Hawk Thoughts & Happenings
Team Pennoyer,
We somehow survived the Polar Vortex of late January-Early February 2023 this week! These are the weeks I ask myself why I've lived here all my life. I guess it builds character and we do have good food around Chicago. Not sure what everyone has planned for the weekend, but on Saturday night I'm playing a gig that has been a little work to get ready for. I got hired to play somebody's 50th birthday party out in Deerfield and the birthday boy loves Dave Matthews more than anything else. Now I don't want to offend anyone here, but I'm not a fan in the least. In fact, I"m gonna go so far as to say I can't stand the way he sings and the phrasing of his songs make no sense to me at all. This guy's wife wanted me to learn some song called "41" by Dave Matthews Band, and I honestly listened to that song 100 times over the last week, and it's barely sinked in. This could be an epic fail, but at a private party like this, I gotta try and make it work. I hope this isn't the end of my side job with these types of gigs in the area...we'll see though.
I want to end with another huge thanks to our entire staff, students, and Patrick and Haleema especially, who put in time, and had flexibility and patience as we took over the school early this week with all of our video taping. In the end, we got so much great footage, and I was so proud to be a part of this production. I know this video is going to be a powerful message when it's complete with voices of our staff and students leading the way. Stay positive everyone and make the best of each day ahead!
Staff Meeting Agenda for Monday, February 6th - It's Fun February!!!
*If you want to workout on Monday after school at our Staff Meeting, don't forget to come prepared. Our workout session will start around 3:30pm in the gym so everyone has time to change their clothes if needed.
LRC will continued to be closed for another week or two for ACCESS testing except for Math 1 students from 12:20-1:40pm. Thanks to everyone for your understanding and flexibility with all of this.
Hawk Action Items
- West 40 is coming to do a Compliance Check and Health Life/Safety Walk on February 15th at our school. Alain and I walked around this week and things look pretty good, but I wanted to give the entire staff a heads up about some things that need to be addressed before February 15th. These are common things that often need to be cleaned up and altered for these types of check ins, but you can certainly change back your rooms and spaces after February 15th if you wish. If you have any questions or need help with anything, please reach out to Alain. Below is part of the Top 10 list that is most commonly found in classrooms and spaces. Please do what you can to address these if they pertain to your space before February 15th. Perhaps some staff will have time if you're not booked on Feb. 10th during Conferences. HERE is a slideshow you can reference that was shared with us from West 40 and there are the Top 10 things shown that schools often fail on.
Clearance above storage and clearance from sprinkler heads (18 inches or 24 inches)
Storage in corridors and lobbies (should not have anything obstructing hallways, etc.)
Furnishing and decorations - You can’t have any more than 20% of things in the classroom on the walls or hanging that are fire hazards.
No Hold open devices (door wedges, etc.) *These can be brought to the custodial offices and then picked up afterwards.
Extension cords/multiple plug adapters. Any appliance devices need to be plugged into the wall directly (coffee makers, refrigerators, etc.)
- Love and Appreciation to our wonderful staff on Tuesday, February 14th - Valentine's Day. Julia Peters helped secure a Pennoyer Spa Day experience for our staff. If you're intersted in a 10 minute slot for a relaxing massage, sign up HERE. If you need coverage in your class that day for 10 minutes and you can't fit this in during a plan period or lunch, feel free to reach out to me and I'll either try and cover your class if I can or find someone who can help. We'll also have some special surprises and treats in the Staff Lounge and messages of Love and Appreciation for the best staff ever!!!
- Just a reminder to staff to continue to check emails each morning by 7:30am if you signed up to help out with internal subbing when we need coverage. Thanks so much for the support with all of this. Anyone else is able to check their email as well and pick up any coverage they might be interested in moving forward. HERE is the doc we'll use every day. You can just fill in your name in the spaces you're available to cover...thanks again!
Weekly Hawk Playlist/Lyric
"You were riding your bike to the sound of It's No Big Deal..."
Matilda by Harry Styles
Hawk Celebrations
I’m so proud to share our celebration this week and honor some very special students. The VFW sponsors a youth essay competition each year to give students in grades 6th - 8th an opportunity to write essays expressing their views on an annual patriotic theme. This year's theme was “My Pledge to Our Veterans". With the leadership of our very own Ms. Julia Peters, we had Pennoyer students enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen contest and the following students all placed as Post champions! Congratulations to 8th graders Bartosz Dabkowski, Maya Gibes, and Lauren Whitlock. Congratulations also goes out to 7th graders Nathan Flores and Julia Hnativ. A very special honor needs to be highlighted for Lauren Whitlock, whose essay advanced to District 3 VFW and AUX earning her an amazing 2nd Place award!!! We couldn’t be more proud of this group of middle schoolers using their voices and literacy skills at the highest level.
February Birthdays! 🎂
Nina Torossi - 2/11
Connect - Collaborate - Celebrate
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