What a wonderful first week back to school it has been! Our Fierke halls are once again buzzing with energy, laughter, learning, and the excitement of being together. It has been so special to see our Stingers reconnect with friends, meet their teachers, learn routines, and begin building the strong sense of community that makes Fierke such a special place.
Thank you to our students, families, and staff for making this first week such a success. We are off to an incredible start!
Car Line Safety Reminder
Please remember that if you are dropping off or picking up your child in the car line, you must remain in your vehicle at all times. This helps ensure that arrival and dismissal run as smoothly and efficiently as possible. We also ask that families do not drive around or pass other vehicles in the car line. Also, please remember to have your child's name card visible in your window and please refrain from getting out of your vehicle. Following these procedures is essential to maintaining a safe and orderly process for all of our students, staff, and families. -Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us keep our Fierke community safe!
If you purchased a shirt to support this year's theme, BEE the Extra Degree, shirts will be delivered and distributed to students within the first few weeks of September.
As we settle into the school year, please take some time to review the important information and upcoming events below. Being familiar with these details will help us continue our year smoothly and confidently.
I am so proud of the way our Stingers have started the year, and I can't wait to see all that we accomplish together. Let's continue to BEE the Extra Degree—for ourselves, for one another, and for our entire Fierke community.
Here's to an incredible year ahead!
Growing. Learning. Leading—Together.
Mrs. Lamorte
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Our 4th grade team put together this awesome video showcasing their students on their first day of 4th grade! |
Thank you to our amazing PTO for celebrating our staff with a surprise TEA & Treats buffet! It truly made our first day with students extra sweet! |
Kindergarten through 5th grade students will attend school from 8:55 AM - 3:35 PM each day. Our expectation is that students are in their seats and ready to learn at 8:55 AM.
1/2 Day School Attendance is from 8:55 AM - 11:45 AM.
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At Fierke, we believe that every student has something to teach, something to learn, and something to contribute. This year, we are excited to introduce Honeycomb Connections—our cross-grade level buddy system designed to build meaningful relationships, mentorship, leadership, and a strong sense of belonging across our school.
For years, our Hive system at Fierke has been a wonderful way to bring students together through fun activities, celebrations, and schoolwide experiences—and we absolutely loved seeing our students enjoy those connections!
As we thought about how we could take this idea one step deeper, we wanted to create more intentional opportunities for students to build relationships, learn from one another, and develop meaningful mentorship across grade levels. That is where our Honeycomb Connections were born!
Our Honeycomb Connections build upon the spirit of our Hive while creating more consistent opportunities for mentorship, leadership, encouragement, and belonging. We can't wait to see these connections grow throughout the year! 🐝
Our Honeycomb Connections will bring together:
- Kindergarten & 5th Grade
- 1st Grade & 3rd Grade
- 2nd Grade & 4th Grade
Throughout the school year, students will have opportunities to connect with their Honeycomb partners through fun activities, special projects, school-wide initiatives, celebrations, and opportunities to learn from one another.
Why Honeycomb Connections?
Just like each cell in a honeycomb plays an important role in creating a strong hive, every student at Fierke is an important part of our school community.
Our goal is to create meaningful connections between students of different ages while giving older students opportunities to lead, mentor, encourage, and model positive behaviors for younger students.
At the same time, our younger students will have the opportunity to build relationships with older role models who can encourage them, support them, and help them feel even more connected to their Fierke family.
Our Honeycomb Connections are about more than simply pairing students together. They are about creating a culture where every student feels known, valued, supported, and connected.
This initiative is one more way we bring our Fierke mission to life:
Every Student. Every Staff. Every Day.
Growing. Learning. Leading. Together.
We are so excited to watch our Honeycomb Connections grow throughout the year and see the friendships, leadership, kindness, and learning that develop along the way!
Because when we connect, we grow stronger—together we can BEE the Extra Degree! 🐝
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Welcome New Staff to Fierke! |
We are excited to welcome five wonderful educators to the Fierke Hive!
