District 126 News - Oak Lawn Public Library

District 126 News
Alsip Hazelgreen and Oak Lawn
School District 126
11900 South Kostner
Alsip, IL 60803
www.dist126.org
Volume I, Issue 1
Craig Gwaltney, Superintendent of Schools
Lane Elementary
Summer 2011
Hazelgreen Elementary
Welcome to the first issue of District 126 News! Each trimester, the newsletter will be utilized to keep the community
updated on what is happening in District 126, as we continue to implement programs that meet our mission - District 126 Where Children Come First!
District 126 is excited to launch new literacy instruction for all students in grades K-8! To prepare our students for the
increased rigor of the new Common Core Standards for English/Language Arts, we will use comprehensive reading programs
from Benchmark Education, Scholastic Education and Voyager Learning. All programs provide a strong non-fiction focus and
provide interactive technology. Parents will receive detailed information throughout the school year.
In addition, we are increasing our use of technology in the classroom. Five classrooms throughout the district will be
piloting classroom sets of netbooks. The netbooks will be used for daily instruction, improving student interaction and
instructing students in a 21st century learning environment. We will be looking to possibly expand the use of netbooks in classrooms in the 2012-2013 school year. We are also using 40 iPads throughout the district for student individual instruction.
Students and teachers will use the technology to enhance instruction and increase student engagement.
As always, we are using the summer break to make improvements to the schools in our district. This year, Lane and Hazelgreen schools are getting all new bathrooms. The bathrooms in both schools are original to the building and are between 40
and 50 years old. Every inch - from the piping, walls, floors and fixtures - will be replaced. Electric hand dryers will be installed
to eliminate the use of paper towels.
Hazelgreen’s multipurpose room is being renovated to create a new lunchroom. The old kitchen is being rebuilt and air
conditioning is being added to that space. New doors will replace the current multi-purpose room doors that are original to the
building. The room will be used for performances, as the stage will remain with a new LCD projector being installed to
enhance the use of the space.
Lastly, a new fitness center is being built at Prairie Junior High in place of the old industrial arts room. The facility will have
32 fitness stations that will include treadmills, stair climbers, elliptical machines and stationary bikes. The room will also have
12 resistance machines to build strength for every part of the body. The facility will be used as part of the Prairie Junior High
fitness curriculum in Physical Education classes. Today, it is more important than ever to teach our kids the importance of lifelong fitness. The facility will also be available for District 126 staff members before and after school hours.
Stony Creek Elementary
Prairie Junior High
Science Olympiad Club at Hazelgreen
Science Olympiad is a national
organization that seeks to bring
science to life, to show how science
works, to emphasize problem-solving
aspects of science and the understanding of science concepts using a
teamwork and cooperative learning
strategies approach. Mrs. Rodriguez,
one of our ESL teachers, decided to
establish and lead a Science
Olympiad Club at Hazelgreen. Students were very excited about learning
new science concepts and putting things into motion during the competition.
Lane Field Day - Celebrating Teamwork!
Lane School held its annual Field Day on June 1st. The
theme of the day was teamwork and students participated
in a variety of activities such as tug-of-war, water games,
water balloon toss, etc. Upon completion of Field Day,
staff and students all enjoyed a hot dog lunch. The
annual staff vs. student volleyball game took place to
culminate a successful day full of activities. Everyone
enjoyed an outdoor day of fun, cooperation and teamwork!
PJH Students Enjoy New Additions to Building
and Technology
During the 2010-2011 school year, PJH students enjoyed the new addition
and renovations that were completed at the school and several new pieces
of technology that enabled their learning to become more interactive.
Students were excited to be able to use Flip Cameras to record themselves
for projects, book talks, interactive math problems and classroom debates.
In addition, each classroom was outfitted with an overhead projector and
throughout the building students and teachers had access to several
document cameras and interactive tablets.
Stony Creek School Spelling Bee
Each year Stony Creek
School conducts a
spelling bee for our 4th,
5th and 6th graders.
Classroom bees are
held to select representatives who participate in the building
wide competition. All
classroom winners, alternates and their classmates
attended the building-wide spelling bee. It was highly
contested with many great spellers showing their
knowledge.
Breast Cancer Walk
This year the
students and staff at
Hazelgreen School
decided to focus our
yearly philanthropic
efforts on breast
cancer by having a
breast cancer walk.
As many of you know,
one of our beloved staff members lost her
courageous battle to breast cancer, and we thought
what better way to honor her and the other staff and
community members that have been impacted by
breast cancer. Our walk was a huge success in that
we raised nearly $3,000, which was donated to the
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure.
Students Work to Provide Safety
As part of a safe school
environment, our Safety
Patrol Team works to see
that all students travel to
and from school safely.
