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Message from the Superintendent
The New Year is here! It didn't start out the way I would hope. The New Year filled with promise and hope and filled with energy for the future was instead marred by tragedy for our community with the death of Delaney O'Connell. I want to thank our entire school district community for coming together to show its support and condolences for the O'Connell family. Our district has lost a precious student, friend and playmate, and the O'Connell family has been changed forever. Life for them will never be the same and New Year will always be thought of differently.
It is unfortunately times like this that reminds us too, that we should remember all our families who have experienced a loss, a death in their family. Communities are wonderful about providing the much-needed support in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy, but we naturally return to everyday life. It is situations like this that sharply remind me that a quick note to someone during especially important times of the year such as holidays, anniversary of a death, or other significant events is important to let the person or family know that you are thinking of them. I truly believe we don't "get over" someone's death; especially a child's. We may carry on with our life and go through the motions; the pain may become slightly less sharp, but it is always there.
So my wish, my resolution for this year, for our community and for myself is to not take life for granted AND to reach out to those who have suffered a loss. I want to be better at reaching out throughout the year to let them know that I, that we, are thinking about them. For many of us, the immediate shock and sadness regresses after we have had time to process the "reality" of what has happened. For the family in crisis, life never returns to "normal." Many in our district will never know the O'Connells, but we all know people who have suffered a tragedy or a loss. As a caring and giving society, we owe it to those around us to demonstrate ongoing care and concern to those who silently suffer long after the tragedy, long after the loss, has happened.
"People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." -Maya Angelou
Kyle
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Teaching and Learning Department
"Every crystal is a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated."
-Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley
Winter in the Midwest usually includes some degree of snow. This month the Teaching and Learning Department would like to spotlight the natural variation that is found in each learner. Like snowflakes, no two children are alike. Key differences lie in intellectual readiness, interest, personality, timing of growth, and family background. Because of this fact, students must have access to a variety of experiences and instructional approaches at school and at home.
To better meet the unique needs of our students, District 102 employs many programs and teaching strategies. This list includes - differentiation, genius hour, guided reading groups/leveled libraries, passion projects, personalized learning, Response to Intervention/Tiered Services, Special Education, student choice, and the Talent Development Program.
Capitalizing on individual student interest can be a great motivator. Here's some links that you might find valuable as a family.
Mr. Bentley says it best when we apply his "snowflake thinking" to children:
"I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others."
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Save the Date: Science Expo on March 4, 2017
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Have you tried an interesting experiment at home?
Have you invented something new?
Have you explored or learned about a science topic or idea?
Do you have an awesome science collection to share?
Bring it to EXPO and share it with your teachers, friends and neighbors!
Who: All students grades K-6
When: Saturday, March 4 from 9:00 am - Noon
(Set-up is Friday, March 3rd from 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm)
Where: Forest Road School Gymnasium
Cost: No cost to participate
To register:
click here. Register by Feb. 15th to guarantee your t-shirt size.
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District 102 STEM Night 2017
All 5th and 6th grade students are invited to attend our STEM Night.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) professionals from our local community will be offering short presentations, hands on activities and engaging d
emonstrations.
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Congress Park School
9311 Shields, Brookfield
Keynote Presenter-Cryogenics Show, Mr. Freeze of Fermilab. This show will teach us about the fascinating field of supercooling. Fermilab engineers use liquid nitrogen to supercool magnets for least resistance; other industries use supercooling too. Learn about this cool field.
Following the keynote presentation, students will be able to select 3 presentations to attend. Some planned presentations include:
Morton Arboretum presents the life of a tree
Shedd Aquarium and exploring underwater
Loyola University and Cells
Navigant Consulting presents energy and its sources
Explore robotics
IMSA Fusion activities
STEM Night is free but you need to register. Please click here to register.
We will email you the complete program of presentations one week prior to the STEM Night. This is an event for 5th and 6th grade students only. Parents may join us but are not required to attend. Please return promptly at 8:30 pm for pickup.
