Monday Morning Message -BH Primary
Monday, October 15, 2018
Big Hollow School District #38 Vision and Mission Statements
Mission: Inspiring a diverse school community to be passionate and empathetic learners.
Click here to link to the live document with our strategic plan goals and objectives.
Strategies to Help Your Students Feel Heard
Beth PandolphoJuly 12, 2018
Social and Emotional Learning
One way to cultivate a classroom culture in which students feel valued and respected is to focus on listening to them.
©Shutterstock/Monkey Business Images
One of the many wonders of being a teacher is that we affect children’s lives both in ways we understand and in ways we can’t begin to comprehend. But many of the demands of being a teacher can eclipse the fact that students are the center of our profession. We can easily become fixated on adhering to state standards, district initiatives, and departmental guidelines while we busily attend meetings, pore over lesson plans, and grade piles of student papers.
Yet we must remain focused on the needs of our students and remember a John Hattie phrase: “A positive, caring, respectful environment is a prior condition to learning.” Regardless of how busy we are, we cannot underestimate the importance of cultivating a classroom culture in which students feel valued and respected because if our students aren’t learning, the other tasks are meaningless. And one way we can build this solid foundation for learning is to listen to our students.
Eliciting Students’ Thoughts
What are you thinking? When I want to elicit responses from my students, I give them time to clarify their thoughts through writing. This time to reflect prepares them for class discussion. As hands go up, I say each student’s name and ask, “What are you thinking?” After I listen to the response, I follow up with questions such as, “Can you tell me more about that?” or “What led you to that conclusion?” Sometimes I’ll add my own thoughts, but often it’s enough just to hear theirs.
My students know that I care about what they think because their insights lead us all to deeper understanding. Fostering real conversations ensures that our classrooms become places of academic inquiry and collaboration founded on a sense of fairness and mutual respect.
Do you remember when _____? I often circle back to students’ contributions to show them that their thoughts and efforts matter to me. I’ll remind Sam how I loved his frequent and enthusiastic reading of Romeo this year, and I can always get a rise out of Hope if I compare a character to Odysseus—she’ll cringe and groan, “Ugh! He’s infuriating! I can’t stand him!”
Sometimes, I’ll repeat memorable lines from student presentations: “Katie, that reminds me of when you recited, ‘Too old to cry, too young to work full time,’ and Tom, when you read aloud, ‘I don’t know what I want to be or who I want to be.’” Students follow my lead in recounting favorite moments from the year, which builds community and strengthens relationships.
Can you give me some feedback? In an attempt to improve students’ experience in my class, I ask for their feedback during the year using exit tickets or questions in Google Classroom or Google Forms (here’s my end-of-year survey). I’ve learned that many students appreciate that I don’t give pop quizzes, and that they think my reading quizzes are too hard. I’ve learned that it helps if I use the due date option in Google Classroom because it sends them reminders, and that they wish we would spend more time reviewing common mistakes on essays because the feedback really helps.
Listening as a Way to Create a Positive Class Culture
Be responsive to students’ needs: The week prior to the school musical, many students stay at school every night until 11, and sometimes our football team plays away games on weeknights and doesn’t return to school until almost midnight. My students know I don’t want them staying up until 2 a.m. to complete their homework, so they’re not afraid to ask for an extension.
When we’re responsive to our students’ needs and they know they’ll be treated with kindness and respect, we’re teaching them to advocate for themselves.
Seek out the students you haven’t connected with: It’s important to try to forge a connection with each of our students, so when I realize there are some to whom I haven’t spoken, I know it’s time to reach out.
Sometimes I’ll greet the student when they enter the classroom and ask a question tailored to something I know about them to encourage a brief exchange. At other times, I may ask if they can help me with a task or ask their opinion about something we’re doing in class. Or if I’m doing conferences, I’ll spend a little more time with my more reticent students. It doesn’t have to be much—I simply try to create a moment when they’re speaking and I’m listening.
A tacit agreement must exist between teachers and students: Teachers will accept students for who they are, so students can feel safe to make mistakes—because mistakes are how we learn. Our students need to understand that we don’t measure their worth by the sum total of their grades or their behavior because we know them as individuals. And if we want our students to listen to us, the way to begin is to listen to them.
