Prussing News

Welcome back!

I hope everyone had a restful and joyous time off. The weather and ice have

kept us inside for recess but we are hoping to be back outside next week so please see that

your children are dressed for the weather.

Be sure to join us on January 16th for the Prussing Talent Show. It should be a good time for all!

As I peruse the lunchroom, I notice that many students are not getting a school lunch and only

bringing chips and candy for lunch. Please encourage your children to get a school lunch if they

are not bringing a lunch from home. If they are bringing a lunch from home, please be aware of

what your children are bringing. Soda and hot Cheetos are not a very healthful lunch.

Be sure to check the calendar for important upcoming dates, especially look for non-attendance

days. Both January 20 th and 21 st are non-attendance days for students.

Hopefully we will get a break in the weather. In the meantime, bundle up and stay warm.

😊 - WAY TO GO to Mrs. Arnowitz and Mrs. Tagtmeier for all of your hard work with coordinating our upcoming talent show. We all cannot wait to see our students perform and showcase their talents.

😊 - Our maintenance and custodial staff for keeping the grounds clear and safe for all.

😊 - We welcome our new and official school mascot! It's name is to be decided by our students!

The OST second session will begin the week of February 11th. The registration for this session will be sent out by the second week we return from winter break. To give all students an opportunity for the nonacademic programs, enrollment will not be based on space. Some of the factors will be if they have participated in the first session and interest level. Please sign up even if your child was enrolled in the first session. Most academic programs will continue with the same group of students. If you have any academic concerns regarding your child, please contact their homeroom teacher so we can get them additional support if possible.

Student Council will start up again on Wednesdays with the same group. More information will be coming out for the Spring Musical soon.

*Please note that the Uniting Voices Choir will continue every Wednesday through May. If your child is already participating in that program, please do not sign them up for another one on Wednesdays.

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After the LSC's meeting, this past Wednesday, candidates were selected to move forward into the interview stage. This will be taking place in the next couple of weeks.

Our next LSC meeting is Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, at 6pm.

The Talent Show will take place on Thursday, January 16th in the Prussing Auditorium. Ticket prices are $5 for adults, $3 for students/children and infants are free. Seating is on a first come and first served basis. Doors will open at 5:15 p.m. The show will begin at 6:00 p.m.

Design by Angel Le (grade 6)

Our Arts and Crafts reward will take place on Friday, January 31, 2025, for all students demonstrating Prussing PAWS. Our art teacher, Ms. Kim, has a wishlist of items needed for this day. If you can donate, that would be greatly appreciated.

Save the Date--The SC is hosting a Valentine's Dance on 2/13/25 from 5:30pm - 7:30pm for grades 6-8.

Here are some great ways to keep kids active in the winter!

Chicago Park District: Winter 2025 Programs | Chicago Park District

Chicago Public Library: Chicago Public Library

We also offer:

STEP-UP Counseling Program

Welcome to the STEP-UP counseling program, this is a school-based program through

Lutheran Social Services of Illinois (LSSI). We provide individual and family counseling and case management throughout the school year and summer. In the summer, services are provided virtually, at an agreed upon location in the community, or at the LSSI office, 4840 W Byron Street. The services that we provide require written parent consent. For students 12 or older, we can provide up to eight 90-minute sessions without parent consent. Ms. Thompson is the wonderful counselor we have from LSSI.

If you are interested in this please speak with Ms. Kelly or Ms. Keiper.

Small Groups offered:

Rainbows Group: Bereavement and loss group. Our k-3 group ended the week before Thanksgiving break. We are looking for referrals for a 4-5th grade group. If you are interested in your child being a part of this group please contact Ms. Keiper - ekeiper@cps.edu

Show Your Colors group (formerly known as GSA (Gender and sexuality alliance) social group for LGBTQIA+ students and their allies. This group is for ⅚ and ⅞ grade students and meets every other week during lunch/recess.

S.S. Grin: An evidence -based, small -group intervention that builds social skills and social emotional competence and addresses social challenges such as bullying and victimization. The group runs weekly from November - January.

Act and Adapt: Teaches middle school students how to cope with stress and anxiety. The group runs weekly from January to March.

- Please follow the Prussing PTO Facebook page for the latest events.

If you would like to find archived newsletters, please visit our Facebook page or school website.