Personalized Learning Steering Committee Joint Statement

 The Personalized Learning Steering Committee met on Thursday, October 21st. The team shared and celebrated several great examples of personalized learning in action from Kaneland schools. An update of progress since our last meeting was provided and included:

• Members of the Steering Committee presented to the Board on 10-13 and received positive feedback from members. 
• Initial IgKnight Academy planning meetings with Directors of Buildings and Grounds, Technology, Transportation, and Food Service have taken place
• Collaboration with Kaneland Foundation's Becky Greenlee continues, for the purpose of identifying and applying for grant funding.
• Institute for Personalized Learning is re-opening for SiteVisits and Youth Advisory Board opportunities. 

The team spent time in the 5 identified sub-committees furthering identified tasks such as revamping the Learner Profile, creating community and staff Vlog and KCN communications, drafting IgKnight Academy student and staff profiles, vetting IgKnight Academy potential school day structures, finalizing a personalized learning audit tool for use in all schools, and reviewing flexible seating options. 

The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 16th from 4-6pm at Meredith. 

Star Search

The October Star Search nomination window closes this Friday, October 29th. Please consider nominating a staff member who shines in ensuring high degrees of clarity in learning through the use of I Can statements, feedback cycles, proficiency tables, or any other means!

Nominate HERE!!

Masked Reader Has Begun

 Over the course of the next two months, each elementary school will unleash a series of Masked Readers.  This program is part of the Four Schools, One Book program that will be launching on January 6th.  The Masked Readers will be sharing key quotes for the secret title of the community read.  Be sure to check out the  Masked Readers for your school and take your bets guess who is under the mask!  Can you guess who the Snowman, Knight and other characters are?  Can you guess what the book title for Four Schools, One Book will be?  Good luck!  Please be sure to promote the school links below to our students and families! 

Here are the school Masked Reader links:

https://kbk.kaneland.org/four-schools

 https://kme.kaneland.org/four-schools

https://kss.kaneland.org/four-schools

https://kst.kaneland.org/four-schools

Kaneland Connects Contest

 We have been so excited and inspired with all the staff that have submitted trivia responses to our Connects trivia the past month.  We wanted to offer an exciting competition this week!  In the spirit of the Halloween weekend, we would encourage every staff member to email (10358@kaneland.org) or text (630-742-3560) a picture to Sarah Mumm sharing your best Halloween costume and how it links to one of the 5 commitment areas.  Be as creative as you wish with your connections.  We will then have anyone who comes to Meredith for meetings in the next two weeks, vote on the very best costume and connection.  We will announce the winners in two weeks.  Let's have some fun and connect and commit to Kaneland Connects!  

Congrats to Tiffany Reuter at KME for winning last week's trivia!  Your prize is on the way! 

Let's take some time to share fun facts about our Knight Family.  Did you figure out the answers from last week's submissions?  Here they are for you.

1. Although math gave her the most anxiety when she was young, she loves teaching math and word problems now? Stephanie Ortegal

2. Who knows how many licks it takes to get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop and has a certificate from them too?  Stephanie Unger

3. Who experienced an emergency landing in a hot air balloon in someone's front yard? Gail Payton

4. Who as an adult has lived in 6 states and choose to leave California for family in Illinois?Nancy Meisenger

Try your hand at these fun facts about your peers, can you guess who? 

1.  Who is over 6 feet tall but did not play basketball? 

2. Who is a triplet? 

3. Who would love to build my own greenhouse and grow all kinds of beautiful plants?

4. Who grew up in Canada? 

Hints to help you match this week:

McKenna Fiebelkorn- KSS

Stephanie Thatcher- KSS

Cindy Babich- KBK

Aly Luse- KSS

Think Differently

 This week I began reading a new professional book, think differently and a few things really stuck out to me.  Take a moment to reflect on the following quotes from the author.  I hope some resonate with you and bring some clarity to teaching. 

-Sometimes educators try to offer fixes for student situations when our role should be to do the following instead:

1. Empathize, not solve

2. Propose, not expect

3. Offer, not demand

4. Ask, not tell

5. Listen, not talk 

6. Show kindness, not just politeness

-By learning the finesse of appreciation, we disrupt our traditional thinking patterns to immerse ourselves into the opportunities to think differently

-In reality, there is no one means of engagement that will be optimal for all learners and contexts.  We want to value ourselves and the learners.

-Resilience and hope- the social neuroscience that we all need to spark the drive for the new learning- comes from the emotional part of the brain. 

Behavior Facilitator Newsletter

  Please enjoy the latest and greatest Kaneland Behavior Facilitator Newsletter!  Happy reading!