Friday, September 30, 2022

Pennoyer Staff Newsletter - 9/30/22

  Hawk Thoughts & Happenings

Team Pennoyer,

Ok...to offset Dated and Related on Netflix, I began watching the 10 part series known as Dahmer, and I honestly think it's the most disturbing thing I've ever watched on television but I can't stop. Definitely not for the faint at heart.  On a lighter note, I'm glad things are cooling off and hopefully your classrooms are feeling a bit more comfortable.  I absolutely love this time of year and hope everyone can get out and enjoy themselves this weekend.  Big Saturday at the Greenberg house as my son Lennon is going to Homecoming.  Now things have definitely changed since my day.  First off, he's going with a group of his guy friends since one of his best friends decided to ask the girl Lennon wanted to go with right under his nose. Then there's an after party that has a "theme" to it at someones house and a Google doc that was started by parents where we all have to sign up to bring something.  The theme is Christmas and all of the kids have to change and wear red and green.  Times have definitely changed...I'm feeling old and out of touch.

Well, as always...Bear Down and hopefully Fields has a better showing on Sunday.  Try actually passing the ball correctly to an open receiver.


Picture Day is next week on October 6th!

Safety Week will be the week of October 6th.  Here is the schedule, and we'll be discussing some of the details and important reminders about the drills at our staff meeting next Monday...

Tuesday, Oct 4 - Lock Down Drill @ 10am - Police Support

Wednesday, Oct 5 @ 9:15 am - Fire Drill - Fire Support

Friday, Oct 7 @ 1:15 pm - Evacuation Drill  - Police & Salvation Army Support

*We will just evacuate to the Salvation Army Parking Lot and the police department will be shutting down the intersection at Cumberland and Foster for us.

Staff Meeting on Monday, October 3rd next week from 3:15-4:15pm in the MPR.  HERE's the agenda!  Feel free to add anything you'd like.

Hawk Action Items 

  • Last Call for One on One Meetings w/ Adam 
    • If you still need to set this up, and we weren't able to connect in the month of September, I'd still love the opportunity to have a 15 minute informal meeting with any staff members I haven't met with yet.  Please reach out when you can with a time and day that works best for you and we'll make something happen in the month of October...thanks!  I've really enjoyed these meetings with everyone.
  • Stipend Openings for JV Girls and JV Boys Basketball Teams...Connect w/ Adam if interested.
  • Last call for Principal’s Crew Survey to be filled out.  There are still some grade levels 3rd-8th that haven't chosen two students yet.  I plan on getting this started next week, and am going to change the meetings to the first THURSDAY of each month now.  There was a conflict on Wednesdays, so our first meetings will be during lunch/recess on Thursday, Oct. 6th next week.  I will plan on reaching out to families next week to let them know of this special honor their children have been chosen for.  Maybe give your student a reminder on Wednesday or Thursday next week about our first meeting, but I'll plan on sending them an email and telling parents as well.  I just know not all of our students check emails on a regular basis.  Thanks for supporting this idea!!!
  • Final Reminder About Clubs - We're getting some new and engaging clubs going that we're really excited about, and there are exiting clubs beginning to start up as well, but if at any time during the school year you’re interested in starting up a new club, please submit your ideas HERE!  Also, please remember for all Clubs (new and old ones) we would like to create a helpful link on our website to showcase all of the wonderful opportunities for our students at Pennoyer.  You can simply create a one page Google Doc or Slide and share it with Pat and I.  Here’s an EXAMPLE for your reference if needed. If you haven't completed this yet, please do so. Even if your club isn't starting soon, we'd like to get our website updated with all of this information in the next week or so. Thanks so much!

Weekly Hawk Playlist/Lyric

Into the Mystic

by Van Morrison

Hawk Celebrations

A staff member shared this with me, and I'd love to continue these shout outs whenever anyone would like to send one my way for our weekly newsletters...A huge thank you and shout out to Linda Krieter!  Linda Krieter is a creative genius! She has quickly and secretly constructed educational bulletin boards throughout the school to light up the hallway and our spirits! Thank you for adding joy and knowledge to the walls of Pennoyer!

I can't begin to fully explain how incredibly excited I was to join our 5th graders at Camp Edwards in East Troy, Wisconsin this week on Thursday!  I was so incredibly proud as I watched them take risks, work together, cheer each other on, and most importantly...have so much fun!  This is a special group of students led by a great team that I truly appreciate.  Huge shout out to Mrs. Tronco, Mrs. Kula, Mrs. Shearer, and Mr. Widd for organizing and chaperoning such a special event for our students.  This will be a memory they'll take with them far beyond their years at Pennoyer, and I will as well.





