3/1/19
TGIF...Twin Groves it’s Friday! Have a wonderful four day weekend! See you on Tuesday, March 5th.
In an effort to spread positivity, Twin Groves uses our 5 Traits to recognize exemplars of the following qualities: Responsible, Accountable, Respectful, Safe, and a Community. In addition to the 5 Traits, we are also recognizing students for being an Upstander.
As part of this focus, the Twin Groves Staff would like to recognize and reward students who consistently demonstrate these qualities each month. For this month’s recognitions, we are pleased to announce that the following students have been selected for displaying these characteristics.
Phineas Bromley
Ellie Egeland
Collin Fan
Molly Hayden
Gyeongwu Kim
Nicole Konopka
Megan Orgler
Hannah Smith
Jacob Stein
Joseph Wang
Austin Zehnder
____________________________________
First Tech Challenge
We are happy to announce that a robotics team, Electro consisting of five 8th graders from Twin Groves have qualified for the First Tech Challenge World Championship to be held in Detroit, Michigan from April 24th to 27th. The team members are Alex Pollock, Siddharth Paleati, Purav Datta, Max Jin and Nathan Bekin.
FTC is designed for those who want to compete head to head, using a sports model. Teams of up to 15 students are responsible for designing, building, and programming their robots to compete in an alliance against other teams. The robot kit is reusable from year-to-year and is programmed using Java. Teams, including coaches, mentors, and volunteers, are required to develop strategies and build robots based on sound engineering principles. Awards are given for robot performance, community outreach, robot design, and other real-world accomplishments.
https://www.firstillinoisrobotics.org/ftc/
After advancing to and competing in the FIRST Tech Challenge Illinois State Robot championship this past weekend, team Electro, is one of the 10 teams in Illinois that advanced to the FIRST World Robot championship in Detroit. The FTC World championship is an intense 4 day event where 128 teams from around the world will compete for the world title. We will be cheering for the team. Go team Electro!
____________________________________
Counseling Corner
Mrs. DiMare and Ms. McDevitt, School Social Workers
Mrs. Koulentes, School Counselor
Mrs. Leverentz, School Psychologist
Parents frequently ask us how to best find a balance between supporting their children and fostering independence in problem solving. Let’s revisit this still-relevant September 1, 2015 edition of the Family Tip of the Month, put out by the Family Institute at Northwestern University.
https://www.family-institute.org/behavioral-health-resources/too-many-helpings
Too Many Helpings
You're probably accustomed to helping your kids whenever you can -- giving advice, solving problems, coming to their aid. In fact, we live in an era of the over-helping parent, whether our kids' challenges are big or small. Perhaps it's because we just want them to be happy, and when they come to us looking glum or tearful, complaining about something gone wrong, we do whatever it takes to restore a smile and help them feel that all is well again.
Or perhaps we ourselves simply refuse to tolerate discomfort -- our own as well as our children's -- and so we move quickly to resolve their distress (because theirs easily triggers ours).
There's a serious downside when we step in too soon to help our kids. When we do something for them that they might be able to do themselves, we rob from them an opportunity to feel the satisfaction and pride that comes from their own sense of accomplishment. Facing up to their daily challenges is one way they build their confidence and come to feel good about themselves -- what's sometimes referred to as self-esteem. Of course we don't always know what they're capable of, but often we move too quickly and offer our help before we've given them a chance to work things out on their own (or with only minimal involvement from us). Better for us to slow down, step back, and give them time and space to maneuver: to reflect on their situation, to put some thought into determining their options, and to give their solutions a try.
"I don't have anyone to play with," complains a youngster on a Sunday afternoon. Better than helping, ask, "What do you want to do about that?" Allow them time to reflect; don't get hooked by the easy lament of "I don't know." Same for when you hear: "I lost my homework sheet," "My brother is teasing me," "I don't like my math teacher," "I can't find my soccer shoes." Such moments offer priceless opportunities for our children to practice problem-solving. It's the training ground for self-reliance.
