12-19-25

Sherry has her newest student holiday parade video.  I love the creative student projects, the commentary from Angela, Megan and Sherry and of course the outtakes.  

Stem Holiday Video Parade

I hope to see everyone at the holiday breakfast in the morning.  It is always great to bring the whole district staff together along with school board members and old friends for some food, conversations and laughs.  Food starts at 6:30 and the WCCHS Choir at 6:45/6:50.  Thanks to Solly, Leslie, Marquita and Dawn for setting up and facilitating the breakfast.  

8th grade had their reward trip on Thursday at the ice rink.  I appreciate the team arranging for this opportunity for the students who worked hard on their academics and positive behavior.   

I want to thank Sarah for her service to BMS and everything she did to help students.  I appreciate Alyssa's willingness to fill in while we find a permanent replacement.    

I know we are all hoping Michelle Fiorini a speedy recovery. She is looking forward to getting back in the LMC. 

Please check out the Strategic Planning updates that Dr. McGill shared with everyone in his email (through the website link) This is a chance for everyone to be informed and give their input on this important process.  

Thanks to Nicole Johnson for sharing her Access testing schedule for January.  I appreciate how hard she works ro get all of our EL students assessed.  

The wrestling team has ended their season with a final meet on Thursday night. Joe has done a great job building up the wrestling team in it's second year.  I look forward to the future growth and steps forward with this program.  

5 Ways to Help Students Reset Their Thinking

Spirit week has been  a blast this week.  Thanks to Colleen and Alex for working with the student council kids to put this together.  I was most impressed with the student and staff efforts on dress like a snowman day!

The high school came over for a course selection overview for our students this week.  I appreciate the articulation and the 8th grade teacher discussions with students after the presentation to help prepare them for their transition to the high school.  

The team leaders met with me again this week.  I am so lucky to have their leadership and guidance to help shape our school in a positive way.  

  Thanks to Dr. Filas for his continued work with our music staff on finding a way to improve our lights and sound in the gym as well as his efforts to meet with everyone ahead of this summer room refreshes.  His attention to detail and collaboration with our designer allows our staffs ideas to come to life.  

Sherry had a great tamale party for her spanish classes allowing students, parent volunteers and staff to experience the spanish culture in traditions, crafts and food.  

Speaking of Food...Jen had her healthy cooking students making and eating some great wedge salads.  The great layout of the new health room allowed for flow and functionality with her students.  

My mentee meeting this week focused on work/life balance, self-care and the importance of focusing on the positive.  I hope that everyone uses the break to focus on your family...but also yourself.  See everyone soon.

"Remember no man is a failure who has friends."  Clarence  "It's a Wonderful Life"

“There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor.”
― Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol

12-12-2025

 I would like to thank our Chess Coaches, Lam and Devin who helped coach our team to a 3rd place finish at our Big Chess Tournament last Saturday.  Also a huge shout out to Jessica and Joe who were here al day to help run the tournament.  We could not have done it without you!

Thanks to Melissa Falkos who opened up her classroom for the Too Good for Drugs program these last few weeks.  She also organized the recognition ceremony for our 5th grade students.  

The Holiday Bazaar is this Saturday at Evergreen.   In addition to our Band and Choir students performing Mrs. Choate will have some of our students there selling their artwork!  It should be a fun time if you are looking for something to do.  

Cultivating a peaceful classroom before winter break.  

https://www.edutopia.org/article/productive-classroom-before-winter-break

Our 5th grade teachers, students and Mr. Lewis all sang holiday carols at three different assisted living facilities on Thursday.  This is the best example of giving back to our community as the residents REALLY appreciated the visits and our students singing.  Our students also gave the residents cards that they made.  

 Next week Student Council is sponsoring a holiday spirit week!  PJ day is Monday, check your email for more details.  

I am looking forward to seeing everyone at the Holiday Breakfast this Friday, December 19th.   The breakfast starts at 6:30am for all you early birds and the WCCHS Choir will be performing at 6:50am.  

We had a very successful Strategic Planning Data Retreat this past Tuesday.  Bringing staff, students, families and community together to look at our current data was a meaningful day.  Thanks to all of our teachers who participated.  

The Band and Choir assembly and Concert were amazing on Wednesday.  Ms. Martin, Mr. Lewis and Mrs. Tepe worked very hard to get our students ready for their big event.  Job well done!

We have had a lot of district shout outs over the past few weeks.  Michele Davis, Rachel Bartlett, Jim Allard, Krissy Campbell, Kelly Claude, Ms. Vidic were all recognized from students, parents and peers for their ideas, engagement, and energy but the common theme was their caring nature and relationship building.  Give them a "congrats" if you see them in the hallway!  

Hats off to Vanessa, Danielle and Angela for their constant assistance to the rest of the staff. Whether it is recording the board meetings, assisting with the band and choir concert or helping to set up and problem solve technology issues for the strategic planning event, they are always willing to give that extra effort and we appreciate it!  

