LINCOLN LOG
The PTO Newsletter for
Abraham Lincoln
Elementary School
Oak Park, IL
May 2015
What's Up at
Lincoln
Thank you to everyone who
joined us at the PTO
Meetings this school year.
PTO Meetings are typically
the first Wednesday of every
month at 6:30 PM in the
Lincoln Media Center.
Childcare is available. We
hope to see you in
September!
Like us on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/LincolnP
TO.OakPark.
Follow us on Twitter:
@LincolnPTO.
Subscribe to us by visiting
our website at
http://ptolincoln.org/ and
signing up for our weekly
newsletter.
Inside this issue:
Student Council News
2
PTO Year End Report
3
Global Virtual
Classroom
4
Math Olympiads
5
Garden Club
6
Olympic Day 2015
7
Summer Math
8
Girls on the Run
9
School Supply Kits
10
Summer Reading
11
Classroom News
12
PTO Officers &
Committees
16
A Year End Message from Our
Principal, Ms. Hamilton
Summer is almost upon us! Soon it will be time to put away the school books and
put on the shorts, t-shirts, sun screen, vacation gear and shift into holiday fun. I
am so proud of all our Lincoln students this year. They have worked hard and
applied themselves to the very important work of learning. I believe that each child
has grown academically and intellectually this year and as a result has developed
socially, emotionally and physically. As we close out this school year I would like to
take a moment to acknowledge our graduating 5th grade class, many of whom have
been with us for six years. It is both sad and exciting to see them move on to new
and greater adventures. I know that they will make Lincoln proud!
5th Grade Award Ceremony
Fifth grade students were honored for their achievements during the Awards
Ceremony on Friday, May 22nd. Please join me in congratulating all our fifth
grade students for their efforts, achievements and contributions to Lincoln School.
President’s Award for Educational Improvement
This award recognizes students for showing outstanding educational growth,
improvement and commitment to their work. It honors students for working hard
and putting forth their best effort in school, often in the face of obstacles.
Congratulations to the recipients of the President’s Silver Award.
Amarii Badejo
Nolan Blanchard
Emily Byrd
Owen Campbell
Syona Carlo
Ruth Corbin
Jacob Delaney
Demitra Dussias
Taylor Foreman
Jacqueline Galvez
Indigo Gordon
Estella Gorgol
Jonathan Gunning
Cerys Hattersley
Amani Houston
Esteban Jaimes
Dagen Jones-Renfro
Brinkley Kita
Ella Kuenster
Joaquin Martinez
Samuel McDermott
Greta McNulty
Allison Monty
Andres Morales
Taron Pellettieri
Cyprian Perisee
Taniyah Qualls
Giovanna Reid
Sam Richards
Brendan Roy
Allyson Rumoro
Kayla Satcher
Samuel Shank
Ezra Siegler
Tessa Simmons
Georgia Smith
Sarah Snodgrass
Kaitlyn Spillane
Liam Spillane
Henry Spillane
Colin Stow
Trevon Thomas
Autumn Tully
Eliana Veon
Elisabeth Watson
Vivien Wildfield
Leila Woods
Catherine Yaus
(Continued on page 2)
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(Continued from page 1)
Presidential Award
This award recognizes academic excellence. In order to receive the Presidential Award, students need to exhibit
academic excellence throughout the entire school year.
Congratulations to the recipients of the Presidential Gold Award.
Roscoe Cadwell
Eleanor Compton
Ajah Crittenden
Sofia Cruz
Madeline Gerona
Leo Gonzalez
Samantha Green
Jude Hamer
Theodore Harlan
Grace Helms
Connor Hoehne
Zoe Klein
Elizabeth Loftus
James Lynch
Matthias Maser
Maeve McAndrews
Camila Neuman
Gabriel Newman
Isabel Richmond
Halle Rigden
Ania Sacks
Sophia Schmoldt
Thaddeus Schultz
Gabriel Sparkes
Sophie Straughan
Samuel Taylor
Minami Yasuda
Winston Zwicky-Simon
Principal’s Award
This award is given to two students from each fifth grade homeroom. The recipients are peacemakers, good
citizens, show respect for adults and students in the school community and have a positive attitude.