In place of helping, offer patience -- move slowly and give them time to figure things out -- and encouragement: "I have confidence that you'll come up with ideas of your own."
(For more quick tips like this, visit the Family Institute website. This is a great resource! http://www.family-institute.org/about-us/tip-of-the-month/family-tip-of-the-month)
____________________________________
Parent Opportunities
The Teenage Brain: How brain function impacts learning
Dr. Mandi Croft
March 13
7:00-8:30 pm
Stevenson High School West Auditorium
Dr. Mandi Croft from Neuro Educational Specialists will lead a discussion on adolescent brain development. Participants will hear about mental health in the schools and the impact of social media on brain development. Dr. Croft will present what anxiety, depression, ADHD and autism look like in the brain and what can parents do with this knowledge.
Register Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-teenage-brain-how-brain-function-impacts-learning-tickets-57198381900
____________________________________
Keeping Teens Safe on the Internet
Keeping Teens Safe on the Internet is an informational program for all interested parents presented by Stand Strong on March 14th at the Lincolnshire Village Hall. LINK
____________________________________
Access Your Student's Report Card Online Today
Your student's report card is available for you to access online today after 3 PM. If you need assistance, please CLICK HERE for instructions to view your student's report card, to switch between your children's report cards, and more.
To help you better understand your child's report card, see MORE INFO on the typical progression of standards-based scores for standards included on report cards, including standards that repeat in more than one trimester.
____________________________________
Winter MAP Results Available By Video
Parents of students in Grades 3 – 8 will have a new and different opportunity to view their student's Winter 2018 MAP (Measures of Academic Progress)–via a video specific to their child.
To make this possible, District 96 is participating in a pilot program with the company Spotlight. Today (March 1) parents/guardians were sent an email for each of their students in Grades 3–8. Each email includes a unique video link to that student's MAP results, explained using easy-to-understand visual information.
Please note that this is not new information. These Winter MAP results were already shared through a January 11 email from District 96 to parents, with instructions about accessing those scores online.
The MAP video link provided in today's MAP email offers another opportunity to review and understand your student's scores.
Your feedback after viewing is particularly appreciated for this pilot program. Please complete the brief survey you'll find linked at the bottom of your student's video report.
____________________________________
Parents of D96 Middle School Girls
District 96 middle school girls can sign up of Dream Day 2019. The DreamGirls Initiative is a nonprofit organization committed to inspiring young women in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) by exposing them to female role models.
This is a FREE workshop, however, you must register. Space is limited to the first 150 girls.
This event will take place Saturday, April 6th from 10AM.-1:30PM.
REGISTER at this LINK
____________________________________
Conference Information
Spring Conferences are coming on Thursday, March 7th from 5pm-8:30pm and Friday, March 8th from 10am-1:30pm .
Spring Conferences are Collaborative Conferences!
Collaborative conferences means that your child will be leading the conference. The purpose of collaborative conferences is for educators, students and families to discuss, reflect and celebrate student work, and for families to experience school through their child's eyes. Students have been working hard to prepare for the conference, and we are excited for you to learn about your child’s progress directly from your child!
Teachers will be available in the room as guides and will be available to answer student questions or elaborate on a point a student is making, but we ask that all participants respect that this is the student’s opportunity to lead the conference by sharing progress and reflections about their own learning.
Please read below to learn specific information about how collaborative conferences will be structured for each grade-level.
Grades 6-8
Families will sign-up for a 20 minute conference. Grades 6-8 collaborative conferences will be structured with up to 6 students in the classroom at a time. Student/Family partnerships will sit in a private space to engage in the conference. The grade-level team of teachers will be in the classroom to guide the process, but students will lead the conference. Exploratory teachers, PE, Health, Spanish and Band and Orchestra teachers will host an exposition of their courses. More information coming soon. Students should plan to bring their iPad to the conference.
What is the Role of Families during Collaborative Conferences?
Provide reinforcement, encouragement and praise
Listen and ask questions
Help students look realistically at quality of work
Facilitate student’s self-reflection and goal setting
Be a partner in learning
See school through their student’s eyes
Questions Families Can Ask During the Collaborative Conference
What is your favorite piece of work? Why?
