Chelsea Intermediate School
November Newsletter 2025
Dear Chelsea Parents and Guardians,
As we enter the month of November, we would like to take a few moments to express our appreciation for the support that all of you provide for our students and staff. Education is truly a partnership, and that partnership is the foundation on which our Chelsea Tigers build their success as students. Thank you for all you do to support not only your child, but our learning community as a whole. Your role in the educational process is a pivotal one, and we are extremely grateful for all you do.
Please mark your calendars for several upcoming events. First, we will be holding our Veterans Day celebration assembly for our students on Tuesday, November 11. Please see the additional information within this newsletter if you have a veteran in your family who would like to attend. Next, we are inviting all parents to help Stack the Stock and attend Parents in PE on Thursday, November 20. This cup stacking event happens in conjunction with our food drive to benefit the Frankfort Food Pantry. Last, but certainly not least, is Parent/Teacher Conferences. These conferences will take place on Monday, November 24 and Tuesday November 25. Our conferences will be a hybrid model, meaning you will have the option to choose an in-person conference or a virtual one. The link to sign up for conferences will be sent on November 7 at 10 am, and the sign up will be open through November 14 at 4pm.
As always, please contact us in the meantime if we can ever be of assistance to you or your child. We are happy to help.
Sincerely,
Rachel Newcomb
Principal
Paula Paymaster
Assistant Principal
Ricky Innocenti
Dean of Students
Going outside, even when it’s cold out, offers both physical and mental health benefits. With some preparation and planning, seasonal activities and outdoor play can be fun and safe all winter long.
Dressing Warm and Staying Dry
- Wear several thin layers, including thermal tops, insulated pants, waterproof boots, mittens, scarves, and hats that cover ears.
- Choose outerwear that is both wind-resistant and waterproof to prevent hypothermia.
Fun and Safe Outdoor Activities
- Sledding, ice skating, and making a snowman are good outdoor activities. Always supervise and choose safe locations free from obstacles.
- Go on winter nature walks or scavenger hunts to explore changes in plants and wildlife. Look for pinecones, acorns, and evergreen branches.
- Playground equipment can still be used in winter, just check for icy spots and ensure children are dressed for warmth.
Safety and Health Tips
- Schedule outings during daylight and pick locations sheltered from wind. Watch for signs of frostbite and hypothermia (numbness, shivering, pale skin).
- Keep play times shorter as temperatures drop and have warm snacks and drinks available.
- Remind children to stay hydrated; sometimes thirst cues aren’t obvious in cold weather.
We are tracking the total number of checkouts for the school year and, so far this year, Chelsea students have checked out over 8000 times!
The library has a special section that changes monthly to highlight special themes. November’s theme shelf includes books celebrating Indigenous Peoples, Veterans Day, and Thanksgiving.
The Bluestem Reading Challenge is back!
Every year, educators in Illinois nominate 20 books for the Bluestem Award.
What to know about the Bluestem Reading Challenge at Chelsea:
- Participation is optional.
- After reading 4 titles, students are eligible to take part in voting for the book they believe should be the Bluestem award winner.
- We will read 4 books during library.
- If your child chooses to participate, they will be rewarded for every 4 books they read on this year’s Bluestem nominee list.
- Upon completion of 18 books, your student will be invited to the Bluestem Bash in the spring (details TBD).
- Chelsea’s library has copies of each book available. Because these books are super popular right now, I highly suggest checking out the public libraries in our area to find additional copies if your kiddo can’t wait for a copy at Chelsea’s library. Also, some audio books are available on Amazon and Spotify!
- I encourage you and your child to look at the list together to choose which Bluestem nominated books your child will read this year.
- Tracking progress will be done using the Beanstack app on your child’s laptop or paper progress sheets are available upon request.
Parents are invited to volunteer in the library. Please contact Ms. Fracassi at Tfracassi@fsd157c.org to learn more.
This past month, students worked on developing their football and soccer skills. In football, we stayed active with passing, receiving, and gameplay. During our soccer unit, students practiced dribbling, passing, and shooting. In both units, students learned the importance of teamwork, explored player positions, and began developing strategies to be successful during gameplay.
“Stacking the Stock” – Chelsea Aims to Set a New Guinness World Record!
Chelsea students will once again join stackers around the world on Thursday, November 20th, as we cup stack in an attempt to break the record for the most people stacking in one day!
In addition to the Guinness competition, we are collecting canned goods to help stock the shelves of the Frankfort Township Food Pantry. To combine both efforts, Chelsea students will be “Stacking the Stock” of canned goods we collect.
Please send canned goods to school with your child for this fun event!
Collection begins Monday, November 10th and ends Friday, November 21st. Thank you in advance for your generosity and support!
Be on the lookout for a Parents in PE flyer coming home soon, inviting you to join us for the world record stacking event on Thursday, November 20th.
KEEP SAVING BOX TOPS for EDUCATION!
Many food labels have started using box tops that need to be scanned. If you would like to continue to support our school, you will need to download the Box Tops for Education app. Make sure you select Chelsea Intermediate School before you begin scanning your box tops!