Congratulations to the following students:
Jack Berleman-Paul
Eleanor Compton
Jacqueline Galvez
Madeline Gerona
James Lynch
Matthias Maser
Taniyah Qualls
Isabel Richmond
Kaitlyn Spillane
Autumn Tully
Lincoln Student Council News
Our Student Council has been a joy this school year; good-natured and hard-working students. The Council
worked this year to help raise awareness of hunger and need around our school community with the CANDO CHALLENGE, and Lincoln's donations of both food and $$$ helped the OPRF food pantry earn the
25,000 gift that they were hoping for. Thank you Families who helped. We will be back next year hoping to
contribute to this wonderful community cause.
The Student Council worked on several other projects this school year that involved raising money; the
carnival silent auction which raised about $400.00 toward the media center/school in Ghana, and they
counted an amazing amount of Box Tops to which I see no end of supply. We did not make as many deposits
this year as the busy days of school take precedent, but we have earned a few hundred dollars that goes to
PTO to be used as they see fit.
And so we hope to find a day that all of our Members can join us for a Student Council Lunch before
summer break, and in that we thank these hard working and devoted students for their service.
Ms.Spillane and Ms.Conmy
MA Y 2 0 1 5
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Year End Update From Lincoln PTO
Dear Lincoln Families,
It’s hard to believe the end of the school year is just days away, which gives us the
perfect opportunity to let you know a few of the wonderful things that took place
because of you. Thanks to your donations and fundraising efforts, the Lincoln PTO
raised nearly $75,000! What’s even more exciting is what we were able to do this year
as a result of the dollars we raised. Take a look:

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


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Purchased a new state-of-the-art Pinewood Derby Track for the Lincoln Boy Scouts and in turn, they
invited the Girl Scouts to join
Installed a water-bottle filler in the lunchroom
Ensured that every Lincoln student, regardless of their family’s financial circumstances, could attend field
trips, after-school activities and Camp Edwards
Continued our support of favorite Lincoln programs such as Trekkers, Girls on the Run, Book Fair, and
Wellness Programming
Hosted our second annual Movie Night!
Through the Hungry Minds Pasta Dinner and the 5th Grade class, provided critical funding to hunger
relief charities at home and abroad
Hosted the annual teacher and staff appreciation luncheon in May and surprised each Lincoln staff
member an Amazon gift card
Continued to explore possibilities for an outdoor classroom or an upgraded courtyard space with a
landscape architecture firm
We have several new PTO Executive Committee members beginning their new term in June. Co-President
Lisa Magnuson will be replacing me. Two new fundraising VPs will be leading the charge to keep our
revenue streams on target: Marcella Douce and Liz Williams. Heading up Nominating and volunteer
recruitment will be Jessica McMeyer. Allison Fluecke decided running the Carnival was not enough, so she’s
joining the team as VP of Community Engagement. Last, but certainly not least, is Kelly McCreary, who will
serve as the Secretary. She will be the one in charge of our first event of the school year: Open House and
will keep the lines of communication flowing between all committees and programs throughout the year.
Their contact information will be up on our website soon.
We hope you will continue to share your thoughts with the PTO on how to make the best use of our school’s
treasures and talents throughout the year. Please e-mail members of the Executive Committee, come to the
meetings or find us at school during the many events. Your involvement is what makes Lincoln great.
Enjoy your summer.
Jamie Klobuchar
Summer Dates to Remember
June 2015
2 Olympic Day
4 School Kit Order Forms Due
5 Last Day of School
18 Summer Math Night
20 School Kit On-line Order Deadline
July 2015
23 Summer Math Night
August 2015
20 Summer Math
Night
31 Back to School
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(GVC) Global Virtual Classroom
Sixty-three students from Lincoln Elementary School recently competed
in the Global Virtual Classroom Contest, which is a free online
collaborative learning project that fosters creativity, cross cultural
understanding and helping others. It also teaches IT and Web site design skills to students from
around the world.
The student teams who participated in this project had their entries judged on a number of
criteria, including content, presentation, collaboration and a helping focus. The helping focus
encourages students to demonstrate achievement of a helpful objective (i.e., personal, social
and/or environmental responsibility) or support for a worthy cause.
