Pilgrim Lutheran School News
April 18, 2019
Happy Easter Pilgrim!
Enjoy your weekend long weekend.
Lent has ended...
...and Christians everywhere have begun the last days leading up to Easter. Thanks to all our students their families for generous contributions to the Lenten Food Drive. Hundreds of cans and packages of food, coffee, tea, pet supplies, and personal hygiene items piled up in classrooms over the last 6 weeks. The 7th and 8th graders also went shopping for food with Pilgrim Kids Care money. Donated items are going to the Common Pantry on Damen and to the Friendship Center in Lincoln Square. Just as your generosity has blessed an unknown number of families, we hope that each of your families will enjoy a blessed Easter!
3rd Quarter Report
With Easter on the horizon, the 3rd Quarter Report Cards for grades 4-8 are accessible in Sycamore Education School Information System (SIS). If parents of students in grades 4-8 have any questions or would like to see a grade preview, they should check their family’s account in SIS. Please remember that grades are just one measure, albeit an important one, of student achievement. Please let your child’s homeroom teacher know if you have any questions about what is happening in the classroom generally or with your child specifically.
Lower Grade families will receive their children’s next grade report at the end of the school year.
Teachers Day Off
Click here for the ballot:
https://pilgrimchicago.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/TeachersDayOff.pdf
The Party for Pilgrim...
Party for Pilgrim is 1 week from Saturday! Get your tickets now! Click below to register.
https://tinyurl.com/party4pilgrim19
Check out some of the packages available for bid!
A Michigan Chalet Getaway!
Enjoy a week at Chalet 67 in the Chalet on the Lake Community in Stevensville, MI, and a $50 Shell Gas Card to get you there!
Second City
Two admission tickets to The Second City valid for the Main or E.T.C. stages Tuesday-Thursday & Sunday. Restrictions apply.
Sky High
Spend an afternoon getting your jump on at Sky High Sports! with 4 tampoline park passes and then refuel at Potbelly. Enjoy 2 free sandwiches, 2 free soups, and a free cookie!
And so much more!
Thank you to our sponsors!!
Bronze Level:
The Hays Family
Blue and Gold Level:
Chris Comella
Centered Therapy Chicago (Hardin-Frye Family)
Dave and Jane Maring
John and Erin Telford
John Schuman Financial Advisor
Worksite
Passion Play
Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten presented A Bed Bug Passion Play on Wednesday night, and did a reprise at Maundy Thursday chapel. The students did a wonderful job of telling the story of Jesus and Easter. At Chapel, Pastor Kristian explained that the word “Maundy” comes from the Latin word “Mandatum” or “Command,” a reference to Jesus’ commandment that we should love one another. The Passion Play surely made that commandment a little bit easier to do! Thanks to Mrs. Halter, Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Bataneant, along with aides, Mrs. Kato, Ms. Sada, and Mrs. Fritz, for preparing this special presentation with the students!
Lower Grade Operetta
Meanwhile, preparations have begun for the 2019 Operetta, presented to you by the Lower Grades. Set pieces are appearing on stage, and choruses of songs are wafting through the hallways. The Operetta is planned for Friday, May 10, and is sure to be a hit. Mrs. Gates, Ms. Stone, Mrs Halter, Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Bataneant will be contacting families with more information about tickets and performance times.
MAP Testing
Spring MAP testing will begin in May. The dates are as follows:
Upper grades, May 14-16
Lower Grades, May 21-23
This will be the last testing session of this school year. Please make sure your children are well rested and fed. It will help them manage the testing days.
Pre-registration
Pre-registration for 2019-2020 has been on-going for the past few weeks We are still looking for a few good students for Kindergarten!!! Please continue to spread the word about Pilgrim. If you have not yet pre-registered your child, please contact the office to let us know your family’s plan.
Smart Tuition
Everyone whom we anticipate returning for 2019-2020 should have received an email with some information from Smart Tuition. Pilgrim is out-sourcing our tuition and fee collection to Smart Tuition so each Pilgrim family must register with Smart Tuition. If you do access your Smart Tuition account, please know that we still need to adjust the August tuition amount to reflect your deposit payment. If you need more information about this process, contact the School Office.
Tuition amounts in Smart Tuition reflect Church Member discounts and Multiple Child discounts, but no other discounts. If any family is going to apply for Financial Aid, tuition amounts will be adjusted after Financial Aid awards are determined in June. If your family plans to apply for Financial Aid, your completed form should be turned into the School Office by June 1. Financial Aid applications are available in the School Office or contact Principal Comella for an electronic copy. If you have not been able to access your Smart Tuition account, directions for accessing Smart Tuition are attached to this newsletter.