October Birthdays! ðŸŽ‚

Ramia Elddine - 10/2

April Bardelas - 10/4

Rachel Slawson - 10/7

Alissa Warchol - 10/3

James Nelsen - 10/15

Erica Hauer - 10/18








Connect - Collaborate - Celebrate

Friday, September 23, 2022

Pennoyer Staff Newsletter - 9/23/22

 Hawk Thoughts & Happenings

Team Pennoyer,

Let's just pretend that Bears game last Sunday night didn't really happen and bring our thoughts back to 1985...


Anyways, thanks to everyone again for making our Curriculum Night this past week a success!  The weather hopefully seems like it's taking a turn for the better, and I'm hoping your classrooms start to cool off a bit.  I know it hasn't been easy for everyone.  Enjoy the upcoming weekend and beautiful weather.  I'm going to be completely vulnerable here, and admit that I've somehow got hooked on the Netflix show "Dated & Related".  I'll be checking out some more episodes this weekend.  Don't ask questions, just give it a try if you have time and judge for yourself.

Picture Day is coming up on October 6th!

Safety Week will be the week of October 6th.  More information to come about Safety Week and how we'll run through our different drills with our students.

Just a reminder that I'm out of the building on Monday, September 26th and Thursday, September 29th next week.  Please utilize Rachel or Alicia first for any support you may need and then Kristin will be available as well.

Hawk Action Items 

  • One on One Meetings w/ Adam 
    • If you still need to set this up, there are still some dates/times left.  If we didn't get a chance to connect, please reach out to me and we can find a time in early October if needed.  I've really enjoyed these one on one meetings with everyone!
  • Stipend Openings for JV Girls and JV Boys Basketball Teams...Connect w/ Adam if interested.
  • Please Complete the Principal’s Crew Survey by September 30th.  Then I'll reach out to students' families that are chosen and our first meetings will be Wednesday, Oct. 5th during lunch/recess times.
  • Clubs - We're getting some new and engaging clubs going that we're really excited about, and there are exiting clubs beginning to start up as well, but if at any time during the school year you’re interested in starting up a new club, please submit your ideas HERE!  Also, please remember for all Clubs (new and old ones) we would like to create a helpful link on our website to showcase all of the wonderful opportunities for our students at Pennoyer.  You can simply create a one page Google Doc or Slide and share it with Pat and I.  Here’s an EXAMPLE for your reference if needed. If you haven't completed this yet, please do so. Even if your club isn't starting soon, we'd like to get our website updated with all of this information in the next week or so. Thanks so much!

Weekly Hawk Playlist/Lyric

Love Will Turn You Around

by Kenny Rogers

Hawk Celebrations
I'm so proud to see extracurriculars like Girl's Softball going on at Pennoyer!  I know volleyball and soccer are just around the corner.  It's great to see our students out there having fun and competing.  Thanks to Coach Nelson for being so dedicated and getting this softball team going even with such a late start to this school year.  



September Birthdays! ðŸŽ‚

Diana Dylag - 9/3

Linda Krieter - 9/4

Justin Widd - 9/13

Maria Torres - 9/13

Megan McManus - 9/15

Kate Barzano - 9/18

Vicki Palicka - 9/18

Barbara Raffaelli - 9/21







Connect - Collaborate - Celebrate

Friday, September 16, 2022

Pennoyer Staff Newsletter - 9/16/22

  Hawk Thoughts & Happenings

Team Pennoyer,

Our first full five day week of the school year and we did more than just survive!  We prevailed just like our good old Chicago Bears against the so called "favorites" 49ers.  Now I might be singing a different tune next week after this big Sunday night game against the Packers, but I have to say, I'm going in with a positive attitude.  I despise Aaron Rodgers and all his commercials, so let's just make it game Fields...Da Bears!!!

Beyond that, I hope everyone has a great weekend, as the weather looks like it's gonna be much better than last weekend.  We have to soak it up, because we all know we're gonna blink, and all of the sudden it's gonna be the frozen vortex around here.  Hoping to have a long fall, which happens to be my favorite season of the year.

Get some well deserved rest this weekend and do something just for yourself that makes you happy.  For me, that's screaming at the television with Lennon all day on Sunday and being way too obsessed with Fantasy Football and our squad this year.

HERE is the final Curriculum Night doc I shared with parents in my family newsletter today.  I'll re-share it with them again on Tuesday next week.  I want to thank the entire staff for helping me put this night and schedule together.  It was a collaborative effort, and I really appreciate it.  I hope we have a great turnout.  A few things to note...

