1. education
2. school

Principal’s Report
April 27, 2015
6:30 p.m. in 104-Art Room
Attachments:
LSC Meeting Agenda, Principal’s Report, and LSC Minutes
Approvals: 2015 – 2016 Web-Base Educational Contracts
SGSA Budget Transfer: $3,500.00 for Miscellaneous Employee position for student tutoring.
School Usage: Sauganash Community Association Open Meeting Tuesday, May 19 at 7:00 Cafeteria
SelectivePrep for 2015-2016 school year
Attendance: All School Attendance Average for March was 95.9%
Announcements: Principal Book Talk: Thursday, May 28 at 8:15 Cafeteria Community conversation to
discuss this book.
Mindset: The New Psychology of Success; how we can learn to fulfill our potential. by Carol S.
Dweck, Ph.D.
Calendar: Friday, June 19 will be students last day of school; eighth grade graduation date has not
changed, Thursday June 11 at 4:00p.m. Summer break for students begins Monday, June 22.
PTA Volunteer Breakfast: Wednesday, April 29 at 8:15
PTA 50K Celebration: Friday, May 1 at Monastero’s from 6:00 – 10:00 p.m.
Teacher Appreciation Week: May 4 – 8
PTA Scholastic Book Fair: May 4 – 6 Book Fair Night, Wednesday, May 5th at 5:00 p.m.
Springfield Trip 7th Graders: Wednesday, May 6
PTA Meeting: Wednesday, May 6 at 6:30 p.m. in the cafeteria
Open House - School Tour: Thursday, May 12 at 9:00
4th Quarter Progress Notes sent home: for students performing unsatisfactory and receiving a grade lower
than a “C”
LSC Meeting, State of the School: Monday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Cafeteria
Sauganash Community Association Open Meeting: Tuesday, May 19 at 7:00 p.m.
Memorial Day – No School: Monday, May 25
8th Grade Algebra Test: Wednesday, May 27 for high school placement
Principal Book Talk Mindset: Thursday, May 28 8:15 a.m. in the cafeteria
PTA Meeting: Wednesday, June 3 at 6:30 p.m.
Edgebrook Library Summer Reading Program: Presentation by Sandy Art at 8:30 for K-4 students
Eighth Grade Boat Trip: Monday, June 8th
Eighth Grade Graduation: Thursday, June 11th at 4:00 p.m. on the front lawn
Kindergarten Celebration: Friday: June 19 at 8:30 in the Cafeteria
Last Day of School: Friday, June 19 summer break begins the end of the day for students
Instructional Leadership
PARCC: (EOY) End of the Year Assessment
The EOY assessment consists of innovative, short-answer questions and items to measure concepts and
skills. A schedule was sent home electronically and a hard copy was given to all 3-8 students. Students in
grades 6-8 will complete the assessment on their Chromebooks and students in grades 3-5 will complete
their assessment on paper form. PARCConline.org is an excellent resource for students, teachers and
parents. Sample questions are available, explanation of the assessment for parents is provided.
CPS Elementary Schedules: Sauganash CTU members voted April 15 on the schedule for the 2015-16
school year. Start and end times will remain the same with an 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Professional
Development flex days were also voted on and teachers decided to have two days at the beginning of the
year and one final day at the end of the year. Non-instructional minutes were also voted on, ten minutes
will be reserved for “homeroom responsibilities” i.e. student entrance, lockers and preparation for the
school day, taking attendance, and at 2:55 p.m. 5 minutes will be reserved to pack up backpacks. Passing
time, four minutes will be added to lunch and recess times allowing for a total of 49 minutes combined.
Funding Restored for Teacher Leaves: Funding was restored after a negative balance of $31,856.00 was
discovered on our budget. After contacting the Business Service Center an inquiry was made and
discovered CPS was not following their employee family/medical leave policy. CPS should pay for the
temporary assigned teacher’s salary for an employee on leave.
Mayor Emanuel Conference Call: Mayor Emanuel held a conference call for educational, religious and
civic leaders on April 10th. He expressed his gratitude and communicated his goals for the city
emphasizing neighborhood challenges and opportunities.
Improving Teaching and Learning CIWP Continuous Improvement Work Plan
 Teacher Observations: 20 teachers have completed the required observation cycles this includes
the (PAT) probationary assigned teachers that are required to be observed 4 times a year and nonPAT teachers are required a minimum of 2 observations a year. All observations will be
completed in advance of the deadline set by CPS and CTU, which is May 27, 2015.
 ILT (Instructional Leadership Team) focused on vertically aligning the Common Core reading and
writing standards including an emphasis on integrating writing in social studies and science. By
next meeting teachers will receive their current curriculum map and the year prior and proceeding
curriculums. Grade level teams were assigned to summarize curriculum goals for each grade level
and will share results with ILT members. A finalized curriculum outline will be provided to
parents on our website for the 2015-16 school year.
Student-Centered Learning Climate
Chromebooks Purchased for Third Grade Students: This completes our goal of having 1:1 technology for
students in grades 3-8 will all have their own chromebook to support instruction. Students in grades
kindergarten through second will have an iPad cart to share for each grade level.
