline-specific transfer goals that would be applicable to all courses taught in the department.
- If departments chose to do so, members identified one or two cross-curricular transfer goals that could be used in all the department's courses.
- Finally, each teacher identified the course and unit for which she or he would be doing the UbD work.
Each department needs to submit the above work to Schoology before the end of the day on Monday, September 18.
For next Wednesday, 9/20/2017:
Looking ahead to next week's PD, we will focus on the Understanding area of the unit design template. The specific objectives are listed here:
- explain the characteristics of Understndings;
- frame desired Understandings using SWUT;
- identify Understandings for a unit or a course;
- identify Understandings for teaching skills; and
- explain how Understandings relate to long-term Transfer Goals.
Looking ahead
Here is a link to the PD schedule for the upcoming weeks.
Motivational Video of the Week
Spiritual Reflections
Reminders for the Week
- Mother Celine Scholars underwent a few enhancements. Please see new program information here.
- Activity TWO starts this week!
- Committees START this month. Please see this document for a listing of the current, in house committees.
- We continue accepting nominations for Students and Teacher of the Month. Here is the necessary information!
- This Wednesday is NOT a noon dismissal and College Night is Friday.
- Non-Freshmen seminar teachers will receive directions that include Parent Access Codes. These directions are to be handed out and taken home so that parents can access Schoology.
What a RES education means to me: Megan Loughran Pridgen
When Mr. P asked me to share a little about what it means to me to be a Res Educator the timing couldn't have been better.
The previous evening I had actually received a message from an alum that had graduated a few years back. She was asking for my input about study abroad as she is studying at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (my alma mater) as a Spanish major in the Bachelor of Arts of Teaching or BAT program (the very program I graduated from) and she wanted my thoughts on whether or not the program she was looking into was a good idea.
First things first, for whatever reason the Spanish names our young ladies choose in class stick with me forever, so Serena this is a shout out to you!
I was so touched by the conversation I had with her. There she was, out in the world using all the skills that I and my fellow colleagues here at Res had helped her hone. She was confidently taking risks, bettering herself and all while she worked to follow us in this amazing career of education. Knowing that she thought back to her days here at Res and our afternoons up in room 208 fondly and remembered how emphatically I spoke of my life changing study abroad experience my junior year of college in Barcelona was so special. She wanted me to know that she was in a way following in my footsteps and about to embark on the next, thrilling chapter of her life and that her experience here at Res had given her the ability to pursue this dream. She knew that walking out these doors does not cut your ties with Res, that I would be here to happily give her any and all the help I could. And she showed me that as the song goes, I made a difference, I made a difference in her life and she is taking the knowledge we gave her here and running with it. I am blown away by the things our young ladies accomplish inside these walls and beyond and the connection you will always have with the Res community.
Gracias, Serena. Thank you for showing me why we do what we do here at Resurrection and how lucky we are to witness you ignite your own personal passions as you shine your light out into the world.
Happy Birthday!
Joe Lascon - September 21st
About Us
Mission
Resurrection College Prep High School is a Catholic Christian community dedicated to the education of young women, and to the development of their God–given talents. Convinced of God’s unconditional love and nourished by the Risen Lord Jesus Christ, we are committed to the spiritual, ethical, intellectual, physical and social growth of our students.
Email: Resurrection@reshs.org
Website: www.reshs.org
Location: 7500 W Talcott Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Phone: 773-775-6616
Facebook: www.facebook.com/reshs.chicago/
Twitter: @ResurrectionHS