Pilgrim Lutheran School News
January 8, 2015
Welcome back everyone!
Happy New Year to all! We certainly hope that everyone had a good Holiday break. By now, all of the students have gotten back into the rhythms of school. We are blessed to welcome a new family with 2 children, one in Ms. H.’s homeroom and one in Ms. D.’s homeroom. The Pilgrim Board of Education and the PTL have both met this week. Prospective families have been in the building touring and shadowing. And the first chapel of the year involved all of our students in the story of the Magi and the Star. Basketball for 7th and 8th Grade players is ready for a full season. Your kind support makes this all possible. Thanks!
Winter Carnival
Step Right Up to Pilgrim's Winter Carnival on Friday, January 15
It's cold outside, so join us for some indoor fun at the annual PTL Winter Carnival on Friday, January 15 from 6:30-8 p.m. in Maring Hall. It's an evening of fun and games for the whole family. Cost is $10 per family/$5 per individual child. We will have several new attractions this year including a balloon artist and photo booth, as well as bingo, carnival games, face painting, food and the opportunity to win a fish, for those who take the "Fish Care Pledge."
This is a parent-organized, parent-run event so there are several opportunities to help:
- Volunteer at the event or donate food: Sign up here: http://tinyurl.com/pilgrimcarnival
- Reduce, reuse and recycle prizes: If you have small toys that can be reused as giveaways at the carnival please bring them into the Pilgrim office, where we will have a donation box.
Don't forget to tell your friends and neighbors - this event is open to the community.
Book Swap
Refresh your book shelves! The first Book Swap of the school year will be held on Friday, January 15th. Bring in up to three gently-used books (at student's reading level or above, please) to swap!
Please also send along any kid-appropriate magazines that you don't need anymore.
Trivia Night
Grab 7 of your smartest friends and support the 7th and 8th grades at Pilgrim's Annual Trivia Night! Saturday, January 30th from 7-11 PM • Doors Open 6PM Tables (8 players max)
Online registration is at: http://pilgrimschool.schoolauction.net/trivianight2016/.
You may get your tickets and preorder your pizzas there or fill out a form in the office. The forms are attached to the fliers. Thanks to all who have already signed up!
MAP Testing
Winter NWEA MAP testing is scheduled to start soon. All students in grades 1-3 are taking the MAP. Strategic testing will occur in grades 4-8. Strategic testing for upper grades allows teachers to track specific skills among students better. It also prevents upper grade students from “peaking” their performance in Winter and then doing a downward slide for the Spring test. Our goal with all students who test is to show an accurate representation of academic growth from the start of the school year to the end. Strategic testing will help us to represent that growth as best as possible.
School Lunch Program
Tired of packing lunches every morning? Try our hot lunch program!
If you currently order lunches, congratulations, you know it is a great way to provide your student with a tasty, no hassle lunch!
If not, why not give it a try? It is quick and easy and more importantly they provide our students with healthy food portions, excellent food quality and just a terrific lunch!!
Registration Information for Pilgrim Lutheran School:
Visit the website listed below:
https://beyondgreenpartners.orderlunches.com/
Click the "Register" link in the upper right-hand corner of the screen
School Password: pls2
Simplify your life!
Come out and support our Wildcats!
7th and 8th Grade Girls Basketball has a tournament this weekend, January 7-9, at St. James. The regular season for both boys and girls starts on Tuesday, January 19, at St. Paul’s/Austin. A schedule of all games is available outside the school office. The girls team is under the leadership of Carol Schlensker and the boys team has Malik Kvamme as coach. Games for the 7/8 teams run through March. There is also still a chance to catch the 5/6 Girls Team in action for tournament play at St. Andrew’s in Park Ridge coming up in January.