Ms. Hoff, our newest Learning Behavior Specialist, joins us from Lemont School District, where she most recently worked in a self-contained special education classroom setting.
Mrs. Lopez, our newest English Learner Specialist, joins us from Fulton Elementary School. She comes to us with many years of experience as an ELL specialist.
Mrs. Marshall joins us with many years of third-grade experience from Fulton Elementary School and will be teaching third grade at Fierke.
Ms. Wrobel, our newest addition to the Hive, joins us from Chicago Public Schools where she taught 4th grade and will be teaching third grade at Fierke.
Mrs. Rau is a paraprofessional that is returning to Fierke after spending time at Oak Forest High School. She missed our little Stingers so much that she decided to come back home!
Ms. Beck, our 2nd grade music teacher last year, joins us full time this year from Kruse Education Center.
Mrs. Larsen, our new food service/lunch service person.
Mrs. Wilder, our new crossing guard at the crosswalk outside Fierke's main entrance.
Ms. Beck taught music to our 2nd graders last year. This year, she will be teaching all of our Fierke students as she is with us full-time.
We are so excited to have each of them as part of our Fierke family! Be sure to look for their bios in next week's newsletter!
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My name is Katie Hoff, and this will be my fifth year in education. For the past five years, I have had the opportunity to work as a special education teacher in both Chicago Public Schools and Lemont School District. I am excited to bring my experience and passion for special education to District 146. I am especially looking forward to meeting my students and families, building meaningful relationships, and making this school year a positive and successful one! |
My name is Pilar Lopez and I am new to Fierke School this year. Previously, I taught at Fulton School in D146. I am an English Language Learner (ELL) teacher/ bilingual Spanish teacher committed to helping students build confidence, strengthen their English skills, and succeed academically. I create a welcoming and supportive classroom where every student feels valued and encouraged to participate. Through engaging lessons, individualized support, and culturally responsive teaching, I help students develop their speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills while celebrating the strengths and experiences they bring to the classroom. My goal is to empower every learner to become a confident communicator and lifelong learner. |
This is my 14th year in District 146 and my 13th year teaching third grade. I have been a reading tutor, paraprofessional, math interventionist, and a classroom teacher in this district. I have a B.A. in Elementary Education and English and a M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction. I love Marvel movies, yoga, and all things Harry Potter. |
My name is Natalia Wrobel. I was born and raised in Chicago as a middle child. I obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from the University of Illinois at Chicago in May 2025. This is my second year teaching; I previously taught 4th grade in Chicago Public Schools. In my free time I love spending time with my family and improving my photography skills. I look forward to an amazing year! |
My name is Renee Rau and I am so excited to be back at Fierke as a Paraprofessional.
This is my fourth year in the district. I live in the neighborhood and I have a daughter that went to Fierke.
I'm so glad to see all my former co workers and can't wait to get the year started!! It is going to be a great school year!
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At Fierke, our schoolwide theme for the year is “BEE the Extra Degree,” inspired by the idea behind 212 Degrees: The Extra Degree. At 211 degrees, water is hot. But at 212 degrees, water boils — and with boiling water comes steam, and steam can power engines. That one extra degree makes all the difference.
This theme reminds us that small extra efforts can lead to extraordinary results.
For our students, “BEE the Extra Degree” means encouraging them to give their best effort each day — whether that means showing kindness to a classmate, persevering through a challenge, taking pride in their learning, or demonstrating leadership and responsibility throughout the school day. It is about building a culture where every student feels supported, valued, and challenged to grow academically, socially, and emotionally.
For our staff, the theme represents our collective commitment to going above and beyond for students and families. It reflects the care, dedication, collaboration, and passion our staff brings each day to create meaningful learning experiences and positive relationships within our school community.
