Parent Orientation for students entering 6th grade in 2012-2013 is next Monday, May 14, at Julian Middle School, 416 South Ridgeland, 7:00-8:30 pm. Find out more about the wonderful world of Julian–academics, extracurriculars, and more! All parents of rising 6th graders are welcome–you do not need to bring your child. For more information, contact the Julian Office, (708) 524-3040
Academics
May Update from the PTO
Staffing update
Mrs. Massarello is retiring after a long and wonderful career teaching First Grade at Irving. We hope you get a chance to wish her well before the end of the school year. We will miss her and we hope to see her around often. Current Title 1 teacher Ms. Pelling will be the new First Grade teacher. Here’s looking forward to her familiar face in a new setting!
Also in First Grade, we are saddened that Ms. Collins has decided to move back to sunny L.A.. We will miss her smile, energy and choreography! Please welcome Ms. Elena Kekatos, currently a Title 1 teacher at Whittier, to the First Grade team. Next year there will be an additional section of Third Grade. Ms. Kaunelis will move from Title 1 to the new classroom. We’re looking forward to having her in that position.The Title 1 program is being modified to use tutors instead of full-time staff.
PTO officers
The PTO voted to reelect all current PTO officers for the 2012-2013 school year. Since that meeting included changing the PTO By-Laws to make officer terms two years instead of one, the current board will stagger some positions at the end of next school year so that new officers can overlap with experienced ones. You can find contact info for everyone on the About page of the PTO website.
Wellness initiatives
With increasing awareness of the importance of preventing childhood obesity, all District 97 schools are making improvements in this area. The PTO recently voted to be more conscious of wellness in all activities, without limiting fundraisers. Examples of wellness efforts that are already underway include Smoothie Fridays, the Irving Pacers, and researching a Fun Run fundraiser for this Fall. Room parents can help by providing healthy food to class activities. Of course, improving our outside Schoolyard is a high priority to promoting wellness at Irving.
New by-laws
The PTO voted to make three main changes to the By-Laws. They include updating the mission statement, changing the board term limits to two years, and changing the requirement of an annual audit to a bi-annual financial review. Detailed changes can be found in the Documents section of the PTO website.
Extra (fun) PTO meeting
If you’ve read this far in this email, we encourage you to attend our last PTO meeting of the year. We’ve added another meeting on Thursday, May 31 at 6:30pm in the Library/Media Center to wrap things up after a busy month of May. The focus will be on reflecting on the past year’s activities in order to plan for next year over the summer.
Traveling Poets Needed
Traveling Poets are in full swing at Irving! Each student has memorized a poem and shared it with other classrooms. Ms. Noonan needs some Traveling Poets to perform at Art Fest on Thursday, May 17th. Poets will be sharing poems with parents, students and visitors in the building. If you would like to be a Traveling Art Fest Poet it’s easy! Just meet Ms. Noonan in the library on the night at these times:
6:00pm
6:15pm
6:30pm
Anyone who shows up will get to travel. Help make Art Fest a success and be a Traveling Poet. Questions? Ask Ms. Noonan!
Irving’s 1st Annual Art Fest
Irving’s 1st Annual Art Fest will be held on Thursday, May 17th 6:00-8:00! There will be many activities happening throughout the building. Student artwork, dances, singing, poets, plays and Spanish will be on display. The Irving Poetry Slam will begin at 6:45pm in the Auditorium. The Irving Chorus will perform at Intermission. Students can participate in as many activities as fit their schedule. Please see the attached flier for scheduling information. If you have any questions please ask the appropriate staff member!
Artwork: Ms. Linne
Music (K-2): Mrs. Hiolski
Chorus: Ms. Tarabus
Traveling Poets: Ms. Noonan
Spanish (2, 3, 5th grade): Ms. Saragoza
Dances (4-5th grade): Mr. Hancock
Shakespeare Plays (5th grade): Mr. Packer
Poetry Slam: Mr. Williams
Fifth Grade Fundraising
The Fifth Graders will be selling POPSICLES after school for $1 to raise money for their end of year activities and Send Off! Come help support them in a most DELICIOUS WAY! Look for us at the front of the school, and weather permitting by the playground too.
We will be selling POPSICLES on Wednesday 5/09, Monday 5/14, Wednesday 5/16 and Monday 5/21. Please help us make this a memorable send off!
Irving School PTO 