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Weekly RIMSD #41 Staff Newsletter
April 22, 2015
Superintendent’s Message
To prepare
high achieving
college and career
ready global
citizens.
Inside:
~ Need to Know
~ Making a Difference!
~ Teaching & Learning
~ Around the District
~ Community Corner
Calendar:
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•
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•
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Board of Education
Tuesday, April 28, 6:00 p.m.
RIHS Library
Dispatch/Argus Master
Teacher Banquet
Friday, May 1
SPRING MUSICAL
The Music Man
May 7, 8 & 9
RIHS Auditorium
RIHS Academic
Achievement Awards Night
May 13
RIHS Auditorium
Medal of Honor Banquet
May 14, 6:00 p.m.
Holiday Inn
Retirement Tea
Wed., June 3, 3:45 p.m.
RIHS Library
Send your building
information to
Communication Director
Holly Sparkman at holly.
[email protected] for
inclusion into each Weekly
Edition of the Rock IslandMilan Lines.
T
he days are flying by. Kindergarten Round-Up has concluded
for another year. Upon reflection, I realized that today’s
kindergarteners will graduate in the year 2028.
Stop and think about how much the world has changed in the last 13
years – when this year’s graduating seniors entered Kindergarten.
Since 2001 the emergence of technology such as the Internet,
mobile phones, Wi-Fi, social media, and tablets have changed
communication patterns, work functions for many, created new jobs,
and impacted economic sectors. It’s fascinating to conceptualize what
the world will look like when the students of today are tomorrow’s
adults.
Who knows what types of careers will be available to them 20
years from now? It is inevitable that new career fields emerge.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2015-16 Occupational
Outlook Handbook, 20 occupations with the highest percent
change of employment between 2012-22 include health-care related
occupations as well as opportunities in the trade school industries
such as mechanical engineers and electricians.Whatever the future
holds, I am confident that the Rock Island-Milan School District
will be exploring ahead of the curve and be innovative in adapting
courses and instructional practices.
Historically, Rock Island-Milan has been the first school district in
the area to take on many new initiatives: choice school, implement
balanced calendars, Career Cruising, set up career pathways,
educator evaluation, differentiated instruction, higher order
questioning, use of informational text to support positions, etc. As
career requirements change, we will adapt. For example, we now
have a new course at the high school that will guide the next future
entrepreneur.
As a school district, our goal is to ensure that all students graduate
prepared to be successful in the future. For RIMSD, we recognize
that the rapidly changing world means that we must be quick in
our ability to change approaches to educational programs and
instructional delivery to continually support college and career
possibilities for today’s kindergartners. The Rock Island-Milan
School District is blessed to have team members on the forefront of
innovation so that every student is prepared to be a high achieving
college and career ready global citizen.
need to
KNOW
School Registration Dates
Registration for the 2015-2016 school year has been set for July
22, 23 and 24.
Elementary/JR. High: July 23, 11:00a-7:00p
July 24, 9:00a-12:00p
High School:
July 22, 11:00a-7:00p
July 23, 11:00a-7:00p
July 24, 8:00a-1:00p
The Rock Island Center for Math & Science will register their
students on May 13, 2:30p-6:00p.
In order to provide good customer relations, please understand that
registration is an on-going process. If parents/guardians are unable
to register students during the allotted time listed above, maintain
professional courtesy and register the students(s) during normal
work hours. Parents/guardians should not be denied registration.
Licensure Renewal
Certified staff who are due
for licensure renewal, please
remember to notify Human
Resources once you have
completed the registration
process!
309-793-5950 x205 or email
[email protected]
need to
KNOW
The Music Man
The cast, band and crew of the Rock Island High School production of THE MUSIC
MAN invite you to musical on May 7, 8 & 9. - Showtime is 7:00 p.m. and tickets are $7
for Adults; $5 for Students. This year’s production features students from the grade school
and jr. high schools as well! Quick synopsis: Con man arrives in River City, Iowa, intending
to sell the town and its children on a fake marching band system, and then skip town... until
he falls for the local librarian!
Spring Music Events!
• May 5 - 6th Grade Band Concert (RIHS Auditorium 6:30 p.m.) Free Admission.
• May 7, 8 & 9 - Spring Musical “Music Man,” RIHS Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.
Tickets $7 for Adults; $5 for Students
• May 11 - Spring Band Concert RIHS Auditorium, 7:00 p.m. Free Admission.
• May 12 - Washington Jr. High Spring Concert, 7:00 p.m.
• May 21 - Spring Choir Pops Concert RIHS Auditorium 7:00 p.m..
Tickets $4 Adults; $2 Seniors and Students.
making a
DIFFERENCE
SHOUTS received April 15 - 22
To: Melissa Miller and Zahra Suss, Frances Willard
From: Your Biggest Fan!
On Friday, April 17, there were six guest teachers in the building. Knowing this may cause a little stress
around the building, Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Suss were very proactive. With a focus on BIST in our building,
these ladies opened their classroom doors and provided a “triage” room for any students who needed it.