Questions? Please contact Virginia Hohl at the Science Center at 708-215-6405 or hohlvi@sd102.org.
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A Special Note from Cossitt Sc
hool
Like all District 102 schools, the entire Cossitt community came back together on Monday, January 9th to start the second half of the year. Our own primary focus for the day was to truly and completely come together as a Whole to both mourn the loss and celebrate the life of our beloved 4th grade student, Delaney O'Connell, who died in a holiday skiing accident. We were eternally thankful for the presence of five comfort dogs who were able to spend a significant part of the day with us. For both children and adults, the opportunity to interact with these specially trained animals on a day where there was a lot of raw emotion, felt like an absolute gift. Thanks to Mark Stapleton of St. John's Lutheran Church for reaching out to propose this idea. The dogs were the perfect combination of attentive listener as well as deliverers of endless hugs.
~Michael Michowski, Principal
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Ogden Introduces MakerSpace to Third and Fourth Graders
On November 30, sixteen students and their parents spent the evening "making". Al Kirkus, Director of Technology and Pattii Waldo, Ogden principal, introduced the evening with a brief look at the Design Process. The children explored taking apart old laptop computers and simpler items such as a pencil sharpener. Other children worked together to learn how to engage two different types of robots. Still others explored circuits with MakeyMakey. Can you believe they built musical instruments out of fruit?
MakerSpaces empowers students to explore and learn with minimal facilitation from adults. The design process (question, idea, plan, build, share, improve) is an integral component in their investigations. The children are playing while learning. Students will continue to create and invent at Ogden through after school MakerSpace clubs starting this month. There will be a club for students in grades 1-2, 3-4 and 5-6 with teachers facilitating the learning.
~Pattii Waldo, Principal
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Park After School Tutoring Program for Elementary Students
The Park Tut
or Program is an after school program where Park students tutor and mentor elementary students. It meets most Mondays and Tuesdays from 3:30 until 4:10pm until April 4th. Parents provide transportation; children enter the main doors across from the parking lot and should be picked up by the same door at 4:10pm. Students are to come prepared with writing materials, paper, homew
ork, and/or material to study.
Tutoring Sessions:
January 17, 23, 24, 30, 31
February 6, 7, 13, 14, 21, 27, 28
March 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21
April 3, 4
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Dates to Remember
(Please visit a school or the
district site
for additional dates.)
January 16: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (NO SCHOOL)
January 18: Congress Park PTO Dine Out @ Corner Bakery,
7am-9pm
January 19: Board of Education Meeting, 7pm, Park Jr. High
LRC
January 21: Band/Orchestra Skating Party, 4-6pm (Grades 4-8)
Girls' Friendship Workshop @ Ogden for District K-2 Students,
12:30-3pm.
Click here for info.
January 28: Forest Road PTO Fun Fair
February 3: Ogden Snowflake Ball (Daddy/Daughter Dance), 7-9pm
February 4: Parent University, 8am-12:35pm, LTHS South Campus, click here for info
February 9: Board of Education Meeting, 7pm, Park Jr. High LRC
District Battle of the Books in Park Jr. High's LRC, 3:30pm
February 13: Mighty Patriots Heroes vs Heroes Game @ Park Jr. High, 4pm
February 20: President's Day (NO SCHOOL)
February 21:
Congress Park's Kindergarten Information Night, 7pm
Barnsdale's Kindergarten Information Night, 7pm
February 23: Ogden's Kindergarten Information Night, 7pm
Board of Education Meeting, 7pm, Park Jr. High LRC
February 25: Congress Park Sports Resale, click here for info and to register!
SAVE THE DATE: Run for 102 - Sunday, April 30, 2017 @ 8:30am! Info: www.runfor102.org
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La Grange School District 102 | 708-482-2400 | 333 N. Park Road |
La Grange Park, IL 60526 |
www.dist102.k12.il.us
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