KSD140 Connection

It’s hard to believe we’ve already reached the third quarter! I’m genuinely proud of all we’ve accomplished together. As we move through the rest of the school year, let’s approach each day with enthusiasm and a commitment to making the most of every moment.

I am pleased to share that the Board of Education voted at its February meeting to abate an additional $3.1 million in local property taxes for the second consecutive year. This decision, made possible by two Property Tax Relief Grants from the State of Illinois, provides a total of $12.4 million in tax relief for our community over three years. This action highlights our ongoing efforts to ease taxpayers’ financial burden while supporting high-quality education in our district.

Mark your calendars! The District is hosting Safe Kids: A Parent’s Guide to Digital and Real-World Risks, an informative presentation led by the Tinley Park Police Department. This parents-only event will be held at Grissom Middle School on Wednesday, March 19, at 6:30 pm and covers topics such as cyberbullying, online enticement, internet safety, tobacco, vaping, and marijuana prevention, juvenile law, and the dangers of underage drinking. Parents can submit questions or topics of interest by Monday, March 17, allowing our presenters to customize the presentation and come prepared with answers.

Ensuring a safe and supportive environment takes teamwork. Along with attending the Safe Kids event, we encourage you to complete the Illinois 5Essentials Survey by March 28. Survey feedback from parents, staff, and students in grades four through eight offers invaluable insights into our District. Your participation is greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your continued support. Together, we're building a stronger and more vibrant school community.

Sincerely,

Dr. Dan Callaghan

Superintendent

At its February meeting, the Kirby School District 140 Board of Education voted to abate an additional $3.1 million in local property taxes for the second consecutive year. This decision follows the district’s successful receipt of two Property Tax Relief Grants from the State of Illinois, which allows local tax reductions while maintaining funding levels with state dollars. In total, the district will provide $12.4 million in property tax relief to District 140 residents over three years.

"By abating local property taxes, we are working to support both our schools and our taxpayers," said Board President Tom Martelli.

"We understand that property taxes can be a significant expense for families and businesses. Our goal is to maintain excellent educational opportunities for our students while easing the financial impact on our community through responsible fiscal management."

The Board remains committed to balancing strong educational programming with financial responsibility, ensuring students receive high-quality instruction while keeping the tax burden manageable for residents.

Over the upcoming weeks, D140 students, staff, and parents will be given the opportunity to weigh in on school climate and learning conditions by taking the annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey.

Please take the Illinois 5Essentials parent survey today!

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. We must get a 20% parent response rate for our results to be reported.

Thanks for your support!

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.

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.

The Kirby School District 140 Board of Education recently recognized several students and staff members for outstanding achievements in technology, athletics, and financial excellence.

At its February 20 meeting, the D140 school board honored Grissom seventh-grader Mohammad J. for receiving the 2025 Outstanding Student Technology Award from the Infinitec Southwest Assistive Technology Coalition. Mohammad's exceptional progress and skills in utilizing assistive technology have set him apart, and we are thrilled to celebrate his achievements. He will be formally recognized at an awards ceremony on March 6 at Chicago Gaelic Park in Oak Forest.

Congratulations, Mohammad!

Members of the 6/7th grade Grissom Boys’ Volleyball team were recognized for their outstanding achievements. The team finished the season with an overall record of 13-1 to become the Southwest Interscholastic Conference (SWIC) regular season and tournament champions.

Coached by Mr. George Chicvara, the Grissom Patriots roster includes Gavin B., Vinny B., Luke B., Brennan C., Josh G., Micha G., Logan I., Marty K., Eddie L., Finn M., Moe M., Broden R., Liam R., and Tyler S.

Gavin B., Finn M., and Liam R. were awarded All-Conference honors. The tournament MVP was Gavin B.

Way to go, Patriots!

The Board also recognized D140's Business Department for winning the Meritorious Budget Award (MBA) for the twentieth consecutive year. The entire team - Michael Andreshak, Jenna Khalil, Tiffany Mullarkey, and Nancy Rittenbacher - was honored for their contributions.

The MBA promotes and recognizes excellence in school budget presentation and enhances school business officials’ skills in developing, analyzing, and presenting a school system budget. After a rigorous review by professional auditors, the award is bestowed only on school districts meeting or exceeding the program’s stringent criteria. Less than one percent of schools nationwide received this honor last year.

View the district’s award and supporting documentation

Congratulations to our band and chorus students who participated in the Illinois Grade School Music Association's (IGSMA) Solo and Ensemble Contest at Mokena Junior High on Saturday, February 8. Grissom and Prairie View students participated in 75 solo and 28 ensemble events.