  • Since we're doing this all in one night and there are Specials teachers and related/student services that need to be at Curriculum Night the entire time, I'm asking that all staff please attend for the entire time from 5:30-7:30pm.  I'm hoping the extra time before or afterwards will be useful to catch up on planning, grading, or meet with colleagues.  
  • Due to our limited parking, I would like all staff members to park in the back lot where the students line up in the morning and at dismissal time.  We're going to have to keep the front and West lot open for parents/guardians.  You can park your car where you normally do on Wednesday next week in the morning and just move it sometime by around 5pm.  Thanks so much!
Our first Staff Meeting of the school year is next Monday, September 19th from 3:15-4:15pm in the MPR.  I'm so glad we can start to do these in person again!  HERE is the agenda.

PTC Pennoyer Book Fair runs all next week starting on September 19th.  Thanks to all the teachers that signed their students up to attend!

Hawk Action Items 

  • One on One Meetings w/ Adam 
  • Putting in Weekly Announcements Reminder
    • To submit an announcement, submit to this spreadsheet HERE (also linked within Master Schedule) - Peer Leaders and Kiera will be taking over w/ video announcements starting Monday, September 19th!
  • Creating new Clubs at Pennoyer and Submitting Club Information for Website (Existing or New Clubs)
    • If you’re interested in starting up a new club, please submit your ideas HERE!  You can check out the CBA if needed for more information.
    • For all Clubs (new and old ones) we would like to create a helpful link on our website to showcase all of the wonderful opportunities for our students at Pennoyer.  Please submit Club information that will be showcased on our website by September 23rd.  Adam will contact new club directors after Sept. 23rd. You can certainly come up with new club ideas later in the school year as well!
    • You can simply create a one page Google Doc or Slide and share it with Pat and I.  Here’s an EXAMPLE for your reference if needed.

  • Updating Extracurricular Information w/ Jim for Website
    • If you’re a coach for a sport/extracurricular activity, please work with Jim to update your information for students and families on the website if still needed.
  • Stipend Openings for JV Girls and JV Boys Basketball Teams...Connect w/ Adam if interested.
  • Emergency Sub Plans
    • Just a friendly reminder that all teachers should have created a general Emergency sub plan by today, September 16th.
    • Please drop Emergency Sub Plans into this Folder and make sure everyone at Pennoyer can view…thanks!
    • Here is an example of a teacher Emergency Plan for subs of needed.  Time stamping is a good idea, but if you have another format that works, that’s fine too.  Just make sure to include important student information a sub would need about your groups of students and a variety of viable options for your students if ever needed.
    • Remember, for specific daily sub plans when you’re out, please make sure to share with Jill, Adam, and Alicia so we can coordinate with the sub(s).

Weekly Hawk Playlist/Lyric

"Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our minds."

Bob Marley - Redemption Song

Hawk Celebrations
Thanks to our entire staff, and Melissa Tronco for a successful week of MAP testing...even in your warm classrooms!  I really appreciate you keeping our students focused and engaged during these types of assessments.  I thought everything ran very smoothly, and I wanted to say thanks to everyone for taking time out of your daily lessons to administer the MAP test this week.

September Birthdays! ðŸŽ‚

Diana Dylag - 9/3

Linda Krieter - 9/4

Justin Widd - 9/13

Maria Torres - 9/13

Megan McManus - 9/15

Kate Barzano - 9/18

Vicki Palicka - 9/18

Barbara Raffaelli - 9/21







Connect - Collaborate - Celebrate

Friday, September 9, 2022

Pennoyer Staff Newsletter

 Hawk Thoughts & Happenings

Team Pennoyer,

I couldn't think of a better way to start my very first staff newsletter as your new principal than to give you the highlights (Top 10 in no particular order) of my experiences this week that I am forever grateful for and humbled by as I start my journey in this position.  I know I'll have some ups and downs, as we all will, but this first week has been really special for me thanks to all of you and our amazing group of students...thanks everyone!

Here they are...

1. Making a preschooler cry by just sitting down next to him and asking, "Could I play blocks with you?"

2. Putting on the shoes of a kindergartner and walking him to lunch.  He held my hand the whole way there, and I got him to eat his sandwich!

3. Hanging out with some 8th graders at recess just joking around.

4.  A first grader running up to me across the parking lot on the very first day of school and giving me a huge hug.  She said, "See you tomorrow Mr. G!"

5.  7th graders thinking my name is Mr. Greensberg with an "s".  They're not quite getting it yet.

6.  A first grader coming up to me and saying, "I don't like you?"  When I said, oh no, why, what's wrong?"  He said, "Cause you made the old principal leave."

