Newsletter – Fall 2019, Issue 3
Principal’s Note
Dear Kelvyn Park Parents,
Last week, two community members from a local parish came to visit Kelvyn Park. Their goal was to determine how they could support the development of our youth at KP to meet their unique needs and be a part of ensuring their success. While this partnership will come with many opportunities for our students, they also acted very quickly. The same day of our first meeting, these individuals donated four Thanksgiving dinners to four of our KP families who, due to their current circumstances, might not have been able to afford them.
It is this type of giving spirit—selfless, thoughtful, and generous—that is the “Holiday Spirit”. This was a great seasonal reminder that we must be grateful for everything that we have and act out of kindness whenever possible. It is not our business to know the hardships of others, and we will never fully understand them because they are not our realities. However, any act of kindness—big or small—can go a long way for others. If we can model this for our children and the students of Kelvyn Park, then they learn invaluable lessons about their social and emotional development.
On December 19th, parents will have an opportunity to learn more about their child’s social and emotional learning (SEL) and development at the school from 5:00pm-7:00pm. It will also be a Holiday Dinner, so come hungry! The event is hosted and organized by our Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) and we hope to see you all there.
Happy Holidays and have a happy New Year!
Keith W. Adams, Ed.D. Interim Principal
Updates
Instruction:
On Wednesday, 12/3, students from Ms. Marlenne Alequin’s Civics class attended the Hamilton play. Executives of Hamilton asked teachers across the city of Chicago to submit any Revolutionary War-era parodies written and performed by students with a chance to perform on stage at the show. With a lot of practice, students Akilah Young, Jose Barajas, and Prince Brisbon performed on stage for hundreds of people in the audience. The title of their piece was The Boston Party Tea Party, and it was a phenomenal performance!
Post-Secondary
Seniors are in the process of completing college applications and preparing for graduation in June. We encourage you to have conversations with your student to discuss their plans, and what support your family needs. All eligible Seniors need to complete their FAFSA by DECEMBER 20th! Currently, we are at 33% FAFSA completion.
What is FAFSA? It is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (www.fafsa.gov) and the U.S. Department of Education uses it to determine your child’s eligibility for funding and aid for college. Once complete, you will be considered for up to $6,195 free grants to help pay for tuition, fees, room and board, and/or living expenses.
To complete the FAFSA, you need: a) 2018 federal tax information, W-2’s, and any additional taxable income (for instance, if you collect disability), and b) Student’s Social Security Number.
Key Dates
December 11th, 5-6pm:
Local School Council Meeting. Learn about the major decisions occurring at the school. This is a public meeting, so bring the family!
December 14th, 10am:
Workout Fundraiser. Community organization #SpreadLove are hosting a workout in the KP gym to raise money for the school! Email [email protected] for questions.
December 19th, 5-7pm:
Parent SEL Workshop. Come learn about your child’s social and emotional learning and how to best support them from an expert!
December 20th, 9-10am:
Café con el Director. Come to our school’s library to meet with and ask questions to our principal. Younger children welcome!
December 20th: Senior FAFSA Applications Due! See Post-Secondary section above for more details.