The team, with the help of
school staff, works as
crossing guards at
entrance and exit locations on school grounds to
help keep walkers and drivers safe.
Celebrating Talent at Lane School
PBS Abounds at District 126!
The elementary schools in District 126 have implemented a system for
emphasizing and recognizing positive behavior in their students. Positive
Behavior Supports (PBS) has been utilized in the schools for the past few
years. Students are required to follow the 3R’s of Respect, Responsibility
and Readiness! To celebrate positive choices, students earn tickets for
demonstrating positive behavior throughout the day. Big Ticket Events,
such as dances, outdoor activities, games,
etc. are held at each elementary school
during the year. Students gain entrance to
the events by submitting tickets they have
earned. This year, Hazelgreen School
created its first PBS Student Club where
students model appropriate behavior and
promote the Big Events to assist the PBS
staff committee with various committee
duties.
The Lane School talent
show was once again a
huge success! The performers did a wonderful job
and were confident in showing off their talents to their
teachers, families and
peers! There were a variety
of acts in this year’s show
including singing, dancing
and poetry reading. We are
proud of the talents of our
Lane Lions and were excited for them to perform to
a “full house” during both the afternoon and evening
performances. The show was a huge success and a
wonderful time was had by all!
Illinois Principals Association
Student Award
Prairie Junior High Students Stand Up to Bullying
Prairie Junior High students sponsored a Stand Up to Bullying Day in
conjunction with national
Mix-it-Up at Lunch Day.
Students held discussions
in their classrooms and
participated in different
activities which included
eating lunch with different
students, watching an
episode of “If You Really
Knew Me”, and forming the
shape of a peace sign in
the gym. Students were
surprised to learn that they had things in common with other students
that they never thought they would have anything in common with.
Hazelgreen students
Ellen Mueller and Connor
Kapala were the 20102011 recipients of the
distinguished Illinois
Principals Association
award. These students
were selected because of
their outstanding
academic achievement,
excellent character, and
commitment to their
school community.
Lane School Walks for Autism Speaks
Lane School hosted an Autism Speaks Walk-a-Thon
during the afternoon of Tuesday May 31st. Prior to the
walk, staff and students participated in a variety of fundraising activities including
Hat Day, Crazy Hair Day,
and Wear Blue Day.
During each of these
days, students donated
to their classroom fundraising collection in order
to participate in the spirit
day. The culminating
activity to the fundraising
was the walk-a-thon. Students and staff walked the
perimeter of Lane School to raise awareness of
Autism. As a school, we raised $450 in just a few days
for this important cause and the money was donated
directly to the Autism Speaks organization!
Sharon Presley Award
The Sharon Presley award is given each year to sixth
grade students who best model the behaviors and
practices of a past
Stony Creek student,
Sharon Presley, who
passed away. Attention to academics,
citizenship and leadership qualities are
all used to select the
honorees of this
award. Congratulations to this year’s
winners, Zachary Charters and Politimi Labrakis. They
are pictured here with Mr. Presley, Sharon’s father.
Hazelgreen School Wins Battle of the Books
This year Hazelgreen School won the
District 126 Battle of the Books.
Battle of the Books is a competition
orchestrated by the three Elementary
Media Center Teachers in conjunction with the Alsip Library. The competition is fun, yet very challenging,
as students have to remember
intricate details for over 20 books!
Pictured here is the Battle of the
Books team.
Stony Creek Service Club and Student Council
Sponsor Charity Water Fundraiser
The Service Club and Student Council of Stony Creek School sponsored
a Charity Water fundraiser during the 3rd trimester of our school year.
The Charity Water organization develops wells for third world communities to assure clean drinking water is available for villages. Each well
provides water to that village for 20-30 years. The Stony Creek student
body participated in a Penny Wars contest and purchased Charity Water
bracelets as a way to raise funds for this project. Additional fundraisers
were held at Prairie Jr. High School to support this program as well.
Over $4,000 was raised toward this world community service project.
PJH Hosts 6th Annual Lock-In
Throughout the school year, PJH students work hard to earn an
invitation to the annual overnight Lock-In celebration held in May.
The Lock-In takes place from 10 p.m.-6 a.m. at PJH and includes a
dance, pizza party, indoor carnival games, inflatables and a movie.
The Lock-In was created as an incentive to reward students for
meeting four important criteria: participation in extracurricular activities, good attendance, good academic standing and good behavior.
This past year, PJH reached an all time high and had over 260 of our
400 students qualify to attend. All PJH students agree that Lock-In is
one of their most fun and most memorable experiences at PJH.
Alsip, Hazelgreen & Oak Lawn
Elementary School District #126
11900 S. Kostner Ave
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 389-1900
www.dist126.org
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Permit No. 399
Blue Island, IL
POSTAL CUSTOMER
Alsip, IL 60803
Lowest mailing costs are obtained by using postal routes which may or may not coincide with District 126 Boundaries.
