NID Early Childhood West Region Meeting
Thursday, February 25, 2016
Immanuel Lutheran Church & School, Belvidere
1. Conferences:
a.
Concordia
University Early Childhood Conference: Friday, August 5, 2016. Watch the
Concordia University, Chicago website for information about this
conference. Keynote Speaker: Kevin Leman http://www.drleman.com
b.
Lutheran
Education Association (LEA) National Administrators Conference April 7-9
in Milwaukee, WI. Early Registration rates through March 10.
Special sectionals for early childhood administrators, principals, and
admissions counselors http://www.lea.org/Events/2016LEANationalAdministratorsConference.aspx
c.
University of
Wisconsin, Whitewater, Early Childhood Conference “Our Words Are
Important” April 8-9, 2016 online
registration http://www.uww.edu/ce/camps/other-camps-events/ecc
2.
New early
childhood websites:
a.
Concordia
Publishing House’s new education site to assist with integration of the “One in
Christ” materials into the preschool through 8th grade
curriculums. Grade level blogs, projects, and activities. http://education.cph.org
3.
Other:
a. “Voice of Care” a ministry
to special needs individuals and congregations who serve them. Regional
directors: Rev. Paul Klopke, Rev. Phil Grunbalm, and Rev. Dean
Pittelko can come out to schools and do chapel services and set up disability
awareness stations. http://www.voiceofcare.org
Two different scenarios were shared from some of our
represented schools. Here’s some gleanings from the discussions:
1. Some of our
students are faced with some very major challenges with dysfunctional family
situations. They often come to school hurried and hungry. A proper
start to the day is very important. Schools seeing this as a major
hindrance for learning might want to look into breakfast programs for their
whole school or at least stock breakfast bars or other informal foods for
students needing some nutrition in the mornings.
a.
Zion, Marengo has had very good experience with these programs, even in
the summer time (Illinois Summer Food Service Program). Contact them (Sandee
Dunker) for more information about these programs.
b.
Immanuel, Belvidere stocks foods like pretzel sticks to use as possible extra
morning nutrition and then turns it into phonics lesson with making the
alphabet letters with the pretzels. Related to this
same situation St. Johns, Lombard (Laura Weston) shared about a
“Mentoring Program” that matches up students, especially those who need some
extra attention with senior citizens from the congregation. They
periodically eat lunch together and have some reading times.
2.
Another discussed situation involved families who bully teachers in the
school. Some suggestions for assisting teachers with these situations
included:
a. Strive to get the principal
and/or pastor more involved. If tensions get difficult, it can be helpful
to have all communications o and from the parent go through one of these
individuals, if possible
b. Use
school security cameras, as needed and available (documentation)
c.
Discussion took place about whether to use email responses with challenging
families. These emails can great documentations of conversations but can
also be taken in the wrong way.
d.
Have parents read and sign a “Communication with Parents” statement at the
beginning of the year. Thank you , Judy Schafer and our friends at
Immanuel, Belvidere for sharing their version of this statement:
COMMUNICATION
WITH PARENTS
The
faculty of Immanuel Lutheran School believes that home-school communication is
a priority. The “Immanuel Information” sheet contains news concerning
school and congregational activities. It is distributed via e-mail to school
families. In addition teachers may send notes home with class news,
teacher concerns, academic schedule, and/or field trip information. The lunch
menu and other information may be viewed on Immanuel’s website at www.immanuelknights.org.
Teachers’ web pages are accessible through the school website.
Parents are
encouraged to attend the Parent Information Open House. Conferences
between teachers and parents are held at the end of the first quarter and
during the school year by parent or teacher request. Parents are
given an opportunity to schedule conferences at a time that is convenient for
them.
Communication
during the entire year between parents and teachers is important.
Teachers will make every effort to confer with parents if a pupil is having
difficulty academically or socially. Parents should also feel free to
contact a teacher and schedule a conference at a mutually convenient
time. Teachers are not available for meetings or phone calls after 7:25
AM and before 3:00 PM.
Parents of
students in grades 1-8 are able to check
assignments, grades, etc. over the Internet. They can also communicate with
teachers by email using the TeacherEase web-based grade book and student
information system. Parents without Internet access may request a
progress report from their child’s teacher at any time.
The Athletic
Department will hold Parent Information Meetings before the beginning of each
sports season. Parents are requested to attend. Coaches will share
expectations for involvement, schedules, philosophies, and other information
relevant to preparing for a successful season.
Staff Authority To maintain
discipline and a clear sense of authority, teachers and other staff have the
responsibility to make professional decisions and judgments regarding the
learning and behavior of students. Occasionally, parents may need clarification
on how a staff member’s decision was arrived at, but the student involved is
not the best choice to provide that clarification. If any disagreements or
misunderstandings among the adults involved do arise they must take place in a
professional, private, and problem-solving manner. Without the support
and authority you have entrusted us with, our school would not be a wonderfully
safe place for children to learn and grow.
When a problem arises,
our teachers and staff want students to share how they saw an event. However,
due to students’ inexperience they may be unable to view the event from others’
point of view, or recognize the error in their own point of view. As part of
the responsibility you have entrusted us with, it is our job to help children
mature and see an event from more than one perspective and accept
responsibility for their part in the problem. This is a very hard lesson for
students to learn. They often appeal to a more sympathetic ear – yours.
Teachers, staff, and parents need to be united and consistent when decisions
and judgments are arrived at for each child to grow and mature. Please know we
will always keep the best interest of the children in mind at all time.
Guidelines for Parent Behavior As a Christian school we hold our own behavior and the behavior of students and families to a higher expectation than other schools. All parents agree to act in a respectful, non-threatening manner at all times. If you have a concern, please voice it to the teacher and or administrator in privacy and not in the presence of your children or other students. Intimidation or harassment of any parent, student, or staff, whether verbal or physical will not be tolerated. Immanuel Lutheran School has a zero tolerance policy in this regard.
The
school committee reserves the right to disassociate itself from, and force the
withdrawal of, any parents/students in that case where the parent(s) act(s) in
a threatening, intimidating, inappropriate, or consistently disruptive
manner or in a manner that seriously violates our operating principles or
threatens the functional climate of the school. In other words, the school reserves
the right to expel any child who fails to comply with established standards
of behavior or, at the discretion of our school board and administrator, ask
any family to leave who interrupts the education, climate, and operating
principles established at Immanuel.
If, in the judgment of the administration, a family or
student has violated our behavior policies, the family will be notified by
letter that the next occurrence may result in their immediate withdrawal from
our school. Families who are asked to leave will be reimbursed any remaining
unused portion of tuition payments minus the registration fees.
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| Space Rocket! |
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| School-wide Art Calendar |
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| Valentine String Art Craft |
Summer Positions Available at Zion Lutheran in Hinsdale
1. Kindergarten Teacher to plan and teach K-skills in a fun and relaxed environment. The camp is Tuesday and Thursday mornings 9-noon, June 14-August 4th.
2. Flexible days (pending enrollment and vacations) from 9-noon for 2 1/2 to 6 year-olds. The lessons are planned. DCFS teacher qualified to be a teacher or high school graduate to be an assistant.
Contact Director Peggy Farrell for further information at:
630-323-0065 or via email pfarrell@zionhinsdale.org
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