May 6, 2021

I am writing today to ask for your help.  Last Friday we really struggled to open our schools due to the high number of employees being absent.  In prior years, we would have the option of merging classrooms (like bringing 2nd graders and 3rd graders together with one teacher for a day).  It wasn’t ideal, I know, but such an option doesn’t even exist amid our current social distancing protocols. 

This year, we are very limited in our options to address unfilled positions.  

As of 3 p.m. today, we have a total of 330 teachers absent (about 12%), and of those we have failed to fill 131 positions. That puts us on pace to exceed our absenteeism rates last Friday.  

In order to ensure we can open, I again am asking for all staff members who arranged to take the day off, to consider shifting your plans where possible to days of the week other than Friday or Monday.  I also ask any administrators who may have scheduled meetings during the day with teachers tomorrow to cancel where possible.  

Please, I hope you understand that I share this message with you as part of our shared interest and responsibility to open our doors for learning in a manner that also ensures student and staff safety.  

I know our work is difficult even in normal times.  This year has stretched us all.  I am so grateful, though, for the U-46 spirit and tenacity.  Together we know we can finish this year strong.  

All my best, 

Tony Sanders  

Teaching & Learning

Teacher Mentor Program

Last week, the Teacher Mentor Program had the privilege to honor our Year 2 Mentees with a virtual celebration. Here is the yearbook that contains the memories and photos of our beginning new teachers who started their career at U-46 in 2019. It has been an honor to be part of your journey.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor or if you know someone who would make a great mentor, check out this flyer with more information.   Please register for the New Mentor Training course on Canvas as soon as possible if you are interested in mentoring for next school year.  If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to email us at TeacherMentorProgram@u-46.org .

Teacher Appraisal Plan Professional Practice

Peer Assistance Review

The U-46 Peer Assistance and Review Program (PAR) is available to any ETA member not formally matched with a mentor through the U-46 Teacher Mentor Program (TMP).  Once a teacher has elected to participate in PAR, they are matched with a Peer Consultant Teacher (PCT). This yearlong process involves frequent, ongoing, classroom-based support that focuses on the Danielson Framework for Teaching.  Visit the PAR website page for more information. Email paradm@u-46.org to schedule an informational meeting with a PAR team member.

Assessment & Accountability

Assessment Updates

Please refer to the checklists for guidance on testing. These are in-person assessments. Students must bring their charged laptops to school.

• ACCESS 2021 Planning Checklist - through May 28.

• IAR 2021 Planning Checklist - through May 28.

• ISA 2021 (Illinois Science Assessment) Planning Checklist

  • Grade 5: May 17 through May 21

  • Grade 8: Begins after May 1. Please contact matthewraimondi@u-46.org to share your testing date so that tickets can be produced for you.    

Here is the Spring 2021 District Assessment Guide for Pre-kindergarten through 6th grade ​

Equity & Innovation

Symposium

U-46 is planning an equity symposium June 7th through June 10th. During these four days  of professional learning, U-46 staff members will hear from several phenomenal keynote speakers, including Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, author of Cultivating Genius. Although we have these keynotes, we are confident that many of our colleagues have the expertise and knowledge to facilitate sessions during our equity symposium week. Please review the Equity Symposium Facilitator Interest Form here . Thank you. CPDUs will be offered as part of this professional development opportunity. ​

District Records

Online Registration

If you are a U-46 employee with children in District schools, online registration is underway for the 2021-22 school year! Please log in to Campus Parent account and select Online Registration from your Messages Center. You will be registering all of your children on this application, including new students. All returning families must register before May 31. Find detailed instructions at www.u-46.org/registration . For those employees without children in U-46 schools, please help us spread the word! 

Human Resources/School & Community Relations

Staff Recognition

The window for nominating employees for the Illinois State Board of Education’s Those Who Excel program is open but closing soon on May 21. Read more here about how to recognize your colleagues at the state level.

Human Resources

Job Openings

School District U-46 and some of our partners in our U-46 Summer Connection programming have a variety of summer job openings and opportunities.

Transportation Professionals 

We need people to help the wheels on the bus `go round and round,’ and help our students get to a variety of wonderful summer programs.  See our Applitrack listings for Professional School Bus Driver, School Bus Assistant, and Shuttle Driver/Custodian. 

Teachers, Admin and more! 

So many of you have stepped up and already confirmed your readiness to support students in the classroom this summer. Thank you! For those of you who might still be interested, please review  this list of summer vacancies.

Summer Elementary Camp Staff 

Want to make a difference this summer for children and bring fun, laughter, and learning? Consider the exciting employment opportunities this summer with the Right At School Camps in U-46.  Part-time and full-time hours are available at our sites, as listed on this website page. Please apply by Friday, May 7th by sending your resume to jena.frey@rightatschool.com for immediate consideration for an interview. Applicants should please call Right at School (not U-46), for more information at 855-AT- SCHOOL (855-287-2466)

School & Community Relations

Website Awards

As we approach the end of the 2020-21 school year, we want to honor all our hardworking webmasters, their creativity, and their consistent updates. To celebrate, the most noteworthy school websites are receiving a certificate of appreciation in the following categories:

• Easiest to navigate: Channing Elementary School, Larsen Middle School, South Elgin High School 

• Most personalized: Abbott Middle School, DREAM Academy, Larkin High School 

• Best updates:  Clinton Elementary School, Hawk Hollow Elementary School., Ontarioville Elementary School, 

• Creativity using an app: Bartlett Elementary School, Laurel Hill Elementary School, Lincoln Elementary School

• Most improved: Prairieview Elementary School, Wayne Elementary School, Eastview Middle School 

If you’d like to see examples of the fine work the school webmasters have made to their pages, read the latest Website Wednesday Newsletter here under the S&CR Intranet section. Also in the S&CR Intranet section, you will find more than a dozen short tutorial videos, as well as other helpful resources to keep your school or department website presence looking its best!  

