In This Issue - Palos School District #118, IL

February 2015
From the Desk of Principal Wrzesinski
At this time of the year each of us is looking forward to the end of the winter season as spring is
right around the corner. The warmer weather brings about a prosperous time in each of our lives.
Outdoor sports and activities begin and the landscape around begins to change. In addition, the
special events and extracurricular activities at Palos South continue to offer students and families
a chance to come see the school and what we have to offer. This newsletter is filled with
upcoming activities specific to your child’s team as well as school-wide events offered to the
students and families. Given that the 3rd quarter has begun and it is sure to be a quick few
months, I do encourage families to spend time setting goals for continued successes in school and
searching for methods of involvement in school clubs and sports. Remember, the Activity Bus is
available to help families with conflicting schedules and is open to all students of Palos South.
PARCC Testing
Students in grades 6 – 8 will be taking the PARCC assessment tests during the month of March.
This test is given in lieu of the ISAT test which was given throughout your child’s academic
career thus far. Given that this is a new test and is computer-based, our testing schedule is listed
below.
Week of March 9th – 8th grade testing
Week of March 16th – 7th grade testing
Week of March 23rd – 6th grade testing
Each grade level will be given one test each day during the morning for five consecutive days. If
a student is absent on any day, they will perform the make-up at a later time and continue testing
with their grade level, similar to ISAT testing. The staff has been working with students
regarding the navigation of testing components so the students are versed with the tools from the
program and are comfortable to test online with the new system. As parents, you can help your
child by making sure that they get to sleep on time and eat a healthy breakfast. Additionally,
please avoid scheduling outside doctor/orthodontists appointments on these days. I thank you in
advance for your cooperation.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
It is incredible when you consider the amount of students and staff that was involved in the Palos
South showing that took place in late January. We had close to 100 students take part in Willy
Wonka. In particular, we would like to congratulate Ms. McDonough, Mr. Buvala, Mr. Hansen,
Mrs. Schuller, and the South drama students and stage crew members for the outstanding
performances that they put on a in front of two sold-out audiences at Stagg High School.
Additionally thank you to the parents who helped the few weeks prior to the performance
offering a hand to the cast and Ms. McDonough. It is always great to see the students shine
outside of the school setting as the entire cast and crew had done for the event. The students of
Palos South were fortunate to see an abbreviated version of the play at an assembly following the
performance and the reaction was overwhelming. Thank you cast and crew for your performance
and the months of work you put in for the event. It was truly amazing.
Ms. Phelan and I thank you for your efforts thus far and look forward to a great completion to the
3rd quarter with spring just around the corner
Mr. Wrzesinski
Principal
Ms. Phelan
Assistant Principal
In This Issue
FOR THE ENTIRE
NEWSLETTER
CLICK HERE
-Important
Reminders/Mark Your
Calendar
-Nurses, Notes
-Speech Notes
-Friendly Reminders/Box
Tops/Graduation News
-Diploma Form
-Psychologist/Social Worker
-Media Center News
-Team 6A
-Team 6B
-Team 7A
-Team 7B
-Team 8A
-Team 8B
-Spanish/Music
-Band
-Applied Tech
-PE
-Student Council Trivia Night
-Sports Teams
Palos South
Middle School
13100 S. 82nd Ave.
Palos Park, IL
708-448-5971
Mr. Stu Wrzesinski
Principal
Ms. Kim Phelan
Assistant Principal
Mrs. Kruse
Secretary
Mrs. Allen
Secretary
Important Reminders
Test your knowledge at the 4th Annual South Trivia Night!
Looking for a family night out? Come and join the South student council, at 6:30 pm on Wednesday, March 4th, as they hold
the 4th annual Palos South Trivia Night. Everyone, grade 6 through adult, is invited to attend this fun and worthwhile event.
You can sign up as an individual or a team. Proceeds from the evening will benefit the Camps Count for Kids and the South
Student Council Convention fund
Support our School through the PFA
The District 118 Parent Faculty Association is holding their annual Sham-Rock-n-Roll on Saturday, March 7th at the Palos
Country Club. There will be raffles, music, dancing, silent auctions with online bidding, and much more. Each grade level
will have a special raffle for the students. This is the PFA’s largest fundraiser of the year, and your support and participation
are encouraged. For additional information, please visit the PFA website at http://www.palos118.org/index.aspx?NID=2482.
Extra-Curricular Activities
We would like to remind everyone that a bulk of the clubs offered at Palos South have open enrollment throughout the school.
We still have an abundance of extracurricular offerings that will provide your child with a nexus to the school outside of the
classroom setting. For a complete list of the extracurricular offerings, visit the South website. Once again, we do have the
Activity Bus that is open to any Palos South student that leaves the building at 4pm.
Mark Your Calendar
February 9-13
Palos South Book Fair
March 20
End of 3rd Quarter
February 16
President’s Day - No School
March 27
Report Card Distribution
South Theme Luncheon
February 17
Board of Education Meeting 7 pm @ Central
February 20
Snowflake – 3-8 pm @ South
February 21
Foundation Trivia Night
February 25
8th Grade Graduation Picture Re-Takes
March 2
School is in Session
March 4
PFA Meeting -9:30 am- Central
South Family Trivia Night 6:30-8:30-South
March 7
Sham Rock-N-Roll
March 9-27
PARCC Testing
March12
White Pines Informational Meeting 6:30-South
March 17
Board of Education Meeting 7pm – South
April 1
PFA Meeting 7pm – South
April 3-10
Spring Recess – No School
April 13
Classes Resume
April 16
South Fine Arts Festival 6 pm
April 17
Straight “A” Honor Roll Breakfast-South
11:15 Dismissal
April 20-24
White Pines 6th Grade Field Trip
April 21
Board of Education Meeting – 7pm @ West
April 22
SWIC Band Concert – 7 pm
April 23
8th Grade Job Shadow Day
Nurses Notes
From: Jane Scott
February is Heart Health Month!
