Congress Park Dolphin Newsletter

9.6.24

Dear Congress Park Community,

It's been a fantastic start to the school year at CP. In classrooms, students are engaged—laughing, interacting, discussing, asking questions, and taking ownership of their learning. During lunch and recess, they are building friendships, collaborating to keep our spaces tidy, and exploring every inch of our play spaces.

Our first assembly of the year centered around the theme of joy, and it has been a delight to witness joyful moments shared by both students and staff throughout the classrooms and hallways at Congress Park. I look forward to continuing to seek out and celebrate these joyful experiences as the year unfolds.

Important Information

Save the Date - Curriculum Night: Our CP teachers are looking forward to meeting you soon! Curriculum Night will be held on Wednesday, September 18th. Each teacher will hold two presentation sessions. The first session will begin at 5:30 p.m. and the second session will begin at 6:15 p.m. Please choose the time that works best for you and your family.

Attendance: If your child will be absent from school, please contact cpattendance@dist102.k12.il.us. This is a quick and easy way to communicate with the health office about your child's absence.

Curriculum Corner: In District 102, our curriculum is carefully aligned with the Illinois State Standards to ensure that our students receive a comprehensive and high-quality education. Each grade level focuses on prioritized learning standards, offering specific content tailored to meet the needs of our students. This includes a strong foundation in phonological concepts, spelling conventions, grammar, along with fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, which are essential components of our literacy instruction. Beyond reading and writing, our curriculum encompasses math, science, social studies, and social-emotional learning standards, all designed to support the holistic development of every child.

Our Teaching and Learning website includes detailed information on a variety of important topics, including standards, grading and assessment practices, special education services, and more. The Talent Development section provides an overview of the identification process, ensuring that we recognize and nurture the unique abilities of all students. To learn more about these and other key aspects of our curriculum, please visit the Teaching and Learning Department website. This resource is designed to help families stay informed and engaged in their child's educational journey.

CP NEWS

School Traffic, Drop-Off, and Pick-Up Reminder

In order to create a smooth start and finish to our days, please review the Traffic Map included below. Please note that the parking lot will be closed at 8:00 a.m. to keep all students safe as they walk to their respective line-up areas. Please feel free to contact the main office (cp-office@dist102.k12.il.us) with any questions.

View Traffic Map here.

Curriculum Night

In the Fall 2024, boys will play volleyball and girls will play basketball. They will be combined 5th and 6th grade teams. Practices will be held once a week and start in mid-September. The games will start the first week of October.

All the teams within CPCFRO are coached by parent volunteers and the games are refereed by IHSA referees for basketball and current/past high school volleyball players for volleyball. While we keep score during the game, we do not keep track of wins/losses... the focus is strictly instructional and for the kids to HAVE FUN!!

In the Winter 2025, boys will be playing basketball and girls will be playing volleyball. Games will begin by the last week in January. A separate signup will be sent for Winter 2024.

Registration: https://www.cpcfroathletics.com/registration

Cost: $45 per participant, includes team t-shirt

Financial assistance is available, please see your school social worker for information prior to registration.

Chorus

Sign-up for Chorus is now open for students in grades 4-6. Sign-up can be found in the PushCoin webstore as "Congress Park - Chorus (24-25)" or via this link. The group meets once per week on Wednesdays during lunch/recess. Chorus begins on September 25 and continues through December 18.

Picture Day

From the LRC...

Thank you for your continued support during our Book Fair. In addition to being able to add more books to our birthday book selection, we were able purchase several high interest titles for each classroom library and several new titles to our school library.

CP’s LRC (library) Receives Readers’ Choice Grant

Our CP LRC received a Bluestem Readers’ Choice Award Grant from AISLE and the Library Book Selection Service (LBSS) Endowment Fund. This grant provided our library with a set of 20 books that are nominated for the 2025 Bluestem Award or the Illinois’ Grade 3-5 Readers’ Choice Award. Congress Park was one of thirteen Illinois schools who received this grant.

Annual Bookmark Contest at La Grange Public Library

The Annual Bookmark Contest at La Grange Public Library is upon us! They are inviting students (and families) to submit entries and have the chance to get their design professionally printed and distributed at the library. Submissions can be turned in to the front desk in the lobby on the main level of the La Grange Public Library or to our LRC for Mrs. Spatzek to deliver. Deadline is September 30th. You do not have to be a La Grange Public Library cardholder in order to participate.

Please find the entry forms linked to this newsletter. Artists can also drop by the library to receive an entry form. Feel free to reach out to La Grange library or Mrs. Spatzek (Congress Park’s LRC Director) with any questions. We are looking forward to seeing the amazing designs that are submitted!

Student (Grades K-6) entry

Teen and Adult entry

D102 Survey for Families of Students with IEPs

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year!

The following survey is presented by the Special Needs Advisory Panel (SNAP). The goal of SNAP is to bridge collaboration between parents, staff members, and the district. As we plan for the school year we would love some feedback. This is a short survey to see how our district can best support our families of students with IEPs. This survey should only take a minute or two. We greatly appreciate your input.

D102 Survey for Families of Students with IEPs

D102 Encuesta Por Familias de Estudiantes con IEPs

District 102 Special Ed. Parent Ambassadors

Lunch and Breakfast Information

The lunch menu can be found at https://justadashcatering.nutrislice.com/menu/lagrange-sd-102 or on our district website.

The price of lunch is $3.80 per day, with a reduced price of $1.90 for families that qualify for a reduced waiver.

Breakfast is available for all students beginning at 7:45 a.m. Students should enter through door #1, and should arrive by 8:00 a.m. to allow time to finish before school starts. The price of breakfast is $2.15, with a reduced price of $1.10 for those who qualify.

Applications for free/reduced lunches and fee waivers are now available online.

National School Lunch Program Applications
Website to online application: https://www.nslpapp.com.

Your child(ren) may qualify for free or reduced price meals and a waiver of school fees if your household income meets the eligibility guidelines as established by the state of Illinois. Incomplete applications cannot be approved, so please be sure to fill out all required information.

REMINDERS

Attendance

If your child will be absent from school, please contact cpattendance@dist102.k12.il.us. This is a quick and easy way to communicate with the health office about your child's absence.

Congress Park Parent Calendar

Congress Park activities can be found on the District website, or parents can subscribe to our Parent Google Calendar. Follow the link to subscribe. Congress Park Parent Google Calendar

Commercial Lunches

As outlined in our Parent Handbook, we kindly ask that commercial lunches, such as McDonald’s, not be brought in during the school day. If a lunch of this type is dropped off, your child will enjoy it in the office. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a healthy and consistent environment for all our students.