May / June Newsletter
A letter from the Principal
Dear KG Parents,
The spring weather lately has more closely resembled our winter months with the snow and below freezing temperatures. Since the district had to utilize an emergency day earlier in the year, we did adjust the school calendar. This year’s amended calendar and the school calendar for 2018-2019 was sent out last month but below is a quick list of events for the month of May:
May 1st Conference Track Meet at LTHS 3:00pm
May 8th 3rd Grade Parent Step-up Night 6:00pm
May 9th Band Recognition Concert 7:00pm
May 15th Chorus Recognition Concert 6:30pm
May 17th Jr. High Academic and Athletic Awards Night 6:00pm
May 18th Career Day and Field Day
May 22nd Graduation Dance 6:30pm
May 23rd Graduation Ceremony at LTHS Auditorium 7:00pm
May 24th KG Growth & Honors Assembly 8:45am
Report Cards and Yearbooks Distributed
Final Student Attendance Day-11:30 Dismissal
In April and May, we have focused on the final two Skills for Success, embracing diversity and grit. While on the surface KG is not a diverse population, the students and staff come from many different areas and backgrounds. The first step in embracing diversity is to know and appreciate ourselves. Once you know more about yourself, then we can begin to recognize the diversities in others. These combinations of unique qualities make us who we are as individuals, but the qualities we share as groups also connect us at the same time. Grit is known by several names or qualities: perseverance, stick-with-it-ness, intestinal fortitude, or never giving up. We celebrate several people’s accomplishments because of their “grit,” such as Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr, or Cal Ripken, Jr. While their accomplishments are vastly different, the similarity between these men is the failures they all had to endure. Teaching kids failure is a part of life is not a bad lesson. The lesson to learn from failure is that with grit anyone can stare failure in the face and overcome it to achieve success.
Summer is certainly a time to relax and spend time with friends and family. It can also be a great time to learn new things. Encourage your kids “disconnect” from the internet or social media to be active and just be a kid! The school has several camps for kids to participate in during the months of June and July. Summer camp registration information can be found on our website under the “Summer Camps” link. Also, it’s time to register for next school year. Parents will once again complete the registration information online through our website. The office will be open Monday through Thursday during the summer to drop off residency papers and have extended hours on Tuesday, July 10th to complete the registration process. To conclude, I want to congratulate the graduating class of 2018 and wish them well in high school and beyond.
Sincerely,
John Jennings
Principal
Registration for the 2018-2019 School Year is Underway!
Be sure to register now for the 2018-2019 school year. The link to the online portal can be found on the website under Schools/18-19 Registration- Returning Students. Be sure to complete the online information, collect and submit all your residency documents, print and submit the Signature Page and the Payment Page by May 31st!
If your child/children will not be returning to our District, be sure to contact Mrs. Krumlinde at lkrumlinde@d91.net to complete paperwork to withdraw.
Nurse's Notes
- Current Sixth grade students are required by the State of Illinois to have a dental exam form completed and turned in by May 15, 2018. Most students have complied, but there are still a few students who do not have a current dental form in their health file. According to the law, report cards can be withheld if the dental form is not on file. Reminders have been sent out to students who have not complied.
- Please review the District Wellness Plan when choosing snacks for classroom celebrations. A list of Healthful Snack items can be found on Attachment B of the District Wellness Plan in the Health & Wellness Section of the District Website: http://www.d91.net/uploads/1/1/7/0/11700295/lockportdistrict91wellnessplan-final_april_2017.pdf
- All current and future sixth graders are required to have a new updated physical and dental exam. These must be documented on the State of Illinois forms, which are available on the school website under ‘forms’ and from the school health office. ALL 6th graders will need to show proof of recent meningococcal conjugate vaccination (MCV). All 6th graders will be required to show proof of one dose received on or after 11 years of age. This vaccination will prevent your student from a severe form of bacterial meningitis as well as other illnesses caused by this bacterium. In addition to receiving the MCV, 6th grade students need to provide proof of having one dose of Tdap and two doses of Varicella Vaccine. Please plan ahead and make appointments during the summer to have these done before school starts. Doctors get busy and usually have few appointments left for August. Students may be excluded from school if these are not completed and on file by October 15th of the 2018-2019 school year.
