Emergency E-Learning Day 12-17-21
Fall Parent/Teacher Conferences are fast approaching and will be held on Thursday, November 11, 1:00-8:00 PM. These meetings will be held primarily virtually via Microsoft Teams or Zoom. However, if you would like to request an in-person conference, please contact your child's teacher. Parents who request in-person conferences may be asked to provide evidence of COVID-19 vaccination and/or negative test results. Please contact the office of your child's school with any questions. If you have already setup conferences with your teacher(s), this notice does not change that schedule.
Coolidge Elementary School will also be hosting another COVID-19 vaccine clinic on Thursday, November 11 from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM. The Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines - including the booster - may all be offered during this time. Participants should enter through Door 3. You are welcome to contact the IDPH Hotline at 1-833-621-1284 for more information.
Welcome back!
Coolidge Songs of Peace
https://youtu.be/Niunjwf0d7A
D158 Food Service Alert 04-01-21
D158 Alert 03-30-21 TF South Vaccination Site Open
D158 Alert 02-15-21
We are happy to announce that our school food service will deliver meals to your home at no cost to you starting in January 2021. Please click the link below to complete a form if you would like to have A'viands deliver contactless free meals to your home for all children under 18 years old. All responses are to be submitted by Thursday, December 10, 2020. If you are having any trouble filling out the form, please call the office at 708-474-4320 and leave a message. Someone will call you back to assist. All Lansing 158 schools will continue to provide grab-and-go meals as well that can be picked up on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM. Click this link to fill-out the form and request the A'viands contactless meal delivery service.
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=kMQKIr5K70SbTZDuHzTj5rw1foL2SLJPiN0758PbmLtUMDM5VjNHOTRYRUtaWUpTSkFFT1pTRTBFNS4u
December Spirit Days at Coolidge
The Coolidge PTA gave away pumpkins to all of the Coolidge students this year. A Pumpkin Decorating Contest occurred with winners for Most Original, Scariest, and Funniest. Students were awarded a basket of Halloween goodies along with a ribbon. #CoolidgeCares
November 9, 2020
Attention #158Strong Families & Community:
Due to increasing COVID-19 cases in our area, all Lansing School District 158 facilities will be closed this week through Friday, November 13. E-Learning for all students will continue during this time, staff will be available remotely, and grab-and-go meals will continue to be offered on Wednesday, November 11. Onsite student testing and services will transition temporarily to a virtual format. Please email your child's principal with any questions. Take care and stay safe.
Sincerely,
Lansing School District 158
9 de noviembre, 2020
Atención Familias y Comunidad #158Fuerte:
Debido al aumento de los casos de COVID-19 en nuestra área, todos los edificios del Distrito Escolar 158 de Lansing permanecerán cerrados esta semana hasta el viernes 13 de noviembre. El E-Learning para todos los estudiantes continuará durante este tiempo, el personal estará disponible de forma remota y las comidas para llevar continuarán ofreciéndose el miércoles 11 de noviembre. Los exámenes y los servicios de los alumnos en el sitio pasarán temporalmente a un formato virtual. Por favor envíe un correo electrónico al director de su hijo con cualquier pregunta. Cuídense y manténganse sanos.
Atentamente,
Distrito Escolar de Lansing 158
Coolidge staff and students had fun celebrating Halloween with a car parade. The staff dressed up in their favorite superhero costumes and passed out bags of free books and other classroom materials needed for remote learning. We loved seeing our students even if it was from a distance!
October 30, 2020
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
Lansing School District 158 will be holding Virtual Parent/Teacher Conferences next Monday, November 2, 1:00-8:00 PM at all five of our schools. Please contact your child's teachers to sign-up if you haven't already. There will be no school on Tuesday, November 3 for Election Day and our buildings will remain closed on Wednesday, November 4 for deep cleaning. E-Learning will continue to take place on November 4-6 next week and our staff will be available while working remotely. Contact the office of your child's school with any questions and Happy Halloween!
