December 2024 EMSD Newsletter

• Warm Hearts, Warm Hands
• "Misung Leaves Her Homeland": A Teacher's Gift to Her Students
• Making Real World Connections - ELA & 3D Printing
• Parent University Offerings
• School Breakfast and Lunch Menus
• New Cold Weather Guidelines

• December/January Calendar of Events

Winter's chill won't be a problem for many of our students this year, thanks to an amazing donation from AFSCME Local 46! The hardworking men and women of the EM Correctional Facility generously provided nearly $5,000 in warm winter gear, including coats, hats, and gloves. This incredible act of kindness will make a real difference in the lives of children across our district who might otherwise go without proper winter clothing. AFSCME Local 46 has been a champion for our students since 2019, and we are deeply touched by their continued commitment to our community. See the smiles and gratitude in the photos below as our Superintendent and AFSCME representatives came together to celebrate this heartwarming donation.

A new children's book is making history, and it was written by one of our incredible East Moline School District teachers! Mercy Zathang, a dedicated bilingual educator at Ridgewood Elementary, has written a groundbreaking children's book titled "Misung Leaves Her Homeland." Inspired by her amazing students, Ms. Zathang crafted this story to show them that they can achieve anything they set their minds to with hard work and courage. "Misung Leaves Her Homeland" is not only a delightful tale, but it also holds a special significance: we believe it's the first children's book ever written for Hakha Chin-speaking students in the United States that focuses on a story outside of religious themes. Mercy's passion for her students shines through in every page, providing them with the invaluable experience of seeing themselves reflected in literature. And the best part? She's just getting started! Ms. Zathang is already working on publishing two more books. We are incredibly fortunate to have such a talented and dedicated teacher like Mercy in our East Moline School District. To learn where you can find this wonderful book, click on the image to the left. We also have copies in the Ridgewood Library for our students to check out. (Ms. Zathang is pictured below with her Ridgewood students!)

4th graders in Mr. Moreno's class at Hillcrest have been testing their design thinking skills in connection to their English/Language Arts readings. Working with the Digital Learning Team, Mr. Moreno wanted to design a unit that connected students to the text in a new way that also honed real world skills. He taught students the basics of 3D printing, including how they are used in professions. Students then dug into their reading passages to build content knowledge. Students were asked to choose an item that represented a character or element of the story. Mr. Moreno taught students how to use software called Tinkercad and students began designing. Then students printed their designs on the 3D printer, testing their designs and making necessary corrections. Proud of their creations, students wrapped up the work by sharing what they made and why they made it with their class. Click on the image below to see more about this project from Mr. Moreno.

Check out the wide variety of offerings for the 2024-2025 school year from authors, speakers, and other experts by clicking the image below. These are learning opportunities for parents/guardians are sponsored by the Glenbard Parent Series (GPS) and offered virtually via Zoom.

Important Update about Winter Weather! To help keep our community safe, the National Weather Service has simplified its cold weather warnings. They've replaced terms like "wind chill warning" and "wind chill advisory" with one all-encompassing "Cold Weather Advisory." This advisory will be issued when the combined effect of air temperature and wind chill reaches -25 degrees. In the past, we typically canceled school when the wind chill hit -30 degrees. With this change, we may need to cancel school at slightly warmer temperatures to ensure the safety of our students. We'll keep you informed of any weather-related school closings.

December 23 - January 3: Winter Break

Jan 6: School Resumes

Jan 10: End of 2nd Quarter

Jan 20: Martin Luther King Day (No School)

Jan 30: P.M. Parent/Teacher Conferences

Jan 31: Parent/Teacher Conferences (No School)