Lincoln Families,

I hope you had a great weekend! Despite the frigid temperatures, it sure was nice to see the sun shining! Welcome to the final ten days of school this calendar year. Here are a few things to keep in mind over the next few weeks.

Morning drop off and afternoon pick-up are always very busy and generally times when we are in a rush. However, its very important to keep safety at the forefront of our actions. Therefore, please be sure to exercise caution, patience and situational awareness to ensure the safety of our kids. Please keep the following in mind:
-Always use cross-walks when crossing the street (adults and students)
-Students should only exit a vehicle from the passenger side
-All vehicle’s should remain in the line even after students have exited the car.
-Drive slowly and be aware of surroundings

Hopefully, by now you have marked December 21 on your calendar and you’ll be in attendance for our annual Winter Concerts.
1st- 9:45
2nd- 1030
3rd- 1:00
4th- 1:45
Dismissal- 2:30

Also, during the week of December 17, classes will be holding their Winter parties. Like our Fall parties, PTO will be providing snacks from the D90 list of approved food items. Therefore, please refrain from sending any food or candy to school for these celebrations.

If you haven’t yet done so, please don’t forget to take a few moments to participate in the Illinois 5 essentials survey. All teachers and District students in grades 4-8 will be participating in this survey. Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will contribute to a better understanding of the conditions of our schools and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will not be connected to you or your child. To take the survey, please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and select the appropriate survey to begin. This online survey can be accessed from a PC/laptop, smart phone, or tablet. If you have more than one child enrolled in a District 90 school, you may take one survey for each child regardless of the school.

I look forward to celebrating the final student birthday’s of 2018 at the December Principal Birthday Lunch on Thursday, December 13.

As always, thanks for your continued support of Lincoln. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there is anything more I can do to support your kids or family. Have a great week. CG

Quote of the Week:
“Be bold in your caring, be bold in your dreaming and above all else, always do your best.” ~ President George H. W. Bush

Calendar:
Thurs: Principal Birthday Lunch

Lincoln Spirit Wear:

• 1st/2nd- Mrs. Mayer
• 3rd/4th- Ms. Baiocchi

Calendar

DON’T FORGET 12/21 HOLIDAY CONCERTS! See Casey’s note for times.

Monday, December 10:

• Mitten Tree
• Fall sports camp (grades 1/2): 3:10-4pm, gym

Tuesday, December 11:

• Mitten Tree

Wednesday, December 12:

• Mitten Tree
• Waste Free Wednesday
• Fall sports camp (grades 3/4): 3:10-4pm, gym

Thursday, December 13:

• Mitten Tree
• Principal Birthday Lunch

Friday, December 14:

• Mitten Tree
• Lincoln School Spirit Day
• Chicken Tenders Fun Lunch

Please Donate to the Heartworks Mitten Tree!

Heartworks is sponsoring an annual holiday tradition at Lincoln: our Mitten Tree, which will benefit Hephzibah.

Lincoln families can donate NEW kids-sized mittens, gloves, hats, and scarves.

Students can hang their donations on the Tree in the Park Avenue lobby until December 14th.

Lincoln K-4th Jr. Scientist Expo – registration now open!

The Lincoln Elementary K-4th Jr. Scientist Expo will be Thursday, January 31 –  the displays will be available for viewing by students and staff during the day, and for family and friends in the evening from 6:30 – 7:30pm.  Registration on the PTO Web Store closes on Friday, December 21.

We still need volunteers for the Expo – sign up on the PTO signup genius.

Hosts needed for Lincoln International Festival

Are you from another country or do you have a special connection to another country? Please volunteer for Lincoln’s Fourth Annual International Festival on Sunday, February 24 from 1-4 pm. You will tell small groups of Lincoln students about your favorite country in 20 minute segments through crafts, hands on activities, sport, or dance. Help us make this day a success by sharing your passion for another country.

If interested, please fill out this Google form.

Wednesday Walking Club Will Resume in January

Young Authors 2019 – calling all writers in grades 1-4!!

Come to Wonder Writers any Friday morning or just ask Mrs. Moriarty for more information.

Lincoln School Auction Committee meeting 12/13

Planning is underway for the annual Lincoln auction to be held this spring.  The auction committee will meet next Thursday, December 13, at 7pm at 522 Park Avenue.  We’d like to specifically invite those who signed up to be on the committee and those who volunteered last year.  Anyone else interested in joining is also welcome to attend!

Winter/Spring Fun Lunch registration opens 12/31

Winter/Spring Fun Lunch registration will open on the PTO webstore on 12/31. Don’t get stuck making lunches on Fridays this spring!

