Cougar Clips
23 February 2024
Happy Friday Kipling Families,
Thank you to all the parents who joined us for the 3rd-5th Art Show! The students have all been so proud of their work and our school looks absolutely beautiful. Thank you to Ms. Foran for all of her guidance and direction and thank you to all families for your support of our artists at home. K-2 families, your students will be showcased soon!
Thank you as well to our incredible PTO for arranging Corey the Dribbler to come visit our school! Mr. Corey put on quite the show featuring amazing world-record holding dribbling skills and trick passes that had everyone fooled. The important part of his message though, was that perseverance, hard-work, and the power of reading are all the components he used to build his career and become successful. Thank you to Mr. Corey for sharing that very important lesson with all of our students.
Officer Maldonado, our School Resource Officer with the DPD, has asked me to remind all parents and guardians about expectations during drop-off and pick-up times. Specifically, please make sure you are always paying attention to the following:
-Not blocking driveways
-Reduction in speed
-Staying off cell phones
-Awareness for surroundings (kids crossing, etc.)
-Having patience
Thank you for your attention to this matter and your continued partnership.
All my best to you and your families over the weekend - enjoy!
Respectfully,
-Matthew
Mr. Matthew O. Lombardo, NBCT
Principal
Kipling Elementary School
Kipling PTO
Hello Kipling Families!
-Skate Night is coming up!
Join us for Kipling PTO Family Skate Night on Sunday, March 3rd from 4 to 6pm.
Northbrook Sports Center | 1730 Pfingsten Road, Northbrook
This is a FREE event including FREE skate rentals. All Kipling families are invited for fun on the ice!
Please visit our website for all things PTO. Please also note these important upcoming dates:
-Fri 3/1: Kipling PTO Meeting, 9:30am in the Kipling Lounge
-Sun 3/10: Kipling Chicago Wolves Game!
-Fri 4/5: Kipling PTO Meeting, 9:30am in the Kipling Lounge
-Fri 4/19: Kipling BINGO Night! 6-8pm
Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, March 21st from 1:00-4:00pm & 5:00-8:00pm and Friday, March 22nd from 8:30-11:30am. All DPS109 schools will hold in-person parent-teachers conferences this year with an option to use Zoom or Google Meets for parents/guardians who are not available for an in-person conference.
Parents will sign up for a conference using Sign-Up Genius. The links to sign-up are included here.
It is best practice to hold one parent conference per child, to ensure that both parents receive the same information regarding their child’s strengths and needs. Therefore, I ask that parents sign up for one joint conference per student.
Conferences are a discussion between parents and teachers. At this time elementary conferences do not include students and therefore we ask that children not attend the parent-teacher conference.
Young Authors - Applications Due by 3/5/24
It is time for Young Authors! For those who do not know, Young Authors is a program that encourages students to embrace being an author and write their own creative stories. This is an optional program that has been shared with your child during their LMC time. A packet was also sent home with more information for those who are interested in participating. Attached you will find THIS presentation that walks you through deadlines, logistics, and other pieces of helpful information regarding Young Authors. We are so excited to see what our amazing young authors will create this year. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Kaufman or Ms. Thurman.
Ms. Kaufman (akaufman@dps109.org)
Mrs. Thurman (lthurman@dps109.org)
Instrumental Music Fundraiser
We have an upcoming instrumental music program fundraiser on Wednesday, March 6th and Thursday, March 7th from 4:00-7:30pm at Potbelly’s. All are welcome to come as a portion of the dinner goes back into our program with mention of the attached flyer. Additionally, it's also a performance opportunity for both elementary and middle school students to perform for their community (think open mic), which the students really love. We hope to see you there and thank you for supporting our students and our instrumental music program!
5Essentials Parent Survey - 20% Response Rate Needed for a Parent Report
We are currently at a 8% response rate.
Again this year, parents across Illinois have an opportunity to participate in the annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school. As a parent, it allows you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness. Your responses also help guide district improvement.
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey is administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education. The survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. These five indicators that affect and predict school success are:
Effective Leaders
Collaborative Teachers
Involved Families
Supportive Environments
Ambitious Instruction
To take the Parent Survey, please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and select the appropriate survey to begin. Your identity and responses will be kept completely confidential and will not be connected to you or your child. The survey should take no more than 5 minutes to complete.
Common Sense Media Video from Ms. Thurman
The Library Information Specialist team came across this resource and I felt compelled to share it with families in hopes of providing insight, support, and advice in navigating and supporting healthy and productive student use of technology and social media at home.
This week's video:5 Tips for Talking to your Kids about Generative AI
District 109 Communication
Kindergarten registration has been open for several weeks. Please help me by spreading the word to all of your friends, family, and neighbors that they need to start their Kindergarten registration process ASAP. To register your new student please visit our registration page.
If you have an incoming Kindergartener or a new 1st-5th grader for the 2024-2025 school year, it is important that you complete the registration process as soon as possible as our staffing decisions are based on the number of fully registered students.
Please note that only those new Kindergarten students who are fully registered will receive an invitation for our spring Kindergarten Round-Up.
Deerfield Park District and Community News
Park District Before and After Care and Enrichment Classes
The Deerfield Park District holds after-school enrichment programs in our school. All questions should be directed to the park district (847-945-0650).
Upcoming Important Dates
-Wed 2/28: 1st Grade Music Show, 5:30pm
-Fri 3/1: Kipling PTO Meeting, 9:30am in the Kipling Lounge
-Sun 3/3: Kipling PTO Skate Night!
-Mon 3/4: No School; Pulaski Day
-Sun 3/10: Move Clocks Ahead One Hour!
-Sun 3/10: Kipling Chicago Wolves Game!
-Wed 3/13: 5th Grade Inquiry Fair; Kipling MPR, 1:30pm
-Thurs 3/21: Half Day of School; 11:40am Student Dismissal
-Thurs 3/21: Parent Teacher Conferences, 1-4pm and 5-8pm
-Fri 3/22: No School
-Fri 3/22: Parent Teacher Conferences, 8:30-11:30am
-Mon 3/25-Mon 4/1: No School; Spring Break
-Tues 4/2: School Resumes
-Fri 4/5: Kipling PTO Meeting, 9:30am in the Kipling Lounge
-Fri 4/19: Kipling BINGO Night! 6-8pm
-Wed 4/24: 5th Grade Music Show, 5:30pm