News from the Kitchen: who likes pasta? Fresh food is being prepared daily at Coolidge and transported to all of our schools. Download the Nutrislice app (look for the orange logo) and select Lansing School District to see menus and provide feedback. Bon appétit!
Download from the Apple App Store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/school-lunch-by-nutrislice/id567183091?ign-mpt=uo%3D4
Download from the Google Play Store
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nutrislice.schoollunch&hl=en
In recognition of National Custodial Workers Day, please join us in giving a big District 158 shoutout to our entire custodial, maintenance, and buildings and grounds staff! The work you do on behalf of our school district is invaluable and one of the reasons we have some of the best facilities in the state. Thanks for everything you do - you are #158Strong!
District 158 Enrichment parents gathered at Memorial Junior High School to listen to Mrs. Kooy's introductory presentation on the Enrichment program.
Mr. Becker and the Memorial Junior High Mighty Mustang Band were outstanding during their elementary school tours. The Memorial Band traveled to Reavis, Oak Glen, Lester Crawl, and Coolidge elementary schools spreading cheer. They played various musical selections and talked to students about the different types of instruments played by students in the band. The beautiful tunes brought smiles to all the students.
Lester Crawl kindergartners Victoria Chavez and Arden Wallace, with the help of their teacher Mrs. Myers and principal Dr. Morley, led the Pledge of Allegiance at last night's Board Meeting! Now that Coolidge has been officially completed, District 158 looks forward to moving ahead with the renovation and expansion of Lester Crawl. Stay tuned!
Thanks to all the Coolidge students, parents, staff, elected officials, and community members to came out last night for our Final Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - you are now a part of history! Also much appreciation to State Representative Marcus C. Evans, Jr. and Rep Will Davis for your visibility and support. According to Rep. Evans, we have "one of the best school districts in the Southland!" #158Strong
Instrumental Music Recruitment is currently being held in District 158 starting with an aptitude survey for all fifth graders. This type of survey has been used in schools throughout the country and has proven to be very successful in pre-assessing and determining accuracy with pitch, harmony, melody, and rhythm. Surveys of this type are designed for children with little or no previous musical experience. This initial introduction day also gives Band Director Mr. Becker a chance to get students excited about the amazing opportunities that are presented in the District 158 music program! Registration for the 2019-20 Beginning Band will be held on Wednesday, October 2, 5:00-8:00 PM.
The E.A.R.T.H. Program’s “migratory monarchs” visited Coolidge School’s Enrichment Program. Students examined chrysalis’s at various stages, male and female monarch butterflies, and then helped to prepare the monarchs by feeding them nectar to ensure they have the energy to migrate to Mexico. The monarchs were released later that day by the Reavis E.A.R.T.H Program students.
Huge thanks to Tim Hannig and The Pro Kids Show for entertaining, teaching, and bringing smiles and laughter to our staff, students, and families! Mr. Hannig presents at all three of our elementary schools each year and we couldn't be happier to continue this partnership.
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!
Our Time Travelers under the direction of Mrs. DiGrispino did an outstanding job with their performance "Greatest Americans of the 20th Century" at the Lansing Public Library on Monday, August 26! These 22 students came back weeks after Summer School ended to rehearse and complete this performance. Special thanks to the Lansing Historical Society for continuing to support our program and making a generous donation to the Time Travelers! You can find more pictures of this performance on their Facebook page.
Let's give a big Grizzly Growl for Oak Glen 5th Grade Teacher Mrs. Cialdella, who won the raffle for this fantastic eagle painting by Sam Glen Motivational Speaker! Superintendent Dr. Schilling dropped by yesterday to present this during our afternoon Professional Development Meeting. Congratulations!
Reavis fourth grader Kathryn Wood led the Pledge of Allegiance at our August Board Meeting! Kathryn is in Mr. Cieplucha's class and participates in softball, volleyball, Girls on the Run, and the E.A.R.T.H. program. She is a kind, caring, positive, and insightful member of our community. Great job!
