
Please be reminded that this afternoon is a 2:00 PM dismissal for all District 158 schools. Our offices will close today at 3:00 PM. We are incredibly proud of everything our stakeholders have done to help us safely and successfully reach this point in the 2021-2022 school year. Take care and have an enjoyable Spring Break!
Por favor, recuerde que esta tarde todas las escuelas del Distrito 158 se despiden a las 2:00 PM. Nuestras oficinas cerrarán hoy a las 3:00 PM. Estamos increíblemente orgullosos de todo lo que nuestras partes interesadas han hecho para ayudarnos a alcanzar este punto de manera segura y exitosa en el año escolar 2021-2022. ¡Cuídense y disfruten de unas agradables vacaciones de primavera!
Por favor, recuerde que esta tarde todas las escuelas del Distrito 158 se despiden a las 2:00 PM. Nuestras oficinas cerrarán hoy a las 3:00 PM. Estamos increíblemente orgullosos de todo lo que nuestras partes interesadas han hecho para ayudarnos a alcanzar este punto de manera segura y exitosa en el año escolar 2021-2022. ¡Cuídense y disfruten de unas agradables vacaciones de primavera!

We will be holding a COVID-19 vaccination clinic at Coolidge Elementary School tomorrow from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Please enter through Door 3. You may use the link below to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are also welcome.
https://idph-mychart.pchosted.com/IDPH/signupandschedule/embeddedschedule?vt=24629&dept=9001410010967

Walk-in vaccine clinic - Lansing Library - January 15
https://thelansingjournal.com/2022/01/02/walk-in-vaccine-clinic-at-lansing-library-scheduled-for-january-15/?mc_cid=3fc074e06d&mc_eid=ec12ea4240

Please join us for a broadcast of Memorial Junior High School's Virtual Winter Art Exhibit! You can watch this live on YouTube Premier starting at 5:00 PM on Friday, December 10.
https://youtu.be/DUd97pEhoL8

COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments and Information:
CVS Pharmacy
Walgreens
Jewel-Osco
Meijer
Cook County Health Booster Appointment
Cook County Vaccination and Testing Sites
Additional Vaccine Information
CVS Pharmacy
Walgreens
Jewel-Osco
Meijer
Cook County Health Booster Appointment
Cook County Vaccination and Testing Sites
Additional Vaccine Information

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.

Please see below for a Quarter 2 letter from Superintendent Dr. Schilling that outlines expectations for student behavior at Memorial Junior High School in alignment with the 2021-2022 Student/Parent Handbook, which you can find on our website.
https://5il.co/113mb

Coolidge Elementary School will be hosting a fourth COVID-19 vaccination clinic in partnership with the Illinois Department of Public Health on Saturday, October 23, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Guests should enter through Door 3. The Pfizer and Johnson & Johnson vaccines, as well as the booster (third dose) for those who qualify for it, will be available during this clinic. Please see the following flyer for more information.

Our transportation service will be unable to provide school buses for the 2:00 PM student dismissal next Tuesday, September 7. Because of this, the early release is cancelled and District 158 will be running a normal school day. Students will be dismissed at the regular afternoon times next Tuesday, September 7 and buses will be running then. We apologize for any inconvenience they may cause. Please contact the office of your child's school with any questions.

The Summer School Scoop - https://5il.co/u8rn

Coolidge Songs of Peace
https://youtu.be/Niunjwf0d7A

Oak Glen Songs of Peace
https://youtu.be/wl68qffKN_8

Reavis Kindness Program
https://youtu.be/-mtJAguFnn8

LNN interview with Dr. Schilling about reopening our schools

LINK TO START OF PHASE III FAMILY SURVEY - https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=kMQKIr5K70SbTZDuHzTj5k2HqidOWN5FsHd8fuiYPkFUMEJNMTI5WkNHOVJGRFNOME5KSDcyODJOMS4u
Link to Black History Month Premiere - https://youtu.be/iuxnNyPEKFw
LINK TO MRS. DOCKERY EARTHKIND VIDEO - https://youtu.be/RjBW2r1QjEg

A Look Inside Memorial Junior High School

This is a friendly reminder to submit any questions about our Phase III Reopening Plan by 4:00 PM tomorrow (Friday, January 8). Please use the link below:
https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=kMQKIr5K70SbTZDuHzTj5nGtxLiubG1HuGyBU7E8vO1UQ0szSlZPWVFNVkVBNks4SlhTOUZOMDlDUS4u&wdLOR=c668E4097-89F7-4C3E-80B3-844AE6C6D668

