Lincoln Families,

I hope you had a great weekend. I enjoyed a quick trip down to St. Louis to celebrate an early Easter and my early birthday with the Godfreys.  Hopefully the monsoonal rains and gloomy weather of last week will make way for more springtime sunshine this week.

Our 3rd and 4th graders will begin participating in the annual PARCC  (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers) Assessment this week. PARCC assesses students in the area of ELA (English Language Arts) and Mathematics. Don’t forget, a good night’s rest, a healthy breakfast, as well as exercise, always give students the best advantage of maximizing their potential on any school day and especially on testing days. The PARCC schedule for Lincoln is posted below. Should your child miss any testing day, we will conduct all make-ups during the week of April 24-28.

Last week I sent the attached letter to all families regarding class placements for the 2017-18 school year.  Class Placement Letter 17-18

Calendar

Monday, 4/10:  

• PARCC testing for Grades 3 & 4
• Coding Club (grades 2-4) during recess – library
• Yoga, 3:15-4:15 pm in the Gym

Tuesday, 4/11:

• PARCC testing for Grades 3 & 4
• Girls on the Run – 3:10-4:15 – gym

Wednesday, 4/12:

• PARCC Testing for Grades 3 & 4
• Pack a Waste-Free Lunch
• Fun Lunch for 4th GRADE ONLY
• Principal Birthday Lunch 4th GRADE ONLY

Thursday, 4/13:

• Girls on the Run – 3:10-4:15 – gym
• Chicken/Veggie Burger Fun Lunch Grades 1-3
• Principal Birthday Lunch Grades 1-3
• 4th Grade Field Trip to MSI
• Author David Biedrzycki visit Grades K-3
• PTO Night at Old School Tavern 7:00-9:00 pm

Friday, 4/14:  NO SCHOOL 

 

Connect4Kids PARCC Bonus Recess Support

C4K is creating a bonus recess for the third and fourth graders during PARCC testing. We are reaching out to PTO members in the hopes of filling the volunteer time slots. You do not need to have a child in third or fourth grade to volunteer.  Please see our Sign Up Genius schedule.

Please come rain or shine. Arrive a few minutes early to sign in at the office and meet on the black top on the Franklin side. If it is raining the school secretary will share the alternate plan at sign in.

Casey, the teachers, and the C4K group thank you in advance for supporting this initiative!

SchoolKidz Supply Kits are now available to order for the 2017-2018 School Year!

The Lincoln PTO sponsors a School Supply Kit process to simplify your life! You can order a school supply kit online and the kit will be delivered to your child’s classroom in August before school starts. Orders are online only and they are only accepted in April. The PTO does not buy extra kits, so if you miss the deadline, you will be unable to order the prepackaged kit. The supplier cannot accept late orders. Please remember to buy a kit for NEXT YEAR’s Grade Level.

Order your kits on the SchoolKidz website:   www.shopttkits.com
Lincoln Account Number: 20838

The DEADLINE for ordering kits is APRIL 28.  Don’t Delay!

Food Drive – CAN DO Community Challenge through April 21st

Join Heartworks and Lincoln school for the  CAN DO Community challenge! We will be collecting donations for the Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry in conjunction with many other schools and churches in our community.  Let’s work together to help our neighbors in need!  We will be collecting donations from April 10 – 21.  You will get donation bags from your teacher the week of April 10.  We CAN DO this!   Thank you for your support.

Join the 2017/2018 PTO Team!

The mission of the PTO is to support and enhance the education of the children at Lincoln School. But without input, ideas and support from the families at Lincoln, fulfilling this mission is not possible. As we begin to plan for the 2017-18 school year, we invite parents to join us from 7:00-9:00 pm on Thursday, April 13 at Old School Tavern and Grill (201 Des Plaines Ave, Forest Park). Beer, wine and light appetizers will be offered from 7-9, to share ideas and show support for activities and events organized by the PTO.

There is a lot you can do for the PTO and for Lincoln School whether you are a working parent or a stay at home parent. Volunteers opportunities are available for events taking place at school during the week or on weekends. And opportunities are available for you to work on from the comfort of your own home while younger children nap.

Spread the word and bring a friend! We hope to see you on April 13th at Old School Tavern and Grill! Thank you for your continued support of the Lincoln PTO! Please click here to view the list of positions available for the 2017-18 school year.

 Author David Biedrzycki Coming to Lincoln on Thursday!

Lincoln School will be hosting Author / Illustrator David Biedrzycki on Thursday morning.  Afternoon kindergarten classes are invited to come to the 10:00 am presentation.

All K – 3 students received a book order form.  This form is used if they would like to purchase books that are personalized. Here is a link to the form.

There is a quick turnaround due to the author’s schedule; all forms should be turned in by Thursday if you want personalized books.  After Thursday, you will still receive a book, it just may not be personalized (it will still be signed by the author).

He is the author/illustrator of the following series:  Ace Lacewing, Breaking News: Bear Alert (last year’s Monarch winner) and Me and My Dragon.  He has also illustrated many books with Jerry Pallotta.  You can see more of his books by googling:  david biedrzycki books   (his website is http://www.davidbiedrzycki.com)

Wonder Writers Meet Again Friday 4/21

Mrs. Moriarty & Staff will facilitate creative writing opportunities for our students in Grades 1 through 4.   No RSVP is needed; enter through Park Doors.

Parents Needed for Grading and Report Card Focus Groups

As part of the 2015-20 Strategic Plan, the District is in the initial stages of researching and developing a multi-year plan that will lead to the implementation of a standards-based student progress reporting system. The District is holding three focus group discussions about revising the District’s report card and grading protocols: one each for parents/caregivers, faculty, and students. I would like to invite you to take part in the session for parents/caregivers. The conversation will take place on Thursday, April 13 from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. in the Lincoln Elementary School Multi-Purpose Room.

The focus group will provide an opportunity for you to share your perspective about how the District currently communicates information about student progress, student strengths, and areas needing improvement. District 90 will conduct the parent/caregiver focus group with the goal of better understanding whether our current method of providing student performance feedback is clear and coherent with enough detail. We’re interested in whether our grading practices reflect the information that is relevant to families about continued student advancement.

Dr. Alison Hawley, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, and I will lead the focus group. Members of the Superintendent’s Leadership Council (SLC) will also attend the session. Our goal is to have a session with 10-12 total participants. After all the sessions are completed, the findings will be used to assist in the eventual implementation of a standards-based progress reporting system. Along with improved communications to our families, the revised progress reporting practices will also align our protocols with the current and future instructional standards.

If you would like to take part in the focus group on Thursday, April 13 starting at 5:30 p.m., please contact Dawne Simmons, Communications and Community Outreach Coordinator, at 708-366-7340 x8028 or simmonsd@district90.org

Thank you in advance for your ongoing partnership and consideration!

Lincoln Yearbooks

Lincoln Yearbooks are available for order on the PTO Web Store until May 24th or while supplies last.  Books will be distributed at the Ice Cream Social on June 2nd.