The Tiger Times Newsletter
Pleasantdale Middle School
March 1, 2020
March Is Order Your Yearbook Month! Order Online Today!
New this year, we did not offer yearbook purchasing during student registration. Therefore, no one has had the opportunity to order a yearbook as of yet.
Also, new this year, we'd like everyone who is able to order their yearbook online. There is no additional fee for using a credit card online. Middle School yearbooks are once again $20. Ordering closes March 31at midnight.
Directions on how to order online:
1. Log into Skyward.
2. Click on the "fee management" tab on the left-hand side (about half-way down).
3. Click on "Make a payment"
4. Click on "Shop" in the upper right portion of the screen
5. Select "Middle School Yearbook"
6. Click on Middle School Yearbook 2019-2020
7. Answer the questions and click "add to cart"
8. Go to your cart and continue to payment
Full directions (with pictures) of how to order a yearbook online
If you do not have the ability to pay online, you may bring a check to the main office.
The Middle School Bookfair Is This Week!
You won't want to miss this event! Remember, a portion of all sales goes directly back into the library so we can have the newest books for your kids!
Wednesday, March 4th - Muffins with Moms! - Book fair sale opens at 7:15 a.m.
Book fair during the day for students, classes to visit, parents to shop
Closes at 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, March 5th - Donuts with Dads! - book fair opens at 7:15 a.m.
Book fair during the day for students, classes to visit, parents to shop
Closes at 4:30 p.m.
Friday, March 6th - Open at 8:00-3:15 p.m.
Book fair during the day for students, classes to visit, parents to shop
Reopens 5-7 p.m. before Aladdin
Monday, March 9th - Open 8:00-4:30 p.m.
Book fair during the day for students, classes to visit, parents to shop
Tuesday, March 10th - Open 8:00-4:30
Book fair during the day for students, classes to visit, parents to shop
Aladdin Jr. Is This Week!
Battle of the Books Recap!
This past Thursday, 48 students on 9 teams competed in our Pleasantdale Battle of the Books competition! This competition is a series of 100 questions from 16 books that the teams have read over the last couple of months. The answers to the questions are the title of the book (2 pts.) and if that is correct, the students can earn another point for the correct author. There is a maximum score of 300.
We want to especially thank Mrs. Steinmetz for organizing all of this and to the 8 staff members who served as coaches to the students. Thank you also to all of the parents for supporting reading and coming to the competition.
#pleasantdalereads
Morning Choir is Canceled This Week
Report Cards Available Online Friday, March 6 at 3:30 p.m.
Spring Sports Are Coming
Illinois Science Assessment This Week for 5th and 8th Graders
All fifth- and eighth-graders will take the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) on March 3 & 4 (and 6 for 8th grades). The ISA aligns with our new Illinois Learning Standards in science. This assessment helps families understand how well students are performing academically and see whether they are on track to succeed in college. The ISA represents Illinois’ commitment to preparing all students for college and careers, including in the high-demand science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The assessment also satisfies federal accountability requirements.
The ISA is designed to reflect classroom experiences. Students do not simply select an answer and fill in the bubble of a multiple-choice test. Rather, the ISA pushes students to apply their knowledge when they give answers, thus better preparing them for higher education and a career. All students deserve the opportunity to demonstrate what they know; they get to see how knowledge is applied to real-life situations.
The ISA has three sections and is untimed. The average student time-on-task is estimated at 120 minutes. The results provide administrators with important data to help them make broad curriculum decisions at the school and district levels. But classroom educators will not use the results to make teaching adjustments year-to-year for individual students.
We encourage you to talk with your children about the importance of doing their best on the ISA, while communicating that the assessment yields only one piece of information about them and their school’s progress. Students’ attendance, classroom work, homework, projects, performance on local tests, participation in sports and extracurricular activities, and contributions to the school’s climate and culture all help them grow and learn.
We all work together to ensure our students build a cohesive understanding of science over time. Thank you for your role in developing lifelong learners and successful citizens.