1 in 5 U.S. Kids Has High Cholesterol!
Twenty percent of U.S. children and teens have abnormal cholesterol levels, whether it be too much bad
cholesterol, too little good cholesterol or high triglycerides. These abnormal levels can raise the risk for
heart disease, which is the leading cause of death in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention. We usually view heart disease as affecting adults. But risk factors such as
abnormal cholesterol levels and overweight/obesity, often contribute to the slow development of heart
disease during childhood and adolescence.
In a recent study, 32 percent of the young people would benefit from cholesterol screening, according to
American Academy of Pediatrics. The Academy’s guidelines recommend screening for young people with a
family history of high cholesterol or premature cardiovascular disease, or having at least one major risk
factor for heart disease, such as smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, or being overweight or obese. Over
the past 30 years, obesity among American’s children has increased from 5 percent to more than 17 percent,
according to the CDC.
Doctors need to be aware of cholesterol screening guidelines and treatments, especially for obese and
overweight young because abnormal cholesterol levels can lead to heart disease down the road. Detecting
these abnormal cholesterol levels can lead to appropriate counseling of children and their families. Has your
child’s doctor evaluated him/her for cardiovascular disease risk factors? At your child’s next exam, you
might want to ask.
Excerpted from www.healthfinder.gov
As a parent, one is always looking for a good source of information when it comes to questions you have in
caring for the health of your kids. HealthyChildren.org provides support, resources and a host of features
that enable parents to quickly find the critical, relevant information you’re looking for.
HealthyChildren.org is divided into multiple, user-friendly sections, including:




Ages & Stages: Information on the health issues of infants through adolescents, including interactive
content on developmental milestones.
Healthy Living: Up-to-date guidance on fitness, sports, oral health, emotional wellness and nutrition.
Safety & Prevention: Preparing for health scenarios that occur at home, school and on the go, as well
as in-depth information on the immunizations children need to stay healthy.
Health Issues: An exhaustive, A-to-Z list of more than 300 health care topics.
HealthyChildren.org is the only site backed by 60,000 American Academy of Pediatrics member
pediatricians. It is a site that you can trust. Check it out!
Speech/Language
Notes
From Sheila Stull
Words, words, words- they are everywhere! Often
people’s intelligence is judged by the vocabularies
they have and the words they use, sometimes correctly
and sometimes not. Nonetheless, there is no way of
getting around the fact that words are used as a vehicle
to learn and communicate. Learning new words is an
integral part of school, starting at preschool and going
all the way through college and beyond. Not knowing
the meaning of words or how to learn new words can
make the school experience very difficult. Often we
take for granted the various strategies we use to learn
new words. Some of these strategies are second
nature for us but not always so obvious for all
learners. However, with a little bit of instruction and
practice, vocabulary strategies can be taught. Students
can apply strategies to any number of subjects, from
actually learning their vocabulary words in Language
Arts classes to learning what words mean in Science
(viscosity), Social Studies (impeach), Math (variable),
Art (perspective), etc. The key to developing an
impressive repertoire is by becoming an intentional
word learner and flexibly using a variety of strategies.
Research tells us that children learn vocabulary in two
ways: incidental learning and direct instruction.
Incidental learning includes learning vocabulary
words in a more natural way (in context) by wide
reading
and
classroom
discussion,
family
conversation, etc. where students are exposed to those
same words several times. Some estimates of the
number of words that students know varies from 2,500
to 26,000 words in the vocabularies of typical first
grade students and from 19,000 to 200,000 words for
college student’s vocabularies. At the present time,
there is consensus among researchers that students add
approximately 2,000 to 3,500 distinct words yearly to
their reading vocabularies (Anderson & Nagy, 1992;
Anglin, 1993; Beck & McKeown, 1991; White et al.,
1990). Often times, students are taught strategies to
facilitate learning vocabulary during independent
reading. Such strategies may include how predict
meaning based on context, sounding words out to see
if they match a word in their speaking vocabulary,
analyzing the structure of the word based on prefix,
suffix, root, or base knowledge or consulting
references. At other times, particularly with content
area vocabulary, direct instruction is needed.
Among the vast number of available vocabulary
strategies, one of the oldest and simplest involves
words that are nouns. Many vocabulary words in
expository texts are nouns; however, the language arts
area seems to encompass more adjectives, adverbs,
and verbs, as well as nouns. This formula for
definitions of nouns was first proposed by Aristotle
and is a tried and true method that has stood the test of
time. Simply find what group (category) the word
belongs to and then tell how it is distinguished from
other members in that group or category. It can be as
easy as: A banana is a fruit that is yellow, long,
slightly curved in shape, and grown in bunches; or as
difficult as chlorofluorocarbons are gases that contain
chlorine and fluorine and are thought to be responsible
for the decrease in the ozone layer. By putting the
word into its category, it helps to file it away in your
mind in an organized way and helps you to access this
category first when you try to recall and give a
definition.
