10-11-24

 I know we all wish Jen Matthews a speedy recovery.  She is at home now and will hopefully be back with us soon.  

I appreciate all of our subs including Nicolette and Holly who have picked up open sub periods when asked and a big thanks to Michele Fiorini for making herself available to do a lot of the subbing in Jen's class this week.  I appreciate her flexibility and willingness to help out.  I also appreciate Lori's expertise in the class routine which has been vital in making the kids have a normal experience this week.  

Using Short term goals to lead to success!

https://youtu.be/0PD3GVbKdqQ?si=osfCTqjXsMv40NF-

Congrats to Joe and Megan S for a successful completion to a Cross Country season on Tuesday and to Bill and Matt whose teams both won in the playoffs Thursday night and will continue on this weekend.  

Michelle Davis and Jen Harvel did a great peer editing lesson with their 8th and 5th grade students respectively.  This is so awesome to see and I know that both grades of students will benefit from this experience.  I hope to see more of this type of collaboration in the future from our staff.  

The staff learning meeting this week continued our focus on school safety.  Thanks to April for securing Officer Mrkvicka.  I know his presentation made us think about uncomfortable situations but will make us more prepared in the event of an emergency situation.  

I have enjoyed hearing the musical clues all week and am super excited to find out what production Stephen, Danielle and April will be working on this year!

17 tweaks for group work from Cult of Pedagogy

https://www.cultofpedagogy.com/group-work-17-tweaks/ 

Let's all root on Leslie this weekend as she will be running in the Chicago Marathon!  Many of you probably don't realize she has been training hard for this for months.  What a huge accomplishment!

Frank and Isidrio are the furniture assembler champions!  Yesterday they attached the wheels on 14 mobile cabinets in record time.  They are always there for us when we need them.

Hats off to the Pierogi Queen Michelle Davis.  It is quite a feat to bring in enough of any food item to feed this hungry staff and there was still some Pierogis left after the lunch periods were over!  Thanks for going above and beyond!  

I am looking forward to our PTA Fun Run today!  Thanks to Joe and Jen for making this happen!

"I saw that my life was a vast glowing empty page and I could do anything I wanted." -- Jack Kerouac

"My life is full of mistakes. They’re like pebbles that make a good road." -- Beatrice Wood

"Science is organized knowledge. Wisdom is organized life." -- Will Durant

10-4-2024

I want to thank everyone for participating in the evac/safety/reunification drill on Wednesday. I have heard a lot of positive comments about the drill and that everyone realized it's importance. Thanks for being great sports about the walk over!

I appreciate Danielle and Angela doing the "Know your Benjamin Students activity with teams since we used our October meeting for safety.  They also did a great job of explaining it's importance in their coaching newsletter.  Todd and Nicole will do the second part finding out student's trusted adult.  

Want to improve your emotional intelligence.... start using these phrases.

Margaret is officially in charge of Purchase Orders....you can still also include me on them as I can help out as well.  

April has made a final call for spirit wear and PTA has just sent me their link for PTA school related spirit wear with an October 16th deadline.  Get your spirit wear on!

April Link

link if 

PTA Link

Home | Benjamin PTA School Store (ugsportsinc.

4 ways math teachers can differentiate instruction

https://www.rethinkmathteacher.com/4-ways-math-teachers-can-differentiate-instruction/

Our activity bus has added more stops and more students are using it as a result.  I appreciate our new bus companies flexibility and service model.  

We love our subs and I appreciate Jamie, Kelly and Jill who have been subbing a lot lately.  I also appreciate Nicolette and Holly as they have made the switch to sub when needed when no one else was available.  Jamie will be leaving us for a while as she explores new adventures and we wish her the best of luck.  If you know anyone that you think would make a good sub tell them what a great school district we are and encourage them to see Solly!

Just a reminder to look at the meeting schedule for the month as it is a little different than most months.  Next week we have a School Board meeting on Monday, a Mentee Meeting on Tuesday and another staff learning meeting on Wednesday with guest speakers from the DuPage Co Sherriff's office to go over scenarios and answer questions.  

Proud of our science teachers as our ISA results came in with great scores.  70% meeting and exceeding in 7th grade and over 80% meeting and exceeding in 8th grade.  

Something to ponder:

Check out the new Fish store cabinet that has been wowing the students as they turn in fish slips for prizes.  Thanks to April for the upgrade that makes prizes much more visible and accessible for students.  

Best of luck to Bill, Dan, Joe, Megan, and Matt along with our Volleyball, Cross Country and Soccer Teams as they enter their last week with final meets and tournaments.  