Lincoln Elementary School’s fifth graders won a merit award for exceptional multimedia for the
site Endangered Animals of the World (https://sites.google.com/a/gsbi.org/gvc1407/home). The
class partnered on the project with students from Mississippi and Russia.
The teacher leader for the team was Mr. Matthew Kuntz.
GVC Participating Students 2014-2015
Ms. McNish
11 students
Brianna Sargent-Mosby
Kayla Satcher
Rachel Czuba
Ellie Kate Loftus
Sofia Cruz
Maeve McAndrews
Indigo Gordon
Leila Woods
Kaitlyn Spillane
Georgia Smith
Jonathan Gunning
Mrs. Thompson
18 students
Caitlin Quinn
Connor Hoehne
Theo Harlan
Jacob Delaney
Ellie Veon
Allyson Rumoro
Lily Watson
Taia Falbo
Abby Hernandez
Breanna Kissick
Zoe Klein
Jude Hamer
Verity Fernandes
Autumn Tully
Samantha Green
Sam McDermott
Ryan Salibellas
Danielle Eissinger
Sophia Schmoldt
Madeline Gerona
Allison Monty
Ajah Crittenden
Cate Yaus
Gia Reid
Matthias Maser
Mrs. Metropolous
12 students
Daliah Ramos
Gabriel Newman
Charlie Lock
Cerys Hattersley
Mikayla Esquitin
Grace Helms
Jack Berleman-Paul
Demitra Dussias
Maddie Brooker
Taylor Foreman
Autumn Murphy
Sam Taylor
Mrs. Smith
13 students
Nicolas Ayala
Jim Lynch
Sarah Snodgrass
Cecelia White
Joaquin Martinez
Jax Bukalski
Thaddeus Schultz
Leo Gonzales
Owen Campbell
Mitch Brumirski
Avra Burke
Tessa Simmons
Toby Barnes- Mazur
Mr. Childress
9 students
Mimi Yasuda
Vivien Wildfield
MAYY 2013
MA
2015
LI NC O L N LO G
PAGE 5
Mathematical Olympiads for Elementary and
Middle School Students (MOEMS) Grade 6
Lincoln students participated in the
Mathematical Olympiad for Elementary and
Middle Schools (MOEMS) this year. They
were among the nearly 135,000 students and
4,600 teams worldwide to participate this year
in the Math Olympiad Program. The students
participated in a series of five monthly contests
consisting of five very challenging problems
each.
The following students participated in
MOEMS this year and will receive the Math
Olympiad Embroidered patch:
Connor Hoehne
Halle Rigden
Mimi Yasuda
Zoe Klein
Patrick Carmody
Ania Sacks
Leo Gonzalez
Jude Hamer
Matthias Maser
Madeline Gerona
Thaddeus Schultz
Ellie Kate Loftus
Rachel Czuba
Aleks Saame
Maeve McAndrews
Cerys Hattersley
Jacob Delaney
Sam Richards
Theo Harlan
Grace Helms
Sam Taylor
The silver pin is awarded to those students in the TOP 10% of all students
tested worldwide. This year at Lincoln we have six students who will receive
this prestigious award. Students will receive a silver pin and a MOEMS patch.
Cerys Hattersley
Jacob Delaney
Sam Richards
Theo Harlan
Grace Helms
Sam Taylor
The MOEMS (Mathematical Olympiads for Elementary and Middle Schools)
Contest was coordinated by Mr. Kuntz.
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Lincoln Garden Club News
The garden has been planted! Wonderful fourth grade students signed on during
early spring to be part of our crew and gave up a recess to plant the seeds that
were ordered late winter. We like to invite 4th grade to be the Garden Club each
year because they are at a great age to take this on and they will be back in late
summer to see how their sweet garden is holding up. It is usually then that many
kids can be seen eating tiny tomatoes off the plants during recess.