District 126 School Board
District 126 Administration
Michael Pierce, President
Brian McLaughlin, Vice President
Marigrace Sinnott-Snooks, Secretary
Kimberley Powers, Member
Scott Sullivan, Member
Joe LaChica, Member
Bryan McLawhorn, Member
Craig Gwaltney, Superintendent
Dr. Jan Mulqueeny, Assistant Superintendent
Steve Gress, Business Manager
Virginia Sulek, Special Education Coordinator
Lori Connolly, Coordinator for Assessment & Instruction
Joe Fracaro, Chief of Maintenance
District 126 Schools
Lane School
4600 West 123rd Street
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 371-0720
Patti Egan, Principal
Hazelgreen School
11751 South Lawler
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 371-5351
Leah Humphrey, Principal
Stony Creek School
11700 South Kolin
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 371-0220
Jay Hollingsworth, Principal
Gina Fiske, Asst. Principal
Staff Members Celebrate Anniversaries
5 Years
10 Years
15 Years
Roberta Biesen
Rose Carroll
Nathan Dreisbach
Sharon Fox
Maribel Gonzalez
Allen Grace
Samia Hasan
Harmony Hitchcock
Mary Ann Jackson
Patricia O’Sullivan
Christie Orzechowski
Amanda Baikie
Barb Castro
Kelly Ciraulo
Shannon O’Neil
Katie Connolly
Laura Daly
Sarah Danahey
Karen Kiffmeyer
Jo Maietta
Jill March
Victor Matias
Nancy Mayfield
Adrienne O’Neill
Shelby Raney
Gini Sulek
Linda Vucko
Prairie Junior High
11910 South Kostner
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 371-3080
Maureen Paulmeyer, Principal
Nicole Leggett, Asst. Principal
Dates to Remember
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
First day of school
Students in Grades 1-8 attend
8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
First full day of school for
Students in Grades 1-8
Thursday, August 25, 2011
First full day of school for
Kindergarten Students
Monday, September 5, 2011
Labor Day - No School
20 Years
Joan Lenzi
25 Years
Barb LaMantia
Janice Zwiers
30 Years
Ellen Meyers Hafner
District 126 News
Alsip Hazelgreen and Oak Lawn
School District 126
11900 South Kostner
Alsip, IL 60803
www.dist126.org
Volume I, Issue 2
Craig Gwaltney, Superintendent of Schools
Winter, 2011
District 126 Announces Two-Way Immersion Program
District 126 is proud to launch a two-way Spanish immersion program at Stony Creek School beginning for Kindergarteners in the
Fall of 2012. The goal is for all participants to be able to read, write and speak in English and Spanish when they leave District 126.
This program is based on research that Junior High and High School students who are fluent in more than one language perform
academically as well as or better than their non-bilingual peers.
During their education within this program, students will be interacting socially and academically in Spanish as well as English to
develop both social and academic proficiency in both languages. In this kindergarten class, children will learn how to read in both
English and Spanish. This is a wonderful opportunity for students in our district.
Informational meetings for the parents of incoming kindergarteners will be held at Stony Creek on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 2:00
p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
El Distrito de 126 anuncia el inicio del programa dual para el año 2012.
Los niños de kínder tendrán la oportunidad de experimentar el aprendizaje en dos idiomas. El distrito 126 está orgulloso de lanzar un programa dual de español e inglés en la escuela Stony Creek. El objetivo es que todos los participantes en el programa dual
podrán leer, escribir y hablar en ambos idiomas inglés y español cuando salgan del distrito 126. Este programa se basa en investigaciones hechas a estudiantes de pre-secundaria y secundaria que dominan más de un idioma y que tienen éxito académico, igual
o mejor que sus compañeros que no son bilingües.
Durante su educación dentro de este programa, los estudiantes van a interactuar socialmente y académicamente en ambos idiomas español e inglés para desarrollar las habilidades sociales y académicas en ambos idiomas. En esta clase de kínder, los niños
aprenderán a leer en ambos idiomas inglés y español. Esta es una oportunidad maravillosa para los estudiantes de nuestro distrito.
Reuniones informativas para los padres serán el jueves 3 de mayo de 2012 a las 2:00pm y 7:00pm en la escuela Stony Creek.
Kindergarten Round-Up
Parents of incoming kindergarteners are encouraged to attend Kindergarten Round-Up at
your neighborhood school. It will be held on Thursday, April 19, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. or 6:30
p.m. at Hazelgreen, Lane and Stony Creek Elementary Schools. Information about the
school, registration and immunization forms will be available.
Kindergarten students must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2012. Parents are
required to provide an official birth certificate (not from the hospital) or passport for the child.