Sincerely,
Lansing School District 158
Coolidge staff said goodbye to Mr. Frank, our wonderful daytime lead custodian. He retired last Friday. Mr. Frank made great connections with our staff and students. He was always there to help everyone and made all of us smile. His positive energy will be greatly missed. Best of luck in retirement, Mr. Frank! #158Strong #CoolidgeCares
Coolidge staff said goodbye to Mr. Frank, our wonderful daytime lead custodian. He retired last Friday. Mr. Frank made great connections with our staff and students. He was always there to help everyone and made all of us smile. His positive energy will be greatly missed. Best of luck in retirement, Mr. Frank! #158Strong #CoolidgeCares
Despite the recent frost, the Coolidge garden still looks great and is producing wonderful vegetables! Ron Wolford from the University of Illinois Extension partnered with Coolidge by donating, planting, and caring for this garden. We are so thankful for Mr. Wolford and his efforts! #CoolidgeCares
Coolidge recently piloted kindergarten assessments onsite! The teachers gained information about what skills each individual child has mastered. This data will be shared with parents on the first quarter report card this week and used to guide their instruction during the second quarter. #CoolidgeCares
Bernie’s Book Bank donated three pallets of books to the students at Coolidge that will be passed out to students on October 30! These books will help all students expand their at-home library collection. #CoolidgeCares
At Coolidge, our assistant principals are teaching small group sessions throughout the day. Here's #158Strong Mr. Byrne working on math with fourth graders! District 158 is providing interventions like these to help students get caught up during these unconventional times. #CoolidgeCares
Need a book to read at home? The Coolidge Outdoor Library is now open! Stop by between 8:15 and 3:15 and borrow a book or two. When you finish the books, bring them back and take more. We know our Coolidge students have learned about trustworthiness, so there is no need to check it out. We trust you to bring it back when you are finished. Happy Reading! #CoolidgeCares
The Coolidge staff would like to say thank you to everyone who decorated our sidewalk with positive messages. What a great way to start our school year! Thank you, PTA! #CoolidgeCares
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year from our Coolidge Cougars staff! We were excited to see 538 of our families yesterday for material pickup. Thank you families for your positivity, care, and support as we begin this unconventional year. #CoolidgeCares
https://www.facebook.com/LansingSD158/posts/3213941888701865
June 8, 2020
Attention Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
Lansing School District 158 will be starting summer food service tomorrow 9:00-11:00 AM at Coolidge Elementary School. Procedures will be the same as grab-and-go meals during the school closure - please drop by for your breakfast and lunch! We will also safety be rescheduling a few activities that were planned for last week, including reverse car parades and diploma pickup at Memorial Junior High. Be on the lookout for communication from your child's school with more information.
We wish all of our families an enjoyable start to the summer.
Take care and be safe,
Lansing School District 158
June 1, 2020
Attention Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that all activities at District 158's five schools - including grab-and-go-meals at Coolidge, diploma pickup at Memorial, and car parades at our elementary buildings - are being cancelled on June 2-3, 2020 due to ongoing safety concerns. The start of summer meals is also being postponed until further notice. We will inform you when these activities will resume and again appreciate your flexibility during these difficult and unprecedented times. This may not be how we were planning to end the 2019-2020 school year but the health, safety, and well-being of our students, staff, and families are of the utmost importance.
District 158's staff will continue to be available remotely and parents who would like to setup individual, reserved registration appointments starting this Thursday, June 4 may still do so. Remember that all appropriate safety precautions will be observed. We wish all of our families well with the end of the school year and start of Summer Break. Please keep calm, be safe, and stay #158Strong!
Sincerely,
Lansing School District 158
May 31, 2020
Attention Parent(s)/Guardian(s):
Please be aware that all onsite activities at District 158's five schools, including grab-and-go-meals at Coolidge, are cancelled tomorrow due to safety concerns communicated by the Village of Lansing. We deeply regret any issues this may present for our families and appreciate your flexibility during these challenging times. Staff will continue to be available remotely tomorrow. We will inform you if any additional closures are needed the rest of the week.
