HAPPY ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL WEEK!

“The main ingredient of stardom is the rest of the team.”
– John Wooden

From the Illinois Principal Association:

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Happy Assistant Principal Appreciation Week
IPA Executive Director Jason Leahy Thanks Assistant Principals
IPA Executive Director Jason Leahy Thanks Assistant Principals
The Illinois Principals Association, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the National Association of Elementary School Principals, and the American Federation of School Administrators are recognizing the week of April 11-15, 2016 as National Assistant Principals Week to honor and recognize the contributions of assistant principals to the success of students.
Principals, teachers and parents across the state have submitted filmed and written testimonials touting the great things assistant principals do on a daily basis. Check the IPA website daily during the week of April 11-15 for new testimonials.

Proud to serve – Humbled to be honored for service!

“Let tradition be our guide, but not our jailer.”
– W. Somerset Maugham

As public school leaders my colleagues and I do all we can do to keep the focus on what is important, right, and most impactful: STUDENT FUTURES! We do the work for the honor of service and for the reward of helping impact communities and the future. It is humbling to be acknowledged and recognized by peers and professional associations, and it’s humbling to share the following video that honors a friend and NASSLOGOcolleague, A. Katrise Perera, as NASS (National Association of School Superintendents) 2015 Superintendent of the Year, as well as honoring me as one of three finalists for this high honor.

I dedicate this and any honors and acknowledgements for our work in DPS109 to our Board of Education,

ENGAGE, INSPIRE, EMPOWER
ENGAGE, INSPIRE, EMPOWER
Leadership Team, Teachers, Support Staff, Students, Parents, and community! It is rewarding to serve and it’s an honor to be acknowledged for the meaningful work of the DPS109 teams!

Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-8) – Thank you Local Heroes!

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.”
– Joshua J. Marine

When you work in a school district every day is Teacher Appreciation Day! Our students depend upon these brave, courageous, innovative, creative, and inspirational women and men all across the district who – every dayEngage, Inspire, Empower – and facilitate learning for our most precious community assets – our students! Annually during the first week in May we honor and celebrate and acknowledge National Teacher Appreciation Week/Day – in many locations the name is changed to Staff Appreciation Day/Week.

In all schools “it takes a village” and the bus drivers, cooks, driver’s education teachers, security guards, custodians, maintenance workers, secretaries, teacher aides, nurses, health aids, librarians, speech language pathologists, social workers, counselors, intervention specialists, other specialists, instructional coaches, crossing guards, school resource officers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, administrators – pretty much – EVERYONE – in all of the schools deserves a Thank you – a pat on the back and acknowledgement for the great services they provide to our students each day!

Here is background information about this special week: (click the link for the source of the information below)

People in the United States started celebrating National Teacher Day in 1953 when Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded Congress to set aside a day to recognize educators. The origins of the idea for a day are unclear. They date to the early 1940s. But some references cite the advocacy of a Wisconsin teacher and other references credit the efforts of a teacher in Arkansas for first working to establish a teacher appreciation day. One of these teachers is thought to have written to Eleanor Roosevelt, urging her to take up the cause.

It didn’t become a national day until March 7, 1980, after the National Education Association (NEA) along with its Kansas and Indiana state affiliates and the Dodge City, Kan., local chapter lobbied Congress. People continued to celebrate the day in March until 1984, when the National Parent Teacher Association designated the first full week of May as Teacher Appreciation Week. The following year, the NEA voted to make the Tuesday of that week National Teacher Day.

In 2015, Teacher Appreciation Week is
May 4 through May 8. National Teacher Day falls on Tuesday, May 5.

The NEA describes National Teacher Day as “a day of honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives.” Students and parents typically show their appreciation for teachers by writing thank-you cards and sharing small treats and gifts.

Since 1984, National PTA has designated the first week in May as a special time to honor the men and women who lend their passion and skills to educating our children.

Our teachers prepare students for their futures! All members of the DPS109 Community join together to say THANK YOU teachers, support staff, administrators, parent volunteers, – everyone – who supports and facilitates student learning! We teach like our future depends on it … because it does!

Thank you!

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2015 Leaders in Excellence Award from Skyward

“Resign as general manager of the universe–and trust your team.”
– Larry Eisenberg

In DPS109 we are so fortunate to have an engaged, inspired, and empowered community. We work so hard inside and outside the organization to best educate all of our students and best communicate with all members of the community! We are so proud to announce that one of our business partners, Skyward, has bestowed upon us a 2015 Leaders in Excellence Award! In the blog, I’m sharing the publication from Skyward as a testimonial to the work of so many in our District who work to connect with our community.

2015 Leaders in Excellence (District)

Skyward Communications Team
Skyward Communications Team Recognizing Success

The Leader in Excellence Award is our way of recognizing districts who have leveraged Skyward technologies and best practices to make a tangible impact in their schools and communities. We believe that educational technologies should always be focused on results over features, and we congratulate this year’s recipients for serving as model examples of that philosophy.

Deerfield Public Schools (District 109), IL

The mission of Deerfield Public Schools District 109 is to provide educational experiences of the highest quality that engage, inspire and empower each student to excel and contribute in a changing world. North of Chicago, Illinois, District 109 saw a need to increase communication between parents and its schools.

Enlisting Skyward Student Management Suite to achieve this goal, District 109 has improved student outcomes by increasing parent connection to their child’s academic progress, and increasing student ownership of their own learning and achievement. Through Skylert, an automated notification system that provides emergency alerts, attendance notifications and other messages via phone call, e-mail and/or text message, District 109 also has boosted parent and community understanding and support.

When District 109 launched Skyward Family Access, it allowed parents of middle school students a direct and ongoing connection to their student’s academic progress through Gradebook. At any time, parents can receive a real-time snapshot of grades and missing assignments, and easily access teacher contact information in one click. The increased understanding of a child’s daily academic experience has allowed parents to fully partner with educators and staff to support student learning.

“We opened Skyward Student Access after students saw their parents could access Gradebook but they could not, and we appreciated the students’ desire for knowledge and ownership,” said Cathy Kedjidjian, coordinator of communications and community relations at District 109. “The middle school students have been excited to use the tool to organize their work and track their own progress.”

District 109 is a high achieving district due, in large part, to the strong support of education by parents and the community. Through Skyward, which allows a commitment to transparency, the district strengthens connections and enhances relationships with stakeholders.

Along with the Leader in Excellence award from Skyward, District 109 has received the Association of State Business Officers International Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting and meritorious budget award from the Association of School Business Officials International.