fpd91 2011 summer news - final2

www.forestparkschools.org 1

DISTRICT 91 MISSION STATEMENT:Our mission, in partnership with home and community, is to educate each child in a safe and nurturing environment where we will foster respect and self-worth, teach skills relevant to contemporary life, promote academic success and creative expression, encourage an appreciation of the rich cultural diversity of our global community, and instill a sense of wonder for the future thus enabling our students to become responsible citizens and lifelong learners.

IN THIS ISSUE.............Superintendent Message1

...................Financial Recognition2

.............................Health Services3

....................................Registration3

................New Math Curriculum4

.................................School Board4

.............................SCOTY Awards5

...............................PBIS Highlights5

...........................Summer Reading6

...........................................Garfield7

................................................Betsy8

................................Middle School9

...........................Field-Stevenson10

...............................Grant-White11

DISTRICT 91 NEWS SUMMER 2011

A Message from D91

Superintendent,

Dr. Cavallo

In 2008, the Board of Education voted to change our four K-5 schools to one K-2

school and one 3-5 school on both the north and south side of town. After two years of implementation, it is now a good time to reflect back on this change and report to the

community how moving to grade level centers has addressed the concerns that were discussed with the public when we

were considering the change. In 2008, when grade level centers were proposed to the board, the district was experiencing

declining enrollment and uneven enrollment in different parts of town. Some schools

were crowded while others had few students in some

grades. Overall, the district was losing students and

the projections made by a demographic company that used

scientific data to project enrollment confirmed that we would continue to lose students for the next several

years. This decline made it difficult to balance classes without moving students from their home school to other schools in

the district. At the same time, many classrooms in the district had less than 15 students which required expensive and

inefficient staffing throughout the district. Left alone, we eventually would have to consider closing one of the four elementary schools. One concern that was expressed

by community members was that changing to grade level centers would cause many families to flee the community and

contribute to the decline in enrollment.

While the financial impact of the

declining enrollment issue was an important factor that led to the consideration of changing to grade level centers, there were other factors too. We didn’t want to make

any change that would not result in improved instructional outcomes and better social and emotional learning environments

for our students. We believed that grouping students and teachers of the same grade level in schools would allow teachers to

better collaborate to improve instruction.

After two years of implementation of grade level centers, what are the results of

the change? Below are the factual points resulting from the change:

• Enrollment has increased from 944 in 2009 to 956 in 2011. We have experienced a complete reversal of

what was projected prior to the change. I believe it would be an inaccurate assumption to state that the change to grade level centers

caused an increase in enrollment, but I believe that it is a fair assumption to state that the change to grade level

centers did not result in a decrease in enrollment as some feared. The

91 FOREST PARKSCHOOL DISTRICT 91FOREST PARKSCHOOL DISTRICT 91

“...grade level

centers did not

result in a decrease in

enrollment as

some feared.”

continued on page 2


move to grade level centers allows us to more effectively balance classes whether enrollment increases or decreases without moving students around the district as was done in the past.

• While enrollment has increased, we have controlled staffing while keeping our class sizes low. We maintained

an average class size of 20 without increasing staff for the past two years. We had 101 teachers in 2009 and now have 99.

• Transportation costs for voluntarily busing students from one school to another has remained roughly the same as when we were moving students all over town to balance

classes (adjusting for increases for annual salary and fuel cost that would have occurred regardless of the switch to grade level centers).

• With the change to grade level centers, we implemented Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) that is

age-appropriate for each school. The social and emotional data that we have collected indicates that there has been a 40% reduction in negative behavioral infractions since the implementation of grade level centers.

• Student achievement scores on the ISAT for the students in grades 3-5 (K-2 students do not take ISAT) have risen significantly since the change to grade level centers. Both

intermediate schools have experienced a positive jump in scores. Field-Stevenson’s scores have increased from 66% of the students meeting or exceeding Illinois Learning

Standards to 72% and Grant-White students have improved from 73% meeting or exceeding to 83%!

• The change to grade level centers also improved our student demographics to better reflect our diverse

community. All four schools are now more ethnically balanced.

The approval to change to grade level centers was a difficult

decision by the Board of Education. The decision was made after much discussion and gaining of input from the community. Many concerns were expressed and noted during the process. As

promised, we paid close attention to the effectiveness of this change and are now reporting back to the community our evaluation of the implementation of grade level centers. As is detailed above, it appears that this was the correct decision by the

board and a change that has been beneficial to the children in our community.