Families play an essential role in helping us bring this theme to life. You can support “BEE the Extra Degree” at home by:
• Encouraging perseverance and a growth mindset when challenges arise
• Celebrating effort, responsibility, kindness, and improvement — not just outcomes
• Reinforcing the importance of positive attitudes, respect, and strong character
• Helping your child establish routines that support learning and organization
• Partnering with staff through communication, involvement, and encouragement
Together, we can help our students understand that even small acts of effort, kindness, leadership, and determination can have a powerful impact.
We are excited to continue growing, learning, and leading together as we focus on Every Student, Every Staff, Every Day.
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August:
8/31 MAP Benchmark Assessment Windows Open
September:
9/3 Fire Drill/Practice #1
9/3 PTO Meeting @6pm in the Cafeteria
9/3 5th Grade Band Recruitment @ noon
9/4 Summer Learning Participant Celebration
9/4 Band Instrument "Test Drive" for 5th graders (9am-12:30pm)
9/7 Labor Day - No School
9/8 Teacher Institute Day - No Student Attendance
9/10 Curriculum Night 6:00-7:00pm
9/10 Tornado Drill/Practice
9/11 Patriot Day - Wear Red, White, &/or Blue
9/17 Fire Drill/Practice #2 with Fire Dept. Support
9/22 Picture Day
9/25 MAP Reports sent home
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We Value Your Feedback! 🐝
At Fierke, we are always looking for ways to grow, improve, and make every family's experience the very best it can be. Your voice is an important part of that work!
🌟 Shout out a teacher or staff member who has made a positive difference
💬 Share a suggestion or concern or something you would like us to know about
💡 Provide general feedback or suggestions to help us continue improving
Whether you have something wonderful to celebrate, an idea to share, or a concern we can help address, we want to hear from you.
Your feedback helps us continue Growing. Learning. Leading—Together and making Fierke a place where every student and family feels welcomed, supported, and valued.
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Reminders for the Upcoming School Year |
At Fierke, we believe every day counts! Regular school attendance is one of the most important ways you can help your child succeed. Each day of learning builds upon the last—when students miss class, they miss valuable instruction, collaboration, and connection with their peers. Even a few absences can add up and make it harder for your child to stay on track.
We know that illnesses and emergencies happen, and we appreciate your partnership in scheduling appointments and trips outside of school hours whenever possible. However, did you know that missing more than 10% of school attendance days may have a negative effect on student learning?
When reporting an absence, please call the school office, use the 24 hour voicemail system, or enter the absence into PowerSchool anytime, day or night. If notice is not received , District procedure is for the school office to attempt to make contact via all phone numbers provided during registration. If unsuccessful, all emergency contacts will be called until confirmation of the absence is received. If all attempts to contact are unsuccessful, a District administrator and/or designee will notify local law enforcement to ensure the safety and well being of the student.
Please let us know if you are having any difficulties with your child wanting to come to school. Together, we can help ensure every child is present, prepared, and ready to shine bright each day!
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Families are asked to submit required health forms as soon as possible. Requirements for specific grade levels are listed below. Please turn in all medical forms to Nurse Cailin or call her directly if you have any questions about these requirements.
Kindergarten: Physical exam with up-to-date immunization record, dental exam and complete eye exam.
Grade 2: Dental exam
Transfer students: Physical exam with up-to-date immunization record. Complete eye exam (if attending an Illinois school for the first time). Parents are ultimately responsible for providing copies of the physical exam and immunizations if receipt of these records is delayed by the transfer school.
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To ensure the safety of all students and to remain in compliance with state law, parents are required to notify the school office if their child will not be in attendance. This notification must take place within the first hour of school. When reporting an absence, please call the school office, use the voicemail system, or enter the absence into PowerSchool.
Additionally, if your child will have a change in dismissal plans (leaving early, not taking the bus, riding with a neighbor etc.), please let the office know by 2:00. Informing the office in a timely way makes dismissal run more smoothly for all.
