Pennoyer Staff Newsletter - 11/18/22

           Hawk Thoughts & Happenings

Team Pennoyer,

I know everyone is excited for this well earned week off we have coming ahead of us.  I hope whatever you have planned, you're able to unplug, recharge, and enjoy time with friends, family, and time to yourself as well.  Here's a window to the top 5 things I'm looking forward to...

• My wife is taking off on Monday and Tuesday as well, but our kids are at school, so we're planning on going to the city on Tuesday for a nice, overpriced but delicious lunch on Rush Street to pretend we're part of the elite class that can have that can do this type of stuff of a daily basis!
• Going to support and help out with the start of the Stevenson High School wrestling season as they kick off their season during break with a dual meet and tournament.
• Tuesday night going out with some of my best friends from my former school Twin Groves to get dinner in Highwood and catch up.
• Wednesday night is the annual Friendsgiving that me and all my friends have been doing for years.  We all get together to have good food, play live music, and see what else we can get into.
• Watching football on Thursday during the day with Lennon, my dad, and my brother and then having Thanksgiving at our new house with my entire family for the first time.

I hope everyone has a great Top 5!

Interested in some new Pennoyer Spirit Wear...check out this LINK, which is also featured on our PTC website.  Everything can be shipped directly to your home!

Newcomer Support Guide for Staff - With the support of Monica, Melissa, and Rachel, we've been looking to gather up resources that would be helpful for our staff with newcomer students at Pennoyer that come in with very limited English.  I know it's been a difficult adjustment for many of our students, along with our staff, and we're always looking for better tools and ways of helping our students feel comfortable, engaged, supported, and part of daily lessons.  Please feel free to look this GUIDE over and add anything you'd like along the way this school year.  You can bookmark the doc and use anything in it as needed.  I thought it would be helpful to have one place to look for resources that could be helpful. I'll continue to reach out to colleagues in West 40 and other areas to see what I can gather up and I welcome any ideas and collaboration on this.  Thanks everyone!

We have some new board games donated by Hades' dad if you'd like to check them out!  These are down in the LRC.  Linda has put barcodes on them, and they could be useful during indoor recess or other times if you're interested.  The games are for various age levels...enjoy!

Hawk Action Items 

• Skyward Final Grade and Report Card Set Up Support!  If you're interested in getting some help and questions answered, our very own Katherine Kopoulos, Megan Loring, and Kiera Strecker have volunteered to support any staff members that may need a little guidance setting up report cards in Skyward for Trimester 1.  You can check out this presentation from earlier in the year as well that should be very helpful.
• Monday, Nov. 28th drop in support for Skyward grading/comments w/ Kiera from 3:15-4pm in her classroom
• Tuesday, Nov. 29th drop in support for Skyward grading/comments w/ Katherine and Megan from 3:15-4pm in Katherine's classroom
• Eisenhower Library Story Essay Activity for Students!  If you think you may have some students at any age that would be interested in something like this, please pass it along.  It looks like a real cool opportunity for any creative writers!  There is no deadline I'm aware of to turn these in, but I'm sure the sooner, the better.  HERE is the information!
• Honor an outstanding 4th-8th grade teacher by nominating them for the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching - Click on the link below if interested                   https://www.goldenapple.org/nominate-a-teacher 
• West 40 Webinar opportunity for all staff members on Nov. 22nd.  This is a free collaborative PD option that can provide opportunities on how staff can best support refugee students at our school.  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/supporting-refugee-students-tickets-453907307977
• Important Trimester 1 Grading Period Timeline 
• November 18th - Trimester 1 Ends
• November 30th - Final Grades/Comments are Due in Skyward
• December 2nd - Report Cards are live for families at 4:00pm and students and communication will go out
• Interested in SEL Professional Development...check out what West 40 has to offer!  

Weekly Hawk Playlist/Lyric

Thank You by Led Zeppelin

                                                               

Hawk Celebrations

I'm excited to celebrate our incredible Student Council and Ms. Kopoulos and Mrs. Kafka this week for bringing the best out in our students with a wonderfully thoughtful and creative activity they came up with!  Our students spent time during SEL this past week cutting out leaves and celebrating what they were thankful for.  These leaves were then put up on the Pennoyer Tree of Thanks in our Multi Purpose Room for everyone to see.  This is a wonderful display of gratitude and really showcases the spirit of our appreciative and thoughtful students here at Pennoyer.  Thanks Student Council members for all of your leadership and support!

November Birthdays! 🎂

Monica Kula - 11/6

Sam Wyrzykowski - 11/25

Connect - Collaborate - Celebrate

Pennoyer Staff Newsletter - 11/11/22

           Hawk Thoughts & Happenings

Team Pennoyer,

I would be remiss if I didn't take a moment to address the disappointment I know we all feel with another referendum initiative that didn't pass.  The reason I felt compelled to bring this up in our Hawk Happenings this week is because I hope everyone is able to keep perspective and continue to stay positive about what we're lucky to have here at Pennoyer.  

Even though they don't always make the best choices and they give us a run for our money, we have amazing kids here with big hearts.  At the end of the day, we have each other too.  I can tell you that the number one topic that came up at my first parent night monthly meeting a few weeks ago was the fact that parents love our school and don't want to be anywhere else because of all of you...our teachers and staff!  We can have all the money, resources, and programs in place, but without the right people, none of it works.  I know we have the right ingredients here at Pennoyer that really count for our students each and every day, so keep that in mind as we move through the ups and downs of this school year.  You have my utmost respect, and I couldn't be more proud to come to work each and every day.

Keep your heads up, and we'll work with what we have and make another run in the future.

