Positive Paws

Mission: In a culture of high expectations and respect for all, we strive to educate the whole child with positive relationships and an appreciation for diversity in an inclusive environment.

Vision: Lincoln School District 156 will be an inclusive student-centered model of innovation and academic excellence that prepares the whole child to contribute to an ever-changing global community.

I hope you and your family and a great 4 day weekend! The weather was perfect and absolutely beautiful. Although we had some days in the 80's, we all know that the cold is coming. Please begin to plan for the colder weather and if there is a need for coats, hats, or gloves, please reach out as we have some great partners to help with those things.

We are nearing the end of the first quarter and I will be sharing some data with you in the coming weeks on how we performed as a school. A common and consistent piece of data in the newsletter will be regarding attendance. One of the top indicators of a childs success in schcool is their attendance. It is critical in their academic and social development. If there are roadblocks for your famliy in getting your child to school, again, please reach out as we want to help and partner with you. For our students at grade level, it is important to continue that path so that they do not fall behind before high school. For those students that are below grade level, we need them to grow 2x as fast as anyone else to catch up. Showing up every day is the best way for that to happen.

We love when your child is here and can't wait to see them tomorrow!!

With Tiger Pride,

Adam West Ed.D.

10/13 - GBB at Schrum

10/13 - PreK Field Trip

10/14 - CAl City Fire Prevention Week Grades K-3

10/15 - Gbb @ Wentworth

10/15 - PreK Screeners

10/16 - $1 Dress Down Day

10/19 - Regular Board Meeting

10/20 - GBB @ Wolcott

10/21 - GBB v. Burnham

10/22 - GBB @ Heritage

The Importance of Attendance 🐯

Every school day is an opportunity for our Tigers to learn, grow, build friendships, and connect with teachers and classmates. Thank you to our families for making attendance a priority!

Regular, on-time attendance helps students build essential academic skills, keep up with classroom learning, and develop a strong sense of belonging. We understand that illness and unexpected circumstances sometimes make absences unavoidable, but every day in school makes a difference.

Please continue prioritizing daily attendance and communicating with us when challenges arise. Together, we can help every Tiger thrive! Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Attendance Matters

Wednesday, October 21, 2026 • 10:30–11:30 AM • Administrative Center, 912 Burnham Ave.

Join us for a family session focused on the importance of regular school attendance and simple ways families can help students build strong attendance habits.

Attention 8th Grade parents!!! If you are still interested in signing your child up for the free trip to Washington DC, please fill out this form. If you are having trouble filling it out, please reach out to Dr. West via email: awest@L156.org.

We’re excited to explore starting a Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) at Lincoln! Parents, guardians, and staff are invited to share their interest and ideas.

Interested in getting involved? Fill out the PTO Interest Form using the link below!

HELP US START A PTO!

October 15, 2026 is quickly approaching!

Please submit all required health examination and immunization records to the school Health office as soon as possible.

In accordance with Illinois requirements, students who are not in compliance with required health records by October 15, 2026 will be excluded from school beginning October 15 and may not return until the required document is received.

Please contact the Health Office with any questions regarding your child's compliance status.

Vision and Hearing screenings will be conducted soon at your child's school. Vision screenings are mandatory for Pre-K, Kindergarten, 2nd, and 8th graders per Illinois state requirements. Hearing screenings are also required for Pre-K, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders. Students with IEPs, new transfers, and those referred will need to undergo both vision and hearing screenings. Note that vision screening is not a substitute for a comprehensive eye exam by an eye doctor. If the screening technician determines that your child needs further evaluation, a letter of notification will be sent home.

First Meeting: October 21, 2026 • 9:00–10:00 AM

Location: Lincoln Elementary Administration Center, 912 Burnham Ave., Calumet City, IL 60409.

Join Lincoln’s Parent Book Club featuring 7 Steps to Children’s Happiness! The club is free and open to all Lincoln parents/guardians with a currently enrolled child. Each participant receives a free copy of the book.

See flyer for additional meeting dates. A valid state-issued photo ID is required at check-in.

Join Lincoln’s Parent Book Club – Registration Link

At Lincoln School we open doors at 8:00am so that all kids have time to drop off their backpacks at their locker, grab and eat breakfast and get ready for instruction to start at 8:30am. We strongly encourage all students to be here by 8:00am to make sure they can accomplish all of these tasks before they start learning.

Safe and smooth dismissal depends on strong communication between families, the school, and transportation providers. If your child uses a private transportation company, daycare van, or other transportation service, please remember that the transportation arrangement is an agreement between the parent/guardian and the transportation provider. While the school helps ensure students are connected with their designated transportation at dismissal, families are an essential link in keeping everyone informed.

Parents and guardians are responsible for communicating directly with their transportation provider about important information that may affect service, including student absences, school closures or early dismissal days, the school calendar, and any changes to the child’s regular transportation plan.

It is equally important to notify the school whenever your child’s dismissal or transportation plan changes. Changes should be communicated directly to your child’s homeroom teacher or the main office by phone, email, or direct message through SchoolStatus Connect.

Whenever possible, please submit transportation changes before 2:00 p.m. This allows our office team enough time to communicate the change to teachers, paraprofessionals, and other staff members supporting dismissal.

Thank you for helping us maintain a safe, organized, and efficient dismissal process. When families, transportation providers, and the school communicate consistently, we can work together to make sure every student gets where they need to go safely.