Describe your favorite activities or subjects.
What experiences at school do you find the most exciting?
Are there experiences that frustrate you, if so why?
What goals have you set for yourself for this spring?
How can I help you at home?
HERE is the link to sign up for Spring Conferences.
____________________________________
We are Twin Groves...A Celebration of Culture
Please save the date…..May 7, 2019
Given the rich diversity of the cultures in our shared community, we are looking forward to engaging students and families in a night where we celebrate our own culture, learn/celebrate the cultures of others, and build on a shared community culture. The event will run from 7:00PM to 8:30PM.
This evening will be open to all Twin Groves families.
If your student and/or family is interested in performing or presenting during the event, please indicate by completing this Google Form. When we have a better understanding of how many presenters sign up, we will be communicating logistics of the event.
____________________________________
Daily Announcements
The Daily Announcements will be posted each morning. Please see Twin Groves website for up to date school announcements. The announcements let you know what exciting activities and clubs are going on at Twin Groves. Please click HERE to access the Daily Announcements.
____________________________________
PTO
There is a lot happening with the PTO this time of the year! Head on over to our PTO Membership Toolkit to find more information on:
-Ordering School Supply Kits for 2019-2020
-8th Grade SHS Class of 2023 apparel
-Bake Sale volunteers/donations
-Teacher Hospitality Brunch donations
-2019-2020 PTO Executive Board and Committee Chair openings
You can find out more about all of these happenings by CLICKING HERE : twingrovesmspto.membershiptoolkit.com
2019-2020 School Supply Kits
It's time to start thinking about School Supply Kits for next year! Save time and hassle and support Twin Groves by ordering yours starting Friday, March 1st. Kits are available for all students, and the sale runs through May 31st, but don't delay. To order your kit, please go to our PTO Membership Toolkit, twingrovesmspto.membershiptoolkit.com
Attention 8th Graders
CLICK HERE to enter the shirt size of your complimentary STEVENSON CLASS OF 2023 cotton t-shirt, courtesy of the Twin Groves PTO.
Families can also purchase additional STEVENSON CLASS OF 2023 apparel through the on-line PTO MEMBERSHIP TOOLKIT by Wednesday, April 3, 2019.
Items should arrive within 2–3 weeks after order deadline.
Calling all bakers!
We are in need of several helpers to bake or purchase items to sell at our bake sale!
The Spring Bake Sale is coming Thursday, March 7th and Friday, March 8th during conferences!!
Head over to our PTO Membership Toolkit at twingrovesmspto.membershiptoolkit.com and look under Volunteers Opportunities.
All items need to be dropped of in the TG office on Thursday, March 7th by NOON!
Teacher Hospitality Brunch Donations
Our spring Teacher Hospitality Brunch is coming up on Friday, March 8th.
The PTO Hospitality committee works hard to show our Twin Groves staff how much we appreciate them by providing breakfast during conferences. We need help from our wonderful parents to provide some of the items necessary for a successful brunch.
Please head over to our PTO Membership Toolkit and look at the Volunteer Opportunities section on your home page.
2019-2020 PTO Executive Board and Committee Chair Openings
DON'T BE SHY! Don't worry about not fitting in!
Please consider leading one of our committees or joining our Executive Board. Without adequate parent participation, some of our events could be in jeopardy!
No experience necessary! No special talents required. We can help you get involved!
You can also talk to an existing board member for more information or message us if you are interested! LINK
Descriptions for all open positions are available on our PTO Membership Toolkit: Twingrovesmspto.membershiptoolkit.com
Attention PTO Volunteers!
When you are volunteering for an event at Twin Groves, please don’t forget to sign in and out in the front office. Thank you!
Upcoming Events
-3/13/19 Dessert Day
-3/20/19 Special Lunch
Please click HERE to access the Membership Toolkit. All items for sale from the PTO will be available on this website.
____________________________________
Band & Orchestra Boosters
Please click the BLOG to access the latest news from the Band & Orchestra Boosters.