Forest Road News 12/13/2024
School Hours
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday:
8:15am to 3:15pm - Lunch 11:20am to 12:10pm
Wednesday: 8:15am to 2:30pm - Lunch 10:55am to 11:55am
To report absences, please contact the following:
Important Dates to Remember
December 20 - Classroom Winter Parties
December 23- January 5 - Winter Break
January 6 - Students Return to School
A Message from Mrs. Stamer & Mrs. Cavaliere
See Inside our Walls...
This week our 2nd and 4th grade teachers had the opportunity to continue their learning. Shannon Kiebler, our Math Expressions consultant joined us in District 102 to model lessons in our classrooms while the teachers were able to observe. Afterwards, teachers had time to debrief with Shannon to help us continue to implement best practices for our students. It was wonderful to be able to allow for further learning for teachers while the students were able to observe how learning is a lifelong adventure. The students went on learning without even being phased that there were multiple teachers in their classroom. It was truly a wonderful experience of learning.
Buddies: Ozobots and Gingerbread Houses
Friday the entire school enjoyed some time with their buddies. 1st and 5th grade buddies partnered up to make gingerbread houses and 3rd and 6th grade buddies programmed our new ozobots! Thank you to the PTO and Forest Road community for purchasing these tools for learning and fun.
Reminder about Smart Watches and Phones
Reminder: Beginning last May, D102 moved to having students leave their smartwatches in their lockers or backpacks. We recognize that many families have made a significant investment in purchasing one of these devices to help provide connectivity and access between the family and their child. However, we started to see how this level of connectivity began to cause harm and became distracting to students during the school day. While D102 schools first tried to work with students to put all watches into "School Mode", various incidents persisted and required teachers to divert their time away from instruction to address these types of issues.
We are asking for support in helping our students and teachers minimize distractions and potential incidents of bullying for the safety of all students. D102 and Forest Road also has students keep their cell phones in lockers and backpacks during the school day and we extended that practice to smartwatches as well. Connectivity is here to stay and provides many benefits to us all. However, in the interest of keeping students safe and our primary focus on learning, we are putting this practice of keeping phones and smartwatches in lockers and backpacks in place.
Should a student wear a smartwatch to school they will be asked to remove the watch and put it in their locker or backpack. Should a student have out their phone during the day, they will be asked to put it in their locker or backpack. They can put their watch back on at the end of the day for dismissal. After one warning, the teacher will hold the watch or phone on their desk for the day and return it at the end of the day. The next time it will be sent to the office for a parent/guardian to pick up. Thank you for your cooperation.
Curriculum Corner
Spelling is an important skill that connects reading, writing, and vocabulary development. At school, we take an orthographic approach to spelling, which means we focus on teaching students about how words are built. This includes learning about phonological awareness (the sounds within words), phonics (how sounds relate to letters), morphology (the meanings of prefixes, suffixes, and root words), and etymology (the origins of words). These elements help students understand spelling patterns and build a strong vocabulary.
You can support your child’s spelling at home by practicing these concepts in everyday activities. Play word games like Scrabble or Boggle, explore the meanings and origins of new words together, or look for patterns in spelling while reading. When your child encounters a tricky word, encourage them to break it into smaller parts and ask, “What sounds do these letters make?” or “Use your sounds to figure it out.” Writing activities, like creating stories or lists, are also great opportunities for practicing spelling. By making spelling practice interactive and meaningful, you’ll help your child strengthen their skills and develop a deeper understanding of language.
Forest Road Breakfast & Lunch Menu
Before & After School Care Info.
After School programs:
BASE Program - Leanna Hartung - Manager
Right At School
Matthew Pirkle -Area Manager
C: 773.556.5938
O: 855-AT-SCHOOL
Car Line - Drop Off and Pick Up Instructions
Forest Road Bus Routes
Free & Reduced Online Application
Forest Road Clubs
STEAM is BACK for 2025!
STEAM Academy is ready for registration for 2025! The following will be offered on Thursdays (3:30pm to 5:00pm):
Robonauts 2 1st - 2nd grade
Revolution Robotics 3rd - 6th grade
Duration: January 9th - May 22nd 2025
HERE is the flyer with information and registration links!
*Space is limited!
COMING SOON! Math Club for Grades 2&3!
Are you looking for a math challenge? Do you enjoy solving math problems? Would you like to play math games? If you said yes to the questions above, then math club is the place for you!
Math Club is a chance for students in grades 2 & 3 to extend their thinking skills in math through challenges, problem solving investigations, and games. Math Club will be held on Mondays during the lunch and recess hour in school. The dates of math club are: January 13, 27, February 3, 10, 24, March 3, 10, 17.
Space is limited and will be given on a first come, first served basis. Registration will be up on Wednesday, December 18th and will close Friday, January 10th.
Looking forward to a lot of math fun!
