Lesle Honore is the CEO of Urban Gateways, Co-Chair of Elevated Chicago and was recently appointed by Mayor Brandon Johnson as Co-Chair of the Arts and Culture Transition Team and to Chicago's Women's Council.

Lesle is a Blaxican poet, activist, and published author. In her poetry and personal life, she helps youth amplify their voices through the arts. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, the Chicago Tribune, Good Morning America, ABC7 Chicago, and other major, local and national TV news stations.

During her visit, she shared her forthcoming children's book, Brown Girl, which will be released in the fall of 2024 and My Brown Boy, which will be released in 2025 by Little, Brown Publishing.

An ASTRONOMICAL THANKS goes to our very own, Mrs. Rockett for introducing us to such an accomplished poet!

Please join me as we extend KUDOS and CONGRATS to the following Small Astro Scholars and Tall Astros for being acknowledged as Elementary School District 159's Quarter 1 Student of the Month (SOM) and S.T.A.R. (Superintendent Thriving & Achievement Recipients).

SOM

Ekene Dibie - Gr. 5

John Dowdell - Gr. 2

Shawn Dunn - Gr. 2

Austin Green - Gr. 1

Makenzie McNulty - Gr. K

Ugonna Onumaegbu - Gr. 2

Ava Pia - Gr. 4

Ayden Saunders - Gr. 5

Caleb Thomas - Gr. 4

Layla Walker - Gr. 5

S.T.A.R

Delores Thompson, Health Clerk

First it was Reading, then it was Science, and now we present, “Family Math Night!” Neil Armstrong home of the Astronomical Astros rolled out the measuring tape for its first Family Math Night. Our evening was an opportunity to promote family involvement with math. This nifty numbers event was a unique experience as it purposefully connected families to classroom learning and helped to reinforce the role they have as active participants in the education of their children. Our first ever Family Math Night featured the following:

• Mathematical Literacy Station which supported concepts such as Numbers and Operations as well as Algebraic Thinking
• Fluency Station with a technological spin to increase mathematical automaticity
• Geometry Station using toothpicks and gumdrops to create a variety of 3-D prisms
• Measurement Station with a nod to the world of engineering as students created airplanes that needed to be flown in order to measure its distance
• Estimation Station
• Math Selfie Station that featured a backdrop of esteemed mathematicians, Benjamin Banneker – first wooden clock, Dudley Woodard – published, “The Characterization of the Closed Nu-Cell” (1st mathematical paper by a black person), Katherine Johnson – provided the orbital entry and launch window calculations that enabled John Glenn to orbit the moon, and Gladys West – laid the ground work for the invention of the Global Positioning System (GPS).

Veterans Day is a U.S. federal holiday that is dedicated to honouring and remembering American veterans and victims of all wars – whether they are currently serving or not. This day provides us with the opportunity to show our gratitude for all the sacrifices they made and still make to ensure our safety and freedom.

It is our pleasure to acknowledge and honor our very own Veteran, Ms. Delores Thompson. Ms. Thompson served year six years as a Senior Airmen with the Air Force. She is a proud 3rd generation Veteran. Both her father and grandfather served in the Army.

Ms. Thompson, "THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE!"

Elementary School District 159 Board of Education Meetings

2023-24

Time: 6:30 pm - Closed Session, 7:30 pm Open Session

August 9, 2023

September 20, 2023

October 18, 2023

November 15, 2023

December 20, 2023

January 17, 2024

February 21, 2024

March 20, 2024

April 17, 2024

May 15, 2024

June 12, 2024

NO STUDENT ATTENDANCE DAY

Tuesday, November 7th

Friday, November 10th - Veterans Day

Monday, November 20th - Friday, November 24th - Fall Break

SCHOLAR OF THE MONTH & STAR Awards Program

Tuesday, November 14th

CPMS

6:00 PM

PROGRESS REPORTS

Friday, November 17th

GENIUS WEEK HOSTED BY STEAM TEAM

December 4th - 7th

CURRICULUM OPEN HOUSE

Wednesday, December 13th

9:00a - 2:00p

Greetings Astro Families,

We are so excited to invite you to a holiday concert on Tuesday, December 19th at 1:30pm. The concert will feature students in Kindergarten, 2nd and 4th grade. The American Sign Language Club will also perform. We are all so excited to share the spirit of the season with you all and all are welcome. Please save the date and plan to attend!