7th and 8th Grade Basketball schedule is as follows:Beyond the St James tournament.....(Girls only)
The first weekday game is not until 01/19/16 @ St. Paul Austin (Boys & Girls)
St John's tournament Jan 21 thru Jan 24
01/29/16 Boys only vs Grace @ St. Paul Austin
02/02/16 Boys & Girls @ St. John's
02/04/16 Boys only @ St. Luke's
02/05/16 & 02/06/16 Boys & Girls tournament at St. Andrews Park Ridge
02/08/16 Boys & Girls @ St. James
League Tournament @ Luther North College Prep 02/12/16 thru 02/14/16 & 02/20/16 thru 02/21/16
02/19/16 Boys & Girls @ Midwestern Christian Academy
02/27/16 Championship Saturday & All-Star Game @ Luther North College Prep
Workshop for Parents
"Parenting with Positive Discipline: Developing Respectful Relationships” will take place on January 11, 2016 from 7:00 - 9:00 pm at Centered Therapy Chicago (Directed by Pilgrim Member Dr. Bianka Hardin), 4124 N. Lincoln Avenue, Ste. 1 Registration fees: Early Bird registration is $45 per person, after December 31 prices are $65 per person (Space is limited) Pilgrim member and Presenter Dana Thomas is a certified Positive Discipline Trainer with extensive experience as a teacher trainer, early childhood educator, and curriculum designer. For more information, visit www.positivediscipline.org To register, please contact Dana Thomas at Dthomas.eds@gmail.com
Re-Registration
Even though the 2015-2016 has not yet reached the half-way mark, much of the talk in the school office has already turned to school year 2016-2017. Within the week, pre-registration letters will be going out to current Early Childhood (3-year-old families) and Pre-Kindergarten (4-year-old families) about pre-registration for next school year. If you know that your family does not plan to return for the next school year, please let the school office know as soon as possible, as we have several families on waiting lists for the Early Childhood, Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten classes for next school year. Any information shared with the office is kept confidential unless you tell us otherwise. We want all of you to stay, but we all know that transitions are normal and inevitable. If we ask you for a deposit for next year and you are not able to make the payment within the time allotted, please let us know. We are happy to make accommodation; we just need to know. Thanks for your understanding.
School Board
The Pilgrim Board of Education met on Tuesday, January 5. The agenda was very full, but the Board covered a lot of ground. A letter from the Board will is coming to parents within the week to explain tuition and fees for the 2016-2017 school year. The BOE also discussed a new statement describing how the church and school communities interact; the possibility of some new grant funding; and, issues related to special education at Pilgrim. All the discussion expressed the commitment of the BOE to keep Pilgrim affordable and as accessible to as many families as possible. The BOE is working with the Technology Committee to post BOE Agendas and Minutes on our school website. We hope to get this done by the end of January. In the meantime, if any parent would like a copy of BOE agenda and/or minutes, please contact me, and I will be happy to forward them to you. If anyone would like a copy of the PowerPoint presentation about Special Education, I would also be happy to forward that to you.
Winter weather
Winter weather seems to have arrived finally. Please note that during wet and snowy weather students should bring a change of shoes to keep the school clean and dry. Students should change shoes on the bench in the basement hallway. We will continue to dismiss students through the playground unless large amounts of snow make the gangway between 4310 and 4314 impassable. Students continue to go out for recess unless the wind chill dips below zero.
Yearbook
Thank you to Parul Desai and Laura Pryst for volunteering to do the Yearbook this year. If you have photos to share, please contact one of them or you can share them with me. I will make sure that they have access.
Neighborhood happenings...
The Davis Theater will be showing SelectED this weekend @ 4614 N. Lincoln,January 8, 9 and 10. Please forward this information to friends and contacts interested in education, the Selective Enrollment Process in Chicago, or Whitney Young High School.
SelectED
Showing at the Davis Theater
January 8, 9, 10
Buy tickets for $10 here, or $12 at the door
To see the trailer, click here
Come to El Salvador 2016
If you have ever wanted to go on a mission trip, now is the time! Come with us to El Salvador, Central America July 31st- August 10th, 2016. We will be witnessing the dedication of a new Resurrection Lutheran Church in San Salvador, El Salvador. We will be able to meet Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Bishop Medardo Gomez and the leaders in the Lutheran Church of El Salvador. We will accompany the church in their work to resettle and feed refugees, help children attend school, help bring solar electricity to rural homes, minister with the homeless, and encourage our sister churches who raise Christian voices for human rights on a daily basis. This trip is open to all people. ALL AGES WELCOME, no Spanish knowledge required. Please talk to Pastor Kristian or Pastor Anna-Kari for more information!
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 either Anna Lambros or Carrie Goerne. 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