- All 6/7/8 grade student athletes are required to have a current sports physical on file BEFORE participating in tryouts. These exams are valid for one calendar year and need to be given to the coach or the nurse to have on file. Students will NOT be allowed to try out for an extra-curricular sport without a current sports physical.
- An Online Health Survey needs to be completed for each student each school year- this can be completed during online registration. Students with asthma and/or allergies or other health concerns that may need to take medication at school should complete the appropriate action plan form which can be found online under ‘health updates’. This is for the safety and well being of each student while at school.
- Medication authorization forms need to be completed EACH school year. If your student takes prescription medication at school, please contact your doctor to complete a new form over the summer. These are also available on the school website under ‘health updates’, or from the school health office.
- Please remember to pick up all medication, prescription and over the counter, from the health office before the end of the year.
Please contact me with any questions.
Jenna Drobick, BSN, RN
815-838-0737, ext 1102.
Guidance
This month we have been learning about grit. We have discussed examples of people who experienced several failures, but didn’t give up. We have talked about things that are difficult for us to accomplish and the feeling of success and accomplishment we have when we succeed. We also learned about the value and importance of mistakes and failures in the learning and growing process. Failure is a part of life, and we talked about positive ways to respond and encourage ourselves and others when failure occurs.
For the remainder of the year, we will be talking about transitioning to the next grade and increased expectations as we grow. We will have sixth grade students talk with the fifth graders about what to expect in junior high and we will be answering any questions fifth grade students may have. We will be practicing with some combination locks to ease some of the worries about managing their lockers. We will also talk about how to find things to keep us busy and how to be healthy and safe through the summer.
I have enjoyed working with your children this year in guidance classes. I hope your family has a wonderful and safe summer! If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the guidance program, please contact me. I would love to hear from you! I would also encourage you to visit my webpage to find out more about the Guidance program and other helpful information.
Kathi Henderson
Kelvin Grove Student Counselor/Social Worker
Email: khenderson@d91.net
Phone: 815-838-0737 Ext 1132
Website: www.henderson91.weebly.com
4th Grade
It is hard to believe that we are nearing the end of fourth grade! The year has passed so quickly and we have done so much to prepare for not only the next school year, but for many years to come. Our students have learned academic skills, social skills, and life skills in the hope they will become productive and responsible young adults.
We have been focusing on the genres during reading-- expository nonfiction, historical fiction, tall tale, informational narrative and realistic fiction. During Language, we have been practicing contractions, negatives, and adverbs. Please continue to read with your child at home during the summer and encourage him/her to read on his/her own. A trip to the public library is a very inexpensive, yet effective way to practice reading. Just as one should practice for a sports team to become a better player, one should practice reading to become a more fluent reader.
During the third trimester, the students have been learning about fractions, decimals, perimeter, area, measurements, and geometric figures. Please take a few minutes every other day to review basic math facts with your child, so that they don’t lose the progress they have gained this year.
We are working on the Southwest and Western regions of the United States in Social Studies. In Science, we are learning about Weather Conditions, Matter, Energy, and Motions and Forces.
We would like to extend a special “thanks” to all the parents who supported their child’s education this year. You may not realize it, but your involvement means the world to your child and to us. Please continue to work with your child over the summer. Learning is a lifetime goal that all of us should hold true to.
Have a restful summer!!
The Fourth Grade Teachers
P.E.
Technology Class
5th Grade
We can’t believe the school year is almost over. It was so nice to see so many parents at the GREAT graduation. Officer S. always does such a nice job with the students.
May is a very busy month for us. Students will be completing an egg drop project; details to follow soon. In social studies we are well into learning about the Revolutionary War, and the events which led up to it. In math we are learning about geometry and volume. In reading we are finishing up our novel Maniac Magee.