Incoming kindergarten students are required to have a physical, dental examination and an
eye examination. If you want health examination forms before our Kindergarten Round-Up,
they are available on our website: www.dist126.org under the Health and Wellness section.
Parents As Teachers
Playgroups are hosted
at Lane School each
month. Each month has
a different theme.
The upcoming dates are: 1/23,
2/20, 3/19, 4/23 and 5/21, from 9:15
to 10:00 a.m.
Please call 708- 293-4137 to
register for all dates.
District Welcomes New Staff Members
At the beginning of the school year, District 126 welcomed the following new staff members: Miss Arends, ELL/Bilingual Teacher-Stony Creek; Ms.
Arias, Kindergarten Bilingual Teacher-Lane; Miss Cortese, 1st Grade Teacher-at Hazelgreen; Mrs. Gomez, 2nd Grade Bilingual Teacher-Lane; Ms.
Guido, START Teacher-Hazelgreen; Mr. Hillhouse, District Music Teacher; Miss Lopez, 1st Grade Bilingual Teacher-Stony Creek; Ms. Quintana,
Technology Aide-Lane; Mrs. Regan, Special Education Teacher-Hazelgreen; Mrs. Reif, Special Ed/Fine Arts Teacher-Stony Creek; Ms. Robinson,
Social Worker-Lane and Hazelgreen; Mr. Rodelo,1st Grade Bilingual Teacher-Lane; Miss Saenz, Instructional Aide-Stony Creek; Miss Van Bruggen,
maternity leave replacement-Prairie; Mrs. Williams, Learning Center Director-Prairie; Mrs. Wilson, Reading Specialist-Hazelgreen.
Ms. Quintana, Mr. Rodelo, Ms. Arias and Mrs. Gomez
Mrs. Regan, Miss Cortese, Ms. Robinson, Mrs. Wilson
and Ms. Guido.
Mr. Hillhouse, Mrs. Williams and Miss Van Bruggen
Miss Saenz, Mrs. Reif, Miss Lopez and Miss Arends
Elementary Art Award Winners Announced
The District 126 Elementary Art Award winners for the 20102011 school year showed
their artwork to the School
Board at the September
Board Meeting. Ms. Bernie
Hanacek and Mr. Jay
Hollingsworth announced the
winners and described the
art projects. Pictured are
Liliana Esparza, Lauren
McHale, Connor Kapala and Sydney Emerson. Ayah Abughoush was not present, however, her artwork is pictured.
Stony Creek Students are Ready to Learn
Janine Omar, Jason Kargol and Lauren Banicki study a bulletin
board which lists the names of the 27
students identified as “Ready to
Learn” students for the first trimester,
one of the three R’s of positive
behavior at Stony Creek School.
The 3 R’s (Respect, Responsible and
Ready to Learn) are the goal of every
student. Each trimester a student
from each homeroom is selected as
showing the focused behavior. These three students were
selected from their respective classrooms for this recognition.
Prairie Junior High Talent Show is a Success
Lane School Participates in Fire Safety Week
The 2011 talent show was a huge success with parents,
students, and teachers. The students amazed the audience
with their singing, dancing, and instrument-playing abilities.
The show was hosted by 8th graders Lucas Henley and
Paloma Avina who introduced acts and got the crowd
excited. Students who sang songs were; Ali Leon, Nicole
Almazan, Ciarah Mitchell, Megan Costello, Eunice Oladesu,
Lauren Cherep, Megan Sullivan, and Kara Kosman.
Students that danced were; Natasha Hunter, Ariel Brown,
Antonia Lewis, Paloma Avina, Essence Patterson, Essasia
Patterson, and Hashina Halona. Two large groups that
joined the show were the 7th grade girl’s choir and the Poms
dance team. There was also some teacher talent that
“trashed” the show with their rhythmic song on trash cans.
Mr. Storch had help from Herb Sommer, Angel Angulo,
Ricky Radz, and Lucas Henley running lights, sound, and
music.
Once again, the students at Lane participated in National Fire
Prevention Week and learned more about fire safety by participating in the annual poster
contest. This year’s theme
was “PROTECT YOUR
FAMILY FROM FIRE”! All
students who participated in
the poster contest received an
ice cream treat coupon from
our local McDonald’s. The
goal of this program is to
teach the importance of fire
safety and reduce the number of injuries and deaths caused by
fires. Pictured are the classroom fire poster winners.
Stony Creek Walks for Cystic Fibrosis
The Stony Creek School Student Council recently held a
walk-a-thon to raise money to be
donated to organizations working for a
cure for Cystic Fibrosis. Although the
original request was for each student to
donate one dollar to “walk for the
cause”, a number of students shared
that they knew someone affected by
this condition and worked to raise more
money than was expected. The 595 students of Stony Creek
School raised over $2,000 to fight Cystic Fibrosis. Pictured
here are our Student Council President, Jonathon Runquist
with Student Council Sponsors, Mrs. Maietta and Ms. Snow.