2020 Memorial Junior High School Broadcasting Team Holiday Greeting


Lansing School District 158 would like to wish all of our stakeholders a Happy Thanksgiving! Please see below for a special message from our Leadership Team to our wonderful students, parents, families, staff, and community:


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

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

For our final day of Those Who Excel recognition, CONGRATULATIONS to Coolidge's Assistant Principal Mr. Byrne for receiving the Award of Excellence! Only three administrators in Illinois were selected this year. #158Strong Mr. Byrne, who is shown below at Coolidge's Ribbon Cutting last year, has been with District 158 since 2006. Kudos to all of our winners! #CoolidgeCares

District 158 would like to say CONGRATULATIONS and THANK YOU to Lansing's Mr. Rick Seymour, who with Oak Glen's Mrs. Reynolds ran the Roundball Classic for 11 years! Mr. Seymour has received the Those Who Excel Award of Merit as a Community Volunteer. The picture below shows Mrs. Reynolds' 11 binders for each year of the Roundball. You two are #158Strong!

District 158 would like to recognize our Those Who Excel Award of Merit winner in the Early Career Educator category: Memorial's Team 7A Social Studies Teacher Ms. Miller! CONGRATULATIONS! Ms. Miller has been #158Strong the past four years. She is pictured below with the rest of her team last year. #MightyMustangs

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

National Junior Honor Society members helped pass out free books to Memorial students and families on Monday, October 19. Thank you to Beth Bozzo from the Lansing Public Library for contributing to the giveaway, as well as #MightyMustangs Cymone Merriweather, Cecilia Szotek, Summer Delatorre-Kern, and Aaliyah Harb! #158Strong

For Day 3 of our Those Who Excel recognition, CONGRATULATIONS to Reavis's Mrs. Hileman for receiving the Award of Excellence for Educational Service Personnel! Mrs. Hileman was been with District 158 as a paraprofessional since 2017 and received the Crystal Apple Award last year. The picture below shows her multitasking preparing for Parent/Teacher Conferences. #158Strong #RoadrunnerPride

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

CONGRATULATIONS to #158Strong School Psychologist Dr. Crowe who has received the Award of Merit from the Illinois State Board of Education! Dr. Crowe has been with District 158 for 22 years, is based at Lester Crawl , and is a National Certified School Psychologist. He also works with students at Reavis, Memorial, and Lansing's private schools. The picture below shows him dressed as Obi-Wan Kenobi from the Good Neighbor Parade! #LittleLearners #RoadrunnerPride #MightyMustangs

For the first time in history, District 158 has received the Those Who Excel Award from the Illinois State Board of Education! A total of five individuals and one school are winners. CONGRATULATIONS to Lester Crawl Primary Center for receiving the 2020 Award of Excellence and being named a top Educational Team in the state! We will be releasing the other winners each day next week. Stay tuned! #LittleLearners #158Strong

On Friday, October 9, District 158 collected and distributed a state donation of personal protective equipment for 17 local school districts! This included special education cooperatives, private schools, and public districts. Our Buildings & Grounds Team continues to take the lead in the region for safety, maintenance, and facilities! #158Strong

Attention #158Strong Families: today is the last day to participate in the 2020 Census. Please try to complete this if you haven't already so Lansing can receive the best funding for our community!
https://www.thelansingjournal.com/news/2020/10/14/today-marks-final-chance-to-take-2020-census/?utm_source=The+Lansing+Journal+Daily+News+subscribers&utm_campaign=ac60f55261-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9f026132e4-ac60f55261-157296003&mc_cid=ac60f55261&mc_eid=ec12ea4240

Memorial's LRC Director Mrs. Arseneau would like to share this video featuring up-and-coming Black author Janae Marks as part of our series promoting diverse, culturally important books. District 158 will be designating this our #158Strong Inclusion Series. Feel free to also check out previous videos by Dr. Schilling, Ms. Ford, and Mr. Brown on this Facebook page. We hope our students and families have an enjoyable weekend!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZaxL2fBrRY&feature=youtu.be

Thanks to Lilydale First Baptist Church in Park Forest and the Village of Lansing for donating these 50 boxes of milk and produce for our families! Here's Mr. Reynolds from the Village assisting #158Strong Mrs. Soto with the drop-off at Coolidge. We look forward to distributing these food items to our community. Stay tuned!

