McKenzie PTA

Habit of Mind:  Managing Impulsivity

From the Principal

Dear McKenzie Families,

I hope you are enjoying this long weekend and that you found the recent conference with your child’s teacher to be very beneficial.  Earlier this week you were sent an online evaluation form.  Please take a moment to share your thoughts with us regarding your conference(s). Your feedback helps us continually assess and improve our home-school communication.

For the past year we have been discussing with you the many elements of District 39′s strategic plan, CONNECTED. Using the Second Step curriculum, teaching the Habits of Mind, and integrating technology into our core content areas are just some of the ways in which we are preparing our students to be learners and leaders in the 21st century. Research tells us that teaching chldren how to develop empathic and ethical behavior for one another and the world in which they live is also an important part of becoming a 21st century citizen. To enhance the teaching of social responsibility at McKenzie we have invited two very special guests to speak to our students. On this coming Thursday, Nov. 17th, Kari Miller and Diane Simpson-Bundy will present “Real Athletes Persevere”, an educational program sponsored by the US Olympics Committee. Kari Miller was named to the U.S. Paralympics Women’s Sitting Volleyball National Team in 2006 and has gone on to win numerous awards, one being the 2008 silver medal at the Paralympic Games in Beijing, China. Diane Simpson-Bundy, a member of the USA Gymnastics National Hall of Fame, competed in more than 30 international meets as a U.S. National Team Member, earning medals too numerous to mention. They will share their Olympics/Paralympics experiences with us, focusing on how perseverance helped them to reach their goals. Their presentations at both 10:30 am and 12:45 pm are sure to be a source of motivation and inspiration for our students and staff. Parents are welcome to attend, as well!  We will be using Thursday’s assemblies as a springboard for future activities throughout the year, as we develop service learning opportunities for our students in conjunction with the US Olympics/Paralympics Foundation. Soon, we will have a link on our school’s website, with more information about our guest speakers, as well as McKenzie’s Service Learning Project. 

The McKenzie PTA Directories are here! If you purchased a PTA membership, a directory should have been sent home with your youngest child at McKenzie, or you may have picked it up during Parent-Teacher conferences. If you believe you joined the PTA but did not receive a directory, please contact Kris Hagen at krishagen [at] sbcglobal [dot] net. If you joined the PTA on our website using PayPal, please check to see if you received a PayPal receipt. Please include PayPal information or check number in your email. If you did not join the PTA yet, it’s not too late. Go to www.mckenziepta.com and click on “PTA Membership and Directory” in the left sidebar to use PayPal. If you prefer to write a check to McKenzie PTA, you can leave it in the PTA membership mailbox in the school office. PTA membership costs $25 and includes one directory. Additional directories are $5 each. Include your child’s name and his/her teacher’s name with your payment. Directories will be sent home via your child’s backpack. We want to congratulate the 4th graders whose art was selected for the directory: Cooper Crnich, Claire Courage, Patrick Condon, Alina Sholz, Chloe Brown, Anna Casey, Liz Moerman, and Nikki Rothstein.

In closing, I ask that you join me in expressing your sympathy to our Social Worker, Nadine Ibrahim, on the passing of her husband, Yousef. In addition to Nadine, Yousef is survived by their two young sons Zayd (aged 7) and Rami (aged 4). Our school community mourns her family’s tragic loss. The family has established an educational fund for the children. Should you wish to make a donation, a check made out to Zayd Ibrahim can be sent to Nadine at 2306 W. Morse Ave, Chicago, IL 60645.

Best regards,

Dr. Welter
welterd [at] wilmette39 [dot] org
847.251.2295 x6300

From the P.T.A.

Share the Joy. Please help our sister school Carmen Buckner by purchasing jewel gift cards and/or adopting a child for the holidays. Stars will be available Monday-Wednesday of next week for pick up before and after school. Your generosity will allow children and families in need to purchase food for their holiday meals and make their holiday wishes a reality. Thank you in advance for your contributions and kindness!

Don’t Forget to Order the 2011-2012 Yearbook! New this year. . . you can only order online at Jostens (http://www.jostens.com/apps/shop/customer.asp?CID=204749). Each yearbook costs id=”mce_marker”3, and no orders will be taken after January 23, 2012. If you have any questions, please contact Sheri Herd (sheri [dot] herd [at] me [dot] com).

Junior Great Books is Coming! In Junior Great Books, students read multicultural folktales and short stories from around the world. Small groups lead by parent volunteers will meet in a relaxed setting once a week for 8 weeks during lunch/recess. For more information, please visit the PTA website (www.mckenziepta.com). Registration will begin Nov. 28 and run through Dec. 5. Space is limited. If you have any questions or would like to be a parent volunteer, please contact Margo Chambers at margovchambers [at] gmail [dot] com or Jennifer Nash at mammanash22 [at] yahoo [dot] com.