On May 8, we are walking to the high school to watch their spring musical Into the Woods. Please remember to pack a sack lunch that day. Please continue working with your child on basic multiplication and division facts. If you ever have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher.
Fifth grade teachers
P.E.
Technology
5th grade students are working on building a digital portfolio using Google Sites. They are designing their website and customizing it to represent themselves. They are required to add school work they have created over the school year to showcase on their website.
CAD May Newsletter
LASEC
LASEC Academy students will be reading Diary of A Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney and working on a poetry unit. In Science, we are learning about Astronomy and Space. In Social Studies, we are going to be learning about Invention and Mechanization, as well as completing a research project around current events.
6th Grade Science
Mr. Lindstrom, and Mrs. Ditter
6th Grade Social Studies
6th Grade Math
Mr. Lindstrom and Mrs. Stateman’s math classes are finishing their fifth unit on equations, inequalities, and graphing. We will then be going into our sixth unit of study which focuses on relationships in geometry. Students will be finding the area of two dimensional figures, then finding volume of three dimensional prisms.This will most likely be our last unit of study for the school year. My how time flies!
Mr. Lindstrom and Mrs. Stateman’s math classes have websites updated to show daily homework. Please check these websites regularly with your child for important information.
Assignments will continue to be given in the textbook throughout each lesson, with an online assignment with the Personal Math Trainer (PMT) at each checkpoint within the module. Ask your child to login to their account to show you how to access additional practice features.
How can I help my child with math at home?
Review your child’s homework, and ask them to explain how they arrived at their solutions
View the Math on the Spot videos with your child for difficult concepts
Play the math vocabulary game at the beginning of each module with your child
Talk to your child about the importance of math and how you use it in daily life
Point out everyday problems that you encounter that require math (ie, calculating tip, discounted prices, etc.) and challenge your child to solve them
Talk with your child’s teacher about any questions you have.
6th Grade ELA
We will continue our study of The Lightning Thief. Completing all reading and writing assignments for the novel on time is of the utmost importance. Please make sure that your child is completing all assigned activities in a timely manner.
Vocabulary study continues as well with our Sadlier Vocabulary Program. In order to prepare for the tests after each unit, please make sure that your child is utilizing the online components that are able to be accessed from home.
P.E.
Month of May will be doing their track units. Students will gain knowledge in running relays and long distance along with field events such as the long jump and high jump among other things!
Technology
6th grade students are working on creating 3D models of a keychain with their names. Students are learning how to overlap and group letters to make one object so it stays together when printed. They are also learning how to make a hole through an object by creating the keychain ring using two cylinders. The students use Tinkercad.com which is an easy to use 3D CAD design tool. Once they are done designing their model, they submit it to be printed on the Polar 3D printer. Each keychain takes about 30 minutes to print.
7th Grade Life Science Class
7th Grade Social Studies
Students are finishing up this year learning about the Civil War, the causes of it, the battles and generals, the effects on the nation, the role of Abraham Lincoln and more. The Illinois Constitution is the final assessment of the year.
7th Grade Math
Mrs. Stateman’s seventh grade math classes are continuing our fifth unit on statistics and will be moving on to the sixth unit of probability. The sixth unit will take us to the end of the school year.
Be sure to visit Mrs. Stateman’s class website, which is updated regularly to show daily homework and important information.
Assignments will continue to be given in the textbook throughout each lesson, with an online assignment with the Personal Math Trainer (PMT) at each checkpoint within the module. Ask your child to login to their account to show you how to access additional practice features.
Assessments are now given on paper. Students receive a Ready to go On for the module which is their study guide. Encourage your child to go over this several times in order to be prepared for the assessment.
How can I help my child with math at home?
Review your child’s homework, and ask them to explain how they arrived at their solutions
View the Math on the Spot videos with your child for difficult concepts
Play the math vocabulary game at the beginning of each module with your child
Talk to your child about the importance of math and how you use it in daily life
Point out everyday problems that you encounter that require math (ie, calculating tip, discounted prices, etc.) and challenge your child to solve them
Talk with your child’s teacher about any questions you have.