Defining nonspecific people or
occupations : i.e.) nomad is a person who moves from
place to place, navigator is a person who steers or
directs the course of a ship or plane; follows the same
formula and for individual people its easy to
remember their job first and then say how they are
related to whatever topic you are learning about (the
chapter title or heading is a good reference for this )Robert E. Lee was the commander of the confederate
army during the Civil War, Alfred Wegner was a
scientist who formulated the theory of continental
drift. More importantly, you have to connect the new
word with something you already know about- this is
referred to as accessing prior or background
knowledge, whereby you are associating the new with
the known. If you can related an archeologist’s job to
a time when you were digging in the sand for
something you lost or just for something interesting
you are really making a connection that lasts. Maybe
you think of Indianan Jones- the important thing is
connecting to what you know.
Being successful in school is not always a matter of
what you know, but how you express what you know,
along with your ability to integrate new knowledge.
With a little practice anyone can master the skill of
learning and giving the meanings of words, using
clear and precise language.
Friendly Reminders

Remember to call the
ABSENCE hotline at 708923-7053 to report your
child’s absence. Absences
not reported by parent or guardian are
considered an UNEXCUSED absence.
Excessive unexcused absences are reported
to a truancy officer.

Homework may be requested if your child
is absent 2 or more days. Please request
homework for your child at the time you
report their absence. Homework may be
picked up in the front foyer 2:30-4:00 p.m.

The school back entrance doors are locked
promptly at 8:10 a.m. to assure student’s
safe arrival to their connections classroom
by 8:15.
Box Tops
You can help earn extra cash
For Palos South Middle School
How….
1. BUY your favorite Box Tops products
2. CUT out the Box Top from each
package
3. SEND your Box Tops to school with
your child
Palos South gets cash for every Box Top
collected. All those Box Tops really add up.
Start clipping today!

Lunches may be dropped off in the
appropriate baskets in the
front foyer. Be sure the
student’s name is on the
lunch. Check the time, if it is
past your child’s lunch time,
bring the lunch into the main office.

If a student is absent for 5 consecutive days
he/she will need a doctor’s note to return to
school.

In the event your child is in a cast, crutches,
etc., a doctor’s note is needed for the
student to return to school.
Graduation News
It is difficult to believe, but we are beginning to
prepare for graduation.
Eighth grade graduation portraits were taken
January 28th. Proofs should be arriving soon.
Proofs and any order payments are due to the
school office by February 25, 2015.
Please fill out the diploma form and
return to your connection teacher
by MARCH 13, 2015.
PALOS SOUTH MIDDLE SCHOOL
DIPLOMA INFORMATION
PLEASE PRINT your child’s name as you want it to appear
on the diploma.
_________________ _________
_________________
Student’s first name
Last name
Middle
Name or initial
_________________ _________
_________________
Parent Signature
Student Signature
sw/rk
2/2015
Date
Psychologist/Social Worker News
From: Mrs. Djikas and Ms. Yerkes
SNOWFLAKE
IS
COMING!!!
Friday, February 20, 2015
2:30pm-7:30pm
Cost: $30.00
(Make checks payable to Palos South Middle School)
Get your application in to Mrs. Djikas or Ms. Yerkes
RECEIVE 3 NJHS SERVICE HOURS!!
Operation Snowflake is the junior high equivalent of Operation Snowball.
This program focuses on the social and emotional development of our
students. In large group sessions and small group sessions students have
the opportunity to work with high school students who are associated with
Operation Snowball and who are specially trained to mentor middle school
students. These high school students are able to offer the younger
students a perspective unlike that of an adult leader. The purpose of
Snowflake is to provide our students with a solid foundation of how to
handle challenging situations, how to be a good friend, how to have
positive interactions with peers, and to help them positively interact with
their peers while avoiding negative peer pressure situations. Permission
forms are available in the front office. If you have any questions please
contact Katie Djikas, kdjikas@palos 118.org or Jill Yerkes,
jyerkes@palos118.org.
The annual Anderson’s Book Fair is being held the week of February 9th and
all proceeds will benefit the South Media Center. Thank you, in advance, to
all staff, students, and parent volunteers. A special thank you goes to Mrs.
Vasil for organizing all the parent volunteers.
The 2015 Rebecca Caudill contest has ended. Thank you to the many
students who participated. The new 2015 list will be released on February
9th. Lists will be available in the media center. Get a head start on next
year’s contest!
Special recognition goes to the following South students:
Read 1-4 books
Read 5-10 books
Read 11- 15 books
Read 16-20 books
Ryan Thomason
Alyssa Heintzman
Patrick Gal
Tarik Ottman
Christiane Gbabiri
Alexandra Szkoda
Luke Moustakas
Kylie O'Connor-Fry
Alaina Wolan
Arsh Kamra
Claire Conroy
Mariam Abusharif
Grace Mischak
Taylor Nowak
Mackenzie Campagna
Nicholas Siroky
Karolina Guzek
Bernadette Wilk
Grace Mintle
Alyssa Fiscelli
Esra Awadallah
Gianna Hurley
Maha Aoun
Kate Murray
Ashley Borg
Dylan Bolanos
Jeremiah Burden
Fiona Cantorna
Karina Kramer
David Nowobilski
Jeffrey Korbitz
Julia Florczyk
Kelsey Dwyer
Melissa Luculescu
Karol Para
Anna Szymonik
Maddie Rieland
Aine Casey
Emelina Ebel
Andrew Demma
Walker Ahluwalia
Julienne Gutang
Molly Fitzpatrick
Maeve Moran
Emilia Dobry
Noora Talla
Ella Gibbons
Kaleigh Fitzgibbons
Maggie Kasprzak
Alex Florzyk
Tasia Chibucos
Peter Gordan
Catherine Clough
Brigid Englehart
Karolina Rozanski
Mei Li Beechen
Tess Vasil
Patrick Vasil
Aleksandra Rozanski
Put on a BOOKFACE this February. Recommended reads include:
The Fourteenth Goldfish by Jennifer Holm (6th grade)
The Paper Cowboy by Kristin Levine (7th grade)
If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth (8th grade)
The 2015 Newbery Winner has been Selected!