District 91 Awarded Highest Financial Recognition

Forest Park School District 91 was once again placed

in the highest financial strength designation category – Financial Recognition – on the School District Financial Profile published by the Illinois State Board of

Education. The profile places school districts in one of four categories based on the calculations of five financial indicators. The profile indicators are as follows:

• Ratio of fund balance to revenue

• Ratio of expenditures to revenue

• Days of cash on hand

• Percent of short-term borrowing ability remaining

• Percent of long-term debt margin available

District 91 continues to be fiscally healthy while confronting

recurring financial challenges. Late property tax receipts from

the county and seriously delayed (postponed for 6-12 months) revenue payments from the state typify the harsh economic reality for Cook County school districts. These financial

challenges have required other school districts to borrow money and pay the interest on that debt. As of May 2011, the State of Illinois is $1.5 billion dollars behind in payments to school districts. Payments owed to District 91 now total over $282,206.

Fortunately, District 91’s reserve dollars have prevented the need to borrow.

A constant topic reported during the last two years is the layoff of thousands of teachers and other school personnel across Illinois. School districts that lack adequate financial

resources to maintain their current levels of instruction ultimately impose a devastating impact on their children. The fiscal strength of District 91 has protected our children from staff reductions and program cuts and has allowed the resources for

improvements to curriculum, instruction and assessment for all students.

The district must manage resources to last as long as possible so that we can assist all students in achieving academic excellence and global citizenship.



Important Health Services Reminders

We have just a few reminders to share:

Physical exams are required for all JK, SK and 6th graders each year, and anyone transferring into our district from another state or

without a current physical.

ALL kindergarten children are required to have their dental and eye

exams turned in prior to the start of the next school year.

ALL 6th graders are required to have a dental exam prior to the

start of the next school year.

ALL 4th – 8th graders participating in any sport (outside of gym) are required to have annual physicals. If you are in 5th grade and

turned in a full physical AFTER March 25th, 2011, this physical exam will be sufficient for your 6th grade physical requirement.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!!!!!!!

We will have the Ronald McDonald Mobile Clinic at the park on June 30th, July 7th, 14th, and 21st. This year Mobile Dentists will join us on July 14th to offer dental exams and services to our children. The 2nd Annual FOREST PARK KIDS ROCK – Health Day at the park

on 7/14/11! (details coming soon!!!)

If your child was sent a letter of referral for VISION, please follow-

up with an appointment to your eye doctor for evaluation.

Any & all medication for our students MUST be accompanied by

an authorization form – signed by the parent AND the doctor – NO EXCEPTIONS! This includes over-the-counter medication. Students MAY carry their own inhalers and/or epipens with proper permission from a physician. All other medication is kept in the office to be

dispensed and signed out there.

If you are seeking free or reduced cost medical services ( including

dental or eye exams), please contact the Cook County Department of Public Health at (708) 450-5300.

In Good Health,

Diane Dormeyer & Brenda Ali


REGISTRATION

Junior Kindergarten

(by appointment only – child must be 4 years old by 9/1/2011)

GARFIELD SCHOOL

August 3rd and 4th

1:00 – 3:00pm and 5:00 – 8:00pm

Senior Kindergarten (by appointment only – child must be 5 years old by 9/1/2011)

BETSY ROSS SCHOOL (students residing SOUTH of I-290)

GARFIELD SCHOOL (students residing NORTH of I-290)

August 3rd and 4th

1:00 – 3:00pm and 5:00 – 8:00pm

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Grades 1st through 8th

FIELD-STEVENSON SCHOOL (students residing SOUTH of I-290)

GRANT-WHITE SCHOOL (students residing NORTH of I-290)

FOREST PARK MIDDLE SCHOOL

August 9th, 10th and 11th

1:00 – 3:00pm and 5:00 – 8:00pm

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**PARENTS CAN REGISTER ALL OF THEIR CHILDREN IN GRADES 1-8 AT FIELD-STEVENSON OR GRANT-WHITE. PARENTS THAT HAVE CHILDREN IN GRADES 6-8 ONLY, MUST REGISTER AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL**


New Math Curriculum for District 91

This year, D91 began using a new math curriculum. The curriculum was chosen by a diverse committee and has had a successful first year of implementation. The committee was led

by Mr. Milnamow, Betsy Ross Principal. Here are some of the highlights of our new math series:

• The district hired a math consultant (Jennie Winters) to work with the teachers to begin aligning the math curriculum with the new core standards adopted this year

by the State of Illinois.

• The math consultant also spent time observing classes and working with staff to develop a stronger delivery of math

instruction.

• A math committee was formed to ensure alignment of math instruction within each grade level and from grade to grade.

• The math committee has developed a quarter by quarter curriculum guide to be implemented at the start of the next

school year.

