Peirce School Family Newsletter
June 2019
Principal's Message
Greetings Peirce Families,
I cannot believe that we are already entering the last 3 weeks of the school year! As the school year comes to a close, I want to thank each of you for your dedication and support in making Peirce School what it is - a community of parents, students and staff who come together everyday to offer the best educational opportunities for our students.
Our 8th graders will graduate on June 18th and I wish them well as they venture on to High School and new beginnings. Students accepted placement at schools throughout Chicago - with half of our graduating class choosing Senn, our MYP Partner! Other students accepted placement at Amundsen, Chi-Arts, CICS-Northtown, CMSA, Foreman, Jones, Lakeview, Lane Tech, Lincoln Park, Mather, Noble, Northside College Prep, Payton, Ogden, Schurz and some choosing private schools.
Congratulations to the Move-A-Thon Planning Committee for creating a fun event for students, staff and community members while also raising over $42,000 in funds to support Peirce Programs!
I also want to thank the Race & Culture Parent Group for their work on the Racial Equity Impact Assessment, results were shared at the May LSC Meeting and their recommendations are helping guide future work that will happen at Peirce. Recommendations include the formation of a Racial Equity Team, training opportunities for staff and parents, and more. More information will be shared as the team is formed, goals set and action items finalized.
The end of the year brings transitions for staff, some members of our team will not be back next year while new members will join us, I thank each and every one of our staff members for their service to our students!
I hope that you enjoy the summer months, take time to relax, connect with your children and rejuvenate for the upcoming school year. I wish our graduates well as they endeavor on to high school!
Sincerely,
Lori Zaimi
Principal
Parent Volunteer Celebration
Peirce's New Logo!
Aspen
If you still have difficulty accessing the aspen portal, contact Sally Suarez (ebelizario@cps.edu) or Lynn Carro (lcarro@cps.edu) in the main office.
Enrollment SY19-20
Kindergarten-8th Grade
Spread the word - we are now enrolling for next school year! Encourage any family that you know of in the neighborhood to begin the registration process. More information can be found on the school website by visiting here.Pre-Kindergarten
The process for notification of Pre-K acceptance has begun by CPS - if you have not yet received an email, double check your Spam or contact Sally in the main office. All families who applied have been notified of being accepted or wait-listed.
Next Years Kindergarten Class Play Dates
Play Dates are parent organized and a great way for you and your child to get to know other students and families before the school year begins.
July 17th, 6pm
July 21st, 11am
August 10th, 10am
August 14th, 6pm
August 23rd, 6pm
2019-2020 Classroom Placements
Pre-K and Kindergarten Families will be notified by mail of their class placements the week of August 19th.
Attendance Update
Year To Date: 95.93%
Kindergarten: 94.93%
1st Grade: 95.1%
2nd Grade: 95.8%
3rd Grade: 95.89%
4th Grade: 96.5%
5th Grade: 95.65%
6th Grade: 96.64%
7th Grade: 96.06%
8th Grade: 96.89%
Peirce Teachers Travel to Japan!
From The Chicago Foundation for Education on members of Peirce's Math Team:
Inspired by the opportunity to experience a particular form of professional development in its place of origin, four educators from Helen C. Peirce School of International Studies collaboratively designed a Fund for Teachers Fellowship that would enable them to participate in the “International Math-Teacher Professionalization Using Lesson Study” (IMPULS) Program in Tokyo, Japan.
As educators at Peirce School, Berenice Heinlein, Jinny Gerhardt, Brian Girard, and Jeffrey Rossiter serve a diverse community of approximately 1,045 students, 61% of whom are from low-income families. Peirce is considered one of the best neighborhood schools on Chicago’s North Side; however these teachers recognized a need for improved math instruction across grade levels.
Lesson Study is a collaborative, teacher-led process where educators meet together to study student trends and content, plan lessons, teach and observe a live lesson, and reflect on insights gained from closely observing student thinking. Each of the four Fellows has previously attended the Lesson Study Institute, and receives ongoing guidance and support from renowned leaders in this practice.
Peirce School has slowly begun to adopt Lesson Study practices and has seen impacts in both growth and attainment in the National MAP NWEA assessment in math.
“We’re grateful to the Chicago Foundation for Education and Fund for Teachers, and look forward to observing problem-solving classrooms in Japan and dissecting a carefully thought-out lesson on subject matter that we teach in our own classrooms,” said Mrs. Gerhardt. “After this experience, we plan to shift the professional culture of our school by leading the implementation of Lesson Study as an opportunity for professional development. We hope our efforts will improve teacher practice and enhance student learning.”