Congratulations to The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Newbery Honor recognition to:
El Deafo written and illustrated by Cece Bell
Brown Girl Dreaming written by Jacqueline Woodson
Grade 6
Team 6A Members:
Deb Buyan, Brittney Kmiecik, Jeremy Mancilla, Ann Marie
Ruprecht, Deb Satler, Lori Swan and Kelly Zdralevich
6A students learned firsthand how the Egyptians
mummified their pharaohs.
The Awesome A’s are continuing their journey through
the ancient world with the study of China. It will
indeed be an exciting and thought provoking ride! The
students will spend several weeks studying documents
to decide the big question- Did the benefits of building
the Great Wall of China outweigh the costs?
As the quarter progresses, you may hear your child
suddenly using a name such as Isocrates or Dionysia. If
he or she claims to be an Athenian or Corinthian, it is
due to a fun and exciting interdisciplinary unit on
ancient Greece.
The Awesome A’s will take a step out of the past and
into the present and future during science classes as
they explore environmental issues. Students will
become very aware of how quickly the population has
been increasing and will continue to increase
throughout their lives. Using information from a
website, they will be able to graph the world’s
population from birth to 30 years of age. REUSE,
REDUCE, AND RECYCLE! After learning about the
importance of the three R’s, the students will put them
into action by making paper and painting them with
environmental messages. These will then be displayed
to encourage others to practice the three R’s. In
addition, the Hellenes will be preparing waste free
lunches to protect our environment and to earn
Hellaspoints.
The fun doesn’t end in Mrs. Zdralevich’s math classes,
as students diligently work towards completing another
unit. Pre-Algebra is completing their unit on multistep equations and inequalities, and will soon move
into Chapter 6, which involves ratios, rates and
proportions. Math students are currently working on
operations with integers, and will soon be getting some
exposure to equations and expressions. In addition to
staying on pace with the curriculum, students will be
working on our new IXL online program, where they
will complete weekly assignments, reinforcing
previously learned topics. This will help prepare them
for the upcoming PARCC test. Students will also be
invited to participate in a great fundraiser for St. Jude
Children’s Hospital. Information will be coming home
soon. Traditionally, this quarter tends to be the most
demanding part of the year for students in both classes.
Therefore, please encourage them to spend extra time
outside of class to review and apply the concepts we
are learning about.
The students on Team 6A are reading and writing
better than ever. They have been reading nonfiction
selections, answering a variety of questions, and
practicing skills and strategies needed to increase their
reading abilities. They are also preparing for the
PARCC Test. The outside reading book project this
quarter will be their second speech of the year. Please
help your child by arranging reading time, so he/she
can manage the reading pace.
In English, the students have been very busy writing.
Students are writing their second narrative essay of the
year. Also, they are using the app, Book Creator to
bring their narrative to life. Great job, 6A! Keep up
the awesome work!!
Grade 6 continued
Team 6B Members: Julie Easter, Kelly Korhonen, Dawn Murray, Ashley Partin, Meshell
Robson, Amy Rohan and Ivy Zimmerman
In reading and English, 6B students have been
studying various types of informational text structures in
reading class. They have worked on building many lifelong
skills, such as identifying the type of text structure an
author uses and analyzing a text based on its text structure.
We look forward to seeing everyone’s book presentations
on an informational book that uses cause and effect text
structure. Students are reading about a wide range of
topics, such as concussions in football, The Cold War, The
Berlin Wall, and the influenza epidemic. We have also
been analyzing informational text and using the
information we learn to write Mini-DBQ (Document
Based-Question) essays.
Again, the students are
developing writing skills that will be helpful throughout
their lives. Ask your child how to set up a multi-paragraph
essay or what type of writing techniques to use in a
grabber. Thank you to all the women that the students
interviewed for their “Women Living throughout History”
essays. Essays will be written in class and sent to the Palos
Women’s League. We shall learn if any of our 6B students
win the contest shortly. We will continue to build our
writing skills with the Young Authors essay contest. Mrs.
Robson’s and Mrs. Rohan’s classes continue to get “ready”
with iReady!
All of Miss Korhonen’s Math and Pre-Algebra
classes should be completing the weekly IXL assignments
as well as bringing a calculator to class each day. If you
find the your child still needs more work with multiplying
and dividing whole numbers, please have them use the
recommended websites and iPad apps on Ms. Korhonen’s
webpage.
The Math classes are starting a unit on integers,
algebraic expressions, and equations. This will include
adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing integers, as
well as, solving one, two, and multi-step equations. These
concepts will all be applied to real world situations.
Geometry concepts will also be reviewed throughout the
quarter to help prepare for the PARCC Test in March.