Hazelgreen’s Chess Scholars
The benefits of students
learning the game of chess
are endless, as research
suggests. This is why we
have committed to another
year of Chess Club at
Hazelgreen. Students
meet every Thursday in the
Media Center to work on
the fundamentals of Chess.
As pictured, students are
using strategic critical thinking and problem-solving skills as they
compete in their weekly matches. We have seen such tremendous success from students in all grade levels who are participating in Chess Club.
Lane Student Council - Leaders in Action
The new Student Council officers and representatives have been
elected at Lane and are busy at
work in providing leadership and
service to the Lane School community. Currently, Student Council is
sponsoring its annual Food Drive.
The donations collected for the
Food drive are given to the Worth
pantry for families in need during this season of giving.
Prairie Wins Chamber of Commerce Award
Hazelgreen Honors Grandparents/Special Persons
Prairie Jr. High was selected as a winner in the Alsip
Chamber of Commerce/Partners
in Progress Award Program for the
addition to the building and their
new sign.
The program recognizes the many
homes, businesses and public
buildings that go a long way to
make Alsip a community to be
proud of!
Grandparents/Special Persons’ Day, an annual event at Hazelgreen,
was a huge success. The Grandparents/
Special Persons enjoyed a continental
breakfast, toured the building, and created a
craft with the Hazelgreen students. As
always, the event was well attended with
over 275 attendees.
Red Ribbon Week-Lane Puts a Cap on Drugs
Lane School celebrated Red Ribbon Week on October 2428th. The focus of the week
was to support a drug-free
world and promote students
making healthy choices.
Students participated in
lessons to encourage healthy
decision-making and signed a
pledge committing to a life
free of drugs. To kick-off the festivities, each student received a Red Ribbon bracelet to show their support of this
important cause. Throughout the week, students participated in a variety of spirit days to show their unity in taking
a stand against drugs. Pictured above are students participating in one of the most popular spirit days titled “Put a
Cap on Drugs”. Students wore their favorite hat to school
to promote their commitment to a world free of drugs.
Hazelgreen Honors Those Who Serve
In honor of the 10-year anniversary of the tragedy of
September 11th, the students, staff and families of Hazelgreen treated our first responders, Fire and Police Departments, to a spaghetti dinner, and all of the Hazelgreen
students wrote letters of gratitude. The students and
parents prepared the meals, and Mrs. Tischer and Mrs.
Tinley assisted Mrs. Humphrey with delivering the meals
and letters to the Police and Fire Departments.
9th Annual District Turkey Trot is a Success
The annual District 126 Turkey Trot had 204 participants this year!
This family-friendly event promotes life-long fitness within the
community. Medals were awarded in each division for both boys and
girls and adult winners received a frozen turkey!
The District 126 Foundation for Educational Excellence sponsors this
annual event. A new sponsor, Sports Authority, donated gift
certificates and coupons.
To learn more about the District 126 Foundation for Educational
Excellence and the upcoming beanbag tournament they are
sponsoring, visit our website at www.dist126.org.
Stony Creek Fall Fest
The Stony Creek PTO sponsored the annual Fall Fest for the family
and friends of our school. Games of chance,
face painting, food, fun and train rides sponsored by the Alsip Police Department, were
enjoyed by all of our guests. Pictured below
are a number of Stony Creek School students
stopping for a moment to smile for the
camera (at least we think they are smiling…).
Lane’s Kindergarten Class Celebrates 50 Days
In honor of the 50th day of Kindergarten, the
two Kindergarten classes celebrated by having
a “Fifties Party” Students made a 1950’s style
patterned record necklace and received a pair
of cool fifties sunglasses. The teachers and
students wore clothing from the 1950’s era to
school, participated in many “counting to 50”
activities and participated in centers with a focus on the number 50.
Prairie Receives Award from Imagine Nation
Prairie Junior High is proud to have been selected as one
of the “2010-2011 Imagine Nation National Top 50
Schools”! Prairie Is one of thousands
who use the Imagine Learning Program in
order to assist English Language Learners with their language acquisition. The
program tailors its support to the students’ needs and
gradually decreases the support in their native language as
their English Language skills become stronger.
Hazelgreen Chalk Walk
The Chalk Walk, sponsored by the Hazelgreen PTA, was a great way
to bring Hazelgreen families together to kick off
the school year! Hazelgreen students, families
and staff decorated squares of concrete on the
sidewalk outside of Hazelgreen School. We
rocked to the sounds of DJ Hornet, ate
“summery” snacks, and spent time bonding as
a Hazelgreen family!