Dear #MightyMustangs,
Please see the link below for an important announcement from Principal Dr. Ross and Team Leaders Mrs. Scott, Ms. Schoeder, and Mr. White regarding the E-Learning Schedule at Memorial Junior High School.
https://youtu.be/wWjNwjR2qjw
Our team has been working hard to consider alternative schedules for Quarter 2. Take a look at what we've come up with and be prepared for a follow-up email tomorrow with a survey that can be used to designate your preference.
Thank you for continuing to share your thoughts and feedback regarding E-Learning at Memorial. You are welcome to contact our office with any questions.
Sincerely,
Memorial Junior High School

Attention #158Strong Families: have you tried our grab-and-go food service yet? Meals are served on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:00 to 11:00 AM at all of our schools. This video from A'viands provides more information about what is being served. Happy eating!
https://vimeo.com/449391050/3850423dab

In addition to keeping District 158's buildings safe and clean, our custodians like #158Strong Mr. Breuker at Reavis are working hard to make sure our lawns and greenspaces continue to look great! District 158 is hiring two (2) new full-time custodians. Feel free to contact our District Office if interested. #RoadrunnerPride

Remember to respond to the Census 2020! Lansing's response rate is under 75% and there is one week left to complete your questionnaire. Please help make sure Lansing receives adequate funding over the next 10 years! More information is available from any of our school offices or by visiting my2020census.gov.
https://www.facebook.com/218085848247277/videos/2752733358317593

With all of the computer activities going on during this pandemic, District 158 hopes our students and families are still able to enjoy time outdoors. Our Lester Crawl squirrels gathering acorns certainly are! Feel free to take a picture of something interesting outside and reply here with it. Happy posting!

As we conclude our fourth week of e-Learning, Assistant Executive Director of Student Services Ms. Ford would like to share this video featuring books by two important African American authors. Black lives, including those with disabilities, matter. We are #158Strong together and look forward to sharing more videos like this in the near future.
https://www.facebook.com/LansingSD158/posts/3300196750076378

Before the start of school, new District 158 staff members participated in a 2-day orientation program socially distanced at Reavis. Topics included curriculum, best practices, trauma, safety procedures, and Professional Learning Communities. Talk about an unconventional start to a teaching career! #158Strong

District 158 is happy to welcome our new Food Services Director, Abigail Dapaah (pictured by the desk in her office at Coolidge), who joins the #158Strong A'viands team serving our grab-and-go meals on Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:00 to 11:00 AM. These large boxes with breakfast and lunch items are available to anyone thanks to our new CEP program. Drop by any of our schools for your meals!

District 158 is happy to partner with ECHO Joint Agreement to provide this new school in South Holland for our special education students! Dr. Schilling made a motion back on November 12, 2019 that was seconded by Dr. Cunningham of District 205 Thornton Township High Schools and unanimously approved by ECHO's Board of Directors to build this new $20 million, 95,000 square-foot building. We look forward to the anticipated opening in 2021! #158Strong
https://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/daily-southtown/ct-sta-echo-special-education-grounbreaking-st-0909-20200908-wajusftshrbb5mptindpt3ueom-story.html

Lansing School District 158 a runner-up for “Closing the Achievement Gap” award
https://www.thelansingjournal.com/news/2020/09/08/school-district-158-a-runner-up-for-closing-the-achievement-gap-award/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=school-district-158-a-runner-up-for-closing-the-achievement-gap-award&utm_source=The+Lansing+Journal+Daily+News+subscribers&utm_campaign=51fa24c7e2-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_9f026132e4-51fa24c7e2-157296003&mc_cid=51fa24c7e2&mc_eid=ec12ea4240

Congratulations to District 158's newly tenured teachers (pictured clockwise from top left): Mrs. Jamrock at Coolidge, Mr. Moran at Memorial, Ms. Zentz at Coolidge, Mrs. Newell at Lester Crawl, Ms. Bishop at Memorial, and Ms. Smith at Oak Glen! Happy to have you on the team - you are #158Strong! #LittleLearners #CoolidgeCares #OakGlenGrizzlies #MightyMustangs

Congratulations to Mrs. Karen Kern, who was recently recognized for achieving 30 years of service to Lansing School District 158! Since 1990, Mrs. Kern has been a teacher aide; taught kindergarten, art, music, and physical education; and helped sub throughout the district. Thanks for three decades of being #158Strong!

