Lincoln Bulldog News

Good Afternoon Lincoln Families,

We hope you had a wonderful Labor Day weekend with your loved ones! As we settle into the school year, we want to remind you of the importance of regular attendance. Every day of learning counts, and your child’s presence in the classroom is key to their success.

We are excited to introduce a new feature in our newsletter: the bi-monthly classroom highlight. This month, we’re starting with our amazing fifth grade students and teachers. Our fifth-grade teachers bring a wealth of experience and dedication to the classroom, ensuring that every student is supported and challenged. We look forward to showcasing their incredible work!

Mrs. Kelly

Principal

Hello, my name is Anna Garcia, and this will be my 7th year at Lincoln. My goal for this year is for all students to be challenged and supported to reach their full potential and feel prepared to transition to 6th grade.

Fun Fact: I lived in Nicaragua for three years working as an English teacher in both public and private schools.

Hello. My name is Megan McGuire and this will be my 16th year teaching and 13th year at Lincoln. I have also taught 3rd grade at Wesley and 5th grade at Fullerton.

My goal for this year is to create a positive and nurturing environment where each student feels valued and works towards achieving wonderful things in my classroom. I’m excited for a great year!

Fun Fact: When I’m not teaching, I enjoy baking, cooking, and spending time with my family.

Hello. My name is Lauren Gragnani and this will be my 13th year teaching and my 10th year at Lincoln. In the past, I taught second grade for two years, third grade for one year, fourth grade for one year and this will be my 9th year teaching 5th.

I love to create a safe space for all students to learn, have fun, and make new friends. I view my classroom as a family and care about each and every student so, so much!

Fun Fact: I grew up in Addison, IL and my parents still live in town! 🙂

Hello. My name is Laura Gillen and this will be my 20th year of teaching and my 10th year at Lincoln. I am the Intermediate Student Support Program teacher, teaching both 4th and 5th grade students.

I love to create a welcoming environment where all students feel safe, cared for, and enjoy coming to school! I’m looking forward to a great school year!

Fun Facts: When I’m not teaching, I love spending time with my family and friends. I love to travel and am a big University of Wisconsin Badgers fan!

Science: We have begun our first unit of study titled “Earth and Sun.” The focus of our first investigation is to analyze the relationships between the sun and shadows. This leads us into learning about why day and night happen and why we have seasons.

Over the last two weeks the students carried out investigations requiring them to trace shadows outside during different moments of the day and tracking the sun to learn about the sun and shadow relationships.

Social Studies: We are currently learning about Federal, State, and Local Governments. This week, we are focusing on the Federal Government and the Three Branches of Government! Here are some fun ways to remember key facts about the branches!

Executive Branch: The President is a part of the Executive Branch. Executive starts with EX and the President is an EXtremely important person!

The Legislative Branch starts with L and the Legislative Branch makes the Laws (that also starts with L! )

The Judicial Branch sounds like JUDGE and a judge is a part of the judicial branch!

Growth Mindset: We started the year talking about believing in ourselves and knowing that when you practice something your brain grows, and you get better at this skill with more practice. We discussed the difference between growth mindset and fixed mindset. This year in 5th grade, we will encourage our students to have a growth mindset.

In class we read a book called, “The Magical Yet”, a book about resiliency and how you might not be good at something... yet. The Magical Yet is by your side helping you as you learn and grow. The book highlights how students can learn and grow with the Power of Yet!

We are thrilled to share that our new food service program, Organic Life, is off to a great start! The feedback from students has been positive, with many expressing how much they enjoy the fresh and healthy options available. The chicken nuggets have become a clear favorite, and the fresh fruit is a hit as well. It’s wonderful to see our students excited about nutritious meals, and we’re confident this program will continue to be a success. Thank you for your support as we strive to provide the best for our students!

We’d love for you to get involved with Lincoln’s PTA! We’re looking for volunteers to help with activities, events, and fundraising efforts that directly benefit our students. Membership is just $12 per family, and those funds go toward assemblies, student incentives, and healthy snacks during IAR and ACCESS testing. Join us for our next meeting on September 11 at 3:30 p.m. in the Innovation Center at school. It’s a great opportunity to meet other parents and make a difference in our school community. We can’t wait to see you there!

All kindergarten students need their immunization form, school physical with the parent/guardian portion completed, and the Student Health Form on file in the school office as soon as possible.

Get ready for some exciting highlights in our next newsletter! We’ll be showcasing our amazing fourth grade teachers and students, giving you a glimpse into the fantastic work they’re doing. From classroom projects to creative activities, you won’t want to miss seeing what our fourth graders are up to. Stay tuned for some inspiring stories and moments that make our school community shine!

Wednesday, September 11: PTA Meeting @3:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 19: Storytime Adventure: Interactive Fun for the Whole Family! (5:30-6:45 p.m.)

Thursday, September 19: Student Picture Day (VIP)

Friday, September 27: Law Enforcement Drill (Lockdown Drill)

Wednesday, October 16: Candor Health Presentations (Fifth Grade Only)

Thursday, October 17: Student Picture Retakes (VIP)

Wednesday & Thursday, October 23 and 24: Dental Sealants