Sincerely,
Lansing School District 158
Mrs. Wiora’s fifth grade class was serenaded by the violin as the class had a small talent show during a recent Zoom meeting. #CoolidgeCares
Mrs. Wiora’s fifth grade class was serenaded by the violin as the class had a small talent show during a recent Zoom meeting. #CoolidgeCares
During this time of uncertainty, the Coolidge staff wishes our community Happy times. We hope we make you smile! Stand up and dance with us! #CoolidgeCares
https://www.facebook.com/LansingSD158/videos/265336747919990/
Mrs. Hersom made a guest appearance on Mrs. Stablein’s zoom meeting. #CoolidgeCares
Our #158Strong families have been dropping by this week to pickup their students' belongings. Please join us today (Wednesday, May 13) at Coolidge, Oak Glen, and Reavis 9:00-11:00 AM or Memorial 9:00 AM-3:00 PM (sixth grade) if you haven't had a chance to do so. Memorial's graduates have also been taking pictures in their caps and gowns, which are being provided free this year because of the pandemic. Look for an announcement soon about our #MightyMustangs Graduation - we are incredibly proud of our eighth graders! This may not be how any of us pictured ending the year but we're having fun, staying safe, and celebrating the end of the year together. Parents, thank you for your partnership during this unprecedented time. #CoolidgeCares #OakGlenGrizzlies #RoadrunnerPride
Attention Elementary Parents: Come to Coolidge, Oak Glen and Reavis before 4:15 today to pick up your child’s materials.
Author Mary Nhin joined Mrs. Lam’s third grade class for a Zoom call. She read her book, “Positive Ninja” (a mindfulness book about managing negative emotions and feelings), discussed what it takes to become an author, and answered questions. The students really enjoyed learning from her! #CoolidgeCares
The students in Mrs. Lam’s third grade Zoom class celebrated Earth Day, as well as studied perimeter and area on Khan Academy! #CoolidgeCares
Miss Spangler along with her cat, Mickey, teach her third graders from home using Zoom. #CoolidgeCares
Ms. Nicole Spangler completed a Zoom call with her Coolidge fifth graders over Spring Break! #158Strong #CoolidgeCares
Music Teacher Mrs. Stephens would love for you to sing along for fun!
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyRQG5szedhtTDR9DcTiAGg/?app=desktop&fbclid=IwAR0Ml-nTPE7m9Kn_Yy1E-jZZjdcNWvhQJ58dIXxIeOIwCHL3v4jgMHrROBA
Lansing School District 158 has been named a 2020 Best Community for Music Education by the NAMM Foundation! This is a national award that has only been given to 754 school districts across the United States this year. Congratulations to our #158Strong Music Team - Mr. Becker, Mrs. DiGrispino, Ms. Rumbles, Mrs. Stephens, and Mrs. Yonkers - for the excellent work they are doing to educate Lansing's students in the fine and performing arts!
Despite the challenges of recent weeks, District 158 is proud to announce that our renovation and expansion of Coolidge Elementary School has been named a 2020 Outstanding Project by LEARNING BY DESIGN! Below is the article from their most recent publication, which highlights the top school architecture projects across the country. Congratulations! #158Strong
In response to COVID-19 developments, some internet providers are offering free services to low-income families and households with students.
https://5il.co/eoau
Attention Families: In addition to grab-and-go meals being offered at Coolidge and other local TFEC sites, see the link below for a meal finder that will help you find food services while schools are closed. Keep Calm and Stay #158Strong!
https://www.fns.usda.gov/meals4kids
Reavis Principal Mr. Kostopoulos completed the final preparations for Home Learning Activities Week 3. These new activities can be found on the district website. Paper copies can be picked up from the Coolidge Kitchen (Door 4) from 9:00 am to 11:00 am when our grab-and-go meals are also available. Happy learning!