Our #158Strong staff (shown here at Lester Crawl, Oak Glen, and Reavis) are passing out materials to families, meeting in teams to prepare for virtual learning next week, and participating in professional development. Our offices are open 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Remember to register for school if you haven't already! #LittleLearners #OakGlenGrizzlies #RoadrunnerPride

Lester Crawl Primary Center is landscaped, looking good, and under construction! We are building a new utility block that will allow us to renovate and expand the school. Although we're sad not to see our #LittleLearners in-person yet, our staff is working hard to ensure a successful virtual start to the school year. #158Strong

Oak Glen staff kicked off their year with an outdoor faculty meeting. This year's theme focuses around camping, "We're Roughing It Together!" Staff came prepared with camping chairs and the meeting concluded with sharing "Scary Stories Around the Campfire" where staff shared their fears and excitements for this new journey we're about to begin! #OakGlenGrizzlies

District 158 is honored to be named a 2020 National Finalist and Closing the Achievement Gap Runner-Up for District Administration's Districts of Distinction Award! We have been recognized for creating equity in facilities to better serve our at-risk student populations. Looking forward to continuing this initiative with the renovation and expansion of Lester Crawl. Stay tuned! #158Strong

District 158's Leadership Team is at Reavis all week for professional learning! We are planning for the start of school and hosted an Administrator Academy with Dr. Porto (top right), who facilitated our Strategic Plan in 2016. Welcome to three new administrators: Memorial Assistant Principal Mr. Brown (top left), Director of Human Resources Ms. Cavalier (bottom left), and Coolidge Assistant Principal Mrs. Willis (bottom center)! #158Strong

Today is the last day of District 158's Virtual Summer School, which featured live teaching and social work sessions on Microsoft Teams! Thanks to all of our #158Strong students and staff who participated. We are working hard to make this a successful way to start the 2020-2021 school year. Our building and district offices will open again to the public next Monday, July 27 with the appropriate safety measures in place. Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your summer!

District 158 is hard at work preparing our buildings for a safe start to school, as shown here at Memorial. These plexiglass shields are being installed at all sites. We are hoping to have our school and district offices open again to the public on Monday, July 27. Personal protective equipment like the mask being worn by Dr. Ross will be required. Stay tuned for more information in the near future! #158Strong #MightyMustangs

On Wednesday, June 10 our #158Strong Music Team attended a Virtual Town Hall with the NAMM Foundation in which Dr. Schilling was a panelist! This session featured 13 speakers from school district selected for the national Best Communities in Music Education award this year. District 158 was honored to be represented and received great information about how to best teach music in a virtual environment.

Congratulations to Ed Howard, Memorial Junior High School Class of 2016, for being drafted to play professional baseball for the Chicago Cubs right out of high school! #158Strong #MightyMustangs #Cubs
https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29294879/cubs-draft-local-prep-star-ss-ed-howard-first-round-pick

The Reavis staff and Director of Student Services Dr. Carter enjoyed seeing our students and families at our end-of-year reverse car parade. Thank you to all of the families for everything you do for your children! We miss everyone and are looking forward to the fall. The entire Reavis staff wishes you a safe and happy summer! #RoadrunnerPride

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

On Wednesday, June 3, District 158 held a live virtual recognition event for all of our staff in partnership with Horace Mann. Congratulations to all of our Crystal Apple Award and Crystal Owl Award winners, as well as this year's five retirees: Mr. Rick Berglund (Reavis Custodian), Mr. Dave Fortin (Director of Buildings & Grounds), Mrs. Mary Ann Gagnon (Memorial Nurse), Mrs. Lisa Thomas (Coolidge 3rd Grade Teacher) and Mrs. Linda Wolgamott (Oak Glen Special Education Teacher). You are #158Strong!

As we conclude the 2019-2020 school year, District 158 is proud to share this picture of the new diploma covers that are being provided to Memorial's Class of 2020. We look forward to awarding these to every child who graduates from our district. During the school closure, District 158 donated 750 computers, served over 32,000 meals, received two national awards, hosted a Virtual Graduation with 767 live viewers, and facilitated 11 weeks of remote learning. Pandemic or not, we are here to ensure the success of Lansing's students. Have a great summer, be safe, and stay #158Strong! #MightyMustangs

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

Attention District 158 Community: last night our Board of Education made a public comment at the Board Meeting of our neighboring Thornton Fractional High School District 215, which you can read below. We are exploring the possibility of purchasing a small portion of their land in order to renovate and expand Lester Crawl Primary Center. Our ongoing partnership with the high school is very important and we strive to keep our taxpayers informed of our strategic initiatives. #LittleLearners #158Strong #TeamPhenomenal215

