Happy Friday Kipling Families!

It was so wonderful to see all our families come to Kipling last night for our annual Showcase Night. The students were beyond excited to prepare their classrooms and share their learning with you. The leadership, independence, and confidence our students have is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced working in schools. Our partnership in cultivating and nurturing these character traits is on full display every day as you visit classrooms at Kipling. I am very proud of all the growth our students have made this year and I am grateful to be on the journey with them, our staff, and with you.

Thank you to our PTO and to all the families who came to BINGO Night last week! It was a great turnout, the kids seemed to have a blast, and my voice came back before Monday morning - win, win, win! These community building events are unique to our school and I am always happy to be a part of them. Thank you all for supporting our PTO and all of our students.

All my best to you and your families over the weekend!

Respectfully,

Mr. Matthew O. Lombardo, NBCT

Principal

Kipling Elementary School

-Please sign up for your PTO Membership now! Click HERE to sign up if you have not already!

-Our PTO meeting originally scheduled for May 5th has been canceled. An update will be coming soon when it is rescheduled.

Dental forms for all Kindy and 2nd-grade students are due by May 15, 2023. Exams must have been performed within 18 months of the May 15th deadline. Please submit completed forms to Mrs. Szabo at eszabo@dps109.org. If you have any questions or updates, please reach out and let her know.

We are excited to announce that A Day to be Brave, author event is coming VIRTUALLY to Kipling Elementary on May 19, 2023!

A Day to be Brave author event is based on the inspiring and empowering children’s book The Bravest Worrier, written and illustrated by Angelique Monet. During each 45-minute presentation, Angelique Monet inspires audiences through her captivating storytelling, magical props, behind-the-scenes tour, and The Bravest Worrier’s innovative free companion augmented reality app.

Often described as a TedTalk for children with Harry Potter and Disney magic, A Day to be Brave provides children with a roadmap to success including:

• Tools to build self-worth, self-love, and self-respect

• Preparedness to recognize their strengths and ask for help

• Means to cultivate their natural gifts and those they gain through education

• Understanding that courage and fear exist together and their dynamic interaction

• allows for growth and change

To see a sneak peek of A Day to be Brave, please view the event trailer.

Parents, please spend some time with your child this weekend reviewing what proper expectations are for riding the bus. Students should remain seated with their seat belts buckled at all times. They should not be yelling or using inappropriate language. We want the bus rides to be safe and positive experiences for every child. Please help us reiterate and reinforce these expectations. Thank you!

Celebrating Our Outgoing Board Members

We invite everyone in the DPS109 community to join us for a special celebration of the years of service for outgoing Board of Education members Nicholas Begley and Kenneth J. Ashman. Please join us for a brief ceremony honoring them on Wednesday, May 3rd at 6:15 p.m. at the District Center.

DPS109 Parent/Guardian Webinar Series

Topics for the next events will include:

• Understanding Children’s Hardest Moments (5/4)

• The Basics of Childhood Resilience (5/11)

• Collaborative Problem Solving (5/18)

Please click here to access the zoom link for all of the events. Each webinar will begin at 7 p.m. No sign-up is required ahead of time, and the sessions will be recorded and available on the DPS109 website following the event.

The Deerfield Park District runs all of our before and after school programs. Linked here is the brochure & information for sign up. Please contact the Park District, 847-945-0650, if you have questions.

• May 2nd - Kipling and Walden Choir Concert @ Walden, 5:30pm

• May 3rd - Kindergarten Music Performance, 5:30pm @ Kipling

• May 11th - Elementary Band and Orchestra Performance @ Shepard, 6pm

• May 14th - HAPPY MOTHERS’ DAY!

• May 18th - K-2 Art Show @ Kipling, 5-6pm

• May 25th - Regular Board of Education Meeting @ District Office, 7pm

• May 29th - No School, Memorial Day

• May 30th - Kipling Field Day!

• June 2nd - PTO Meeting @ Kipling, 9:30am

• June 2nd - 5th Grade Picnic during their lunch/recess time

• June 5th - 5th Grade Visit to Tour Shepard Middle School

• June 7th - 5th Grade Send-Off Breakfast @ Kipling, 7:30am-8:30am

• June 7th - Final Day of School, 1/2 Day, 11:40am Dismissal