Viking Newsletter

This week, we are excited to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week!
A big thank you to all the parents and community members who are bringing in delicious treats for everyone to enjoy. Special thanks to the PTA for organizing such a memorable week!

To recognize our amazing teachers and support staff, I’ll be reading Staff Shout Outs during morning announcements each day. If you'd like to give a SHOUT OUT (or two….or even three!), Please fill out the Staff Shout Out Form.

We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and commitment our staff shows every single day. They truly make a difference in your child’s life! Taft is blessed to have some of the best!

Our Viking of the week was nominated by Ms. Gura. Fourth Grader, Avery Vasvery, is a shining example of positivity and perseverance. Avery brings joy and kindness to those around her each day. Her cheerful attitude and friendly spirit make our school a better place. Here is what Ms. Gura said about her: Avery is always smiling and has worked so hard this year. When she is not in school, she loves cheerleading and is a part of our TPAA basketball team. Keep it up, Avery! We are so proud of you.

Soccer

Our soccer club had their first game this week. The kids and fans had a blast. They ended up tying Laraway by a score of 3 to 3. They play Laraway again Monday at 4:15 at Laraway. Good luck.

Track

The track team had their first track meet this week. Everyone did a great job. They have 2 meets this week. Tuesday at Laraway and Thursday at LTHS. Good luck.

Please click the button below to find out this week's ABC Celebration Themes.

Please join us at the annual Spring Craft & Vendor Fair at Taft on May 10, 2025 from 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM. There will be over 50 vendors and a food truck for everyone to enjoy. If we have any families that are interested in volunteering to help set up or take down the fair please make sure to fill out the volunteer form below and send it back to school.

Registration for the 2025-2026 school year is now open for parents to complete the registration process. This year is critically important for students to register as quickly as possible because we have several grade levels that are at enrollments that might need to be split. It is virtually impossible for us to find qualified candidates at the end of the summer. Please use the link below to access the Taft Website registration information page to complete the process.

At their March meeting the Board of Education set to following registration rates for the 2025-2026 school year.

Early-bird Registration Fee - $140.00 (All registration steps must be completed by May 31, 2025 but payment can be deferred)

Reduced-priced Registration Fee (based on income verification)

Regular Registration Fee - $165.00 for all new and returning students who register beginning June 1, 2025.

Please check out the information below that was sent to us by the LTHS 205 Foundation regarding a summer camp opportunity for our students.

The Taft Choir will be singing the National Anthem at the Joliet Slammer Game on May 24th. Tickets are on sale now with $5 from each ticket benefitting the Taft Foundation.

PTA Elections are coming up and we wanted to make sure that our Taft parents are aware. Taft has had a thriving PTA that has done so many fantastic things for our school. They have donated funds to help build our playground, donated funds for assemblies, donated equipment, and supplies directly to our teachers, donated funds to help support field trips and our 8th grade activities. At our curriculum night at the beginning of the year our current PTA board asked our families to consider joining the PTA so they could transition off of the board. They have dedicated so many years and so much energy to our school and helped make it a great place for kids.

On May 6th our PTA will hold their next election. In order to run for a seat on the board and to vote in the election you must be an active member of the PTA. Please take a look at the following flyer for information about the election as well as how to become a PTA member. Anyone interested in voting in the election must turn in their paid membership form by April 1st in order to be eligible for the election.

As we are getting towards the end of the year we wanted to remind everyone to order a yearbook. Please note that all custom created pages are due by April 15.

Teachers and Administration have been addressing social media challenges. We cannot do this alone and need support from home. We understand that social media is a significant part of their social world. While platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat can be fun and engaging, they also come with risks that require careful attention and guidance.

Here are some tips to help keep your child safe online:

1. Open Communication
   Talk openly with your child about their online activities. Ask which platforms they use, who they interact with, and what they post. Creating a judgment-free space encourages them to share concerns or ask for help if needed.

2. Address Negative Posting or Commenting
   Talk to your child about the impact of posting or commenting on content in a way that isn’t nice. Explain how words can hurt, even online, and encourage them to pause and think about how their comments might affect others. Reinforce that being kind and respectful online reflects positively on their character.

