Waltham Elementary School

Dear Families,

As we continue our journey toward our two schoolwide goals, I’d like to share a quick update:

Improved Student Attendance:

• Progress in K-8 Attendance: In October of 2023, 50% of students attended school every day. This October, we saw an improvement with 56% of students attending daily!
• Let’s Keep Growing: Every bit of progress makes a difference. Our goal is to keep improving, and with your help, we can achieve even higher attendance rates!

Making Every Day Count:

• Each day in school is essential. Regular attendance helps students build strong connections with classmates, teachers and staff members, supporting academic and social growth.
• Even a few missed days each month can impact learning. Let’s continue to prioritize consistent attendance!

Truancy Program with Support & Incentives:

• We have launched a truancy support program designed to help students and families with any attendance challenges.
  • Incentives for Attendance: Students who attend regularly can look forward to exciting rewards and recognitions.
  • Support from Attendance Committee Members: Our attendance committee members (Mrs. Holcman from the ROE, Mrs. Holtzman, Mrs. Lewis, Mrs. Mitchell and Mrs. Lukacsy) are here to provide resources, advice, and assistance to address any barriers to attendance.

Thank you to our families and students for making each day a priority! Let’s work together to make this a fantastic school year for every student!

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Enhancing School Pride:

Our PTCC has joined us in our mission to enhance school pride by generously donating Hawk Pride t-shirts for every student and staff member! This thoughtful gesture allows us all to showcase our incredible school community and spirit.

If you have not yet ordered your shirts for your Waltham student(s), please make sure you do so by November 15th! https://forms.gle/2vqihJ2mUNwWg3HL6 The form needs to be completed for each child that attends Waltham School in order to receive one. Specific questions can be sent directly to the PTCC at walthamptcc@gmail.com.

To our PTCC board and members: Thank you for walking beside us, supporting our goals, and helping make our school a place where everyone feels proud and connected. We can’t wait to see our school family in their Hawk Pride shirts, representing what makes our school so special!

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School Safety Update:

This month, I’d like to extend our sincere gratitude to our local police and fire departments for their invaluable support in keeping our school safe and prepared.

• Lockdown Drills: Thank you to Utica Police Department's Lt. Jay Quinn for assisting us with our lockdown drill, helping ensure that our staff and students know how to stay safe and respond calmly.
• Fire Prevention Safety: We are also grateful to the Utica Fire Department for providing Fire Prevention Safety education and for supervising our first announced fire drill of the year.

We are fortunate to have such dedicated community partners working alongside us to create a safe and secure environment for our students. Thank you to the UPD and UFD for all that they do for our school and community!

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Thank you, families, for bringing to life everything that makes our school a unique and exceptional place we can all be proud to call our own!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Melanie Lukacsy,
Principal

We’re looking forward to seeing you at our upcoming Parent/Teacher Conferences!

Please take note of the important details below to help make your visit smooth and productive.

• Conference Dates and Times:

  • Monday, November 25: 2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
  • Tuesday, November 26: 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

• Conference Sign-Ups:

  • All parents should have signed up with their child’s homeroom teacher during Meet the Teacher Night in August.
  • If you have not yet signed up, please email your child’s teacher directly to secure a time.

• Additional Staff Available for Conferences:

  • Social Worker
  • MTSS Interventionist
  • Speech Therapist
  • Special Education Teachers
  • Music, STEAM, and PE Teachers
  • Administration

• JUNIOR HIGH Parent Instructions:

  • Entrance: ALL junior high parents must enter through the main entrance prior to conferences.
  • Report Cards: Parents will receive their child’s report card at the door before heading to the trailer classrooms.

• NEW Parent Help Desk for Grades 5-8:

  • Located in the main building, this help desk is here to support parents in streamlining school communication.
  • Topics include:
    • Syncing calendars
    • Junior high homework tab
    • The school app and other tools
  • Other parents are welcome to stop by, though many resources are most relevant for families with students in activities.

We look forward to partnering with you to support your child’s success this year. Thank you for your commitment to your student’s learning!