District 158 has been safely completing our donation of 50 refurbished laptop computers to families in need during the school closure. The picture below is from Reavis last week. This initiative allows more students to remain engaged in learning activities and access educational technology. Computers are being donated at all five schools. Thanks to our #158Strong Board of Education for approving this!
Even though we're practicing safe social distancing because of the shelter-in-place, our #158Strong District Leadership Team is still meeting, planning, and doing everything we can to ensure the safety, wellbeing, and continuity of education for our students. This picture is from our most recent video conference. Email is the best way to get ahold of us right now - we look forward to hearing from you!
Attention #158Strong Families: next week we are going to be holding a Virtual Spirit Week! Let's have fun from home and stay positive during this pandemic. Monday, March 23 is Good Morning Monday! We encourage you to share or comment with pictures working in your pajamas. Happy posting!
Flashback Friday! For all of our Coolidge students, Puff the Bearded Dragon Lizard is doing well. Mrs. Fuller is babysitting him at her house. He’s been eating lots of meal worms and crickets. Feel free to draw a picture of Puff today and post your picture here as a comment!
Lansing School District 158 has a new logo! Please let us know what you think. We are planning to update our school logos in the future, as well. #158Strong
In honor of Black History Month, Mrs. DiGrispino's Songs of Peace students from Coolidge and Oak Glen performed in a Parent Night and a school assembly last week. The students sang several songs in addition to reenacting what happened to Rosa Parks and the bus boycott that followed.
TF South students of Mrs. Brown-Brooks and Coolidge parents volunteered to teach all of our students about financial literacy and about what it means to be an entrepreneur. Junior Achievement sponsored this event by supplying training and materials for all of the volunteers!
Coolidge students enjoyed exchanging Valentine’s Day cards with their classmates and also had fun making crafts and playing games during their class parties. Many thanks to the Coolidge PTA and all of our parent volunteers!
Students in Ms. Zentz 4th/5th grade classroom are working on basic division facts. They are using plates and beans to demonstrate sharing items equally into groups.
Attention Memorial Parents: our Eighth Grade Family Information Night scheduled for 6:00 PM today has been cancelled due to inclement weather. We will reschedule in the near future. Coolidge parents, we are also cancelling fifth grade morning practice tomorrow. They will meet again on Tuesday, February 11. Please drive safe and be careful in this snow
Attention Memorial Parents: our Eighth Grade Family Information Night scheduled for 6:00 PM today has been cancelled due to inclement weather. We will reschedule in the near future. Coolidge parents, we are also cancelling fifth grade morning practice tomorrow. They will meet again in Tuesday, February 11. Please drive safe and be careful in this snow
Congratulations to our back-to-back Coolidge boys and undefeated Oak Glen girls for winning this year's fifth grade basketball seasons! The Roundball Classic starts tomorrow. Hope to see you there! #158Strong #CoolidgeCougars #OakGlenGrizzlies
Congratulations to all of the students that participated in the Lansing Elementary Area Science Fair! Thank you to all of the community and school board members that volunteered as judges to make an event like this happen. It is evident that Science is thriving in Lansing!
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We are excited about the Lansing Area Elementary Science Fair this Saturday, February 1 at Reavis Elementary School! Doors open at 8:30 a.m. Enter at Door #1. We currently have 88 projects registered for the fair. Judging will begin at 9:15 a.m. Public viewing will begin at 12:00 p.m. The awards ceremony will begin at 12:30 p.m. Hope to see you there!
Honor Roll students were recognized at Coolidge School last Thursday morning. While the students enjoyed yogurt, Mrs. Hodgson discussed the value of a good education and the importance of continuing their education after high school.
The Coolidge teachers would like to thank Enchanted Backpack for the donated supplies, clothing, toys and games. The teachers loved picking out new supplies for their students!
The Coolidge Cougars did well during their first home game of the fifth grade basketball season! The boys won with a final score of 21-14. The final score of the girls’ game was 14-4. Go Cougars!