Winter Sports Registration Opens Sunday 12/16

Looking for a way for the kids to run off some energy during the cold weather? Back by popular demand: winter sports camp by Legacy Sports. Kids will play games like Battleship, Dodge Ball and Keep Up the Yard, while learning sportsmanship, respect and teamwork.

$80. Spaces limited.

The sports camp is open to all grades on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Tuesdays:
1/8, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5, 2/19, 2/26
Thursdays:
1/10, 1/17, 1/24, 1/31, 2/7, 2/14

The program is run by Legacy Sports and will take place in the gym. Registration will open on the PTO webstore on Sunday 12/16.

Winter Yoga Registration Opens Sunday 12/16

Calling all Yogis! Adrienne Smith and Laurie Solberg of Family Flow Yoga will teach a yoga class for 1st – 4th grade students on Mondays in the Gym. The program will provide children with an opportunity to foster greater self-awareness and improve their concentration and self-confidence. The team will introduce the children to the fundamentals of yoga and incorporate social-emotional themes.

Yoga will take place on Mondays from 3:15 to 4:15. Registration opens on the PTO webstore on Sunday 12/16.

Space is limited to 26 students. $80 for 6 classes.

Dates are: 1/14, 1/28, 2/4, 2/11, 2/25, 3/11

Winter Tennis Registration Opens Sunday 12/16

Tennis will be taught by Mirka and Luka Bagos, professional coaches of Play For Lot, outside on the Franklin-side playground (weather permitting). If it’s too cold, tennis will meet in the Gym.
The program welcomes children of all skill levels. Children need to wear gym shoes and comfortable clothes. No racket needed.
Who & When:
Grades 1 and 2 meet on WEDNESDAYS 3:15 to 4:15 pm on the following dates: 1/9, 1/16, 1/23, 1/30, 2/6, 2/13 ($80 for 6 lessons)
Grades 3 and 4 meet on MONDAYS 3:15 to 4:15 pm on the following dates: 1/7, 1/14, 1/28, 2/4, 2/11, 2/25 ($80 for 6 lessons)

Reminder: 2nd grade harmonica fee

Second grade parents, please remember to pay your child’s $12 harmonica class fee on the PTO webstore if you haven’t already done so.  This is a mandatory class for all 2nd graders, who be learning to play the harmonica in January. The price includes the price of one harmonica and the music book. Thank you!

Fridays are for LINCOLN SCHOOL SPIRIT

Show your Lincoln school spirit by wearing Lincoln gear or lots of RED on Fridays for a weekly Spirit Wear Challenge. Make sure your Lincoln wardrobe is ready! The classroom with the most students wearing Lincoln gear will be awarded a small prize. Two classrooms will be awarded every Friday, one class from 1st/2nd and one class from 3rd/4th grade.

Lincoln event photos wanted

The yearbook committee would love any photos you took of the following events:

• • PanK Run Breakfast & 5K
  • Halloween Parade & Classroom Parties
  • Lincoln Walking Club

If you have photos you’d like to share please use this Google drive link.

When uploading photos, we ask that you please follow the folder naming structure so we know which event/classroom to attribute the photos to:

[Event_Name] Photos from [Your_Name]

[Teacher_Name] Photos from [Your_Name]

Don’t forget to clip Box Tops for Education coupons!

Each one is worth $0.10 for Lincoln Elementary! Box Tops can be found on hundreds of products from brands like these: General Mills, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Ziploc, Kleenex, Hefty.  For a complete list of participating brands click here. There are BoxTop collection boxes available in classrooms and the main office.

Purchase with purpose ~ you shop, Amazon donates!

Simply visit http://smile.amazon.com/ch/36-4043619 to shop and Amazon will donate a % of eligible purchases back to Lincoln PTO of River Forest District 90. Every item available for purchase on Amazon.com is also available on AmazonSmile. You will see eligible products marked “Eligible for AmazonSmile donation” on the product detail pages. Thank you for your continued support of the Lincoln PTO!  The name to search is “Lincoln Parent-Teacher Organization of River Forest”.

One Earth Young Filmmakers Contest – submissions accepted now through 1/31/2019!

Encourage your child (and friends!) to make a 3 to 8 minute film about one of 6 sustainability topics: energy, food, transportation, waste, water, or open space/ecosystems. They should show a problem with their topic and then a solution.

Prizes are $100 for grades 3 to 5, $200 for grades 6 to 8, $350 for grades 9 to 11, and up. In addition, the winners will receive a matching grant to donate to a non-profit that supports the theme of their film. All winning films will premiere at the Gene Siskel Center as part of the One Earth Film Festival in March 2019.

For more information and to watch a 1.5 minute video explaining the contest, go here: https://www.oneearthfilmfest.org/contest-details/