District 158 is proud to honor Memorial Day today with the reveal of this new logo for Memorial Junior High, our school named for the brave men and women who gave their lives for our country. We look forward to recognizing our #MightyMustangs with two live streamed events here on Facebook this week: National Junior Honor Society Induction tomorrow at 7:00 PM and Graduation on Thursday at 7:00 PM. #158Strong

Mrs. Yanke, Mrs. Salazar, Ms. Lundgren, and Mrs. Houston bought shirts to represent the current 8th grade graduation situation. We each took a picture wearing them and are hoping this might bring a little smile to our 8th graders. Congratulations #MightyMustangs! We look forward to celebrating your graduation next week Thursday, May 28, 7:00 PM here on our Facebook page.

At our May 20 Board of Education Meeting, District 158 made several important announcements. First, we recognized our retiring #158Strong Director of Buildings & Grounds, Mr. Dave Fortin (pictured center left), for his 18 years of service! Mr. Fortin has had a major impact on the renovation and expansion of our of our schools. Second, the Board approved another donation of 500 refurbished laptop computers! Families, please contact the principal of your child's school for an application. Finally, we introduced two new administrative hires: our new Director of Human Resources, Ms. Candace Cavalier (center second-from-right) and our new Director of Buildings & Grounds, Mr. Ryan Fortin (bottom center). Congratulations and welcome aboard!

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/

Attention Memorial Parents/Families: you've still got some personal items to pickup! Most of these belong to sixth and seventh graders. If you haven't done so yet, please contact Dr. Ross or your grade-level assistant principal to arrange a pickup by the last day of school on Wednesday, June 3. Thanks for your flexibility and support with this! #MightyMustangs

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

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

April 20th's Virtual Board of Education Meeting was our biggest yet! We were joined by #158Strong music teachers Mr. Becker, Mrs. DiGrispino, Ms. Rumbles, Mrs. Stephens, and Mrs. Yonkers who were recognized for our Best Communities for Music Education award. Congratulations! Board Secretary Mrs. Kelly was also joined by a special guest.

Happy Administrative Professionals Day! District 158 would like to give a BIG shoutout and thank you to all of our #158Strong secretaries and administrative assistants: Jeanette Austra, Sonia Barbosa, Donna Boylan, Leonette Daisy, Susan Gerstner, Andra Heneghan, Veronica Herrera, Diane Hess, Linda Hess, Celeste Howard, Ana Navarro, Lisa Robinzine, Michelle Snoddy, Nikki Swick, Gail Tengstrand, and Alicia Thiel. All of our offices are better places because of you!

Memorial Junior High is celebrating National Poetry Month by introducing you to several poets. Today, listen to some of the heartfelt poetry by American author Emily Dickinson. #MightMustangs
https://youtu.be/YP31K7k5dxI

Reavis students and staff met at the weekly Friday PTA Zoom session sponsored by the Library mascot, "Sparkle" the unicorn. Sparkle's overall message for the meeting was, "When life hands you dirt, plant seeds!" Together the group shared their recent experiences and books they have read while Sparkle planted a radish seed with the hopes of transplanting it to the Reavis garden soon. #RoadrunnerPride

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!

District 158's Board of Education has gone digital for our meetings but we're still here to serve you. Last night, we approved another donation of 100 refurbished laptop computers to distribute at all of our schools! Families must complete an application (available on our website) and demonstrate economic hardship. Please email the principal of your child's school with any questions. #158Strong #ILSchoolsStepUp

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

Two weeks ago when Illinois schools closed, Glen Ellyn School District 41 was left without food service for several days. District 158 immediately stepped, allowing A'viands to use our new open kitchen to make hundreds of meals that were safely delivered to their students. It's times like this when we need to come together and support others in crisis. Keep Calm and Stay #158Strong! #D41Strong

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!

Reavis staff give a warm smile and greeting to all of their students as they collaborate via Zoom on creative ways we can help and reach out during this school closure period. All the staff at Reavis would like to take this opportunity to give their best wishes to the families that we miss ever so much. We can't wait to see all of your smiles when we return to school! #RoadrunnerPride

Throwback Thursday: a few pictures from the outstanding Black History Program our #MustyMustangs delivered back in February! Students presented about the Chicago Renaissance, highlighting the lives of African Americans who helped positively shape Chicago culture and the world. Great job, Memorial - you are #158Strong!

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!

