Pennoyer Family Newsletter - 10/6/23

Pennoyer Families,

Well, with the Chicago Bears getting a win last night after the longest losing streak in NFL history, maybe something is in the air and all is not lost.  It was actually fun to watch, but at the same time, I know some of us were almost hoping they would lose, fire the head coach, and look to get the 1st round pick in the draft next year.  Hey, that's all still a possible reality...lol.  

I want to thank all of our families that came out to Fall Conferences yesterday.  I hope you found them worthwhile.  We always value the time when we can have a dialogue and collaborate with parents/guardians and students.  Whatever you have planned this long weekend, I hope you enjoy the time with family and friends.  We can't wait to see our students back at school next week on Tuesday.  I'll leave you with a few pictures of our new playground additions that were added on a couple of weeks ago.  These were made possible by the generous support and work of our amazing PTC!  The students have really enjoyed these upgrades.

School Information and Reminders:

*Please remember that students need to have proper gym shoes every day at school to participate in PE class.  This is really about safety for our students, and making sure they can properly and fully participate in gym activities.  We ask that students not wear footwear like sandals and Crocs.  We've been seeing more and more injuries due to students not having the correct types of footwear for PE classes.  Students can certainly keep an extra pair of gym shoes at school if they choose.  Thanks for your understanding and support with this.  We want all of our students to have the best experience possible during gym classes.  Feel free to reach out to Mr. Nelsen or Mr. DeVivo with any questions.  

**Please also remember when parking at the Salvation Army during dismissal time, you MUST use a designated parking spot in their lot.  Cars cannot park in front of the building by the sidewalk where students are walking.  This is really a safety concern, and we want to keep our cooperative partnership with Salvation Army.  They really go out of their way to give our families the ability to have options during arrival and dismissal times.  Thanks for your understanding! 

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

We Celebrate at Pennoyer!

The spotlight this week is our amazing Structured Learning program here at Pennoyer!  I can't say enough about the incredible work that Ms. Wyrzykowski, Ms. Ellstrom, and Mrs. McManus have done this year as a team to support our students and families.  Their dedication is unmatched.  Our students have been thriving with thoughtful structures put into place to fully support their academic, functional, and social/emotional growth.  At Pennoyer, we strive to always meet students where they're at and give them the best opportunities to learn and grow to their full potential.  Our Structured Learning program is a model for that philosophy, and I'm so proud of the work our students and staff have put into making this a successful school year!

What’s Around the Corner?

• No School -  Friday, October 6th (Non-Attendance Student and Staff Day) and Monday, October 9th for Columbus/Indigenous Peoples Day

• Picture Day is on Tuesday, October 10th for all students and staff!

• October Parent Monthly Meeting Opportunity - Our first Parent/Administration Meeting will be on Wednesday, October 18th at Pennoyer from 6:30-7:30pm in our MPR.  We're so excited for this first meeting to Connect - Collaborate - and Celebrate together.  We'll be focusing on our new program opportunities for students as we begin making plans for new construction projects and expanding our school.  Myself and Dr. Kopta will be there, along with Shawn Messmer from Maine South.  HERE is a flyer with information.  We hope a lot of our families can come out...please SAVE THE DATE!

• Safety Week is coming up October 16th.  Please take a moment to read THIS letter for more information.

• Maine South Football Spectator Information - Please take moment to read through THIS letter if you or your children are attending football games at Maine South this year...thanks.

• Pennoyer Choir Informational Night for families and students.  If your student is interested in joining Chorus this year at Pennoyer, click HERE and come join us at this important informational meeting.

• Our annual Pennoyer Walk - A - Thon is coming up on Friday, October 13th.  Please click HERE for more information, and if you're interested in helping out and volunteering, please click HERE.

• Our PTC sponsored Trunk or Treat event is on Friday, October 20th.  Click HERE for more information.  We hope to see a lot of our families and students out for this spooktacular event!

• Norwood Park Open House and Flu Shots for Community Members.  Click HERE and HERE for more information about these opportunities.  

Sincerely,

Adam

Pennoyer Principal

agreenberg@pennoyerschool.org