5-30-25

 I appreciate all of the hard work that Kim puts into the award ceremonies we are having today.  Coming up with many different types of certificates and printing, spell checking, alerting parents ...It's a lot!  Thank you.

Thanks to Solly for organizing todays retirement lunch.  Putting together all the small details of an event like this takes a lot of planning and organization.  Thank you.  I am looking forward to the retirement celebrations and laughing with friends old and new.  

Speaking of celebrations, thanks to Michelle Davis for hosting the "after party" at her house on Friday after school.  Opening your home to this crew is a brave deed for sure!

Thanks to Jessica, Nicole, Todd, Margaret, April, Danielle and  Angela who all helped me get data for our School Improvement Plan school board update.  

It was great having Dr. McGill attend both our staff learning meeting and the BEA meeting this week so that we can start getting to know his vision and he can start building relationships with staff.  

I want to take a moment to thank John for his leadership and guidance this year as he has helped lead and organize the district for the future.  I know we all appreciate his hard work.  

The 8th grade team knocked it out of the park at Graduation this year.  Having such pros makes the night go smoothly and makes a beautiful ceremony seem effortless.  

I appreciate everyone keeping the kids engaged in different fun learning activities as the year closes out for our students.  I know at times it can be like bottling the sun and requires a little extra creativity and patience but.....

I know the end of the year can bring a lot of stress and anxiety(and packing) but also a lot of appreciation and celebration.  I am very proud of our accomplishments this year and in the work you have done individually and as a team of people working together to a common end.  I look forward to celebrating Lynette and Bill at the Luncheon this afternoon.  Have a great summer and reach out to me if you need anything.   

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Robert Frost

1874 –

1963

Nature’s first green is gold,
Her hardest hue to hold.
Her early leaf’s a flower;
But only so an hour.
Then leaf subsides to leaf.
So Eden sank to grief,
So dawn goes down to day.
Nothing gold can stay.

5-23-25

 Stephen, April and Morgan put on a great concert last week before a packed house.  It is always great to hear the growth students make between the beginning of the year and the end and everyone was raving about how awesome everyone sounded.  

Margaret did a great job leading our All-School Picnic last week.  I appreciate her initiative and ability to learn from others and this big event was a great combination of both.

Jessica and Jen H did a spectacular job with the NJHS Recess Relay last week.  Combining fun team building activities with the message of helping others is a great combination for our students.  NJHS raising over $2000 for the year with 600 volunteer hours show that our students are both raising money for charity and giving back to the community.  BRAVO!

I appreciate the leadership Lauren and Colleen have showed with taking over the new Outdoor Education Trip to Camp Timberlee including running the parent meeting last week to give parents a head start on learning about the new facility.

Focusing on Follow-Up questions can lead to meaningful class discussions.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/follow-up-questions-classroom

8th grade is winding down and activities are winding up.  End of year assessments, labs and projects combined with the 8th grade picnic, Great America yearbook signing, graduation practice and ceremony means the 8th grade teachers are busy and providing our students with lots of memories to end their year.  

Colleen Morgan had her 6th grade students cooking marshmallows in their solar ovens.  Hands on projects build skills, knowledge and memories. 

Nicolett worked extremely hard the past couple weeks with our Success Track students and single handedly pushed them to the finish line.  All three students will now graduate on stage.  Thanks to Nicolett and the 8th grade team in their flexibility in allowing students to complete missing and late assignments.  

Matt , Dan, Joe, Bill, Marcia, and Carrie all did a great job of honoring our Spring Athletes at our Spring Sports Awards Wednesday night.  Their speeches included athletic accomplishments, sportsmanship examples and stories of a fun season.  

I look forward to seeing the 5th grade egg drop challenge.  Seeing the groups come up with different plans on how to best protect their egg is always filled with creativity and critical thinking.  

I appreciate everyone's hard work and patience as we wrap up the school year.  Your extra effort to keep students on task and engaged in learning activities is appreciated.  