Using small wins to motivate students!

small wins

Would you like to be part of an assessment committee?  Think about it...more information coming soon.  

"No one will protect what they don't care about, and no one will care about what they have never experienced." -- David Attenborough

"Competition has been shown to be useful up to a certain point and no further, but cooperation, which is the thing we must strive for today, begins where competition leaves off." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Make the work interesting and the discipline will take care of itself." -- E. B. White

9-27-2024

 Watch the newest parade video....stay for the walk out songs!

https://youtu.be/Ey9KTjVr-AU?feature=shared

I appreciate all of the time and effort that the science resource committee is putting into attending meetings/presentations, looking at multiple online and physical products, and evaluating what they see.  Our district will benefit their hard work.  

Please remember to be in the hallways when you can during passing periods and keep up the positive reinforcement of good student behavior with fish slips and reminders of What is a Benjamin Student.

Empowering students is the key...from critical thinking to collaboration 30 questions every student should be able to answer. (read the article not just the image)

https://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/student-should-be-able-to/

Student growth goals are due Tuesday as well as alternative evaluation proposals.  Please let me know if you have questions.  

We had a lot of student meetings Thursday! I appreciate everyone's participation and feedback that make these meetings successful, especially the care and concern that goes into the communication with parents through this process.  

In club news Jessica's  volleyball crew has been busy in the morning, newspaper and HW club is underway...art club and Choir are busting at the seams and Maker Space and Chess club will be starting soon.  These are just a few of the clubs that are providing students extracurricular activities and opportunities to explore their interests and talents.  

Nicolette is knocking Check In/Check Out out of the park.  Her kindness and firmness in follow-through is a great combination that yields great results.   

Newsletters were due to Margaret yesterday.  This is a great avenue of communication from Teachers to Parents to let them know what is happening with their children in the classroom.  

Danielle has taken on the responsibility to receive coaching training from HMH in Writable, Into Reading and Into Literature.  This will allow her to be our connection to HMH and become even more of an expert in these programs.  

I am proud of our sports teams as they hit the home stretch of the fall season under the leadership of our coaches.  

Thanks to April for organizing our bus safety drill today.  Please remember to go out at your designated time.  

I'm sick of following my dreams. I'm just going to ask them where they're going and hook up with them later.

Mitch Hedberg

As you journey through life take a minute every now and then to give a thought for the other fellow. He could be plotting something.

Hagar the Horrible 

From the moment I picked up your book until I laid it down, I was convulsed with laughter. Some day I intend reading it.

Groucho Marx

9-20-2024

 Margaret has done a great job in her first week at BMS!  Thanks to everyone who has introduced themselves or helped her out in any way to make her feel welcome this week.  

"Learning to ignore things is one of the great paths to inner peace." Robert J Sawyer (sci-fi writer)

I appreciate April's organization and communication to get everyone prepped for our safety drills including today's active threat drill with law enforcement.  She also sent information out this week on the two updated classroom action guides.  Make sure you are using the new ones and get rid of the old version.  

"The disease of our times is that we live on the surface.  We're like the Platte River, a mile wide and an inch deep. "  Steven Pressfield 

The data meetings on Thursday are always a hard day.  It's hard because they are important.  Each meeting we try to figure out the right amount of support to give each student to meet them where they are at...so that they can still be challenged to learn and grow academically.  This balance is often different for every kid as each student will have unique circumstances that impact their learning.  So is it easy.....no.  Just keep in mind that these meetings are not an event but a process and it takes everyone working together to find that point where support and challenge meet and where students can find their "flow"  

"People say that what we're all seeking is a meaning for life. I don't think that's what we're really seeking. I think that what we are seeking is an experience of being alive." Joseph Campbell (author of The Hero with a Thousand Faces)

I received a call yesterday from one of our volleyball refs.  He wanted to talk to me about how fantastic he thinks Bill and Dan are with their players and the way that they coach and vocalize their support for the girls while stressing teamwork and sportsmanship even in their losses.  Pretty amazing to get a positive phone call like this.  Congrats guys!

"People think focus means saying yes to the thing you've got to focus on.  But that's not what it means at all. It means saying no to the other hundred good ideas that there are.  You have to pick carefully.  I'm actually as proud of the things that we haven't done as the things I have done.  Innovation is saying no to a 1000 things."  Steve Jobs

I will be coming to see you if you are on cycle to set up our first formal observation.  

The PTA shared a lot of information on Tuesday night i will make my way around to teams to share this early next week.  We have 23 PTA members on our staff...I am hoping this will grow.  There are forms in the teacher mailbox room.  

