From the State Superintendent of Education

Student Opportunities

Entries Sought for Illinois Work Zone Safety Calendar Contest

The Illinois Department of Transportation is asking elementary students in kindergarten through sixth grade to help promote work zone safety through art. IDOT, the Illinois State Board of Education, the American Traffic Safety Services Foundation and the Illinois Chapter of the American Traffic Safety Services Association are sponsoring the seventh annual Illinois Work Zone Safety Calendar Contest.

This year's theme is "See Orange. Slow Down. Save Lives." There are three categories for the competition divided by grades: K-1, 2-4 and 5-6 grades. Each school must select the top four posters from each category (12 posters total) and submit them to IDOT by Nov. 30. Children are eligible to participate in the contest even if their school chooses not to participate. The child's parent or guardian can submit the drawings to IDOT.

The top 30 entries, 10 from each category, will move on to a judging panel who will determine the 12 finalists to be displayed in the 2013 Illinois Work Zone Safety Calendar. The top two finalists in each category will move on to compete in a national calendar contest.

For more information, go to http://www.dot.state.il.us/trafficsafety/WZS/WZScontest.htmlor contact IDOT's contest coordinator, Jessica Keldermans, at (217) 785-3062.

Weekly News and November Calendar

Pennoyer Weekly 10312011.pdf Download this file

November Calendar.pdf Download this file

Proposed Legislation Would Hurt Pennoyer!

HB3973.pdf Download this file

Please read the attached information, and if you oppose it, please tell your local state Representative to VOTE NO on HB3973

Norridge School District 80 needs our votes

Let's support our neighboring school district!! They supported our Pepsi efforts, let's help them with Clorox!

Help Norridge School District 80 Win a 

Power a Bright Future grant from Clorox!

After a competitive nomination period, voting is now open and James Giles School needs your help to win up to $50,000 in The Clorox Company's Power A Bright Future grant program! Help us secure funding for iPads for NSD 80 by visitinghttp://www.powerabrightfuture.com/gallery/detail/?nid=397 or texting ** clorox4379 to 44144 and voting once per day per person through Dec. 9, 2011 for James Giles School. Share this great news with your friends and family members! 

** Message and Data Rates May Apply 

Weekly Message from Mrs Miceli

10-24-11.pdf Download this file

Note change in calendar

Dear Parent/Guardian,

This is a reminder that we will be starting something new this year, an Early Release Day.  This day is designed for professional development for faculty and staff.  Student Release time is at 1:45 P.M.  Buses will be in operation at that hour.  Please make arrangements for your child(ren) to be picked up at 1:45 P.M. on Tuesday, October 25th.

 

**October 25th Student Dismissal 1:45 P.M.**

Veteran's Day Assembly Invite - SAVE THE DATE

Spirit Week is coming up!

Beginning on Monday, October 17th, all students will celebrate SPIRIT WEEK and show off their Pennoyer Pride. 

Students will also show their appreciation for our school and community by sharing canned goods and non-perishable items to be donated to the Salvation Army. 

The schedule for the week is as follows:

Monday-Pajama Day, start the week by relaxing in paja-ma pants.

Tuesday-CrazyHair/Hat Day-have some hair-raising fun.

Wednesday-Wacky Wednesday-not sure what to wear?Mix it up with mismatched clothes.

Thursday-Team Jersey Day-Please show team spirit; wear a team jersey or your favorite team’s colors.

Friday-Pennoyer Pride Day-show your school spirit; wear blue and gold. Don’t forget to bring in canned goods.

Sports at Pennoyer ... week at a glance ...

The girls’ volleyball teams will play the following games this week:

Monday, 10/17, Leigh at HOME.

Tuesday, 10,18, HAWKS at Giles.

The boys’ soccer team will play the following games this week:

Monday, 10/17, Union Ridge at HOME.

Wednesday, 10/19, HAWKS at River Grove.

Thursday, 10/20, HAWKS at Giles.

All games begin at 4:00 p.m.

***

Mrs. Miceli's Weekly

Pennoyer Weekly 10172011.pdf Download this file

Mrs. Miceli's Weekly

Pennoyer Weekly 10172011.pdf Download this file

Veteran's Day Assembly

Whether it's peacetime or wartime, it's always important to teach our students that Veterans Day means more than just a day off from school. Patriotism is a value that must be taught and modeled for our young students. By taking some time to give this sentiment even deeper meaning in our classroom we will be holding a Veterans’ Day Ceremony on November 9, 2011 at 8:30 a.m. in the Pennoyer Gymnasium.  Students will participate in a variety of events some including singing songs incorporating the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines.  We will view a documentary from Discovery Education about Veterans and Veterans Day.  We will listen to some veterans that will come to our school and speak to us about what this day’s means to them.  We will give thank you cards to those veterans present in honor of their heroism.  Each student and visitor will receive a United States flag that they will be able to wave around as a celebration of thanks to our veterans.

