Dear Lions Park Families,

It has been a short but busy week at Lions Park! Our students have been working hard on their benchmark assessments to show all they have learned this year. We are proud of our hard-working students and staff! We have also enjoyed this mild January weather that has allowed us to take the students outside almost every day.

Our Lions Park staff is excited about McTeacher Night. We have twenty staff members signed up to work at the McDonald's on Rand Road on Wednesday night. Please come to watch us in action! Thanks to our awesome teachers and support staff for being willing to spend their evening with our Lions Park families at McDonalds!

Our Media Club is a group of fifth graders that meets each week before school. They are making a weekly announcement video. You can view it at this link. Topics in the current edition include student council events, a quick test tip, a reminder of the role of peer mediators, fun jokes, interviews, and more. We are grateful to our Instruction and Technology Coach, Mrs. Soderholm, for providing this opportunity to our students.

During the week of January 30th, our third and fourth-grade students will be hearing presentations from the Mount Prospect Police Department. Other grade levels have presentations in different months. The focus of the third grade presentation will be to define bullying and give children some tools to stop bullying they witness or are victims of. A video will be shown that is hosted by McGruff the Crime Dog and involves his nephew, Scruff, being the victim of bullying at school. Tips are given to Scruff and his friend who witness the bullying. The discussion that follows the video reinforces the strategies to stop bullying and report it. This will be a good review of the Second Step Bullying Prevention unit taught in October. Fourth grade will learn about railroad safety. Some of the key ideas presented will be that railroad tracks and train equipment are private property. It will also discuss that whether you are in a vehicle, on a bicycle, or on foot, you are required to obey the railroad warning signs, flashing lights, and gates. Students will also be encouraged to play a safe distance from the tracks. Railroad safety is always important but recent tragedies in our community have reinforced that importance. Guest speakers always make topics more memorable for students and give further weight to the messages of their parents and teachers.

As always, please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns.

Warmly,

Katie Kelly

Tuesday, January 24 - Ed Foundation Meeting, 7 p.m. @ FV

Wednesday, January 25 - McTeacher Night, 4:30 p.m. (see flyer below)

Thursday, January 26 - PEPS Meeting, 6:30 p.m. @ LMS