An expert is a person that has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow field."       Niels Bohr (Danish Nobel Prize winner)

I appreciate Josh and Vanessa spending time to get the maker space ready in anticipation of the start of the Maker Club.

I appreciate everyone's hard work on Wednesday's early release day including input I received on the SIP and work that was done analyzing IAR scores.  The science resource committee also saw a good presentation from MCGraw Hill. 

"I can't give you a surefire formula for success, but I can give you a formula for failure: try to please everybody all the time"          Herbert Bayard Swope (first recipient of the Pulitzer Prize)

Just copying Dr. Filas's message about our Biometric/Flu shot day coming up in November:

Benjamin Middle School Small Gym

Friday, November 15th (Teacher Institute Day)
6:30am - 9:00am

The Clinic is free for any employee currently enrolled in one of the District's medical insurance programs.

PPO Participants: Screenings/Flu Shot/Additional tests are Free for Employees and Spouses 

HMO/HDHP Participants: Screening and Flu Shot is Free for Employees only 

Since Eligibility just began this is just a reminder that the teacher needs to inform the parents of their students ineligibility.  I talk with students on Thursday as a preventative measure and Friday to make it official.  I am going to send an eblast today to parents to inform/remind them of the details and purpose of the process.  

"One does not accumulate but eliminate. It is not daily increase but daily decrease. The height of cultivation always runs to simplicity."  Bruce Lee

9-13-24

 Thanks to Michelle F, Lynette, Angela, Jessica, Danielle, Michelle D, April, Stephen and Morgan for kicking off our clubs and April for helping to supervise the Activity bus riders.  Having students explore their interests helps to increase talents and responsibilities in our kiddos. 

Chris is off to a great job with the BB 300 and some new and old newscasters.  I love watching our students read the announcements with enthusiasm.  

28 ways to check for understanding

Checking for understanding

Joe and Megan S did a great job with organizing and facilitating the home Cross Country meet Thursday.  Also thanks to all the staff that helped supervise.  At the end of the boys race, members of our boys and girls CC team ran back in the course about a 1/2 mile to run with one of our runners that was struggling to finish the race.  What is a Benjamin student?  Empathy and Teamwork in this situation. 

Just a reminder we have an Fire Drill (w/fire department) on Tuesday and an Active Threat Drill (w/law enforcement) on Friday of next week.  Please see April's schedule for times.  

7 tips to getting started with student choice in the classroom.  

student choice strategies

Just a warning ....P.O's will be slower while I am the only one doing them...because they usually end up a low priority for me when things come up  that I am dealing with each day. #truth

Huge thanks to Ellen Trush for coming in to help this week and to train next week!  

Thanks to Chris, Jen H, Bill, Joe, Jim, Jen V, Lynette and Jessica for the great job they do with Lunch supervision each day.  

Morgan Martin is busy completing  a Band Handbook and a Instrument rental agreement for Band families.  This behind the scenes work will help strengthen the band program.

Danielle, Angela and Allison C have put out another fabulous Instructional Coaching Newsletter with information on Nearpod, Writable and Brainpop.  They also have information on writing your growth goals.

Speaking of Growth Goals, now is the time to get those written and set up your first formal observation with me.  Please reach out to me and set this up.  

Thanks to everyone for their work during the subject area meetings on Wednesday afternoon.  I appreciate everyone's contributions to discussions on curriculum, student data and growth goals that I was a part of in different meetings.  Special thanks to Jessica for sharing her expertise in STAR with the ELA group.   

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn.

Alvin Toffer

Whenever people agree with me I always feel I must be wrong.

Oscar Wilde

Always acknowledge a fault. This will throw those in authority off their guard and give you an opportunity to commit more.

Mark Twain

9-6-24

 I know we all want to wish Evelyn the best of luck in her new career choice and thank her for everything she contributed to our Benjamin family. 

I want to thank Danielle for the preparation and Angela for her execution in our AI staff learning meeting.  I also love that many of our teaching assistants took advantage of Dr. Woell's new decree that they  could attend. I want to emphasize that I think there is some really valuable tools that we can all benefit from and I hope each of you continue to explore these tools on your own or during team.  I am also looking forward to reading your feedback on the evaluation google forms you filled out.    Later in the year we will look at this from the student end. 

Thanks to all of our coaches for a very busy game week with three home volleyball and soccer matches and an away CC meet our staff has been busy with some long days!

Just a reminder that Betty is available Mon, Tue, Wed (and if we are off on  a Monday you can add Thursdays)  in the library from 10am-1:30pm to help students.  If you need a student to take a test with supervision or have to send them to the LMC to work on absent/missing work she is available to assist.

How to set up your classroom for optimal executive functioning and engagement.  