Mrs. DiOrio (4th Grade) & Mrs. Foster (4th Grade)
Folkloric Dance
Registration for Folkloric dance is OPEN. Please log in to PushCoin to register. Space is limited, so make sure to register as soon as it opens.
Classes will start on Monday, January 6th from 3:15-4:15pm. The EXPO date will be Friday April 25.
Please reach out to Mrs. Mirandola at mirandolare@dist102.k12.il.us, if you have any questions.
Pushcoin Link: Forest Road Folkloric Dance Link
Clases de baile folclórico- ¡Inscripción abierta!
Las inscripciones para baile folklórico en Forest Road estarán abiertas el viernes 6 de diciembre a las 6:00pm. Por favor ingrese a Push Coin para registrarse. El espacio es limitado, así que asegúrese de registrarse tan pronto como se abra.
Las clases comenzarán el lunes 6 de enero de 3:15-4:15pm. La fecha de la EXPO será el viernes 25 de abril.
Por favor, póngase en contacto con la Sra. Mirandola en mirandolare@dist102.k12.il.us, si usted tiene alguna pregunta.
Enlace Pushcoin: Enlace de danza folclórica de Forest Road
New to Forest Road - Board Game Club
Sign Up by Grade level here:
Grades 1-2: https://store.dist102.k12.il.us#!/products/2PPUEVHHZI
Grades 3-4: https://store.dist102.k12.il.us#!/products/CWFHZLLIYD
Session 2 starts 1/8! Sign Up HERE
CPCFRO Winter Registration - CLOSES TODAY!
Winter registration is open now and will close on 12/13/24!
Register your Roadrunner HERE!
CPCFRO Athletics is an organization that operates as a Non-For-Profit program within District 102. The program's goals are to introduce the basic fundamental skills of volleyball andnbasketball to 5th and 6th graders, get the children excited about playing, and allow for the inclusion of all kids in our district. In addition to the physical skill sets, CPCFRO Athletics promotes good sportsmanship and team building. All the teams within CPCFRO (Congress Park, Cossitt, Forest Road, and Ogden) are coached by parent volunteers and the basketball games are refereed by IHSA referees. While we keep score during the game, we do not keep track of wins/losses - the focus is strictly instructional and for the kids to HAVE FUN!!
Each team will receive a team t-shirt and play 7-9 games (depending on the number of teams and gym availability). The cost to participate is $45/player (fee waivers are available to those who are eligible). The winter season is January-March with 5th and 6th grade girls playing volleyball and 5th and 6th grade boys playing basketball. During the winter season, 5th and 6th grade levels are NOT combined-there will be separate 5th and 6th grade teams (dependent on the number of registrations).
Coaches are always needed and necessary for the program to continue and succeed, so please consider coaching your child this year! If available to coach, please email veronicasova@yahoo.com. Our goal is to have the teams finalized by 12/20/24 so we can work on the game schedule over the holidays. Once a team assignment has been made, you will be notified by your coach. They will also inform their team of upcoming practice dates/times that will start the week of 1/13/25. It is our intention to have games begin the week of 1/27/25. Games will be played at Park Jr. High and Congress Park School.
D102 Gift Card Donation Opportunity
PTO Corner
Read the PTO Newsletter HERE
Upcoming Events
Missed the Scholastic Book Fair? Shop online and benefit our school until December 19!
Thank you to everyone who helped out with and joined us for the book fair! You can shop the Scholastic Book Fair here, https://www.scholastic.com/bf/forestroad102 and receive online exclusives and free shipping on orders over $25. 25% of all online sales benefit our library and birthday book program!
Student Directory is LIVE!
The District 102 Student Directory is now live. It can be found at www.directoryspot.net, or you can download the free app for your phone:
- iPhone - http://goo.gl/5U2Tzq
- Android - http://goo.gl/iBK9lY
Your username is the email address provided to the district when registering your student with the district. To set up your account for the first time or if you've forgotten your password, please go to the Login screen, type in your username, and select "Forgot Password".
Once logged in, families should be able to edit their information through the website. If you are having trouble logging in or have any questions, please email Erin at directoryspot@dist102.k12.il.us for help.
Community Corner
The Westchester Food Pantry
The Westchester Food Pantry is in desperate need of brown paper bags (with handles) as the holiday season approaches. If you have any bags (ex. Mariano's, Trader Joes) please send them in with your child to the main office. We appreciate your help!
D102 Cheri's Closet
Renew D102
" Take the Survey, Make a Difference! Your insights will guide big decisions for D102 schools. Let us know what matters most to you by completing our community survey today! Every response matters.
¡Haz la encuesta, marca la diferencia! Sus puntos de vista guiarán grandes decisiones para las escuelas D102. ¡Háganos saber lo que más le importa completando nuestra encuesta de la comunidad hoy! Cada respuesta es importante.