Parent/Student Handbook Committee Meeting This Wednesday
We are planning to have our annual Parent/Student Handbook committee meeting this coming Wednesday, March 4 at 1 p.m. at the middle school. If you are interested in participating, please email Mr. Sonntag (gsonntag@d107.org).
If you have any suggestions as to changes in the current handbook, please email them to me as well by 5 p.m. on Tuesday. Thank you in advance! Here is a link to the current handbook:
Quote of the Week--See the Growth Mindset Embedded?
Challenges for Charity Totals!
Scholastic Bowl Team Members Still Needed
The Scholastic Bowl Team is looking for students to join in on the fun! This team is for any 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade student who seems to have random knowledge about all sorts of things in the world and enjoys competition. We will compete against other schools in the categories of geography, mathematics, sports, science, art, grammar, social studies and much, much more.
If you would like more information please talk to Ms. Newberry or Mr. Madsen.
LT Spirit Wear Sale This Week
Summer Academy Registration is Open
Although there may be snow on the ground, Pleasantdale District 107 is gearing up for our Summer Academy 2020! We are excited to offer students currently in grades PreK - 7 the opportunity to take summer enrichment classes to further their learning while having fun!
Summer Academy classes will be held at Pleasantdale Middle School on Monday - Friday from June 8 - July 2 (no class July 3 in observance of Independence Day) with classes offered from 8:50 AM - 12:00 PM.
*Continuing this year! Pleasant Dale Park District has coordinated with the school district to provide an opportunity for families to send their children to Park District Summer Camp for a reduced rate. This opportunity is available only for families with children attending all 3 sessions of Summer Academy classes.*
To sign up, please see the 2020 Summer Academy Program Guide here.
Save the Date! Tuesday, March 31, 6-8 p.m. Candy Bar Bingo Sponsored by the Courtyard Revival Club
Rubik's Cube Club Continues!
March Sports and Games Club
March
Mondays - games in Library
Tuesdays March 3, 10, 17 - basketball - south gym
Thursday, March 12 - basketball - south Gym
No club on March 5, 19, 31 and April 2
Parent Education Corner
For this week's Parent Education, I'm very proud to utilize my amazingly talented wife's blog post from her district on resilience. We hear all too often these days about kids not being able to bounce back from a challenge or setback and not know where to turn. Jessica writes about resilience and why this skill may be the most important one we teach our kids at school and at home. I hope you'll take the couple minutes to read it below or visit the link at the bottom to see some pictures she included.
Resilience by Dr. Jessica Sonntag, Director of Student Services in Hinckley-Big Rock District 429
Merriam-Webster defines resilience as "the ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune or change.” Resilience is defined by the American Psychology Association as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress”. When I think of resilience my mind fills with background music from Eye of the Tiger and begins quoting Sylvester Stallone from Rocky - (no, not “yo Adrian!” although that may be the most popular line):
“Going in one more round when you don’t think you can – that’s what makes all the difference in your life.”
However you define it, resilience is an important life skill that enables us to navigate the “tough stuff” life throws at us. Resilience provides us with a mindset of “we are more than our mistakes, we can do hard things, failure is just learning in disguise, and there is nothing so big that we can’t overcome it”. Resilience increases our success with relationships, school, work, and competitive sports. One of the most important roles we have as adults in the lives of children and teens is to help them develop resiliency.
How do we develop resiliency?
In his book, Building Resilience in Children and Teens, Dr. Ginsburg discusses the 7 C’s of resiliency (confidence, competence, connection, character, contribution, coping, and control) and how we as adults can assist children with developing this life skill.
Let’s get real -- Stress is part of our daily life. Stress can be an important tool as we navigate our life journey; it is important to be equipped to work within stress instead of letting it control our emotional state and response. Each day from the early childhood years through adolescence, children encounter situations that evoke stress. It is the nature of parents to want to protect children from experiencing feelings of disappointment, failure, and setbacks.