Mr. Kuntz and I were pleased with the enthusiastic gardeners. They were able to work in groups and
plant hundreds of seeds in just 30 minutes. The plants mostly sat in the windows here in room 204, but
some Garden Club members wanted to take some plants to their classroom windows as well. It was a
joy for my third graders to watch the sometimes daily growth of the many plants that filled our
windows. Five weeks later, we were finally able to put our wonderful seedlings into the garden boxes at
the back of the playground. They will become robust, however right now they struggle to stand up to
the winds and the rains or lack there of. I have watered the garden and the Kids will also help water as
well as learn to weed the garden while school is in session, but the real issue of watering and light
weeding comes during summer break. Remember to visit the garden throughout the spring and
summer, the produce is for Lincoln Families. Not only do we benefit from watching how plants grow,
but Lincoln Kids can eat from this pesticide free garden. Please take just what you may want, don't
take more than needed so as to feed as many as possible. We want the Kids to know the taste of a fresh
bell pepper, cucumber, tomato, or help in the kitchen using fresh herbs and create a salad using the
fresh picked lettuces and kale. Please enjoy this community garden and thank the fourth grade
students for their good works.
If your family is interested in helping keep our school/community garden healthy and strong, please
contact me at [email protected]. I will set up a spreadsheet so that we can share the watering job. It is
fun for our students to be a part of the garden chores, they also benefit from seeing the changes from
one day to the next; the ripening of a tomato, the fullness of a head of broccoli, the length of the
cucumbers and the types of butterflies and insects that visit the garden.
Any families from Lincoln can assist, but the trick is to NEVER LOSE THE
KEY. Our faucet key is the only key I have, it is the
only one the district was able to give me, so if your
family is watering one week, you will need to pick up
the key from the family prior to your shift or that
family may offer to drop it off to you. I will take
many shifts, I love to water our garden, but would
love three or four or five families
to also take a week.
Happy munching,
Diane
Conmy
MA Y 2 0 1 5
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PAGE 7
Volunteer at Olympic Day 2015
Olympic Day 2015 is Tuesday, June 2nd! It is a really fun day where
all students participate in many activities to try their skills at events
such as the basketball shooting, running bases, and the ever popular
water balloon toss!
All of our students and staff will join together at 8:10 to get ready
for our exciting day. We will start with our wonderful Opening Ceremony that includes
the music of the Olympics and everyone taking the Olympic Oath.
K-2 will answer the call of the Olympic events in the morning (volunteers report at 7:45)
with the 3-5 classes participating in the afternoon (report time is 11:50).
Your help is needed to continue to make this day a success! If you are available to
volunteer either a half or even the whole day please fill out this form and return it to
Mrs. Madura by Friday, May 29th. Walk-ins are also welcomed!
Please mark your calendar to remember this important date. An e-mail reminder will be
sent if you include your e-mail information.
Olympic Day cannot happen without you – our wonderful Lincoln volunteers. Lincoln is a
great school because of all of you! Thank you in advance for your time and energy!
---------------------------------------PLEASE CUT AND RETURN-----------------------------------------Yes! I would love to help!
Name: ________________________ e-mail ______________________
Student’s Name: ____________________Homeroom: ________________
I can help: ______ a.m. only ______ p.m. only _____ both a.m. & p.m.
I would like to be assigned to: ____ indoor event ____outdoor event
____ coach a team ____ anywhere is fine My favorite event is:
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Summer Math at Lincoln
SUPERHEROES FIGHT SUMMER BRAIN DRAIN!
Research suggests that children lose two to three
months of learning over the summer – fight back! Based
on parent feedback, the 2015 PTO Summer Math
Program is simple and customizable to the needs and
interests of your children.
Fighting Brain Drain is Easy!
 Register at lincolnsummermath.blogspot.com
 Do some math!
 Return the log (found in the Lincoln Digital Backpack to school in the
Fall for a hero’s reward!
A Few of the Endless Options:
 Lincolnsummermath.blogspot.com has workbooks, links, and resources
for all grades – your first stop!
 Code.org or studio.code.org – Coding for all ages!
 TenMarks or Scootpad – Free summer programs
 Khan Acadamy – Now a complete program – free!
 Xtra Math – Master the math facts!
 Johnnies’s Math Page – Fun math games!
 Moby Max – Keep using the student account
 Commoncoresheets.com – Worksheets for all grades!
 Any game, workbook, website, or program you like!
Questions? Rebecca Malley at [email protected]
MA Y 2 0 1 5
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PAGE 9
Girls on the Run at
Lincoln
A record 76 girls joined Lincoln’s Girls on the Run
program this spring, with 70 signed up to run a
regional 5K this Saturday, May 30, in Chicago’s
Grant Park.
