Viking Newsletter
Jim Calabrese, Superintendent, Taft SD 90
January 29, 2023
Viking of the Week
Our student of the week this week was nominated by our Social Work Intern, Mr. Alec. Congratulations to Jimmy Raymond, who is new to Taft this year. Jimmy, we are very proud of you and the work you do. Take a look at what Mr. Alec had to say!
I am so thankful I got to meet Jimmy, it has been great getting to know him since the start of the year. Jimmy is kind, funny, dresses to the nines, and always meets me with a smile in the hall! He is always respectful and appears happy to be in school, which I really appreciate. Jimmy consistently demonstrates the three Rs at Taft - being respectful, responsible, and ready to learn. It is because of that, Jimmy is a positive influence on his peers. Jimmy is a true Taft Viking!
Keep up the great work, Jimmy!
Curriculum Update
We turn our attention to Mrs. Boyko’s 3rd grade classroom for our update this week. These students are such a wonderful group of kids who are so very polite and respectful. Mrs. Boyko and Ms. Ginte do such a great job with this class, and here is what Mrs. Boyko had to say about their week!
In our 3rd grade CD class, we are working hard on our decoding skills and increasing our reading fluency. In math, we are practicing different addition and subtraction strategies. We just completed our science unit on Owls, where we learned the parts and features of owls, as well as the type of diet they have. Every student in our class gives 100% every day, and I am so proud of how far they have come this year.
Message from Mr. Davini
Sports Highlights
The Boys' Basketball teams ended their seasons this week. The 7th grade lost in the regional championship on Monday at Taft to Mazon. The 8th grade lost Saturday in the regional semi-final to Mazon. We are very proud of Coach Kramer and the boys. They had great seasons.
The Girls' Volleyball teams also had a busy week. They played Monge on Monday and both teams were victorious. They played Rockdale on Wednesday and again both teams were victorious. On Thursday the girls played at Kelvin Grove and both teams came up short. Congrats on a great week ladies!
With Basketball ending, it is time to get boy's volleyball started! Tryouts are scheduled for February 9th. We will be having a team meeting next week sometime to gauge numbers for tryouts.
Improv Workshop
PTA Slice-The-Price Pizza Card Fundraiser
Dear Parents & Families!
Taft PTA is selling slice-the-price pizza cards again.
Let's do this Vikings. Our fundraiser is officially off and running! Every student should register for the fundraiser. http://stpcards.com/38644r. Once you register you will get your link to share with friends and family. You will also be able to pick your child’s prize and the prizes go all the way up to $600 cash!
If you choose not to register, you can still support your school by sharing our general online store, where friends and family can purchase a Buy One, Get One large pizza card for just $15! Here is the link: http://stpcards.com/38644
For questions, please call the hotline number 866-252-6103.
Thank you for participating and supporting our school!
Taft PTA
Taft Foundation Meeting
The foundation is also planning to hold a rummage sale at Taft in late July. They are also looking for volunteers to help organize this event. The foundation also will be looking for donations from our school community. Please hold on to any old clothing, household items, toys, and just about anything else you could sell at a garage sale and consider donating it to the foundation.
40 Book Challenge!
Health Reminders
Snack Guidelines from Nurse McGraw
Each family should have received this letter regarding snacks in the classroom. We need to work together as a team to make sure all our students are safe! There is no obligation for any family to bring in treats or snacks for birthdays or holidays; bringing in any kind of snack is strictly on a volunteer basis.
Food allergies are common today for many school-aged children in the United States. With this in mind, we want to ensure a safe and healthy environment in our classrooms for all of our students. The following are basic guidelines that must be followed when sending edible food items to the school for distribution to the classroom. Be aware that there are multiple allergies in our school other than nut allergies that could impact your snack choice. It would be best if you called the school prior to bringing in any snacks and reviewing with the school nurse so we can work as a team to ensure the class will be safe with the snack you choose.
All food must be made and /or manufactured in the United States or Canada.
All food must be peanut nut/tree nut free and manufactured on a dedicated peanut/tree nut-free line.
Homemade food items are NOT allowed.
No treat bags unless you choose to fill bags with NON-FOOD items.
You may refer to the website https://snacksafely.com/guide/peanut-treenut-free/ to find appropriate snacks that may be acceptable for your child’s classroom.
All food /snacks and treats going to the classroom for any celebration ( i.e. birthdays and holidays) must be checked by the School Nurse before going to the classroom AND be individually wrapped AND in their original packaging.