Coolidge Kindergarten Teacher Mrs. Anderson was recognized by Sky Zone as their December Teacher of the Month for her genuine care and dedication to her students! Many thanks to the parent who nominated her. #158Strong
Band Director Mr. Becker has a student teacher! Mr. Canning - shown here leading a low brass sectional at Oak Glen - joins us for the spring semester from VanderCook College of Music. Dr. Schilling, a former band director himself, also dropped by to give the students a few tips. This is #158Strong music education!
Band Director Mr. Becker has a student teacher! Mr. Canning - shown here leading a low brass sectional at Oak Glen - joins us for the spring semester from VanderCook College of Music. Dr. Schilling, a former band director himself, also dropped by to give the students a few tips. This is #158Strong music education!
January 16, 2020 was a great day to be a Coolidge Cougar. We received over $20,000 in donated books and supplies from Enchanted Backpack! Students sang "One Small Voice" as our great custodial staff unloaded everything and were treated to grade level dances and a flashmob featuring their teachers and Mayor Eidam. A special thanks to Coolidge 2nd Grade Teacher Mrs. Cappizano for completing the application with Enchanted Backpack, whose drivers described our educational climate as "vibrant." Outstanding job, Coolidge - you are #158Strong!
https://www.facebook.com/LansingSD158/videos/218051365876093/
As a fundraiser incentive, Coolidge students were able to tape Assistant Principal Mr. Byrne to the wall. He was a brave and courageous Coolidge Cougar! The students were so excited to see the experiment work!
Coolidge students enjoyed Kids Night Out. The students experienced a special night with friends while they enjoyed movies, pizza, popcorn, and a special visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. A special thank you to Ms. Lafferty and Ms. Dahlkamp for organizing the event!
Coolidge teacher, Nichole Harris, hosted the fifth annual Pajama Drive at Coolidge. This event was highlighted with a PJs with the Parents night put on by Coolidge PBIS members on December 4th. This is the second time that this event has been held with community members reading to both students and parents.
During the month of November Mrs. DiGrispino held her Kindness Club for 1st and 2nd graders at Coolidge Elementary. They covered a variety of ways to show kindness to others though stories, activities, and games. The students also had weekly activities to share with their families, friends and peers. What a great way to show our future leaders how important it is to spread kindness throug our day to day encounters.
Coolidge School concluded American Education Week with Drop Everything And Read (DEAR). About 650 students and the Coolidge staff lined the hallways and read together. Even Puff the Bearded Dragon wanted to be a part of the excitement! Over 1,200 books were donated during the Book Drive. Students loved getting different books during the Book Exchange.
Coolidge students recently enjoyed time on a huge game truck as a PTA fundraiser prize. Students were all smiles as they played video games with their friends. Thank you to the Lansing community for supporting our PTA fundraiser!
Mr. Becker played along with the Coolidge fifth graders during clarinet sectionals this week. The students learned about tempo and how to avoid making a squeak. Band is so much fun!
Last week, the annual Penny War was held at Coolidge School. This is a tradition that has been going on for many years. Classes compete to see who collects the most points counting pennies as positive points and silver money and dollars counting as negative points. Over $2,200 was collected for families in need during to the winter holidays. This is a great way to teach citizenship by helping our community.
Mrs. Hanaway, Mrs. Heim, and Miss Wazny applied for the Meemic Foundation’s Teachers Pay Teachers Classroom Resource Grant and WON! Representatives from the company awards their grants at a recent Coolidge School faculty meeting.
It’s time to begin your Science Fair Project! All students in grades K-5 are invited to be a part of our annual Area Elementary Science Fair on February 1. Fifth Grade Coolidge Teachers Mrs. Driver, Mrs. Jamrock, Mrs. Stablein and Mrs. Wiora hosted a Science Fair Parent Night at Coolidge to give details about the project, show example projects, and answer any questions from parents.
Students in second grade at Coolidge School crafted turkeys as a family turkey project for Thanksgiving. They displayed their creations during American Education Week!