• The district will begin using the MAP testing program to measure student growth in math beginning next school year.

National Elementary Honor Society

As of this year, District 91 is proud to offer National Elementary Honor Society to our 4th and 5th grade students at Field-Stevenson School.

Next year, Grant-White will begin its inaugural year with NEHS also offered to the 4th and 5th graders. This honor society focuses on

outstanding academic performance and invites students to participate in an organization that holds philanthropy, citizenship and intellectual development at its core.

Message from the School Board

Summer already? Believe it or not, the school year passes just as quickly for the board members at District 91. We attend

the open houses at all the schools and before we blink we’re sitting on stage watching the latest batch of middle schoolers get their diplomas and head off to high school.

As fast as they went, the last six months have been packed with new and interesting activities going on at the board level. In May we welcomed a new member, John Tricoci, Jr. , whose

twins, Jill and Joe are entering fourth grade at Grant-White School, Frank Mott and Sean Blaylock were reelected President and Vice President, while Mary Turek was elected Secretary.

We approved the purchase of materials for the new Industrial Technology Curriculum at the middle school and

gave the green light to implementation of the new Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) assessment program. This program along with the AIMSweb assessment already in place gives the district the ability to continuously monitor academic progress so

we can “course correct” as needed. We are very excited about this because it is very important to us for every student in the district to be given all the resources they need to excel.

While summer may be not be as fast-paced as the school year, the board will still be busy working on our goals, and

strategies for achieving those goals, over the next year. Board members will also participate in our annual self-evaluation over the summer. We do this every year to make sure we are on track and focused on the things that we need to do to help our

schools get from good to great.

Enjoy your summer vacation; spend lots of time at the pool

and the various summer activities Forest Park has to offer and we’ll see you back at school in August!



D91 Students Honored at SCOTY Awards

Each year, West 40, our regional education agency, honors students who exhibit exemplary citizenship

characteristics with the SCOTY Awards. SCOTY stands for School Citizen Of

The Year and students who earn this award display outstanding leadership, academic, philanthropic and extra curricular skills throughout their school year. Winners of the SCOTY Award

are chosen by their teachers and represent the best qualities in school citizenship. Every year, Forest Park chooses one winner from each school in our district.

We are proud to congratulate the following students on their stellar accomplishment:

Betsy Ross: Daniel Garcia

Garfield: Lucy Kryger Grant-White: Lameka HayesField-Stevenson: Miles Guillen

Middle School: Kya Garret

District Spelling Bee

Congratulations to our spelling bee contestants, alternates,

and grade level winners in the District 91 Spelling Bee held on May 10th.

The 2011 grade level winners were:

3rd - Jahna Bracey

4th - Karl Underwood5th - Miles Guillen6th - Josh Bell Bey7th - Jason Gilmore

8th - Ralen Ricardo

PBIS Highlights from District 91

PBIS continues to flourish district-wide. Betsy Ross and Garfield Schools have been working very hard on finalizing their Tier 1 systems and are beginning to collect and interpret data. Next year, these two primary buildings will work hard to

finalize their data collection systems as well as begin to work on their Tier 2 Check-in/Check-out (CICO) systems. Grant-White and Field-Stevenson Schools are well on their way in

implementing the Check-in/Check-out systems within their buildings—both buildings are seeing great results and improvement in behavior due to the addition of the CICO

program. Forest Park Middle School continues to work on meeting the needs of their Tier 2 students through the newly implemented Social/Academic Instructional Groups (SAIG). This new intervention allows students to learn and practice

skills that data has shown leads to improvement.

We look forward to observing continued results as we move

forward into a new school year! We are very proud of the hard work and dedication of the staff members at all five school buildings.


pictured are Karl and Jahna


Bon Voyage, XO Laptops!

Four years ago, District 91 piloted a new technology, the XO Laptop. These little green machines were an innovation of the time and offered students a

personal laptop of their own to use in the classroom. Our program was wildly successful and the students fell in love

with their XO’s. Teachers integrated the XO laptops into their everyday teaching and found the computers to be very

useful in differentiating their curricula. As the years passed, the technology of the XO’s became surpassed with tools like Netbooks, iPods, iPads and faster,

more efficient laptop computers. The XO’s slowly began to fade from the collective teaching arsenal as more

current technology was offered to teachers from the district. As the XO’s lost some of their initial “wow”, a

massive earthquake hit the island country of Haiti, wiping out most of the island and its way of life. The parent company of the XO laptop, OLPC (One Laptop

Per Child) saw this tragedy as an opportunity for outreach and global gift giving. OLPC has established an XO

refurbishing camp in Haiti and has trained the children and young people of Haiti to repair and repurpose the XO

laptops. District 91 has decided to be a part of this global effort to rebuild the infrastructure of Haiti and will be sending all of our XO laptops to the

island for rebuilding and repurposing. The XO’s have been collected from around the district and will begin their

journey to Haiti by the end of May. District 91 is excited to be a part of this global and green initiative.