Now in its sixth year at Lincoln, the noncompetitive international running program
encourages girls in third through fifth grades to
develop self-respect and healthy lifestyles through interactive lessons and running
games. Girls and their coaches meet twice a week for 12 weeks to train, including
running a practice 5K in April.
As a community project, the girls sold beverages at Lincoln’s movie night to raise
money for childhood cancer research through Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation.
The girls made posters to advertise the event and had a visit from Lincoln
kindergartner Aria McCarthy, who has leukemia, and her mom, Kari McCarthy,
who talked about the treatment process and their family’s fundraising efforts. The
girls made $368 at movie night.
The program is looking for a new site coordinator to keep the momentum going.
Trish Ryan, who has held that role since Girls on the Run started at Lincoln, is
stepping down after this season. As site coordinator and also a coach for five years,
Ryan has inspired hundreds of girls who have participated in the program and
worked tirelessly to recruit volunteer coaches to meet the growing demand for
spots.
Anyone interested in being the site
coordinator or a coach next year
should email Ryan at
[email protected]. Coach sign
-ups will take place in January. A
half-day training and CPR
certification is required to coach
before the season starts in March.
Coaches may participate either one
or two days per week.
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Order Your School Supply Kits for the 20152016 School Year!
Lincoln PTO has again partnered with SchoolKidz, Inc. to provide you with readymade school supply kits. The kits can be ordered either online and or via the order
forms sent home in students’ folders. Additional order forms are available on the PTO
website or in the school office. Please return forms to school with a check made out to
Lincoln PTO. Please note that water bottles, which all the teachers requested this
year, will need to be added on from the “optional” list.
Online orders may be placed at: www.shopttkits.com, School Account #: 30411. Online
orders are subject to 7.75% Illinois Sales Tax.
Order Form Turn-in Deadline: June 4, 2015
Online Order Deadline:
June 19, 2015
The kits will be personalized with each student’s
name and grade. Kits will be delivered directly to
their classroom in a reusable, easy-to-carry supply
box prior to the first day of school.
If you have any questions about this program,
please contact Kari McCarthy at
[email protected].
2015 SpellCheck Update
In other words, SpellCheck was a
success!
Thank you to all the Lincoln Super
Spellers and their families for making the
6th Annual Lincoln SpellCheck a great
success! The hard work of Lincoln
students and the generosity of their
friends and families raised almost $9,000
for the PTO’s ongoing support of field
trips, cultural arts experiences, and
wellness programs.
Your contribution is a gift to all
Lincoln students and families!
MA Y 2 0 1 5
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PAGE 11
Summer Reading Suggestions from
Mrs. Davidhizar, Reading Speacialist
USE SUMMER READING TIME TO BUILD BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE
SOME PERSONAL PICTURE BOOK FAVORITES BIOGRAPHY, INFORMATIONAL, HISTORICAL FICTION, & REALISTIC FICTION:
TITLE
AUTOR
TOPIC/THEME
Miss Dorothy and Her Bookmobile
(also see My Great Aunt Arizona)
Gloria Houston
Appalachian
Library
Vision/Learning
Elizabeth, Queen of the Seas
Lynne Cox
New Zealand
Elephant Seal
Care
Letting Swift River Go
Jane Yolen
New England
Earthen Dam
Change
A Day's Work
Eve Bunting
(also see her other titles for children re complex topics)
America
Day Laborer
Integrity
Amelia's Road
Agriculture America
Migrant Field Work
Belonging
Linda J. Altman
Let's Go Lobstering
Jerry Pallotta
(also see many of his ABC info books on various topics)
New England
Out on a boat
Child's Experience
The Gardener
Sarah Steward & David Small
(also see The Library and other titles)
Urban America
Depression Years
Roof-top Garden
Owl Moon
Rural America
Night Woods Walk
Waiting, Hope
Jane Yolen
HAPPY SUMMER READING! Mrs. Davidhizar, Lincoln Reading Specialist
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FLES with Señora Jacoby and
Señora Ruiz
¡¡¡Sí!!! Summer is around the corner and the end of the
school year too!!!
