PATRIOT PULSE
October 4th, 2021
Online Scheduling for Parent/Teacher Conferences Opens at Noon Today!
Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held in all KSD 140 elementary and middle schools on Monday, November 22 from 1:00 - 8:00 pm. and Tuesday, November 23 from 8:00 am. - 3:00 pm. Students are welcome and encouraged to attend.
Beginning today at noon, a PTCFast.com scheduling link and entry code will be available on our website for parents/guardians to schedule a Parent/Teacher Conference appointment. Please visit ksd140.org beginning at noon today to schedule your student’s conference.
These meetings with your student's team of teachers are a great way for you to ask questions and review your student's academic, social, and behavioral progress in school. If you do not have internet access or are unable to make an appointment on the specified dates, please feel free to contact Grissom at 708-429-3030 and our office staff will be happy to assist you.
"Patri-October" Spirit Month
Details for each spirit day can be found below. Students, staff, and families are all encouraged to participate!
Safety Drill Notification
Dear Grissom 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. We present scenarios over the PA system for age and developmentally appropriate discussion.
On Tuesday, October 19th, 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 708-429-3030. 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 make 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,
Mrs. Deborah Broadwell
Principal
HOT LUNCH DATES
Students who already ordered Hot Lunch on these specific days will be provided their order during their lunch period.
Tuesday, October 5th
Culver's
Tuesday, October 12th
Salina's
Friday, October 15th
Pop's
Tuesday, October 19th
Skillet House
Tuesday, October 26th
Jimmy Johns
Lunch Hours
Our normal lunch hours for each grade level are listed below.
8th Grade: 11:58 A.M. - 12:29 P.M.
7th Grade: 12:32 P.M. - 1:03 P.M.
Lunch Deliveries - PLEASE LABEL
If you are dropping off a lunch for your child, press the buzzer at the main entrance. The office staff will buzz you in, and you will leave the lunch on the shelf of the cart labeled with the correct grade level.
PLEASE label the lunch bag and any other items with your child's full name and grade level.
We do not encourage sending lunches via delivery or through a delivery service (e.g. DoorDash). If it is necessary, you must instruct the delivery person to label the lunch with your child's name and grade level. Otherwise, it is difficult to deliver the lunch to your child.
Reminder - Cell Phone Policy
Students should not be communicating with parents via cell phone during the school day. If you need to contact your child or communicate a message to him or her, please call the school at 708-429-3030.
After-School Activity Bus
Student Support - Before and After School
Before-school support is offered Monday - Friday starting at 8:00 A.M. Students attending can be dropped off at Grissom's main entrance. Students will not be able to enter the building before 8:00 A.M.
After-school support is offered Monday - Thursday until 4:05 P.M. An activity bus is available to take regular bus riders home at that time, if needed.
Daily Announcements
The link to our daily announcements can also be found on our school website.
The PTO is on Twitter!
Assignment Notebook Information
Social Emotional Wellness
We are here for you and your family, and we have resources to help. Please don't hesitate to reach out to your social/emotional leaders of Grissom:
School Social Worker
Molly Fahy
708.342.9563
School Counselor
Joy Labudzik
708.342.9561
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 9AM-5PM
NAMI Chicago local resources & referral helpline: 312-563-0445
Compassionate support & personalized referrals M-F 9AM-5PM, 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 respond to the situation. A Critical Incident Team officer is
trained in handling psychiatric emergencies.
District 140 COVID-19 Dashboard and Update Center
Please get the latest news through our D140 Update Center.
Keep in Touch!
Respectfully,
Mrs. Deborah Broadwell
Principal
Virgil I. Grissom
Principal Deborah Broadwell- dbroadwell@ksd140.org
Website: ksd140.org/grissom
Location: 17000 South 80th Avenue, Tinley Park, IL, USA
Phone: 708-429-3030