Coolidge has been selected to receive a donation from Enchanted Backpack! This grant is valued at $20,000 and will provide essential classroom supplies, household goods, books, and clothing for our students. The donation will take place on Thursday, January 16 at 10:00 AM. Please share and help publicize this so we may receive more donations in the future! #158Strong
As part of our school-wide PBIS program, students at Coolidge spent their Cougar Cash on free throws with Mr. Byrne during lunch!
Mayor Patty Eidam read a story about community to the fifth graders at Coolidge. She led a discussion about different career choices. Coolidge School would like to thank Mayor Eidam and the Village of Lansing for being a part of our Community Reader Program.
Ms. Zentz's class at Coolidge read the story The Runaway Pumpkin by Kevin Lewis. They worked in groups to discuss how they can make the pumpkin roll farther on a ramp and realized the higher the incline, the further it will roll!
Happy Halloween from our Coolidge faculty and staff!
Last week Coolidge participated in Spirit Days for Red Ribbon Week. The students and staff were encouraged to dress according to the message for the day. We focused on promoting making positive choices. The PTA distributed items to reinforce focusing on their goals and being kind to everyone.
Coolidge students Lawrence and Laila Johnson started their day by riding to school on a fire truck. They won this honor at Loteria at Coolidge during Hispanic Heritage Month. What an awesome way to start the day!
Mrs. Fuller, LRC Director at Coolidge, has created a new Community Reader Program! Community members are given the opportunity to read a book to a class and discuss the story. This another great example of how the school and community are working together to help our students. In these pictures are Village of Lansing Trustee Mr. Abbasy, Village Administrator Mr. Podgorski, and Lan Oak Park District Board Commissioner Mrs. Adams who read the biography of Ruth Wakefield (inventor of chocolate chip cookies) and taught our fourth graders a song on her ukulele!
Coolidge teachers learned more about the Eight Mathematical Practices during a recent professional development meeting. Classroom teachers, paraprofessionals, and specials teachers collaborated together to improve instruction!
Coolidge PTA hosted a Bingo Night to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month! We had food samples and over 22 sponsors made donations. Coolidge believes strongly in forming community relationships. Thanks for the great turnout!
Second grade teacher Mrs. Capizzano and fifth grade teacher Mrs Driver were awarded Memic Foundation grants during a recent Coolidge faculty meeting. Mrs. Capizzano received $250 worth of school supplies for her classroom, and Mrs. Driver received a hydroponic butterfly habitat for her classroom. Another great day to be a Coolidge Cougar!
Coolidge students in Mrs. Lam’s 3rd grade class visited the Book Fair. This was a great opportunity for students to learn more about money and how much items cost!
The staff at Coolidge Elementary School work together as a team! What a great way to start a school year!
Students in Mrs. Sheahan’s 4th grade class enjoyed the new and improved Cougar Den at Coolidge Elementary School. When students displayed excellent behavior and complete all homework assignments, teachers can reward their class with time in the Cougar Den. The Cougar Den encourages and shows the importance of social interaction without the use of social media. Foosball, air hockey, puzzles, and board games are some of the favorites. Coolidge is always looking to expand with donations of craft projects and Legos.
Welcome to YOUR new Calvin Coolidge Elementary School! Landscaping has been completed by the new front entrance and we are proudly flying the American, Illinois, and Lansing flags! The final Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Coolidge has been set for Monday, September 16 at 7:00 PM and will include special guest speaker State Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr. Hope to see you there!
The Fifth Annual Coolidge Family Picnic was a huge success! Families gathered for food, games, and laughter at Coolidge this past Friday night in celebration of our new school year together. Reptiles from Coal Black Exotics were on display to view and touch. The best part of the night was being able to talk and mingle with other Coolidge families!
Hey Lansing School District 158, who's feeling their Coolidge Pride? Only a month until the new, fully completed building opens for school!
Coolidge Update: the new main entrance (left) and open kitchen (right) are nearing completion! District 158 is incredibly proud of this construction project and we look forward to hosting a final ribbon cutting and public walkthrough in the fall. #158Strong
The third grade students in Miss Spangler‘s class from Coolidge researched the history of their ancestors and presented an ethnic poster of their findings.