Classroom set-up

CICO will be launching next week with HW club coming up soon (after the Sept. 19th data meeting)  I appreciate your frequent communication with parents and students about their work completion and achievement levels.  This communication and partnership will help most of our students do their best.  CICO and HW club are short term interventions that should be used with our most concerning students with patterns of achievement and work completion gaps to help get them back on track.  

Brain Breaks

Thanks to the PST team for all of their early brainstorming and problem solving they have done to meet students needs already this year. 

An oldie but a goodie..

Don't forget that if you are on cycle you should be working on your student growth goals and forms 1 & 2 if you are doing an alternative evaluation this year.  Also, I will be doing some pop ins in the next couple weeks and I am also ready to schedule some formal observations with you. 

Outdoor Ed will be here before you know it.  Mark and Colleen did an excellent job at the parent meeting Wednesday night.  Please try to avoid missing time during those three days (October 16-18) as I will already be trying to fill 5 teaching positions.  

I really appreciate Dr. Woell and Dr. Filas for staying on top of the new construction punch list as they were both checking on work as it continues to be completed and lending a hand to finish the work in the 5th grade wing.  

I appreciate April getting two drills under her supervisory belt and appreciate our whole staffs execution to make them go smoothly.  I don't need to remind everyone that school safety is our number one priority.

I am excited for clubs to be starting next week and appreciate the planning that goes into making these clubs function smoothly.  Please remember that the activity bus will be leaving Benjamin at 3:45pm.  We will remind parents one last time of this opportunity and the stops that it will make.  

I sent out my IAR data comparison sheet Please make sure we are spending times in teams to break down some of this data along with individual student scores.  The more we can identify students with deficiencies in their scores the sooner we can start planning in class assistance as well as tier 2 and 3 school interventions.  The subject area meetings this week are another great place for this work. 

Boosting student memory

"There is no normal life that is free of pain. It's the very wrestling with our problems that can be the impetus for our growth." -- Fred Rogers

"Do not follow the path. Go where there is no path to begin a trail." -- African proverb

"The more I learn about people, the more I like my dog".

Mark Twain

8-30-24

Curriculum Night was a great success and such an important night of parent and teacher communication and relationship building.  Please remember to continue this communication and relationship building throughout the year to best help our students.  

I appreciate April organizing the Club information table Wednesday night, so much good information for parents. 

It's crucial to be intentional with the types of math questions we ask and the patterns in which we ask them. Thoughtful questioning can make all the difference!

Michelle and Carrie did a great job with organizing our scholastic book fair this week.  Thanks to the ELA teachers for taking time out of your class to bring your students down to the bookfair and encouraging them to read.

Thanks to Angela and Danielle for doing such a great job with their newsletter this week, if you have not taken the time to read it please do so.  One video in their newsletter that I am asking everyone to watch is below.  We will be using this as a basis for our learning meeting next week.  

https://youtu.be/hJP5GqnTrNo?si=1KdxGv1o4fxWYVV1

I appreciate Angela running the sub training on Thursday.  Subs are an integral part to our schools running smoothly.  Speaking of Subs, thanks to Solly for setting up and problem solving our Red Rover System.  This has been a very successful launch thanks to her hard work. 

Danielle, Sarah Smith, Todd, Dr. Salamone, and Angela have all been helping some of our new teachers to get curriculum set-up, secured and/or purchased.  I really appreciate everyone working together towards this common goal.  

If you have completed summer curriculum work, please get it turned in soon.  

Kim has been her normal rock-star at the beginning of the school year.  I appreciate all of the help she has provided everyone with powerschool, class lists, scheduling changes and many other beginning of the year tasks.  

I love the Specials Team efforts on the "Welcome"  Bulletin Board in many languages.  What a great way to greet our diverse community of learners.

Please make sure we are keeping alive our common language of  What is a Benjamin Student ("I'm loving the extra signage in the 7th grade hallway) Please make extra efforts at the beginning of the year to recognize this model behavior in your students and hand out  Fish Slips to recognize it. 

Conflict resolution strategies that all teachers can use with their students. 

 

Thanks to Todd for showing the 5th grade team  our new Everyday Speech program.  I was able to sit in on this and it looks very engaging for our students.

If you have not done so already please make sure you get your PTA Membership form and $6 dues in and get your social fund $$ to Lauren.

Thanks to Nicole for attending the DuPage ROE Truancy Zoom meeting on Thursday.  She will continue to help me make attendance a priority for our families this year.  

"Never argue with stupid people.  They will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience"  Mark Twain

"If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything."  Mark Twain

"Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect"  Mark Twain