12-18-2015

In case you want to come in over winter break the building can be accessed Mon-Thurs, both weeks of break from 8am-3:30pm. No Fridays or Saturdays.

We thank Cynthia Frantzen for her many years of service in helping kids.  We will definitely miss your kindness and expertise.

Read Roger Ebert's review of the original Star Wars movie to get ready for the Force Awakens!
http://www.rogerebert.com/chazs-blog/a-collection-of-rogers-star-wars-reviews …

Thanks to Colleen, Rich, Jackie and Lauren for ending their 50's unit with the Soc Hop yesterday.  Giving students lots of classroom background and research activities made this fun event more meaningful for the students. Great Job!

We wish Jessica and her family the best of luck in their next adventure in their life.  

I use this video every year, just because it is cool..The Christmas Piano at Union Station:

Thanks to Lynnette and Lyn for their weeks of hard work in putting on the 5th/6th grade talent show.  Also thanks to Melissa for her accompaniment during the show.  I can't wait to see it!

Use #BigHistory's complex texts to integrate #ELA with social studies, history and science:
login as a lifelong learner to check it out and then you can register as a teacher to explore more...free and really cool.
https://school.bighistoryproject.com/bhplive?WT.mc_id=20151218_CP_bhptw&WT.tsrc=BHPTwitter&linkId=19686590

We were very happy to see the picture of Elliana Nicole Giacalone yesterday and are extremely happy for Lauren and her husband in this new chapter in their life.

Last minute kid holiday shopping with age appropriate gift guide:
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/guide/holiday-gift-guide-2015?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=csm


Jessica E did another great job with her students in the latest edition of the tiger times.  Hard hitting investigative reporting with entertainment.  Who would guess that their music reporter and I would have listened to a similar band! :)

Man eats only Junk food for a month and loses 11 pounds.  Legendary!
http://www.bonappetit.com/entertaining-style/trends-news/article/junk-food-diet-jeff-wilser?mbid=social_twitter

I have attached a link to some New Parcc resources that are worth while to check out from the ISBE website.  Scroll down to Parcc Score Wrappers and you can look at your grade level during team or department time.  http://www.isbe.net/hot-topics.htm?col2=open#toolkit

Thanks to Chris, Melissa F, Julie S., Debbie and Melissa L for taking our 5th graders to sing holiday carols to the elderly in the assisted living residence and nursing home.  Going with to supervise(not to sing) I could see in the patient's faces how much it meant to them.  What a great way to show the kids the true meaning of the holiday's.  

I want to thank everyone for the well wishes and kind words they have shared with me over the last two days.  My receiving the IPA award would not have been possible without all of the people past and present that I get to work with and learn from. For me, the most exciting part of my job is being able to learn and grow from those around you everyday.  I hope everyone is able to spend some time with family and friends in the coming weeks.

12-11-2015

Melissa and Mark put on a great concert last night.  The students sounded amazing and the holiday spirit came shining through in their performances.

As a follow up to our coding hour this week.

I would like to welcome Sherry Anderson to the Benjamin Family.  She is going to be our new Spanish teacher and is here today to shadow Jessica.  She comes to us after teaching HS Spanish for over 10 years in the Naperville and Willowbrook area.  Please make sure you say hello.

Also, Julie Seeman will be taking over for Lauren Giacalone when she has her baby.  Julie has been a parent, teaching assistant and sub in the district and has completed multiple leaves at Evergreen.  I am happy to have someone of her quality teaching our 5th grade students.

Finally, as Megan Swiertz finishes her last day of student teaching, I am happy to report that she will be taking over as a teacher assistant when Cindy Frantzen retires.  I look forward to seeing how these teachers will bring their talents to our district.

As education and technology continue to move into the future together Open Educational Resources will be an important factor.  This will allow teachers to find and adapt/remix available curriculum resources as an alternative or in addition to their textbooks.  Please check out this introduction:
http://www.edutopia.org/open-educational-resources-guide

PTA will be selling gift cards at the Holiday Bizarre today at Evergreen,  They will also be placing an order if you need any for the holiday season that aren't in their stock.  The order will go in today and will be delivered on December 18th,

I appreciate grade level teams making time for me to come in and talk about our PARCC data.  After break we will look at the data one more time at our staff learning meeting and then we will be working with Greg and Ellen to make sure that from a planning and technology side we are ready to take the test again in May.

Thanks to the science department for meeting with me yesterday after school, we found many strengths and opportunities for future growth.

Thanks to Jessica E for the work she has been doing with the WordMasters, newspaper club, enrichment and reading support among other things.  We appreciate all of the many hats that you wear.

Seven Strategies of Highly Skilled Readers
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/teaching-students-skills-expert-readers-tricia-hilliard?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=socialflow

I am looking forward to the health speaker coming in today to talk to our 6th grade students.


"It has been my observation that most people get ahead during the time that others waste." ~Henry Ford

12-4-2015

Thanks to Melissa, Lyn and Jim for organizing the 7th grade Field Trip to the Art Institute today and also to Cathy, and Lauren D for chaperoning this great cultural trip.

Not looking at the politics just the simple and powerful message of this article on mass shootings.
http://www.upworthy.com/a-furious-heartbroken-response-to-san-bernardino-that-everyone-needs-to-read?g=3&c=ufb1

Best of luck to our chess team this Saturday at the tournamaent we are hosting.  Just a reminder that their will be a lot of people in our building and that Joe will "wrap" the teacher desks of the rooms that will be used.  Please put away any breakable or expensive items as a safeguard.

Middle School Maker Space Top 20 technologies:
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/making-makerspace-top-20-technologies-tools-kevin-jarrett

Thanks to Mike D who organized our participation with an Hour of Code next week.  It will organized through the special teachers so a big shout out to their willingness to adapt their curriculum for a day.  

8 short videos for English Language Learners...the first seven are for Betty, the last one is for everyone.
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/film-fest-ell-video-resources

Thanks to Megan S for the great job she did with student teaching this trimester and the best of luck to her in her teaching future.  

50 best books for kids to read before their twelve.  (might have shared before, but I love common sense media)
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/lists/50-books-all-kids-should-read-before-theyre-12?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=csm#


Don't forget that your newsletter article is due to Ellen Trush today.

While not completely aligned with our staff meeting on Play....this video is a great follow up on the importance of play for people of all ages.  About 25 minutes long so when you have time...  Thanks for the discussion on Wednesday!

Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is. --Ernest Hemingway

 As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. --John F. Kennedy