Lincoln Families,

Happy February! I hope you had a good weekend. Hopefully our Groundhog friend will not see his shadow this week, indicating an early spring!

With the beginning of February also comes the official planning season for the next school year!  We are excited for Kindergarten registration to begin this Friday, February 5.  If you or anyone you know has an eligible Kindergarten student  for the ’16-’17 school year, please be sure to swing by the Lincoln or D90 office to pick up a registration packet beginning this Friday.  Additionally, please mark the calendar for our Kindergarten Sneak-Peek on Tuesday, February 23, at 7:00PM.

A few weeks ago I shared some updates to our spring assessment calendar. Those dates have been modified yet again, so in the event you are planning appointments or a trip, below are the date ranges.  Optimal test times will be scheduled within these ranges for each grade and class.

Grades 3-4   PARCC:   April 18 – May 6

Grades 2-4   NWEA-MAP:   May 9 – 20

I am so excited about two upcoming inaugural events at Lincoln. Registration is starting tomorrow for International Fest, and the Junior Scientist Expo registration continues this week. Keep reading for more information. I am thrilled to support these wonderful opportunities for our kids.

Finally, you can do your part to help keep our kids safe during drop-off and pick-up by doing the following:

• Only use crosswalks to cross the street (regardless of where your home is located)
• No idling or parking in handicap spots or in the flow of traffic
• Remain in the line until all vehicles move forward
• Adhere to posted speed limits
• Students should only exit from the passenger side of vehicles.

As always, thanks for your continued support of our school. Please never hesitate to reach out if there is anything I can do to help you or your kids.

Have a great week.

CG

LINCOLN SPIRIT FRIDAY WINNERS:

Friday, January 22

• 1st- Mrs. Stasys
• 4th- Mr. Cheney

Friday, January 29

• 1st- Mrs. Stasys
• a TIE 3rd- McCole & 4th- DuMont

Calendar

Monday, 2/1:

• PTO Meeting 8:45am
• Heartworks Meeting at Lunch/Recess ONLY
• Yoga
• Tennis for Grades 1 & 2
• Coding Club

Tuesday, 2/2:

• Eagle Eyes Lunch Meeting
• Sports Camp

Wednesday, 2/3:

• Waste Free Lunch Wednesday
• Chess Club
• Tennis for Grades 3 & 4

Thursday, 2/4:

• Sports Camp

Friday, 2/5:

• Lincoln Spirit Day
• Registration Deadline for Jr. Scientist Expo
• Kindergarten Registration Begins for 2016-2017
• 4th Grade Field Trip to the Chicago History Museum
• Fun Lunch – Pizza

 

There is a PTO Meeting at Lincoln on Monday, Feb 1st at 8:45am.  All parents are welcome.

 

Last Call for Grades 3 & 4 Coding Club!

This is a repeat session of the fall club, and there are several openings still.

Meetings are after school on Mondays, 3:15 to 4:15 pm in the Lincoln School Library through May 2nd.

There is no cost for this club, but you must register on the PTO Web Store by NOON on Monday 2/1.

 

Questions?  Please contact Kristin Bailitz:  krsitinbailitz@gmail.com

 

International Festival Registration Opens 2/1

Waste Free Wednesdays – Volunteers Needed!

Want to see what really goes on in the lunchroom on a typical Wednesday? Volunteer as a G4G hand-stamper for 1 quick hour and see for yourself.  No experience necessary and training on this “waste-free” process will be provided.

Please sign up on Sign Up Genius.

The Green4Good Committee is encouraging “Waste Free” lunches every Wednesday until Earth Week in April. Students with waste free lunches will receive a hand stamp. Lunches that do not cause any waste to be thrown into the landfill will qualify. The key is to pack lunch items in containers that are reusable, recyclable or compostable! See the attached Zero waste lunch flyer for more information.

This is a fun and educational tool that helps Lincoln students learn about earth-friendly practices.

 

Lincoln K-4 Jr. Scientist Expo – Register Now!

What: Lincoln Elementary K-4th Jr. Scientist Expo

When:   Thursday, March 10th

• 6:15 pm display setup
• 6:30 – 7:30 pm  Presentations & prize drawings

Where: Lincoln Elementary Gymnasium

Are you MAD about SCIENCE?  Does the word EXPERIMENT make you BUBBLE over?  If this RAISES your TEMPERATURE then the Lincoln Jr. Scientist Expo is for you!  Groups of one, two or three Scientists can share a science project, completed at home, with friends and family.

All scientists will be recognized for their efforts and are eligible for prize drawings during the Expo – the grand prize is a real microscope!

Don’t wait…each participant must register at the PTO Web Store before February 5th for this free, Lincoln PTO sponsored, event.  If registering as part of a group, you must enter the names of all other group members.

CLICK Lincoln Jr Science Expo Flyer for more details and suggested website resources.

 

Connect4Kids Book Talk

In the winter months we think it may be time to curl up with a good book.  Order yourself a copy of:

Teach Your Children Well: Why Values and Coping Skills Matter More Than Grades, Trophies, or “Fat Envelopes” by Madeline Levine, Ph.D.

We invite Lincoln and Willard parents to our first Connect4Kids Parent Book Club onFebruary 11th, 2016, 7pm @ Lincoln School.

This talk will be moderated by Dr. Cara Lanza Hurley.  Dr. Hurley is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with nearly a decade of specialized training and expertise.  She will lead an intimate discussion encouraging us to reflect on insights from the book and process the art of parenting with peers.  We are delighted she will be facilitating our post book discussion as she comes to us with positive reviews after several parent book talks in Hinsdale.

Please RSVP here by February 8th.

Extra copies of this book will be available in the Lincoln and Willard offices if you want to stop by and check them out.

Jump Rope for Heart

Our school is proud to collaborate with the American Heart Association to help kids with special hearts!  Grades 1 through 4 will participate during PE.

Please return permission slips and donation envelopes on 2/10/16.

Kindergarten “Sneak-Peek” and Registration

Kindergarten registration for the 2016-2017 school year will open on February 5th.  Current Lincoln families can pick up registration packets in the Lincoln office.  New D90 families pick up registration packets at the D90 office.

Mark your calendar for our Kindergarten Sneak Peek:  February 23rd at 7:00 PM.

Lincoln PTO Auction

Save the date for our auction fundraiser – Friday, March 11, 2016

Please join us for an evening to support our PTO.
Food, Drinks, Friends, and Competition – bid on prizes for sports tickets, getaways and more!