Family Newsletter - 1/20/23

Pennoyer Families, 

We had a busy four day week at Pennoyer as students and staff, and we're rolling along.  I was a little upset that my Kansas Jayhawks suffered a defeat in overtime against Kansas State, but we all know who the better basketball team is in the end.  Ok, I guess I'm a little biased since I went there.  Anyways, I was uplifted by hearing the new President of the Chicago Bears organization, Kevin Warren, take the mic in his first full press conference this week.  I can't tell you how excited I am that this guy is helping to lead the Chicago Bears...better days ahead for sure!  

Back at Pennoyer, we can't wait for our middle schoolers to celebrate tonight at the New Year, New Dance from 7-9pm.  Students can still come if they didn't pay already, but please remember it's a $5 entry fee at the door. Also, please remember to save the date for our special presentation for all Pennoyer parents/guardians next week on Thursday, January 26th from 6:30-7:15pm in our gymnasium.  This event is open to all Pennoyer parents/guardian and will focus specifically on Internet Safety, Responsible Social Media Usage, and Digital Citizenship.  This is our part of our initiative to help educate and support our entire community in these areas of online safety.  We're going to share a lot of information we discussed and data we gathered from our 3rd-8th graders this year that should be helpful for parents to hear about and engage in.  We know that students are beginning to explore the online world at very young ages and want to do our part to help them be safe, responsible, and successful. The presentation will be led by Corporal Zach Zage and Officer Melanie Pina from the Norridge Police Department, along with our social worker Rachel Slawson and myself.  This is a fabulous opportunity for parents/guardians to learn how to better support their children and really understand the online world they live in.  We hope to see a big turnout of parents/guardians on Thursday, January 26th at Pennoyer next week.  HERE is an informational flyer.

School Information and Reminders:

ESL Volunteer Instructor Program at The Salvation Army - If you're interested, see the message below and contact Pamela Church-Pryor at the Salvation Army.  Her number is 708-456-6220 and her email is Pryor@usc.salvationarmy.org 

Here at The Salvation Army, we are looking ahead to ways we can better serve our community in the new year and we feel ESL classes would be beneficial, considering how many immigrants and refugees have come to live among us.  We’d prefer to provide classes during the school hours, so parents would not have to worry about child care, but we may also consider evening classes.   

Ukrainian Translator Opportunity with the Norridge Police Department - Wayne Schober, the Deputy Chief of Police from the Norridge Police Department, reached out asking if we could help find any staff or community members to support when translators are needed at the police department.

If you're interested in volunteering, please reach out to Principal Adam Greenberg who can pass your name, address, and phone number along to Deputy Chief Schober.

Want to get involved, volunteer, or have ideas for our school...Check out the PTC Link!

We Celebrate at Pennoyer!

This week we wanted to celebrate our boys basketball teams and our cheerleaders as they look to finish their seasons in the playoffs coming up.  Both the JV and Varsity basketball teams had a solid regular filled with a lot of excitement and great moments!  They played hard every game and didn't give up, even when they were up against a difficult opponent.  Right there to support them every step of the way, was our dedicated group of cheerleaders.  They brought so much spirit on the sidelines during the games and gave some great performances during the half time breaks at home games.  Their positive energy was so appreciated.  During our home games in particular, I so enjoyed seeing our Pennoyer gymnasium filled with school pride and so many families and friends that came to support these young men and women during the season.  A special thanks to Coach Nelsen, Coach Arango, and Coach Palicka for the endless hours and energy they put into supporting these programs.  We all wish you and your teams the best of luck in the playoffs...Go Hawks!

What’s Around the Corner?

• Lou Malnati's 8th Grade Valentine's Day Fundraiser - Click HERE for more information!
• West 40 - Newcomer Item Drive - Think about supporting this initiative.  
• HERE is more information if you're interested.
• Pennoyer T-Shirt Fundraiser to Support Refugees
• Check out this flyer for more information. 
• Eisenhower Library Story Essay Activity for Students, Parents, and Families!  Check out this cool opportunity for any creative writers to share their perspective and stories!  There is no deadline I'm aware of to turn these in, but I'm sure the sooner, the better.  HERE is the information!

Sincerely,

Adam

Pennoyer Principal

agreenberg@pennoyerschool.org