Waltham Elementary School

Dear Waltham Families,

It’s hard to believe we’re already wrapping up another fantastic school year! May is always a busy and exciting month, filled with celebrations, events, and important milestones. Please be sure to watch your Teacherease announcements closely for updates and details on all upcoming activities.

Here are some key dates to mark on your calendar:

📅 Upcoming Events in May:

• Wednesday, May 7 – Muffins with Mom (Kindergarten)

• Friday, May 9
  – 6th and 8th Grade Field Trips
  

• Monday, May 12 - PBIS Celebration Day!
  – Talent Show, 9:00–11:00 a.m.
  – Waltham Olympics, 1:00 p.m.

• Thursday, May 15 – Spring Band Concert, 6:30 p.m.

• Tuesday, May 20 – Awards Assembly, 1:00 p.m.

• Wednesday, May 21
  – Early Dismissal (11:35 a.m.) for K–8 <---- This is a change from the original calendar!!
  – Preschool Park Day at Rotary Park
  – Board of Education Meeting, 5:30 p.m.
  – 8th Grade Graduation, 7:00 p.m.

• Friday, May 23 – Preschool Graduation
  – AM Class: 10:00 a.m.
  – PM Class: 2:30 p.m.

• Monday, May 26 – No School (Memorial Day)

• Tuesday, May 27 – Final AttenDANCE of the Year!

• Wednesday, May 28 – Field Day and 1:35 p.m. Dismissal for K–8
  
  

On a professional note, I’m proud to share that our district was selected this past fall to participate in a yearlong Math Instructional Leadership Summit, hosted by the Regional Office of Education #35 in partnership with the SchoolKit Group. This valuable opportunity has allowed district leaders to deepen our understanding of best practices in mathematics instruction and strengthen our capacity to coach and support teachers in delivering strong, standards-aligned math lessons. We’ve been honored to engage in this work throughout the school year, especially as we prepare for a future Illinois Comprehensive Numeracy Plan. The math leadership team for our district includes myself, Mrs. Nina Mitchell, and Mrs. Jessalynn DeSerf.

Additionally, in April, I attended an Active Shooter Incident Management and School Safety Training hosted by the Streator Fire Department. This intensive one-day session was designed for school leaders to simulate emergency response and reunification procedures in the event of a building evacuation due to a crisis. It was a difficult but essential training, reinforcing our unwavering commitment to keeping our students and staff safe—our highest priority.

Thank you to all Waltham families for your continued support, involvement, and encouragement throughout the year. We are so proud of our students and grateful for the partnership we share with our Waltham families. Let’s finish the year strong and celebrate all we’ve accomplished together!

This week, we celebrate ALL of the incredible staff who make Waltham School such a special place for our students to learn and grow. Each and every day, our teachers, support staff, office team, custodians, and aides show up with dedication, heart, and a deep commitment to our students' success and well-being. Their hard work, creativity, and compassion do not go unnoticed—and they are the reason our school community continues to thrive. I am so proud to work alongside such an outstanding group of professionals!

A very special thank you goes out to our amazing PTCC and all the volunteers who planned a week full of thoughtful treats, kind gestures, and well-deserved celebrations. Your generosity and support mean the world to us.

To our entire staff—thank you for the many ways you pour into our students, families, and school every single day. You are truly the heart of Waltham!

Get ready for a day full of fun in the sun!

Waltham Elementary’s Field Day is happening on Wednesday, May 28 from 8:30 AM – 12:30 PM as we celebrate the last day of school and a fantastic year together!

This event is for all of our amazing K–7 students — a perfect way to kick off summer with smiles, laughter, and celebration!

Field Day is a special tradition featuring bounce houses, yard games, pizza, and ice cream — all while celebrating our incredible students, teachers, and staff!

We’re collecting pizza and ice cream orders from students and staff to ensure everyone gets their favorites. If your student chooses not to have pizza and ice cream, please be sure to send a lunch from home.

Important Details:

• Please sunscreen your child before coming to school.
• Send them in their Hawk Pride T-shirt!
• Early dismissal will be at 1:35 PM. (Changes to student dismissal plans need to be made prior to 10 a.m.!)
• Students do not need to bring backpacks!

We need volunteers to make the day a success! If you’re able to help, please sign up here:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4BA4AB2FA0F5C34-56557533-waltham

2nd Grade wrapped up their habitat units with a group project to create poster that resemble a habitat that they learned about! --Mrs. Hill & Mrs. Hollingsworth

3rd grade - Exploring how point of view influences storytelling by comparing different versions of the Cinderella fairy tale from various perspectives. Through reading and discussion, students have identified how character focus and cultural context shape the way each version of Cinderella is told. The reading lessons encourage critical thinking about perspective and fosters an appreciation for diverse storytelling traditions. --Mrs. Lara

3rd grade just wrapped up their module about fractions and is diving in to some basic geometry to finish the year! They are also going to be working on their signatures since they have officially mastered every lowercase & capital cursive letter! We’ve been utilizing the removable wall to enjoy some time together as 1 big class! --Mrs. Spencer

On April 25th, the 4the grade class got to take a field trip to visit some of the historical sites in downtown Utica. Thank you for this exciting opportunity LaSalle County Historical Society! --Mr. Gustafson & Mrs. Kinzer