Helen Keller Headlines
August 2022
Principal's Note
September 2022
Wow, we are off to a fast start this school year. It has been so much fun having everyone back in the building, it feels like we picked up right where we left off. It has been a smooth start with everyone working hard and following my three school rules (1. Be Respectful 2. Be Responsible 3. Be a Caring Cougar). Many of our students are very excited about two new possible rewards that we have this year as well. The first is Student of the Month which will be one boy and one girl winner from each grade level. The winners will be selected by the grade level teachers and will get a special treat in my office at the end of the month. The second reward is called the Caring Cougar Raffle, tickets are earned by caring for one another here in the building. The raffle winner will be able to pick a prize at the end of the month as well.
Speaking of positive rewards, I wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for being on time to school this year. It has been great having the vast majority of students in the building by 7:55. I also wanted to thank everyone for following the arrival and dismissal routines, it has been going very smoothly this year. Please keep up the great work!
We've been having some great conversations in our building with students about how it is okay to make mistakes and how it is important to learn from them. It's been great hearing students tell me about how they have "failed" and then learned from it, many students had great examples of something that they did over summer. Ask your students and see what they are able to come up with.
We are really looking forward to really digging into our learning in September. We have some fun spirit days coming up (see below) that we would love for you to participate in. I have also shared some fun pictures from the month of August with our first couple of days and also some of our fun back to school events.
Finally, I've got a few announcements as well:
- Please send students with utensils, we do not have any at school.
- If you have NOT ALREADY please fill out the handbook agreement using this form.
- Please check out the letter below with important information about our upcoming school safety drills.
Sincerely,
Mr. Hanley
August Memories
D140 Safety Drills - 2022-23 School Year
Dear Keller Parents and Guardians,
As required by the Illinois State Statute, our schools participate in fire, severe weather, bus
evacuation, and emergency response drills during the school year. To ensure our students and staff understand what to do in the case of an emergency, we plan and practice several drills throughout the year. We wanted you to be aware of the various drills so you can be prepared to discuss them with your child if the topic arises at home.
Three (3) fire drills to address and prepare students and school personnel for fire incidents. One of these three drills requires the participation of the local fire department or district.
One (1) bus evacuation drill for all students.
One (1) severe weather and shelter-in-place drill to address and prepare students and school personnel for possible tornado incidents.
One (1) lockdown drill to address active threat incidents and to evaluate the preparedness of school personnel and students. There are no simulations with this drill.
On Sept. 30th, our school will participate in a lockdown drill. Our experience in conducting drills has shown us that most students can participate with the understanding that it is just a drill. However, parents/guardians have the right to exempt their child from the drill. Should you feel this situation would be too traumatic for your child, or should you want more information about the drills, please contact me at 708.532.2144. Under state law, schools must still provide alternative safety education related to an active threat to students who do not participate in the lockdown drill.
Each year, the entire District 140 staff is trained on our crisis prevention and response plan, which was developed in coordination with our local police and fire departments. We review these plans annually with all of the fire and police departments that serve our schools because we work cooperatively to keep students safe. After each drill, we reflect as a staff and with local emergency responders to determine if there are any procedures we might need to review with the staff and students.
We also focus on prevention by forming relationships with our students to provide support when they need it and so that they feel comfortable reporting to us when they hear or see concerning behaviors. Please reinforce this with your children at home. Let them know that they can also come to you when they feel unsafe and remind them that they should report any suspicions and concerns about school safety.
In the event of a real emergency, not a drill, every phone number associated with your child’s Infinite Campus record will be called using our notification system. We will also email parents/guardians and provide information on our website. We appreciate your cooperation and promise to communicate with you as soon as possible. Please be patient, as our first priority will be the safety of our students and staff.
Safe classrooms and work environments depend on our commitment to making emergency preparedness a top priority. We encourage you to engage in discussions with your child about school and community safety in an effort to be prepared to act in the event of an emergency. Should you have any questions about any of our safety drills, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
Jim Hanley
Principal
Key Dates in September 2022
Important September dates to mark on your calendar
Sept. 5th: No student attendance (Labor Day)
Sept. 8th: PTO Meeting (9:30 a.m. in the commons)
Sept. 21st: Official Fire Drill
Sept. 23rd: Half day of student attendance
Sept. 30th: School Lockdown Drill
Districtwide Spirit Day
The 2022 NFL season kicks off on Thursday, September 8, and we’d like to celebrate with a districtwide Spirit Day! Students and staff are encouraged to wear their favorite team’s colors or sports apparel on Thursday, September 8.
Patriot Day
D140 students and staff are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue on Friday, September 9 in observance of Patriot Day (Sunday, September 11).
Wellness Wednesdays
Break out those sweats, yoga pants, or jeans and ease into the middle of the week with a little self care. Students and staff are invited to wear comfy clothes every Wednesday!
Social Emotional Wellness
Times may be uncertain, but rest assured, we are here for you and your family. As we forge ahead together, please know we have resources to help. Do not hesitate to reach out to your Social/Emotional leaders at Keller:
School Counselor
Erin Kennedy nee Duncan
School Social Worker
Maureen Hegji
Crisis & Support Hotlines:
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)
24/7 free & confidential support & crisis resources
Crisis Textline: text HOME to 741741
24/7 text message support for those in crisis.
Between Friends: 1-800-603-HELP (1-800-603-4357)
24/7 domestic violence crisis line
Call 4 Calm: Text “TALK” or “HABLAR” to 552-020
Free Emotional Support Text Line
Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline: 1-888-293-2080
24/7 Chicago rape hotline for survivors of sexual violence & their significant others
Illinois Warm Line: 1-866-359-7953
Peer & Family mental health support by phone, weekdays M-F 9 AM-5 PM
NAMI Chicago local resources & referral helpline: 312-563-0445
Compassionate support & personalized referrals M-F 9 AM-5 PM, Sat 9-1
If you or someone you love is experiencing an immediate, life-threatening mental health crisis, call 911, clearly state that the individual is experiencing a mental health emergency, and ask that a Critical Incident Team officer responds to the situation. A Critical Incident Team officer is trained in handling psychiatric emergencies.
Helen Keller Elementary School
Email: jhanley@ksd140.org
Website: www.ksd140.org/keller
Location: 7846 West 163rd Street, Tinley Park, IL, USA
Phone: 708.532.2144
Facebook: facebook.com/helenkellercougars
Twitter: @kellercougars @PrincipalHanley