Irving Elementary Weekly Update

Irving Families,

We have an exciting and meaningful week ahead at Irving!

On Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM, our school district will host its monthly Board of Education meeting at Heritage Middle School. This month, Irving is the spotlight school, and Ms. Z and I will have the opportunity to present about our school and highlight some of the great success stories happening in our classrooms. If you’re able, we’d love for you to stop by in person or tune in through the district’s YouTube channel to support Irving.

On Thursday at 6:00 PM, we will host our Literacy Night, which serves as the culmination of our One School, One Book celebration of A Boy Called Bat. It has been so special seeing our community reading together, and we’re looking forward to celebrating that shared experience as a school family. The Book Fair will also be open during Literacy Night for families to shop together.

Speaking of the Book Fair — it will be open Monday through Thursday next week until 3:30 PM each day. Students will have opportunities to visit during the school day, and families are welcome to stop in after school as well. We’re excited to continue building a love of reading across our school!

On Friday, students will attend our Black History Month Assembly. We are excited to welcome BrondiHouse for a school-wide presentation focused on The Oral Traditions of Black History. Through music, dance, and nonverbal communication, students will explore the powerful role oral history has played in Black communities. It promises to be an engaging and meaningful learning experience for all of our students.

Finally, please don’t forget to complete the Illinois 5Essentials Survey. The survey is now open for parents and students. All 4th and 5th grade students will complete the survey at school with their classmates. We are asking for your help in reaching at least a 20% parent response rate. We carefully review this data each year, and it plays an important role in guiding our school improvement efforts and priorities.

To take the survey, please visit: https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/mand select the appropriate survey to begin.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support of Irving. We are proud of the work happening in our classrooms every day and grateful for our strong school community.

Mr. S

Xalia and Victoria all smiles in 4VE while collaborating and learning on their iPads — focused, engaged, and making the most of their time together.

Max proudly showing off his writing — hard work, strong ideas, and growing confidence on full display!

Mariah and Aiden having fun tackling math together — collaborating, problem-solving, and making learning enjoyable!

Throughout February, our school is celebrating Black History Month with meaningful learning and community connections. We also enjoyed celebrating our Black History Month Spirit Week, where students dressed up all week in celebration — representing trailblazers, future goals, powerful messages, and unity. It was inspiring to see our students participate with pride and purpose.

One image shows our monthly calendar highlighting the different Black history topics students are exploring each day, helping build knowledge and understanding across grade levels. You’ll also see our student spotlight posters, which proudly showcase Black Irving families and honor their stories, experiences, and contributions to our school community. Finally, several photos feature cultural items that families generously brought in that are unique to their culture, giving students and staff the opportunity to learn through real artifacts, traditions, and personal connections. Together, these displays and activities help bring learning to life and deepen our appreciation for the richness and impact of Black history and culture at Irving.

This month we’re launching a new section of our newsletter — our PBIS Corner — where we’ll share the positive behavior themes we are teaching and reinforcing across the school, along with ways families can support the same skills at home.

At Irving, we use PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) to clearly teach expectations, recognize positive behavior, and create a consistent, supportive school environment. Just like academics, we believe behavior expectations should be taught, practiced, and encouraged.

February PBIS Booster: First Time Listeners

Starting this month, our PBIS booster focuses on being a First Time Listener.

First Time Listener means:

Students listen and follow directions the first time they are given — without repeated reminders or disruptions.

How the Booster Works at School

• Staff will give out pink Eagle Eyes to students they observe being First Time Listeners anywhere in the building.

• Pink Eagle Eyes are worth 2 PBIS points when students shop at the PBIS cart.

• Pink Eagle Eyes will only be awarded during February, but their 2-point value will continue through Spring Break so students have time to save and use them.

How Families Can Reinforce This at Home

You can support this month’s focus with a few simple conversations and practices:

• Talk about what it means to be a “first time listener”

• Give a direction once and praise your child when they follow it right away

• Use specific praise like: “I like how you listened the first time I asked.”

• Ask your child where they practiced being a first time listener at school

Working together helps students see that these skills matter everywhere — at school and at home.

More PBIS themes and boosters will be shared here each month.

To stay up-to-date on all the exciting events happening at Irving Elementary School, add our calendar to your Google Calendar:

Irving Elementary School Calendar

1. Click the button above.

2. Click the plus sign (+) in the bottom right corner of the calendar.

The Berwyn Recreation Department will no longer be running before- and after-school care programs. Below is information on community-based after-school care providers that some families may find helpful.

Please note: Irving School is not endorsing any of these programs. This information is provided strictly for your convenience.

• PAV YMCA – Before- and after-school program held on school grounds – 708-749-0606

• St. Michael’s – Before- and after-school program – 708-788-3108

Website: http://irving.bsd100.org/
Location: 3501 Clinton Avenue, Berwyn, IL, USA
Phone: (708) 795-2334
Twitter: @irvingberwyn