"Don't forget to give up the good to go for the great." -- John D. Rockefeller

"You can’t go back and make a new start, but you can start right now and make a brand new ending." -- James R. Sherman

“Keep your face towards the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.” —Walt Whitman

5-9-2025

 Multi-Cultural Night was a huge success.  Thanks to the hard work of Dr. Salamone, a group of teachers including Mrs. Johnson from Benjamin and several parents and community members there were many cultures that were highlighted for people to learn from. We also had student volunteers.  It was a great night with lots of families in attendance.   

The PTA has really made staff appreciation week a great experience of food and decorations with their country themes.  Friday we have our lunch sponsored by our board of education.  April and I also left small tokens of appreciation in your mailboxes on Thursday.  

Coach Tylk, Hauser, Wadman, Liszka and Reavely have been working extremely hard with our spring athletes.  I appreciate the work that they do with our students to build skills and sportsmanship in wins and losses.  

Please remember to fill out the extra duty google spreadsheet for 2025-2026 school year.  We will have more openings than usually so I appreciate people's willingness to step up.  

5 A.I. tools that staff can start using right away. (worth a quick look)

https://www.edutopia.org/article/ai-tools-teachers-try

I appreciate Todd and Nicole and the work they are doing with our temporarily outplaced students,  Being the go-between between these facilities and the grade level teams is extremely important for a smooth transition back to our school. 

I appreciate the flexibility of my seventh grade hallway teachers and their temporary room sponsor teachers as we dealt with the flooded hallway right before students entered the building on Tuesday.  Your flexibility and ability to adapt to less than ideal circumstances highlights how special and tight knit our staff is as a whole.  Frank and Isidrio with the help of some Evergreen staff did an excellent job of quickly cleaning up the hall so we could get people back in their correct place by third period.  

Stephen took the time to nominate one of our 7th grade students for the Honors Performance Series  for music.  Stephen and Morgan then worked with the student on a vocal and instrumental  piece to perform for a tryout.   All that work paid off as she was selected!  Now she and her family will get to travel to New York City for a week over the summer where the student will work with great musical conductors/teachers to sharpen her skills, ending with a performance at Carnegie Hall!  What a great honor for our student and all due to teachers taking the time to go above and beyond to help a student. 

 

I will be out Wednesday through Friday next week to attend my daughters graduation in New Orleans.  I appreciate the work that April will do to keep everything running smooth as well as Mr. Langton's availability to pitch in when needed.  As always, the work you do to be proactive with students and parents in the areas of communication and problem prevention will always have greater benefits than dealing with things after the fact.  

Giving students the skills to spot fake news.

Next week is a busy week with the choir and band concert and assembly, the all school picnic and the NJHS Charity Fest  just to name a few of the events.  I look forward to hearing how great these events turn out and appreciate the tireless efforts of our staff to provide opportunities to showcase our students. 

I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn.

Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955)

The true teacher defends his pupils against his own personal influence.

Amos Bronson Alcott (1799 - 1888)

The whole art of teaching is only the art of awakening the natural curiosity of young minds for the purpose of satisfying it afterwards.

Anatole France (1844 - 1924), 

 For every person who wants to teach there are approximately thirty people who don't want to learn--much.

W. C. Sellar and R. J. Yeatman

5-2-2025

 I am looking forward to the PTA Staff Appreciation Lunch on Friday that will unofficially kick off our week of appreciation of you for next week.  As always I express my gratitude for the hard work you do everyday for our students.  Please make sure that you are following the articulation schedule for our meetings before and after lunch.

I also appreciate Margaret's coordination of our chair massages this week.  Hopefully that provided a little stress relief.  

How to get kids thinking in math class.  

Get kids to think in math class

Congrats to Stephen and Meg on their marriage this weekend.  Your Benjamin family wishes you a lifetime of happiness! 

Hats off to Michele Davis on her awesome student of the month bulletin board.  A long time ago in a galaxy far......

I appreciate Jessica and Sherry attending the extra duty stipend committee and for all of the work they did pre and post meeting to follow up on club details.

Please make sure you read Leslie's Open Enrollment email and Greg's end of year tech email as each have important information for you to follow up on.  