Pre-Algebra students are working diligently to take
all of their prior knowledge of computing rational numbers
and apply them to simplifying expressions and solving
equations/inequalities. Students are currently solving and
writing multi-step equations and inequalities. This portion
of the curriculum requires great mastery for success in the
higher grade levels. The students are starting to recognize
how the curriculum’s concepts build on each other and the
importance of showing their work! In the next chapter, the
students will be working with ratios, unit rates,
conversions, proportions, similar figures, dilations, and
indirect measurement. All of these concepts will be using
real world application.
In Mrs. Murray’s science class, our students really
enjoyed the “Owl Pellet” Lab! Through their dissections of
the owl pellets, students discovered a variety of bones of
the different prey that their owls consumed. Some of the
bones belonged to animals such as voles, mice, shrews,
rats, pocket gophers, and birds. Nice job everyone! Next,
we will investigate food webs and food chains. Do you
know the difference between the two? Ask one of our sixth
grade students and find out! Soon, we will explore the
three “R’s”, otherwise known as “Reuse, Reduce and
Recycle”! In this unit our students will examine many
different aspects, such as renewable and non-renewable
energies, methods of waste disposal, The Greenhouse
Effect, and pollutants. I’m looking forward to a super third
quarter!! Keep up the good work everybody!!
In social studies class, the mysteries of Ancient
Egypt were unraveled as team 6B continued their
exploration of the ancient civilizations. In December, we
traveled to the Chicago’s Field Museum to visit the Inside
Ancient Egypt exhibit. Students toured through a mastaba,
a tomb of an ancient pharaoh, and explored the everyday
life of the ancient Egyptians. Inside the exhibit, students
observed many different artifacts from hieroglyphics and
papyrus to mummies and sarcophaguses. They also were
able to experience different aspects of ancient Egyptian
culture, such as lying on an Egyptian bed, looking like an
Egyptian, and even trying to move a replica of a pyramid
stone. The students also got to experience mummification
first hand as they mummified their own “fruity pharaohs."
They really enjoyed the different enrichment activities that
took place during this unit. The students will now be
traveling to Ancient China to take on the challenging task
of a Mini-DBQ (Document Based Question). With the
DBQ, the students will be examining several primary and
secondary historical documents that will aid them in their
final product, which will be a series of journal entries
written in first person from the perspective of various
travelers on China’s Silk Road.
Grade 7
Team 7A Members: Mary Banner, Roy Bullard, Marty Duggan, Lisa Hanley, Bridget Keaty,
and Natalie Skobel
Ok, 7A parents. Here is your chance to impress your
students with all that you remember from your school
days. Students, it is your job to grade your parents’
exams and elaborate on the answers to each of the
questions. Maybe you would like to discuss with them
some of the fun activities and projects that you did while
learning this material during second quarter. Good luck
and have fun!
8.
Math Questions:
10.
Eight times a number minus twenty-seven is no
more than the negative of that number plus
eighteen. What is the number?
11.
Marcy deposited $35, $10, $25, and $50 into her
savings account last month. If she deposits $44
this week, which of the following statements
about the date set would be true?
*Students: Return the completed and graded quiz
to your Connections teacher for Cardinal Cash!
Language Arts Questions:
1.
What type of sentence must have a dependent
clause and an independent clause?
How many total amendments have been made to
the US Constitution?
** Could be more than one answerCheck all possibilities!
a) the mean would decrease
What is the purpose of using a
counterclaim in argumentative
writing?
b) the median would increase
3.
Who wrote “The Star-Spangled
Banner” and why did he write it?
d) the mode would increase
4.
How does the stem’s definition of
“hypoallergenic” help define the word?
2.
c) the mean would not change
12.
13.
If it costs $5.00 for 16 apples, what would the
unit rate be?
A garage door code has 5 digits. If no digit is
repeated, how many codes are possible?
Social Studies Questions:
Science Questions:
5.
What were the first two
political parties formed in the
United States?
14.
Which cell organelle is the
“transportation system” of
the cell?
6.
What do we call the first ten amendments to the
Constitution?
15.
Where in your cells is your
16.
7.
How was the French Revolution like the
American Revolution?
Approximately what percentage of our DNA is
the same as other random people?
17.
What are the abbreviations for the 4 nitrogen
bases that make up DNA?
DNA found?
Grade 7 continued
Springfield Field Trip News
Springfield, Illinois
We are pleased to announce a trip to Springfield,
Illinois for the 7th grade students on Tuesday, May 26,
2015. The trip has been prepared for us by Educational
Tours, Inc., an insured agency specializing in student
group tours with 40 years of experience.
Springfield information will distributed to all 7th
students in mid-February. Students wanting to attend
the Springfield Trip should return their permission slip
along with payment by March 13, to Mrs. Hanley.
Finally, if you have any questions concerning the tour,
your child can see Mr. Duggan or Mrs. Albomonte at
school or you can call the school office. You may also
call Educational Tours, Inc., Monday through Friday
from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at 847-509-0088.
Note: Exact departure and arrival times will be given
prior to the tour.
No
peeking!!
Answers: 1. Complex 2. To state why the other side is incorrect
3. Francis Scott Key-to celebrate the defense of Fort McHenry at
the Battle of Baltimore 4. Hypo-less; Hypoallergenics lessen the
effects of allergies 5. Federalists and Republicans 6. Bill of
Rights 7. Both were fighting to be freed from a monarchy 8. 27
10. (n >5) 11. B 12. 31¢/apple 13. (30,240) 14.
Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER) 15. In your chromosomes, which
are in the nucleus of the cell 16. 99.9% 17. A (Adenine)e,
T(Thymin), C(Cytosine) and G(Guanine)
7B EXPLORERS
Team 7B Members: Donna Albomonte,
Amy Andrekus, Randy Buvala, Chris
Helmin, Cathy Kruszynski, Kristen McNulty,
and Maureen Murphy
Language Arts
In Mrs. Helmin and Mrs. Andrekus’s English classes,
we are proud to announce that we are well on our way
to labeling all the parts of speech
in a sentence. Capitalization,
adjectives,
adverb
and
prepositional phrases will be
mastered in 3rd quarter. Reminder:
Vocabulary packets are given out
on Fridays, are due on Tuesdays and tested on Fridays.
Remember Quizlet is your best friend!!!!
We also finished up the Argumentative Writing
Process. They handed over their Argumentative Paper
that focused on Social Media and if it has a positive or
negative effect on society. They are experts on thesis
statements, making claims, supporting their claims,
citing evidence and understanding counter-claims..
Narrative writing will also be making an appearance
with a Young Author’s Contest at the end of February.
Our reading classes have been tackling PARCC. We
have been reading short reading selections of various
genres and learning how to write well-developed
responses. Your child is learning how to “dig deep”
and “make connections” to a variety of different forms
of information. Weaved into our PARCC preparation is
our favorite unit, SHORT STORIES!! Ask your child
if they believe it was the Lady or the Tiger that walked
through the door or have them discuss the outcome of
The Sniper!!
Please continue to check skyward for updated grades.
Also, the calendar is a great place to see when
upcoming assignments and tests are appearing!
Grade 7 continued
Mathematics
The third quarter is underway and the 7B
mathematicians are off to a great start.
Most
recently, the Algebra students finished units on
statistics and probability. With probability, the
students learned about different types of outcomes
and how to analyze situations to make predictions
about the results. Incorporating Common Core
Standards into our curriculum this year allowed
statistics to be a focus of 7th grade. The students
learned how to summarize data, compare data sets
along with organizing data to display it in different
forms. Exponents will be the next big focus for the
Honors Algebra class. The Pre-Algebra students
have been busy with solving complex expressions
and equations.
They have mastered two-step,
distributing, combining like terms, and variables on
both sides.
Next on the agenda is solving and
graphing inequalities.
Just a reminder- Calculators are a
required school supply for seventh
grade. Please make sure your
son/daughter has one in class
daily.
Also, the St. Jude
Children’s Hospital Math-a-thon
is right around the corner. All
classes will receive information
about Math-a-thon sometime in February. Please
consider taking part in this wonderful cause. Every
dollar makes a difference for the children of St. Jude
Children’s Hospital.
Science
This year seems to be rapidly going by. We recently
completed units on Invertebrates and the structure
and function of cells parts. Currently, we are diving
into a unit about Heredity.
For the culminating
activity in the heredity unit we will observe our own
DNA. These types of engaging activities help to
develop a deeper understanding of the content. I’m
confident we have a couple of future forensic
scientists in our group. The third quarter should
conclude with the return to cells for a look at cell
processes involving cycles along with a basic
introduction to chemistry.
Social Studies
We recently completed a unit about the evolution of
political parties beginning with
George Washington through John
Adam’s Presidency. Currently we
are looking at the era of Thomas
Jefferson. Some topics in this unit
include the Louisiana Purchase; famous explores
Lewis and Clark, and the War of 1812. Some of
February will also be devoted to Black History
Month activities.
Springfield
We are pleased to announce a
trip to Springfield, Illinois for
the 7th grade students on
Tuesday, May 26, 2015. The
trip has been prepared for us by
Educational Tours, Inc., an insured agency
specializing in student group tours with 40 years of
experience.
Springfield information will distributed to all 7th
students in mid-February. Students wanting to attend
the Springfield Trip should return their permission
slip along with payment by March 13, to Ms.
Albomonte or Mrs. Hanley. Finally, if you have any
questions concerning the tour, your child can see Ms.
Albomonte at school or you can call the school
office. You may also call Educational Tours, Inc.,
Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM at
847-509-0088.
Note: Exact departure and arrival times will be given
prior to the tour.
Grade 8
Team 8A Members: Caylee Bruce, Barb Duffy, Tim Kahle, Ray Kouba, Patti Lindeman, Katie
McDonough, Peggy Montroy and Lindsay Wulf
MATH: The students in math continue to work hard
and do a great job. In algebra, the students are finishing
working with functions. This material is being used to
help the students understand rate of change and slope.
As we work on the material, we will continue exploring
how these concepts relate to the real world. When we
complete the slope chapter we will work with systems of
equations. In advanced algebra we are working on
systems of equations. After learning the three methods
to solve systems we will apply this to word problems to
see how this concept relates to the real world. In
advanced algebra h, the students have been working with
factoring and the quadratic equations. The students will
then use this knowledge to help solve rational
expressions and equations. Finally, all students will
review topics that will be found on the PARCC test in
March. Encourage your child to keep asking for help
and making sure that they turn in all assignments on
time.
Palos South will again participate in
the St. Jude’s math-a-thon during the
month of February. Please encourage
your children to get involved in this
good cause. More information will be sent home in the
upcoming week. You can also go to www.mathathon.org
for additional information about the program.