Goal setting
Parties and Wellness Policy
Website & Newsletters
When you send a newsletter, please be sure to send it to Lenayn and Sunny, too. It's a great way for us to keep up on classroom happenings!
School Bus Safety Week - October 22-26
Data Meetings
We will meet again to review data during your reading intervention time on November 19.
PD during prep time
TECH, ART, MUSIC COLLABORATION SCHEDULE
Please access this spreadsheet to share topics or ideas your grade level will be working on. It will help Peggy, Brenda, and Katie know what you're doing in class so they can help coordinate and plan thematic activities in their classes. It's also a great way for grade levels to collaborate with each other and buddy up for combined activities!
A note from CIA director, Barb Steinseifer
Time will be devoted during the early release day this Friday to continue working on our curriculum map and CFA's. You can also use this time to review Chapter 7 to prepare for the CIA meetings on October 23 or 26.
CIA Meetings
October 23 - Primary Conference Room
8:10-9:40 a.m. Kindergarten
9:50-11:20 a.m. PE (All levels)
12:15-1:45 p.m. 1st Grade
1:55-3:20 p.m. PreK
October 26
1:15-2:45 p.m. Primary/Elementary Specials
PBIS
October 17 -subcommittee meetings - various locations at 8:10 am
October 19 - tier 1/2 meeting in Hayley Janney's room at 8:10 am to complete TFI
October 19 - Celebration Assembly 12:45 pm - 1:10 pm
Acknowledge inappropriate behavior every time. This doesn't mean that everything has to be written up as a minor or a major, but inappropriate behavior cannot be ignored!
Academic Enrichment Clubs
It would be awesome to have our teachers, paraprofessionals, and/or staff offer some clubs to offer our students this fall and winter.
Please complete the Academic Enrichment Club approval form here if you'd like to offer a club to students after school this year. Please contact me if you have any questions. I will need these forms completed and submitted ASAP. Remember- pay is $50 per hour. Thanks!
School Improvement Planning Process
Important Dates
October 15 - PTO meeting at 6:30 pm at MS
October 17 - Box Tops are due
October 18- Earthquake Drill 10:18 am- The Great US Shakeout
October 20- Fox Lake Rotary Club Trivia Night 6 pm
October 23-31- Red Ribbon Week
October 23 - Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Grade level meetings with Barb
October 23 - PTO No Cook Night at Slyce Pizza
October 24 - Warrior Workshop 6-7 pm
October 26- PTO Day of the Dead Trunk or Treat 5:30 pm
October 31- Halloween Parties
November 8 - PTO Culver's No Cook Night
November 8 - Stackapalooza
November 12 - Data meetings during reading intervention time
November 12-16 - Anti Bullying Week- "Choose respect" theme
November 12 - PTO meeting at 6:30 pm at MS
November 15- ELL Parent Involvement Night 5-6 pm
November 16 - ER - team time and report cards
December 5- PTO Pizza Throw Down
December 17 - PTO meeting at 6:30 pm at MS
January 8-31- NWEA/MAP TESTING IN COMPUTER LAB
January 8-31- AIMS PLUS TESTING
January 14-18- No Name Calling Week
January 16-February 19- ACCESS TESTING for ELLs
January 17- PTO Glow Bingo
January 17- ELL Presentation for Parents 5-6 pm
January 18 - Early Release - Gretchen Courtney
January 21 - PTO No Cook Night - BBQ Productions in Lake Zurich
January 26 - PTO Family Bowling
January 28 - PTO meeting at 6:30 pm at MS
January 30 - Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Grade level meetings with Barb
January 31- 4th Grade Open House Showcase
February 13- PTO Spaghetti Dinner & Trivia Night
February 14- Valentine's Day Parties
February 15 - Early Release - Gretchen Courtney
February 20- 3rd Grade Open House Showcase
February 27 - Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Grade level meetings with Barb
March 1 - ER - team time and report cards
March 2- PTO Mardi Gras Gala
March 7- ELL Make & Take Fun 5-6 pm