Alsip, Hazelgreen & Oak Lawn
Elementary School District #126
11900 S. Kostner Ave
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 389-1900
www.dist126.org
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Permit No. 399
Blue Island, IL
POSTAL CUSTOMER
Alsip, IL 60803
Lowest mailing costs are obtained by using postal routes which may or may not coincide with District 126 Boundaries.
District 126 Administration
District 126 School Board
Craig Gwaltney, Superintendent
Dr. Jan Mulqueeny, Assistant Superintendent
Steve Gress, Business Manager
Virginia Sulek, Special Education Coordinator
Lori Connolly, Coordinator for Assessment & Instruction
Joe Fracaro, Chief of Maintenance
Michael Pierce, President
Brian McLaughlin, Vice President
Marigrace Sinnott-Snooks, Secretary
Kimberley Powers, Member
Scott Sullivan, Member
Joe LaChica, Member
Bryan McLawhorn, Member
District 126 Schools
Lane School
4600 West 123rd Street
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 371-0720
Patti Egan, Principal
Hazelgreen School
11751 South Lawler
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 371-5351
Leah Humphrey-Mason,
Principal
Stony Creek School
11700 South Kolin
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 371-0220
Jay Hollingsworth, Principal
Gina Fiske, Asst. Principal
Dates to Remember
Thursday, January 5, 2012 - School Resumes
Friday, January 13, 2012 -
School Improvement Day
Students attend 8:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Monday, January 16, 2012 -
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School
Friday, February 10, 2012 -
School Improvement Day
Students attend 8:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Monday, February 13, 2012 - Lincoln’s Birthday (Observed) - No School
Friday, March 2, 2012 -
Teacher In-service
Students attend 8:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Monday, March 5, 2012 -
Casimir Pulaski Day - No School
Tuesday, March 20, 2012 -
Teacher Institute Day - No School
Monday, March 26 - Friday, March 30, 2012 - Spring Break - No School
Prairie Junior High
11910 South Kostner
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 371-3080
Maureen Paulmeyer, Principal
Nicole Leggett, Asst. Principal
District 126 Seeks Committee Members
This spring District 126 will be creating a new strategic plan to articulate a vision of what the district
should be like in the coming years. Currently, we are
working from the plan that was created in 2007. We
will be surveying community members and creating a
strategic plan committee. If you are interested in
receiving a survey and/or being part of the committee,
please contact the district office at (708) 389-1900 or
send an e-mail to [email protected].
District 126 News
Alsip Hazelgreen and Oak Lawn
School District 126
11900 South Kostner
Alsip, IL 60803
www.dist126.org
Volume I, Issue 3
Craig Gwaltney, Superintendent of Schools
Spring, 2012
Planning for our Future
In January, the Board of Education
of Alsip, Hazelgreen and Oak Lawn
School District 126 initiated a planning
process to guide the district into the
future. Over 30 parents, staff and
community members participated in a
series of meetings that resulted in a
strategic plan.
The plan will create a roadmap to
lead us from where we are now to
where we would like to be in 3-5 years.
The plan focuses on four areas:
Curriculum and Student Achievement,
21st Century Learning, Facilities and
Finance, and Community Partnerships.
The School Board will review the
committee’s work at the May Board
meeting and will approve the plan at
that time. Once the Board approves
the plan, it will be posted on the District
website.
Registration Dates for 2012-2013 School Year
Kindergarten
Kindergarten pre-registration will be held at Lane, Hazelgreen and Stony Creek Elementary Schools from 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. on
Thursday, April 19, 2012. Informational meetings will be held at 2:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The Two-Way Immersion Program
parent meeting will be held at Stony Creek School on Thursday, May 3, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
All Students
Required registration/fee payment for all grades at all schools will be held at Prairie Junior High on Wednesday, July 25, 2012 and
Thursday, August 2, 2012 from 12:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
School District 126 Foundation for Educational Excellence
The District 126 Foundation for Educational Excellence was formed to provide all of our students with the opportunity to develop to
their full potential and to enable members of the community to help. The Foundation holds several events to raise funds for various
programs and projects which enhance, enrich and supplement learning opportunities for students, staff and community. One such
fundraiser is the upcoming 12th Annual Golf Outing, which will be held on Wednesday, June 13, 2012 at Waters Edge Golf Course in
Worth. Join us for a day of camaraderie and fun! For more information, visit our website.
Purchase Your Commemorative Brick Now!
Be a part of District 126 forever! The Alsip Hazelgreen and Oak Lawn School District 126 Foundation for Educational Excellence
offers our families and alumni a chance to purchase commemorative bricks that will be a lasting part of the brick paver outdoor floor
system that makes up the Prairie Junior High Courtyard. All of the proceeds from the sale of the bricks goes directly back to our
schools’ programming through the Foundation. To order your brick(s), please visit our website, or stop by the Prairie Junior High
Office at 119th & Kostner. Bricks must be ordered by Friday, April 27, 2012.