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To ensure that all students have a safe and positive experience on the bus, we are reinforcing our bus riding expectations. Students are expected to:
- Sit in their assigned seats at all times.
- Follow the bus driver’s directions promptly and respectfully.
- Remain seated while the bus is moving.
- Keep all parts of their body inside the bus.
- Refrain from littering or leaving belongings behind.
- Use quiet, respectful voices (no screaming or yelling).
We appreciate your support in reminding your child of these expectations so that everyone can travel to and from school safely.
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American School Bus is using Bus Bulletin to alert District 146 parents of bus delays and schedule changes.
Bus Bulletin sends parents instant notifications via text message, email, and/or phone call. There is no cost for parents to sign up and receive notifications.
To sign up for notifications, please visit the Bus Bulletin website. Click Register, Select Parent/Student, Select SD 146 from drop down and complete personal information. Once an account is created, you can choose which bus route you want to be notified for both AM/PM.
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Updated Arrival and Dismissal Procedures |
Walkers/Bussers: Please enter through the main entrance door #1. Car Riders: Enter the parking lot moving east on Victoria. There is no left turn into the parking lot while moving west on Victoria during arrival/dismissal. THERE IS NO PARKING ON VICTORIA DRIVE DURING ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL. Drivers may ONLY make a right turn when exiting the parking lot. See the included map for more details.
Car riders are dropped off at the car circle line and enter via Door #8. Door #8 will close promptly at 8:50am. Car riders arriving after 8:50am must be signed in by a parent in the front office. Parents must park in a designated parking spot in our parking lot. Please do not idle/park in the fire lane.
1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade walkers will dismiss via the east doors. Kindergarten students will dismiss via their classroom doors on the south side of the building. Car riders will enter vehicles at the car circle line for dismissal.
Ivy League: Door #10 (South Cafeteria Door). Students using this before/after school program will enter and exit DOOR #10 of the cafeteria black top.
Every child, on a daily basis, should know if they are a “car rider,” “bus rider,” or “walker.”
Important Reminder: For the safety of all students, playground use before school requires direct parental supervision, especially for our younger learners. Staff supervision begins at 8:40 AM. Thank you for helping us keep everyone safe.
We would also like to remind parents to drive all the way up to the end of the car line. We ask parents to remain in their vehicles as staff are available to support as needed. With additional families opting to drop students off through the car line for arrival, we would like to ensure that all students are able to enter the building prior to 8:50am. Should your vehicle enter the car circle after 8:50am, there will be no staff supervision so we ask that you bring your child to Door 1.
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Fierke PTO strives to create a strong community and raises money to fund special programs and events throughout the school year. By joining, you will make a positive impact for students and our Fierke community.
For more information:
Crystal Budney (President)
Lindsey Zaldivar (Vice- President)
Kim Salmich (Secretary)
Becky Cook (Treasurer)
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We will continue to offer free/reduced/paid lunches for the upcoming school year. The costs for each paid category are: Breakfast $1.50, and Lunch $3.75. We use a debit card system through Pushcoin. Funds can be added to your child’s card via a Pushcoin link available on our district website: www.district146.org
Breakfast will be available each morning for students using the debit card system. Students needing breakfast will go to the cafeteria to pick up their breakfast and then return to their classroom. Students will eat breakfast in their classrooms.
The daily hot lunch program will begin on Thursday, August 21st The student’s debit card is
scanned and deducted $3.75 whenever a hot lunch is “purchased”. Debit card accounts can be opened or re-activated by paying online or writing a check to School District 146 marked with “debit card-student’s name” in the memo line.
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Anyone who would like to volunteer in classrooms or at school events must have a background check on file. Please be sure to submit an application here: https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/ODQzMzplbi1VUw== If you are unsure whether you have submitted a background check in the past, please contact the office. |
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If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us. You can reach out via the following links:
Phone: (708) 614-4520
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