Pilgrim Lutheran School News
December 11, 2015
One more week before Christmas Break!
Many Christmas Holiday events are happening at Pilgrim. Thank you to all of our families for your support of what is happening in these last days before the Christmas Break. Please come out tonight, Friday, December 11, to see the Pilgrim Christmas Tree at the North Center Irish Christmas Market, 4100 N. Lincoln Avenue.
"We wish you a Merry Christmas..." is only one of the many songs we'll be sharing!
This Sunday, December 13, at 12:30 PM in the North Center Town Square*, you will find a bunch of Pilgrim School Families (from K - 3) joining in SONG to the neighborhood and YOU are invited to JOIN US! Led by Miss H, the children will be singing all the familiar carols and songs that we've been sharing throughout the last 2 weeks. From Angels We Have Heard on High to JINGLE BELLS, the tunes will be familiar and songbooks will be available. This time, we want all ages (THAT'S PARENTS, TOO) to join in the fun with their Santa caps and jingle bells!
December Calendar at a glance
December 11th - All toys due for Pilgrim's 11th Annual Toy Drive
December 11th - Pilgrim Decorates Christmas Tree for North Center Holiday Tree Walk
December 13th - Pilgrim Caroling and Chorus Sing at Irish Christmas Market
December 15th - Pablo Casals Field Trip
December 16th - Dress Rehearsal for Christmas Service - 9:00 AM Please note time change
December 17th - Christmas Service - 6:30 PM
December 18th - Half Day of School - dismissal at 11:45 AM
December 18th - January 1st - Christmas Break - No school
January 4th - Classes Resume
Pablo Casals
Pilgrim Parents
Thank You Pilgrim!
We are so blessed to have such amazing families. We've had so much happening in recent weeks and Pilgrim has met and exceeded expectations over and over again!
Coat Angels:
Coats are still trickling in but we already know that Pilgrim did MORE THAN DOUBLE the goal we were hoping to reach, thanks so so much for the many coats and financial contributions. The big delivery date to help out Coat Angels with two school deliveries will be on Monday, 12/14. This is a 9 a.m.-2 p.m. commitment and I promise you, it is worth your time to come if you can...this is what helping at the holidays is all about. Please contact Sam at samanthadoefler@hotmail.com if you want to join in the delivery and I can sign you up! Thank you again so much for helping to make this service project a HUGE success!
Toy Drive:
Thanks to your generosity we have exceeded our goal and will be able to provide toys for all of the preschool - 2nd grade children at Pablo Casals! We have over 213 toys and donations are still coming in. Thank you!
Pancake Breakfast:
Thanks to the Pilgrim community for taking part in the Dads’ Pancake Breakfast. We had 25 dads (including alumni dads) helping out. With the support of Unitas Global, Thrivent, and Starbucks, the breakfast was able to net over $1250 for the school’s Technology Fund. We're so grateful for Glenn Williams, Pete Gillespie, and all the Pilgrim Dads for an exceptional effort!
Christmas Service - December 17th
The Pilgrim Christmas Service is Thursday night, December 17. Please help to make it an orderly and reverent experience for all! Here are some simple guidelines that we ask all parents and family members to observe:
- Soloists, Band Students and Ushers enter at 6:15. Band Students go to the Tower Room.
- Chorus students be here at 6:30
- All Students enter the school doors on Cullom. Students must be in their homerooms between 6:30 and 6:45 p.m.
- All family members and guests enter the Church Doors, up the ramp. Doors will open for parents at 6:45
- Students should dress appropriately for a Church service. All focus should be on the worship rather than the fashion.
- Please avoid distracting students; refrain from clapping, loud talking; or flashing, beeping or peeping devices.
All of these guidelines help kids keep their focus. Thanks for your support of these guidelines!
If someone cannot attend the Christmas service Thursday evening, please know that the “dress rehearsal” on Wednesday morning is open to the community. We are starting at 9 a.m., which is an hour earlier than our normal chapel time, and the rehearsal will run a little longer because we are still tweaking things, but the music, the movement, the lights and the decorations will all be there. This is a great opportunity for family members or friends who have some time during the day to see the great things that our students do.
Keeping in line with a great Pilgrim tradition, please join the Pilgrim teachers, staff and PTL for refreshments immediately following the Holiday Service on Thursday, December 17th. Bring your favorite holiday cookie or treat for everyone to share. The PTL will also be distributing the Holiday Bonuses that evening
PAS and Office Schedule during Christmas Break
Notice concerning PAS for Friday, December 18: we will be shutting down PAS to start the Christmas Holiday at 3 p.m. on Friday. That Friday is a half-day; students will dismiss at 11:45 a.m. Please note that not all office staff are coming in over the vacation, but someone will be in the office each day. The offices close at noon on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve and will be closed for the Holidays.
Basketball season for 5th/6th Graders is wrapping up!
Basketball season for 5th/6th Graders is wrapping up! This weekend is a 5th/6th tournament at St. Paul’s/Austin. The students have worked hard and have learned a lot! Thanks to coaches Andy Weiss, Charlie Negron, Eric Jones, Pete Gillespie and Mike Suhajda. Thanks to all the fans for your support of the teams!!
Updated Pilgrim Merchandise Just In Time for Christmas!
Grab the perfect gift and support Pilgrim at the same time. Need flip flops for your middle school swimmer? An apron for dad for next year's pancake breakfast? A Pilgrim pillow for a college-bound alum? All proceeds support Pilgrim students and activities.
http://www.cafepress.com/pilgrimchicago
Pilgrim Student Council...
..is starting to make plans for 2016. We now have our officers in place. Maya Llewellyn is president; Ruby Zlotkowski is vice-president; Jocelyn Basler is treasurer; and John Bouman is secretary. Each of the 7 homerooms has two representatives to report back to the Council. The Council has a voice in how we spend our Pilgrim Kids Care money.
Library News
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.
Christmas Caroling, Hot Chocolate & Chili - Sunday, December 13th
Meet at the Pilgrim Lutheran Church, (4300 N. Winchester) Sunday, December 14 at 4:00 p.m. for caroling in the neighborhood. Then join us for a Chili dinner following at 5:30 p.m. at Pastor Kristian and Anna-Kari’s house (4332 N. Winchester Ave.) All are invited!
Christmas at Pilgrim - Join Us!
Christmas Eve… Come Participate!
Thursday, December 24th- 4:30 p.m. Family Candlelight Service
We invite all children, families, and youth to participate in the Christmas Eve Candlelight Family Service this year at 4:30 p.m.! Artists, musicians, readers, angels, singers, and shepherds are needed! Please email Office Adminstrator kdanner@pilgrimchicago.org for more info!
Thursday, December 24th, 7:30 p.m. and 11:00 p.m. Candlelight Services
Friday, December 25th at 9:30 a.m.-Christmas Day Service
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
Gift Cards
The Kiss Game on Sunday was a big success, thanks to all the players and donors. With your help, we made $55 which is being donated to the Common Food Pantry to help brighten their holidays. Thank you!
Monday, Dec 14th is the last day that you can place orders for gift cards not kept on hand. We need to hear from you by 10 am that morning and the cards will be available for pick up on Wed morning and Sunday. We will be selling Monday, Wednesday and Sunday that week and then only on Sundays until school resumes on January 4th. Please contact Anne Barsano at cbarsano@aol.com or 312-972-9040 if you need any help. Thank you for your support this year and wishes for a Merry Christmas! See you in 2016!!
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