Mrs. Mirich, Mrs. Wiak, and Mr. Marcinski were each named Educator of the Year by the Coolidge PTA. We thank them for volunteering and helping our students in any way they can!
Coolidge School celebrated during their annual Jamboree! Students from TF South’s Captains’ Club ran twelve different games for over 600 students. Students wore white or blue shirts and cheered for their teams.
Coolidge update: the new front hallway, main office, and classrooms are looking great with floors tiled, furniture assembled, walls painted, arches installed, and spaces created for additional picture tiles! Progress is moving quickly both here and in the new open kitchen, with our Board of Education hiring A'viands to deliver fresh food service for the 2019-2020 school year.
The CCLB (Calumet City, Lansing, Burnham) PTA recognized volunteers in the community and honored them for their service at their annual dinner at TF South. Coolidge Social Worker Mrs. Doorn along with Coolidge family members Mrs. Lewis, Ms. Thigpen, and Mr. Gonzalez were recognized for their contributions. Thank you for making Coolidge School even better!
Students in Mrs. Wiora’s fifth grade class at Coolidge have been working collaboratively on their writing. The students wrote key word outlines and wrote a paragraph retelling the “She Risked Everything” article in a recent Scholastic News magazine.
Mrs. Lam’s third grade class read "How Do You Raise a Raisin?" by Pam Munoz Ryan and "Raisins" by Margie Sigman. The students were fascinated that raisins are made from grapes. The book said a few days in direct sunlight would turn grapes into raisins. They wanted to see if raisins could be made using artificial light in the classroom. Mrs. Hodgson donated the grapes from her lunch, and the students made predictions and observations for the raisin experiment. The process took 42 days or 6 weeks. So, they eventually made raisins!
The Coolidge playground supervisors were treated to a surprise party to recognize them for all that they do to care for our students. We are thankful that safety of our students is their priority! The Coolidge Family continues to work together.
On Wednesday, April 10, Coolidge fifth graders in Mr. Becker's clarinet sectional were treated to a special lesson. Superintendent Dr. Schilling, who used to be a band director, shared his grandmother's antique metal clarinet from the 1930's! Students were able to see how the instrument has changed, discuss the physics of sound, reflect on their experiences as beginning clarinetists, reinforce good playing habits, and perform a few etudes together. Ydalis Alvarez and Jasmine Gonzalez were even called up to demonstrate! Dr. Schilling will be sharing this lesson at other District 158 schools in the upcoming weeks.
To improve teaching and learning, the Coolidge teachers researched fiction and nonfiction resources and planned a new methodology of teaching writing. The teachers shared their ideas with each other to make our curriculum even better. Collaboration is a key to success!
Come check out the Coolidge Mini-Mall and our student entrepreneurs tomorrow night, March 22nd!
As the fifth graders in Mrs. Wiora's class at Coolidge completed a morning of Pi related activities, students earned time to make Pi bracelets.
Fifth grade Coolidge students in the class of Mrs. Driver and Mrs. Hays-Smith cooperatively work in small groups on a STEM project. The students were challenged to build the tallest and strongest structure out of the given paper shapes.
On Friday, March 1- National Pig Day - Coolidge students were treated to a visit by Macie: Ms. Zentz's pet miniature pig! Students participated in lessons with Macie including measuring the perimeter of her cage, reading to her, and comparing pig care to their own self care. Superintendent Mr. Schilling - a pig parent himself - dropped by to teach her a few tricks!
Coolidge parents learned about the scientific method process during the Science Fair Parent Night. Many thanks to Mrs. Driver, Mrs. Jamrock, Mrs. Stablein, Mrs. Wiora for sharing awesome ideas and great tips for a successful project. All students are encouraged to participate in the Lansing Area Science Fair on April 6.
The Coolidge Boys Basketball Team finished the season undefeated with a 6-0 record. A special thanks to Coach Hersom for her dedication, knowledge and encouragement! Congratulations to the boys on becoming District Champions!