It’s possible that while protecting them, we may be eliminating opportunities for them to develop skills such as competence and confidence. Dr. Ginsburg provides strategies for parents to balance “getting out of the way” by allowing children to have increased independence and control while “staying connected” by being a safe person who will always be there and love them unconditionally.
http://hbrcommunityblog.blogspot.com/
Upcoming Parent Presentations
Parent Presentations
March 10 (Gurrie) or March 12 (Pleasantdale Middle), 7:00-8:30 p.m.
#RealTalk Parent Cafe with your teen or preteen sponsored by the Coalition for a Drug-Free LT! (see the flyer below) Please consider coming to this facilitated conversation for you and your child prior to high school! It's going to be a great event. RSVP to Cindy at ckfrymark@me.com. See the flyer below.
Nazareth Academy Parent Offerings
Click here to see Nazareth Academy's Parent Speaker Series this year!
From the 181 Foundation in Hinsdale-Open to all parents
Calendar Dates for the Year
If you are like me, you want to know the dates for the year as far in advance as possible. As long as you understand that something may change due to unforeseen circumstances, I’d like to provide you access to the dates we’ve planned for the year (many of which are in the paper calendar you received in the mail). To access the middle school calendar dates, please click here.
Collections at the Middle School
We collect the following at the middle school:
1. Pop Tabs-The Pop Tab competition by grade has begun so please continue to collect Pop Tabs for us throughout the year. We donate them to Ronald McDonald House to support families of children with cancer.
2. Box Tops for Education-These are all given to the PTO to support our schools!
3. Lids-Our Elements of Nature Club (EONC) 5th graders are collecting clean lids to drink and food containers to create art to put around the school. There is a collection place in the front hallway outside the office.
Throughout the year, there are other collections and drives that occur. Keep an eye out for how you can support the causes that are important to the students and staff here!
Tiger Tipline
While it is always best to talk directly to a staff member, we understand that sometimes this can be uncomfortable or difficult for students or parents. At Pleasantdale Middle School, we offer the Tiger Tipline as an anonymous tool for reporting unsafe, uncomfortable, or unkind behaviors and situations. We explicitly teach the students that if they ever see something or hear something that makes them feel unsafe, uncomfortable, or is unkind, either online or in person, they should tell a “trusted adult” which could be parents, school personnel, or other adults in their lives. The Tiger Tipline can be accessed here and we will post the link in Schoology and create a shortcut to the link on the student devices for easy access.
School Spirit Fridays!
Lunch information
The lunch menus have been upgraded significantly to show both nutritional information and allergens for the food served by Just a Dash, our third-party partner to provide hot lunch to our school. Here's the link to the menu:
March Lunch Menu, Nutritional Information, and Allergens
To put money on your child's account, please log into Skyward and add money. For more complete directions or apply for free or reduced lunches, please visit here.
Follow Us on Twitter @Pdaleprincipal for updates and pictures of the happenings around the middle school!
Follow pdalemsactivities on Instagram for reminders about school spirit days and events throughout the year!
This Week...
Monday, March 2
Open Art, 7:30 a.m., Mrs. Washburn’s room (Room 3)
6-8th Grade Orchestra, 7:30 a.m., Band/Orchestra Room
5th Grade Band, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Open Library 3:30-4:25 p.m. in the Library
Sports and Games Club, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Library
Rubik’s Cube Club, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Library
Girls’ Volleyball Away @. Gurrie, 4:15 p.m.
Tuesday, March 3
Open Art, 7:30 a.m., Mrs. Washburn’s room (Room 3)
6-8th Grade Band, 7:30 a.m., Band/Orchestra Room
5th Grade Orchestra, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Open Library 3:30-4:25, Library
Spirit Squad, 3:30-4:25, Office
Sports and Games Club, 3:30-4:25 p.m., South Gym
Girls’ Volleyball Away @ Willow, 4:15 p.m.
Wednesday, March 4-Muffins with Mom @ the Bookfair, 7:15-8:10 a.m.
Bookfair open 7:15-3:30 p.m.
Open Art, 7:30 a.m., Mrs. Washburn’s room (Room 3)
6-8th Grade Orchestra, 7:30 a.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Student Council Meeting, 7:30 a.m., Room 25
Thursday, March 5-Donuts with Dad @ the Bookfair, 7:15-8:10 a.m.
