Hello, hello, hello.... Is there anybody out there? I have asked the Woodlawn community for a few things lately and I am getting no feedback. All is good. When you are ready, you will talk to me. Anyways...we had a good week here at Woodlawn. I had the pleasure of getting into a bunch of classrooms and seeing the work our students are doing. Great stuff. We are in the middle of January and a lot of planning is happening at each and every grade level. I am keeping my focus on the day to day work, knowing that some bigger days lie ahead.
Louder Than A Bomb
This week 8th grade students had the opportunity to work with Young Chicago Author teaching artists in a four day writing workshop designed to help students find their voice in poetry while also analyzing author’s craft learning targets in literature. Students used the performances by the teaching artists as well as published works by famous artists with diverse voices as inspiration to craft their own poetry about themselves and Students had the opportunity to receive feedback from their teachers, teaching artists, and peers prior to revising their poems, and the final day gave students a chance to practice their speaking and listening skills through a poetry slam. The poems and talent of our students that emerged as a result of this unique experience was mind blowing.
Page Break -- Last Saturday, students from Woodlawn and Twin Groves who submitted their fiction or essays to Stevenson High School’s Page Break Festival Competition attended a day of workshops at the high school. Our middle school students had the opportunity to share their writing with other middle school students from the consortium, SHS students, and SHS faculty. Published Young Adult author, Simone Elkeles, was the keynote speaker and shared writing advice to these young aspiring authors. A great time was had by all, and we hope to make this an annual event moving forward.
Writing Opportunity
If your child is interested in writing fiction, Mrs. Flaskamp will be holding an after school club beginning next week on Thursday January 26th from 2:30-3:15 in Mrs. Russell’s room (Room 816). Any 6th, 7th, or 8th grader interested in writing short stories, novels, music lyrics, rap or poetry is welcome to attend and be apart of this creative writing community.
The Community Service Club is sponsoring a collection of cards and miscellaneous items to send to the troops overseas. Today, students made Valentine’s Day cards in our cafeteria and in conjunction with Operation Care Package, we will be collecting items in each homeroom beginning next Thursday, January 26th (Bears won Superbowl XX on 1986 on that date). Each teacher will have a bag in their homeroom where students can put the collected items over the next three weeks. Be on the lookout for any of the following items to send to our heroes: cards, card games ( like Uno), footballs, magazines, any non-chocolate candy, microwave popcorn, lip balm (this is a HUGE need), dried meats, crackers or snacks, gym, Soduko books, small games, prepackaged cookies, body wash or shampoo, trail mix, sunflower seeds, dice games (yahtzee - fyi - I dominate at yahtzee) and/or adult coloring books or pencils. Again, we will be collecting over the next three weeks, so let’s support our troops!
WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW?
Mon., Feb. 6, Twin Groves Middle School Learning Center, 2600 N. Buffalo Grove Rd., Buffalo Grove, 7–8:30 PM. A panel of Stevenson seniors and freshmen and SHS Principal Troy Gobble are ready to answer parents’ questions on managing the transition to high school, choosing classes and extracurriculars, balancing the workload, and more. This 14th-annual program is presented by the KCSD96 Parent-to-Parent (P2P) Network. No registration/RSVP needed. Questions? Call 847.459.4260, ext. 8022.
**This is a good night for first time SHS parents. The student panel does a great job of putting parents mind at ease. Troy Gobble, Stevenson principal is also very funny. He will be the second funniest principal you experience in your lifetime.
Note Regarding Erin’s Law
The following letter is to inform all parents about our obligation to meet the requirements regarding curriculum. I answered a few questions this week for parents and expect this to be a valuable experience for our students:
Dear Parent/Guardians:
Erin’s Law, House Bill 6193 was signed by Governor Pat Quinn on January 24, 2013. This law requires schools to implement an age-appropriate sexual assault and abuse awareness and prevention curriculum for grades pre-K through 12. Erin’s Law was developed in honor of Erin Merryn, a brave young woman who has crossed the country advocating for laws that will increase awareness of this crime against children.
One of the requirements of this law is that schools provide an age appropriate curriculum to all students relating to sexual abuse prevention. To this end, Erin Merryn herself will present to District 96 middle school students on Tuesday, January 24. We are thrilled to have her here to share her story and to provide students tools needed for personal safety.
Nationwide, 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be the victim of child sexual abuse by the age of 18. Through this program aimed at educating and empowering students, we want to provide your student with the knowledge and skills to use if ever affected by sexual violence. District 96 believes that all of our students will benefit from participating in this program.
If you have any questions about the content of the program or if you wish to inquire about opting out, please feel free to contact your school principal.
Respectfully,
Heather Friziellie
D96 Director of Educational Services
Band and Orchestra Need Help!
Call for Volunteers!
Many volunteers are still needed to assist at the 2017 IGSMA (Illinois Grade School Music Association) Solo & Ensemble Contest, hosted by District 96 at Woodlawn Middle School on Sat., Feb. 4, from 8 a.m.–4 p.m. We urgently need volunteers to work shifts as room monitors, concession sales, and parking assistants. Even 2 hours of your time would be much appreciated! Your student does not need to participate in IGSMA for you to volunteer. High school students are also encouraged to volunteer, and their service hours will be recognized. To be directed to our Sign-Up Genius webpage to sign up for available jobs and shifts/times please CLICK HERE
PTO Executive Board Openings
This is one of those things that I haven’t received any parent feedback. I have been informed that the Woodlawn PTO will have a couple of opening on our Executive Board next year. If you are interested, please send an e-mail to me and I will forward your interest to our PTO President for next year, Missy Stevens. Selections will happen before April, but send me your interest right away.