In Memoriam

Current and former U-46 staff are invited to attend a memorial service on May 22 in honor of Lisa Mercado .  Mrs. Mercado was a long-time bilingual educator in U-46.  She passed away in May 2020 after a 2 ½-year-old battle with breast cancer.  Guests must register in advance to attend.  Please register by using the following link:  https://www.eventbrite.com/e/153236154463.

State News

The May 4 Weekly Message from State Superintendent Carmen I. Ayala, Ph.D., is available online in Adobe Acrobat (.pdf) format here . All editions of the Weekly Message are archived on the Illinois State Board of Education's website here .

Kudos

Send Kudos directly by clicking HERE   or using Let's Talk. They are due by 5 p.m. each Tuesday.

Kudos to Mentees Richard Childs, Tyler Altieri, Jose Rivera Sanchez, Aroa Ortiz Artiles, Ana Cuadrillero Barragan, Will Gomez Uribe,Theresa Seisser, Ubaldo Castillo, Jorge Michel, Nicolas Rivas, and Samuel Sanchez Madera, from Gloria Helin, Proud Mentor Specialist

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of my mentees for their hard work and dedication this year. It has been a pleasure working with you and getting to know all of you this year. Being your mentor, I have learned SO MUCH about resiliency and dedication through all of you. I know that there were many changes that needed to be made and many things were out of your control, but I hope that I was able to support you the way you needed. Please remember that I AM ALWAYS available to you for support and appreciate the relationships we have built!

Kudos to Mrs. Mary Dyer, 3rd Grade Teacher at Hawk Hollow Elementary School, from Agnieszka Szumilo-Goral, Parent at Hawk Hollow Elementary School

I just want to take a minute and send you a brief note about Mrs. Dyer. I would not be surprised if U-46 received messages from other parents about how amazing and dedicated a teacher she is. During this very challenging school year, Mrs. Dyer truly does her best to help kids with the remote learning challenges.

Kudos to Michelle Rossi, Teacher, and Denise Joehl, Science Teacher at Abbott Middle School, from Mike Sikora, Science Teacher at Ellis Middle School

Thank you so much for your help with planning an upcoming unit. Your generosity, guidance, kindness, and words of encouragement were very much appreciated and motivational. A second thank you goes to K-12 District Science & Planetarium Coordinator Deb McMullen for putting these great ladies in touch with me!

Kudos to Jennifer Simon, Tech Specialist-Online Assessment in Information Services, from Gamila Williams, Assistant Principal at Elgin High School

A huge thank you to Jennifer Simon for her support during the spring administration of the Illinois State Seal of Biliteracy exam. Jennifer was kind, attentive, and a master troubleshooter during virtual testing.

Kudos to Christine Santos Diaz, MTSS Lead, from Charlotte Coleman, Principal at Kimball Middle School

We know that one way we support students is by supporting staff. Christine Santosdiaz goes over and beyond supporting staff so they are able to support students. This was exemplified in her many efforts to ensure staff felt appreciated during Teacher Appreciation Week! Thank you, Christine!!!

Kudos to All the Channing Elementary School Teachers, from The Channing Elementary School Administration 

We want to give all Channing teachers a big shout out for being extra awesome this school year! Thank you for staying committed to our students during this challenging time in our lives. Your dedication and overwhelming support for our Cheetahs has not gone unnoticed. Happy Teacher Appreciation Week to a wonderful staff.

Kudos to Aaron Cobbs, Dean’s Assistant at Kimball Middle School, from the Kimball Middle School Staff

He goes over and beyond to support students and staff. His humbleness and ability to serve a member of the Kimball Team is priceless! Thank you, Mr. Cobbs!

Kudos to Pattie Schueneman, SWEP Teacher, Danielle Tallon, SWEP Teacher, and Ryan Graff, Social Worker, all at Central School Programs, from the Administration Team at Central School Programs 

For a job well done in setting high expectations for student engagement. Your ability to meet this particular student’s academic, functional, and social-emotional needs has truly made a difference in re-integrating him back to a school/social setting. Thank you for your service!

Kudos to The Coleman Elementary School Staff, from Gloria Helin, Mentor Specialist

I have had the opportunity to help support Coleman with ACCESS and IAR testing. I wanted to take a minute to thank all of the Coleman staff for being so pleasant and accommodating to me while I was there. I felt very welcomed and enjoyed meeting many of you … whether it was a quick hello in the hall or even some time conversing. I also enjoyed seeing many of the familiar faces of people I have known or worked with in my 20 years at U-46. Thank you for all of your hard work and dedication this year! You should be very proud of your school and your students. They are pretty amazing!