Veteran's Day Assembly

Whether it's peacetime or wartime, it's always important to teach our students that Veterans Day means more than just a day off from school. Patriotism is a value that must be taught and modeled for our young students. By taking some time to give this sentiment even deeper meaning in our classroom we will be holding a Veterans’ Day Ceremony on November 9, 2011 at 8:30 a.m. in the Pennoyer Gymnasium.  Students will participate in a variety of events some including singing songs incorporating the United States Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marines.  We will view a documentary from Discovery Education about Veterans and Veterans Day.  We will listen to some veterans that will come to our school and speak to us about what this day’s means to them.  We will give thank you cards to those veterans present in honor of their heroism.  Each student and visitor will receive a United States flag that they will be able to wave around as a celebration of thanks to our veterans.

Fire Safety Week

The students and teachers learned about fire equipment and emergency medical equipment!

Fire Safety Week at Pennoyer School!

Thank you Norwood Park Fire Department for sharing fire safety and life safety lessons with our students! We have some photos of our 3rd grade students and teachers and our local heroes! Another example that it takes a village and we take great pride that we have a great and supportive community.

See the full gallery on Posterous

From the State Superintendent of Education

Internet Program

Cable Company Unveils Discounted Internet Service for Low-Income Families

The Federal Communications Commission joined Comcast at a recent event in Washington, D.C., to announce the cable company's Internet Essentials program, which aims to provide discounted broadband service to low-income Americans.

"We know that the three biggest barriers to broadband adoption are cost, digital literacy and relevance - that many Americans don't see broadband as relevant to their lives," said FCC chairman Julious Genachowski. "By helping to close the adoption gap, this program will prepare the next generation, create new opportunities for more jobs and economic growth, and will make a positive difference in the lives of many Americans."

Comcast's Internet Essentials will provide families with children eligible for a free lunch under the National School Lunch Program with low-cost Internet service, affordable computers and digital literacy training. Comcast offers the Internet service to eligible customers for $9.95 a month, plus tax, promising no price increases, activation or equipment rental fees. Budget computers are also available at initial enrollment for $149.99 plus tax.

For complete eligibility details and additional information, visit http://www.internetessentials.com. The site includes a link for educators, community organizations and others to share the program offer with their communities.
 

Lt. Governor Simon seeking input on the future of the state's schools

The new "Classrooms First Commission" established to take a look at school district consolidation has been launched and Lieutenant Governor Sheila Simon, who chairs the commission, has started an online survey to collect information and ideas for the commission to consider.

 

The commission is seeking to get participation from people who believe that decisions regarding consolidation should be decided at the local level, not by state mandate. The survey can be accessed at www.ltgov.il.gov. The survey is seeking innovative and practical ideas for educational opportunities and efficiency regarding individual schools, districts, multiple districts, regions or the state as a whole. Click this link to go directly to the survey page: 

http://www2.illinois.gov/ltgov/Pages/CFCPublicComment.aspx

 

The "Classrooms First Commission" also has scheduled public hearings at four locations throughout the state beginning this week. The hearing in our area is:

• Thursday, November 3 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the Wojcik Conference Center, Room W214 in Palatine.

The mission of the commission is to provide recommendations to the governor and to the General Assembly. Clearly, the commission will be dealing with issues that could have a great impact on school districts throughout the state.

Why we Celebrate Columbus Day (links from Wikipedia)

Why do we have a day off of school to celebrate Columbus Day??

History

Columbus Day first became an official state holiday in Colorado in 1906, and became a federal holiday in 1937. However, people have celebrated Columbus's voyage since the colonial period. In 1792, New York City and other U.S. cities celebrated the 300th anniversary of his landing in the New World. In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison called upon the people of the United States to celebrate Columbus Day on the 400th anniversary of the event. During the four hundredth anniversary, in 1892, teachers, preachers, poets and politicians used Columbus Day rituals to teach ideals of patriotism. These patriotic rituals were framed around themes such as support for war, citizenship boundaries, the importance of loyalty to the nation, and celebrating social progress.^[1]

Local observance of Columbus Day

Actual observance varies in different parts of the United States, ranging from large-scale parades and events to complete non-observance. Most states celebrate Columbus Day as an official state holiday, though many mark it as a "Day of Observance" or "Recognition" and two do not recognize it at all. Some states close schools and other state services, while others operate as normal.

San Francisco claims the nation's oldest continuously existing celebration with the Italian-American community's annual Columbus Day Parade, which was established by Nicola Larco in 1868,^[7] while New York City boasts the largest.^[8][9][10]

As in the mainland U.S., Columbus Day is a legal holiday in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico. In the United States Virgin Islands, the day is celebrated as both Columbus Day and "Puerto Rico Friendship Day."^[11]

Virginia also celebrates two legal holidays on the day, Columbus Day and Yorktown Victory Day, which honors the final victory at the Siege of Yorktown in the Revolutionary War.^[12]

Weekly News from Mrs. Miceli

Pennoyer Weekly 10102011.pdf Download this file