Variety Show 2012 Kick-Off Meeting: The fun is soon to begin for our 32^nd annual show! Our first cast/crew meeting will be at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 8^th in the McKenzie auditorium. We’ll talk about this year’s theme and discuss the rehearsal schedule. Come on out to see old friends and make new ones. Regular rehearsals will begin in January. Any questions, contact Jon Marshall, Show Producer at jhmwriter [at] gmail [dot] com.

Share the Warmth! We are still collecting new hats and mittens for children in need at our sister school, Carman-Buckner Elementary, in Waukegan. Please donate new items for students, kindergarten through sixth grade. Collection boxes will be in the McKenzie main lobby and the kindergarten entrances through November 15^th.

Help Students Become Lifelong Problem Solvers – The Parent Learning Network (PLN) invites you to attend a Communication Workshop on Wednesday, November 16^th from 9:30-11 a.m. at the MEC. As we continue to focus our attention on the topic of 21^st century teaching and learning, we will explore ways in which we, as parents, can use the power of words to help our children envision success. Join us for a lively discussion of how we can support our students in becoming lifelong problem-solvers.

Parent Seminars Coming Up: FAN presents two events with Dr. Ken Ginsburg on Thursday, Nov. 17: One at 1:00 p.m. for parents of kids ages 8 and under at the Winnetka Community House – “Building Resilience in Early Childhood: It’s Not a Choice Between Happiness, Play and Success!” The second event for parents of tweens and teens is at 6:30 p.m. in the Cornog Auditorium, New Trier Northfield Campus – “Authentic Success: Raising Youth to Thrive in a Challenging World.” For more information, go to the FAN website at: http://fan-ntts.ntnow.org/

McKenzie is Going Places! The biennial benefit “Going Places” takes place on Sat., Feb. 4, 2012. We’re seeking donations big and small from the McKenzie community! Please visit http://signupgenius.com/go/donations104 to see what we need and sign up for what you can give! Check out some of the places already confirmed for the auction here: http://mckenziepta.com/2011/benefit-feb-4-2012/. Questions? Contact Rebecca Lieber and Emily Zivin at benefit [at] mckenziepta [dot] com.

In Other News….

As part of the Board of Education’s continuous review of district expenses and efficient operations, the District is exploring the possibility of contracting with a private bus company to provide student transportation.  The Board of Education will be holding a public hearing at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, December 12th at the District Office.  At that hearing, the Board will discuss rationale behind this consideration and the public will have an opportunity to comment.  Written information will be available on Friday, December 9th as part of the BOE Agenda posted online.

This Week

Click Here for the Lunch Menu:

http://mckenziepta.com/pdf/lunchmenu.pdf

Monday 11/14

• McCLUBS: Smart Board Club (8-8:45); Intro to Flag Football, Lego Club (K-2), Bird Club (3:20-4:15)

Tuesday 11/15

• McCLUBS: Scrapbooking (Gr. 1-2) (8-8:45); Knitting, Volleyball, Hoops (3:20-4:15)

Wednesday 11/16

• STUDENT COUNCIL: 8:20-8:50 a.m., Auditorium
• PARENT LEARNING NETWORK’S COMMUNICATION WORKSHOP: 9:30-11 a.m. at Mikaelian Education Center (MEC)
• CHESS CLUB: Kindergarten, 11:35-12:20 p.m.
• MONITOR DEADLINE: Submissions for the McKenzie Monitor are due at 3 p.m.
• McCLUBS: Breakfast and Books (8-8:45); Cheerleading, Engineering w/Lego (90 min.), Zumbatomic, Amazing Minds, Wearable Art (3:20-4:15)

Thursday 11/17

• McCLUBS: Scrapbooking (Gr. 3-4), Scooter Mania, Snack Attack (8-8:45); Flag Football, Chinese (3:20-4:15)
• SERVICE LEARNING: Real Athletes Persevere Assemblies, 10:30-11:15 & 12:45-1:30.
• FAN LECTURES: Dr. Ken Ginsburg speaks at 1:00 p.m. at the Winnetka Community House on “Building Resilience in Early Childhood: It’s Not a Choice Between Happiness, Play and Success!”  and at 6:30 p.m. in Cornog Auditorium at New Trier Northfield Campus on “Authentic Success: Raising Youth to Thrive in a Challenging World”  

Friday 11/18

• McCLUBS: Floor Hockey (8-8:45); Dance Around the World, Legos (Gr. K-2) (3:20-4:15)