December 5, 2021Welcome to December!
We had more than 20% of our students out at the end of last week, for various reasons. We will have the November reading data collected and tabulated early this week. It's a pleasure to see students take such pride in their own growth and commitment to their task of reading independently. Book clubs focused on memoirs, biographies and autobiographies will start this week. Students had 16 different books to choose from, and were guaranteed one of their top five choices. This weekend those groups were created and books were procured (from local libraries). Most students have not ever participated in a book club and there is some real apprehension. Our efforts will be on building comfort and confidence through this shared learning experience. The titles students had to choose from are pictured to the right. They made their choice after reading summaries of each of the books. |
Book club options - memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies.
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All of the books are for middle readers (what your students are considered in the publishing world). Two books are graphic novels, two others are told using prose, and all feature a person who has captured the challenges that they faced in an ever changing world that continues to work towards justice for all.
Report cards are available through Infinite Campus now. Your child's report card is a snapshot of their work and study habits right now. All students have grown in their own individual ways over the first trimester as learners, friends, and allies. Each of our students will continue to learn new information and skills, will deepen their own ability to self-reflect and learn from mistakes, and will strengthen how they see and support their peers. It is truly a privilege to witness the transformation each child experiences in the relatively short time we are their teachers.
Our Curriculum and Instruction Director, Sam Coleman sent out this letter to you about a few weeks ago explaining the changes to the report card for 5th and 6th graders. We created this Parent/Guardian report card overview. It is our hope you will find it helpful as you read your student's report card. If you have any questions we can help clarify, please let us know.
As we return from the break, please be sure you remind your student/s of the importance of eating silently in the lunchroom while masks are off. News of the new variant this past week has many of us on edge. While at school, we want to do all we can to ensure everyone is making choices that prioritize safety for all.
As a reminder, we encourage you to visit the Content Information page. In the past, families have visited that page to review and preview what has happened and will happen in our classroom with their student. This helps show students that we are all working together to ensure their individual understanding and eventual success.
Orchestra schedules are posted here. Band schedules are posted here. Remember, sixth grade returning band students have a lunch rehearsal on Fridays. Schedules for November and December are posted.
Here is a link to share your contact information with our PTO. You are already a member simply because of your association with a student (or students) at Lake Bluff. Our school cannot share your contact information with it for privacy reasons though. We find incredible personal value in all they do. We hope you'll want to be included in their updates, linked to their incredible resources, and become familiar with the many ways they support our school community, and even get involved yourself!
Full disclosure, we are no longer checking to verify if an adult is signing off on students' assignment notebooks. If you would like us to continue to verify this, we will. We will continue to sign off on each student's notebook at the end of they day.
School lunch is available at no charge for all students again this year. Here is the December lunch menu.
Click here for the Multilingual Newsletter from Jennifer Conigliaro, Lake Bluff's ML educator. It is updated weekly!
Your student has the benefit of coming into contact with many different, deeply committed and caring adults throughout their week. Familiar to your student if they are returning to Lake Bluff are: Kevin Karman (Art), Dominic Newman (PE), Diana Knight (Library Media Specialist), Liisa Church (General Music), Amy Gahl-Sweeney (School Counselor), Catherine Harrison (Dean of Students), and if your student plays a string instrument Julie Nolan (Orchestra). New to our building this year are: Kim Hildebrand (Spanish), Dominic McFerrin (Resource Educator), Breanna Smith (Aide), and if your student plays a band instrument Katherine Myszewski.
Report cards are available through Infinite Campus now. Your child's report card is a snapshot of their work and study habits right now. All students have grown in their own individual ways over the first trimester as learners, friends, and allies. Each of our students will continue to learn new information and skills, will deepen their own ability to self-reflect and learn from mistakes, and will strengthen how they see and support their peers. It is truly a privilege to witness the transformation each child experiences in the relatively short time we are their teachers.
Our Curriculum and Instruction Director, Sam Coleman sent out this letter to you about a few weeks ago explaining the changes to the report card for 5th and 6th graders. We created this Parent/Guardian report card overview. It is our hope you will find it helpful as you read your student's report card. If you have any questions we can help clarify, please let us know.
As we return from the break, please be sure you remind your student/s of the importance of eating silently in the lunchroom while masks are off. News of the new variant this past week has many of us on edge. While at school, we want to do all we can to ensure everyone is making choices that prioritize safety for all.
As a reminder, we encourage you to visit the Content Information page. In the past, families have visited that page to review and preview what has happened and will happen in our classroom with their student. This helps show students that we are all working together to ensure their individual understanding and eventual success.
Orchestra schedules are posted here. Band schedules are posted here. Remember, sixth grade returning band students have a lunch rehearsal on Fridays. Schedules for November and December are posted.
Here is a link to share your contact information with our PTO. You are already a member simply because of your association with a student (or students) at Lake Bluff. Our school cannot share your contact information with it for privacy reasons though. We find incredible personal value in all they do. We hope you'll want to be included in their updates, linked to their incredible resources, and become familiar with the many ways they support our school community, and even get involved yourself!
Full disclosure, we are no longer checking to verify if an adult is signing off on students' assignment notebooks. If you would like us to continue to verify this, we will. We will continue to sign off on each student's notebook at the end of they day.
School lunch is available at no charge for all students again this year. Here is the December lunch menu.
Click here for the Multilingual Newsletter from Jennifer Conigliaro, Lake Bluff's ML educator. It is updated weekly!
Your student has the benefit of coming into contact with many different, deeply committed and caring adults throughout their week. Familiar to your student if they are returning to Lake Bluff are: Kevin Karman (Art), Dominic Newman (PE), Diana Knight (Library Media Specialist), Liisa Church (General Music), Amy Gahl-Sweeney (School Counselor), Catherine Harrison (Dean of Students), and if your student plays a string instrument Julie Nolan (Orchestra). New to our building this year are: Kim Hildebrand (Spanish), Dominic McFerrin (Resource Educator), Breanna Smith (Aide), and if your student plays a band instrument Katherine Myszewski.
COVID-19 Screener & Information• Click here for the daily COVID screener all students and staff are expected to use/follow.
Shorewood School District COVID-19 webpage |
This week's Schedule UpdatesThis week is a "B" week.
MONDAY: 6th grade orchestra rehearsal TUESDAY: WEDNESDAY: 6th grade Band concert, 7:00 pm at SHS THURSDAY: FRIDAY: |
SPECIALS Miller || NORTH GROUP• Monday - Library (A weeks) and PE
• Tuesday - Art • Wednesday - PE and Spanish • Thursday - Music • Friday - Brain break (recess) Music and Spanish |
SPECIALS Snider || SOUTH GROUP• Monday - Library (B weeks)
• Tuesday - Spanish and Music • Wednesday - Spanish and PE • Thursday - Music and PE • Friday - Brain break (recess) and Art |