A big District 158 thank you to Sam Glenn Motivational Speaker for presenting to all of our faculty and staff today! Mr. Glenn (pictured top left with Board President Mr. Wood and Memorial RTI Teacher Mrs. Vance) completed a beautiful eagle painting for our district and challenged us to soar outside of our comfort zones. We also recognized newly tenured staff. A great start to a great school year! #158Strong
Friday, August 16: wonderful outdoor performance at Memorial Junior High by our Summer Band! Thanks to all of our parents, families, friends, and staff for coming out and making this concert a success, as well as Band Director Mr. Becker for all of his hard work. These students have passed off on 375 scales - great job!
August 15, 2019
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
Please click on the link below for a welcome letter from Superintendent Dr. Schilling for the 2019-2020 school year. We look forward to seeing your students back on Tuesday, August 20! You are welcome to still complete online registration if needed and/or stop by the offices of our schools for assistance.
Sincerely,
Lansing School District 158
https://5il.co/9j9d
New teachers engaged in professional learning at Reavis on their first day of mentoring. One week to go until school starts!
On Thursday, August 8, three of our assistant principals - Mrs. Sechowski from Oak Glen (pictured left), Mrs. Booth from Reavis (center), and Mr. Byrne from Coolidge (right) - met with all of our lunch and recess supervisors for a training before students return. D158 makes safety the highest priority and we are fortunate to have great leaders and support staff in all areas of the district. Mrs. Booth is new this year and joins us from Matteson - welcome! #158Strong
Who's ready for the First Day of School? The new Coolidge is! Online registration is open and the offices at all of our schools are available 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM to assist any families. Please drop by if you still need to register. School starts on Tuesday, August 20 with a morning half-day for students. See you soon!
At our July Board Meeting, District 158 was honored to recognize recent Memorial Junior High graduate Ana-Leise Torian '19 for winning the 2019 IESA State 100-Meter Hurdles Championship! Ana-Leise was presented with a state ring (top left) and certificate of recognition from the District. We are also excited to announce that yesterday she won the Pentathlon event at the 2019 USA Track & Field Junior Olympic National Championships (bottom left)! Do we have a future Olympian in our midst? Congratulations Ana-Leise - you are #158Strong!
Memorial Junior High School Baseball and Softball Information
Hey Lansing School District 158, who's feeling their Coolidge Pride? Only a month until the new, fully completed building opens for school!
Summer School students were excited to learn about reptiles such as snakes, turtles, lizards, alligators, and crocodiles! The "Reptiles Are Cool" show brought reptiles from Africa, Asia, Australia and North America to Reavis Elementary School. Our students (and Director of Curriculum & Assessment Mrs. Bragg, also pictured) learned about different adaptations that reptiles have to help them survive in their environments. At the end of the assembly, all students were able to touch either a corn or milk snake!
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
Summer School students at Reavis are collecting data on plant growth and local rain measurements using rain gauges and tablet computers! Additionally, they are drying lemon balm for culinary purposes and maintaining a worm habitat using moister, food scraps, and paper. The castings and leachate are being used for fertilizer in the garden.
On May 2nd, the combined Songs of Peace Choir students from Oak Glen and Coolidge School performed a concert of songs about peace and kindness for the residents of Saint Anthony of Lansing. Following the concert, the students played Kindness BINGO with the residents and also helped the residents to decorate a door hanger to be used for their rooms. The students and residents alike enjoyed their time together and spreading kindness right here in Lansing.
A HUGE congratulations and thank you to District 158's 2019 retirees - Mrs. Doorn, Mrs. Mirich, and Mrs. Wiak at Coolidge; Mrs. Kuhlmann at Oak Glen; Mrs. Thurston at Reavis; and Ms. Madonia at the District Office - who were recognized at our annual luncheon on Monday, June 10! Superintendent Dr. Schilling also gave out two new awards with Mr. Donley from Horace Mann. Ms. Rising (Lester Crawl), Ms. Spangler (Coolidge), Mrs. Sechowski (Oak Glen), Mrs. White (Reavis), and Mrs. Arseneau (Memorial) were named Staff Member of the Year and received Crystal Apples and Mrs. Kern (Lester Crawl) and Mrs. Berridge (Oak Glen) were given Crystal Owls for Perfect Attendance! Great job! #158Strong
In honor of Memorial Day this weekend, Lansing School District 158 is sharing this picture of the monument in front of Memorial Junior High. The poem reads, "Let none forget they gave their all and faltered not when came the call." Thank you to all our brave men and women who gave their lives in service to our country and defense of our freedom. Also notice that District 158 is proud to now be flying Lansing flags at all of our schools! #158Strong
The new open kitchen at Coolidge is nearing the final stages of completion! Four high quality, industrial size hoods are being installed this week and will be used with the ranges, ovens, braising pans, and other equipment to prepare fresh food daily for the whole school district. Improving student health and nutrition is an important initiative of District 158. Look for more construction updates in the near future!