Mr. Larkin

Music Teacher

Michelle Banjo

Cornelius Crossley

Efrain DeLaTorre

Kristina Dismukes

Britney Ehizemwogie

Kassie Grant

Anthony Green

Nia Greene

Abigail Hill

Julius Jackson

Skylar Jenkins

Azaria McDowell

Cameron Morris

Sophia Nguyen

Ife Omolabi

Amir Pearson

Skylar Petritsch

Victoria Plascencia

London Ratcliff

Aubree Rose

Zaiden Skaik

Jesus Sierra

Olamide Adeola

Josiah Allen

Victoria Averhi

Jackson Brown

Brian Bruce

Layden Coenic

Kentay Duncan

Taylor Hampton

Princesscandice Hunley

Royalle Ingram

Caelyn Jackson

Julius Jackson

Landon Johnson

Chloe Kennedy

Camden Lloyd

Thailyn Lockwood

Kira Molex

Abigail Olurin

Ava Pia

Rhyan Ramirez

Kylee Richardson

Deantae Riley

Caleb Thomas

Tobias Thurman

Leonardo Zavala

Maximiliano Zavala

Kennedy Armstead

Jahari Ballenger

Ekene Dibie

Ogom Dibie

Aiden Gonzalez

Kaiden Hood

Jaxon Hoskin

Cailyn Jackson

Camille Jackson

Kenydi Jones

Laila Mapaderun

Hollis McNeal

Mekhi Mooney

Jordyn Moore

Alan Max Moraga

Arianna Phelps

Chloe Taylor

Kayden Alvarez

Grace Amooray El

Jeremiah Brim

Aiden Brown

Gabrielle Butler

BreAijah Davis

Londyn Hampton

Maxwell Hill

Treasure House

Hailey Jefferson

Gabe Jones

Jarius Jones

Maurkice King

Aiden Manadier

Amber Saunders

Dantrell Barnes

Samara Blackwell

Jordan Brown

Ashia Hunter

Corey Johnson

Laila Johnson

Kenedi Jones

Ayden Lewis

Marcus Maxfield

Johnathan Nguyen

Amina Pikes

Aubrielle Saunders

Jayda Speed

Connor Terry

Leiana Wells

Melanee Young

Nehemiah Beasley

Kamiyah Brunt

Jayla Butler

Ava Davis

Maurielle Duffin

Nolen Gaiter

Evan Hammond

Michaela Hollimon

David Olurin

Savannah Orr

Kavi Roberts

Khalia Russell

Ayden Saunders

Brooklin Thorpe

Laylah Walker

Chayil Wilson

The Small Astro Scholars learns about the additive manufacturing process of creating a physical object (3D) from a digital design.

Please review our beginning of the year attendance letter has prepared by Assistant Principal Tancredi. We would also like you to know that our attendance theme for 2023-2024 is, "WE THRIVE When WE STRIVE for 95!"

Homerooms that have a 95% attendance rate for the month will receive a special treat from Mrs. Etherly and Mrs. Tancredi! This could be: extra recess, treats/snacks, a dance party, ice cream social, etc.

If a grade level gets a 95% attendance rate for the month, they will receive a special treat from administration, too! Let’s get our attendance rate up to 95!

AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE - SEPTEMBER 2023

OVERALL K-5 - 93.2%

Kindergarten 92%

Grade 1 94.1%

Grade 2 92.1%

Grade 3 91.6%

Grade 4 93.7%

Grade 5 93.2%

THANK YOU to our esteemed NAES PBIS Team for a most exciting Red Ribbon Week! We especially want to thank Deputy Chief Owens from the Richton Park Police Department for helping us kick off the week with encouraging words to live a health, drug free life.

Our Small Astro Scholars are engaged in lessons regarding Unit 3: Empathy and Kindness. The themes for this program are as follows:

• Why Kindness
• The Power of Kindness
• What's Empathy
• Kindness and Friendship

Families, you should receive Home links and weekly communication from your child's teacher as it offers ideas to help you support your child's social-emotional development at home. If you have not received a notice, please contact your child's teacher.