Lane Loves to Read
Stony Creek Holds Science Fair
The Lane School students and staff once again celebrated
Valentine’s Day in a special way. All students participated in
our annual “Lane Loves to
Read Day” on Friday, February 10th. The theme of
this special day was KINDNESS! The entire Lane
staff was excited to share
their love for reading with
the students. To kick off the
day, all students had an
opportunity to listen to a story centered on the theme of
kindness. Upon completion of the story, the students chose
a kind word to use on a consistent basis to show those
around us that we care about them. The students then created a heart decoration including their kind word which is
posted in an all-school hallway for all to see. This event is a
great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day by focusing on our
love for reading!
Students at Stony Creek School recently participated in the
school’s Science Fair. Student participation was voluntary, with
many students participating in the
day-long event. Students selected
a scientific theory to investigate and
create a display of what they discussed during the project. Pictured
here are students presenting their
findings to judges, staff and fellow
students. This activity was open to
the public for viewing and explanations of experiments as well.
PJH is Awarded
“Safe Routes to Schools” Grant
During the Fall of 2010, Mrs. Paulmeyer, Principal of Prairie
Junior High, received information about the IDOT Illinois
“Safe Routes to Schools” grant. This grant is federally funded
and aims to provide monetary awards to schools in order to
enable and encourage students to walk or bike to and from
school safely.
Over the past year and a half, Mrs. Paulmeyer worked closely
with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) and
Vince Cullen from the Village of Alsip Public Works
Department to develop a plan to increase the safety of our
students’ routes to school. Mrs. Paulmeyer also surveyed
PJH students about the modes of transportation they use to
arrive at school and the routes they take coming to and from
school. With all this information, Mrs. Paulmeyer formulated
a proposal and submitted it to the SRTS Grant Committee.
We are pleased to report that PJH was an approved recipient
of this grant and was awarded over $178,000! The funds will
be used to build some additional sidewalks around the south
side of Prairie and in front of St. Terrence Church. In addition, there will be some new crosswalks painted on the street
and also some speed feedback trailers and portable signs
that will be purchased.
For more information on this program, visit http://
www.saferoutespartnership.org.
Hazelgreen Collects Box Tops and Pop Tabs
Hazelgreen Student Council members continue to collect Box
Tops for Education and pop tabs. Because of these little pop
tabs, we are able to make a donation to the Ronald McDonald
House at Hope Children’s
Hospital. Our Student
Council representatives also
sold Smencils (scented
pencils) to make a monetary
donation to Ronald McDonald House and to contribute
to the District 126 Clark
Alford and Marilyn Clemens
Scholarship Funds. Student Council is facilitated by Mrs.
Kamphuis and Mrs. Czarnecki.
Lane PFO Family Sweetheart Dance
On February 3rd, the Lane School gym was transformed into a
dance floor for all Lane families. The Lane School PFO once
again hosted its annual Family
Sweetheart Dance. This funfilled evening included pizza and
desserts, dancing, family
pictures, candy counting
contests, and socializing with
other families and friends. Everyone truly enjoyed dancing the
night away and a wonderful time
was had by all! Thank you to our Lane School PFO for hosting
this lovely evening event!
Stony Creek Celebrates its Diversity
Stony Creek students and staff
recently enjoyed a buildingwide Diversity Celebration.
Students learned about foods,
customs and everyday life of
the different heritages of the
students of Stony Creek. All
students participated in this
“wall of diversity” where they
dressed a paper doll in the cultural costumes of their heritage.
The paper dolls were then posted on the wall showing the differences and similarities between all people in our school.
Prairie’s Jazz Band Has Debut Performance
The new Prairie Junior High Jazz Ensemble opened Alan B.
Shepard’s Jazz Dinner Dance last month at Gaelic Park.
This was their first performance and over 200
people were in attendance. The night included a dinner, music,
raffles and lots of
dancing! Our PJH
students were able to
get a real taste of what it
is like to be in a professional jazz band. They participated in
a short rehearsal beforehand with some high school students,
adapted to their surroundings, did a sound check and played
remarkably!
Students Find a Use for Empty Milk Containers
Members of Mrs. Berrones’ Early Childhood and Preschool
program found a use for milk jugs
once the milk was gone. With the
help of their teachers, they put together empty milk jugs, making an
igloo in their classroom. Pictured
here are students measuring the
height of the igloo. They spent a few
days enjoying the structure before it
found its way to a local recycling site!
