National - Sunnybrook School District 171

the
National
Sunnybrook District 171
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The Superintendent’s Corner
First, let me start by reiterating the fact that I am thrilled and delighted to be
the Superintendent of SD171. My first official day was June 10, 2013 and
what an experience it has been.
Since June 10, 2013, a number of new and innovative actions have taken place.
Actions we believe will continue to move SD 171 forward in a positive
direction and enhance student academic achievement. First, the District has
developed its first Strategic Action Plan. The purpose of the Strategic Action
Plan is to set the road map for the District for the next three years. The
Strategic Plan includes a mission and vision statement; belief statements, goals and objectives. The Plan
will assist District Administrators in prioritizing areas of focus. The Plan was a collaborative effort among
Sunnybrook School District stakeholders that comprised parents, teachers, administrators, board and
community members; religious, civic and business leaders. Below are the District’s mission and belief
statements:
Mission
Maximize student achievement by cultivating: critical thinking skills, innovative instructional practices
and a collaborative home-school partnership.
Beliefs
We believe student achievement is maximized when:
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Parents, students, staff and community collaborate
Educators apply results-driven instructional practices
Students are engaged in a rigorous, relevant and
innovative learning experience
The self-worth of each child is nurtured within a
diverse and inclusive environment
Teachers and staff are engaged in continuous
professional development
Next, the District plans to reinstitute Summer School for
fiscal year 2014. Summer School will be designed to
assist students who met with academic challenges during
the regular school year and for those students who desire
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Inside this Issue
The Superintendent’s Corner ....................... 1
District Office News ..................................... 2
New Curriculum Program ............................ 3
News from Heritage ................................... 3
Important Upcoming Dates ........................ 5
News from Nathan Hale .............................. 5
Nathan Hale Excellence Awards .................. 5
The Pro-Kids Show: Character Building and
Family Night Show .............................. 7
Nathan Hale Pictures .................................... 8
VolumeVolume
1, Issue 1 1,
December 2013
Issue 2
Winter 2014
1
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The Superintendent’s Corner (continued from Page 1)
academic enrichment. It’s anticipated that 200 students will be able to participate in the summer program.
Summer school will run from June 9 through July 3, 2014. Participants will be expected to attend each day
of the program.
Lastly, this newsletter is a vehicle for communicating with you, our constituents, regarding what is
happening in Sunnybrook School District 171. We hope that you enjoy this inaugural newsletter and find its
contents helpful as well as informative. Later this year, you will receive a second edition of the newsletter.
There are many positive and exciting things happening within the school district. The National newsletter is
an additional avenue for sharing that information with you.
Again, we believe with a new direction, extended learning and added communication, we can move
Sunnybrook School District 171 from Good to Great. Our hope is that you will continue to partner with us
in this endeavor. The success of the Lansing and Lynwood communities depends on the success of its
children. As your time and schedule permits, we invite you take part in District activities where you have an
interest or where you feel most comfortable. As an administrative team we are here to serve your children
and you as best we know how. Feel free to contact me or your child’s building administrator, we want to
hear from you.
Best regards,
Hughes B. George, Ph.D.
District Office News
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Spotlight on New Administrators
Dr. Jolivette is the Director of
School improvement, a newly
created position at the district. She
is a graduate of University of
Illinois at Chicago and holds a
Masters
in
Educational
Administration and Ph.D. in Curriculum and
Instruction. Dr. Jolivette has taught at the
elementary level and also at the University level.
Her motto is “success is the best revenge”.
Kerry Dean is the Director of
Business Services. He is a graduate of
Governor’s State University and holds
Masters degrees in Finance and
School Business. Previously, he
worked as a partnership specialist, business analyst,
and manufacturer. In Mr. Dean’s spare time, he
coaches and officiates track and field; he
volunteers through his fraternal organization and
spends as much time as possible with his family.
Juan H. Gardner, Sr. is the principal
of Heritage Middle School, grades
5-8 located in Lansing, Illinois.
Juan is a 27-year veteran educator
with both public and charter school
experience. Juan was selected in
2007 as an U.S. educator representative with the
Chinese Bridge Delegation, Beijing, China.
Juan is committed to student achievement,
teacher preparedness, community involvement,
and college/career preparedness.
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District Office News
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(continued from page 2)
New Curriculum Program
6 +1 Writing
Teachers continue to incorporate the Common Core Standards into their lessons and design curriculum
maps to prepare students for the upcoming PARCC assessment. Implementing the 6+1 writing program
has been an essential component in assuring students are college and career ready.
News from Heritage
……………...
