Friday Focus

• A Message from Marcie
• G.O.P.E.N.G.U.I.N.S. Spirit Days!
• Parker's Picks

• 2025-2026 Fees & InfoCheck

• Family Access will be closed from May 21 until June 6

• Tech Tip Hub

• This Week in Pictures
• News from Early Learners
• Other Important Info

• Volunteer for Helping Hands Day- 5/30
• Order 2025-26 School Supplies
• Volunteer for 2025-26 PTO Committee
• Sign up to be a 2025-26 Room Rep
• Buy tickets for the Cubs game on 6/1
• End of the Year Bash 6/6, 12-2pm

At South Park, we deeply believe that all kids are good inside. No matter the behavior we see on the outside, every child is doing their best with the skills and support they have at the moment. One wonderful resource that echoes this belief is the book Good Inside by Dr. Becky Kennedy. It offers thoughtful, compassionate guidance for parents and educators alike, helping us respond to children with empathy and understanding—even in challenging moments.

Sometimes we notice that when adults speak negatively about a child—whether on the playground, in the parking lot, or at home—it can shape that child’s reputation in harmful and lasting ways. Children hear more than we think, and these messages often trickle down into how they view their peers.

When your child comes home frustrated about another student, it’s easy (and human) to respond with something like, “He’s always mean,” or “She’s such a troublemaker.” But these moments are opportunities to help your child build empathy and understanding. Instead, try responding with curiosity:

“I wonder why he acted that way?”
“Maybe she was having a tough day.”
“How did that make you feel, and what could you do next time?”

By modeling this kind of thinking, we teach our children to look for the good inside others—even when it’s not immediately obvious.

We are all part of the South Park village. And it truly takes all of us—parents, caregivers, staff, and students—working together to see the best in our kids so that they can learn to see the best in each other.

Let’s keep showing up with kindness, curiosity, and compassion.

Have a great weekend!

-Marcie

Our G.O. P.E.N.G.U.I.N.S. Spirit Days began today with students dressed up in neon and glittery clothes for Glitter and Glow Day! Let's keep the fun going!

Friday, May 23 – G: Glitter & Glow Day✅
Wear neon or glittery clothes to shine bright!

Tuesday, May 27 – O: Outside Day
Enjoy extra outdoor time all day long (weather permitting)!

Wednesday, May 28 – P: Pajama Day
Get comfy and wear your favorite pajamas to school.

Thursday, May 29 – E: Experiment Day
Try a fun experiment in class or at home! Visit t.ly/9GzZ for ideas.

Friday, May 30 – N: No Backpack Day
Bring your things in anything but a backpack—get creative!

Monday, June 2 – G: Game Day (Tech-Free!)
Play board games, card games, or enjoy some outdoor fun—no screens allowed!

Tuesday, June 3 – U: USA Day
Show your spirit by wearing red, white, and blue!

Wednesday, June 4 – I: Inside Out Day
Flip your fashion—wear your clothes inside out!

Thursday, June 5 – N: New Name Day
Pick a fun new name for the day—nametags will be provided!

Friday, June 6 – S: Swing Your Way Into Summer
Celebrate the last day of school and a fantastic year!

If your child wants to try out for a sport during the upcoming 2025-2026 school year, please ensure they have either the Certificate of Child Health Examination or the Pre-participation Examination forms completed and up-to-date beforehand. You will need to submit one of the two forms below:

• Certificate of child health examination

• Pre-participation examination form

Examination forms must be dated within 12 months of the tryout date. If you have any questions, please contact the Caruso nurse.

This is a friendly reminder that Family Access will be unavailable from Wednesday, May 21, at 3:30 p.m. until Friday, June 6. During that time, teachers will be submitting their grades for the school year. During this window, you will still have the ability to log in to pay fees or review your account information. However, you will not have access to preview your student’s Portfolio, Grading, or GradeBook. Access to those, along with your student’s 24-25 report card, will reopen in Family Access on Friday, June 6, by 3:30 p.m.