I really enjoyed the Illinois Principal Recognition Breakfast this week.  Honoring two of our 8th grade students with their parents at this event was a great experience for our students.  Thanks for filling out the other recognition forms at each team so that Kim can get certificates completed for our end of the year awards.

Thanks to Jessica for coordinating and completing our fast bridge testing with our 5th grade students. Working together with Evergreen staff makes testing much more efficient.  

April did a masterful job of running our Cardiac ERT meeting this week.  I appreciate her taking on this responsibility.  

Interesting article on tech integration in the classroom.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/model-implementing-technology-classroom

Thanks to Lynette and Chris for putting together Friday's Talent Show.  I'm sure their hard work will pay off with a great performance from our students.  

Thanks to Bill and Michele D for getting students ready for our 8th grade debates.  I was able to judge a few and was impressed with the student preparation.  I also appreciate Danielle and Angela's tech support to record the debates for parents to view.  

I was able to see students build and test out their catapults in the Medieval Stem class.  History, engineering, stem ...learning with hands on projects can be fun and engaging!

Speech is conveniently located midway between thought and action, where it often substitutes for both.

John Andrew Holmes

In heaven all the interesting people are missing.

Friedrich Nietzsche 

My Grandmother is over eighty and still doesn't need glasses. Drinks right out of the bottle.

Henny Youngman

 

4-25-25

Ms. Martin is on a roll!  First she hosted a very successful  Band Instrument night that was well attended by 4th grade students and parents where WCCHS students worked with students to pick their favorite instrument.  Then she had the WCCHS Band director and students in to practice with the 7th and 8th grade band this week.  This articulation and promotion of our band in both directions makes our band program stronger.  

The Learning Meeting this week was a good time.  First getting to honor Lynette and Bill for their service to our district and then who knew that our ABRE presentation would lead to a fun interactive dialogue around data.  Thanks for always being willing to "play" while at work.  

I appreciate the 8th grade team's willingness to expand their school day and take students on reward trips like the cubs game.  It is such a memory maker for our students!

Thanks to the 5th grade for working hard with CogAt  testing this week and to Vanessa for all of the hands on tech support. We could not do it without you!

End of the year activities for an ELA class.  

https://www.edutopia.org/article/ending-school-year-ela-student-interests

Melissa Falkos and Kristen Higgins went to a school in Downers Grove to watch our new science curriculum in action and talk with the teacher afterwards.  I appreciate their dedication and look forward to hearing how their experience went.  

Obviously this week is the time to give Kim and Margaret their props for keeping our school up and running at its optimal level.  I appreciate their work ethic, willingness to share their opinions and ideas and for everything they do to help keep me on top of what is happening in the building.  Thanks to Lauren for running the Social Committee and helping to get their lunch covered today.  Please stop by the office today to say thank you to these two great individuals!

Emotional Intelligence is a superpower!

I appreciate Superintendent Langton who with Solly's help made sure that we did not forget about our bus drivers this week and put together gift bags for each of the drivers.  I have been impressed with First Student this year and their attention to service.

Hopefully everyone is getting into the ABC countdown this year.  Thanks to Kerry and April for pushing it through.  

Fish Philosophy Alert!

Chris and Lynette have been working hard with the talent show kids...I am looking forward to their performance in one week!

It was fun bringing around superintendent Langton and the board members on the school tour this morning...mostly because I get to bring them in your classes and  show off how great our teaching and support staff are!  I liked it so much....lets do it again Friday morning!

Let’s stop confusing fairness with sameness. True equity starts when we ask, “What does each student need to thrive?”

"It is never too late or too soon. It is when it is supposed to be." -- Mitch Albom

"I believe that one defines oneself by reinvention. . . To be yourself. To cut yourself out of stone." -- Henry Rollins

"The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn't said." -- Peter Drucker

3-21-2025

 I am so excited to see the Bye Bye Birdie musical today!  The Benjamin Musical is always a cumulation of hard work from staff, students and parents.  Thanks to Stephen, Danielle and April for going above and beyond to put on a great show.  We are on a double morning assembly schedule today.