Over the last three weeks, we shared our Woodlawn views and expectations from the view of myself, our staff and our Woodlawn students. We will continue to promote community for all along with high academic and social expectations. Although I didn’t get feedback from parents, I will will be looking forward to speaking with parents and getting their story. As principal of this great school, getting a focus on what is expected from all of us was necessary.
Finally, oh man! I really did it this time. Sometimes my lines get blurred between my love for my football team and responsibilities as a husband. If you haven’t noticed, the Packers are doing well. I try not to be one of those in-your-face, knucklehead fans, but like it or not, it matters to me. So in November, when the Pack was 4-6 and the playoffs were the furthest thing from my mind, my lovely wife says,
“My boss’s daughter is getting married on Sunday, January 15th. I’d like to go, so WE are going, OK? OK. Good”.
Honestly, I was half listening and it was so far in the future, as a guy, I really didn’t care, so I was committed. Every so often, my wife would say,
“Remember, we are going to that wedding in January!”.
So I say to myself, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’ll worry about it when the time comes.”
Winter break comes, I have a nice little time away, we come back to school and all of a sudden the Packers are not only in the playoffs, they are winning! Not once did I think about the pending wedding of my wife’s boss’s daughter. Then, on Sunday, January 8th, after the Packers win and the schedule of games comes out for the following week, it dawns on me.
“Oh no! I think that I committed to somebody’s wedding.”
I am going to lay this out like a Greek tragedy, because in my eyes, this is what we are looking at.
Greg says: “Sweetheart, what time is that wedding?”
The wife: “4:30p.m…..Why?”
(In my mind, and only in my mind, I say, “I am taking a stand on this one”. She’s in another room, so we will have the room to room talk.)
G-: “The Packers game is on at 3:30p.m next Sunday and….”
The wife: “Don’t even think that you are going to miss the wedding!”
Ugh, quick, come up with Plan B. What is Plan B? I’ve got it,
G-: “So what if I drop you off at the wedding and come back for the reception?”
Silence. Painful, deafening silence.
Now, I am sure that I am not the first married guy to hear his wife walking toward him after he has just made the most ridiculous proposal, but somehow, I thought she would buy it. My wife wasn’t storming toward the room, nor was she even showing signs of anger in any way, so just like Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber, I thought that I had a chance. Instead, she strolled within 5 feet of me as I sat on the couch, squinted her eyes like Clint Eastwood and spoke the words of The Outlaw, Josey Wales:
“You are going to this wedding with me. We are going to the service and the reception together. End of discussion.”
As I looked up at her, I thought to myself, “You are a middle school principal, you have trained with irrational people for years, the Packers are playing the Cowboys, stand up to her this one time!”
While I prepared my response, her steely eyed look never changed. She never blinked once.
So I responded in the toughest voice I could muster up: “Fine”. That was standing up for yourself.
No words were spoken about the wedding the rest of the week. I concocted about a dozen ways to back out of this thing. I didn’t even bring them up because I was afraid that Dirty Harry would make another appearance.
Who schedules a wedding in January? Obviously a Bears fan. (OK, that was a cheap shot)
So last Sunday at game time, I was not in front of a T.V., instead I was at a wedding.
My wife’s
Boss’s
daughter’s
wedding.
By the time I could get to a T.V., it was the fourth quarter and the Pack had a 15 point lead. I watched the game for 7 minutes and during that time, the Cowboys scored twice and tied the game. With 4 minutes to go in the game, my phone buzzed. A text message from my wife came through, “They are seating us for dinner.”
I thought to myself, “Just pretend that you didn’t get the text. Problem solved.”
My phone buzzes again, “I know that you got the text, get up here now!”
I thought, “How does she do that? I am dealing with a superior intellect here.”
Now I am not sure if everyone knows this, but the final minutes of the Cowboys/Packers game were unbelievably exciting. As I walked toward the reception, I texted 3 people with the hopes that one of them would respond to my plea for text message updates on the game. As I walked toward the table, with a group of 8 people who I am meeting for the first time, I had not received a single text. No one received my cry for help.
Then it happened. Someone texting me. Updates started coming through. At first, I was thrilled. I could sneak a peek and see what was happening. No harm, no foul. My phone continued to buzz, the second person texted me updates. Buzz, buzz, buzz. They were coming in fast and furious because the action in the game was outstanding. I could now feel the tension building from the wife. I got the dreaded “look”. She calmly leaned over and said, silence that thing. My phone was on a constant buzz at this point as the third person I texted had joined in on the fun. I took my phone out to try and silence it, but I am too technology challenged figure that one out, especially under pressure. Introductions of the wedding party started, buzz, buzz, buzz. At this point, the entire table and the table next to us was curious as to why my phone was on a continuous state of vibration. “And now, for the first time ever, Mr. & Mrs…”..buzz, buzz, buzz. “Uncle Mike will be leading us in a prayer.” I literally sat on my phone to muffle the buzz, buzz, buzz.
After what seemed to be a lifetime, my phone finally went quiet.
I looked at my wife and said, “The Packers won”.
If I had to assign a Clint Eastwood movie title to this experience, it would definitely be Unforgiven.
Go Pack Go!