This week, during our half-day 3's and 4's classes, we continued our Oceans unit. We opened our water sensory table and explored a variety of sea creatures and ocean-related items, such as starfish, jellyfish, turtles, and pufferfish. We also continued learning about different sea animals—this week's focus was seahorses. Using PebbleGo, we learned about the differences between life near the ocean and life where we live.

Our art project this week was creating individual Rainbow Fish, helping each student understand the importance of sharing, just like the Rainbow Fish in the story. During 4's math, we worked on counting and identifying numbers up to 20, as well as developing our cutting and pasting skills. In the 3's class, we focused on identifying numbers 1–10, using manipulatives to build number recognition and confidence.

The full-day 4's classes are wrapping up their ocean unit. This week, students have been choosing ocean animals they want to learn more about, and we’ve been exploring a little information about each one throughout the week. We have also been reading the Rainbow Fish series, and the students have enjoyed hearing about his different adventures. We even did a Rainbow Fish art project! In math, we are reviewing concepts, and students are participating in partner activities. As we enter the last few weeks of school, we are beginning to prepare for graduation and to revisit some of our favorite activities from throughout the year in our classrooms.

This week in Grady’s group, students explored what it means to win and lose a game respectfully. We focused on identifying how people feel when they lose, and practiced what both the "winner" and "loser" can say to one another. Phrases listed below help model good sportsmanship:

• “Bummer. Let’s play again.”
• “Good game.”
• “Congratulations.”
• “I won (say respectfully). Let’s play again.”

This is a challenging skill for children at this age, and it takes time, practice, and consistency to develop. At home, we encourage you not to let your child win every time. While it may be tempting, losing occasionally provides important opportunities to learn how to stay calm, congratulate others, and move on. You can model this by showing how to lose gracefully and cheer others on—even if the outcome isn’t what you hoped for. This also includes being a good sport on the sidelines (e.g., not yelling at referees, coaches, or players).

It’s important for children to experience negative emotions such as frustration, disappointment, or sadness. These feelings may make adults uncomfortable, but shielding children from them can prevent them from developing healthy coping strategies. Instead, help them name the feeling, validate it, and then teach ways to manage and move forward—this builds resilience and independence.

Last week in Grady’s group, we focused on honesty. We discussed what to do when we find something that doesn’t belong to us—even if we REALLY want it. Students thought about how someone else might feel if they lost something special. Dr. Grady introduced the concept of guilt, connecting it to the main character in Jamaica’s Find by Juanita Havill.

To continue the conversation at home, you might ask:

• "What would you do if you found something that didn’t belong to you at school?"
• "What if it happened at the playground? Or at Target?"

These discussions help reinforce the values of empathy, honesty, and responsibility—both in and out of the classroom.

• All visitors to South Park School MUST bring a valid driver's license or state ID card to the main office before entering into the building. Beginning this year, we will collect IDs during your visit and return it to you as you leave.
• If your child is going to be absent from school, you need to call or email us by 9:00 that morning. ** Call 847-945-5895, ext. 2103 and leave a message OR ** Email Nurse Nora Moskos.
• Please follow our morning procedures, and drop your children off at their regular grade level doors. If you choose to drive through the front circle at arrival, kindly stay in your car when you drop off to help us reduce morning congestion.
• K-5 drop-off is between 8:35-8:45 a.m. Students who arrive after 8:45 a.m. will need to enter through the front door of the school, as all other doors will be locked.
• Dismissal for all Kindy and 1st-grade walkers and car riders will take place at their grade level door.
  
• Early Learners drop-off/pick-up info can be found here.
• When parking in our Birchwood parking lot, please remember that our preschoolers are dropped off and picked up by the west end (closest to the school). Sometimes, their parents' cars can block a parked car from exiting for a few minutes. To avoid that, we suggest that you park closer to Birchwood Avenue.

Tuesday, May 20th

• VIP Day for Kindergarten, Third Grade, and Fifth Grade

• VIP Day for 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, and 4th Grade

• No School

• Last Day - Dismissal at 11:40 a.m.