11-3-2022

I want to thank everyone for staying late and discussing your students at Parent Teacher Conferences tonight.  These meetings are so important to helping the kiddos all year long.  Parents and teachers working together to help students with frequent communication being the main ingredient.  Let's do it again on Monday! (4pm-8pm)

Thanks to Angela and Danielle for their excellent Snack Time Podcast discussing Nearpod.  If you have some time it is well worth your effort and you may find a new resource that can make your teaching life easier.

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1741124/11573242

Graphic Novels and Middle Schools a great combination!

https://heavymedal.slj.com/2022/11/02/graphic-novels-middle-school-a-newbery-medal-combination/

Institute Day reminder, tomorrow from 8:00am -1:30pm.  We will have the sign in and out in the office. Please make sure you have your iein number. The institute agenda was sent in an earlier email.  I also sent everyone a link, for those that need it for curriculum mapping.  If you would like to see some maps that are completed or near completion ask Chris and Melissa in 5th grade if they would share their documents with you as a great example.  We need to make progress on the maps this year.   We will have donuts and coffee in the lounge first thing tomorrow morning.  

Just a reminder that our Veterans Day Assembly is this Friday.  It will run approximately from 9:15am to 10:15am.  Morning Double Assembly (33 minute classes)  I'm looking forward to this great assembly!

How productive struggle fires up learners!  Great video about hitting that sweet spot!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEaJ_VASrR0

Mauricio Mejia is our new chess coach.  He currently coaches some kids in Naperville and had his first meeting with our kids last night.  If you happen to see him on a Wednesday night say hello.  We will be hosting our annual big tournament again on Saturday December 3rd.  

Thanks to Tim and the custodians for getting ready for conferences with a very quick turnaround time with a 4pm start.    We would also like to welcome new custodian Ester to our building as we say goodbye to Maria.  Ester is working with Maria this week.  

Language that encourages learning in Middle School.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/language-that-encourages-learning

We will be working with the Carol Stream Rotary on a coat drive from November 7th-January 25th.  We will have announcements advertising this and will have a bin at the front of the building.  This is a worthwhile cause with coats, hats, gloves being delivered weekly to local families in need.  

Morgan Martin has been doing a wonderful job with the the band students.  I get to listen to them at their morning practices before I go out for bus duty!  I have also been impressed with her parent communication via emails of important upcoming events.  Keep up the great job Morgan!

Sherry had a great day of learning with her Day of the Dead Celebrations.  I also love how she takes advantage of parent volunteers in her classroom!

Thanks to Chris for covering the office in the morning and for everyone for offering to pitch-in and help yesterday with both of our secretaries out! #thebenjaminway #bengalpride

"Don't wait for inspiration. It comes while one is working." -- Henri Matisse

"At first, people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then they begin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done--then it is done and all the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago." -- Frances Hodgson Burnett

Weather forecast for tonight: dark. Continued dark overnight, with widely scattered light by morning.

George Carlin