Waltham Elementary School

Dear Waltham Families,

As we reflect on the year so far, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude for the incredible support of our school community. Together, we are building something truly special—a school where students thrive, staff are inspired, and families are an integral part of the journey.

We know we cannot achieve greatness alone. It is the collective efforts of our students, parents, staff, and the larger community that drive our success. This year, your commitment to our goals of improving student attendance and fostering school pride has been extraordinary. With students attending regularly, we are creating a foundation for a rich and supportive academic experience.

Our school community has also rallied around the mission of enhancing school pride in meaningful ways. A standout example of this is the generosity of our PTCC, who is providing a t-shirt for every student and staff member, helping us unite under a shared vision of spirit and pride. Thank you, PTCC, for your dedication and thoughtfulness!

We look forward to continuing this journey together, knowing that your support makes all the difference. Thank you for being such a vital part of our school family.

With gratitude,

Mrs. Melanie L. Lukacsy,

Principal

Our district is growing, and with that growth comes challenges—like crowded classrooms and the use of trailers for our junior high. We need your input to shape the best solutions!

Join us for an Open House on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. to learn more about our space challenges, tour our facilities, and share your thoughts during a Q&A session.

Visit our FAQ page here and submit questions by December 1 to help us prepare. Look out for a follow-up survey after the event.

Together, we can plan for a brighter future for our students. We hope to see you there!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1LgRLJpdWkKuaEQaVOKrkPYIkYwJJ9atv/view?usp=sharing

On Monday, November 25th, our school came alive with music, energy, and fun during our November AttenDANCE! Every student joined in the excitement, and Wendy's coupon booklets were awarded to students and staff showing off the best dance moves.

We also held special prize drawings for students with perfect attendance throughout November. A big thank you to our generous sponsors—PTCC, Culver’s, and Bernabei, Balestri & Fiocchi Law Offices—for making this event extra special with their contributions!

As we prepare for future events, we are still in need of gift cards, prizes, and coupons to use for special awards. Thank you to those who have already provided donations—we greatly appreciate your support!

Mark your calendars—our next AttenDANCE will take place on Friday, December 20th, just before Winter Break. Let’s keep the attendance streak going strong!

This year, we are taking a proactive approach to attendance because we know that every day in school matters. Each day provides essential learning experiences that contribute to your child’s academic growth and overall development. Attendance is one of our key goals, and we’re committed to working together as a team with families to improve student attendance and, ultimately, their education and academic progress.

You may have heard terms like chronic absenteeism and truancy. Here’s what they mean:

• Chronic Absenteeism: Missing 10% or more of school days for any reason—excused or unexcused. This includes absences for illness, family emergencies, or vacations.
• Truancy: Unexcused absences. Chronic truancy occurs when a student has unexcused absences for 5% or more of school days.

In alignment with Illinois School Code and to support your child’s success, we will send letters home if your child reaches the following absence thresholds:

• After 5 days absent
• After 10 days absent
• After 15 days absent

These letters will be sent for both excused and unexcused absences because any missed day impacts learning.

For families of students who meet the committee's criteria for absenteeism, we will set up problem-solving meetings. These meetings are designed to work collaboratively with families to identify solutions, improve attendance, and ensure students thrive academically.

We’re here to support you! If you have any questions or need assistance with attendance, please do not hesitate to contact us. Together, we can make this year a great one for your child by ensuring they’re present and making every day count.

Thank you for partnering with us to prioritize your child’s success!

Sincerely,

The Waltham Attendance Committee

Mrs. Lukacsy, Principal

Mrs. Lewis, Administrative Assistant

Mrs. Holtzman, Social Worker/PBIS Tier 2/3 Support

Mrs. Mitchell, Instructional Coach/ PBIS Tier 2/3 Support

Mrs. Holcman, Regional Office of Education #35 Student & Family Services Coordinator

All Winter Programs will be held in the Waltham gymnasium. All guests attending a matinee performance must present a photo ID to enter the building.