What a great school year we have had!
In Kindergarten, we are having a great time learning
about the Yunque (a beautiful Rainforest located in
Puerto Rico). Students are learning not only the names
of the animals, but also to describe them (stating size
and color) and to say what they do (actions such as to
fly, to jump...etc).
We are going to create our first own and unique story
based on the animals from the Yunque. Our wonderful
Kindergartners will have the opportunity to become
authors, actors and actresses of our story. Fantastic
job Kindergarteners!
In first grade, we are having a great time learning
about the Selva Amazónica (The Amazon Rainforest).
Students are learning not only the names of the
animals, but also to describe them (stating size and
color) and to say what they do (actions such as to fly, to
jump...etc).
movies, plays and
puppet shows all in
español! What an
incredible job
students did!
In fourth grade,
students did complete
their stories and shared their creations with their
classmates! They did a great job and showed their
creativity in español!
Moreover, our wonderful fourth grade students have
started learning about giving directions in Spanish.
Currently, students are learning the new vocabulary
phrases and soon they will be working in pairs to give
each other directions in Spanish. We will be using
maps from Spanish speaking countries and Google
earth to make this lesson more meaningful. Way to go
Fourth graders!
Our fabulous fifth graders did an awesome job creating
their own and unique stories based on the story we
created as a whole class. They became authors, actors,
actresses, and even publishers of their own stories.
We are going to create our first own and unique story
Students were given the chance to present their final
based on the animals from the Amazon Rainforest. Our work by acting it out, a puppet show, or using any app
fantastic first graders will have the opportunity to
from their mini iPad. The final results were awesome!
become authors, actors and actresses of our story. Way Way to go!
to go first graders!
Some classes were also able to do some writing in
In second grade, students worked in small groups to
Spanish expressing what they liked to do in camp
create a short story based on the previous one created
Edwards. Students were able to incorporate the
as a whole group. They became authors, actors and
vocabulary we learned in class, vocabulary from
actresses and shared their stories with their
previous years, and also to learn new vocabulary. They
classmates. We cannot be more proud of all of them!
did a great job.
They did a fantastic job all in español.
We hope everyone enjoys their summer break and
Our great third graders did a fantastic job creating
hopefully keep using their Spanish during the summer.
their stories based on the previous one created as a
Don’t forget to visit the public library and look for
whole group.
Spanish books, watch videos in Spanish, listen to music
They became
in Spanish, try to meet friends who speak Spanish and
authors, actors have play dates with them, etc.
and actresses
and shared
We wish the best to our fifth graders on this new stage
their stories
of their lives at Brooks! Buena suerte amigos y adios.
with their
classmates.
Sincerely,
They did
toontastic, ISeñora Jacoby y Señora Ruiz.
MAYY 2013
MA
2015
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PAGE 13
A Great Year in the Big MAC
We have had a lot of fun
being detectives this
year. We have explored
and found clues to solve
all sorts of problems.
We will continue to
learn our new skills over the summer so we
can come back ready to see what’s cooking in
the Big MAC and in third grade.
We would like to thank all of our volunteers
for all their help and support for us
throughout the year. The year is successful
because of all of you.
It has been an amazing adventure watching
our students grow and learn this year. We
are so glad to be able to have a Rock Concert
to show off our talents.
Have a wonderful summer and we look
forward to seeing all of you again next year!
Ms. Cooper and Ms. Wilson
Second Graders Ready to Soar
into Third Grade
The year has flown by and our second grade
students are ready to soar into third grade!
We had a wonderful time at the Garfield
Park Conservatory, and we thank all the
parents who went with us to learn about the
unique and interesting plants and how they
protect themselves and collect water. Some
of the colors were magnificent!
does not need to
bring a lunch
that day, but
may bring a
picnic blanket
or beach towel,
and toys to play
with (no hard
balls or bats).
The Oak Park Fire Department came and
taught second graders about fire safety with
their teaching trailer that is set up like a
house. Every child practiced calling 911
(they need to know their address!) and doing
"Stop, Drop, and Roll". Inside the trailer,
children learned how to be careful in the
kitchen and bathroom, and how to climb out
a window and yell "Help!"
