Lincoln Families,

Welcome to the most exciting week of the year!  Hopefully your family took advantage of the perfect Chicago weather this past weekend to savor every last moment of Summer ’19!  While I’m personally still a bit in denial about the end of summer, I couldn’t be more excited to welcome your kids back to Lincoln in just a few days!

Since the beginning of summer break, countless behind the scene efforts have been in motion to prepare for the return of your kids and the beginning of another adventure at our Fine Fine School!  As you return your kids to school you will notice the following additions/upgrades:

• newly installed public address system and school bells
• new furniture in all 4th grade classrooms
• updated painting in 1st floor hallways
• TV in Lincoln Lounge to serve as a virtual art exhibit showing student art work
• GaGa ball pit and funnel ball playground equipment

Please accept my apologies for the delay in the delivery of the class assignment emails this past week. I realize this mishap caused some anxiety and frustrations for several families and I appreciate your patience and support as we worked through the glitches. We learned a few lessons along the way that will aide us in being more efficient in the future.

It will be a busy week in our community. In addition to the First Day of School excitement, I, Ms. Gerges and the entire faculty are excited to welcome you to the Back to School Picnic on Thursday evening, August 29.

Whether you are a new family to our school community or a veteran family, please be sure to review the attached Lincoln School FAQ as a review of some previously existing procedures and the introduction of some new information.  Also attached are District 90’s food and snack guidelines and Safe Walking Routes to School Report, as referenced in the FAQ.

Please remember:

• The First day of school is Wednesday, August 28 and it is a FULL day for student attendance – 8:20-3:10. Families are welcome to escort their child to their classroom on the first day of school.
• There will be NO FUN LUNCH on Friday, August 30.

Again, welcome back to school! Please don’t hesitate to reach out if there is anything Ms. Gerges and I can do to better support your family. We are so excited to see your kids on Wednesday! Happy School Year!

CG and CG

Quote of the Week: “The best way to predict the future, is to create it.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

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Calendar

Sunday, August 25: World Languages Registration NOW OPEN

Monday, August 26:

• New Family Welcome Night: 6pm, Lincoln Auditorium (kids are welcome)

Wednesday, August 28:

• FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: full day for 1-4
• Kindergarten Orientation: AM: 8:15-9am, PM: 10:15-11am
• Back to School Coffee on the Park playground

Thursday, August 29:

• First day of kindergarten
• Back To School Picnic: 5:30-7pm, Franklin side

Monday, September 2:

• Labor Day – NO SCHOOL
• Lincoln Log will be published 9/2 (not 9/1)

Wednesday, September 4:

• PTO Meeting: 8:45am, multipurpose room

Thursday, September 12:

• Back to School Open House: 6:30pm

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New Family Orientation – Monday, 8/26 at 6pm!

Are you new to Lincoln this year? Please join us for a new family orientation session on Monday, August 26 at 6pm in the Lincoln Auditorium.  The session will include a presentation by Mr. Godfrey and a tour of the school, kids are welcome!  Contact Lauren Behan or Megan Kinsella with any questions!

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Back to School Picnic – Thursday, 8/29 from 5:30-7pm – volunteers needed!

Join us for the Back to School Picnic on Thursday, 8/29 from 5:30-7:00 pm on the Franklin Playground! Meet families in your class and welcome new Lincoln families. Bring a blanket and a picnic dinner.

There will be multiple inflatable games, dunk tank with Mr. Godfrey (!), and sidewalk chalk!

All activity tickets are $1 – proceeds go to the PTO!

Volunteers are needed for the picnic – sign up here!  Contact Lauren Behan or Megan Kinsella with any questions.

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Lincoln Spiritwear

Shop for Spirit Wear!  Show your Lincoln spirit with t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and more while raising funds for our school. The Lincoln PTO receives a percentage of the sale proceeds.

Be on the look out for a flyer coming home in our first Friday folder on 8/30 or order online here. All orders will ship directly to Lincoln and will be given to your child to bring home.

Please direct any questions to Jennifer Nelson (jennifernelson77@gmail.com). Thank you for your support!

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School Supplies 

If you ordered School Supplies through the PTO, they will be delivered to your child’s classroom.

 

 

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Webstore is open!

The Lincoln PTO webstore is NOW OPEN. Parents need Teacher Assignments and Student ID, which have been emailed out.

Here are a few of the activities you can sign up for:

