Trimester 3 Newsletter

The 2024-2025 school year was full of success stories, and the third trimester was no exception. We have had a number of students and staff recognized at the local, state, and national levels, and we are proud of each achievement.

This spring we celebrated the CMS Girls Track Teams, both of which finished the SWIC Tournament in first place! We also had 16 students participate in the South Cook Math Bowl, with five placing. The District's Special Olympics Team competed in April, with athletes earning seven gold medals, six silver medals, and two fourth place ribbons. Many will go on to compete at the State Games later this summer.

The District's two Family Support Specialists, along with the Coordinator of Bilingual Education, were recognized for their continuing efforts in enhancing engagement with District 146 families–specifically our English Language Learner and Bilingual Families. The District and its Communications Specialist also received awards for our informational newsletters and social media. You can read more about these successes below.

I hope you take plenty of time to rest and relax during this summer break. We look forward to continuing our streak of success and achievement in the 2025-2026 school year.

Please click below to answer this trimester's question:

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Congratulations to the CMS Class of 2025! More than 260 8th Grade students graduated from Central Middle School on May 28. We wish them continued success as they move to their high school careers.

Although students and many staff members are looking forward to a relaxing summer, the Buildings and Grounds crew are gearing up for a busy season. There are three major projects occurring this summer at District 146 schools, coupled with our regular summer schedule.

Two projects consist of replacing the domestic hot water boilers at Fulton and Central. Both are reaching their replacement age, and repairing the boilers will not guarantee all issues will be solved. We will be managing this project with contractors to make sure both are complete by the beginning of school.

Central will also be undergoing renovations throughout the summer. Staff is already in the process of moving all furniture to the two gyms so the replacement of the floors can begin. Lighting and ceiling tile will also be be replaced throughout the school. Some classrooms in the building also share retractable walls. The majority of those will be replaced with permanent walls, and white board and cork boards will be hung. We are excited for our families to see the new Central.

In addition to these major projects, our team will also be cleaning each building, waxing all floors, and moving classrooms. The grounds at six different locations are maintained throughout the summer with our team mowing, weeding, and mulching at each.

We hope you all enjoy your Summer Break, look forward to welcoming you back to bright and shining buildings.

The South Cook Math Bowl was held May 1 and 2 at Prairie State College. District 146 was represented by 16 students who competed against other students in their grade level. These students placed first and second in their classes at the District 146 Math Challenge in February.

Five District 146 participants placed in the individual competitions at the Math Bowl. District MVPs are also announced at the event. Congratulations to those who placed at the South Cook Math Bowl!

• Ibrahim Abusamra, Kruse, 1st Grade, 3rd place

• Elliott Allphin, Fierke, 3rd Grade, 6th place

• George Grivakis, CMS, 7th Grade, 3rd place

• Jacob Holbrook, Memorial, 4th Grade, 4th place and Division A & B District 146 MVP

• Monica Jiang, Kruse, 5th Grade, 6th place

• Cullen Rapacz, CMS, 8th Grade, Division C & D District 146 MVP

We are incredibly proud of all of the District participants, and congratulate those who placed. You all made us proud!

The Illinois Special Olympics Spring Games were held at Busey Stadium in Joliet on Saturday, April 26. Fourteen District 146 athletes participated the games. Five are considered Young Athletes who participate in events but are not placed.

The District is proud to announce that our students racked up seven gold medals, six silver medals, and two fourth place ribbons. All students who earned a gold medal, along with the Young Athletes, are invited to participate in the Summer Games.

The athletes who qualified for Summer Games by earning a first place medal are:

• Joseph Avina, 5th Grade, Kruse
  
• Alexander Coleman, 3rd Grade, Fulton
• Kylie Edwards (2 golds), 8th Grade, CMS
• Henry Kowalczyk (2 golds), 4th Grade, Fulton
• Rami Yousef, 7th Grade, CMS

Beginning in February, student athletes met two times each week to prepare for the games. Congratulations to all of our participants on a great season! We can't wait to cheer you on in the Summer Games!

Family Support Specialists Janeth Bueno and Elham Shareef, along with Coordinator of Bilingual Education Brooke Dundas were recognized by the Illinois Chapter of the National School Public Relations Association (INSPRA) for their impact on school communications and public education in District 146.

The three were nominated by Keegan Kociss for their tireless efforts in assuring District and school communications are delivered to our bilingual families in their preferred language, helping our new families become accustomed to the district and community, and striving to make sure all of our families can be engaged in their children’s education. Janeth, Elham, and Brooke were recognized in May at INSPRA’s Distinguished Service Celebration along with administrators, faculty, staff, students, parents, and community members from across the state.

NSPRA’s Publication and Digital Media Awards recognize outstanding materials in categories like publications, newsletters, videos, podcasts, websites, social media, and more. Each entry is judged on the overall excellence of the entry as well as its quality compared to other entries in the category. At the national level, there are three levels of awards: Excellence, Merit, and Honorable Mention.

The District has been recognized by the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) with three communications awards this year.

The District received the following:

• Award of Excellence for Newsletters- Inside 146
• Award of Excellence for Newsletters- Board of Education Notes
• Award of Merit for Social Media- #WeAre146 Series

Congratulations to our Communications Specialist Keegan Kociss and everyone who contributes to these publications!