PLEASE sign up your child for the Oak Park
Public Library summer reading program
titled "Unmask!" This is always a great way
to keep kids reading over the summer.
We are looking forward to Tuesday, June 2!
In the morning we have Olympic Day (fun!)
and in the afternoon we will all be at Maple
Park for our End-Of-Year picnic. Your child
Sincerely with wishes for a happy summer,
We teachers thank all our parents for your
support and partnership this year as your
children have grown academically,
emotionally, and socially.
Ms. Arreola, Mrs. Hayes, Ms. Meilinger, Mrs.
Wilson, Mrs. Zillman
PAGE 14
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Keeping up with Mrs. Conmy and Room 204
Oh Dear-me, it is THAT time of year. The time of year that finds us all tired and the kids antsy, but that time too,
to find the ability to wind it all up, to pack and pitch and picnic, to take our last field trips, to play our last games
outside and in. It is that time where we write our last bits of advice to our Buddies, write our thoughts about
closing up our third grade year together, and find ways as best we can, to say good-bye to each other and to third
grade.
I can never claim to be good at this, I am far too emotional a woman to do this without the bitter sweet invading my
heart and turning on my tears. While I am tired and ready for the days of sleeping in and longer walks and bike
rides and more time with my Grandchildren, I will miss the joy of being in room 204 with your Kids. We have
shared so much in our days together. We are connected in ways that I will always cherish. As your Kids know, I
would love to hear from them throughout the summer. Please encourage them to write, I will write back.
Please also encourage them to read daily, to practice multiplication facts a few times
a week, and to play outside everyday. Maybe your Child will keep a summer diary or
neighborhood newspaper, or start a book club. Please limit the screen time because
we know how limiting that can be for Children.
I look forward to hearing about the different ways these Children spent their summer
break, and I look forward to seeing them as fourth graders. So many fine lessons
learned here, and so many yet to be.
My thanks to you Parents and Guardians for your trust and support during this
school year.
Happiness and Peace,
Diane Conmy
Metro News, A Time of Reflection
When I met my students for the second time back in January, I was definitely feeling anxious and somewhat
overwhelmed. I have never taught 5th grade before and this was a new experience for me. The expectations
were somewhat different, but at the same time it has lots of similarities. I finally adjusted to my new
position and the students felt the same way after several weeks had gone by.
We got really busy with school work trying to keep up with the Common Core.
We took our Map and PARCC Tests in reading and math. We did our best to
show what we have learned so far this year. We went on several field trips: the
Field Museum, Robert Crown, Camp Edward and the Transition Picnic.
Students and I have never felt so good experiencing the outdoor activities to
stimulate our senses and awe with wonder seeing the great outdoors. The
majority of my students bonded well and some made new friends that they will
keep in touch with over the summer. Life is always full of many surprises (too
many to mention)! Maya Klippel rode on the float during the Ethnic Festival
wearing a Philippine dress. Senora Ruiz along with her two daughters danced a
Spanish dance using the castanets. Our small bamboo dance group will dance
the Tinikling to showcase what they have learned about the Philippines and
the Filipino culture before the school year is over. Fifth graders will have our own talent show to showcase
individual talents. We can't wait to see all the different acts and talents.
Learning about the human body was very amazing! Having Dr. Paul visit our classroom and help us learn
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about the function of the heart made learning worthwhile. The trip to the Robert
Crown center gave us good introduction to the reproductive system. Students are
definitely interested on the importance of taking good care of our bodies and staying
healthy by eating the right kind of food, exercising and getting enough sleep.
The transition picnic at Taylor park was a success. Everyone had a good time doing all
the different activities planned out for us. It was a wonderful day to picnic at the park
and meet students from the other feeder schools. Thanks to all the teachers who
worked hard to plan out the day and to all our parent volunteers who helped manage
the different stations.
We are now busy getting ready for our Memorial Day program and the Awards
Ceremony which will take place on May 22nd. We have several students who were chosen to participate in
the actual program and the rest of our students will be reciting poems, singing and performing with the
Lincoln band. We hope to see all our parents there and following the program to join us in the auditorium to
see their own children receive awards and other recognitions.
Our class earned our 60th big WOW! To celebrate we decided to see an educational movie called Split Infinity.
