Tuesday, February 5, 2019

February News

Principal's Message~ 

I hope everyone made it through the Polar Vortex and is enjoying these warmer temperatures. We're hoping to keep the ice at bay so we can enjoy a 5 day school week with our students! 

A topic that comes up often in education is how vastly things have changed since the parents of our students were kids. Mr. Brian  Faulkner, principal at Harter Middle School, recently shared his thoughts on this subject in his monthly parent newsletter. With his permission, I'd like to share a snippet of his message. 

"The amount of research in education has doubled over the years and the evidence being produced through this research is something we should take note of.  As one of my favorite educators, Doug Reeves, says, "we need to accept the fact that today's evidence trumps yesterday's experience." It's always easy to resort back to the experiences we had as students, and this is why I am continuing to share information on personalized learning and how school looks different nowadays. It's not as common anymore to see desks in rows, teachers lecturing, and gobs of work or homework being given. The amount of work given to students isn't the mark of a rigorous education. The depth and quality of work given to the students is a true testament of a rigorous education."

One of my favorite quotes is “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know betterdo better.” —Maya Angelou. This most certainly applies to the field of education. Kaneland teachers continuously learn current best practices in education through enrolling in continuing education courses, pursuing advanced degrees, conference attendance, reading peer-reviewed journals and publications and through networking opportunities with other educators across the nation. When you hear about pilot programs being run in your child's classroom, new tools and resources being incorporated into instruction, strategic planning goals, and opportunities to empower students to own their own learning, know that there is a research base underlying these shifts. Although different than you may have experienced as a young student, your child's educational experience is rooted in staff doing the best of what current research shows to be effective.


                                                                                                              ~Mrs. Laura Garland

                                                                                                Principal

Important Dates & Information
February 6th- Fun Lunch- Paisano's
February 7th- ACE- 3:30-5:00pm
February 8th- Kindergarten Music Performance- 2:45pm
February 11th- Board of Education Meeting- 7:00pm- HMS
February 12th- PTN Meeting- 6:30pm
February 12th- Jump Rope for Heart (Kindergarten only)
February 13th- Crossing Guard Appreciation Day- Mrs. S.'s last year due to retirement
February 14th- ACE- 3:30-5:00pm
February 14th- Classroom Valentine Parties- 2:30pm
February 15th- Jump Rope for Heart (Grades 1-5)
February 18th- No School- President's Day
February 21st- ACE- 3:30-5:00pm
February 23rd- Young Knights Fair (Kindergarten Registration) at HMS
February 25th- Board of Education Meeting- 7:00pm, HMS
February 27th- Fun Lunch
February 28th- ACE- 3:30-5:00pm

Young Knights Fair
Save the date for the 2019 Young Knights Registration and Literacy Fair. This event is for preschool and kindergarten registration, as well as to register for developmental screenings for children birth-3 years of age. More information can be found HERE

District #302 Gallery Walk
On Thursday, February 28th, in the Kaneland High School cafeteria, at 6:00 p.m., District #302 teachers and staff will share how Kaneland 2020 is being implemented throughout the district.  Staff will share their progress with personalized learning, student-choice learning, and other great innovations happening in the classroom.  Please stop by to see all the amazing learning activities provided to our students in Kaneland. This informal setting allows you to see what you'd like and visit the tables of your choice. There are no formal presentations done as a big group.


Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) Testing Dates
The Illinois Assessment of Readiness, formerly PARCC, is the state assessment and accountability measure required for Illinois students enrolled in a public school district. It will be taken by all 3rd-5th-grade students in April. More information, including specific testing dates at John Stewart, will be shared in the near future. In the meantime, you can access more information regarding IAR by Clicking Here.

Lost and Found
Do you recognize any of these items? Please stop by to look through our ever growing Lost and Found. 



Reminders
  • Please be sure to update your contact information through Tyler or by calling the school office at 630-365-8170, should you have any changes to your phone number and/or email/mailing address.
  • Be sure to stay current on information regarding PTN events and community-based opportunities listed in the Virtual Backpack

March Newsletter

March 1 No School - Kane County Institute Day for Teachers 6 Fun Lunch - Buona Beef 7  Fifth Grade District Concert (7:00 pm @ Harter Middle...