We are happy to announce that Ana-liese Torian is the new State Champion in the 100m hurdles with a time of 14.9 seconds. The track and field state competition finals took place on Saturday, May 18th at Corwin Clatt Field in East Peoria. We are so proud of Ana-liese, our fearless Mighty Mustang!
Coolidge (top right), Oak Glen (left), and Reavis (bottom right) first and second graders did a great job at their Spring Music Concerts! #158Strong
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.
On Tuesday, May 14, District 158 held our annual Spring Music Concert at Memorial Junior High School. Two concert bands, the jazz ensemble, and concert choir performed; Band Director Mr. Becker was given a gift by the eighth grade class; Superintendent Dr. Schilling guest conducted a march; and several students were honored with awards - all in front of a standing room only crowd! Thanks to our outstanding music faculty, students, and parents for supporting performing arts education in Lansing!
At last night's Board Meeting, Memorial students Ainsley Grant, Craig Morrison, and Olamiposi Sulaimon led the Pledge of Allegiance and were recognized for their achievements at the State Science Fair!
On Wednesday, May 8, Memorial Assistant Principals Mr. Nagle and Ms. Washington, Memorial Dean/Activities Director Mr. Herron, and Oak Glen Assistant Principal Ms. Sechowski were recognized at Governors State University! All four administrators recently completed the New Leaders Mentoring Program with Dr. Saundra Mickles (pictured third from left). Congratulations! #158Strong
At last week's Illinois Association of School Business Officials Conference, Chief School Business Official Mr. Crotty was recognized by Superintendent Dr. Schilling for his "financial advice, business management, and operational expertise" in District 158! Mr. Crotty helped secure bonds to support the $23 million renovation and expansion of Coolidge Elementary School! A link to the conference video can be found here: https://vimeo.com/334910366
Great job Lester Crawl, Coolidge, Reavis, and Memorial for representing District 158 in Lansing's Good Neighbor Day Parade. May The Fourth Be With You! #158Strong
On Thursday, May 2, students from the Reavis Kindness Club, Oak Gen and Coolidge Songs of Peace Choirs, and Memorial Concert Choir joined together to perform a family concert entitled "It Just Takes One Voice." Several Lansing community members joined us including Mayor Eidam, who was presented with kindness notes colored by the students to be distributed to community members at the Village Hall.
Congratulations to Director of Curriculum & Assessment Mrs. Bragg for being selected for the James V. & Dorothy B. Moon Scholarship from the Illinois Association of School Administrators! This award was established by a former Illinois superintendent and provides support for administrators completing advanced graduate coursework in school district leadership. The article below was published in the April 2019 edition of Leadership Matters.
April 24, 2019
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
A reminder that Online Registration for the 2019-2020 school year will open next Monday, April 29! Early bird discounts apply through Friday, May 10. Please register your student(s) before school ends on Monday, June 10. You are welcome to contact our school offices with any questions.
Sincerely,
Lansing School District 158
On April 12-13, 2019, our Strategic Planning Committee met to create a new 5-Year Strategic Plan for the school district. Thanks to all of the board members, parents, staff, village officials, and community members who participated! District 158 also unveiled a new vision statement at this time: "Putting the Children First with a Commitment to Continuous Improvement!" The Strategic Plan will be presented at our next Board of Education Meeting on Tuesday, April 30. #PTCFVision2024
Lansing School District has started a new tradition! At the April 17 Board Meeting, a student led the Pledge of Allegiance. This is Philip Dickey, a fourth grader in Mrs. Rhodes's class at Reavis. Philip is an Honor Roll student, consistently demonstrates kindness and caring for others, asks a lot of questions and is an active participant in class, and is a member of the PBIS Student Leadership Team. We are hoping to have other students lead the Pledge at future Board Meetings. Great job Philip!