IMSA Promise
Twelve students at Heritage were accepted into
the IMSA Promise-Leading Students 2 Success
program for fifth through eighth graders. This
program is designed to expose students to
science, technology, engineering, and math through
collaboration, discussion, and analytical exploration.
This program is held on Saturdays throughout the months
of October and February.
Mentoring Programs
The Leading Ladies of Heritage is a new mentoring program led by Mrs. Chantelle Cambric to help drive
positive female energy throughout the school. The focus is on self-awareness and esteem, personal
growth, anger management, quality relations with parents, peers, and other adults, and strategies for
avoiding risky behaviors.
The G.U.C.C.I. (Gentlemen Using Citizenship and Culture Intelligently)
Crew is a mentoring program designed to help Heritage males become
organized, responsible, and accountable for their actions through the
leadership of Mr. Richard Brown. It is grounded in leadership and
community service and strives to encourage young men to exhibit
outstanding academic and civic achievements.
Family Literacy Night
Heritage welcomed students and families to the annual Family Literacy Night at Heritage in October.
Families created make and take poetry lanterns, participated in a scavenger hunt and were entertained by
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News from Heritage
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three haunting Reader’s Theater tales. Families enjoyed refreshments, took
pictures, and shopped at the book fair. It was an extraordinarily successful
event.
Women’s Basketball
The Lady Nationals Basketball Team made their first
appearance in the second round of Regionals since
2005, ending their season with a record of 9-3. The
Nationals were victorious over Riverdale Washington
in game one, and
ended the season
valiantly with a loss
to Dolton Lincoln,
who went on to win Regionals. Congratulations to the Lady Nationals
for putting forth remarkable effort and undeniable teamwork throughout
this winning season. Michelle Dulla, Head Coach, did an outstanding
job.
First Annual Boys’ Basketball Fundraising Tournament
Under the direction of Mr. Richard Brown, HMS hosted the first annual boys’ basketball fundraising
tournament. Participating teams from Glenwood, Oak Lawn Park District and Calumet City showcased
their talents and skills. The tournament had a great ‘family’ feel as the players exuded sportsmanship,
integrity and competition.
Yes, Virginia
Mrs. Peel’s Heritage Middle School students performed Y es,
Virginia the Musical sponsored by Macy’s department store
in December. This amazing rendition was filled with
wonderful acting and joyous singing. The event featured the
HMS fifth and sixth grade chorus. The HMS seventh and
eighth grade chorus added to the event with special holiday
selections. The musical was also performed at Macy’s on
State Street in Chicago.
Newbery Bowl
Heritage hosted the Newbery Bowl in December under the direction of Mrs. Schweitzer and were awarded
second place honors. Students from five schools were invited to share their love of reading. Multiple
award winning Newbery books were read, and students tested their intellect in a game show format
competition. Students in the Cal-Ridge Conference read ten selected books and completed Accelerated
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News from Heritage
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Important Upcoming Dates
For Sunnybrook District 171
Reading tests, which corresponded to the books
in preparation for this battle of the brains.
Holiday Food Drive
·
January 20: No School-MLK Day
·
January 21: 11:30 a. m. Dismissal
·
January 23-24: Parent Teacher Conferences
·
February 1: Science Fair
Spotlight on New Teachers
·
February 13: 11:30 a. m. Dismissal
Ms. Curphey is the new English
Learner teacher. She is currently
working with thirty-nine fifth
through eighth grade students who
speak seven different languages.
She has a Masters of Art degree in teaching. She
is a graduate of Dominican University and has
had teaching experiences in El Salvador, South
Africa, Mozambique, and India.
·
February 14: Student Council Dance -
Our District held our annual Holiday Food Drive
November 11th-15th. The food collected was
donated to the Lansing Food Pantry and Living
Grace Church in Lynwood. Together, we were
able to raise almost 50 boxes of food items.
The seventh grade team has
welcomed three new teachers to
Heritage this year. Ms. Sekardi,
math teacher, is a University of
Illinois graduate who shares her
love of learning with students and inspires them
to exceed their expectations.
Dr. Brown, reading teacher, is a
Roosevelt University and Governors
State University graduate whose
experiences range from teaching
second
grade
to
college
administration. She believes all students deserve
a great education.
Mr. Dankert, learning counselor, is
a graduate of Hastings College,
Carthage College, and Lewis
University. He is experienced,
firm, and fair with his students. He
is the father of four and currently lives in
Lockport, Illinois. He says that he is “inspired
daily” by his students.
3:00 p. m.-5:00 p. m.
