Summer Update
Kennedy School News
REGISTRATION for 2016-2017
1. Online Registration
2. Prove Residency (in person; at school office)
3. Registration Fee ($70/Kindergarten, $75 for 1st-3rd)
Classroom/Teacher Assignment letters will be mailed out the week of August 8th to your home! If your child is not fully registered, they will not be placed on a class list until registration is complete! Please register as soon as possible, if you haven't done so already!
Thank you!
School Supply Kits via the ABC Parent Group
If you are unable to come to the Meet & Greet, your child's supply kit will be delivered to their classroom for the 1st day of school on August 17th.
Meet & Greet (Kindergarten - 3rd Grade)
Your child will have the opportunity to meet their teacher and familiarize themselves with their classroom. We strongly encourage you to drop off your child’s school supplies on this day. It will make the first day transition much smoother if the children do not need to manage large amounts of supplies on the first day of school.
***PRE SCHOOL MEET & GREET will take place on Friday, September 2nd! More information will be mailed home to Pre School parents with specific times!
1st Day of School
NOTE: Our first day of school for Pre School students will be Tuesday, September 6th.
Kennedy Addition
New Staff at Kennedy School
Mrs. Beata Dering, Kindergarten Teacher
Beata Dering grew up in Arlington Heights, IL. This will be her second year working at Kennedy Elementary. Last year Mrs. Dering worked as a paraprofessional for the Early Childhood Special Education program. This year she is very excited to be teaching kindergarten! Beata graduated from Northern Illinois University with a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Child Studies. She later went back to school to receive my Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education with an endorsement in ESL and Special Education. Before coming to Kennedy, Mrs. Dering worked as a Pre-K teacher in Chicago. Besides teaching, she loves spending time with my almost 2-year-old daughter, husband and our Labrador dog. In any other spare time she may have, Beata loves to dine out with friends, watch movies, garden, and go for walks. She is looking forward to another great year at Kennedy!
Melissa Berlanga, K-2 Art Teacher
Melissa Berlanga lives just west of Schiller Park in Bensenville with her husband and dog. She received her teaching degree in Art Education from Illinois State University. Melissa was recently a substitute teacher for Schiller Park, including four months at Lincoln Middle School where she covered for a maternity leave teaching art. Melissa’s focus in college was in ceramics, but she also enjoys creating many types of art, especially drawing, painting, and fabric art. Her greatest passion is to guide children to explore art in its many forms through discussion, evaluation, and, of course, creation! Melissa is thrilled to be joining Kennedy as their K-2 art teacher!
Stacey Fischels, Kindergarten Teacher
Elizabeth "Lizzie" Siprut, Kindergarten Teacher
Kaitlin Teater, Music Teacher
Kaitlin Teater grew up in Lombard, Illinois and graduated from Illinois State University in 2013 with a Bachelor’s in Music Education. She spent the last two years at Woodland District 50 in Gurnee, Illinois teaching general music to grades 1, 2 and 3. Before that she was teaching in Ottawa, Illinois. Kaitlin has been playing the flute since she was 9 and loves sharing her passion for music with her students. In her free time she love baking, traveling and running a photography business with her sister. Kaitlin resides in Lombard with her husband, 7 month old daughter, cat and dog. Kaitlin is so excited to join the Kennedy team and meet all the wonderful students!
Mandy Ward, 2nd Grade Teacher
Mandy Ward grew up in Deerfield, Illinois and graduated from the University of Iowa in 2011 with a degree in Elementary Education with specializations in reading and language arts. Since graduating, she came back to Illinois and received her ESL Endorsement while also working as an assistant in second and third grade classrooms. Mandy has spent the last two years teaching fourth grade in Zion, Illinois. She is very happy to now be joining the Kennedy family and the second grade team! When Mandy isn’t in the classroom she enjoys biking, baking and cheering on the Iowa Hawkeyes! She also loves to travel, especially to visit her family in South Africa. She is very excited to be joining the Schiller Park community!
Kaitlin Hillner, 3rd Grade Teacher
Kaitlin Hillner grew up in Arlington Heights, Illinois. She graduated from the University of Iowa in 2013 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Human Relations. In fall 2013, Kaitlin completed her student teaching at Churchill Elementary School in Schaumburg, where she was assigned to a third/fourth multi-age classroom. She completed two maternity leave positions at Churchill following her student teaching in third/fourth multi-age and as an ESL teacher for third-fifth grade. Kaitlin spent the last two years in Bloomingdale School District 13 as a third grade teacher. Kaitlin is thrilled to be apart of the Kennedy team and looking forward to another great year in third grade. When Kaitlin is not at school, she enjoys playing soccer, attending Cubs games, running, and spending time with family and friends.
Anne Rowland, Second Grade Teacher
Annie Rowland grew up in Elmhurst, where she is now raising her family too. Graduated from NIU with a Bachelors of Fine Arts then continued her education with and Masters of Arts n Teaching. She has been in the education field since 2010 and was a 2nd grade Paraprofessional at Kennedy last year. In her spare time she loves to watch her boys play sports, music and grow. Hanging out with family and friends is top choice. She loves to read, cook, paint and garden. She is so excited to continue her career in this new position. Teaching is a passion of hers and she can’t wait to meet her students this year.
Jennifer Mauck, Speech/Language Pathologist
Mary Beth D'Andrea, 1st Grade (Maternity Leave Replacement)
Mary Beth D’Andrea grew up in Itasca, IL and graduated from Illinois State University in May 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. She also received endorsements in reading, language arts, science, and social studies. Previously, Mary Beth completed her student teaching in a 3rd grade classroom in Normal, IL. When she is not at school, she enjoys teaching dance at Itasca Park District, spending time with her family (including 2 dogs) and vacationing wherever it’s warm and sunny! Mary Beth is thrilled for the opportunity to be part of the Kennedy team and is ready to start a great school year!
Ms. D'Andrea joins the Kennedy team as Mrs. Sicher is on parental leave until January 2017.