LANGUAGE ARTS: In Reading classes, we recently
began reading of Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by
Mildred Taylor. The pre-Civil Rights era setting of this
novel creates high interest for readers and a strong social
studies curricular connection. The regional and era
specific dialog makes this a richly challenging read. The
majority of this novel is read outside of class. During
class, we discuss chapter questions and progress on the
character notes and theme packet. Our next in class
book, Warriors Don’t Cry by Melba Patillo Beals, will
begin as we conclude Roll of Thunder. Students are also
making connections to various civil rights topics through
reading non-fiction articles about events and people from
the 1950s and 1960s. We are also watching Lee Daniel’s
The Butler each Friday in 20-30 minute portions.
Comprehension questions are answered as we watch,
with a focus on multi-step questions, inference, and
making connections to other Civil Rights era topics
we’ve read. Vocabulary continues
to be emphasized in written and
verbal language with our daily
word and word part studies.
In English, students just concluded a study of modifiers
(adjectives and adverbs). Next up is a unit on phrases,
with some potentially new grammar topics including
verbals: participles, gerunds, and infinitives. Writing
practice continues with short and lengthy assignments in
argumentative, creative, and expository genres.
SCIENCE: The students have begun to learn about the
atom and the components that make up an atom.
Students researched several of the scientists that were
responsible for the greatest changes in the atomic model.
Through their findings, timeline posters were designed
showing the changes and progression in the atomic
theory throughout history. The 8A students have also
been studying the periodic table, how it is organized, and
the information it provides. Several atomic math
problems have been explored and solved by using the
data from the periodic table. In addition, the students
will do some research on elements gathering interesting
facts and characteristics that will be applied to different
activities and assignments during class. The unit will
end with the “Atomic Model”…students will soon be
getting directions and requirements for this out-of-class
project. Keep up the good work everyone!
SOCIAL STUDIES: The students returned from break
fully charged and ready to dive into the Cold War and
the1950s. As you remember before break we finished
our discussion on World War II and the Holocaust. We
started this year focusing on the Cold War. With the end
of World War II the world was left in pieces, it was up to
the two great world powers, United States and the Soviet
Union, to rebuild the world. The rebuilding process took
several years and each country had their own view of the
world.
These conflicting viewpoints pushed both
countries into the Cold War. It was a battle between
Democracy and Communism. Which one would win?
Grade 8 continued
Team 8B Members: Scott Adams, Bob Beran, Eileen Fitzgerald, Karen Kaminski, Robin
Kmiec, Carolyn Schaver, and Judy Schramm
8B Builders
Can you believe it’s already February? This school year is
well underway, and Team 8B students are working harder
than ever. We are busy learning and applying new
strategies to improve fluency, comprehension, math
applications and data interpretation. With the state testing
just around the corner, we are fine-tuning and
enthusiastically applying all skills learned in the
classroom to be the best that we can be!
Language Arts
In reading, students recently completed an independent
reading unit. Students had their choice of three novels
including: Night by Elie Wiesel, Hiroshima by John
Hersey, and The Bomb by Theodore Taylor. Students
were responsible for reading the novels on their own and
then completing a variety of quizzes and enrichment
activities.
In addition, students read The Wave by Todd Strasser;
this novel is based on a true incident that occurred in a
high school history class in Palo Alto, California, in 1969.
The novel dramatizes the incident, showing how the
powerful forces of group pressure that have pervaded
many historic movements can persuade people to join
such groups and give up their individual rights in the
process.
Currently, we are reading Call of the Wild. This novel
tells the tale of Buck, the southland dog, who
is kidnapped and taken to the Yukon to be a
sled dog. Students have experienced a range
of emotions while reading this heartfelt tale;
from sadness and frustration when Buck is
beaten by the man in the red sweater, to
triumph when Buck defeats the evil Spitz in the ultimate
death match. We have also discussed Darwin’s Theory of
Evolution and its role in this story. Check out your son’s
or daughter’s “Buck’s Travel Log” in which he or she
personifies
Buck
through
chapter
summaries,
illustrations, and predictions.
In regard to English, we are emphasizing writing skills
and grammar. We are currently writing essays which
focus of informative/explanatory texts to examine and
express ideas and information clearly and accurately
through the effective selection, organization, and analysis
of content.
Whether reading together or discussing an essay, one
thing is for sure; we are all working very hard to
accomplish the objectives and goals we have set for
ourselves this year. It’s not always easy, but together we
are finding success one step at a time!
Social Studies
We completed our study of the
Holocaust and World War II. We
concentrated on the cause and effects of the war,
important leaders, involved countries, battles, and the role
the US played in this war.. We spent extra time
discussing three important events: the Japanese attack on
Pearl Harbor, the D-Day invasion, and the dropping of the
first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Our yearly field trip to
the Holocaust Museum in Skokie impacted all of the
students in a very powerful yet meaningful way. The
students tested their geography skills to locate the
European countries during WW2. We have also studied
the Cold War. The students learned about the tensions
between the two “Super Powers” that lead to the Cold
War. This unit also explored the Korean War, Bay of
Pigs, and Cuban Missile Crisis. It was important that the
students understood the struggle with communist Soviet
Union and our democratic US.
Next, we are delving into the 1960’s! The students will
learn about Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King’s
impact on this time period, and peaceful demonstrations
that occurred around our country.