K-2 Winter Program Information

• 🌟 Evening Performance: Tuesday, December 10th at 6:30 p.m.
• 🎁 Mid-Day Matinee: Tuesday, December 10th at 10:30 a.m.
  • A perfect treat for grandparents!

• 🌟 Evening Performance: Thursday, December 12th at 6:30 p.m.
• 🎁 Mid-Day Matinee: Thursday, December 12th at 10:30 a.m.
• A perfect treat for grandparents!

Bring your holiday cheer and join us for these magical performances! Ms. Backus and our students have been working hard to make these heartwarming celebrations you won’t want to miss. See you there!

December 2nd-6th:

• College Day: Wear Your College Gear
• Camouflage Day: Blend in with Your Camo
• Career Day: Dress in Career Attire; Dress Like A Staff Member
• Character Day: Represent Your Favorite Character
• Sports Day: Represent Your Favorite Team

December 16th-20th:

• Santa vs. Grinch: Pick and Side and Dress in Team Santa or Team Grinch
• Snowball Day: Wear White or Sparkles
• PJ Day: Holiday PJ Day
• Holiday Movie Day: Dress Like Your Favorite Holiday Movie Character or Wear a Character Shirt
• Sweater Weather: Wear Your Favorite Holiday Sweater

• All treats that are provided for students must be prepackaged with a nutritional label intact. Individually packaged treats are best.
• All treats will be sent home with students after the party so it is helpful if they are packaged in a way that is simple to transport.
• No latex items or balloons.

The celebration will be from 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m. during the lunch hour on Friday, December 20th.

• Parents purchased pizza for their student(s) at the beginning of the year. The pizza will be served during the lunch hour as their winter celebration.

• Any treats that are provided for students during the lunch hour must be prepackaged with a nutritional label intact. Individually packaged treats are best.
• All treats will be sent home with students after the party so it is helpful if they are packaged in a way that is simple to transport.
• No latex items or balloons.

• Early Dismissal for Winter Break

  • 🎒 All PreK-8th grade students will be dismissed at 2:10 p.m. on Friday, December 20th.

• School Resumes

  • 📚 Classes will begin again for all PreK-8th grade students on Tuesday, January 7th.

✨ Wishing you and your families a joyful holiday season filled with good tidings, warmth, and cheer. Enjoy the break, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back in the new year! 🎆

Morning Preschool had the opportunity to visit The Goodbred family farmland right here behind our school. We got to see the equipment and learn a bit more about harvest time. --Mrs. Alvarado

Kindergarten, First and Second grade got together today to create Thankful Bracelets!

We all have so very many things to be thankful for including our amazing school, teachers, staff and students!

Happy Thanksgiving! --Mrs. Kummer, Mrs. Linnig, Ms. Voss, Mrs. Hill, and Mrs. Hollingsworth

1V learned about voting the Monday before Election Day. We did some of our own voting to decide our next read-aloud book. “Cutiecorns: Heart of Gold” won with a 7 to 6 vote. It was a real nail-biter! --Ms. Voss

The 3rd grade classes enjoyed a visit from the La Salle County Health Department this month! They reviewed the importance of hand-washing and they taught us several ways to practice proper food safety when preparing food in the kitchen. They were able to participate in a germ simulation where they had fake germs put on their hands and they were told to wash their hands like they normally do. After they washed their hands they got to look and see how many germs were still there. It was such a neat hands-on experience that showed how a quick hand washing really doesn't eliminate germs as much as we think it does! --Mrs. Spencer and Mrs. Lara

If you're out and about check out Jr. High’s Christmas Tree!

Presenting the “Make Your Mark” Exhibit, part of the Ottawa Holiday Tree Competition! Developed by Creativity Ink., Waltham Elementary’s junior high publishing brand, our entry will be housed in Open Space Art Gallery & Studios starting Friday, November 29th.

Featuring interactive bookmarks with QR codes linking to inspiring holiday stories and poems, each piece includes a link to donate directly to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Illinois Valley Animal Rescue, or Cops4Cancer.

This project spreads creativity, kindness, and holiday cheer while making a meaningful impact!

We had a great time decorating and doing some art at the gallery! -- Ms. Lucio and Mr. Bailey