5-24-2018

4 Reflection Questions for the End of the Year.
https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/8267

Egg drop challenge excitement in the 5th grade.


Thanks to Jessica for another great edition of the Tiger Times and for throwing the end of year Pizza Party for her reporters.



Thanks to Bill, Keriann, Sherry, Ellen T, Melissa and Matt for all of their help in making this years Graduation a success.  Also, thanks to the many staff members that attended.  It means a lot to the students.


8th grade Clap Out.  Thanks to Kim and Randy for putting together the awesome mix-tape song.



Thanks to Kim for being the certificate and diploma wizard as the end of the year winds down and the award season heats up.



Thanks to Michelle Fiorini for completing the last Gamer's club and wrapping up the end of the year in the Library with recognizing our library volunteers.

Please make sure you complete your room check-out by Tuesday and don't forget to turn in your extra duty form for next year.


Lyn has done a tremendous job again with this years yearbook.  I know how much work it takes to put out such a quality book that I am sure the kids will enjoy.

Thanks to Alicia and Jill for doing a great job filling in for Mark and Lori respectively this week and to Julie Seeman for doing a great job in 5th grade at the end of the year.  I marvel at how talented our staff is.

As Cheryl's email from Debbie yesterday indicated you will have the opportunity to read Mindset over the summer by Carol Dweck.  It is a great read and we will be working on some of the  mindset concepts next year.  Thanks to Debbie, Melissa, Courtney, Megan D and Megan P from our staff  for helping to facilitate these activities next year.


We wish Mr. Feffer the best of luck in his sabbatical year next year.  I'm sure it will be an adventure filled with family, growth, travel and learning.

Commencement speech by Bill watterson the Creator of Calvin and Hobbs...a longer article but a good one
https://www.brainpickings.org/2013/05/20/bill-watterson-1990-kenyon-speech/

I hope everyone has a great Memorial Day weekend, I am looking forward to our Student Award Celebrations and District Staff Celebration at Evergreen on Tuesday.  It is important to celebrate all of our growth and accomplishments this year.

“When people have no faith in you, you can respond in one of two ways: You can accept their opinions as fact and live whatever small life they have selected for you. Or you can dedicate yourself to proving them wrong.” – Lou Holtz

"Unless there is opposing wind, a kite cannot rise." -- Chinese proverb

5-18-2018

A big thank you to Jessica and Lauren for all of the work they have been doing with NJHS which culminates with today's relay recess.  I'm looking forward to a great event which helps out the American Cancer Society. 

Thanks to Sherry who has been translating documents and was our emergency translator for a parent meeting yesterday.  Going above and beyond to help is much appreciated. 


If you haven't seen the video of Betty's dad on his honor flight trip, here it is. 

Sherry put on quite a fiesta on Tuesday.  What a great way to bring together parents, older students and younger students to celebrate the Spanish culture with food and music.  Thanks to Mr. Turek for helping with the music.


 Congratulations to Danielle and her family on the addition of her daughter born on Tuesday.  What an exciting time they will have  this summer. 

Colleen Morgan's science class was cooking pizzas with their solar ovens on Wednesday, what a great hands on science experiment.


April Tepe did a great presentation for our school board on Monday as she gave an overview of the IMSA Fusion classes including great help from 5th grade student Addison. 

Thanks to Ellen, Kim, Tim, Frank, and Tony for all of the hard work they are doing to help with all school picnic today.  I'm sure it will be a fun event.  If you can help serve before you eat let Ellen or Kim know. 

The 6 rules of listening.
http://www.openculture.com/2018/05/erich-fromms-six-rules-of-listening-learn-the-keys-to-understanding-other-people-from-the-famed-psychologist.html


I will send out the extra-duty sign up on Monday for next year. 

Please remember to start thinking about room clean up.  Melissa and I will be checking rooms before the end of the year, Marking your furniture and taking a picture of how your room is set-up also helps the custodians to get it set-up the way you want it at the beginning of the year. 