This week our Board of Education voted unanimously to promote #158Strong Chief School Business Official Mr. Crotty (pictured left) to Assistant Superintendent for Business & Operations! Mr. Crotty has been instrumental in helping District 158 fund our school construction projects, receive the Property Tax Relief Grant, score perfect facility inspections, and provide meals for our students during this school closure. Note this picture was taken last year when Dr. Schilling recognized him at the Illinois Association of School Business Officials Conference. Please practice safe social distancing right now

During our staff institute today, Superintendent Dr. Schilling addressed the entire school district via a live press conference and encouraged everyone to "Keep Calm and Stay #158Strong." We understand these are difficult times and appreciate the cooperation and flexibility from all of our families. The coronavirus is serious but it's important to stay calm, plan, and keep the health and safety of our students and staff as the highest priority. More information about the mandatory school closure starting tomorrow will be shared tonight. Stay tuned!

During our most recent professional development at Oak Glen, Mr. Earnshaw cooked up a new activity for the staff: Flippin' Flapjacks! This activity has staff stand on one side of the paper and then flip it without ever touching the floor, building teamwork, collaboration, and problem solving! Mr. Earnshaw is planning to write a book that includes this activity and others for educators - stay tuned! #158Strong #OakGlenGrizzlies

Once again Memorial has made history this year. A HUGE #158Strong congratulations to our record five students who qualified for the State Science Fair at Regionals this past weekend: Annika Biegel, Ainsley Grant, Ryleigh Lafferty, Esmeralda Spencer, and Angel Urquizo! This is the most we've ever had in one year. #MightyMustangs Morgan Kleidon, Angel Ruiz, Godiva Torsjo, and Ezra Vitale also represented Lansing at the event. We'd like to give a shoutout to 8th Grade Assistant Principal Mr. Paredes, as well, who came to support our students and helped judge during the day. It's another great day to be a Mustang!

Attention #158Strong Parents/Guardians: this year, we will be starting early online registration in March! The PowerSchool registration portal will be available online starting March 1, 2020 and remain open through March 31, 2020. Discounted registration fees will only be available during this time. Please register your student(s) online in March to take advantage of this discount and reserve your spot for next school year! You are welcome to contact the office of your child's school with any questions.

Reavis 5th Grade students in Ms. Palermo's and Ms. Kruk's class prepare project boards for their Black History Month presentations. In addition to the classroom presentations, students will be putting on a "Live" Wax Museum presentation for the school and parents during one of the Black History Month school-wide presentation assemblies at Reavis this week. #RoadrunnerPride

Congratulations to the 4th Grade Reavis Newscast Team for getting recognized at our February 19 School Board Meeting and showing their #RoadrunnerPride! Ms. Orlando and Mr. Cieplucha have successfully produced 20 news videos with this group since 2016. You can access the Reavis newscasts by visiting www.d158.net/o/wcres, clicking on Menu, and going to Videos. Happy watching!

Oak Glen Teachers Katie Larson and Karrie White provide information on researched based mathematical teaching strategies to teachers during the Governor's State University mentor program session at Reavis Elementary School. Teachers from multiple districts across the South Suburban region participated in the professional development sessions.

Memorial participated in the Great Kindness Challenge last week. Students were challenged to complete acts of kindness from a checklist. They also earned "Kindness Matters" bracelets for their kind acts, raised $300 to help build a school/ friendship center in Mexico, and participated in spirit wear theme days. Tuesday's theme was "Shine Bright for Kindness". Students were encouraged to wear neon colors. Wednesday was "It's No Sweat Being Kind" Students and staff wore sweatshirts and sweatpants. Thursday was "Tied Together by Kindness" where students and staff wore neckties. #MightyMustangs

On Tuesday, February 4th, the Memorial 8th Grade Boys Basketball team won their championship game against Coolidge Middle School. The #MightyMustangs are Regional Champions for the first time in school history! Next, Memorial will play Prairie Hills Junior High School on Wednesday, February 12th for the Sectional Championship. The game starts at 6:30 pm at Prairie Hills.

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

Eighth grade #MightyMustangs learn to type blood in order to solve a crime. Students used Anti-A serum, Anti-B serum, and Anti-RH serum to find out if the blood sample found at the crime scene was Type A, B, or O and if it was negative or positive. This lab wrapped up our Human Systems chapter on the circulatory system.

Happy 100th Day of School! Please listen to some of our Lester Crawl students talk about what they want to do before they turn 100.
https://www.facebook.com/LansingSD158/videos/202918027767836/

Mrs. Garcia's preschool class has been missing the sun in the sky so they took matters into their own hands. They made suns in the art center and compiled them to make a "Missing Sun" bulletin board. Today the sun reappeared in the sky. Thank you Mrs. Garcia's class for bringing the sunshine back to Lansing!