There help was so GREATLY appreciated by the students and the staff. Way to be rockstars ladies!
To: Janetta Harvey, Rock Island Academy
From: A fan!
The Rock Island Academy is lucky to have Janetta Harvey as a long term substitute teacher. Ms Janetta has
a winning personality, radiant smile and a heart of gold. She is available to help the principal, secretaries,
custodian or anybody else in need. It is obvious that she values all students and is dedicated to teaching
and giving all students the belief that they can achieve anything.
To: Brian Buckley, Edison Jr. High School
From: A fan!
Brian Buckley deserves a huge pat on the back. He is our new custodian an Edison. He has been working so
hard making our school clean. He goes above and beyond. I am so impressed with his efforts. If he is asked
to fix something, then it is done ASAP. He never has an excuse for why something cannot be done. He has
a “Whatever it Takes” attitude. He also spends his own money on supplies. He purchased supplies for me
to use in my classroom if he is ever absent (and is unable to clean my room that day). With Brian here, the
building smells clean and he is working so hard to make an old building look and feel new again! Thanks so
much, Brian! We greatly appreciate you! You are never allowed to leave Edison Jr. High . . . :-)
To: Principal Mike Nitzel, Thomas Jefferson
From: Dail Rice
Mike Nitzel is an exceptional leader and building principal. He is very effective because he always is
willing to teach his staff, students, and parents in a respectful manner. Mike always uses his educational
experiences and research to encourage listeners to become better students and educators. Mike shares
information on an ongoing basis about what is happening throughout the school and in the field of
education in an unselfish manner! He is passionate about building and maintaining relationships with staff,
students and parents. Mike is thoughtful and caring and I am honored to work with him!
Shout Out!
Recognize your peers loud and clear!
Instructions:
1. Notice a co-worker’s outstanding performance;
2. Write a note about it;
3. Get the building Principal/Administrator’s initials;
4. Post in on the Making a Difference noteboard in your
building;
5. Fill out Shout Out form on staff web site to enter in the
Difference Maker of the Quarter!
www.rockislandschools.org/riec
Teaching & Learning
Teacher Leader Cadre
The Teacher Leader Cadre (TLC) was created as a way to
better connect with the teachers of Illinois and provide them
with resources and updates on Illinois assessments and the
new learning standards. The goal is to create a network of
professionals to share information and connect in hopes of
bettering education in the state of Illinois.
Illinois Educ
L
ation e
adersh
18
If you are interested in joining the TLC, send an email with the
subject line “TLC” to [email protected]. You’ll be added to
the listserv.
15
20
3
1
11
17
The Teacher Resources web page has links to resources,
Webinars, Presentations, Videos and a Listserve archive that
covers many topics:
http://www.isbe.net/assessment/htmls/teacher-resources.htm
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Rev. 9/2
5/14
FINAL Rock Island College for 2014-15
Visual Learning: Enhancing and Differentiating Lessons for Learners
4-5 p.m. on May 7th at Rock Island Center for Math and Science
If you are looking for more ways to help your students better understand concepts and
vocabulary in your lessons, we would like to invite you to attend this workshop on visual
learning. You are encouraged to bring a laptop or iPad and a lesson, as well as a unit or
book study that you would like to enhance to differentiate for your students. The first part of
the workshop will show you a variety of free resources you can access that will help struggling
students gain a stronger understanding of the content that you are teaching. The final part of
the workshop will give you time to collaborate in small groups where coaches will help guide
you to incorporate and implement some of the ideas and strategies you have learned. Actual
Hours for recertification will be provided. Come learn with your colleagues and have a chance
to win prizes!
Sign up at the following link: http://www.instant.ly/s/A15EM
around the
DISTRICT
Rotary Club Honors Students!
The Rotary Club of Rock Island announced the selection of
the “best of the best” for 2015 in the areas of academics in
Rock Island. Honorees from Augustana College, Alleman
High School and Rock Island High School were introduced
and presented a plaque at a special Rotary Awards Luncheon
held on Tuesday, April 14th at the Quad City Botanical
Center. Rock Island High School students Kayli Ahuja
and Grant Fessler were presented with awards. Ahuja not
only excelled in the classroom, but is also an outstanding
musician earning All State recognition from the Illinois
Music Educators Association for her excellence in playing
the viola. She has been awarded a music scholarship and will
continue her studies at Augustana College in the fall. Grant
Fessler, an Illinois State Scholar and a Charles O. Austin
Scholar, has been active in Environmental Science and was
a member of the champion team at the 2014 Envirothon
a competition hosted by Land Use Council. Fessler plans
will attend Iowa State University in the fall to study
Environmental Science.
Above: Rock Island Rotary
President Mike Locander with
Grant Fessler
Below: Rock Island Rotary
President Mike Locander with
Kayli Ahuja
Mustache Storytime at RIA
“If you ‘mustache’....we love to read in Mrs. Padilla’s 4th Grade class!” If you ask
Krystle Padilla what mustaches and reading have in common, she will say that
they “are both fun!” Just like mustaches take time to grow, reading takes time to
grow on people as well. The mustaches were part of a Scholastic Reading Club
package.
around the
DISTRICT
Future Leaders of
Washington and Rocky
Dr. Terry Taylor and J.D.
