1-16-2015

Thanks to Laura and Steve for putting on a great presentation for the board on Monday night.  It was really impressive.

Thanks to Greg for taking just under 1,000,000 steps in order to prepare us for the PARCC Infrastructure Training session today so we can be as prepared as possible for the Infrastructure Trial on Tuesday.  Make sure that you bring your laptops (or devices) and sit by your grade level today for the training.

Jessica E has shared with me that she is going to have some students Skype with some students from the UK on February 2nd.  Do they celebrate Groundhogs Day in the UK?  :)

Thanks to Nicole Colburn for working hard to keep the POMS team up and running, I know I have the routine memorized and I feel like I am ready...I just need a chance!

Linda Calvo contacted Cantigny and secured a World War 1 locker with all kinds of primary resources for her 8th grade class to investigate.  thanks for going the extra mile.

Once again thanks to everyone who participated in Soups On yesterday and for Ellen and Pat for organizing it.

Michelle F has organized an Ozzie's Reading Club as another incentive for our students to read. It is in association with the Kane County Cougars and the students get a ticket, a hot-dog, drink and a t-shirt or bag.  Also, thank to Michelle for her ability to be pulled in many different directions at once.

Jackie Parent, Linda Calvo and Jen Vidic will be sponsoring a FIT Club for student and staff exercise and nutrition.  It will take place Monday mornings and Thursday's after school.

Thanks to Mark, Lynn and Lynette for organizing and presenting about the upcoming insurance changes and possibilities.  Being a smart consumer of insurance is something that will be important for us as individuals and as a staff as a whole.

Today, I have something a little different for you, instead of a bunch of resources, I am just giving you one.  There is a radio show/podcast from NPR called This American Life.  The premise is that each week they take a theme and present one to three stories on that theme.  I'm going to share two different links:  One for this weeks story which is called Batman, but is a story about how expectations have a powerful effect on outcomes.  It is really fascinating.  The second story is a much older episode on Middle School which you will probably find amusing and informative.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/544/batman

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/449/middle-school

Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase.

Martin Luther King Jr.