Lansing School District 158's Annual Elementary Science Far was held at Oak Glen on Saturday, April 6. Congratulations to all students who participated and thanks to our junior high scientists for showcasing their own projects before heading to State!
Board Secretary Mr. Wood and Superintendent Dr. Schilling on the roof of First United Methodist Church with Pastor Price (center right) and Pastor Young of Increasing Faith Ministries (far right) for the T. F. South baseball game on April 1, 2019. Memorial Junior High's baseball and softball teams were bused over to watch the Rebels win 11-1!
Coolidge construction update! The new main entrance and front office are taking shape with arches and windows installed, furniture delivered, and walls painted in school colors. Our architects continue to respect the history of Coolidge by restoring original stonework inside the new building. District 158 will be hosting a Business After Hours with the Lansing Area Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday, April 10, 5:00-7:00 PM to showcase this progress. We hope to see you there!
Congratulations to District 158's Director of Student Services Dr. Carter, who is being inducted into Sandburg High School's Legacy Hall! This organization awards alumni who have realized their life-long potential and established a positive example for future students.
On Wednesday, March 20, District 158's Buildings & Grounds Team was recognized by Dr. Vanessa Kinder, Executive Director of the South Cook Intermediate Service Center (pictured far right), for their work in helping District 158 secure a perfect score on our 2018-2019 facility inspection! South Cook noted that all five of our schools are very clean, well maintained, and conducive for learning. Great job!
Board of Education members and District 158 administrators collaborating with Strategic Plan Facilitator Dr. Madonia during a training session on Monday, March 11. The group reviewed, discussed, and practiced ways to engage community stakeholders when the full committee assembles in a few weeks. #Vision2024
Congratulations to our Coolidge Cougars for winning the 10th Annual Lansing Roundball Classic - finishing the tournament and their overall season undefeated - and Oak Glen fifth grader Jessica Campuzano for winning the Hot Shot Competition! Recognition was provided during the Village of Lansing's Board Meeting on March 5, 2019.
On Wednesday, February 20, our Board of Education recognized Memorial's 8th Grade Girls Basketball Team for their achievements this season. They finished the year with a record of 18-3, averaged 52 points per game, won Regionals and Sectionals, and qualified for State two years in a row. Ana-Liese Torian and Brianna Hill were selected for All-Conference and Javaiya Baker was named the team's MVP. Congratulations girls!
On Friday, February 1, Lansing School District 158 started the process of developing a new five-year strategic plan. The Board of Education and district administration spent two evenings with our plan facilitator - Dr. Bob Madonia (pictured), a retired superintendent, consultant, professor, and staff development provider - to create focus areas and a vision that will guide this process. Stay tuned for a strategic planning survey that will be sent out to the community in the near future. #Vision2024
Todas las escuelas del Distrito Escolar Lansing 158 regresarán a la sesión el viernes 1 de febrero.
All Lansing School District 158 schools will be back in session on Friday, February 1.
On Monday, January 28, Superintendent Mr. Schilling and District Attorney Mr. Boyle completed a presentation and training with all of the Lansing Police Department supervisors. Topics included legal requirements, student discipline, reciprocal reporting, and parent communication. District 158 prides itself on maintaining excellent working relationships with our local first responders!
Por causas de las bajas temperaturas, todas las escuelas del Distrito 158 de Lansing estarán cerradas el martes 29 de enero, el miércoles 30 de enero y el jueves 31 de enero. Todas las actividades después de la escuela estarán canceladas.
Due to inclement weather, all Lansing School District 158 schools will be closed on Tuesday, January 29, Wednesday, January 30 and Thursday, January 31. All after school and evening events and activities will be cancelled during this time.
Superintendent Mr. Schilling is remembering Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today with these pictures from North Central College, which were taken on November 21, 1960 and include his great uncle Dr. Arlo Schilling who was President at the time. Dr. King gave a speech titled "Stride Toward Freedom" in Pfeiffer Hall and asked that Black Americans be treated as full citizens of the United States. How do you remember Dr. King?