We also saw Tuck Everlasting after reading this novel for our literature study. We learned to analyze the
structure of the story, figure out the author's purpose, expanded our vocabulary acquisition using the
Latin/Greek root words and enjoyed the life's lessons when we explored different types of literature and nonfiction stories. We wrote poems and analyzed the structure of poems and plays. In social studies we studied
the American Revolution, Civil War, WWI and II and contributions of famous people such as Langston
Hughes, Phyllis Wheatley, Abe Lincoln, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson to
name a few. We also shared newspaper articles for our current event.
With the use of technology, some of our students outdid themselves with
the number of hours learning Spanish using the Rosetta Stone. Moby
Max and Houda Math, Ten Marks are applications that helped us get
better with math. We learned to multiply and divide fractions in math.
Pre-algebra is our next unit of study. It will be of great help if students
continue to attend summer math programs to reinforce what they are
learning.
Students are receiving the gold and silver awards for having shown outstanding performance in all areas:
academically and socially. They will have shown themselves as responsible citizens, quality producers, critical
thinkers, and exhibited leadership qualities. Students are excited to find out which of their classmates will
receive such honor.
This has been a wonderful experience for me of getting to know my students. I will definitely miss their great
sense of humor, caring attitude and willingness to learn new things. Some have done an extra-ordinary job
looking after themselves and others. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our parents and
volunteers who helped us in all areas. You have been a great inspiration to your own children. I wish you the
best of health and continued success in the future. These group of children are very special to me- they are the
40th group of children and the very last classroom I could call my own. Parting is such sweet sorrow! Thank
you again for allowing me to work with your children. It has been quite a privilege for me to have known all
of you. I consider the staff my Lincoln family and all of you have played an important role in helping me
accomplish my goal as an educator. Enjoy your summer vacation and continue to be an agent of PEACE and
LOVE.
Mrs. Miraflor L. Metropoulos
UP AT LINCOLN
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Thank You to Our 2014-2015 PTO Officers,
Committee Chairs, Committee Members
and Many Volunteers!
OFFICERS
COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Co-Presidents
Jamie Klobuchar
[email protected]
After School Programs
OPEN
Bob Walicki
[email protected]
Art Volunteers in the
Classroom
Faith Humphrey-Hill
[email protected]
Treasurer
Marsha Acevedo
[email protected]
Anna Lentz
[email protected]
1st VP Nominations
Phyllis Gunning
[email protected]
2nd VP Community
Engagement
Christine Keyes
[email protected]
3rd VP Communications
Mark Luptak
[email protected]
4th VP Fundraising
OPEN
Book Fair
Trish Ryan
[email protected]
Bernadette Homberger
[email protected]
Box Tops
Student Council/
Ms. Diane Conmy
[email protected]
Carnival Chair
Allison Fluecke
[email protected]
Carnival Ticket of Choice
Secretary
Sloan Watson
Rebecca Malley
[email protected]
[email protected]
Chess Club
Marvin Childress
[email protected]
Cub Scouts
Jason Clary
[email protected]
Facebook
Kitty Monty
[email protected]
SpellCheck
Megan Ryczek
[email protected]
Gardening
OPEN
Holly Barnes
[email protected]
Girl Scouts
Spiritwear
Rebecca Malley
Anna Harlan
[email protected] [email protected]
Girls on the Run
Trish Ryan
[email protected]
Summer Math
Patti Perry
[email protected]
Green Committee
Mindy Agnew
[email protected]
Trekkers
Marsha Acevedo
[email protected]
Holiday Sing
OPEN
Martha Smith
[email protected]
Hospitality
Kitty Monty
[email protected]
Web Site
Massimo Di Pierro
[email protected]
Lincoln Log/WUAL
Jennifer Hauptmann
[email protected]
Wellness
Kirsten Straughan
[email protected]
Market Day
Anna Harlan
[email protected]
World Languages
Eileen Lynch
[email protected]
Oak Park Education
Foundation (OPEF)
Liaison
Nora Flynn
[email protected]
Yearbook
Andrew Campbell
[email protected]
Pasta Dinner
Monica Newmark
[email protected]
Photography
OPEN
Eileen Maloney
[email protected]