7th Grade ELA
May brings the ending to a year where everyone has worked so hard. We will continue with the novel study of The Giver written by Lois Lowry. Your child will complete a project pertaining to the novel and will be able to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of living in a utopian society versus having the ability to make choices. If time permits, they will then hold a formal debate against other classmates to argue their position using evidence and sound reasoning.
The seventh grade students will continue their Sadlier vocabulary instruction including word part knowledge throughout the end of the year.
P.E.
In Physical Education class, we are starting our next unit, which will be Track and Field. The students will participate in a variety of events, such as discus, long jump, relays, and sprints. The top girl and top boy of each grade class will receive a prize at the end of the unit. This unit should take us to the end of the year.
Technology
7th grade students are working on creating 3D models of Illinois. Students are learning how to take a 2D image of Illinois and make it 3D. They are also learning how to make a hole through an object by adding a placemark where were live in Illinois. The students use Tinkercad.com which is an easy to use 3D CAD design tool. Once they are done designing their model, they submit it to be printed on the Polar 3D printer. Each state takes about 45 minutes to print.
8th Grade Earth Science Class
For the month of May, we will be finishing up with some very exciting projects in Earth science. The students will be working on building a structure that can withstand a earthquake table in the classroom. The students will also be studying volcanoes and the effects they have on the Earth. We will also be doing another project on environmental solutions to take us to the end of the year.
8th Grade Social Studies
Throughout May, the students will examine the origins of the Civil Rights Movement during the 1960's and how the struggle for equal rights expanded. The students will also explore the U.S. entering the Vietnam War to stop the spread of communism. They will also move on to identify how advances in modern day science and technology have improved daily life and created a global economy.
8th Grade Math
Mrs. Stateman’s eighth grade math classes have finished their study of transformations on the coordinate plane. Students have learned how to graph translations, rotations, reflections, and dilations. We have begun one of our last concepts of study, the Pythagorean Theorem. Students will be able to use the theorem a2+b2=c2 to find a missing side of a right triangle.
Assignments will continue to be given in the textbook throughout each lesson, with an online assignment with the Personal Math Trainer (PMT) at each checkpoint within the module. Ask your child to login to their account to show you how to access additional practice features.
Assessments are now given on paper. Students receive a Ready to go On for the module which is their study guide. Encourage your child to go over this several times in order to be prepared for the assessment.
The 8th grade class incentive trip to Great America is set for May 16th. We go rain or shine, let’s hope for shine. Only students that have fulfilled the requirements of the contract (signed earlier this year) are eligible to attend. Students that are eligible are passing all of their classes third trimester, have not been suspended the entire school year, and have not received 4 or more referrals for the school year.
How can I help my child with math at home?
Review your child’s homework, and ask them to explain how they arrived at their solutions
View the Math on the Spot videos with your child for difficult concepts
Play the math vocabulary game at the beginning of each module with your child
Talk to your child about the importance of math and how you use it in daily life
Point out everyday problems that you encounter that require math (ie, calculating tip, discounted prices, etc.) and challenge your child to solve them
Talk with your child’s teacher about any questions you have.
8th Grade ELA
The 8th grade students will be ending the school year with the drama, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare. Students will be able to immerse themselves in the language of the Elizabethan time period and read a drama that is full of comedy, interlocking plot twists, and fantasy elements. Ask your child what s/he thought of our Shakespeare unit!
Within the subject of language, we will continue to focus on our Vocabulary Workshop units as well as incorporate the analyzation and use of active and passive voice and other types of verb forms to create many different moods.
As the school year comes to a close, we would like to wish all of our 8th grade students the best of luck in high school. We will forever remember the legacies you left here at Kelvin Grove. We encourage you to read over the summer, put as much effort as you can into your studies, and enjoy all the wonderful experiences high school has to offer.
P.E.
