Viking Newsletter
Jim Calabrese, Superintendent, Taft SD 90
September 19, 2021
Viking of the Week
This week we have our first Viking of the Week from Junior High! Congratulations to Piper Novotny, 8th grader from Mrs. Campbell’s homeroom, on their nomination for Viking of the Week.
Mrs. Valentine, Taft’s junior high science teacher, nominated Piper, and here are some things she would like to share about them. Piper is always willing to help others in the classroom! They are polite, kind, respectful, and have such a positive attitude. They brighten up the classroom and always have a smile on their face. Piper is involved in theater, hayride of horror, and other creative activities. They bring flair and passion to all of their classes.
Congratulations, Piper! You truly exemplify what it means to be a Taft Viking!
Sports Update
Baseball ended their season this week with a loss to Mazon in the Regional tournament by a score of 10 to 0. We are very pleased with their efforts throughout the season. We look forward to seeing many of them back next season, and we wish the 8th graders the best of luck next year in their high school seasons.
Girls basketball tryouts are Monday 9/20 and Tuesday 9/21 from 3:15 to 5:00. These tryouts are for any 5th through 8th-grade girl. If you have any questions, email Coach Howard at p.howard@taftsd90.org. Go Vikings!
Update from Mr. Davini
Our 5th-8th grade students will be bringing home their progress reports on Friday, September 17th, and this year the students filled out their own progress reports rather than printing them out. This is a key step in building communication skills for our older students as they take ownership over sharing their progress with you at home. Please feel free to add any additional comments or even more so, contact their teacher with any questions. We would like them to be signed by the parent and the student and returned to their homeroom teacher. Although progress reports are a good halfway point check-in, ultimately, it is our goal as a school to keep the open lines of communication with you in regards to your child’s success or struggles. For our Kindergarten through fourth grade students, progress reports will not be sent home. Teachers will continue to monitor student progress and communicate with you throughout the entire quarter/school year.
We will be sending home MAP testing data for each child on Friday, September 24th. Each year we strive to collect data, use that data to create interesting and differentiated lessons, and lastly share that data with our students and parents. One data point does not define your child, but a set of data points helps us work together to set specific goals for each student at Taft. Along with your testing data, will be a brief explanation of what that data means. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher or me in the office and we can work to explain it more.
Taft Band
Yearbooks
Principal Coffee
Market Day is Back!
State of Illinois Health Requirements
State of Illinois Health Requirements for the 2021-2022 School Year
Physical examination AND immunizations requirements MUST be on file by October 15th to avoid Exclusion from School.
Kindergarten Students (K)
• IL Physical Exam (Parents please complete the Health History portion, sign and date)
• Complete Updated Immunization Record signed or stamped by a doctor
• Eye Exam on Illinois Form completed by October 15 of the current school year
• Dental Exam on Illinois Form dated between November 2020 - May 15, 2022
Second Grade Students (2nd)
• Dental Exam on Illinois Form dated between November, 2020 - May 15, 2022
Sixth Grade Students (6th)
• IL Physical Exam (Sports Physical not acceptable) (Parents please complete the Health History portion, sign & date)
• Complete Updated Immunization Record signed and stamped by a doctor
• Dental Exam on Illinois Form dated between November 2020 - May 15, 2022.
New Students
New students enrolling in an Illinois school for the first time will be required to obtain & submit ( No matter what grade ) a:
: • Physical examination on the IL physical form & Up-to-date immunization records regardless of grade
• They will also need an Eye Exam on the Illinois Form.
Transfer students from other Illinois Schools must submit exams from required grade levels, unless the student is K or 6th grade then a new exam with updated immunizations is required.
Sport Association
PTA Playground Fundraiser
The Taft PTA has made it one of their priorities to begin to raise money for a new playground. Please click the button below to go to their newest fundraiser. The PTA plans to host a series of fundraisers and seek input from our students and community about the type of playground that they would love to see at Taft. Please consider offering your support as much as possible.
Vaccination Clinic
Please see the attached files below for more information. The documents below contain some general information as well as a frequently asked questions document regarding vaccines for young people for your review.
Freshmen Round Up
School Calendar
9/16/21 - Board of Education Public Hearing regarding 2021-2022 Budget - 6:10 PM
9/16/21 - Board of Education Regular Meeting - 6:15 PM
9/20/21 - Band Informational Meeting - 6:00 PM
9/29/21 - 11:30 Dismissal - School Improvement Day
10/8/21 - Fall Picture Day
10/11/21 - No School - Columbus Day
10/20/21 - 11:30 AM Dismissal - School Improvement Day
10/21/21 - Board of Education Regular Meeting - 6:15 PM
10/29/21 - 1:45 PM Early Dismissal
Taft School District 90
Email: j.calabrese@taftsd90.org
Website: www.taft90.org
Location: 1605 South Washington Street, Lockport, IL, USA
Phone: (815)838-0434
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taft.vikings
Twitter: @jjcalabrese