Speaking of hard work and a combined effort.  Thanks to everyone for the effort put into executing the IAR testing this week.      Obviously, beyond this weeks test execution is the hard work everyone has put in all year teaching the content  and supporting our students to help them learn and grow!  Special shout out to Greg for all the work he did on the back end to get testing ready, Kim for entering accommodations and to Vanessa for preparing student devices and on the spot tech support.  

We have another fantastic parade video from Sherry and her STEM students.  Of course her trusty sidekicks Megan P and Angela are there to join in the fun along with other staff and students in the after parade film roll.  Thanks to Angela for her film/editing expertise.  

https://youtu.be/Qpm7m7cCGkY

I want to thank the team leaders for always being there to help me guide our school in a positive direction.  Being able to bounce ideas off of them along with their problem solving and communication skills are a big reason why we work together as a solid team.

Great ideas to keep students engaged when they finish early.  

https://www.edutopia.org/article/fast-finishers-school-keeping-students-any-grade-engaged

I appreciate Mrs. Smith giving my principal report at The PTA meeting on Tuesday as well as Jen V's  kind gesture of providing some "healthy cooking" food  for people to eat.  The PTA also provided a fun event on Monday with Lynette and Kerry K being crowned the Rock, Paper Scissors Champions!

I appreciate Jen and Joe's flexibility in working around the musical for tech week.  With bad weather coming in this week it required extra planning.  

Thanks to Tim, Frank and Isidro for all the help with the set-ups required for this busy week.  

Thanks to Dr. Salamone for helping to get the DLM testing up and working. 

 This is your weekly reminder that the deadline for spending out of the district accounts is March 28th.  

Please make sure that you get your news articles into Margaret for the newsletter.  

Thanks to Lauren and Colleen for their hard work in getting a new Outdoor Ed plan put together for approval. They are almost at the finish line.  

Better to look weak and be strong than to look strong and be weak.

Laura Moncur (1969 - )

Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.

Abraham Lincoln (1809 - 1865)

You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm.

Colette (1873 - 1954)

3-14-2025

Thanks to the ELA teachers for letting me take some of their class time this week so i could pull each student and talk with them about their IAR scores last year and tips for taking the test this year.  The students seemed interested and were good listeners.  

I appreciate staff members who made scheduling their summative meeting with me a priority the last two weeks so I could make my deadline.  These meetings are always valuable as opportunities to talk about strengths and areas for continued growth.  

The Winter Sports Awards were held on Wednesday night.  I appreciate Dan, Matt and Nicole for their hard work this past season and for preparing their thoughtful speeches.  Huge thanks to Kim for running all of the fun and creative certificates for students.  

Thanks to Greg for the IAR presentation.  We have scratch paper, graph paper and headphones in the office available for pick-up.  I will let everyone know when the folders that Greg prepared are ready with scripts, math forms and student tickets included. Please have students login to test Nav on Friday or Monday at the lastest so we can eliminate any login problems before testing.  I will confirm all non homeroom test administrators on Friday as there were a few switches when we moved some 504 students around on Thursday.  Specials teacher will be available for breaks and communicating testing problems to our tech support team.  Please let me know if you have any other questions.  

Stephen, April and Danielle are preparing for tech week next week. With IAR and tech week happening at the same time I appreciate the staff's willingness to not give hw next week.  (as talked about with your team leader)  

Ensuring Math Instruction provides opportunities for all.

https://www.edutopia.org/article/strategies-differentiate-math-instruction

We have a PTA meeting on Tuesday and and they will be providing a fun St. Patricks Day activity for staff on Monday.  

NJHS packed the multi-purpose room on Monday to have their regular meeting.  Thanks to Jessica and Jen H for all of their hard work to run this organization.  

Thanks to Grade level Teams for getting all of the student 5Essentials Surveys completed.  If you haven't taken your personal survey please do that soon.  

If anyone would be willing to host a College of DuPage student observer please let me know.  It is only a 20 hour commitment. 

