We had a very full and exciting week at Fierke! From our Honeycomb Connections activities, where students met with their buddies to enjoy a story and complete a fun art project together, to our Kindergarten Apple activities, there was plenty of learning, creativity, and connection happening throughout the building!
Our kindergarteners had a wonderful time exploring all things apples! Students participated in apple picking, created exciting apple volcanoes, and enjoyed apple cider taste-testing. These hands-on experiences brought learning to life and provided opportunities for students to explore, experiment, and engage their senses. A special thank-you to our parent volunteers, whose time and enthusiasm helped make these activities possible. We are so grateful for your support!
This year, one of our instructional priorities is building students’ writing stamina and strengthening their writing craft. Our fourth-grade students have just begun their narrative writing unit, and I can’t wait to read the wonderful stories they create! As students develop as writers, we want them to grow in their ability to generate ideas, organize their thoughts, add meaningful details, and express themselves through their writing.
Even our youngest learners are building the foundation for strong writing! Our kindergarten students are discovering that pictures and writing work together to communicate meaning. As described in Gretchen Owocki’s Kidwatching, children progress through developmental stages of writing, beginning with pictures and scribbles, moving to letter-like forms and familiar letters, and eventually using invented spelling and conventional writing to share their ideas. By observing and celebrating these stages, we can support each child as they grow into a confident writer.
At Fierke, we know that every mark, picture, sentence, and story represents an important step in a child's literacy journey. We are excited to watch our students continue to grow as readers, writers, and lifelong learners!
Car Line Safety Reminder
Please remember that the lane located by Door 1 is a designated fire lane. For the safety of our students and staff, parking or dropping off students in this area is not permitted.
If you arrive late and notice that buses are still in the lane, please do not pull in behind the buses. Instead, park in a designated parking space and bring your child to the main office to be signed in.
Additionally, during periods of inclement weather, we may temporarily hold attendance procedures when the car rider line becomes especially long. This will help ensure that all students can enter the building safely and efficiently.
Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us maintain a safe arrival process for everyone!
Please see below for our calendar of upcoming events.
Have a lovely weekend!
Mrs. Lamorte
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As we continue our school year, we encourage all families to take some time to review the Fierke Student Handbook. The handbook provides important information about school expectations, policies, procedures, and guidelines that help us maintain a safe, positive, and supportive learning environment for all students.
We appreciate your partnership in reviewing these expectations with your child and working together to ensure a successful school year for everyone. Thank you for being an important part of our Fierke Hive!
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Emergency Evacuation Practice Walk
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As part of our commitment to keeping our Fierke Stingers safe and prepared, students will participate in an Emergency Evacuation Practice Walk on Friday, October 9th.
During their specials time, students will walk approximately 1.5 miles (35–40 minutes) with staff to become familiar with the route to our designated emergency evacuation site near Forestview Drive.
Students will also practice walking and crossing safety along the route. Please make sure your child wears comfortable walking shoes, weather-appropriate clothing, and brings a water bottle if needed.
A permission slip must be returned to your child’s teacher by Tuesday, September 29th in order for your child to participate in this walking field trip.
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At Fierke, we believe in recognizing and celebrating students when they demonstrate good character and are going that Extra Degree! This year, we have made an exciting change to our Buzz Ticket system.
🐝 What’s New with Buzz Tickets?
In the past, Buzz Tickets were connected to our Hives. Now, we are turning our Buzz Tickets into a way for students to work together as an entire school community toward a shared celebration!
Each Buzz Ticket gives students the opportunity to vote for the school-wide celebration they would like to enjoy. Every ticket represents both recognition for a student's positive choices and a vote toward a celebration for our entire Fierke community.
What Does It Mean to Be “Buzzed”?
- ❤️ Trustworthiness
- 🤝 Respect
- 🐝 Responsibility
- ⚖️ Fairness
- 💛 Caring
- 🏅 Citizenship
We want to recognize students not only when they are doing something extraordinary, but also when they are consistently making positive choices, treating others well, taking responsibility, showing kindness, and contributing to our school community.
🎟️ What Happens When a Student Gets a Buzz Ticket?