Summer Reading

One of the most common questions teachers hear toward the end of the year is, “What is the single best thing I can do

for my child over the summer”? A question we love to answer, for the answer is simple….READ.

Read a lot, and when you think you’ve read enough…read more. Practice letters and sounds and blends

and digraphs and words and everything wonderful about language. Read out loud to your child, have your child read

to you, read together, echo read (you read a few words, your child echoes them back), find a friend and partner-read.

Just READ. This is not just advice for the young – it’s advice for all of our children, regardless of age. Reading is truly the basis for all education – our

children need to be successful readers to achieve any and all academic success. We focus so heavily on reading in our

district. We have SLANT (Structure Language Training), literature circles, guided reading groups, leveled readers

in the classrooms, new reading curriculums, reading pull-out programs and reading push-in programs. If it’s not painfully

obvious, we want your children to be strong, confident successful readers. But we can’t do it alone. We need

your help. We need you; parents, friends, relatives, child care providers, older siblings, we need you. YOU are the

teachers over the summer. You have the power to open the young minds of our town to new experiences all by reading a book with your young learner.

And for our older students, don’t think for a minute, that they are off the

reading hook. They need as much, if not

more exposure to literature over the summer. How better to begin developing an arsenal of language than through summer reading? We live in a time of

great fiction, but be careful – these great works of young fiction, of which there are many, are being churned out into

movies quite frequently. If you must see a movie based on a book this summer, please read the book first….nine times

out of ten, the book wins! And please, after you’ve seen the movie that was first a really good book, have your child talk about the similarities and the differences.

Engage them in conversation and really listen.

Education; the process of learning, is not something that ends and begins - it continues, it grows, it changes, it is a

living, breathing thing that needs to be cultivated like a summer garden.


Forest Park Public Library provides many programs, services, and events for kids and adults all summer long!

visit:http://www.fppl.org/


Garfield SchoolPRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Greetings from Garfield Primary School!

As this school year came to a close, our staff took a few moments to reflect on all of our accomplishments. First and foremost is the hard work of our students. They have come to school each day eager to learn, willing to be challenged and rising above our expectations. During these most formative school years, the dedication of the Garfield staff to meet the needs of each student and help them find success each day makes this a very special place to be.

Our school year began with the distinct honor of being recognized by the Illinois Branch of the International Dyslexia Association. We received their top reading award, “It Takes a Village of Readers” for our work with students in the RtI (Response to Interventions) process and the SLANT System (Structured Language Training). As a surprise, this award included a $25,000 gift from CSC Learning for use with the Lexia Reading Program. This computerized reading program has allowed us to place each of our kindergarten through second grade students on a prescriptive reading skills program up to three times a week for all students and as many as five times a week for our struggling readers. Teachers report seeing great gains in the classrooms and students are eager and happy to participate. We also included additional Lexia time for some of our students after school and at home. Due to the success we are finding in this program, we will continue to use it for years to come.

This year, our math program was able to embrace new teaching trends in technology as an interactive white board was placed in our math room. During math instruction, some of our students were able to interact in a new way with the material they were learning. Counting, adding on, and grouping took on a whole new life as students manipulated the information themselves and watched in awe as math came alive as never before. Also this year was the introduction of PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports) to our students and staff. Students were taught behavioral expectations, rewarded with “paw pride” tickets and participated in celebrations that included prizes from a treasure box, movie/popcorn day, assemblies, and our end of the year Beach Blowout Blast!

The students spent part of their spring practicing for the big Spring Musical. “Go Fish” was presented in April to a standing room only crowd. The students sang songs, did a little dancing and recited a few lines. The theme of the program included friendships and working together to have everyone get along similar to our PBIS program. I must say the costumes were fabulous and my most favorite was the “tune” a-fish!

Finally, in the spring some of our students were introduced to school sponsored extra-curricular activities. Students joined our environmental club, “The Green Team,” working on earth-friendly projects while learning about ways to Reduce, Reuse or Recycle. As well, we offered a sign language club. Students learned the alphabet and simple words and phrases. Then, during the school day, they were offered opportunities to “speak” with one another or head into one of our special education classrooms and communicate with students.