"We just don't recognize life's most significant moments while they're happening. Back then I thought, "Well, there'll be other days." I didn't realize that that was the only day." - Field of Dreams

Have the courage to be ignorant of a great number of things, in order to avoid the calamity of being ignorant of everything. Sydney Smith

The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken too seriously. Nicholas Butler

3-7-2025

 I want to thank Danielle and Angela for running the book club this past Wednesday.  I was able to pop in and see some pretty lively discussions.  Anytime spent together having great discussions is valuable, when it can help educators help students it is even better!  If you missed out on this book club this time here is a 13 minute animated summary of the book. 

Please don't forget that we have our new IAR Training this Wednesday, March 12th at 2:00pm in the multi-purpose room.  I will get more details from Greg about the training and I will get testing booklets in your mailbox by Monday if you are testing a group of students.  I want to thank Kim who is helping me get all the student testing groups together for Greg.

Here is a great article about the science behind happiness.   Oh and it is written by a former Bengal!

https://wildcatchronicle.org/28632/features/no-more-fake-smiling-the-scientific-pursuit-of-happiness/

I went to an IASB dinner at Addison Trail high school on Wednesday night with superintendent Langton and school board member Dennis Peterson.  Mr. Peterson received recognition for his years of service on the board and we saw a very interesting presentation on K-12 career pathways.  I look forward to learning more about this topic and sharing with you in the future.  

Don't forget the deadline for spending is Friday March 28th.  

Congratulations to  Matt, Dan & the girls basketball team. Thursday night they defeated Harvest Christian by the score of 18 to 5. On Saturday they will play in the semi-final of the SWAC tournament.  Good luck Bengals!!

Visual Book Summary of Deep Work by Cal Newport

If you want to help out Marquita's daughter win a girl scout contest trip to medieval times.  Just click the link below and you vote for their castle!  

https://woobox.com/ytptxw/gallery/unkkPzkycII

I appreciate Dr. Salamone and Solly securing subs for our Thursday SPED meetings.  Having coverage makes the day so much smoother.  

If you are looking for dinner this Tuesday night stop by Chipotle and help the PTA.   Use code NM73926 from 5pm-9pm you can order online or in person.  

Thanks to Michelle and Carrie for running the March Book Madness.  I believe teachers can also get in on the fun and vote online.  

It was fun to have 100% student attendance on Thursday.  What a great opportunity to push all of our students forward with no worries of make-up work.  

I will send out a schedule to ELA teachers for my student data talks next week in preparation for our IAR tests.  

Teaching teens to separate fact and fiction.  

Thanks to Angela and Vanessa for their help with technology for the Superintendent focus groups this week.  It is always a team effort to have these events run smoothly!

Between the 8th grade reward trip and the combined 7th grade & theater club (all grade) field trip we will have a lot of the students having learning experiences outside the building today.  Thanks to all of the staff that helped put together and supervise these trips. 

"People generally see what they look for, and hear what they listen for." -- Harper Lee

"Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults." -- Benjamin Franklin

Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable.

Sidney J. Harris

2-28-25

 Thanks to Michelle and Carrie for throwing the Caudill party for our students.  Motivating our students to read is important and the celebration included an author talk by Kate O'Shaughnessy.  

Thanks to Alex for running the Student Council Badminton Tournament.  The students had a blast.  

Speaking of Student Council, Colleen Morgan also had student council students busy selling hot chocolate before school on Tuesday and Wednesday of this week.  Keeping students active and helping others is a great service model to have.  

How PE can build leadership in our students. 

https://www.edutopia.org/article/teaching-leadership-skills-4-pe-games

I am asking that starting on Monday we do not park in the two street spots that are on the left of our parking lot exit.  I have had numerous concerns shared with me about those spots being a blind spot for parents exiting our school at drop off and dismissal and I have to agree.  It is better to be safe especially when we have plenty of other parking spots.  

Coach Wolski is finishing an awesome chess season with a round robin tournament practice Thursday Night to crown a Benjamin Team Champion and then a final team tournament in Wheaton this weekend.  I appreciate his dedication to this team that requires late nights and weekends!

