June 2026 IB Connection

• May 28th ~ Last Day for 8th Graders
• May 29th ~ Class of 2026 8th Grade Graduation
• June 1st and 2nd ~ Q4 Awards
• June 3rd ~ Last Day of School (PK)
• June 4th ~ Last Day of School (K-7)

See attached link for our end of year spirit days!

We are excited to welcome back our Locke Lions for the 2026-2027 school year on August 24th for our Kindergarten-8th grade students and on August 25th for our new Pre-K students. More details about our open house and back to school bash will be communicated this summer.

Please see the linked CPS district-wide calendar for families for SY26-27!

Summer break is a wonderful time to keep IB learning alive at home. You do not need worksheets or extra lessons. True learning happens in everyday moments.

• Encourage curiosity. When you visit a grocery store or watch a movie, ask open-ended questions like, "What do you notice?" or "How do you think this works?" This builds Inquirers and Thinkers.
• Support balance. Make time for reading, outdoor play, and rest. Helping children manage their time builds independence and supports a Balanced lifestyle.
• Celebrate your family's culture and language. Reading or sharing stories in your home language helps students build deep global connections and stay Open-Minded.

Your most important job this summer is simply to nurture your child’s natural curiosity. Enjoy learning together!

A special thank you to our families who came out for our first IB-Palooza event! We hope you enjoyed seeing student artifacts from this school year, and we look forward to continuing this event in SY27.

The May parent and bilingual advisory council (PAC/BAC) participated in a session to support activity for students at home over the summer. Led by our Personal, Social, and Physical Education teachers, Ms. Szczek and Ms. Escamilla, families got the opportunity to practice movement exercises and games for keeping students active during the break. Ms. Melendez and Ms. Maldonado, our English Language Programe Teachers, also shared information about activities throughout the city that families can take advantage of, such as parks, museums, and libraries. Please see the curated resources from this session by our wonderful team attached here as well as below.

This year, Locke Elementary successfully put on High School Musical Jr.! The performances were a hit, drawing nearly sold-out crowds both nights. It was incredible to witness so many brave risk-takers on stage.

Our cast of nearly 30 talented students from 4th-8th grade worked tirelessly to learn lines, choreography, and difficult musical parts. Staging a musical is a demanding endeavor that requires a truly principled mindset. By dedication and consistent effort, these students proved that practice and determination can truly make you a star. Congratulations to the entire cast and crew for an absolutely unforgettable and spectacular show!

Our 8th grade Voice of 26 group attended a district-wide Student Voice Convening this past month. They had the opportunity to engage in student-led discussions and activities with other student voice committees throughout the city, learning about the power of community.

As part of our How the World Works Unit, students in Ms. Connelly and Ms. Gil's class (Room 147) explored the life cycle of a butterfly and the life cycle of a plant. We were able to observe the lifecycle of a butterfly up close in our classroom and then we drew the life cycle during small groups. We read the story, The Tiny Seed. During small group we did a teacher directed drawing of a plant. Both of these life cycles are important to our community. We were able to be inquirers as well as communicators during these activities. We used our inquiry skills about the different life cycles and then communicated in small groups about how they can help our community and our knowledge about them.

Kindergarteners in Ms. Richard's Class (Room 142) took an exciting virtual field trip to Disney World, where they “flew” on an airplane, made Mickey ears, and rode exciting attractions together! After their magical Disney adventure, students enjoyed a real field trip to the park where they explored, played, and continued building friendships through fun and teamwork. It was a few days full of imagination, laughter, and memorable experiences!

Student's in Ms. Mantai's class (Room 230) transformed into a neon wonderland through the use of blacklights. Wearing neon clothing and acessories, our learners had fun using highlighters to complete work while inquiring about how glowsticks actually glow. They also worked in teams to research and write about luminescent creatures.

In 2nd grade what a remarkable adventure! Stepping out into the great outdoors, our class slowed down to truly observe the world around us.With the warm sun on our faces, we engaged every sense, listening to the rustle of the leaves and spotting a hidden microcosm of insects thriving around our school community. Take a look at some of our special moments and observations during our 2nd grade nature walk.