Each classroom has been provided with Buzz Tickets, and when a student is “buzzed,” they will bring their ticket to the library.
In the library, students will:
- 🐝 Receive a Brag Tag connected to the character trait they demonstrated.
- 🗳️ Choose which school-wide celebration they would like to vote for.
- 🎟️ Place their Buzz Ticket into the bucket representing their choice.
Students Get to Choose the Celebration!
There are three school-wide celebration choices:
Choice 1: Show & Tell Day
Students will have an opportunity to bring something special to school and share it with others.
Choice 2: Board Game Day in the Library
Students will enjoy time playing board games with friends in the library.
Choice 3: Pajama Party
Students will get to wear their pajamas and enjoy a fun school-wide pajama celebration!
Every time a student receives a Buzz Ticket, they get to choose which bucket they want their ticket to go into.
Which Celebration Will We Have?
It's up to our students! As Buzz Tickets are collected, the three buckets will begin to fill. The bucket that fills up the fastest will determine the school-wide celebration!
This creates an exciting opportunity for students to have a voice while also working together toward a common goal. Every Buzz Ticket matters, and every positive choice helps move our school closer to a celebration!
A special thank you to Mrs. Honkoski and Mrs. Rojek for helping to organize this for our students!
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Most importantly, Buzz Tickets are about more than earning a prize. They are about recognizing students for who they are and how they contribute to our Fierke community.
We want our students to know that we SEE them when they:
❤️ Show kindness
🤝 Treat others with respect
🐝 Take responsibility
⚖️ Do what is fair and right
🏅 Make positive choices
🌟 Persevere and BEE the Extra Degree!
We can't wait to see which bucket fills up first!
BEE kind. BEE responsible. BEE respectful. BEE the Extra Degree!
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We know that outdoor recess is an important part of the school day, and we want our students to have the opportunity to enjoy it whenever conditions allow. We use the chart below to help us determine when students should stay indoors.
Our team closely monitors temperature, heat, rain, storms, and overall weather conditions throughout the day. When conditions improve or the weather changes, we will absolutely take advantage of opportunities for students to safely go outside.
Please know that we take the health, safety, and well-being of your child very seriously. Decisions regarding outdoor recess are made with student safety as our first priority.
Thank you for your understanding and partnership as we navigate these changing weather conditions!
Also, please make sure your child comes to school with appropriate outdoor clothing so they can stay warm and comfortable during outdoor activities and recess.
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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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October:
10/1 5th Grade Too Good for Drugs Session w/ OFPD
10/2 Bus Evacuation Drill
10/2 Candor Health: 5th Grade Presentation
10/2 Super Stingers Student of the Month Luncheon
10/2 PTO Fierke Friday School Spirit Day
10/5 PTO Candy Donation Starts
10/6 Run, Hide, Fight Drill
10/6 PTO Meeting at 6pm
10/7 PTO Pretzel Day
10/8 5th Grade Too Good for Drugs Session w/ OFPD
10/9 Walking Field Trip to Reunification Site
10/12 No School - Columbus Day
10/15 5th Grade Too Good for Drugs Session w/ OFPD
10/16 PTO Fierke Friday School Spirit Day
10/16 Hold in Place Drill
10/20 PTO Dine Around @ Culver's
10/22 Parent Teacher Conferences
10/23 No School (SIP Day)
10/29 Super Stingers Student of the Month Luncheon
10/30 PTO Halloween Parties @10:00am-11:15am
10/30 1/2 Day Student Attendance (Dismissal at 11:45am)
10/30 Halloween Parties (parent check-in at 9:15am at Door #2; Parties are from 9:30am-10:30am)
10/30 Halloween Parade at 10:40am (weather permitting)
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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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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.
Research consistently shows a strong connection between regular school attendance and student achievement. Even at the elementary level, missed days can have an impact. In fact, research has found that absenteeism as early as kindergarten can be associated with lower achievement in reading, mathematics, and general knowledge, as well as increased absenteeism in later grades.
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.
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.
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 pm. 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:
- Enter and Exit the bus slowly and safely.
- 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).
- Keep hands and feet to themselves
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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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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