• PTO Activity Fee – The Lincoln PTO thrives on adding value in support of our children’s education and the teachers and staff who are their guides through this journey. Our success is contingent upon your contribution. Please help support our efforts with this $25 donation, available on the PTO Web Store. Your funds help provide classroom supplies and technology, support student clubs, field trips and special family events, and so much more.
• 2nd Grade Harmonica – The PTO sponsors harmonica lessons for all second grade students during the school day. We pay for the teacher and ask parents to pay for the harmonica. Please add this $12 fee to your shopping basket on the PTO Web Store.
• 2nd Grade Bike Safety – Fall is the time to brush up on bike safety for 2nd graders as well as any child new to Lincoln! This is an informative and fun after school event. Officer Glenn Czernik of the River Forest Police Department conducts a fun, informative and hands-on-the-handlebars bike safety workshop. Second graders are strongly encouraged to complete the workshop and become regular bike riders for the remainder of their Lincoln Eagle days. Classes will be offered after school on the playground on September 4 and September 5. Sign up for one session on the Webstore.
• Theater Club – Theater Club for 3rd and 4th graders will be held on the first and third Tuesday of every month.  The goal is to introduce the children to the how-to’s of theater and give them a base they can build on once they reach Roosevelt School. Some of the subjects to be covered include vocal and physical warm-ups, theater games, improvisation, theater terms, scene study, and auditions. The students will learn that the theater always should be a safe place to express themselves. They will become comfortable living onstage and head toward the more structured Roosevelt experience with confidence and excitement. Contact Carl Bergetz (cbergetz@gmail.com) with questions.
• 4th Grade Activities Fee – The PTO sponsors and organizes a breakfast and T-shirt for 4th graders. This $25 fee covers the costs. Please add this fee to your shopping basket on the PTO Web Store.
• 4th Grade Heartworks Service Club – Heartworks is a community service group for 4th graders that will engage in activities designed to 1) heighten awareness of the needs of others in the Lincoln community, as well as the needs of those around the world; 2) create an environment where service becomes a natural part of students’ everyday lives; and 3) provide opportunities for leadership. Generally, Heartworks will meet once per month including a few after school outside field trips.
• 4th Grade Lunchtime Leaders Program – Lunchtime Leaders assist students during the 1st and 2nd grade lunch period. They walk around the cafeteria assisting students in opening milk, supplying various items, answering questions and supporting arrival and dismissal. Depending on student interest level, students will average two lunch periods per month. A monthly calendar is created and distributed to 4th grade Lunchtime Leaders. On their assigned day, Lunchtime Leaders are also allowed to sit at the Lunchtime Leader table and invite any friend to join them.

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FUN LUNCH!

Fun lunch registration is NOW OPEN on the webstore. You may choose 1, 2, 3 or all 4 meal options. The cost for each lunch averages $6. Regular fun lunch registration will close on September 2. Late registration with an extra $15 fee will be available until September 10.

Fun lunch options for 2019/2020 will be:

• Week 1: an extra large slice of cheese pizza
• Week 2: Pasta Marinara OR Macaroni and Cheese
• Week 3: Chicken Tenders OR Grilled Cheese Sandwich
• Week 4: Hamburger OR Cheeseburger OR Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Friday, September 6 will be the first day of fun lunch and it will be FREE pizza for all students.

Fun lunch would not be possible without the help of volunteers to serve the meal! Please sign up to volunteer. It’s a great way to see your child and interact with other parents to make everyone’s favorite PTO program happen.

Questions? Please contact Ashley Bryce (ashleyfb92@yahoo.com) or Cathy O’Neill (cathy102976@yahoo.com).

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Lincoln PTO World Languages Program – Registration NOW OPEN

The PTO World Languages Program is an optional, supplemental language program offered at Lincoln School. This program offers your child an opportunity to learn a new language and experience the culture of another country. During the Lincoln School year, French, Italian, Mandarin Chinese and Spanish are all offered as options for students to learn. Weekly class options to choose from are before school, during lunch and after school and are available for all 1st through 4th grade students. Registration through the WebStore IS NOW OPEN.

• Cost: $175
• Number of sessions: 28
• Morning Classes meet from 7:30-8:15 am
• Lunch-Recess Classes meet from 11:30 am-12:25 pm
• After School Classes meet from 3:15-4:00 pm

Classes begin the week of Sept. 9th and end the 3rd week in April through the beginning of May, depending on the class and sessions missed due to holidays.

The primary goal of the Lincoln PTO’s World Languages Program is to capitalize on the important windows of opportunity for language acquisition which many studies show exist in young children, and to do so in a fun and stimulating environment! Children in the program acquire listening skills and develop the basis for conversation. They are also exposed to the cultures of the countries in which their chosen language is spoken. To meet these objectives, the instructors incorporate games, songs, art projects, story telling, play-acting, and other teaching methods appropriate for elementary level students. English is used as little as possible. The World Languages program is facilitated by instructors who are native speaking and/or have global language instructional backgrounds. Instructional materials are rotated to ensure that students do not receive the same curriculum within a language level. Textbooks and other materials, carefully selected by the instructors, are used in class and included in the class fee.

Unsure about which language or level to sign your child up for?
​The World Languages Program is designed to introduce the fundamentals of world languages and cultures to children before they are required to choose a world language as a core element of their education at Roosevelt Middle School. The World Languages Program offers two broad approaches to language learning:

● Approach 1:  Your child could choose a different language option each year at Lincoln, thereby sampling and gaining insights into each, being able to make a more informed choice as to which single language they would prefer to commit to at Roosevelt Middle School.
Please note that Mandarin Chinese is not currently offered at Roosevelt Middle School, but has been added to the Lincoln World Languages lineup in the spirit of broadening students’ world views and by popular demand.