Wilson with the Future
Leaders group of WJHS
and RIHS.
The Future Leaders group from Washington
Jr. High and Rock Island High School
traveled to the University of Iowa on April
14 to visit the school and learn about college
life. The students started the day off with a
campus tour of the University of Iowa and
then met with an advisor and received some
valuable information about the campus
and student life. During the visit, Rock
Island students were able to meet with U of
I students who explained their experience
at the university. They also talked about
making good friends, joining groups/clubs,
and duel credits. Lunch was served in one of
the dorm’s cafeteria. “It was a fun trip!” said
Dr. Terry Taylor. RIHS Dean J.D. Wilson
also attended the trip with the students.
RICMS Leadership Day
Celebration
Students and teachers at the Rock Island Center for
Math and Science celebrated their second annual
Leadership Day on Thursday, April 16. The school invited
community members to learn how the Leader in Me
program has transformed the school. Each grade
wore a different color shirt, and student guides
led the community members through
different classrooms to see how the
Leader In Me works in the school,
in the classroom and the student’s
daily lives. “The 7 Habits help me
make decisions that are not only good
for me but for everybody else,” said a
student in Mrs. Moskowitz’s class.
The morning’s events culminated in the
gymnasium where the students gathered to sing
“We are the World.”
Community Corner
STROLL THROUGH SPRINGTIME APRIL 25
The annual Stroll Through Springtime will take place at Black Hawk State Historic Site in Rock Island on
Saturday, April 25, 2015 from 7:00 am until 11:00 am. All events are free, and participants can come for
any or all of the events. Birds will be the focus of groups going in the field at 7:00 am. At 9:00 am people
will move into the Lodge for refreshments and a short program about invasive plants. At 10:00 am in
small groups, participants will observe and identify wildflowers. No advance registration needed. For more
information, call (309) 788-9536.
ROCK ISLAND COMMUNITY GARAGE SALE APRIL 25
Saturday, April 25, come to Longview Park for the Spring Community Garage Sale. Shop over 6,000 square
feet of toys, trinkets, furniture, home décor, books, clothes, antiques and much more from 8:00 am to 2:00
pm.
Becoming the Dream
On Thursday, April 30 at 7:00 p.m.
The Marshall Learning Center will
present “Becoming the Dream,” a
Readers Theatre.
Students and adults will perform reflections of African American slaves and
their dreams of freedom and encounters from the Tuskegee Airmen and
their dreams of flight. The performance
concludes with readers dreams of the
future and poetic reflections.
The event represents the culmination
of a three year diversity project, The
Dream: 50 Years and Beyond in addition to the school’s commitment to the
Empoering Potential Reading Initiative.
Before the performance, guests are
invited to sample appetizers made by
students in the Kitchen Express program.
RICMS Kids on a Mission
Collecting for Closet 2 Closet
Rock Island Center for Math & Science Kids on a Mission will be collecting items for “Closet 2 Closet” and they
need your help!
April 20 through Fri April 24, 2015 the school is collecting the following items:
• Monday: Socks
• Tuesday: Underwear
• Wednesday: Winter wear; hats, gloves, scarves etc
• Thursday: Personal care items: deodorant, chapstick, shower gel, lotion,
toothbrushes/paste, hair care products
• Friday: Bags/luggage/purses/backpacks
ALL ITEMS MUST BE NEW and/or Gently Used, in decent condition. Their goal is to collect 150 items daily!
Closet 2 Closet provides a safe place for children and youth in foster care to shop for items they need. They
provide gently used, stylish clothes among other personal items that kids in foster care often need!
Rock Island Center for Math & Science 2101 16th Avenue, Rock Island 309-793-5995
8th Annual Early Learning Readiness Fair
Date: April 29, 2015
Time: 3:00pm-6:00pm
Stop by anytime!
Location of Fair:
Quad City Botanical Center
2525 Fourth Avenue
Rock Island, IL
*
Learning Begins at Birth!
Children’s experiences in the first three years of life influence how they develop, learn, and
interact with their world. This period is marked by an extraordinary amount of growth, and
sets the foundation for children’s future learning and ongoing development. (ISBE 2013)
Families and their child(ren) ages Birth to 5 years and those who will be entering Kindergarten
during the 2015-2016 school year throughout Rock Island County may attend. This Fair will
offer a variety of resources from community agencies, school districts, and child care centers.
Representatives will be available to answer questions and assist families. Resources may include:
Free vision and hearing screenings for children ages 0-35 months
 Tour a school bus


Local organizations that are focused on providing family services
Visit the

Area school districts to answer questions (based on availability)

Age appropriate activities and summer learning ideas
Gardens

Door Prizes
AND SO MUCH MORE…. QUESTIONS?
CONTACT the Early Childhood Department at the Rock Island County Regional
Office of Education 309-736-1111
Early Learning Readiness Fair Sponsored by: