Important Dates

December 3 – Bookmobile (4th gr.)

December 5 –Domino’s Pizza Day/SHEF

Fundraiser

December 5 – Indian Trail Activity

Day/SHEF

December 5 – Progress Reports Issued

December 9 – Jenny’s Penguin Patch

Holiday Shoppe (1&2 gr.)

December 10 - Jenny’s Penguin Patch

Holiday Shoppe (3&4 gr.)

December 10 – Bookmobile (1-3)

December 10 – BOE Meeting 7:00 p.m.

Admin. Center

December 12 – SCO Hot Lunch Day

December 15 – SHJH Holiday Tour @

Indian Trail

December 16 – Market Day P/U

December 17 – Bookmobile (4th gr.)

December 18 – Winter Music Program

December 19 – SCO Treat Day

December 19 – Holiday Classroom

Parties

December 19 – Last day before Winter

Break

December 22-Jan. 2 – Winter Break

January 5 – Classes Resume

Indian Trail School

Home of the Trailblazers

20912 S. Frankfort Square Rd.

Frankfort, IL 60423

815-469-6993 phone

815-806-8352 fax

www.summithill.org

Reminders:

Office Hours are 8:35 a.m.-3:50 p.m.

Attendance Hours Are 9:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Please report your child’s absence by 9:10 AM the day of the absence

Please remember to send a lunch with your child daily. Be sure the

lunch is labeled with the child’s name.

If a lunch is forgotten, parents may drop off a lunch on the cart in

the vestibule outside the office (by 11:30, please!). Please have the

child’s name and teacher’s name clearly labeled.

Campbell’s Soup Labels, BoxTops for Education, and Capri sun pouches

are collected to benefit our school. Please send them to school in a

baggie with your child’s name and teacher’s name

If you shop at Target with a Target card, you can elect to have

Indian Trail receive a percentage donation when you shop. Info is

available online or at your local Target Store.

Please maintain regular communication with our teachers.

Frankfort Square Road in front of the school is a designated no

parking zone- please use the 78th Avenue Lot or North Lot for pick-up

and drop-off.

Trailblazer Trib.

December 2014 Edition

Dear Parents and Guardians, The beginning of the holiday season has started, and I am amazed at how quickly it seems to come and go. I hope as this season is upon us that you find some well-deserved time with family and friends sharing in the excitement of the season. Currently, our students are doing a great job academically and socially remaining focused. However, with Winter Break just around the corner, the excitement and anticipation associated with the seasonal activities can tend to distract students and diminish their academic focus. Please help your children maintain their focus and encourage them to give a 100% effort. We appreciate the support in showing your child we are united in helping them be successful. Our Winter Program "A Rockin' Holiday" is scheduled for Thursday, December 18th. There will be two shows: a 10 am show and a 1:30 pm show. We ask families with last names starting with the letters A-L attend the 10 am show and families with last names starting with the letters M-Z attend the 1:30 pm show. You may enter doors 12 and 13 a half hour before each show. Please email Mr. Renardo at jrenardo@summithill.org if you have any questions or concerns. As the weather begins to change, we understand more parents tend to drive their child to school. It is imperative that you follow the arrival/dismissal procedures properly. This will ensure our students are safe and enter the building in a timely manner. You may drop your child off anywhere between the cones. If you are stopped between the cones, please allow your child to get out of the car. There are two doors they may enter and staff to direct accordingly. If you prefer to walk your child to the door, please park your car in a designated parking space. We understand there are times when the parking lot can be a challenge, but your patience, understanding, and willingness to set the right example for your child by following the expectations is greatly appreciated. Please remember to view the Building Readers along with the Home and School Connection Newsletters on the Indian Trail Newsletter Page. You will find some valuable tips to help your child. Respectfully Yours, Mrs. Wright

Gavin Manns and Kalani Lewis study

the lyrics to America the Beautiful.

Wall of Honor

Samantha Jaksich and Cormac Duggan

measure up against the Veteran Graph!

First Grade Honors Our Veterans

The First Grade Students at Indian Trail School celebrated and honored our Veterans in different ways. Some read

and wrote poems, others created a graph of family members and the branches in which they served, and we even

posted some photos in our classrooms. We studied the lyrics to America the Beautiful and the geographical areas

they describe. We created illustrations of American symbols and we discussed the meaning of Veterans’ Day. Most

importantly, our research, discussions, and sharing of information taught us the true reason for the holiday—not

just another day off from school, but rather a day to say “Thank You! ” to those that serve and protect our

country, past and present.

Pictured below from Mrs. Patricia

Pfeiffer’s class are ( L to R)

Mousa Zegar, Jihad Taher,

Charlie Crehan, Kaden Johnson, and

Danny Tijerina.

Very Thankful Second Graders

Second graders enjoyed partaking in the annual “Thanksgiving Feast” on November 20. Wearing headdresses just

as the Native Indians and Pilgrims did so many years ago, enjoying the delicious food donated by parents, and giving

thanks for a great celebration of “community” were the highlights of the afternoon.

Students have been learning about the Pilgrims and Native Indians in Social Studies and also have been reading the

Magic Tree House Book, Thanksgiving on Thursday. They were definitely prepared for the Feast!

Also, each second grader decorated a quilt square, with the help of their parents, depicting things they are

thankful for. Each quilt square was then put together on the wall outside the second grade wing to create a massive

“What We Are Thankful For….” quilt. The photo here shows a small section of the quilt.

We wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving!

THIRD GRADE

On November 3rd, third grade students at Indian Trail took a field trip to Joliet Junior College. The students

visited the Cronin School house where they were able to travel back in time, and find out what it was like to be a

one-room schoolhouse student between 1863-1950. Students learned about local history, and got a general feel for

what life would be like for a student more than 60 years ago. The students were delighted to see the natural

beauty of the JJC Nature Trail. They were excited to hear the rustling in the bushes and eager to learn about the

different ecosystems that they saw. While walking through the beautiful prairie and forest students were exposed

to different species of birds, wildlife, and plant life. Students also enjoyed an outdoor lunch and playtime in the

park. It was a wonderful educational experience for everyone!

Pictured above from Mrs. Patricia

Pfeiffer’s class are (L to R)

Klarissa Schlee, Emily McGuire, Izzy

Zuanich, and Morgan Bailey.

Tamryn Smart Carson Young

Brooklyn Mortell

Fourth Grade News

The fourth graders at Indian Trail School in Frankfort are learning about the solar system. The students are asked

to focus on the question: “How Do Earth and Its Moon Move?” Learning about the many characteristics of a moon,

the students had the opportunity to make a model of the moon phases using Oreo cookies. Using the cookies, each

student started the moon cycle with the new moon, following the waxing cycle into a full moon. To complete their

model, the second half of the moon cycle began with the full moon, following the waning cycle until the new moon is

reached again. At that time, the phases begin again. Being able to break apart the Oreo cookie and use the filling

inside, gave each student a visual understanding of the cycle of Earth’s moon.

Safety Patrol News

Our Safety Patrol team has been helping to keep the Indian Trail students safe. I am thrilled by their

commitment to their positions each day. I appreciate all the parents who bring their children early to school each

day to perform their job. I have gotten many compliments on the mature group of students on this team. Keep up

the good work!

Mrs. Moss

PE NEWS

On the 13th of November, the Physical Education classes at Indian Trial participated in what Guinness World

Records terms as the “World’s Largest Sport Stacking Event”. Participants had to stack for a 30 minute duration.

The gym was divided up into “Stacking Stations”. Students could rotate on their own to whatever area they wanted

to try. The following is a list of those stations: push-ups, curl-ups, v-sit, toe touches, relay races, mini’s, super’s,

timed, jumbos, and the basic stack. At the end of the class the students received a sticker verifying there

participation in the event.

OUTDOOR RECESS: Please remember to

dress students appropriately for weather

conditions. During the winter months only

when the actual temperature or wind chill

drops to single digits, recess will be held

indoors.

SCIENCE CLUB

Straws, straws, straws! Who knew you could do so much Science with just a STRAW? This month Indian Trail

Science Club students worked on a variety of Science experiments using straws. Students made airplanes that

could fly and spin. This was quite an experiment! Students really had to work hard; they had to use both Science

and Math skills. Second Grader Natalie Ehman said “Wow, that was a lot of math, but it is so cool how far my plane

can go!” Each strip of paper needed to be perfectly measured in order for their planes to fly successfully! Once

all the hard work was done, it was truly worth it! Our little scientist also learned about sound waves and vibrations,

students were able to make a straw sound like a duck call. 1st and 2nd graders learned that making different cuts in

the straw made even more different sounds!

Indian Trail’s 1st Annual Pumpkin Decorating Contest

The Indian Trail “Make a Difference” Service Club, along with the parents and students

of Indian Trail in Frankfort, Illinois, had their first Pumpkin Decorating Contest/Food

Drive. Students in grades 1-4 decorated and brought in pumpkins to help decorate the media center. The catch?!?

Everyone that entered the contest brought in food to benefit Frankfort Food Pantry.

The contest had about 150 entries. The Make a Difference Club members as well as the teachers, Principal Dana

Wright, and Superintendent Barb Rains voted on the most creative and artistic pumpkins.

The students and their families were very generous with their donations and the school collected about 12 boxes

of food to help the needy at Thanksgiving.

A special thanks to the winners for showing such creativity!

First grade winners: Gabriel Matariyeh and Leilynd Murray

Second grade winners: Izzy Vasquez and Alexa Rarrat

Third grade winners: Molly Trotter and Mary West

Fourth grade winners: Taylor Rossberg and Aubrey O’Neil

MUSIC

Indian Trail students have begun preparing selections for their winter program “A Rockin’ Holiday!” The students

have enjoyed their time preparing their songs thus far and look forward to performing them for you! The concert

will feature music from The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Aretha Franklin, The Jackson 5, and Elvis Presley, amongst

others.

This year’s winter program will take place on Thursday, December 18th in the gymnasium. Mark your calendars!

TECH CLUB

The Indian Trail Technology Club has been busy learning how to use our school’s new tablets. The members

love that they have touch screens and a keyboard. Our first activity was to explore our school’s website. Members

were excited to see their teachers’ pages. Next, they played educational games on arcademicskillbuilders.com and

abcya.com. On these two sites, members practiced their reading and math skills. Finally, they visited

primarygames.com for some fall fun.

SOCKTOBER

During Red Ribbon week, Trail staff and students were asked to donate socks for the Kid's President "Socktober"

initiative. We collected over 450 pairs of socks for Together We Cope. They were elated to receive our generous

donation! Thanks for helping keep toes warm this winter!

Several of our students were able to enjoy the “Limo and Lunch” prize for their great support

of the ITSCO fundraiser. Good job kids and thank you to ITSCO!

Winter Program Information

The Indian Trail Winter Program is scheduled for Thursday, December 18, 2014. The program will be at 10:00 a.m.

and 1:30 p.m. We ask that families with last names beginning with the letters A-L attend the 10:00 show and

families with last names beginning with letters M-Z attend the 1:30 p.m. show.

Doors for the program will be opened a half hour before showtime (9:30 a.m. for the morning performance, 1:00

p.m. for the afternoon performance). If anyone in your party requires handicapped seating, please email Mr.

Renardo at jrenardo@summithill.org.

If you have any further questions, please contact Mr. Renardo. Thank you and we look forward to seeing you at the

program!

Happy Holidays to all our

Indian Trail students

& families