Why you should wake up at 4am and beat the Zombies.
https://addicted2success.com/motivation/why-you-should-wake-up-at-4-am-and-beat-the-zombies/


Thanks to Keriann, Courtney, Bill, Matt Tylk, and Corey for presenting the spring sports awards last Wednesday night.

Good luck to Matt Tylk and Corey as the Bengals enter the weekend soccer tournament as a 2 seed!

A good story is the best teacher.
https://wordsgrow.wordpress.com/2018/05/14/once-upon-a-time/


A big thank you to Namita for the great job she did with our success track kids. 

"In going where you have to go, and doing what you have to do, and seeing what you have to see, you'll dull and blunt the instrument you write with. But I would rather have it bent and dull and know I had to put it to the grindstone again and hammer it into shape and put a whetstone to it, and know that I had something to write about, than to have it bright and shining and nothing to say, or smooth and well-oiled in the closet, but unused."
Ernest Hemingway

5-11-2018

We will keep it simple.  Thanks for all that you do, hope you had a great week!  Check out this link of why teachers are so awesome!(you will have to "skip" the news stories in-between)

http://abc7.com/education/teacher-stories-that-will-warm-your-heart/1968125/

5-4-2018

Don't forget summer curriculum writing proposals are due today.

Good luck to Lynette, Jen, Corey, Heather F and Kim L as they take our 8th graders to Sportsfest at WCCHS.

Teach Thyself Resources....To improve yourself as an educator check out these twelve pages which include: Blogs, Chats, Hashtags, Webinars, YouTube, Videos, MOOCs, How To, PLN-PLC, Podcasts, and My Technology pages
https://cybraryman.com/teachyourself.html

The NJHS fundraising machine keeps trucking, dodge-ball, Bear rescue bundt cakes, Relay shirts, thanks to Jessica and Lauren for working so hard on these efforts.

The citizenship award ballot of 8th grade nominees will be in your mailbox shortly, please make sure to vote for your picks and turn them into my Inbox by end of the day on Monday!

Research Tested Benefits of Breaks
https://www.edutopia.org/article/research-tested-benefits-breaks


Thanks to Ellen for putting together the un-birthday celebration and for the new SOM bulletin board!

Thanks to Chris for working hard on all of the 4th and 5th grade grade gifted and talented identification matrix's. 

New Master Schedule for next year coming soon!


Thanks to Sherry and April for their thorough and engaging presentation on Wednesday at the staff learning meeting.  Sharing ideas with each other can lead to thought, reflection, growth and the realization that there are multiple ways to reach our students that are unique and connected to our personality and teaching style.

Thanks to Colleen Morgan for her work yesterday with the 6th grade students and their wind skimmers.  Hands on science in action.

We are lucky to have Jim Reuter Executive Director from the Carol Stream Park District with our PE classes today to present their anti-graffiti  campaign to our students. 

Thanks to MJ for working with me to get our summer school set for this June.



On Thursday May 10th at 8:30am Tim will be delivering all the scarce donations to the Glen Ellyn facility. If you have anything for SCARCE make sure it makes its way down to door 2 by Wednesday, May 9th.   

Thanks to Courtney, Bill, and Abby for running a great track meet on Tuesday.  It is a lot of work, special thanks to current and future AD's Keriann and Dan for helping out and to all staff volunteers who made the meet run so smoothly.  

Taking care of yourself should be a priority.
https://georgecouros.ca/blog/archives/8232



Thanks to Michelle for scheduling the summer reading presentations for May 23rd.  

Thanks to Bill, Megan and Keriann and Mark for the extra effort they are putting towards helping Namita and our 8th grade success track students.  

May the 4th Be With You, Where to start reading Star Wars Books.
https://nerdist.com/star-wars-books-where-to-start-reading/?utm_campaign=coschedule&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=nerdist&utm_content=Where%20to%20Start%20Reading%20STAR%20WARS%20Books


Next week is Teachers Appreciation Week and we are celebrating by having as many activities and schedule interruptions as humanly possible!  On a serious note I appreciate the unique and varied talents of the staff here at Benjamin.  Separately we are able to reach a wide variety of students, together we are making a real difference in all of our students lives.  Thank you!