Teachers role in helping students belong.

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/64962/falling-behind-in-school-hurts-belonging-can-help-students-trust-and-learn

Thanks to Tim, Frank, Isidrio and our night crew for all of their help with set-ups and take downs over the past week during this busy time.  

I was part of some really meaningful discussions at our subject area meetings.  I appreciate our staffs willingness to have difficult conversations, problem solve issues and work together to improve  teaching and learning.   

"Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one’s own sunshine." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I have a new philosophy. I'm only going to dread one day at a time.

Charles M. Schulz (1922 - 2000), Charlie Brown in "Peanuts" 

My dog is worried about the economy because Alpo is up to 99 cents a can. That's almost $7.00 in dog money.

Joe Weinstein

11-21-25

 Clubs have been very active lately and I want to thank all club sponsors for providing opportunities for engagement in prefered activities so far this year.  Thanks to Kerry, Nicole J, Marisa, Joe, Angela, Michele D, Megan D, April, Danielle, Stephen, Michelle F,  Devin, Lam, Jessica, Alex, Colleen, Megan P, and Josh 

Basketball has been exciting with two home games this week.  As always, Dan and Matt have been coaching up the players on the sideline and Nicole did a great job getting the Dance and Cheer Team ready for their first half-time performance!

NJHS also helped support the basketball game with Jessica and Jen H supervising concessions for the students to run.  

Our Potluck meals are special not only for the great food but for bringing our staff together for great conversations and laughs.  Thanks to everyone for participating and to Lauren for organizing it.  

With my blog coming more irregularly this year...I want to say congratulations to Hannah who got married a couple of weekends ago!  She does a great job with our PE students each day and as a member of our Benjamin Family I know we all wish her the best.  

The new Trimester has started, thanks to Marisa, April, Stephen and Sherry for starting round two of their specials classes.  

Thanks to Kim for organizing grades and getting Report Cards ready for their digital upload to Powerschool. 

Interesting article on how phones and social media are affecting teenagers inside and outside of school.

https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/65913/is-performing-emotions-online-making-it-all-meaningless

Thanks to Margaret for her help to make sure  Turkey Day went smooth as silk this week.  The kids enjoyed seeing Dr. McGill carving the turkey!

Thanks to Carrie for carrying the load in the library this week while Michelle is out.  

The PTA met this week and talked about the great job the schools did with the Fun Run this year.  They will be donating $3000 to the 6th grade outdoor ed trip.  I will get more updates on the money raised and other possible donations soon. 

Ms. Molley from the PTA, will be here serving Hot Chocolate to 5th, 6th and 8th grade lunches today as part of the Fun Run prizes that was earned. 

Thanks to Angela for presenting at the Learning Meeting this week.  The know your students data and the executive functioning presentation was insightful and a good reminder of the obstacles that some of our students and ourselves have to deal with.  

 We have had several students that have required each of our Math Teacher to have conversations with parents about placement.  I want to thank them for their flexibility and extra effort to make sure the students are placed appropriately and being challenged.  

5 movement based Social Studies Activities

https://www.edutopia.org/article/movement-social-studies-class

I want to thank Lauren, Dan and Collen for a successful Learning Walk this week with Dr. McGill and myself. Lessons were collaborative, included high interest topics and hands on learning.  I will be out of the building for a bit today with a Kindergarten Learning Walk and High School Articulation.  

I want to wish everyone a great week off and hope you enjoy Thanksgiving with family and friends.  You deserve the rest and relaxation.  

• "After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even one's own relations." —Oscar Wilde

"Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in one’s own sunshine." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 - 1882)

11-7-2025

 Our Chess Team is underway......with two former students as Coaches.  Devin Larimer and Lam Truong have come back to Benjamin to guide our students through this chess season.  Welcome a-board.  Chess Board that is.

The first night of Parent Teacher Conferences have gone swimmingly!  Thanks to Kim for manning the office and Margaret and Kim for ordering the nourishment to keep you powered up throughout the night.  These are important nights to build relationships and communicate with parents about being partners with us in their child's success.  

Data meetings happened today and I am glad that Dr. Salamone could join us to help answer some questions.  Thanks to Nicole for running these meetings.  

15 tips to align your teaching with Brain Science.  

15 Tips to align your teaching with Brain Science

Sarah Anderson has been doing a great job with "check-in check out".  I appreciate her care and concern for her students as she individualizes their needs.  Her list of students is going to increase starting next week with additions from the data meetings.  

Basketball and Dance/Cheer  are underway.  I enjoyed watching our home games this week.  NJHS was also on the job ...selling concessions to a hungry crowd with profits going to charity.  

Wrestling Club is also underway with the team participating in their first meet at Hubble Middle School.  I appreciate Joes dedication as the team has grown in participant since last season.  