·
February 17: No School-Presidents’ Day
·
March 3: No School-Pulaski Day
·
March 4-14: ISAT Testing
·
March 13: 11:30 a. m. Dismissal
·
March 28: Spring Break-1:30 p. m. Dismissal
·
April 7: School Resumes
News from Nathan Hale
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Nathan Hale Excellence Awards
As educators we are always looking for ways to
recognize our students for their achievements
and to positively reinforce the behaviors and
academic characteristics that make them lifelong
learners. Based on this belief, we have
implemented the Nathan Hale Excellence
Award initiative, which is given to one student a
month per grade level who exemplifies the core
values of being polite, positive, prepared and
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News from Nathan Hale
)
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(continued from page 5
respectful. The staff is asked to recognize
students who are working at or above their ability
levels with effort. Students may only win the
award once, and it will be publicized during
morning announcements over the intercom.
Parents are invited to take a picture with their
student. Pictures are displayed in our Nathan
Hale Excellence Award display outside the
office. A brief overview of how the process
works:

Grade level teams will select the several
students per month who exemplify the core
criteria and are encouraged to get input from
other teachers and staff where applicable.

T-shirts are given to students who earn the
Nathan Hale Excellence Award.
The student announcement of monthly winners
generally will take place on the first Wednesday
of the month.
November Nathan Hale
Excellence Award Winners
In the back row, from left, Dr. H. George,
Superintendent, Mrs. C. Castaneda, Principal,
Davina Ochiabutor, 4th grade, Mr. J. Sarkey,
Assistant Principal.
First row, from left: Aniyah McGee, 3rd grade,
Shelah Bod, 2nd grade, Hafsat Kamal-Dalhat,
1st Grade, and Sebastian Ribot, Kindergarten.
Spotlight on New Teachers
Nathan Hale welcomes three new teachers.
Ms. Avant is one of the English
Learner teachers at Nathan Hale
Elementary School. She teaches
Kindergarten through 4th grade. This
is her first year teaching at the
elementary level. Previously, she taught
preschoolers in Chicago Heights. She also coaches
Cross Country at Prairie State College. She is
originally from Colombia and completed her
Bachelors degree at Governors State University. In
her free time, she loves running, spending time
with her husband, visiting her family back home,
and being involved in the community. She is
excited to be part of the 171 team!
Mrs. Serio also joined the Nathan
Hale staff this year as an English
Learner teacher. This is her fifth
year teaching, previously teaching
first grade and second grade. Mrs.
Serio completed her Bachelor’s degree in
Elementary Education at Carthage College. She
attended graduate school at Concordia University
Chicago and has a Master’s degree in curriculum
and instruction with an ESL (English as a Second
Language) endorsement. She currently lives in
Joliet with her husband and dog. In her free time
she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time
with her family and friends.
Colin Palhegyi grew up in Oak Lawn
Illinois, which is about 35-40 minutes
northwest of Lansing. He attended
Moraine Valley Community College
for two years and then transferred to
Governors State University to finish his degree in
elementary education.
Teaching is his true
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News from Nathan Hale
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passion. He believes that every child can and will learn as long as they receive the support and encouragement
necessary. When he received the job at Nathan Hale Elementary School, he was ecstatic. This is his first
year teaching and he cannot think of a better place to be.
The Pro Kids Show: Character-Building Assembly and Family Night Show
Nathan Hale Elementary School presented Tim Hannig’s Pro-Kids Show on Tuesday, November 19th for two
daytime assemblies and another standing room only show for student families at night. Hannig’s show was
fast-paced and included magic, music, comedy and audience participation. Staff, students and parents were all
able to get involved in the skits and help with the presentation of the character education program.
Tim Hannig’s Pro-Kids Show is more than just entertainment and has a message for students and families.
The “PRO” stands for “people respecting others” and supports Sunnybrook’s character education and “antibullying” efforts of school and community. During the assemblies the core values of being positive, polite,
prepared and respectable were all referenced and shared as ways that students can “Step Up” to being better
school citizens.
Throughout the program the audience was reminded of the importance of character traits like respect,
responsibility and caring for others. The Positive Behavior Committee of Nathan Hale was thrilled to be able
to have The Pro Kids Show and hope he will come back in the future.
Winter Program
Bison Business in First Grade
Third Grade Play
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News from Nathan Hale
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(continued)
Preparing for Morning
Announcements
First Grade Turkey Projects
Pumpkin Activity
Apple Day
Dress Code Lunch
Gingerbread House
Gingerbread House
Gingerbread House
Gingerbread House
Gingerbread House
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