PBS at Hazelgreen
Positive Behavior Supports, also known as PBS, is a philosophy
we have wholeheartedly embraced in District 126. PBS
involves supporting students by
focusing on positive incentives and
praise. Students have to show
evidence of the 3R’s, Respect,
Readiness and Responsibility, in
order to earn tickets/points. These
tickets/points can then be cashed in
to attend our big ticket events or purchase items from our PBS store.
Pictured are the staff that played in
our Student vs. Staff Floor Hockey
game, which is part of our per-trimester big ticket events. Both
teams played a good game, and the Hazelgreen staff won with
a score of 14-10!
Hazelgreen Students Study Science
The 4th grade students at Hazelgreen have been working on
magnetism and electricity in
Science. In this lesson, students
are assembling a parallel circuit
to learn that one D-cell battery
can light multiple bulbs better
than a series circuit can. The
students in Ms. Law’s class really
enjoy the hands-on science
experiments, especially when
they are linked to books in our new reading curriculum.
Lane School Jumps Rope for the Heart
Lane School just completed another successful Jump Rope for
Heart program. Each student had
an opportunity to learn about how
to achieve and maintain a healthy
heart through a variety of fun
games and activities during their
Physical Education classes. In
addition to these educational experiences, several students chose to raise money for the American Heart Association’s educational and research efforts.
Through the generosity and hard work of students, families,
friends and teachers, Lane School was able to raise $1,087!
Prairie Choir Competes at Contest
Congratulations to the Prairie Junior High Choirs! Both choirs
here at PJH attended the Illinois Grade School Music Association’s Organizational Choir Contest which was held at Summit
Jr. High in Frankfort on Saturday,
March 10. The
choirs sang in
front of three
judges that gave
them scores on
their singing abilities with rankings being 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. The
7th grade Girls choir received a 2nd rating (only one point away
from a 1st) and the 8th grade Concert Choir received a 1st rating
and is now eligible to compete at the State Choir Contest on
April 21st.
Spotlight on our School Board
The District 126 School Board is comprised of seven residents of the school district who
are elected to serve four-year terms without compensation. The School Board is required
to meet in public. It is a governmental body which can take action only by majority vote at
a public meeting. Our School Board meets on the second Thursday of the month, except
for the months of July and December. The public is always welcome at the School Board
meetings. The dates of the meetings, agendas and minutes are posted on our website.
For more information on the role of the School Board, please visit our website.
Pictured: Front row, left to right, Marigrace Sinnott-Snooks, Board Secretary, and Kim
Powers. Back row: Brian McLaughlin, Board Vice President; Scott Sullivan; Michael
Pierce, Board President; Bryan McLawhorn and Joe LaChica.
Alsip, Hazelgreen & Oak Lawn
Elementary School District #126
11900 S. Kostner Ave
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 389-1900
www.dist126.org
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE PAID
Permit No. 399
Blue Island, IL
POSTAL CUSTOMER
Alsip, IL 60803
Lowest mailing costs are obtained by using postal routes which may or may not coincide with District 126 Boundaries.
District 126 Administration
District 126 School Board
Craig Gwaltney, Superintendent
Dr. Jan Mulqueeny, Assistant Superintendent
Steve Gress, Business Manager
Virginia Sulek, Special Education Coordinator
Lori Connolly, Coordinator for Assessment & Instruction
Joe Fracaro, Chief of Maintenance
Michael Pierce, President
Brian McLaughlin, Vice President
Marigrace Sinnott-Snooks, Secretary
Kimberley Powers, Member
Scott Sullivan, Member
Joe LaChica, Member
Bryan McLawhorn, Member
District 126 Schools
Lane School
4600 West 123rd Street
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 371-0720
Patti Egan, Principal
Hazelgreen School
11751 South Lawler
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 371-5351
Leah Humphrey-Mason,
Principal
Stony Creek School
11700 South Kolin
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 371-0220
Jay Hollingsworth, Principal
Gina Fiske, Asst. Principal
Prairie Junior High
11910 South Kostner
Alsip, IL 60803
(708) 371-3080
Maureen Paulmeyer, Principal
Nicole Leggett, Asst. Principal
Our mission is to graduate responsible and self-confident students who are prepared for the challenges of high school and beyond through a personalized education which provides a sound academic foundation and promotes the student’s social, emotional and physical development in a safe,
supportive environment.
Dates to Remember
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Kindergarten Registration
Friday, May 4, 2012
Teacher In-Service - Students attend 8:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Teacher Institute Day - No School
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day - No School
Monday, June 4, 2012
Teacher In-service -Students attend 8:30 - 11:45 a.m.
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Last Day of School - Students attend 8:30 - 10:00 a.m.
Wednesday, June 13, 2012
Foundation for Educational Excellence Golf Outing
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
All-School Registration at Prairie Junior High - 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
All-School Registration at Prairie Junior High - 12:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.