I am grateful for the work the science committee has done this year as we move closer to a final resource for our students.  We had a very successful meeting on Wednesday after school where input was shared and action steps were decided to get us to the finish line.  

Danielle and Angela will be splitting up the Book Club between Evergreen and Benjamin due to scheduling problems.  Our time for the book discussion will be March 5th right after school until the Superintendent Input meeting for staff at 3:30pm.  I will send the full March meeting schedule out later on Friday. 

Please remember to take the 5essentials survey when you have time.  Also team leaders, please let me know when the students in your grade are taking the survey if you have not done so already.  

Thanks to Margaret for getting out the monthly Newsletter.  Also Margaret was honored with a staff spotlight for her "service with a smile" I have to agree that the transition of Margaret into the secretary position has been very smooth and I have heard nothing but compliments on her initiative and her efficiency in task completion.  It doesn't hurt to have a great coach/mentor in Kim!  Way to go Margaret!

Thanks to Kim for getting our new digital report cards uploaded for parents.  Thanks to our special ed and EL staff for getting their student goal updates to the office for mailing.  

I am looking forward to the Institute day on Friday.  Thanks to Todd, Jana and Megan P who are all using their day to present to others.  A day dedicated to professional learning is so important to take advantage of.  Please try to put aside other tasks/responsibilities and focus on your personal growth.  

"You will never get any more out of life than you expect." -- Bruce Lee

"Slow down and enjoy life. It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast — you also miss the sense of where you are going and why." -- Eddie Cantor

Beware of no man more than yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us.

G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936)

2-21-25

 Thanks to Mark, Jim, Lauren, Jen H, Nicole, April, Kim, Nicolett and Sherry for taking time after school to meet with the school board consultant.  Your thoughtful and insightful input given on behalf of the whole school staff is greatly appreciated. 

Reminder that the 5essentials survey is ready to take.  Take yours when you have time and alert me when you plan on giving it to your students. Here is the teacher link:

http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/teacher/

Danielle and Angela were able to get some great PD at the Ideacon Conference.  I am looking forward to them sharing with us some of the concepts/ideas that they learned.  

Greg has passed along another IAR/ISA resource where you can have the students  take a practice assessment to learn how to navigate the test and experience the types of questions they will see on the actual assessment. These practice tests do not require any proctor print cards or student print cards and are available for all grade levels and subjects.

https://il.mypearsonsupport.com/practice-items/

Encouraging Students To Own Their Academic Growth (short video and article) about what we have been talking about with students and test scores. 

https://www.edutopia.org/video/encouraging-students-to-track-their-academic-growth

Staff Spotlight recognition has been received by more of  our staff from their peers, parents and students.  Congratulation to Margaret, Jessica, Dan, Nicolett,  and Jen V on being outstanding!  

The purchasing deadline from school accounts is March 28th.  

I know I speak for everyone when I say how grateful we are for our teaching assistants.  Michele S, Ali K, Holly, Nicolett, Michele D, and Lori all work hard to find that balance between supporting students and giving space, being positive and reassuring to students even or especially when they are being difficult and carrying out staff directions to create growth and learning for our students.    

Please make sure you have followed superintendent Langton's direction of checking the seniority lists by today and alerting Solly of any discrepancies.  

The trimester ends today.  I appreciate your efforts to track down and accept students late work so grades can be finalized.  Special teachers please remind students of what special they will have on Monday when the next trimester starts.  

If you are on cycle I need to complete all summative Evaluations by March 15th.  Please send me your input for Domains 1 and 4 if you have not done so already.  

I appreciate April sending out the moving procedures for classes that will be renovated this summer.  

I also appreciate Joe completely taking over the activity bus duties. 

Resource databases to help explore Black History.  

https://blog.tcea.org/celebrate-black-history-month-in-your-classroom/

Thanks to Dr. Filas and the science teachers for meeting with the room designer Thursday to give their input on  science furniture.

"If the risk is fully aligned with your purpose and mission, then it’s worth considering." -- Peter Diamandis

"Don’t allow your wounds to transform you into someone you are not." -- Paulo Coelho

"The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for 30 years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found." -- Calvin Trillin