KSD 140 Connection

As we head into Spring Break, I want to extend my best wishes to our students, staff, and families for a safe and enjoyable week. I hope this time offers a chance to rest, recharge, and enjoy time together. When we return, we’ll be in the final stretch of the school year, and I look forward to all that our schools will accomplish in the weeks ahead. Enjoy!

Sincerely,

Dr. Dan Callaghan

Superintendent

At its March meeting, the School Board approved the selection of John Conley as Principal of Fernway Park Elementary School, effective at the start of the 2026-27 school year. Conley will replace retiring Principal Sandy Hutchinson.

“I’m truly honored to join the Fernway community,” said Conley. “Fernway has a strong tradition of supporting students and one another, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to work alongside such dedicated staff and families.”

Mr. Conley has been with District 140 for over 13 years and currently serves as the assistant principal at Prairie View Middle School. He holds a master’s degree in principal preparation from Concordia University Chicago, a master’s degree in music education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago, and a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Lewis University.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Conley as the next principal of Fernway,” said Superintendent Dr. Daniel Callaghan. “He understands the importance of building strong relationships and brings a genuine commitment to supporting students, staff, and families.

Third-quarter student report cards will be available in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal on Thursday, March 19, at 3 p.m.

How to Access Student Report Cards:

1. Log in to your Infinite Campus Parent Portal.
2. Select Documents in your Message Center.
3. Click 25-26 School Name under Report Card, and a pop-up window displaying your student’s report card will open in a new browser. If you cannot view your student’s report card, please ensure pop-up windows are enabled in your web browser.

Please call your school office if you need assistance accessing your Parent Portal.

D140 middle schools will offer Summer Sports Camps for students in grades 5-8. The $35.00 registration fee includes instruction and a camp T-shirt. Please click the links below to view registration information, camp dates, times, and school-specific locations.

• Grissom Middle School Summer Sports Camps
• Prairie View Middle School Summer Sports Camps

Early Childhood/Preschool (EC/P), Kindergarten, and returning student registration for the 2026-27 school year opens on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. Families who register their students and pay their fees or set up a payment plan through the Business Office at 708-532-6462 by Thursday, April 30, 2026, will receive an early registration discount.

If you have any questions, please call your school office for assistance or visit our registration page for detailed information, including fees, health forms, busing, residency verification, and step-by-step directions for registering your student.

Grissom Middle School’s Student Council has once again been recognized by the Illinois Association of Junior High Student Councils (IAJHSC), earning the Honor Council designation for the 2025–2026 school year. This marks the second consecutive year the group has received the prestigious honor, recognizing its commitment to student leadership and service within the school and community.

Grissom’s council members will be recognized at the 67th annual IAJHSC State Convention, a two-day leadership event taking place April 17–18 in Springfield, Illinois. The convention brings together student leaders from across the state to participate in leadership sessions, collaborate with peers, and celebrate their work in their schools.

Congratulations to the Grissom Patriots on this outstanding achievement!

Students and staff across District 140 made a big splash for a great cause this March, raising more than $127,000 for Special Olympics Illinois through Polar Plunge and Cool School Plunge events.

The District’s Polar Plunge team kicked off the effort with a dip into the icy waters of Lake Manteno. Led by educators Kristy Baumgartner, Chrisie DeCarlo, and Ashley Krizik, along with committee members representing each of the District’s seven schools, 76 participants raised more than $50,000 to support Special Olympics Illinois athletes.

The momentum continued as the District introduced its first Cool School Plunge events at Grissom and Prairie View Middle Schools. Organized by staff members Chrisie DeCarlo, William Devine, Kathryn Olson, and Darren Persha, more than 200 students and staff participated in the after-school plunges, raising over $77,000.

Together, these efforts will help provide year-round training and competition opportunities for Special Olympics Illinois athletes.

At the March Board of Education meeting, Helen Keller Principal Julie Simpson shared how the school is creating engaging opportunities that inspire students to read, write, and connect with books.

This year, Keller has focused on building a strong culture of literacy through schoolwide experiences that bring students, staff, and families together.

Highlights include:

• Book Blast, which helped place more than 1,500 books into students’ hands so they could build their own home libraries
• Family Reading Night, where more than 250 students and family members gathered for an evening of interactive reading activities
• An all-school read-aloud of Charlotte’s Web, bringing classrooms together around a shared story and culminating in the school’s first all-school field trip to see the play
• A fun Masked Reader Assembly during Read Across America Week, where staff members read aloud in disguise, and students tried to guess their identities

Through these creative programs and shared experiences, Helen Keller Elementary continues to spark a love of reading and writing while strengthening learning across the school community.

Seventh-grade students at Grissom and Prairie View Middle Schools recently participated in Project RIDE (Reinforcement in Drug Education), a program that promotes healthy choices and safety awareness.

Through a series of engaging team-building activities, students met with representatives from the Tinley Park Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, school resource officers, and school counselors to discuss real-world safety issues and the importance of making responsible decisions. Project RIDE is part of District 140’s ongoing efforts to support student well-being and substance abuse prevention.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for Safe Kids: Supporting Parents in Navigating Today’s Online and Social Challenges on March 11 at Prairie View Middle School. Officers from the Tinley Park Police Department shared important insights on online safety, substance prevention, and juvenile law. Awareness and teamwork are key to keeping our kids safe!

• Thursday, March 19 - Third Quarter Report Cards Issued via the Infinite Campus Parent Portal
• Friday, March 20 through Friday, March 27 - Spring Break - No School
• Monday, March 30 - Classes Resume
• Wednesday, April 1 - Registration for the 2026-27 School Year Opens
• Friday, April 3 - No School
• Thursday, April 16 - Board of Education Meeting - 7:00 p.m. at the Administration Building
• Wednesday, April 22 - Beginning Band Spring Concert - 7:30 p.m. at Grissom Middle School
• Saturday, April 25 - IGSMA State Band Concert - Time is TBD at Lockport High School
• Wednesday, April 29 - Concert & Symphonic Bands Spring Concert - 7:30 p.m. at Prairie View Middle School
• Thursday, April 30 - Registration Fee Discount Deadline - Families who register their students and pay their fees or set up a payment plan through the Business Office at 708-532-6462 by Thursday, April 30, 2026, will receive an early registration discount.

Kirby School District 140

16931 S. Grissom Drive, Tinley Park, IL 60477

Phone: 708-532-6462

Website: ksd140.org

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