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!

For the second year in a row, District 158 has been selected to receive a Property Tax Relief Grant from the Illinois State Board of Education! This is a new two-year grant that will keep $3.3 million in the hands of local taxpayers and businesses for the 2019 and 2020 tax years. You should see a reduction in the District 158 portion of your property tax bills. Feel free to contact our Business Office at (708) 474-6700 with any questions. A total of 39 school districts were selected for the grant this year out of 233 applications. #158Strong

District 158's Support Programs Coordinator, Dr. Morley (pictured second-from-left in the first row; photo courtesy of the Lansing Journal), is a member of Lansing's Census Committee! We are here to help all families complete the 2020 Census when invitations start to go out on Thursday, March 12. Please don't hesitate to reach out to our offices or Dr. Morley for support!

District 158 is proud to display a new perpetual plaque in our Board Room courtesy of Horace Mann. Each year, this will be updated with our new #158Strong staff members who receive the Crystal Apple Award (Staff Member of the Year) and Crystal Owl Award (Perfect Attendance)! Nominations for 2019-2020 will open soon. Stay tuned!

District 158 hosted a Lansing Intergovernmental Meeting at Coolidge on Thursday, January 23 with food provided by our new open kitchen. Chief School Business Official Mr. Crotty and A'viands Food Service Director Mrs. Kula-Szotek shared information about our new student meal offerings, which include homestyle pizza, parfaits, wraps, salads, and smoothies all made fresh at Coolidge!

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!

A big #158Strong congratulations to our Buildings & Grounds Team for earning BACK-TO-BACK Perfect Facility Inspections from the South Cook Intermediate Center! For the second year in a row, all five of District 158's schools have been designated perfectly safe, clean, and conducive for learning. We also appreciate all of our excellent custodians who helped with the Enchanted Backpack delivery at Coolidge, which took place at the same time as the inspection. Great job!

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/

At our Regular Board Meeting on Wednesday, January 15, District 158's Board of Education recognized ECHO Joint Agreement eighth grader Jalen Golden to lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Jalen has been one of our students since he was three-years-old at Lester Crawl. He runs his own YouTube channel, reading books to children and addressing cyberbullying. Keep doing great things, Jalen - you are #158Strong!

Congratulations to all 135 of our #MightyMustangs who showcased their Science Fair projects last weekend! We had 57 projected rated Outstanding! A big thanks to Science Department Chair Ms. Schroeder and all of our students, staff, and parents who came out to make this event successful - you are #158Strong!

On Tuesday, January 7, the Memorial Administrative Team and school social workers presented anti-bullying assemblies to each grade level. The goal of these presentations was to educate and safeguard our students from acts of bullying. The Memorial staff wants to encourage students to stand up against bullying by telling an adult and understand that these are harmful behaviors. #MightyMustangs

Reavis 5th Grade students participated in the Super Savers Energy Program, which helps teachers, students, and parents learn how to use energy wisely. Students learn about valuable ways to save energy and money and received a take-home kit with energy saving products to install at home with their families. Items in the kit included a high efficiency shower head, kitchen and bathroom faucet aerator, a digital thermometer, three 9 watt LED bulbs, and a shower timer. #RoadrunnerPride

All of our #158Strong staff members engaged in meaningful professional development after returning from break, including a session on RTI with Dr. Mary Howard! Special thanks to the South Cook Intermediate Service Center for working with our great secretaries and Board Member Mrs. Williams for being our guest speaker!

Happy New Year from Lansing School District #158Strong! Our district and school offices will be open 9:00-11:00 AM on Monday, January 6 during the staff institute and resume normal business hours 8:00 AM-4:00 PM on Tuesday, January 7 when students return. Please enjoy this short celebratory video on us and enjoy the rest of your winter vacation.
https://www.jibjab.com/view/make/countdown_clip/ce9baa6d-39d7-42fd-83ca-8148bb777167

Members from the Reavis Girls on the Run team sponsored a food drive to collect food and monetary donations for families in need over the holiday season. In addition to collecting enough food items for 12 families, the team raised enough money to provide gift cards to local supermarkets. #RoadrunnerPride

Students in Mrs. Rhodes' fourth grade class created a series circuit of Christmas lights to go along with their Physical Science Unit on electricity. Students labeled their circuit and used a 9 volt battery as their energy source to light their resistors (or Christmas lights). We have some electrical engineers in our future! #RoadrunnerPride

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.