Our upcoming annual Veterans' Day celebration will be held on Monday, November 11th at 1:30 p.m. in the gym where our K-8 students will engage in a full day of meaningful activities to honor and learn about our veterans.

• Learning Stations: Students will rotate through various stations throughout the day, gaining knowledge about our veterans and their sacrifices.
• Reading Sessions: Classes will read books that highlight the experiences of veterans.
• Touch a Truck: Students will have the opportunity to explore specialized military vehicles.
• Boot Camp Fitness: A fun and active way for students to experience military fitness.
• Military Branches Song: Students will learn and sing songs from different branches of the military.
• Impactful Assembly: We will conclude the day with an assembly featuring local veterans who will share their personal stories and experiences.

A special thank you to Mrs. Kathleen DiLuciano who has graciously agreed to be the emcee for this important event. Your support helps us create a memorable and educational experience for our students as we honor those who have served our country.

• To have a veteran added to Waltham's Wall of Honor, please complete this form and return to the school office no later than Wednesday, November 6th.
• To RSVP to our student assembly, please complete this form and return to the school office no later than Thursday, November 7th.

We look forward to a day filled with respect, gratitude, and learning!

As we approach the holiday season, we want to remind you that Thanksgiving break will begin at 1:35 p.m. on Monday, November 25th. School will resume for all PreK-8 students on Monday, December 2nd.

To celebrate Thanksgiving, we encourage students to engage in some fun and meaningful activities during the break, such as:

• Gratitude Journaling: Have your child write down things they are thankful for each day, creating a special keepsake to share with family.
• Family Cooking Day: Spend time together preparing a traditional Thanksgiving meal or baking holiday treats. This can be a great way to teach cooking skills and enjoy delicious food!
• Community Service: Encourage your child to participate in community service, such as helping at a local food bank or volunteering at a community event, to give back during this season of gratitude.
• Nature Walks: Take a family walk to enjoy the beauty of fall, observing the changing leaves and discussing what everyone is thankful for this year.

We hope this break provides families with a wonderful opportunity to relax, enjoy each other's company, and reflect on the many things we are thankful for within our families and community.

Wishing you all a joyful and restful Thanksgiving!

Both first grade classes finished their first book so we got together to partner read our stories sharing things we loved about our friends writing and asking questions. It was SUPER FUN to share our thoughts as authors! --Mrs. Linnig & Ms. Voss

Second grade finished their unit in Science on Matter. They developed their own hypotheses on

if a popsicle can change the state of matter when placed in the sun. Students then enjoyed a

popsicle to celebrate their learning! Hip, hip hooray! --Mrs. Hill & Mrs. Hollingsworth

In social studies, 3L and 3S had class discussions about different famous places in the United States and what similarities and differences they have! They read an article about them and chose 2 important facts to write and illustrate with their partner! --Mrs. Lara & Mrs. Spencer

Fourth graders from both Mr. G & Mrs. Kinzer's classes are studying Animal & Plant Adaptations in Science class. Students recently learned about how the frogfish uses its body structure to survive and catch prey. We used this knowledge to continue to study how the sloth survives. We are loving diving deeper into these fascinating animals! -- Mrs. Kinzer & Mr. Gustafson

In October, the junior high students collaborated by crafting spooky stories in ELA. Each project was encouraged to incorporate student-created book covers, sound effects, and a suspenseful ending.

At the end of the mini-unit, students were invited to share their stories around the campfire. The support from staff, students, and the community exceeded our expectations. 39 students attended our October ELA event, with more than ⅔ of the Junior High student population!

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this ELA event a success!

--Mr. Bailey & Ms. Lucio

• Download the Waltham Elementary School App using either:
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• iPhone: https://apple.co/2QoGMIC

• Website: www.wesd185.org
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/WalthamPride
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/walthampride185
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/walthampride185/

Email: waltham@wesd185.org
Website: http://www.wesd185.org/
Location: 2902 Illinois 178, North Utica, IL, USA
Phone: 815-667-4417
Facebook: facebook.com/WalthamPride/
Twitter: @WalthamPride185