At Chelsea, we believe every student is a musician, and our music room is their stage. We embrace the process in music: making mistakes, trying again, and growing with every note and rhythm we create. Music class is a place where students can explore, express themselves, and discover the joy of making music together.
Here’s what our 3rd, 4th and 5th grade musicians have been working on so far during Quarter 2:
🎵 3rd Grade
Third graders have been diving into rhythm! We're learning to analyze, read, write, and perform patterns using eighth notes, quarter notes, and quarter rests. Through singing games, movement activities, and percussion instruments, students are developing their inner sense of beat and rhythm while having lots of fun making music together.
🎵 4th Grade
Fourth graders are developing a deeper understanding of rhythm and pitch by performing patterns in simple meter and exploring the science of sound and how pitch is produced and organized in music.
🎵 5th Grade
Fifth grade musicians are deepening their understanding of rhythm and composition by applying prior knowledge to more complex patterns, including syncopation. They’ve begun composing original works, setting the stage for exciting projects in the weeks ahead.
I am so proud of the growth in each student, note by note and beat by beat. Be sure to ask your musician what they’re working on in class, and don’t hesitate to reach out if you ever have questions. Thank you for supporting music education at Chelsea!
Our STEM students wrapped up the first quarter on a high note! They worked hard following the engineering design process—thinking critically, problem solving, and persevering. We are so proud of their accomplishments! I’m looking forward to working with the second quarter students!
5th Grade Makerspace Inventions
Fifth graders became true innovators as they planned, designed, and built their own Makerspace Inventions. They even invited 3rd and 4th graders to explore their creations and listen to their invention pitches. What a fun way to celebrate creativity and collaboration!
4th Grade Makerspace Projects
Our fourth graders teamed up in collaborative groups to design and build Makerspace inventions that solved real-world problems. They wrapped up by presenting their creations to classmates—showcasing creativity, teamwork, and innovation!
3rd Grade STEM Adventures
Third graders became engineers as they designed and tested their own parachutes! Using rip cords, they discovered whether long or short strings made a parachute fall more slowly. They also tackled an exciting hands-on challenge—building towers that could withstand an “earthquake”. What an amazing way to learn through creativity, problem solving, and fun!
I can hardly believe we’ve already started another quarter—it feels like the first day of school was just yesterday! Our first-quarter Tigers did an amazing job in the studio: creating, experimenting, trying new things, and taking risks—all for the sake of growth and learning in our choice-based art studio. I know our second quarter will be no different!
You might be wondering, “What is this choice-based art that Mrs. Maney is always talking about?” Let me break it down and share why this philosophy is so powerful.
Choice-based art education encourages students to be independent, creative, and engaged learners by giving them the ability to make decisions about their art. Students choose the materials they use, the subjects they explore, the techniques they apply, and even how long they spend on a project.
Students begin with boot camps—mini sessions where they learn how to use materials and practice techniques. These sessions give them the foundational skills they need to confidently experiment and explore new ideas. Unlike teacher-directed projects, this approach puts students in the driver’s seat of their learning. They build upon what they already know to create art that is meaningful to them—art that reflects their interests, their ideas, and their voices.
Each week, students are also introduced to a diverse selection of contemporary artists from around the world. This helps them see what real artists are creating today and inspires them to think creatively and critically about their own work.
When students are given choices after building a strong foundation, we show them that we trust them as learners. And when mistakes happen, we embrace them! We celebrate them, learn from them, and grow because of them. That’s what real learning looks like.
At the end of the quarter, when your student brings home their “messy folder,” take a few minutes to go through their passport and artwork together. Ask them questions, let them explain their process, and celebrate all they’ve learned and created.
I’m looking forward to another wonderful quarter and can’t wait to see what our Tigers dream up next!
Bienvenidos, noviembre! Welcome, November! Quarter 1 ended October 24th as did our first quarter of Encore. Students who were in Art are now in Spanish. During the month of November, students will be learning about El Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead). 3rd graders will be learning Spanish basics: introductions, greetings, farewells, emotions, colors, numbers, animals and the Spanish alphabet. 4th and 5th graders will be continuing to build these Spanish language skills, as well as describing what they like to eat and do.
November Dates to Remember
November 3 - 7 Quarter One Roar Store
November 4 - Hot Lunch (FSP)
November 6 - Theme Thursday - Grade Level Colors
November 7 - Popsicle Sale
November 10 - 21 Stack the Stock Canned Food Drive
November 11 - Veterans Day Assembly
November 11 - Hot Lunch (Education Foundation)
November 13 - Theme Thursday - Camouflage
November 17 -21 Antibullying Week
November 18 - Hot Lunch (Athletic Boosters)
November 18 - Board of Education Meeting 7:00pm
November 20 - Parents in PE
November 20 - Theme Thursday - Monochromatic
November 21 - SIP Day (Dismissal @ 12:05pm)
November 24 - November 25 - Parent-Teacher Conferences
November 26 - November 28 - No School - Holiday Break
