Patriot Pulse

Dear Grissom Families,

Happy May! We have an exciting and eventful month ahead as we approach the end of the 2024–25 school year. This month is particularly meaningful as we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Grissom Middle School. We will honor this milestone with an all-school assembly on May 9th and a Community Open House on May 10th. More details about these events can be found in this newsletter.

Our graduating 8th-grade students have a lot to look forward to in the coming weeks. We’ll kick off the celebrations with the 8th Grade Extravaganza TODAY from 4–7 PM. Additional details about upcoming events, such as the class trip to Great America and the graduation ceremony, are also included in this edition.

Spring MAP testing will take place on May 20th, 21st, and 22nd. Our students continue to show dedication to their learning, and we are confident they will demonstrate strong growth and achievement.

Let’s keep encouraging our Patriots to finish the year strong and continue to lead with respect, responsibility, and safe habits—the Patriot Way.

With gratitude,
Mr. Michael Rumbaugh
Principal

Friday, May 2nd
Half Day - 12 PM Dismissal
8th Grade Extravaganza - 4 - 7 PM

Friday, May 9th

50th Anniversary Assembly - During School Hours
Saturday, May 10th
Grissom 50th Anniversary Open House - 12 - 4 PM

Tuesday, May 13th

Grissom NJHS Induction Ceremony - 7 PM @ Grissom
Thursday, May 15th
Board of Education Meeting - 7 PM @ Admin Building
Thursday, May 22nd
8th Grade Awards Night - Invitations sent home Tuesday, May 6th

Monday May 26th

Memorial Day - No School
Thursday, May 29th
Great America 8th-Grade Class Trip
Friday, May 30th
Last Day of School for 8th grade students
Tuesday, June 3rd
8th Grade Graduation at Andrew HS (main gym) 7 PM
Thursday, June 5th
Last Day of School for 6th and 7th grade students - 12 PM Dismissal
4th Quarter Report Cards Issued

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

Grissom Middle School is marking five decades of educational excellence and community pride!

The entire community - including former, current, and future students, staff, families, and local residents - is invited to a 50th Anniversary Open House on Saturday, May 10, from 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. Guests can walk the halls, revisit cherished memories, and explore how Grissom has grown and evolved over the past half-century.

Event highlights include:

• Self-paced building exploration

• Displays of yearbooks, newspaper articles, and artifacts spanning 50 years

• Food and refreshments are available for purchase

• Exclusive Grissom merchandise for sale

Grissom Middle School is located at 17000 S. 80th Avenue, Tinley Park.

The Class of 2025 will graduate at Andrew High School, 9001 W. 171st Street, Tinley Park, at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and students should plan to arrive half an hour before their ceremony time.

• Prairie View students will graduate on Monday, June 2

• Grissom students will graduate on Tuesday, June 3

We anticipate that each ceremony will last approximately 45 minutes. Each student will receive six tickets and two parking passes for the event.

Please take a moment to review our 2025-26 School Year Calendar and note key changes to our usual schedule due to tentative renovations planned for Summer 2026. These adjustments will help ensure that important facility updates can be completed efficiently while minimizing disruptions to student learning.

Key dates for the upcoming school year include:

Wednesday, August 6

Middle School Student/Parent Walkthrough at D140 middle schools from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Monday, August 11

Kindergarten Roundup from 9:00 - 10:00 am at D140 elementary schools

Tuesday, August 12

Elementary Open House from 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Teacher Institute Day

Wednesday, August 13

First day of student attendance for all grades

Monday, August 18

Middle School Open House from 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Friday, December 19, 2025 (Half-Day) - Monday, January 5, 2026

Winter Break. Teachers will return for an Institute Day on Monday, January 5, 2026. Classes resume on Tuesday, January 6, 2026.

Friday, March 20 - Friday, March 27, 2026

Spring Break. Classes resume on Monday, March 30, 2026.

Friday, May 22, 2026

Last student attendance day (Half-Day), if no emergency days are used.

As always, we appreciate your support and flexibility as we plan for the future of our schools!

Grades 1 - 3, 5 - 7: Students will take home their iPad, charging block, and charging cord for the summer. Please remember to send these items back to school with your student on Wednesday, August 13, 2025.

Grades 4 and 8: Our technology replacement plan offers fourth- and eighth-grade families the option to purchase their iPads and accessories for $50.

Payment can be made through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal or with cash or a check payable to Kirby School District 140. Directions for releasing the iPad will be provided at the time of purchase.

Grade 4: Payment should be turned in to your child's classroom teacher by May 23, 2025. iPads will be released on June 3, 2025.

Grade 8: Payment should be turned in to your student's Team Leader by May 23, 2025. iPads will be released on May 27, 2025.

If a student is not purchasing their iPad/accessories and returns a damaged iPad or is missing charging blocks/cables, please keep in mind these replacement and repair costs: $75 for a damaged iPad, $19 for a missing charging block, and $19 for a missing charging cable.

If you need additional information, please don't hesitate to contact your school office.

Fourth-quarter student report cards will be available in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal on Thursday, June 5, at 11:15 a.m. Please follow the steps outlined below.

How to Access Student Report Cards

1. Log in to your Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

2. Select Documents in your Message Center

3. Click 24-25 School Name under Report Card, and a pop-up window displaying your student’s report card will open in a new browser. If you cannot view your student’s report card, please ensure pop-up windows are enabled in your web browser.

Please call your school office if you need assistance accessing your Parent Portal.

D140 middle schools will offer Summer Sports Camps for students who will be in grades 5 - 8 during the 2025-26 school year. The $35.00 registration fee includes instruction and a camp t-shirt. Please click the links below to view school-specific registration information, camp dates, times, and locations.

• Grissom Middle School Summer Sports Camps - Registration ends May 8, 2025

• Prairie View Middle School Summer Sports Camps - Registration ends May 6, 2025

Monday, May 5th

Band Parent Meeting and Uniform Turn-In

Wednesday, May 7th

Cadet and Jazz Bands Spring Concert - 7:30 PM at Grissom

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 AM. Students attending can be dropped off at Grissom's main entrance. Students will not be able to enter the building before 8:00 AM.

After-school support is offered Monday - Thursday until 4:05 PM. 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 PM can take the bus home.

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

Order Grissom Spiritwear!

Order your Grissom spiritwear today!

Spiritwear Link.

Kenan, Mais, Litzia, Isabel, Katie, Aldo, Ben, Lea, Celia, Jeremiah, Bryanna, and Bentyn!

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