On Tuesday, December 17, administrators and teachers from across the district gathered in our Board Room for a workshop titled Dive Deeper with Data: Using the Evidence Statement Analysis. This workshop was facilitated by the South Cook Intermediate Service Center and focused on effectively using data from the Illinois Assessment of Readiness to meet the needs of individual students. District 158 is committed to the college and career readiness of our children!

At last night's Board of Education meeting, the Daisies of Girl Scout Troop 60314 led the Pledge of Allegiance and presented on the importance of recycling! The girls attend Lester Crawl and Coolidge and are completing their Take Action Project to make a difference in their community. Thank you for taking action, Daisies - you are #158Strong!

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.

The Fall/Winter 2019 Mustang Media Newscast is here! Great job Jasmine Arnold, Jaidyn Carradine, Miles Courtney, Kamya Henderson, and Lily Luchene for writing, producing ,and videotaping this - you are #MightyMustangs!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOcoveyJR4A&feature=youtu.be

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.

Congratulations to Reavis 3rd Grade Teacher Mrs. Tovar for receiving the "Teacher of the Month" award from Sky Zone in Schererville, Indiana! In addition to the class picture being hung on the wall at the facility, each student received a free 30 minute jump pass along with a $5 coupon. Great job, Mrs. Tovar - you are #158Strong! #RoadrunnerPride

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.

Congratulations to our Maintenance Mechanic, Mr. Ryan Fortin (pictured left), for earning his Certified Professional Supervisor (CPS) license from the Association of Facilities Engineering! Mr. Fortin completed two days of training and a half day of testing to earn this certificate, which covers leadership, planning, finance, safety, hiring, and problem solving. Great job, Mr. Fortin - you are #158Strong!

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.

At our November 20 Board Meeting, District 158 was proud to recognize three students who earned the highest scores on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness last year at Coolidge! They are (pictured left-to-right): Claire Grant, who earned the highest 4th grade score in English; Macy Taylor, who received the highest 3rd grade scores in both English and Math; and Jacqueline Gonzalez, who achieved the highest 4th grade score in Math. Congratulations girls - you are #158Strong!

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

Reavis thanks the Junior Achievement Program and Robert Morris University for their #RoadrunnerPride in providing a day filled with lessons on financial literacy and responsibility! The mission of Junior Achievement is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. Students learned about topics that ranged from balancing a check book to city planning and development. Over 25 student volunteers from Robert Morris instructed the lessons with the help of the Reavis staff to all classrooms. Reavis students enjoyed how the volunteers were able to relate the content of the lessons to their current field of study as well as real life experiences.

On Tuesday, November 12, Director of Curriculum & Assessment Mrs. Bragg attended the Fatherhood Celebration & Ricky Birdsong Awards Luncheon in Chicago. Our students submitted over 1,000 essays last year about their #158Strong fathers and father figures, making us the top participating district! Pictured are TV Broadcaster Alan Krashesky and William Wilkerson, who was a Tuskegee Airman. Those recognized at the luncheon are considered to be good fathers and make a difference in the lives of youth. Congratulations!

Superintendent Dr. Schilling was in Baltimore this past weekend representing District #158Strong at the 2019 American Educational Studies Association National Conference, attending professional development and presenting with a panel of experts on moral leadership, social justice, educator preparation, and student-centered decision making!

Quarter 2 Safety Reminder
October 29, 2019
Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s),
Please click on the link below for a letter from Superintendent Dr. Schilling with an important safety reminder about picking students up from school. You are welcome to contact the office of your child's school with any questions. Thank you for your help in keeping our children safe.
Sincerely,
Lansing School District 158

Oak Glen Principal Mr. Earnshaw, Superintendent Dr. Schilling, and 3rd Grade Teacher Ms. White presented to a standing room only crowd at the 2019 Illinois Principals Association State Conference in Peoria! Over 110 school administrators attended this session on building a positive school culture, including Coolidge Principal Mrs. Hodgson and former #158Strong assistant principals Mr. Coleman (now principal in Hoover-Schrum Memorial School District 157), Dr. Smith (principal in Holy Family Ministries), and Mr. Gaham (principal in Beecher 200U). Lansing grows great leaders! #OakGlenGrizzlies #RECOGNIZE

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!

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.

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!

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

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!

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!

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!

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!

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

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!

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!

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!

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!