Students in Ms. Alday's class (Room 110) have demonstrated a strong interest in biological science this month. To channel their curiosity, students have been conducting controlled experiments focused on organism survival. Through hands-on testing of environmental variables—such as light, water, and soil quality—they are analyzing how different species adapt to survive

Students in 4th grade participated in their annual changemaker fair, highlighting the accomplishments of significant people who have made an impact on our local, national, and global community. Our students selected their individual, conducted their own research, and presented their findings using visual boards. See button below for all of the photos from the fair.

Our students successfully completed the rigorous PYP Exhibition project, focusing on the Transdisciplinary Theme, "Sharing the Planet". This major initiative emphasized student-led inquiry, collaborative research, and critical problem-solving. Students worked diligently in groups, rotating through defined roles such as Coordinator and Reporter, while developing and demonstrating key ATL Skills and IB Learner Profile Attributes. The exhibition culminated in their final presentation at IBPalooza. It was a wonderful opportunity for the community to see their comprehensive learning and action planning come to life.

In Ms. Huerta's Language & Literature, 6th grade students chose between 3 prompts - Unsolved Mystery, Criminally Underrated and Be a Teacher. Then, they selected a topic, researched and created Google slides to share their research and theories with the class. At the end of May, we started in class presentations where students got to share their perspective on a topic that they as important to them in some way. Wether they chose to be a teacher, to persuade us to give something that is typically underrated another chance, or share their theories on the answer to a mysterious thing that “haunts” them - it was their chance to shine and share their perspective.

Students in Mr. Rizkallah's Individuals and Societies classes turned the classroom into a "Human Story" Museum. Students reflected on the various people, civilizations, and topics that were taught this year and chose one artifact from our learning to create. These creations come from prehistory, the ancient world, modern history, or the modern day, and each displays a unique aspect of the human story throughout history.

Through this project, students reflected on how humanity’s story is complex. We have beautiful, positive aspects (cooperation, art, liberation, community) but also negative elements (war, inequality, control, destruction). Ultimately, students wrote about how their artifacts reflect either the best or worst sides of humankind—or a mix of both.

Students in Ms. Garcia's science class visited the Chicago Botanic Garden after studying photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Once there, they conducted a plant propagation lab and came home with an experimental plant: chocolate mint plant (Mentha × piperita f. citrata 'Chocolate'). We also had the chance to walk among their beautiful landscape.

Our 8th graders celebrated their graduation with an end of year trip to Main Event, an immersive entertainment venue with video gaming, ropes courses, laser tag, bowling, and billiards. We traded the classrooms for some high-energy fun that was much deserved as the year wrapped up. We are so incredibly proud of our grads—cheers to the next big adventure!

Locke School's vision statement, which states our long term goals for student success, reads: "Inspire a community of action through learners that care, understand, and appreciate the importance of local, national, and global citizenship." These "layers of citizenship" are important for students understanding themselves as individuals, and how community builds into larger, more impactful ways.

• Local: Students engage with their immediate community, developing empathy and solving real-world problems right in our neighborhood.

• National: Learners explore civic responsibilities, history, and the diverse cultural fabric that shapes our country's identity.

• Global: Students expand their horizons to understand interconnected global systems, environmental stewardship, and cross-cultural collaboration.

You can help your child practice these ideas at home this summer with simple activities:

• Local (Our Neighborhood): Help a neighbor, pick up trash at a park, or visit your local library. This teaches children to care for the people around them.

• National (Our Country): Read a book about history, or talk about your family's unique culture and how it makes our country beautiful.

• Global (Our World): Try a food from another country, or learn how to recycle. This helps children care for our planet.

Thank you for your support in building global citizens!

Ms. Casey Mcleod (left) - IB Primary Years Programme (PYP) Coordinator (PK-5) - cjmcleod@cps.edu

Ms. Anna Ziemniak (right) - IB Middle Years Programme (MYP) Coordinator (6-8) - aziemniak@cps.edu

Direct Line: 773- 534-3358