It was an exciting and busy year for Garfield School. We are very fortunate to have the support of our parents, district and community at large which helps to ensure we are “Striving for Educational Excellence”.

Respectfully,

Ms. M. J. Stauder, Principal


Family Night Read-In

Each year, Garfield Primary School holds a Read-In. This is a family event held to encourage families to read together on a regular basis and to promote literacy. While the theme of the event changes every year, the message remains the same: read to or with your child and they will know it is important and make it a priority. The theme for the 2011 Read-In was, "We're Making Alphabet Soup". Garfield families were invited to school for an evening of fun, learning, shopping at the Scholastic Book Fair and providing to those in need.

All of the students received a raffle ticket upon their arrival, and they were able to earn an extra one if they brought a donation for the Forest Park Food Pantry. Those items were placed into alphabet labeled boxes according to the first letter of the food's name.

Families then went to their children's classrooms to complete alphabet related activities and to spend some time reading together. There were some excellent activities. One such activity was body letters, where students and their parents worked cooperatively to create the letters of the alphabet by using the students' bodies. Pictures were taken of each body letter and a class book was made. Other activities included creating alphabet books, guessing an animal name for every letter of the alphabet, and guessing a fruit or vegetable name for every letter of the alphabet. After all of the guesses were made, the teachers each read a book aloud that included animals and fruits or vegetables for each letter of the alphabet.

The family night concluded with a performance by the second graders that

incorporated books into music. Ms. Carini, the music teacher, put this fabulous performance together. Under her direction, a few

students read two books aloud, while the others used different instruments to create sound effects and bring the stories to life. It was a great way to end the evening.



Betsy Ross School

PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Dear Parents of Betsy Ross School and Members of the Forest Park Community,

Once again we completed another successful year at Betsy Ross School! The students worked very hard all year and in most cases they met and exceeded our learning expectations.

In October, Mrs. Macino made the decision to retire after over twenty years as the building secretary for Betsy Ross School. Mrs. Marino was hired to fill the position of building secretary and has done a wonderful job of “filling some very big shoes” when Mrs. Macino retired.

For our staff, this year will be remembered as the “year of the babies.” Mrs. O’Connell, Mrs. Goldberg, Mrs. Hibbitts and Mrs. Bradford all welcomed new additions (each one had a baby boy) into their families.

In December, Mrs. Goldberg made the decision to stay home with her new son, and Mrs. Klute stepped in to take over the first grade position for the remainder of the school year. Mrs. Klute had previously worked as a teacher in Nebraska for two years prior to coming to Betsy Ross.

This year the staff at Betsy Ross spent a great deal of time implementing the new math series into our curriculum as well as aligning the new math series to the new common core standards that are being adopted by the State of Illinois. This is an ongoing process that will continue throughout the next school year. Teachers worked on mapping out the math curriculum for next year with a focus on helping students build a strong understanding of number sense (the building block of all other components of math).

Three teachers (Mrs. Seery, Mrs. Hibbitts, and Mr. Hudson) completed their National Board Certification this year. Gaining National Board Certification is a very involved process that takes over a year to complete. All three teachers passed with flying colors!

This year the staff completed phase one of the Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS) program. Phase one is the development of a school wide program that promotes positive behavior from everyone in the building. The four team members (Mrs. Seery, Mr. Hudson, Mrs. Hibbitts and Mrs. Bradford) worked hard all year to develop an engaging program that promotes positive behavior throughout the school.

At the end of this year, the staff at Betsy Ross developed a school wide celebration of the accomplishments of the students. This included an awards assembly, fun games and activities for all students and a special luncheon sponsored by the PTO. Our PTO contributed to the celebration by providing a pizza luncheon and ice cream from Brown Cow.

Yours for better schools,William J. Milnamow, Principal

Earth Day

Each year for Earth Day, Mrs. Mortensen’s kindergarten class learns about ways to help our planet. Students are given an Earth Day challenge: to make a project from recycled goods.

This year, the students came up with some very interesting, innovative projects! There were cereal boxes made into magazine racks, baby wipe containers as pencil boxes, piggy banks made from juice bottles, and all sorts of toys made from items that might have otherwise found a home in a landfill. One student even used plastic bottles and paint to make his own two foot tall Sonic the Hedgehog toy, and another made a toy robot out of only orange juice cartons and boxes. An added perk of this homework assignment was the time families were able to spend together making the recycled creations.

Mrs. Mortensen’s students learned that not only is recycling good for the planet, it can be fun for them as well.

PBIS Celebration

For PBIS, we focused on a target rule each week. Our focus rules include Be Respectful: Follow directions the first time they are given, Be Respectful: Use kind words and actions, and Be Responsible: use appropriate voice volume.

