Summer School Teaching Interest Form

If you have an interest in teaching summer school, please complete this FORM indicating the courses you are interested in teaching. Feel free to express interest in multiple courses. The contractual compensation rate for each course is listed on the form. Please complete by March 26th. Thanks! 

Guess the Publication Date!

Congratulations to Laura Emmert from KBK! She was selected at random from among many correct answers to last week's Guess the Publication Date challenge. A treat is on the way to Laura!

Last Week's Answer: "Education is now to develop a type of wisdom that can grow only out of participation in the living experiences of men, and never out of the mere memorization of verbal statements of fact” was stated by Franklin Bobbitt in 1918. Still holds true over 100 years later!!

Try this one...

"There is, I think, no point in the philosophy of progressive education which is sounder than its emphasis upon the importance of the participation of the learner in the formation of the purposes which direct his activities in the learning process, just as there is no defect in traditional education greater than its failure to secure the active cooperation of the pupil in construction of the purposes involved in his studying"

Send your publication date guess to Laura at 10166@kaneland.org

Kaneland Staff Learning Reflection Survey

Your feedback is very much appreciated!  Please take a moment to reflect on this past school year, in order to share your insights regarding learning, structures, and impacts for students.  We appreciate all your feedback, and will use this information to continue to plan future learning structures and environments.  Log on using this google form survey link   to share your ideas and thoughts. 

Update From Human Resources

 NIU Waiver Update - Please know that Kaneland continues to offer available NIU waivers to staff that help offset the costs of graduate courses.  These waivers are earned by virtue of Kaneland staff hosting NIU student observers and NIU student teachers.  For many years, Kaneland has hosted ample NIU student teachers, which resulted in a large bank of waivers for the staff to use.  Kaneland typically receives around 300 waivers per year (1 waiver = 1 credit hour).  This equates to approximately 100 classes.  However, this most recent year, Kaneland only received 47 waivers.  At the same time, NIU is creating graduate cohorts that require two classes each semester, instead of one class per semester.  Combined with an increase of staff taking courses, Kaneland ran out of waivers for the first time in almost a decade this spring semester.

NIU will reload waivers for Kaneland this coming May.  We anticipate a similar number of available waivers, as well as a similar number of staff seeking the waivers.  To ensure that the prioritization found in section 5.10.F of the KEA contract is followed, anyone seeking NIU Tuition Waivers will need to submit their request by the following dates:

August 15th for Fall Semester

December 15th for Spring Semester

May 15th for Summer Semester

Any NIU waiver requests received after these dates will not be honored.  Please remember that these waivers are offered by NIU in exchange for hosting student teachers.  If you are interested in hosting a NIU Student Observer or NIU Student Teacher, please be sure to let your Principal know.  If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Adkins at 75522@kaneland.org.  Thank you.

K-5 Office Hour Links

 Please make sure your links in classroom Canvas pages are updated with the most recent office hour links.  We have been given some feedback on links that are not working on Canvas pages.  Thank you so much for updating these for families. 

March "NOMINATE A KNIGHT" Opens

The next opportunity to Nominate a Knight opens today! The month's theme is building strong teacher-student relationships. If you would like to recognize a colleague for working hard to build strong relationships with students, colleagues, and/or the Kaneland community in general, please complete the nomination form HERE. Nominations for March close on Friday, March 26th.

February "NOMINATE A KNIGHT" Winner!

We are thrilled to share that our first Nominate a Knight opportunity garnered 41 nominees!! All nominations detailed incredible examples of Kaneland staff showing passion, flexibility, and a continuous drive to move forward and innovate within the classroom during challenging times. One winner, from among the 41 nominees, was selected at random. Congratulations to Sarah Linden! She was nominated by Faye Lacari for... 

“Sarah has been teaching and learning remotely all year long. Early this year, Sarah decided to step outside of her comfort zone and begin metamorphosis. She has been vulnerable by reaching out for help when certain methods were not yielding the results that she had hoped for her students. Being remote, Sarah could have pulled away from her community of support, but she chose to lean in and learn. In the process, she has shared strategies and tips with her colleagues to empower them. Sarah's focus has remained on doing what is best for each of her students. 

A customized IgKnighter Box O’ Fun is on its way to Sarah! Proud to have her on the Knights team!