8th Grade selects Erika’s Light House:
The Sauganash School 8th grade Walk to Wrigley Field was last week. Students walked 7 miles on a
beautiful day, but unfortunately the Cubs lost. Nevertheless the students and teachers had a great time.
For those that may not be aware, every year the 8th grade class walks from our school to Wrigley Field.
Over the past five years we have turned it into a walk-a-thon to raise money for a local charity. This year
the students presented various charities, but voted upon http://www.erikaslighthouse.org/ Erika's
Lighthouse. Erika's Lighthouse works primarily with schools and school age children helping to educate
them of the signs and symptoms of depression and anxiety, they are the beacon of hope for adolescent
depression.
The students decided to create a goal of $25, per student, to raise toward this organization. We believe
this to be a good experience for students to support an organization within their community, and not
expect anything in return. Students will collect funds only through the
website https://www.crowdrise.com/Sauganashwalktowrigley/fundraiser/ NO MONEY or CHECKS are
to sent to school. All funds should be directed through the above Crowdrise website. Our fundraising
efforts will last through May 17.
MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Support) SEL (Social and Emotional Learning) Grant: A grant was
written by Ms. Raich for the current programs we used this year, CHAMPS and Second Step, we will
receive additional training, materials and supported implementation for the 2015-16 school year will be
provided to our staff.
Algebra Exam: This year we have 25 8th graders taking the Algebra test for high school placement in May.
On average this is the same amount of students that qualify and in the past. We have had a high 95% rate
of passing. All eighth grade students receive algebra instruction and seventh grade students complete prealgebra instruction. Our success rate is one of the highest in Network One.
Professional Development and Human Resources Management
Principal, Literacy Leaders, and Math Leaders attended the 4th Institute on Common Core State Standards,
Star Lab PD, Tech and Learning seminar, FUNdations literacy program training, Sauganash teachers
observed teachers at another school to see how CAFÉ/D5 is implemented in first grade, Using Classroom
Walkthrough as a Tool for Continuous Improvement, Close Reading Strategies for English Language
Learners-Professional Learning Communities (PLC)
Parent Involvement and Community Partnerships
Principal Book Talk: Mindset “The New Psychology of Success – How we can learn to fulfill our
potential.”
Principal’s Coffee for 6th grade Parents was held on March 20th: Topics covered were basic budgeting,
how decisions are made for teaching positions, CPS curriculum mandates, and high school selection
process.
Sauganash Women’s Club Easter Egg Hunt was on March 28 at the Sauganash Park. We are very proud
of our sixth graders assisting in the egg hunt for the SWC
Legislator Support for DECO Grant: To help fund a new turf field for our school. See detailed info in in
School Management and Daily Operations.
School Management and Daily Operations
Turf Field: I have been working with my Network Chief, Area Facilities Manager to request from
Facilities to replace our grounds with a turf field. I’ve also requested a letter from Alderman Laurino in
support for Sauganash School to be granted funds for a turf field. I spoke with Sen. Silverstein that
advised me on how and from whom I am to make the request for a DECO Grant. I’ve been in contact
with Department Head of Operations; Pat Taylor agrees there is a need for proper drainage and to install a
turf field. Funding is our greatest hurdle. CPS has a new policy for school improvements the school is
required to raise 75% of the cost of the construction bid.
Internal Accounts
Notification of School Expenditures in Excess of $1,000, but Less than $9,999.99
At the Approval of school expenditures under $10,000.00
September 15, 2014 regular meeting, the LSC voted to allow the Principal to make individual
expenditures from $1,000 to $9,999.99 without LSC approval, such expenditures to be reported when
check is made and email will go to our committee members and notification will be made to the entire to
the LSC in writing in the next Principal’s Report, indicating the amount, nature and purpose of the
expenditure and the internal account from which such expenditure was taken.
Examples are: gym uniforms, textbooks and consumables for students, pictures and yearbooks for
students, cookie dough fundraisers, etc.
Athletic jerseys were purchased for multiple after school sports programs from Windy City Silk-screening
for $1,073.82 on April 22, 2015 from the Athletics line. There was a balance of $4,419.22 in the Athletics
line in the internal accounts.
Technology Acquisitions Leasing Program
Total FY16 Annual Payment Due $1,164.00
This is the last year for our payment on the computers in the computer lab. These funds are automatically
taken from our FY2016 budget.
Contract Approvals: Web-Base Educational Contracts for 2015-2016 school year
BrainPop
Compass Learning
Discovery Education
IXL Learning – Math
ThinkCERCA
Tumbleweed
Weebly – Websites
Typing Club
$2,095.00
$3,600.00
$1,600.00
$2,240.00
$9636.00
$ 359.00
$ 575.00
12 Months
12 Months
12 Months
18 Months
12 Months
12 Months
12 Months
K-8
K-8
K-8
5-8
5-8
K-2
K-8
School Usage
Sauganash Community Association: Open Meeting, Tuesday, May 19 at 7:00 p.m. in the Cafeteria and
Principal led school tour
School Usage 2015-2016 school year
Selective Prep September 2015- Eighth Grade Selective Enrollment Exam
Winter March – May 4, 2016 Seventh Grade NWEA-MAP exam prep