Chelsea Intermediate School

From the Administrative Team

Dear Chelsea Families,

It is hard to believe that the 2025-2026 school year is coming to a close! It has been our pleasure to see your children learn and grow this year. It is truly a privilege to be a part of your child’s educational journey.

To our students and families who will be returning to us in August – we wish you a summer full of opportunities to relax and rejuvenate, time spent with family and friends, and all the adventures your heart desires. We can’t wait to see you in August and begin a new journey of learning and growth with all of you.

To our fifth graders and families who will be moving on – we wish you all the best of luck in this new, exciting chapter. You have many wonderful things ahead of you at HCMS. Please come back and visit! We will miss you!

Thank you for your partnership throughout the 2025-2026 school year.

Have a fantastic summer!

Sincerely,

Rachel Newcomb

Principal

Paula Paymaster

Assistant Principal

Ricky Innocenti

Dean of Students

A Note from Nurse Maria

The American Red Cross website offers helpful summer safety tips for families. Please visit their site for more in-depth guidance, and see my summary below.

Water Safety

Water safety is one of the biggest summer priorities because drowning can happen quickly and quietly, especially for children. The Red Cross recommends constant adult supervision, swimming in lifeguarded areas, and making sure children and adults know basic swim and rescue skills. They also encourage families to learn CPR and use a “water watcher” whose only job is to watch swimmers.

Heat Safety

The Red Cross emphasizes staying hydrated, limiting time in direct sun, and avoiding strenuous activities during the hottest part of the day. They recommend light-colored, loose-fitting clothing, frequent breaks in the shade, and checking on children, older adults, and anyone without air conditioning. Never leave children or pets in a hot car, since temperatures can rise in them dangerously fast.

Food Safety

For cookouts and picnics, the Red Cross advises handwashing, keeping raw meat separate from other foods, and using separate utensils and plates to avoid cross-contamination. They also recommend bringing hand sanitizer when water is not available and using a food thermometer to make sure grilled food is fully cooked. These steps can help prevent foodborne illnesses at summer gatherings.

Fun Fact - Hand sanitizer is not effective against several viruses, including Norovirus (stomach bug), Rhinovirus (the common cold), and Adenovirus (causes some cold and respiratory symptoms).

Outdoor and Travel Safety

When families are hiking, camping, or traveling, the Red Cross recommends planning ahead, packing water, a first aid kit, and other supplies, as well as sharing travel plans with someone at home. The Red Cross reminds people to stay on marked trails, avoid tall grass and brush, and to dress in ways that help prevent tick exposure. Preparation matters as common summer problems include dehydration, sprains, falls, and insect bites.

A Note from Our Librarian, Ms. Fracassi

Chelsea’s library is closing to complete inventory in June. During the 2025-2026 school year, there were 25,462 book checkouts in the library!

Classes with the most checkouts per student this year were:

Third Grade – Mrs. Lazzo’s class averaged 39 books per student.

Fourth Grade – Mrs. Averbeck’s class averaged 32 books per student.

Fifth Grade – Mrs. Vander-Kooi’s Block 2 class averaged 24 books per student.

Overdue notices will be emailed home for any student that has missing library books. Please be sure your student(s) returns their books to the library. They can return books any day and bins will be available to return books to the school from June 1-3. Any books not returned by June 3 will be invoiced through MySchoolBucks.

Summer Reading is Fun!

Some of the local summer reading programs are listed below.

1. Frankfort Public Library District from June 1 – July 31 Frankfort Public Library District | Frankfort, IL

2. Mokena Library District from May 18 – August 1 Mokena Community Public Library District

3. Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program | B&N INC

4. Pizza Hut Book It! Program BOOK IT!

A huge thank you to all the volunteers who helped in the library this year!

PE with Mrs. Jaral, Mr. Klosowski, and Mr. Dykema

The school year has come to a close, and we had an absolute blast teaching your child in PE!

To wrap up the year, we revisited some of our favorite games from the past few months. Students played scooter basketball, newcomb, and blastball. We also enjoyed fun outdoor activities to kick off the summer spirit. Students practiced their underhand toss with games like bags and even worked on keeping score—skills that will come in handy at summer parties!