Each week teachers looked for students using those behaviors and gave out extra super star tickets. Our end of the year celebration was June 5. We had a luau theme, and a dance party with DJ Mrs. Binder, a bouncy slide, and water games on the playground.

Where in the World is Flat Stanley?

First grade read Flat Stanley. They then made their own Flat Stanleys to mail to friends or relatives elsewhere in the country. The Flat Stanleys were decorated to match their destination, and sent back to the children with information about the place they had been and a picture of each one on his vacation. The children were able to learn about different parts of the country while having fun.

Integrating iPods in Science

Mrs. Yopchick and Mr. Hudson teamed up to teach a science unit on life cycles using inquiry-based activities, live tadpoles and caterpillars, and integrating technology by presenting information on iPods to partners who then discussed their learning in cooperative learning groups.



PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

I can’t believe the school year is over! As I look back, I see many reasons to be proud of our staff and students. First, the Music and Art Departments collaborated to produce three successful shows. In the fall, we were treated to “The Elephant’s Child.” It was followed in December by the timeless classic, “A Christmas Carol” and “Jurassic Park, the Musical” was presented in April.

Another highlight from the fall was when FPMS staff and students attended the homecoming celebration for twenty five soldiers from the 318th Public Affairs Operation Army Reserve Unit at the park district. Additionally, on Veterans Day, the FPMS staff spent the day discussing and teaching the importance of honoring those currently in service along with those who have served our country so bravely.

FPMS students have continually shown their compassion towards others. Throughout the school year, they have made donations to the Community Center Food Pantry. Students also donated at school dances and recreation nights when the admission is a set fee plus a can of food which was given to the Forest Park Food Pantry.

Also, FPMS students received awards in the “Doodle 4 Google” design contest and the Guerin Prep Emerging Artist show. On the athletic field, our student athletes had successful seasons in girls and boys basketball, volleyball, softball and co-ed soccer. All of our athletes were honored at our annual sports banquet on May 18th. FPMS students also experienced success by competing at the Fenwick and Immaculate Conception High School math contests.

The FPMS Boosters continued to thrive this year. They sponsored an assembly for Black History Month, made our recreation and dances successful and coordinated the volunteers for the All-School Picnic.

FPMS made improvements to the school website. Parents/guardians can now have online access to lunch menus, flyers, athletic schedules and other school related notes. This change helped us reduce paper waste by allowing parents/guardians to print out only those items of interest to them.

On May 11th, forty-five FPMS students were inducted into the National Junior Honor Society. In addition, the FPMS National Junior Honor Society Chapter held two successful fundraisers which started with the annual walk-a-thon in the fall and concluded with a whole school fundraiser for Misericordia.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t wish our graduating class congratulations! On June 1st, the eighty-nine members of the Class of 2011 graduated. On behalf of the staff of FPMS, we wish them the best of luck in high school and in all their future endeavors. We also wish the classes of 2012, 2013 and our incoming class of 2014 a great summer!

- Karen A. Bukowski, Principal

Forest Park Middle School Promethean Interactive Whiteboards at the Middle School

Last summer, the Forest Park District 91 school board voted on a proposal that installed Promethean boards in several of the middle school’s classrooms. Math teachers, Title 1 and the

Diagnotstic Resource Consultant were the tech guinea pigs. During the summer, teachers came for a week of training to learn the ins and outs of the new “smart” technology. By February of 2011, the remaining classrooms were equipped with Promethean boards and training was provided to staff. Promethean boards are a little smaller than standard chalkboard and are connected to a laptop computer and the internet. Teachers are able to show powerpoint presentations, take virtual tours, create interactive lessons instead of simple notes, and show videos. The possibilities are endless and just beginning.

We were all told at the training that it would take about three years to completely grasp all details of the Promethean boards, but in just the few short months the technology has been available it has been remarkable. Students want to get up and go to the board. There is a wealth of information, interviews, tours, and examples teachers can find and use.

The end of the year is usually a stressful time in the classroom, but the addition of the interactive boards keeps both students and teachers engaged.

Talented Artists At Middle School

The students at the Forest Park Middle School are a creative group!

We have several students who have exhibited artwork and received honors for their efforts. Guerin Prep High School recently held their annual Emerging Artist Show for middle schoolers. The following students had work on display last Tuesday night:

Autumn Jensky (Honorable Mention Ribbon), Donovan Williams, Jonathon Mosely, Chez Daggs (1st Place Ribbon), Angeline Leonard, Emma Havey (Honorable Mention Ribbon), Cristian Cabrales, Davaris McClendon, Nat Samutthai, Elias Soto, & Jennifer Benford.