I also want to take a moment to honor all of the military veterans of the United States Armed Forces that have served with bravery and dignity in times of peace and war.  We thank you for your service and sacrifice on this Veterans Day today, November 11th.

Staff Meeting Agenda for next Monday, November 14th in the MPR from 3:15-4:15pm

*Looking ahead, remember I'll be out of town again next Friday, November 18th.  Connect with Alicia or Rachel if you need anything.

Hawk Action Items 

• Honor an outstanding 4th-8th grade teacher by nominating them for the Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching - Click on the link below if interested                   https://www.goldenapple.org/nominate-a-teacher 
• West 40 Webinar opportunity for all staff members on Nov. 22nd.  This is a free collaborative PD option that can provide opportunities on how staff can best support refugee students at our school.  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/supporting-refugee-students-tickets-453907307977
• Important Trimester 1 Grading Period Timeline 
• November 18th - Trimester 1 Ends
• November 30th - Final Grades/Comments are Due in Skyward
• December 2nd - Grades are live for families and students and communication will go out
• Interested in SEL Professional Development...check out what West 40 has to offer!  

Weekly Hawk Playlist/Lyric

"Well, those drifter's days are past me now.  I've got so much more to think about.  Deadlines and commitments; What to leave in, what to leave out..."

                                                                          -Against the Wind by Bob Seger

Hawk Celebrations

Staff Shout Out...Thank you to Denise and Audrey for being level headed, calm, and absolutely essential in a difficult situation today.  I'd like to add a shout out to Alana as well for being such a wonderful support today with all of this.  Great job team!

I'm so excited to celebrate the new Principal's Crew group at Pennoyer this year!  We met for our second time two weeks ago, and this amazing group of students is off to a great start already.  These special 3rd-8th grade students were chosen by their teachers to represent their peers and share their voice in helping to make Pennoyer the best school possible for everyone.  It's been my honor to begin this work with these students, and I can't wait to see all of their wonderful ideas come to light.  Congratulations to Maksim, Stevan, Marcus, Miriana, Alexandra, Alex, Nicole, Ava, Alexa, Lara, Aidan, and Bart for being selected this year!

November Birthdays! 🎂

Monica Kula - 11/6

Sam Wyrzykowski - 11/25

Connect - Collaborate - Celebrate

Pennoyer Staff Newsletter - 11/4/22

           Hawk Thoughts & Happenings

Team Pennoyer,

What a great way to start and end this week!  I really enjoyed our Halloween celebrations and parade with our students on Monday.  Thanks everyone for being supportive and playing along for the day!  Monday was also a great opportunity for many of us to connect with the beginnings of some PD on our new collaborative practices of engaging in Learning Walks as a school.  I'm excited for those staff members that are interested to embark on this journey and get into different classrooms and spaces.  I did Learning Walks in District 96 as a teacher and as a Team Leader bringing it to other districts and saw firsthand how beneficial they could be when done right.  More to come on next steps as we dig through the data and feedback from our staff.

Later this week it was all about STEAM night on Thursday with our students, families, and staff.  Thanks to Mrs. Strecker and Ms. Kopoulos for helping to put this successful event together and to all of the teachers that volunteered to support this event.  It was amazing to see all of the creative stations and opportunities for our students to explore!  They built things, engineered objects, learned about areas of science, technology, and mathematics, and had real hands on experiences that were so fun to witness.  It was a great way to roll into the end of our week. 

Building/Classroom Cleanings Update - We realize there has been an increase in staff and students out in the past week.  To help mitigate illnesses and keep everyone as healthy as possible as we move into these colder months, there will be more daily cleanings done by our custodial crew of high touch surfaces/areas.  In addition, classrooms will be sprayed down 2-3 days a week with a Clorox cleaner.  Finally, every classroom should have Oxivir wipes for staff to use during the day as needed if you wish.  Please contact Alain if you don't have these and would like them.

*Looking ahead, I'll be out of town with my son on Friday, November 11th and then again on Friday, November 18th.  Connect with Alicia or Rachel if needed on those days.

Hawk Action Items 

• Don't forget to turn your clocks back this weekend!
• Internal Sub Survey for all teachers - If you still need to fill out the Internal Sub Interest Survey and didn't get the chance yet, please do so by Monday...thanks!
• West 40 Webinar opportunity for all staff members on Nov. 22nd.  This is a free collaborative PD option that can provide opportunities on how staff can best support refugee students at our school.  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/supporting-refugee-students-tickets-453907307977
• Important Trimester 1 Grading Period Timeline 
• November 18th - Trimester 1 Ends
• November 30th - Final Grades/Comments are Due in Skyward
• December 2nd - Grades are live for families and students and communication will go out
• Interested in SEL Professional Development...check out what West 40 has to offer!  

Weekly Hawk Playlist/Lyric

Even though we gain an hour of sleep, in honor of Daylight Savings Time ending and turning the clocks back this weekend...

"I'm So Tired"

                                                                          -From The Beatles White Album 

Hawk Celebrations

We're so excited to continue our collaboration with Maine South High School and kick off their Internship Program again this year.  We had the high schoolers visit for their first time last week to get things going and they were so excited.  Main South offers a course called Exploring the Teaching Profession.  This class is geared to upper level high school students who are on the career pathway to become teachers.  Using dual credit and curriculum from St. Francis University in Joliet, the students learn about curriculum, classroom management, diverse learners, and professional development.  The students also have a practical with hands on experience with an Internship here at Pennoyer.  This group of eager and inspired students will join us at Pennoyer a couple times a month throughout the school year and work directly with classroom teachers to observe, help, and work with our students.

November Birthdays! 🎂

Monica Kula - 11/6

Sam Wyrzykowski - 11/25

Connect - Collaborate - Celebrate