The experience abroad will allow these educators to gain perspective on their own practices by reflecting on what works well and what doesn’t, based on evidence collected during each lesson they observe. The Fellows will interact with teachers and gather pointed, useful feedback that will influence how they revise their teaching strategies.
“Lesson Study is not just about one lesson; it is a holistic approach to educating and connecting with students,” explained Mrs. Heinlein. “This is difficult, but our team is ready to meet the associated challenges, and we’re excited to help students think more critically about math.”
June 2019
June 3rd-7th 2nd, 4th, 5th & 7th Grade MAP Testing
4th - 2nd Grade Dream Big Performance, 10:00am
5th - PSO Sponsored Parent Mixer @ Hopleaf, 6pm
6th - 3rd Grade Lookingglass Performance, 9:00am & 1:30pm
6th - Box Tops Collected
6th - Band Concert, 7pm
7th - PSO Meeting, 8:15am, Fieldhouse
7th - FOP Babysitting, 6pm
11th - Peirce Day @ Chipotle on Broadway
11th - Friends of Peirce Meeting, 6:30pm, Fieldhouse
13th - Local School Council Meeting, 6pm, Gymnatorium
14th - PYP 5th Grade Exhibition
14th - PAC Meeting, 8:15am, Fieldhouse
17th-20th Peirce Days at Pizzeria Aroma, 5350 N Broadway
18th - 8th Grade Graduation @ Senn High School, 8:30am
19th - Move Up Day
19th - 4th Transition to 5th Departmental
19th - 5th Transition to MYP Year 1 (6th Grade)
19th - Kindergarten Sing, 9:00am
20th - Last Day of School - 3pm dismissal
20th - Report Cards Distributed
20th - Math-A-Palooza
Save the Date!
Back to School Information
August 23rd - Classroom Placements updated in Aspen (all placements are tentative - some changes may need to be made the first week of school)
August 29th - Back to School Festival - Meet the teacher/drop off supplies from 3:00 - 4:00pm, PSO Picnic from 4:00 - 6:00pm
August 29th - New Family Orientation, 3:00pm (If Kindergarten families missed the May 31st session, this is an opportunity to have a condensed version, and new families to grades other than Kindergarten are welcome to attend)
September 3rd - First Day of School for the 2019-2020 School Year!
Key Contact List
Recurring Information
Student Fees - Pay Online/Tarifas para estudiantes - Pagar en línea
Las familias de Peirce ahora tienen la opción de pagar las cuotas de los estudiantes en línea haciendo clic aquí y luego seleccionando la opción de pago por única vez. Los honorarios son de $ 50 por estudiante o de $ 100 como máximo para 2 o más niños.
No Dogs (Pets) on School Grounds/ No perros (mascotas) en los terrenos de la escuela
Ayúdenos a crear un espacio seguro para nuestros estudiantes al entrar y salir del edificio; no se permiten perros ni mascotas en el recinto escolar.
Breakfast & Lunch Menus/Breakfast & Lunch Menus/Menús de desayuno y almuerzo
El menú de desayuno y almuerzo de CPS se puede encontrar aquí, se actualiza regularmente, así que por favor vuelva a visitarlo con frecuencia. Estos menús están sujetos a cambios. Además, consulte el sitio web de CPS Nutrition Services.
Daily Specials Rotation/Rotación de especiales diarios
Se puede acceder al programa de especiales aquí: esto indica la clase que tendrá su hijo cada día de la semana (Arte, Música, Danza, Educación Física, Español).
Parent-Student Handbook/Manual para padres y alumnos
El manual para padres y alumnos se puede encontrar aquí. Por favor revise para familiarizarse con las políticas y procedimientos de la escuela.
Student Code of Conduct/Código de Conducta Estudiantil
La Escuela Peirce utiliza Prácticas Restaurativas que están alineadas con el Código de Conducta Estudiantil de las Escuelas Públicas de Chicago. Esta guía proporciona información sobre cómo se admite el comportamiento de los estudiantes en CPS. Haga clic aquí para acceder al Código de Conducta Estudiantil. Cualquier pregunta relacionada con las Prácticas de Restauración o el Código de Conducta del Estudiante puede dirigirse a Shelton Jackson por correo electrónico sjackson143@cps.edu o por teléfono al 773-534-2440.
Helen C. Peirce School of International Studies
Email: lzaimi@cps.edu
Website: peirce.cps.edu
Location: 1423 W Bryn Mawr Chicago, IL
Phone: 773-534-2440
Facebook: facebook.com/peircecps