Patriot Pulse

Dear Grissom Families,

Happy March! We are excited to welcome a new month filled with opportunities for learning, community connection, and engaging events.

Read Across America Week (March 4th - 7th)
This week, our district will be celebrating Read Across America Week, and we invite families to join in the festivities. All grade levels are currently invested in novel studies in ELA classes. Take some time to ask your child about the novel they are currently reading in their ELA class and share in reading at home. You’ll find details for each spirit day in this newsletter.

Save the Date: Safe Kids Event on March 19th
Mark your calendars for March 19th at 6:30 PM. District 140 is partnering with the Tinley Park Police Department to present "Safe Kids: A Parent's Guide to Navigating Digital and Real-World Risks." This informative event will take place in the Grissom Gym. We hope to see you there!

End of the Third Quarter
Students and teachers are entering the final stretch of the third quarter, with just 3 1/2 weeks of instruction remaining before it ends on April 4th. Please remember to check your child's progress in each class using the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

State Testing Information
State testing is coming up soon. 8th-grade students will take the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) in March, and all grade levels will participate in the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) testing in early April. For testing dates and additional information, please refer to the details provided in this newsletter.

5 Essentials Parent Survey
We are still seeking to increase parent participation in the 5Essentials Survey. As of now, 10% of parents have completed the survey, but we need 20% participation for the results to be reported. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us improve your child’s school experience. If you haven’t already, please take a moment to complete the survey here: 5Essentials Parent Survey. We greatly appreciate your input and support!

Spring Break is around the corner. The last day of instruction before break is March 21st. Students will be off school through April 1st, which is an election day. School resumes for all students and staff on Wednesday, April 2nd.

Read on to discover more about what’s happening at Grissom!

With gratitude,
Mr. Michael Rumbaugh

Principal

• Monday, March 3rd
  No School - Casimir Pulaski Day
• March 4th - 7th
  Read Across America Week
• March 11th, 12th, 12th
  8th Grade ISA Testing
• Wednesday, March 19th
  Safe Kids: Parent Presentation - 6:30 PM - Grissom Gym
• Thursday, March 20th
  Board of Education Meeting - 7 PM - Administration Center
• Friday, March 21st
  PBIS 3rd Quarter Assembly - During School Hours
• March 24th - 31st
  No School - Spring Break
• Tuesday, April 1st
  No School - Election Day
• Wednesday, April 2nd
  School resumes.
• Friday, April 4th
  End of 3rd Quarter
• April 7th - 17th
  IAR Testing & Makeups (all grades)

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

D140 students and staff are invited to celebrate Read Across America Week by participating in our theme days, March 4 - 7.

• Tuesday, March 4: Reading is relaxing!
  Wear your pajamas, onesies, or the color blue.

• Wednesday, March 5: Dress for success!
  Wear your very best outfit or the color yellow.

• Thursday, March 6: You got this! Reading is no sweat!
  Wear your favorite sweats or the color green.

• Friday, March 7: School Spirit Friday!
  Wear your best school gear or school colors.

Next week, our 8th-grade students will take the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA). The test consists of three sections, with students completing one section each day. If a student is absent, they will have the opportunity to make up any missed sections upon their return to school.

To minimize the loss of instructional time in regularly scheduled classes, the testing schedule is as follows:

• March 11th: First section during 1st and 2nd periods
• March 12th: Second section during 5th and 6th periods
• March 13th: Third section during 8th and 9th periods

Please note that lunch times will NOT be affected by ISA testing.

A district letter with more detailed information about the ISA will be sent out early this week.

The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) for all grade levels will begin on April 7th. Students will take one of three sections of the math assessment on April 7th, 8th, and 9th. Testing will resume the following week with students completing the two sections of the ELA assessment on April 14th and 15th.

Additionally, Grissom was selected to participate in a field test for a non-scored ELA exam, which is required by the state. This field test will take place in the afternoon of April 15th.

Students who are absent on testing days will have opportunities to make up any missed sections at scheduled times throughout the two-week testing period.

A district letter with more detailed information about IAR testing as well as modified bell schedules during testing days will be sent to families as we get closer to testing.

Join us at Grissom Middle School on Wednesday, March 19, at 6:30 pm for Safe Kids: A Parent’s Guide to Digital and Real-World Risks, an informative presentation by the Tinley Park Police Department.

This parents-only event provides essential information on cyberbullying, online enticement, internet safety, tobacco, vaping, and marijuana prevention, juvenile law, and the dangers of underage drinking.

Parents are invited to submit questions or topics of interest by Monday, March 17, so our presenters can tailor the presentation to attendees' interests and come prepared with answers to the questions.

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

If you have not done so already, please be sure to take the Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey by March 28. We must get a 20% parent response rate for our results to be reported.

This survey assesses a school’s culture and climate and provides insight into strengths and weaknesses on the five key factors that research shows are predictive of school success - effective leaders, collaborative teachers, involved families, supportive environment, and ambitious instruction.

Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.

Thanks for your support!

Click Eight Grade Info to view upcoming events and activities for the Grissom Class of 2025.

• Wednesday, March 5th
  Music in our Schools Contest - 7:30 PM - @ Prairie View
• Saturday, March 8th
  Band District Contest
• Monday, March 17th
  Band Parent Meeting - 7 PM - 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

Holiday Meal Sign Up - March 20th

Order Grissom Spiritwear!

Order your Grissom spiritwear today!

Spiritwear Link.

Jenna, Ian, Decklyn, Cody, Aishah, Thomas, Sadeel, Liam, Gianna, Matthew, Nayima, and Ethan!

Adam, Yara, Declan, Aliyana, Jack, Emily, Payton, Tyler, Sean, Grace, Sidra, and William!

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