Dine Out for Pilgrim
Staff Changes and Openings
Earlier this year we announced that Mrs. Halter is retiring at the end of this school year, so some staff transitions are in the works. As Mrs. Smith prepares to move to the Kindergarten classroom full-time for 2019-2020, we are now looking for a qualified, licensed Pre-Kindergarten Teacher. Please help us to spread the word among teachers whom you may know are looking to work in a great school!
BOE and Church Council
The next Pilgrim Church Council meeting is Tuesday, April 30, and the next Pilgrim Board of Education is Tuesday, May 7. The main topic for discussion at both meetings is the Pilgrim budget for 2019-2020. If you would like to review the BOE agendas and minutes, contact Chad Smith, School Board Chair, or contact the School Office.
Staff Appreciation Sunday
Sunday, May 5, is designated Staff Appreciation Sunday at Pilgrim. Teachers and all Pilgrim staff will be honored during the Sunday service at 10:30 a.m. All school families are invited to the church service. The Pilgrim PTL is working to honor Pilgrim staff throughout that week. If you would like to help in some way, contact PTL coordinator Shellie Riedle.
Pilgrim Summer Enrichment Program
Click here for more detailed information and Registration Form:
Gift Cards
For a limited time you can order $10 and $5 denominations of cards such as Starbucks, Subway, Jewel, Dunkin' Donuts, Panera, Amazon, Regal, AMC and many others, which you can use for Easter and for student gifting. We will be selling Sunday, Monday and Thursday the week before Easter. Contact Anne Barsano 312-972-9040 or cbarsano@aol.com, with orders or questions. We have on hand $25 Landry's gift cards which are good at Rain Forest Cafe, Morton's and McCormick & Schmicks and also Whole Foods in $25, 50 and 100s. Think of Pilgrim before shopping for Easter Dinner!
Holy Week
Join us this weekend for Holy Week and Easter Celebrations!
Good Friday: April 19th - 4:30 p.m. (family service) & 7:00 p.m.
Easter: Sunday, April 21st - 8:00 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.
(Easter Egg Hunt to follow both 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. service!)
Easter Breakfast beginning at 8:30 a.m.
VBS
Vacation Bible School is scheduled for July 15 - July 19 from 9:00 am - noon. Games, Snacks, Music, Arts and Crafts, and Bible Lessons for kids aged 4 through 5th grade. Youth older than 5th grade are invited to volunteer. Please contact Dana Thomas dlthomas8@sbcglobal.net with your area of interest and availability! To register your child or children, go to: https://tinyurl.com/Pilgrimvbs19 To register as a volunteer, go to: https://tinyurl.com/Pilgrimvbsvol19
North Center Hop and Stop
Save the Date
Sunday, May 12th - Mother's Day, Youth Led Service
Sunday - June 2 - Prayers of Appreciation for Beata Halter Ministry of Teaching
Pilgrim is now on Instagram!
Like us on Instagram to be inspired by some of the wonderful things happening at Pilgrim!
Find us at "pilgrimchicago"
Like us on Facebook
Finally, if you missed the list of ways that parents can help at Pilgrim, here are some ideas:
- …in the classroom
- …in the Parent-Teacher League
- …at the Board of Education Meetings: 1st Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m.
- …as part of the Marketing Team
- …as part of the Development Group
- …as part of the Technology Team: 1st Wednesday of each month at 7 p.m
- …supporting Pilgrim Fundraisers and purchasing gift cards on a regular basis
- …sharing the good news about Pilgrim with a prospective family (postcards with Open House dates are available in the school office.
Our theme for parents this school year is 100% Participation! Our success as a school and as a living, growing community depends on the reality of every family donating some time, talent and treasure, as each family is able. Thanks for your help and participation.
You are always welcome in classrooms, and I welcome your feedback and questions. Feel free to contact me (ccomella@pilgrimchicago.org) whenever something arises. If you would like to become involved in events and activities hosted by the Parent Teacher League (PTL), please contact Shellie Riedle, Kelly Tobin,or Staff Rep to PTL, Kristen Stone. Parents are also welcome to attend weekly chapel services. The students are always happy to see you there!
Chris Comella, Pilgrim School Principal
Pilgrim Lutheran School
Email: office@pilgrimchicago.org
Website: pilgrimchicago.org
Location: 4300 N Winchester Ave, Chicago, IL, United States
Phone: 773-477-4824
Facebook: facebook.com/pilgrimlutheranchurchandschool