Between my Learning Walks with Dr. McGill and getting into my formal observations I have been in a lot of  classrooms this week.  From beat making in Mr. Lewis's room to first grade kiddos doing letter sounds to Ms. Harvel's Cereal Box presentations and everything in-between I have been very impressed with the level of engagement of our students.  

Mrs. Smith and myself will be presenting our SIP plans at our board meeting this Monday.  I will also be presenting our plan to you at our Institute Day on November 14th.  

I appreciate Sherry Anderson's willingness to have parent volunteers in her room helping as she had celebrations for the Day of the Dead in her classes.  

As we celebrate school Psychology week I am very happy that we have Dr. Huenecke as part of our team. His dedication to our students and staff is unmatched and his ability to connect with people is invaluable.  

Thanks to Colleen and Alex for helping student council host the Pumpkin Contest.  Here are the winners and some other great pumpkins.  

Mrs. Choate and the Art Club students are making great progress with their Mural.  It looks...Grrrreat!  Sorry wrong cat....a Bengal not a tiger.  

I am looking forward to our Institute Day on November 14th.  It will be filled with learning, from Science and EL presentations to a captivating review of our school improvement plan and a ride on the Magic School Bus.  Just kidding...Magic School presentation...not a bus.  

"Unhappiness is best defined as the difference between our talents and our expectations." -- Edward de Bono

A conference is a gathering of important people who singly can do nothing, but together can decide that nothing can be done.

Fred Allen (1894 - 1956) 

The secret of success is sincerity. Once you can fake that you've got it made.

Jean Giraudoux (1882 - 1944)  

10-24-2025

I am so thankful for the staff that chaperoned the  Outdoor Ed trip this past week.  Lauren, Colleen, Dan, Mark, Jim, Jen, Jessica, Alex, Nicolett and Carrie all did a tremendous job at a new facility and working with a new staff to continue this wonderful opportunity for our 6th grade students.  

Our super subs kept things afloat this week with Jill, Rich, Bill, Jen R, Rachel, Sarah and Alyssa all doing a great job filling in to teach our kiddos and being flexible when the tech went down! Our teaching assistants also stepped up and showed their leadership, the previously mentioned Rachel and Sarah as well as Michele S, Holly and Lana all stepped up and helped keep in class procedures consistent.  Finally thanks to our specials team who altered their schedule to provide opportunities for our stay back kids.   It takes a village!

Sports awards were held Wednesday Night and Dan, Jessica, Matt, Joe and Megan all gave great presentations to recognize our fall athletes.  I appreciate the work they do on and off the court/field to set great examples for our student athletes.  Thanks to Kim for getting all the certificates printed and ready for this event.  

Using Fresh Starts to motivate students

Theater Club tryouts are happening this week.  Thanks to Stephen, April and Danielle for beginning the process of our annual theater extravaganza.  I am looking forward to seeing Matilda this March!

We also have basketball tryouts happening this week to kick off the Winter sports season.  Dan and Matt will be at it again and Nicole has already started practices for the dance and cheer team! Games will be start soon.  

I appreciate the work Danielle is doing helping me with the IAR data.  I will be stopping by teams to get your input on some possible strategies to employ this year to improve learning.  

Our 8th grade team will be working with the high school staff on Monday to facilitate the Pre-ACT to our 8th grade students.  Please reference Mark's email for timing and please remind your students to be quiet in the testing hallways.  

Ms. Campbell's class is working on Ecosystems in a jar.  Hands on science is really engaging for her students.  

I appreciate Melissa Falkos opening up her classroom for the TGFD program.  Having a police officer teaching our 5th grade students sets a good example of law enforcement as a positive role model, while teaching the student valuable lessons.  

A jury consists of twelve persons chosen to decide who has the better lawyer.

Robert Frost (1874 - 1963)

Maturity is only a short break in adolescence.

Jules Feiffer (1929 - )

The world is round; it has no point.

Adrienne E. Gusoff

10-10-2025

 Mrs. Campbell and Mrs. Lana took their kiddos to an educational and fun field trip on Thursday to Sunny Acres.  They had a blast and learned a lot.  

Thanks to Drill Sergeant Tepe 🤣 for continuing to make sure that we finish all of our safety drills  including the bus evacuation this week.  Of course also big thanks to the staff for running the kids through the drill with the help of our 1st Student bus drivers.

Dr. McGill, Mrs. Smith and I conducted Learning Walks with 7th and 4th grade this week and were able to see some great lessons.  I also started my formal observations.  My favorite part of my job is getting to see the wonderful work that you are doing in the classroom with our students.   

Please make sure that if you supervise a club that you wait with your students until they are picked up.  Also if you get out there before April or myself please do not let students on the activity bus before you mark them off on the clipboard checklist.  