A special shout-out goes to Ben B., Colin B., Adriana C., Quentin D., Jayden H., Damien R., Francesca R., and Liam V. for receiving perfect scores on their respective performances!

In the annual food drive challenge between District 140's two middle schools, the Patriots edged out the Eagles in their week-long collection of non-perishable food items for the Tinley Park Food Pantry. The combined efforts netted 1,121.5 pounds of canned and boxed items, with Grissom students contributing 741.5 pounds and Prairie View students bringing in 380 pounds.

Student Council sponsors Ms. Kujawa, Ms. Stiglic, Ms. Grella, and Ms.Earley would like to thank everyone who contributed to this year's food drive and the Student Council members for their hard work. It was great to see both middle schools participate in an event that gives back to the community.

Donations were sent to the Tinley Park Food Pantry, primarily serving the Tinley Park and Orland Hills communities.

KSD 140 attended the Preschool Fair held at the Tinley Park Public Library on Saturday, February 8. EC Program Coordinator Ms. Phillips met with families to discuss the benefits of our program.

Preschool registration for the 2025-26 school year begins on Tuesday, April 1.

To learn more, please visit the preschool section of our website.

On Friday, February 7, 140 District 140 middle school students attended Breakthrough at Prairie View. Designed to bring youth, community professionals, and educators together for a fun evening retreat, the program focused on personal and social development, promoted healthy decision-making, and emphasized team building.

"It is amazing to see our students and staff from both middle schools come together, have fun, and spread positivity for four hours! We are so honored to coordinate this amazing event our district provides to our students,” said teacher Zack Oganovich. “Breakthrough was such an exciting time for all our middle school students! Students came together and brought a high level of energy and positivity! We are truly fortunate to have this opportunity for all our students,” said teacher David Zielezinski.

Thanks to guest speakers Matt and Phil, “Stepping Up Presentation,” Andrew High School student volunteers, our Grissom and Prairie View students, and D140 teachers and administrators for making Breakthrough a huge success!

As part of Project RIDE (Reinforcement in Drug Education), seventh-grade students at Grissom and Prairie View Middle Schools participated in team-building activities. They met with representatives from the Tinley Park Police Department, the Cook County Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and the Heroin Epidemic Relief Organization (HERO). D140’s Project RIDE program raises awareness and provides education on several important topics, including internet safety, online enticing, cyberbullying, tobacco/vaping/marijuana prevention, substance abuse, juvenile law, and underage drinking.

• Monday, March 3 - Casimir Pulaski Day - No School
• Tuesday, March 4 - Friday, March 7 - Districtwide Read Across America Spirit Week
• Wednesday, March 5 - Music in Our Schools - Concert Band and Chorus Performance - 7:30 pm @ Prairie View Middle School
• Saturday, March 8 - IGSMA Band District Contest @ Manhattan Junior High School, Manhattan, IL. The Cadet Band performs at 10:40 am, the Concert Band performs at 11:20, and the Symphonic Band performs at noon. There is a $2.00 entrance fee.
• Tuesday, March 11 - Jazz Band and Jazz Ensemble Perform at the Andrew Jazz Concert - 7:00 pm @ Andrew High School in the Performing Arts Center (PAC), Tinley Park, IL
• Thursday, March 13 - Mathletes SWIC Competition - 4:30 pm @ Liberty Junior High, Burbank, IL
• Thursday, March 13 - Chorus Performs at the Andrew Chorus Concert - 7:00 pm @ Andrew High School in the Performing Arts Center (PAC), Tinley Park, IL
• Tuesday, March 18 - SWIC Honor Band Rehearsal - 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm @ Orland Junior High, Orland Park, IL
• Wednesday, March 19 - SWIC Honor Band Rehearsal/Performance - 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm @ Orland Junior High, Orland Park, IL. The concert begins at 7:00 pm.
• Wednesday, March 19 - Safe Kids: A Parent’s Guide to Navigating Digital and Real-World Risks - 6:30 pm @ Grissom Middle School - Presented by the T.P. Police Department
• Thursday, March 20 - Board of Education Meeting - 7:00 pm @ Administration Building
• Monday, March 24 through Monday, March 31 - Spring Break - No School
• Friday, March 28 - Illinois 5Essentials Survey Closes - Please take the Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey by March 28. We must get a 20% parent response rate for our results to be reported.
• Tuesday, April 1 - Election Day - No School
• Tuesday, April 1 - Registration for the 2025-26 School Year Opens - Families who register their students and pay their fees or set up a payment plan through the Business Office (708-342-5513) by Wednesday, April 30, 2025, will receive an early registration discount.

Kirby School District 140

16931 S. Grissom Drive, Tinley Park, IL 60477

Phone: 708-532-6462

Website: ksd140.org

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