7.  A parent at dismissal time talking about me right in front of Officer Bob and myself.  He had no idea who I was when he said, "I guess this Adam doesn't really care enough about safety to get another crossing guard."  I actually ended up introducing myself to him a few minutes later, and he said, "Oh, I'm so sorry I said that and didn't know who you were."  We're good buddies now.

8.  Getting a card from Oliver and talking about my birthday and favorite pizza with him!

9.  Talking soccer with some 7th grade boys and watching them play a math game in class.

10.  Hanging out with Kindergartners during their snack time and talking about tattoos.  I made sure to say...never get one!!!  Hope this one doesn't come back to me...lol.

  • Curriculum Night - September 21st - Probable Schedule...
    • 5:30-5:45pm - Pre K-5 presentations 

      5:50-6:05pm - Pre K-5 presentations

      6:05-6:20pm - Pre K-5 presentations

      6:30-7:30pm -  Middle school w/ student schedule rotation

  • New Family Orientation Night - This is an event we're hosting with myself, Kristin, and Melissa for any of our new families next Wednesday, Sept. 14th

Hawk Action Items 

  • MAP Testing  - (Email from Melissa) We will be NWEA MAP Growth testing September 12-16 We are having the students take this assessment so that we can get a baseline of where each child is currently, coming into this in-person school year. Please schedule a time for your students to take the Reading and Math MAP Growth tests. If a student is not here, please try to test them another day next week or make arrangements with your partner teacher to stagger test sessions. Hopefully there will be little-to-no makeup tests since it's the start of the school year.
  • One on One Meetings w/ Adam 
  • Putting in Weekly Announcements Reminder
    • To submit an announcement, submit to this spreadsheet HERE (also linked within Master Schedule) - I'll be doing this another week and then Peer Leaders and Kiera will be taking over w/ video announcements.
  • Creating new Clubs at Pennoyer and Submitting Club Information for Website (Existing or New Clubs)
    • If you’re interested in starting up a new club, please submit your ideas HERE!  You can check out the CBA if needed for more information.
    • For all Clubs (new and old ones) we would like to create a helpful link on our website to showcase all of the wonderful opportunities for our students at Pennoyer.  Please submit Club information that will be showcased on our website by September 23rd.  
    • You can simply create a one page Google Doc or Slide and share it with Pat and I.  Here’s an EXAMPLE for your reference if needed.

  • Updating Extracurricular Information w/ Jim for Website
    • If you’re a coach for a sport/extracurricular activity, please work with Jim to update your information for students and families on the website if still needed.
  • Stipend Openings for JV Girls and JV Boys Basketball Teams...Connect w/ Adam if interested.
  • PTC Meetings
    • We'd love to have teacher representation whenever you feel like attending these monthly meetings!  Their first meeting is next Tuesday, September 13th at 7pm in the MPR.  Here is the agenda.
  • Emergency Sub Plans
    • Just a friendly reminder that all teachers should create a general Emergency sub plan by Friday, September 16th.
    • Please drop Emergency Sub Plans into this Folder and make sure everyone at Pennoyer can view…thanks!
    • Here is an example of a teacher Emergency Plan for subs of needed.  Time stamping is a good idea, but if you have another format that works, that’s fine too.  Just make sure to include important student information a sub would need about your groups of students and a variety of viable options for your students if ever needed.
    • Remember, for specific daily sub plans when you’re out, please make sure to share with Jill, Adam, and Alicia so we can coordinate with the sub(s).

Weekly Hawk Playlist/Lyric

This is where I'll have a weekly song from my playlist or a lyric to share...to be honest, sometimes it might be connected with our week and other times it's just something I want to share.  I'll let you decide how to interpret it. Maybe you'll be intrigued enough to give it a listen or maybe it's already a part of your own music collection, or maybe you think I'm crazy and just way too into music!

Try Everything - Shakira

Hawk Celebrations
I want to celebrate our entire staff for making it through this first week of school in our hot and muggy spaces!  You've all been amazing with our students and making Pennoyer a special place right from the start.  I've been so impressed walking in and out of your classrooms...keep it up!!!

September Birthdays! 🎂

Diana Dylag - 9/3

Linda Krieter - 9/4

Justin Widd - 9/13

Maria Torres - 9/13

Megan McManus - 9/15

Kate Barzano - 9/18

Vicki Palicka - 9/18

Barbara Raffaelli - 9/21







Connect - Collaborate - Celebrate

Pennoyer Staff Newsletter - 5/31/24

                                                         Hawk Thoughts & Happenings Team Pennoyer, I seriously cannot thank you all enou...