Making Retrieval practice a classroom routine

Congrats to Joe and Megan for finishing the CC season with a strong finish at the conference meet.   Dan, Jessica and Matt finished the regular season of the Volleyball and Soccer season Thursday.  We wish them the best of luck next week in the Conference tournaments.  The VB team was also able to go over to WCHS for middle school night this week.  

Big props to Marisa  who worked with her student to create a Scarecrow for the St. Charles Scarecrow Fest.  Better yet, she was able to get many staff to contribute to the scarecrow making it a true representation of our school.  She even brought it to the fest herself to get it set-up. Taking on this task showed great initiative and school pride.  Thanks for going the extra mile!

I am looking for a Chess Coach and have explored most avenues....if you have a friend or relative that is interested let me know.  The season is supposed to start in a week and 1/2 from now.  

All hail Michele Davis the Pierogi Queen of Chicago...West Chicago that is!  Speaking of going the extra mile to bring our staff together...making 27 dozen perogies for the staff to eat is doing just that.  Who doesn't love pierogies?  

The 6th grade Outdoor Ed trip is quickly approaching and I appreciate all the work that Colleen and Lauren are doing to make the trip at the new location a success, including the chaperone meeting they held Wednesday of this week.  

The Fun Run has arrived!  I want to thank the PTA for all of their effort to do something great for our schools. I also want to thank Margaret and Kim for helping to sort many of the materials and prizes, the teachers for trying to decipher what was happening and motivating your students and especially Jen and Joe for all of the heavy lifting they will be doing today to make this a special and fun day.  

I hope everyone enjoys their extended weekend and has time to unwind and relax.   

"Happiness is a choice you make and a skill you develop. The mind is just as malleable as the body. We spend so much time and effort trying to change the external world, other people, and our own bodies, all the while accepting ourselves the way we were programmed in our youths. We accept the voice that talks to us in our head all the time as the source of all truth. But all of it is malleable, every day is new, and memory and identity are burdens from the past that prevent us from living freely in the present."

Naval Ravikant

All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.

Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 - 1860)

If all the world's a stage, I want to operate the trap door.

Paul Beatty

9-26-25

 If you are on cycle please make sure you schedule your first observation with me and turn in your growth goals by October 1.  If you are doing an alternative evaluation then please go over forms 1-3 with me.  If you have any questions let me know.  Now that we are into the school year I will be getting into all classes more.  

Cross country was hosting a mega-meet on Thursday with about six other teams.  It was a great day for running and lots of friends and families were there for the races.  Joe and Megan did a great job hosting the meet and our runners gave their best.  

Elevating the turn and talk

elevate the turn and talk

I want to thank everyone for the great job  you did when we moved into "secure building and teach" on Wednesday.  The drill practice we have done and clear communication created seamless transitions with everyone following directions.  

The PTA fun run is coming!  There is going to be quite a bit more commotion around this fun run with many prizes, announcements and activities.  Thanks in advance to Kim, Margaret and homeroom teachers who will help promote, track and pass out prizes.  The ramp up will take place from October 1-9 with the Fun Run taking place on October 10.  Obviously huge props to Jen and Joe who will be doing most of the heavy lifting.

The latest edition of the STEM Parade has arrived.  Watch for the student floats.....stay for the staff sitcom theme song.  BMS Back to School Parade 2025 Thanks to Sherry, Angela and Megan P for the great work.  

I love that April and the Specials Team is working with Chris and the BB300 to do some "What is a Benjamin Student" Shout Outs.  Please refer to the google form in April's email to spread the positivity and reinforce our expectations.  

Eligibility has begun. Thanks for updating the sheet Margaret sends out.  Teachers are responsible for contacting parents and coaches of a student is ineligible I call down students and Friday to inform them.  Ineligibility is when a student in a club or a sport is earning  two D's or and F in their classes.  They are then out of that activity starting on Monday through the next week until eligibility is run again.  Being out the whole week starting on Monday accomplishes two things: It allows the student the week to get their grade up and their isn't pressure on the teacher to grade an assignment so the student can become eligible the next day.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  

I will put out the October meeting schedule on Friday.  With 5 Wednesdays in October that means there's one freebie!   

Dr. McGill and I will be spending two days (October 2nd and 3rd) in West Chicago 33 helping them with their Strategic Plan audit.  Where we are just starting our process, they are wrapping up their five years.  Obviously, April, Todd and Nicole will be here to help problem solve any issues.  Dr. Filas will also be able to help if needed.  

Anybody can sympathise with the sufferings of a friend, but it requires a very fine nature to sympathise with a friend's success.

Oscar Wilde

It matters not whether you win or lose; what matters is whether I win or lose.

Darrin Weinberg

If there is anything the nonconformist hates worse than a conformist, it's another nonconformist who doesn't conform to the prevailing standard of nonconformity.

Bill Vaughan