Their artwork is currently on display at school near the office. Congratulations to Ms. Norton and her emerging artists! Thanks also go to Mr.Case & Mr. Thesen for their efforts with this show.



Field-StevensonPRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Field-Stevenson is a busy place on a regular basis; but this past spring, we hit overdrive. We had a lot of things happening, and we want to share them with you…in the fashion of Michael Sneed or Stella Foster!

• Mrs. Perry’s father again regaled the fourth graders with his re-enactment of the Lewis and Clark expedition, a real crowd favorite…

• Speaking of crowd pleasers, through the generosity of Kylie Sawyer’s grandmother, we had a great presentation by Harry Patterson, also known as the “Bee Guy.” An expert on our buzzing little friends, he demonstrated how bees are raised and honey is harvested. He also shared honey-based candy with our students.

• Some of our students also got the grand tour of the Forest Park National Bank. They were able to see how a modern bank operates and even got a journey into the vault! They were given souvenir banks and coins, but not the $100.00 bills they requested!

• Since March was “Music in the Schools Month,” a lot of time was spent by our Choir spreading the wealth. They appeared before our school, and they also appeared at the South Side Festival of the Arts. In addition, the Performing Arts Club also did a one act – and hilarious – play at the Festival.

• Speaking of plays, some of our third grade students wrote and acted in a play for the rest of the students…budding Shakespeares right here at Field!

• The Field-Stevenson chapter of the National Elementary Honor Society held its inaugural induction ceremony in April. It was an extremely elegant and significant event – and very crowded! Congrats to all our new inductees!

• We also got out once in a while. Our fourth graders got to see the super exhibition going on at the Shedd Aquarium [founded by John Shedd, the retired president of Marshall Field and Co.!] Our third graders got to go to the IMAX Theater to see “Born to Be Wild,” a documentary in 3-D about the animal kingdom [and you thought it was about Steppenwolf !] Thanks to the Southside PTO for making these possible!

• Speaking of music, our Choir also held a bake sale to help the residents of Japan who suffered through the earthquake followed by the tsunami. They were able to raise $300.00! [Arigatou gozaimasu – that means “thank you” in Japanese].

• Finally – and, again through the generous support of the Southside PTO – we ended our year with two live performances. On May 25, we presented the one woman play, “Helen Keller.” I give this show an A+ on my performance report card. And, on June 2, after we returned from our PBIS end of

the year celebration, we gathered in the gym to hear Ralph Wilder and his band present an annual favorite: “From Rag to Rap,” a musical tour of the history of American songs from Scott Joplin through Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra, Elvis and the Beatles and Michael Jackson all the way to Jay Z. This show is outstanding, a real crowd pleaser.

So, there you have it….a summary of JUST SOME of what floated around at the Home of the Sharks!

- Robert N. Giovannoni, Principal

NEHS Induction Ceremony

Field-Stevenson proudly held an induction ceremony for the first group of students selected to be members of the newly formed chapter of the National Elementary Honor Society (NEHS). On Tuesday, April 19, twenty-eight fourth and fifth grade students were recognized for their outstanding academic achievement and personal responsibility. Organizing the event were: Mrs. Bogdan, Mrs. Bussert, Mr. Dudlo, and Field-Stevenson's Principal, Mr. Giovannoni. The guest speaker for the evening was Matt Walsh, a graduate of Forest Park Public Schools, a St. Ignatius College Prep Senior, and a former candidate in the race for Village Commissioner.

Congratulations to the first class of NEHS from Field-Stevenson School.



Grant-White SchoolPRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE

Dear Grant-White Parents

The 2010-2011 school year rapidly came to a close. I can say without a doubt that Grant-White has some of the best students that any principal could ever wish for. The students of Grant-White have worked very hard to excel in all areas this year and I am extremely proud of them.

We began the school year with a rousing pep rally welcoming the new third graders from Garfield as they entered Grant-White school for the very first time. This came as a huge surprise to the students, and certainly made them feel like part of Grant-White.

Grant-White is all about the student. We are extremely proud of our student council and the role they take in the many activities that go on at Grant-White. Once the board and class representatives are elected, their work begins. They assist in putting together the holiday fundraiser, Christmas Charity, Mardi Gras celebration, and teacher appreciation week just to name a few.

Our students have transferred their love of learning into some outstanding activities which include their tireless efforts of community service. This year students participated in raising donations for the Fisher House at Hines Hospital, which is a facility for families of military personnel needing a place to stay while family members undergo medical treatment. Our parents also donated generously to the cause.