● Approach 2:  Your child might decide to use the three years exposure to the World Languages Program at Lincoln to focus on only one language, i.e. Spanish, Italian, or French, thereby gaining more advanced knowledge of that specific language prior to moving on to Roosevelt.
Please use your best judgment about what is the right approach for your child(ren) and feel free to contact the World Languages Committee for guidance.
Please keep in mind that most beginner classes open to Grade 1 – 4 tend to be filled with younger students. Frequently fourth graders are unhappy in a class with predominantly first and second graders and this is something you may want to discuss with your child prior to enrollment. Also, note that during the first two weeks of the program, your child’s ability will be re- assessed by the World Languages teachers, and at that stage recommendations may be made for level switches, if deemed necessary, by the World Languages teachers and/or yourself.

All participating families are expected to complete the World Languages Code of Conduct form. World Languages fees are not refundable once classes begin.  Questions? Please email lincolnworldlanguage@gmail.com

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Chef Du Jour

No fee! It will run the whole year September through End of May! No limit on how many can join!

Boys and girls, Mr. Taylor’s “Chef Du Jour” class is back! This popular class meets on Mondays at lunch from September 9 thru May 18, 2020 in the LLC.

This great program will focus on

• Reading recipes
• Measurement – both standard and metric
• Cooking and baking terms and vocabulary
• Observing and learning about equipment used in cooking and baking!

All this while using no food in our classroom!  That’s right! Due to many allergies there will be no food products brought into the classroom!  Class projects will be completed at home with adult supervision. Through the use of pictures you will share with our class your finished projects!

Chef hats and aprons will be provided at no cost!

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Green 4 Good Club

Registration NOW OPEN on the webstore!

Green4Good is District 90’s Sustainability Committee with parent-led teams at each of our three schools. Last year, Lincoln launched Green4Good Kids, a club open to 3rd graders interested in learning more about sustainability and environmental stewardship in our community. We had a great inaugural year including: Trash Talk from George Strom of the Roy Strom Company; Stories from an Eco Adventurer’s Trip to Bali; and Love Food Not Waste with SugarBeet Food Co-op.

If your 3rd grader would like to be a Green4Good Kid, registration opens Thursday, August 22! Meetings are at school from 3:15-4:15 on the 3rd Monday of each month (with the exception of January and February when meetings fall on the 4th Monday due to school holidays).

Our first meeting this year is on September 16. Lincoln’s new G4G Kids will be joined by last year’s club members and together they will plant two new pollinator gardens with the Deep Roots Project.

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Lincoln’s Green4Good co-chairs, Alexis Murphy and Renee Sichlau, or Theresa Dubois, Green4Good Kids Faculty Sponsor.

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HERO Boys Running Club

HERO Boys is a youth development and engagement program for 3rd & 4th grade boys. Throughout the 8 week course the boys are taught the skills needed to complete the Lincoln 5K(3.2 mi) held on October 26 at the Pancake Breakfast. Using running as a base activity HERO Boys inspires boys to discover the character and courage that resides inside each one of them to be brave, stand for that which is right, and use their talents and strengths to lead and set the positive example amongst their peers. Each week a different topic is covered and speakers are brought in to discuss the various characteristics that make someone a HERO. Beginning September and ending October 28, HERO Boys will meet Mondays from 3:20-4:20 p.m. Maximum of 20 participants.  Register now at https://www.heroboys.org/il. 

Contact Anne Gall annegall3@gmail.com with questions.

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New this year: the Lincoln News Crew!

The Lincoln News Crew will be open to 4th graders and will meet on Mondays from 3:15 – 4:15. Students will flex their critical thinking skills and take turns being writers, designers and photographers when they create and publish a school newspaper at the end of the semester!

Students will learn how news is produced and explore topics such as:
– what are different types of news content (features, profiles, editorials) and how do we differentiate between them?
– How are daily, weekly, and monthly publications different? What does each offer?

Guest speakers and a virtual field trip to the Newseum in Washington, DC are being planned. Club meetings will be starting on 9/23. We will open up registration for this club on 9/15.

Please email Elizabeth Condon (elizabethg.condon@gmail.com) with any questions.

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The Library Lowdown

All students received a checklist of fun places and ways to read at the end of school (e.g., read in their pajamas/on a plane). They can turn that list into the library the first week of school for a small prize. I have attached the list if you need another copy.

Where did you read – send in a photo

Please send me (brauweilerd@district90.org) a copy of your child reading before school starts. Their photo will be in the back-to-school presentation and posted in the library. They love seeing their friends (and themselves) in all the ways they read!

Lost Books

If you have a Lincoln Library book floating around your house and you found it over the summer, please return it to the school as soon as possible. We appreciate your persistence in locating all lost books.

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Calling all 1st grade Daisies!

Lincoln’s 1st grade Daisy Troop 45928 will be resuming meetings soon!  Meetings will be held at Lincoln the first Thursday of the month from 6:30-7:30.  Please contact co-leaders Amy Bowen (amyarmond@yahoo.com) and Diana Jacquez (dloshen@gmail.com) if your child is interested in joining our troop and/or about becoming a parent volunteer.  We welcome returning and new girls and parents and look forward to hearing from you.