Patriot Pulse

Dear Grissom Families,

Happy February!

Grissom students continue to learn and grow! Their progress was especially evident in the recent Winter MAP testing, where the majority of students showed growth in their reading and math RIT scores. This success is the result of hard work on all fronts—our teachers implementing highly effective and engaging instruction, our students putting forth their best efforts, and our parents and families providing invaluable support at home. We appreciate everyone's collective efforts in helping our students reach their full potential. Student MAP progress reports were sent home with students this past Friday.

Remember that this FRIDAY, February 7th is a half day for students. Dismissal will be at 12 PM.

A big thank you to our PTO for recently sponsoring the successful Slice the Price fundraiser! We raised hundreds of dollars to benefit our students and school.

This week, students have two great opportunities to contribute to meaningful causes. Special Olympics is sponsoring Coins for a Cause throughout the week to raise funds for the Polar Plunge. The advisory class that raises the most money will win a special treat. Additionally, our student council is hosting a food drive to support the Tinley Park Food Pantry. Details for both fundraisers can be found in this newsletter.

Our basketball and volleyball teams are off to strong starts this season, with a busy schedule of regular-season games throughout February. Come out and support our Patriots as they compete for top honors in the SWIC conference! Be sure to also cheer on our cheer and dance teams when they perform at home basketball games.

Learn about all of these exciting events and more in the latest edition of The Pulse.

With gratitude,
Mr. Michael Rumbaugh
Principal

This coming Friday, February 7th is a scheduled half-day.

Students will be dismissed at 12 PM.

Did you know Grissom publishes daily announcements regarding school events, clubs, and activities. If you have not ever seen our annoucements page, click the link below to view them!

Announcements are also publicized on screens in common areas of our building as well as on our PA system during our daily morning announcements.

Save the link on your device for easy access to daily announcements in the future.

This week, student council is sponsoring our Annual Grissom versus Prairie View Food Drive Challenge.

Our two schools are competing to see who can collect the most weight in food items for the Tinley Park Food Pantry. We would appreciate your help with donations for this great cause!

The Food Drive will run from Monday, February 3rd until Friday, February 7th. Students can drop off donations to their first period teachers (6th and 8th graders) or second period teachers (7th graders).

All students who donate a non-perishable food item will earn one raffle ticket per item. If students bring in food donations that match the following theme days, they will be given two raffle tickets per item. Raffle tickets earn students the chance to win gift cards!

Monday - MORE RICE Monday

Any rice-based food, rice-a-roni, white rice, brown rice, etc.

Tuesday - TIN can Tuesday

Any type of food in a can

Wednesday - WE LOVE BREAKFAST Wednesday

Non-perishable breakfast food: pancake mix, syrup, cereal, canned fruit, etc.

Thursday - Soup-Tastic Thursday

Cans of soup!

Friday - FETTUCCINE Friday

Any types of boxed pasta and pasta sauce!

This week, Special Olympics is sponsoring the Coins for a Cause fundraiser. Students are encouraged bring coins/bills to lunch to donate. No amount is too big or too small.

The students in the advisory that raises the most money will win a special treat courtesy of our Special Olympics sponsors, Mrs. DeCarlo and Mrs. Fricano.

Donations raised will go toward sponsoring participants in the annual Polar Plunge, which raises money for all Special Olympics programming.

Let's make a big difference Patriots. Help support Special Olympics by donating coins for a cause!

Click Eight Grade Info to view upcoming events and activities for the Grissom Class of 2025.

All Grissom students have received a school-issued ID and lanyard.

Students will be expected to wear their ID and lanyard while at school. Both are considered essential school supplies. IDs will also need to be presented at after-school events - such as basketball and volleyball games, for entry. IDs can be used for checking out books from our school library, as well.

If a student loses their ID or lanyard - replacements can be purchased through our main office.

Replacement Costs:

$2 for replacement IDs

$1 for replacement lanyards

• Friday, February 7th - Half Day - 12 PM Dismissal
• Friday, February 7th - Breakthrough - 5 - 9 PM at Prairie View
• Monday, February 17th - No School - President's Day
• Thursday, February 20th - Board of Education Meeting - 7 PM - Administration Building

The entire school year calendar can be viewed on our website at 2024-25 School Year Calendar.