Bookfair open 7:15-4:30 p.m.
Open Art, 7:30 a.m., Mrs. Washburn’s room (Room 3)
Student Council Meeting**, 7:30 a.m., Room 25
**Thursday meetings are meant for the students that cannot come on Wednesdays
Musical Performance to start the school day, 8:30 a.m.
5th Grade Band, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Open Library 3:30-4:25 p.m., Library
Gaming Club, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Library
Friday, March 6-Middle School Bookfair 8 a.m.-3:15 p.m., 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Jazz Band, 7:30 a.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Yoga, 7:35 a.m., small gym (mats are provided)
Aladdin, 7:00 p.m., North Gym, enter door 2 or 6
Saturday, March 7
Aladdin, 3 p.m., North Gym, enter door 2 or 6
PTO Gala, 7 p.m., Marriott-Burr Ridge
A Look Ahead...
Monday, March 9
Open Art, 7:30 am., Mrs. Washburn’s room (Room 3)
6-8th Grade Orchestra, 7:30 a.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Boys' Choir, 7:30 a.m., Music Room
5th Grade Band, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Open Library 3:30-4:25 p.m. in the Library
Sports and Games Club, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Library
Rubik’s Cube Club, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Library
Tuesday, March 10
Open Art, 7:30 a.m., Mrs. Washburn’s room (Room 3)
6-8th Grade Band, 7:30 a.m., Band/Orchestra Room
7th, 8th Grade Girls' Choir, 7:30 a.m., Music Room
5th Grade Orchestra, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Open Library 3:30-4:25, Library
Sports and Games Club, 3:30-4:25 p.m., South Gym
Girls’ Volleyball home vs. Highlands, 4:15 p.m., North Gym
Wednesday, March 11
Open Art, 7:30 a.m., Mrs. Washburn’s room (Room 3)
6-8th Grade Orchestra, 7:30 a.m., Band/Orchestra Room
5th, 6th Grade Girls' Choir, 7:30 a.m., Music Room
Student Council Meeting, 7:30 a.m., Room 25
Thursday, March 12-Battle of the Books Finals
Open Art, 7:30 a.m., Mrs. Washburn’s room (Room 3)
Boys' Choir, 7:30 a.m., Music Room
Student Council Meeting**, 7:30 a.m., Room 25
**Thursday meetings are meant for the students that cannot come on Wednesdays
Musical Performance to start the school day, 8:30 a.m.
5th Grade Band, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Band/Orchestra Room
Open Library 3:30-4:25 p.m., Library
Gaming Club, 3:30-4:25 p.m., Library
Sports and Games Club, 3:30-4:25 p.m., South Gym
Girls’ Volleyball home vs. Willow, 4:15 p.m.
Parent/Teen Talks, LT Coalition-all parents and students welcome, 7 p.m., Cafeteria
Friday, March 13
Jazz Band, 7:30 a.m., Band/Orchestra Room
5th, 6th Grade Girls' Choir, 7:30 a.m., Music Room
7th, 8th Grade Girls' Choir, 7:30 a.m., Music Room
Yoga, 7:35 a.m., small gym (mats are provided)
Fortnightly, 7-9 p.m., North Gym
Questions? We're here to help!
Athletics: 708-246-7382
Mr. Mark Dreher, Athletic Director, mdreher@d107.org
Attendance notification: 708-246-3210, extension 5 or email middleattendance@d107.org before 8:20 a.m., please.
Health Office: 708-246-7619
Mrs. Denise Rende, Nurse, drende@d107.org
Main Office: 708-246-3210, extension 0
Mrs. Stacey Tantillo, Secretary, stantillo@d107.org
Ms. Maria Cuevas, Clerical Aide, mcuevas@d107.org
Mrs. Brianne Malatt, Assistant Principal, bmalatt@d107.org, 708-246-7373
Mr. Griffin Sonntag, Principal, gsonntag@d107.org, 708-246-7609
Social Worker: 708-246-7505
Ms. Carrie Castaldo, Social Worker, ccastaldo@d107.org