3. Privacy Settings
   Help your child enable privacy settings on their accounts to limit who can see their posts and send messages. Regularly review these settings as platforms often update their features.

4. Recognize Red Flags
   Teach your child to identify and report inappropriate behavior, such as cyberbullying or messages from strangers. Let them know it’s okay to block someone who makes them uncomfortable.

5. Lead by Example
   Model healthy social media habits. Be mindful of your own online behavior, and show your child how to use social media responsibly.

Junior high is a time of growth and discovery, and social media can play a positive role when used thoughtfully. By working together, we can help ensure our students stay safe while enjoying the benefits of technology.

If you have any questions or would like additional resources, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Staff will be outside each morning beginning at 8:10 AM - 8:20 AM to supervise students prior to them entering the building at 8:20 AM. Before 8:10 AM, there will not be any supervision for students so we ask that parents please do not drop off your students before that. There is no parking in the drop-off lanes on 16th and 17th Streets. Parents who wish to park or wait with their children are expected to use the spaces on Washington Street. The drop-off lanes on 16th and 17th Streets are designed for parents to drive up and drop students off and proceed forward. Parents should simply wait in line until they get close to the school and then drop off students. Jumping the line to save a few seconds is dangerous and breaks down the process for everyone and will take longer in the end.

School ends at 3:15 PM and pick-up time generally follows the same procedures except parents will typically begin lining up prior to school letting out. During pickup time it is acceptable for parents to wait in their cars for their students however parents should not park, and leave their cars in the pickup lane unattended. As the line moves we ask that parents pull as far forward as possible to ensure the traffic flows and to allow more students to enter their cars. Please note that with the upgraded curves on the 16th Street side that there is a change in the traffic pattern.

Kindergarten - 2nd Grade - Line up on the back playground each morning and enter through Door 4. Teachers will come out and get them from their lines. First and second-grade students will be dismissed out the playground doors each day. Kindergarten will be dismissed from Door 2 nearest to the kindergarten classroom. All students in kindergarten through 2nd grade must be picked up by a parent or sibling and checked out with their teachers to ensure our youngest students are safely picked up.

3rd & 4th Grade - Line up and dismissed from Door 7 on 17th Street

5th - 8th Grade - Line up and dismissed from Door 2 on 16th Street

All students entering early childhood-including speech services, kindergarten, and 6th grade are required to have a current physical examination completed on the approved Illinois Department of Public Health Form.. A sports physical does not meet the requirement. The parent portion on the upper backside of the form must be completed and signed. Required physical exam with updated immunizations must be turned in by October 15,2023 to avoid exclusion from school.

• Preschool
  

  
  

  Complete Preschool Physical Examination

  No additional immunization requirement if up-to-date.

  
  

• Kindergarten
  

  
  

  Complete Kindergarten Physical Examination and all required immunizations including:

  • Two doses of MMR Vaccine

  • Four doses of Polio Vaccine

  • Four doses of DPT/DTaP Vaccine

  • Three doses of Hepatitis B

  • Two doses of Varicella Vaccine (chicken pox)

  • Complete Kindergarten Eye Examination - Must be turned in prior to October 15 of the current school year.
    

  • Complete Kindergarten Dental Examination - Must be turned in prior to May 15 of the current school year.

  
  

  • 6th Grade
    

    
    

    Complete 6th grade Physical Examination and all required immunizations including:

    • One dose of Tdap Vaccine

    • One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine (meningitis) after the 11th birthday

    • Two doses of Varicella Vaccine (chicken pox)

    • Three doses of Hepatitis B at the required intervals

    Complete 6th grade Dental Examination - Must be turned in prior to May 15 of the current school year.

    
    

  
  

  Students entering an Illinois school from out of state or out of the country for the first time at any grade level must also provide the physical exam form. The exam must be completed no earlier than a year (365 days) prior to the start of attendance at an Illinois school.

  
  

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 Mrs. Thompson or Mr. Calabrese.

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