As summer begins, consider ways you and your child can stay active together in your community. Summer routines can be unpredictable, so try to set aside time each day for physical activity. Whether it’s a walk, a game of catch, or dancing around the living room, a little movement goes a long way. You may be surprised how great it makes both of you feel!

On behalf of the entire Chelsea PE team, we wish you and your family a fun, happy, and healthy summer. See you in the fall!

Encore Classes

Stem with Ms. Jozaitis

The year in STEM was an exciting time to imagine, design, engineer, test and redesign! The expectation was to persevere, try something new, embrace new challenges, try to become more independent and resourceful. I think the Chelsea students did just that. STEM doesn’t end just because school has. STEM is all around us. Look for a problem and try to create something that can improve it. Dig through your recycling bin to create something new from something used. Try some of the links on my website. Read about interesting inventors. Look at the inventions around you and ask yourself “How can I improve that?” Fifth graders, I wish you all the best as you move on to Hickory Creek. I am so proud of the Engineers you’ve become this year! Have a great summer exploring and wondering and I look forward to seeing the rest of you again in the Fall.

Things to collect for our Makerspace: Styrofoam, cardboard tubes, dowel rods, craft supplies, felt, lids and caps, wood scraps, etc.

Ms. Jozaitis

Music with Mr. Bertrand

Thank you for a wonderful year of music! Third grade students explored rhythm and how sound is created through singing and hands-on activities. Fourth grade students used their rhythm skills while learning to play the recorder with proper technique. Fifth grade students applied their musical knowledge through world music units and composition projects. Throughout the quarter, students showed great effort, creativity, and growth in music class. To our fifth grade students, best of luck at Hickory Creek Middle School!

Have a fun and relaxing summer! Keep listening to music and enjoying it in new ways. As you listen to your favorite songs, think about what you enjoy about the music and see if you can connect it to some of the concepts we explored in class this year.

Mr. Bertrand

Art with Mrs. Maney

Lights, Camera, CREATE!

As the curtain closes on another amazing school year, it’s clear that the Tiger Studio has been a blockbuster success! From the very first sketch to the final masterpiece, our artists have truly been the stars of the show. I am beyond proud of the creativity, imagination, and hard work that filled our art room all year long.

From Art Boot Camps to Exploration Days, our Tigers stepped into the spotlight while creating WOW Projects—Wonderful, Original Works of Art. Every student brought their own unique style and artistic voice to the studio, producing incredible 2D and 3D creations worthy of the big screen!

Throughout the year, students explored a variety of artistic techniques and materials, including:

🎬 Watercolor painting
🎬 Tempera cakes and paint sticks
🎬 Mixed media and collage
🎬 Perspective and depth
🎬 Self-portraits and creative design

The excitement didn’t stop there! Students also participated in Task Parties, Sculpture Challenges, and our Artist of the Week celebrations. Every week brought new opportunities to imagine, experiment, and shine like true Hollywood artists.

To our superstar 5th grade Tigers heading to Hickory Creek next year: I am so proud of the artists and leaders you have become. Keep dreaming big, working hard, and sharing your creativity with the world—you’re ready for your next premiere!

To our talented 3rd and 4th graders: I cannot wait for the sequel next year! Keep creating, exploring, and letting your imagination take center stage all summer long.

Thank you for making this school year an award-winning adventure filled with creativity, laughter, and unforgettable memories.

With pride and paint-splattered happiness,

Mrs. Maney

Spanish with Mrs. Smerz

This year has been full of awesome adventures!

This year, students learned Spanish through catchy music videos, games, and snippets of documentaries to gain an understanding of Hispanic culture.

Over the summer, students are encouraged to keep practicing their Spanish skills. A few things to try over the summer: watch your favorite movies & shows with Spanish subtitles or Spanish audio; check out bilingual books or your favorite children's books in Spanish; try a new Hispanic restaurant/ dish and practice using your Spanish to order; and make Post-it flashcards to label things in the house.

I cannot believe this school year's adventure is coming to an end, but I look forward to the spotlight of next year! To the (almost) 6th graders, muchisimas gracias for learning with me these last three years. I cannot believe how much you have grown since you first stepped into our Spanish class.

Thank you for all the laughs and I wish you the best next year!

Mrs. Smerz