Coolidge first graders working with Reading Specialist Mrs. Spila. Students are reading "Jake's Valentine Treats" and learning how to identify the title, author, illustrator, characters, character traits, and rhyming words. Pictured left-to-right: Kiley Chaidez, Christina Munoz, John Arias, Mason Arnold, and Micayah Mcclenic. Happy Valentine's Day!
Progress continues with the Coolidge Renovation/Expansion Project. The new main entrance (pictured right) is taking shape and walls are going up for the open kitchen (bottom left) that will prepare and serve fresh food daily to all schools in the district!
Monday, February 4 was the first basketball game held in the new Coolidge Elementary School gym! Here is the tip-off. Coolidge's boys beat Reavis 18-11. Reavis's girls took the win 4-2.
Coolidge third graders built electrical circuits during LRC time. Students worked in groups and learned how a circuit can create scoreboard and sound activated devices. This project was a part of many engaging STEM related lessons being taught by LRC Director Mrs. Fuller.
Coolidge fourth graders in Mrs. Heim's and Mrs. Hays-Smith's class on Wednesday, January 9 after their morning meeting, which was student-led by Aaron Carter (back left) and involved a greeting, sharing, and activity. Students are working on speaking, listening, and vocabulary skills. Superintendent Mr. Schilling (back right) stopped by to teach a few science words.
Coolidge Elementary School students had the opportunity to attend Kids Night Out. This is an evening where students watched a movie, ate pizza, popcorn, and a rice krispie treat! Two of the best things of the night were hanging out with their friends and a visit from Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus!
On Friday November 30, Coolidge Elementary School’s PBIS Committee hosted PJ's with Parents. The event was the kickoff to Coolidge’s annual pajama drive for children living in homeless shelters and featured games and crafts focusing on our Character Counts Program. Speakers included Lansing Mayor Mrs. Eidam, Superintendent Mr. Schilling, Ofc. Bogan and Ofc. Murrin from the Lansing Police Department, South Holland Stallions Coach Mr. Terry, and Coolidge Nurse Mrs. Porter.
Coolidge School held their annual Penny War and would like to thank all of those who donated money and time to the Penny Wars. We broke our school record by collecting more than $2,740! What a great Coolidge community effort to help others and to show how much we care! Each class competed by donating pennies (positive points) to their class or nickels, dimes, quarters or paper money (negative points) to other classes. The classes with the most points won a popcorn party. The following classes earned the most points for their grade level: K – Ms. Bireline, 1st – Mrs. Fitch, 2nd – Mrs. Quinn, 3rd – Mrs. Woensdregt, 4th – Miss Harris, 5th – Mrs. Driver. Many thanks to the Coolidge PTA for making this event happen!
In celebration of American Education Week, Coolidge School held a Book Drive. Over 3,000 books were collected. Students who donated books were able to pick out new ones to take home on Friday. On Monday and Tuesday, all students will be offered an opportunity to pick out a new book to take home. The students were excited to replenish their home libraries. One student said, "This is like a real book store." Another student said, "Do I get to actually take these books home and keep them for free?" Many thanks to our Coolidge PTA for promoting the culture of learning and reading at Coolidge!
The second graders at Coolidge are showing how much they care about Thanksgiving! A display of decorated turkey is available for all students to enjoy. Many thanks to the families who worked together to create such beautiful projects!
Happy Halloween from Calvin Coolidge Elementary School!
Mrs. Stablein’s class, with the help of Mrs. Nieves, created this bulletin board to celebrate and recognize Hispanic Heritage month (September 15 to October 15). We have been saying the Pledge of Allegiance in Spanish and English. Students are also taught one word or phrase in Spanish every day.
Coolidge Elementary School parents and students celebrate Open House 2018!
Congratulations to Jennifer Fuller for winning the Meemic Foundation’s $100 Back-to-School Supplies Grant. Mrs. Fuller will use the grant money to buy supplies for the new Coolidge LRC.