March 12 - PTO No Cook Night at Antioch Pizza
March 14- 2nd Grade Open House Showcase
March 15 - Early Release - Gretchen Courtney
March 18 - PTO Meeting at 6:30 pm at MS
March 21- PTO March Madness
March 26-April 2- Autism Awareness Week
April 2- Autism Awareness Day
April 5 - Early Release - Gretchen Courtney
April 9 - First Grade Showcase
April 11 & April 12- PTO Spring Resale - Elementary Gym
April 18 - PTO Skate Night 6:30-8:00 pm
April 22- May 10 - NWEA/MAP TESTING IN COMPUTER LAB
April 22-May 10- AIMS PLUS TESTING
April 22 - Earth Day
April 22 - PTO meeting at 6:30 pm at MS
April 29- May 3- PTO Book Fair Coin War
May 3 - Early Release - Gretchen Courtney
May 6-10-Teacher Appreciation Week
May 6-10- Book Fair - Primary Gym
May 7 - Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Grade level meetings with Barb
May 8- Reading Night - Book Fair family night
May 8 & 10 - SIP Internal Review Days
May 14 - Kindergarten Showcase
May 16- District Cultural Fair 5-6 pm
May 20 - PTO Elections and No Cook Night at Culver's
May 30- PTO Last Day of School Party in the Parking Lot
PTO news
To sign up for updates from PTO, visit their website - bighollowpto.com
Access Code: USAWNE
Here you will be able to access the student directory, pto and classroom sign-ups, online store, and access the calendar for all of our events.
Here is the PTOs calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/b/2?cid=MDJua3FjNTluaWFhOW9mOWc3ZTJ2aHYwbjRAZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ
The PTO continues to bless us with amazing items for our school & students!
If you see a PTO member, please stop them and SAY THANK YOU!!! :)
Check out the Big Hollow PTO website here: https://bighollowpto.ptboard.com/
Cindy Haran - President - cindyharan@bighollowpto.com
Communicates openly with the parents, administration, teachers, and community to create a strong, supportive PTO for Big Hollow.
Angie Vasey- Vice President of Events - angievasey@bighollowpto.com
Oversees the planning and execution of all events hosted by the Big Hollow PTO. These events include the Back to School Blast, the Children’s Resale, movie nights, Shop and Drop, Spaghetti Dinner, Glow Bingo, Color Run, and Golf Outing.
Chris Ledger- Vice President of Fundraising - chrisledger@bighollowpto.com
Organizes spirit wear, pizza and pie sales, sponsorships, restaurant nights, and any other task related directly to fundraising for the Big Hollow PTO and the students of Big Hollow schools.
Jean Hayes - Secretary - jeanhayes@bighollowpto.com
Creates agendas and takes minutes for all PTO meetings. Organizes all files, PTO calendars, and drives and maintains the website for the Big Hollow PTO. Oversees Big Hollow Book Fairs.
Wanda Martinez - Treasurer - wandamartinez@bighollowpto.com
Updates expenditures and income of the Big Hollow PTO. Maintains the PTO’s status as a 501c3 charity. Handles all banking responsibilities of the Big Hollow PTO.
Linda Merrill - District Liaison - lindamerrill@bighollow.us
Communicates between the teachers and the PTO to make sure the logistics of events coordinate with the plans of District 38.
Lisa Swiderski - Volunteer Coordinator - lisaswiderski@bighollow.us
Is the volunteer coordinator. She creates and manages the sign-ups, and she's the one you'll be looking for when you are volunteering.
Mrs. Lenayn Janusz, Principal Mrs. Sunny Morley, Assistant Principal
Relationships matter! Choose kind!
3002 - office :-) 847-561-6330 (cell)
Follow us on twitter @BigHollowPri
Lenayn @Lenayn912
Sunny @mrsmorley4
Instagram: BigHollowPri
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bighollow.pri
Email: lenaynjanusz@bighollow.us
Website: www.bighollow.us
Location: 33335 North Fish Lake Road, Ingleside, IL, United States
Phone: (847)561-6330
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BigHollowPri/
Twitter: @lenayn912