We would like to thank Mrs. Eskra, Mrs. Farruggia, Mrs. McArthur, and Ms. Plowman for their contributions to the students, families, and staff of District 146. We will miss you all dearly!

Want to get a head start on your back-to-school shopping? Our lists are available on TeacherLists! Click the links below for your school's lists.

Central Middle School
Fierke Education Center
Fulton School
Kruse Education Center
Memorial Elementary

Registration for the 2025-2026 School Year is open! Register by June 30 to receive the Early Bird Discount!

Visit our Registration Page to begin the process.

Registration fees can be paid on PushCoin.

This spring, a group of 8th Grade CMS students traveled to Washington, D.C. for an educational and enriching experience. The trip included visits to the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Monument, Mount Vernon, and other historical sites, monuments, and museums. Along the way, students made meaningful connections to their curriculum and the nation's history.

Staff and chaperones shared that students were engaged, respectful, and represented CMS and the District with pride. We are very pleased to be able to provide these memory-making opportunities to our students.

In May, students and staff welcomed author Jarrett Lerner to Fierke. He enged with students in three separate group sessions. Jarrett showed Kindergarten and 1st grade how they can create characters by only knowing how to draw shapes, lines, and letters, including his fan favorite character Nat the Cat! The 2nd and 3rd grade classes collaboratively created a "Mr. Pizza" character who lives in a pizza oven with a bunch of mushrooms and wants to make friends. Jarrett discussed the revision process and how a story needs a character, a want, and obstacles to make the story exciting! The 4th and 5th grade classes had a deeply personal and moving presentation on A Work in Progress, which they had previously read in the library. There were many tender, sweet, fun, and joyful moments that the students will remember for a long time to come.

Second Grade students at Fulton dove head-first into a fascinating Social Studies unit. The focus was on the complex concept of “community.” Communities of the past and present; communities that are rural, suburban, or urban; communities and their economies and governments; and communities and their connections between people, animals, and the environment. During this unit, students learned about the needs and wants within their own community of Tinley Park. Throughout their path of discovery and learning, they had an opportunity to take part in a group project so they could share their newly discovered knowledge with their classmates.

In April, Kruse hosted a Career Day that featured many community volunteers! During the morning session, kindergarten through 2nd Grade students were visited by a lawyer, a mental health therapist, police officers, and a nurse. In the afternoon, 3rd through 5th Grade students were able to visit career stations in the cafeteria. Volunteers were set up and ready to share their great information. The students were able to hear from an information governance worker, post-surgery nurse, and senior coordinator of PepsiCo. The mental health therapist and rehabilitation nurse from the earlier session were also at stations. The students had an amazing time visiting with, learning from, and asking questions of community members with a wide range of careers. District 146 truly appreciates the partnerships that have been built with our community.

Memorial’s 4th and 5th Grade students participated in an AR BnB (Accelerated Reader Barbecue and Balloons) Reading Challenge. Each student was challenged to read for at least 20 minutes each night to reach their independent reading goal. Additionally, they set a goal to read at least 3 million words during the 9-week challenge. For each advanced reading test taken and passed, the students earned a balloon. The class that read the most words each week got to host the Reading Challenge Cup for the week. The students absolutely crushed their goals, reading a total of 16,857,277 words and earning 1,472 balloons. Memorial held a dance party in the balloons to celebrate reading more than 1,500 books!

Are you, or someone you know, looking for a job? District 146 has a number of openings that could be perfect for you!

The District has the following positions open:

• Speech Language Pathologist
• ESL/Bilingual Teacher
• Learning Behavior Specialist
• ESL/Bilingual Paraprofessional (Arabic)
  
• Paraprofessionals
• Long-Term Substitutes
• Substitute Teachers
  
• Substitute Paraprofessionals

For more information, please visit district146.org/employment.

August

18: Institute Day - No Student Attendance

19: Institute Day - No Student Attendance

20: First Day of School - Half Day Attendance

The full 2025-2026 Academic Calendar is available on the District's website.

Julie Berry, President

Rick Lloyd, Vice President

Amy Hamernick, Secretary

Richard Bajner, Jr., Member

Dean Casper, Member

Jill Dunlap, Member

Darcy Nendza, Member

Dr. Jeff Stawick, Superintendent

Dr. Wendy Wolgan, Director of Curriculum

Kelly Voliva, Director of Student Services

Jeff Charleston, Business Director/CSBO

Vern Bettis, Director of Technology

Matt Shanahan, Director of Buildings and Grounds

Brooke Dundas, Coordinator of Bilingual Education

Brianne Oliver, Special Education Coordinator

Carey Radke, Curriculum Coordinator

Dr. Damien Aherne, Fierke Education Center

Mrs. Megan Mitera, Fulton School

Mrs. Kim Hartnett, Kruse Education Center

Dr. Joe Trsar, Memorial School

Dr. Don Hantson, Central Middle School Principal

Mrs. Rebecca Ferrebee, Central Middle School Assistant Principal

Mr. Kevin Kuzanek, Central Middle School Assistant Principal