• Saturday, February 8th
  IGSMA Solo and Band Ensemble

Student support is open to any student who wants to complete schoolwork in a supervised, quiet setting - our Media Center.

Before-school support is offered Monday - Friday starting at 8:00 A.M. Students attending can be dropped off at Grissom's main entrance. Students will not be able to enter the building before 8:00 A.M.

After-school support is offered Monday - Thursday until 4:05 P.M. An activity bus is available to take regular bus riders home at that time, if needed.

An after-school activity bus will be available ONLY for students who already receive bus service. Students who attend after-school activities that last no later than 4:05 P.M. can take the bus home.

By: Nurse Sarah

With Valentine’s Day approaching and the viral season still in full force, it is important to be mindful of diseases that can be spread through person-to-person contact. Did you know that the number one way to prevent the spread of disease is to wash your hands?

The most effective method for cleaning your hands includes these five easy steps:

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water and apply soap.

2. Lather the soap between your hands, fingers, and under your nails.

3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds.

4. Rinse your hands with clean, running water.

5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dryer.

Don’t have access to running water? Using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is the next best option for clean hands.

Want to know more? Visit the CDC’s website at https://www.cdc.gov/clean-hands/faq/index.html or ask Nurse Sarah for additional resources.

If emergency days are needed due to snow or extreme cold, families will receive notification via an email/text message, and an alert will be posted on our District website. KSD 140 also communicates school closure information through the District’s social media accounts and the Emergency Closing Center (ECC). Detailed school closing information can be found here.

As part of Project RIDE (Reinforcement in Drug Education), seventh-grade students at Grissom and Prairie View Middle Schools participated in team-building activities and met with representatives from the Tinley Park Police Department, the Cook County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Heroin Epidemic Relief Organization (HERO). D140’s Project RIDE program raises awareness and provides education on several important topics, including internet safety, online enticing, cyberbullying, tobacco/vaping/marijuana prevention, substance abuse, juvenile law, and underage drinking.

Research strongly supports the view that the most effective forms of information and prevention are relevant and ongoing drug education programs in schools delivered by teachers and supported by agencies, resources, and the local community. Working together with parents and the broader community, KSD 140's Project RIDE program promotes the development of active and responsible decision-making skills among young people.

Hot Lunch Volunteers Needed

We can’t run any of our wonderful hot lunch days without our great volunteers! Please consider signing

up even if you can’t come the whole time. Meet new parents, and get involved at the school! We have

availability on Tuesdays and Fridays as well as special dates for holiday meals.

Tuesday Volunteer Sign Up

Friday Volunteer Sign Up

Holiday Meal Sign Up

Order Grissom Spiritwear!

Order your Grissom spiritwear today!

Spiritwear Link.

KSD 140 uses ParentSquare for email, text, and voice messaging. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourages greater engagement and connection with the District. Families can choose their language preference and indicate how and when they want to receive information (email, text, and/or app notifications).

We encourage parents to access their accounts so they can download the mobile app and update their preferences on when and how they are notified.

Please visit ParentSquare.com to register or download the free app for iOS or Android devices.

Calling all former Grissom Patriots!

An alumni page for former students and current/former staff members is available at the link below.

If you are a Grissom alum or staff member, click the link below to join and contribute to our group. Feel free to share the group with other former alum so we can grow our community.

https://www.facebook.com/share/Dj32ArEGLBFUBbnR/

D140 prioritizes comprehensive strategies to support students' mental, emotional, and physical health. Please click Health Information to review our resources. Together, we can create a nurturing environment where every student can thrive.

Grissom Middle School and Kirby School District 140 are committed to open and transparent communication. Please feel free to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.

#KirbyONE40 #EveryChildEveryDay

Respectfully,

Mr. Michael Rumbaugh - Principal

mirumbaugh@ksd140.org

Mr. Alex Weinberg - Assistant Principal

aweinberg@ksd140.org

Principal Michael Rumbaugh- mirumbaugh@ksd140.org

Website: ksd140.org/grissom
Location: 17000 South 80th Avenue, Tinley Park, IL, 60477
Phone: 708-429-3030