Happy New Year from Lansing School District 158! Our Board of Education and Leadership Team are here to serve you. Pictured sitting (left-to-right): Board Secretary Mr. Wood, Board President Mr. Bonifazi, and Board Vice President Mrs. Long. Pictured standing (left-to-right): Chief School Business Official Mr. Crotty; Superintendent Mr. Schilling; Board Members Mrs. Kelly, Dr. Wallace, Mr. Durán, and Mr. Taylor; and Director of Curriculum & Assessment Mrs. Bragg.
On Wednesday, December 19, Memorial Junior High School's Speech Team was recognized before the Board of Education for their recent success at the IESA Speech Competition. Three students placed first, four placed second, and two placed third in events ranging from acting to storytelling and poetry. Seventh grader Alexis Dixon read an excerpt of her poem for the Board. Congratulations!
Lansing School District 158 recently completed a presentation on MAP at the South Cook Intermediate Service Center in Chicago Heights. Director of Curriculum & Assessment Mrs. Bragg, Coolidge Principal Mrs. Hodgson, and Reavis Principal Mr. Kostopoulos spoke to other education professionals for 60 minutes on how to use MAP data for Professional Learning Communities, student and team goal setting, differentiated instruction, and teacher evaluation. District 158 implemented MAP assessments last year and has been designated a model district in the South Cook region!
On November 14, 2018, Board President Mr. Bonifazi administered the oath of office to our newest board member: Mr. Abi Durán (left). The Board of Education, Superintendent Mr. Schilling, and Coolidge Principal Mrs. Hodgson also recognized fourth grader Will Rosenberg (right) for his assistance to military veterans and first responders during Lansing's Autumn Fest. Congratulations!
Congratulations to our outstanding volunteers - (left-to-right) Coolidge PTA Treasurer Mrs. Modjeski, Reavis Paraprofessional Ms. Waites, Memorial PTA President Mrs. Enright-Taylor, and Oak Glen PTA Vice President Ms. Stubbs - who were recognized at the Lansing Evening of Thanks on November 9!
Happy Halloween from Lansing School District 158! Students at all three elementary schools participated in outdoor parades and shared their great costumes with neighborhood residents. Thanks to all our parents who volunteered their time to help run activities in the afternoon.
On Thursday, October 18, Lansing School District 158 held Family Math Night at Memorial Junior High School. A variety of engaging, relevant activities were hosted for students and parents - including shapes, puzzles, play-dough, 3D design, board games, manipulatables, geoboards, and a live game show in the gym that students participated in. Over 600 people attended the event and families left with suggestions on how they could further their students' mathematical learning outside of school.
On Wednesday, October 10, Lansing School District 158 participated in Walk to School Day! Thanks for the great turnout from our students, parents, school board members, teachers, administrators, mayor, police officers, fire department, and others in the community who helped make this event a huge success!
Lansing School District 158 received the following letter from the Illinois Department of Natural Resources regarding our efforts to support the chimney swift birds at Coolidge Elementary School. Thank you to Regional Wildlife Biologist Mr. Domazlicky for his visibility, advice, collaboration, and positive feedback regarding this situation.
On Monday, August 27, Lansing School District 158's Time Travelers performed "The Incredible Westward Movement" at the Lansing Public Library. This piece - "Getting Lost In America" by Ron Fink and John Heath - featured a solo by Memorial 6th Grader Esmeralda Spencer as Sacagawea, who helped the Corps of Discovery (played by Oak Glen 3rd Grader Sultan Bellow, Reavis 3rd Grader Andrew Herrera, Reavis 3rd Grader Ian Stubbs). Thanks to Mrs. DiGrispino for directing and the Lansing Historical Society for hosting the event!
During yesterday's Opening Teacher Institute, Superintendent Mr. Schilling (far left) and Horace Mann Representative Mr. Donley (far right) recognized seven Lansing School District 158 faculty members who received tenure this year: (left-to-right) Memorial PE Teacher Mrs. Bersell, Coolidge 5th Grade Teacher Mrs. Wiora, Coolidge 2nd Grade Teacher Mrs. Sannito, Memorial 7th Grade ELA Teacher Mrs. Flaherty, Reavis 4th Grade Teacher Mrs. Martinez, Oak Glen Social Worker Ms. Toppmeyer, and Oak Glen 4th & 5th Grade Co-Teacher Mrs. Joria. Congratulations to our educators on achieving this career milestone!