Physical and Immunization Information
The State of Illinois requires that all students MUST have an Illinois physical exam with up-to-date immunizations on file. Please see below and work with the office to complete these requirements as soon as possible.
Kindergarten:
Physical exam on an Illinois form within one year prior to the first day of school with updated immunizations. Must be turned in by October 15, 2022, to avoid EXCLUSION from school.
Vision Exam by an Eye Dr. on an Illinois Eye exam form completed and turned in by October 15, 2022.
Dental Exam on an Illinois Dental Exam form turned in by May 15, 2023.
2nd Grade:
Dental Exam on an Illinois Dental Exam form turned in by May 15, 2023.
6th Grade:
Physical Exam (Sports Physical form not acceptable) must be on the State of Illinois Certificate of Child Health Exam form and done within one year prior to the first day of school with up-to-date immunizations.
Must be turned in by October 15, 2022, to avoid EXCLUSION from school.
Dental exam on an Illinois Dental Exam Form Must be turned in by May 15, 2023.
New students enrolling in an Illinois School for the first time-Required regardless of grade level:
Physical Exam with up-to-date immunizations on an Illinois form (due within 30 days of enrollment to district).
Vision Exam by an Eye Dr. on an Illinois Eye exam form (due within 30 days of enrollment to district).
e-Learning Plan
Attached you will see our proposed e-Learning Plan that has been sent to the Regional Office of Education for their approval. We will be sending out more information within the next month or so to ensure we are prepared if an emergency day is needed. Over the past few years, we have decided to cancel school when necessary as early as possible to make sure everyone is as prepared as possible. We plan to continue this practice moving forward.
StopIT
Taft is proud to have the “Stop It” program up and running for the 2021-2022 school year. Stop it is an online program that students can use to report bullying or any unsafe behavior while remaining anonymous. These reports come through to the Superintendent, Principal, and Social Worker via text so we can address the situation right away. This provides the student with an opportunity to share their concerns if they feel they cannot speak immediately to an adult.
We continue to teach our students to advocate for themselves in situations where they feel they can speak to a situation on their own. The students are reminded there are different approaches to stop bullying or unsafe situations outside of reporting things anonymously. Students are encouraged to share concerns with friends, staff, and family to learn to advocate for themselves. However, we understand that there are some situations where students may feel safer reporting discreetly.
If you have any questions regarding the Stop It program, please contact Mr. Davini or Mr. Calabrese.
School Calendar
1/30/23 - Boys Basketball Regionals @ Taft - Time TBD
1/30/23 - Girls Volleyball Game @ Laraway - 4:15 PM
1/31/23 - Student Council Meeting - 3:15 PM
1/31/23 - Girls Volleyball Game @ Fairmont - 4:15 PM
2/2/23 - Girls Volleyball Game v. Monge - 4:15 PM
2/3/23 - Girls Volleyball Tournament @ Richland
2/4/23 - Girls Volleyball Tournament @ Richland
2/6/23 - Student Council Meeting - 3:15 PM
2/8/23 - Principal Coffee - 8:45 Am & 2:30 PM
2/8/23 - Improv Workshop - 3:30 PM
2/8/23 - Girls Volleyball Game v. Rockdale - 4:15 PM
2/9/23 - Kindergarten and 8th Grade Graduation Pictures
2/9/23 - Boys Volleyball Tryouts - 3:15 PM
2/10/23 - Boys Volleyball Tryouts - 7:00 AM
2/10/23 - Sweetheart Dance
2/14/23 - Girls Volleyball Game @ Ghompers - 4:15 PM
2/15/23 - Improv Workshop - 3:30 PM
2/16/23 - Bilingual Committee Meeting - 3:30 PM
2/17/23 - No School - Teachers Institute Day
2/17/23 - Girls Volleyball Game @ Elwood - 4:30 PM
2/19/23 - Bragi's Players Auditions - 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
2/20/23 - No School - President's Day
2/21/23 - Art Club - 3:13 PM - 4:30 PM
2/21/23 - Girls Volleyball Game @ Richland - 4:15 PM
2/21/23 - Boys Volleyball Game @ Rockdale 4:15 PM
2/22/23 - Improv Workshop - 3:30 PM
2/23/23 - Boys Volleyball Game v. Oak Prairie - 4:00 PM
2/23/23 - Board of Education Meeting - 6:15 PM Closed Session - 7:00 PM Open Session
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