Month of May will be doing their track units. Students will gain knowledge in running relays and long distance along with field events such as the long jump and high jump among other things!
Technology
8th grade students are working on creating 3D models of famous landmarks around the world. The students use Tinkercad.con which is an easy to use 3D CAD design tool. Once they are done designing their model, they submit it to be printed on the Polar 3D printer. Since most of the landmarks are very detailed, each design can take anywhere from 3-10 hours to print.
Art News
Currently, our Kelvin Grove artists are working on the following projects:
Fourth and Fifth grade students are progressing from painting to ceramic sculpture through the month of May. Fourth grade students will be using animals as inspiration for an upcoming sculpture project. Students will research their animal prior to start to fully understand accurate size, shape, color, texture, proportion and pattern within their selection. Our fifth grade students are using Claes Oldenburg as motivation to create a free-standing sculpture of a fake dessert item. Their goal is to duplicate/replicate the size, shape, color, and texture of their food item plus integrate a prop to “fool” the viewer’s eye.
Sixth through eighth grade students have been working on painting projects using Modern, Abstract, Contemporary, Non-Objective and Pop Art as inspiration. We have also experimented with plaster craft coupled with creative writing. Students will soon progress to ceramic sculpture within the final weeks ahead.
FINAL Art Club Meeting in May:
May 1, 2018
May 8, 2018
Thank you to all students, parents, teachers, administration and staff for all your support of the arts throughout the year. It is with your patience and understanding that all our special projects and all good things in art are possible. -Mrs. Cravens
Band
What a great year it has been for the Kelvin Grove Bands! I want to congratulate all the bands on a wonderful year of making music. Each and every person in the band has improved as a player and a musician. I am proud of all the band students. I am looking forward to a wonderful concert on Wednesday, May 9 at the Band Recognition Concert at 7:00pm. The beginners have come so far since those first lessons when we learned how to put together the instruments and make the first sounds. The Intermediate Band has made great strides this year both technically and musically. Finally, Concert Band has had a successful year making strides in intonation and technique. They received a Division I rating at District Festival and received many fine comments at State Festival. It has been an enjoyable year making music with everyone. Thank you!
All bands will still have rehearsals and lessons until the end of the school year. Please check the End of the Year Schedule that came home the week of April 23 or it can be found on the website for specifics.
The band’s final performance of the year will be at graduation on Wednesday, May 23 at LTHS east campus. All Intermediate and Concert Band members will be performing at graduation. More information about rehearsals and the performance will be coming home the week of May 14.
On a fundraising note, thank you so much to all the students and parents that participated throughout the year on one or more of the fundraisers.
As always, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at (815)838-0737 x1139 or nplagman@d91.net.
Finally, I would like to thank everyone for all your support and commitment to the band program at Kelvin Grove. I think it was another good year and I am looking forward to an outstanding year next year. Have a great summer and PRACTICE!!!!!!!
Cheer
Cheerleading tryouts for the 2018-2019 team will be held on May 11, May 14, and May 18. Candidates are required to complete an online application, a completed Permission to Tryout form, and submit a completed current sports physical by May 4.
Students currently in 4th thru 7th grades are eligible to participate in tryouts after all required documents are received. Current 6th and 7th graders with a current sports physical do not have to submit a new physical form unless the current physical is expiring, (check your date with Mrs. Krumlinde). Current 5th grade students may opt to turn in the completed 6th grade school physical form instead of the sports physical form. All participants must have proof of a recent physical or sports physical.
All cheer information and printable forms can be found on the D91 website under Activities/Athletics/Cheer, or can be picked up in the Attendance Office at KG.
Student Council
Student Council will be helping out with the 8th grade graduation dance coming up. We’ve had a fun year and look forward to next school year.
Yearbook Club
Our final meeting of the school year will be held on May 14, 2018. Club members will get a sneak preview of the finial 2018 yearbook and have a party to celebrate a successful completion.
Nature Club
SPECIAL THANK YOU
Again Thank you for your hard work and dedication!