5-19-2023

Don't forget today (Friday) is the last day for open enrollment changes.  Here is the message from Leslie as a reminder.

Open enrollment allows employees, eligible for group medical/dental insurance, the opportunity to change insurance options and/or add previously uninsured eligible dependents.  Open Enrollment runs from May 8, 2023 - May 19, 2023. 

YOU MUST COMPLETE YOUR ENROLLMENT BY MAY 19, 2023.  

The 2023 Benjamin Open Enrollment presentation is located in the Staff Shared Resources folder.  Please watch this prior to beginning the open enrollment process.

 

Please use this benefitsolver link to make your elections!  Also, please make sure to add your beneficiaries as you are reviewing your benefits.

These changes will be effective on September 1, 2023 through August 31, 2024.

The Band and Choir Concert Monday night was amazing.  Thanks to Melissa, April and Morgan for all of the hard work that went into that evening.  

I am really excited for Charity Fest Today.  I appreciate the planning and communication that went into this day from  Jessica and Jen H.  I am also excited to see the students take a leadership role in running the events and most of all the money that they will raise for worthwhile charities.  

Are you hungry?  We will be cooking up hotdogs and veggie burgers for the all-school picnic today! Thanks to Kerri S for all of the work she put into getting ready for this day.  Also thanks to Frank and Isidrio in advance for all of the set-up, cooking and clean-up that they will be doing.  

The track team did a tremendous job at the conference meet this week.  Andre broke the mile record with a 5:07 time and Robert broke the triple jump record, Mackenzie broke the long jump record and much more.  Thanks to Joe for leading the way and to Bill, Abby, and Kerri for coaching the team this year.  

Kim A and Marquitta have reconciled the activity accounts.  Please reach out to me and I can give you the total.  Detailed reports can be pulled if you think there is an error.  I am grateful that they were able to get this done and we can move forward.  

I appreciate the work people did during our subject area meeting, especially the math and ELA for working on the summer math program for our students. 

Colleen and the 6th grade students had their solar ovens cooking in the parking lot yesterday.  What a engaging way to reinforce learning concepts. 

Jen H's 5th grade students created great dioramas on Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nihm.  They showed great artistic talent and creativity.  

Good luck to Matt Tylk and our girls soccer team this weekend in the soccer tournament.

We still have openings for extra duty positions for next year. If you have not already filled out the online google form please do so soon.  

Thanks to the 8th grade team for leading our students to the high school for Step-up day!  The students had a great time.  

"We cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are." -- Max De Pree

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." -- Albert Schweitzer

"You’ll never find a rainbow if you’re looking down." -- Charlie Chaplin

5-12-2023

 Joe, Bill, Kerry, Courtney, Sue, Megan S, Kimpha and Acilia did a great job running, timing and facilitating the track meet last night.  Our kids did awesome and were well supported.

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.”

Henry Brooks Adams

Thanks to all staff members for the work you did Wednesday night working on curriculum.  Special shout out to our ELA teachers for participating in the initial Into Literature training and to Daniell and Angela for being on hand to help and learn at the Evergreen and Benjamin trainings respectively.  

“The great teacher is not the man who supplies the most facts, but the one in whose presence we become different people.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Thanks to Dr. Woell, the school board and the PTA for all of the food that they have provided this week in appreciation for all that you do for kids. 

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.”

Albert Einstein

Thanks to the PST Team and grade level teams for having our data meetings on Thursday.  These were aimed at looking at our supports for students and making sure we know who needs support now and at the beginning of the next school year.  

“Better than a thousand days of diligent study is one day with a great teacher.”

Japanese Proverb

Thanks to Melissa and Todd for handling some situations when I was out on Tuesday.  Its good to know the leadership is strong in my absence.  I also appreciate Dr. Woell and Dr. Salamone contributing to the problem solving. 

“Great teachers empathize with kids, respect them, and believe that each one has something special that can be built upon.”

Ann Lieberman

As the year wraps up that is when more than ever we have to be diligent as a staff to keep structure and supervision as strong as possible.  The students are excited and full of energy and emotion and need our guidance and support more than ever until the end of the year.  

“I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. It might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit.”

John Steinbeck

I am looking forward to the band and Choir concert on Monday. We will all get to enjoy the assembly on Monday as well.  

“Most of us end up with no more than five or six people who remember us. Teachers have thousands of people who remember them for the rest of their lives.”

Andy Rooney

Thanks to Leslie for sending out the information on the Open Enrollment that runs now until May 19. Please make sure you do this before the deadline.

“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”

William Butler Yeats

Thanks to Jessica for representing the "T" at the PTA meeting last night.  Working together with our parents makes us stronger.  

“Ideal teachers are those who use themselves as bridges over which they invite their students to cross, then having facilitated their crossing, joyfully collapse, encouraging them to create bridges of their own.”

Nikos Kazantzakis

I want to thank Kerri and Kim for all of their effort this week.  It has been a really busy week in the office and they have stayed on top of everything as usual. 

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Maya Angelou

Next week Friday is both our all school picnic and NJHS Charity Fest.  I am looking forward to this busy but fun day and appreciate the time and planning that goes into these events from Kerri, Jessica and Jen H.  

I want to sincerely thank all of you for the job you do each day to help kids.  Your job is tough, and underappreciated., but what I appreciate the most is that by working together as a team everyday we have fun and get the job done!  Thank you.