Our holiday trip to the IMAX this year was wonderful. After seeing a very funny movie at the theatre, we walked over to the Winter Wonderland located at the east end of Navy Pier. We had a great time on the rides, playing games, and looking at all of the holiday decorations. Several employees of the facility commented on how well our students behaved. Hats off to great students and a terrific staff.

Our second semester Enrichment program continued to be a huge success. There were over 96 students that stayed after school two days a week to be a part of the program. Students participated in science clubs, chess clubs, fun and games, math club, cooking club, and Greek history.

Star Parents Shine At Grant-White Intermediate School

Everyone knows that the most successful schools create ways to bridge the gap between home and school and involve parents in the learning process. Schools always search for creative ways to bring parents into our classrooms. We are also aware of the rich, talented and diverse parent group we are privileged to work with in District 91.

It is because of our diverse parent group that our Star Parent Program has been so successful. Parents are invited to come into their child’s classroom and share their experiences, hobbies, talents or career with the children. This is done in an informal setting. The children are allowed to ask questions at the end of the visit and many times the parent brings in visual aides and provides hands-on experiences for the children in the class.

This year we were honored with visits by a number of talented parents. Star Parent Mr. Stahlke made a visit with the children in Mrs. Malarski’s fifth grade classroom. Mr. Stahkle is a man of many languages. He has traveled throughout the world. He spoke to the children about his experiences living in Mexico and shared cultural differences with the class.

Another star parent was Mr. Havey. Mr. Havey spent time with the children in Mrs. Rodriguez’s fourth grade. Mr. Havey is a Biomedical Engineer. He discussed how scientists are helping patients with spinal injuries. He brought in visual aides and sparked the interest of many future scientists. These are just a few examples of the success of our Star Parent Program. This is a program which successfully bridges the gap between home and school.

Special Programs

This year’s Black History Program took us on a trip through a museum. Under the direction of Mrs. Giblin we were entertained as portraits came alive and spoke to the audience. George Washington Williams, Maya Angelou, Ralph Bunche, and Alice Coachman to name a few told of their life and accomplishments. A Night at the Museum at Grant-White where history came alive! The votes were cast and counted. This year’s Grant-White Rebecca Caudill choice is ………drum roll please…….The Mailbox by Audrey Shafer. Students, staff, parents, family, and friends enjoyed our annual Rebecca Caudill Celebration which included; skits, awards, door prizes, and refreshments.

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Forest Park School District 91424 Desplaines AvenueForest Park, Illinois 60130

www.forestparkschools.org | 708.366.5700

Residential CustomerForest Park, IL 60130


91

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Administration

Louis Cavallo, Ph.D., SuperintendentEdward Brophy, Asst. Superintendent of OperationsRobert Laudadio, Superintendent of Buildings & GroundsRose Gronko, Director of Student ServicesWilliam Milnamow, Principal, Betsy Ross ElementaryJamie Stauder, Principal, Garfield ElementaryWendy Trotter, Principal, Grant White ElementaryRobert Giovannoni, Principal, Field-Stevenson ElementaryErin Dwyer, Asst. Principal, Field-Stevenson ElementaryKaren Bukowski, Principal, Forest Park Middle SchoolBeth Kovacic, Asst. Principal, Forest Park Middle School

School Board

President: Francis J. MottVice-President: Sean A. BlaylockSecretary: Mary TurekLois BugajskyMaryWin ConnorJoan WhiteJohn A. Tricoci, Jr

D91 Newsletter Contributors:

Rebecca CiardulloGrace FinnPatricia MalarskiKatherine ValleauMaryWin Connor

Because of the nurturing environment provided by our outstanding team of teachers, the students have learned to be caring and responsible. In April the students raised $300 to send to the people of Japan devastated by the earthquake.

Sometimes there are students that struggle both socially and academically. This year we had three amazing students who worked to overcome those adversities and were honored by an award we have new to Grant-White this year called “Eagles Who Earned Their Wings.” Kudos to those three students!

Grant-White school is a part of the family and community closeness that is shared by District 91. Here at Grant-White our students participate in an award that is referred to as “District 91 Always 91”. This award goes to each 5th grade student who has been enrolled in the district since kindergarten (in some cases junior kindergarten). This year we had a total of 22 students receive the award.

We ended the year with a student versus staff kick-ball game, and as always our “MYSTERY TRIP”.

I am very proud of all of our students. They have kept our mission very close at heart, which in part is to promote creative expression, encourage an appreciation of cultural diversity, and become responsible citizens and life-long learners.

Have a Wonderful Summer,

Principal Wendy Trotter

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