Algebra
In Algebra, the students are working on slope and
systems of equations. The Honor’s Algebra class has been
working on factoring polynomials. They are moving on to
rational expressions, then radicals. All classes worked on
a group project called “the house that math built” when
we came back from winter break. The groups worked as
contractors and had to process bids for different areas of a
house. All of my math classes will be working on
PARCC practice tests in the month of February to prepare
them for the new state mandated PARCC test in March.
The students were given a copy of the website for
PARCC practice tests. Please have them familiarize
themselves with the new testing standards and tools by
looking on the website and practicing the problems.
Science
In Science, students studied the unit on atomic theory and
the periodic table of elements. They learned about the
structure of the atom and will make Bohr models
representing an element that they will present to the class
with some background information such as the history of
the element’s discovery, occurrence in nature, and uses.
Students learned how the periodic table is used to classify
elements as well as predict reactivity of elements based
on their position on the periodic table. Students will learn
about ionic and covalent bonding of elements to form
compounds.
Noticias de Espanõl
From: Mrs. Murphy & Ms. Skobel
The eighth grade class has been very busy
experiencing a variety of activities in Spanish.
Students finished reading their first novel entirely in
Spanish, Pobre Ana, and were able to discuss the
story in the target language. Students recently
completed a unit discussing vocabulary associated
with their home, including daily chores. Students
designed and labeled a house entirely in Spanish.
They have engaged in listening, writing, speaking
and on line activities. These on line activities are
available via PHschool.com using web codes noted
in the book. The next unit will involve stem
changing verbs and many other skills needed for
high school.
The
sixth
grade
students finished their
quarter of Spanish in
January.
They
concluded with the
days of the week,
months of the years and numbers. The third quarter
students are currently studying all the countries that
speak Spanish. They will be learning the Spanish
alphabet and will be able to spell words in their new
language. Students will also be able to respond to
and ask questions like; What is your name?, and
How are you today?
Coming Soon: Lots of new vocabulary and phrases
in Spanish!
Coming Soon: Students will discuss clothing,
shopping, and counting up to 1000!
Music
From: Mrs. Amanda Schuller
♫ GENERAL MUSIC NOTES ♫
The seventh grade students finished their semester
of Spanish in January. They concluded with
describing foods, conjugating ER and IR verbs in
the present tense, and a menu project. The second
semester students have already reviewed sixth grade
material including greetings, goodbyes, body parts,
classroom commands, days of the week, months of
the year, and numbers. The students expanded their
knowledge about weather and are engaged in a
project that involves a weather forecast and a
current event from a major world city. Students
will be learning to talk about activities they like and
do not like. They will also be able to ask others
what their likes and dislikes are.
Coming Soon: Students will learn to describe
themselves using a variety of adjectives.
All of our general music classes have just finished
studying the basics of music. Our sixth grade
classes will now dive into learning how to play the
keyboard. After that they will study the StarSpangled Banner and its importance.
Our seventh grade classes will be studying rhythm.
They will learn how to put rhythms to their name,
words, and watch the video, “Stomp Out Loud,”
which is based on rhythm. They will then go on to
play the keyboards.
Band
From Mr. William J. Hansen
Band News
We have been practicing hard to prepare for our busy spring calendar. Please join us for the
UPCOMING BAND EVENTS!
FEBRUARY
7
Palos South Solo/Ensemble Contest
MARCH
14
St. Laurence Band Contest (6th - 8th Grade)
21
St. Laurence Solo Contest (selected members)
APRIL
16
Fine Arts Festival (Percussion Ensemble)
21
SWIC Band Rehearsal (4:00-8:00) (Selected 8th Grade Members)
22
SWIC Concert 7:00
MAY
7
Finale Concert (7th, 8th, Red Jazz & Percussion Ensemble) 7:00pm
8
School Finale Concert (During School) (6th-8th Grade)
11
Band Awards Banquet (6-8th Grade)
12
Finale Concert (5th, 6th, Blue Jazz & Percussion Ensemble) 7:00pm
JUNE
1
Graduation Ceremony (7th Grade)
JULY
20-31 Summer Band (Palos South Band Room)
AUGUST
3-7
Beginner Band (Palos South Band Room)
Applied Tech
From: Mr. Jeremy Mancilla
The Applied Technology class is continuing to progress at Palos South. The Applied Technology program at Palos
South is designed to provide authentic math and science experiences that will expand concepts learned in these and
other subjects. Students will use a variety of technologies, specialized equipment and computer simulation to apply
science, technology, mathematics, and engineering.
Students in 6th and 7th grade are currently on their 3rd quarter of class.
While the 8th grade students have just started their 2nd semester. At each
of the grade levels students are exploring a variety of computer modules
used to enhance the math and science curriculum. Students are engaged
in research, graphical challenges, and applying mathematics to everyday
situation on a daily basis. Students are exploring how math, science,
and technology are used in the world of work and everyday life.
Here is some information about what the students do at Robots and
Practical Skills.
In Robots, students learn about the fascinating role that robots play in our
lives. More and more, this technology is helping to improve the way we
live and manufacture items. Students learn how to operate, program, and
use robots in different environments. Initially, each student learns to
manipulate the robot and program it to conduct repeatable tasks. Students
learn about each of the sensors and how to program them to control a selfdirected robot. Ultimately, they program and operate a robot to operate
using the sensors as inputs to solve a challenge.
In Practical Skills, students learn to identify common tools and their uses.
They are introduced to the history of measuring systems, repair faulty systems, and follow directions to assemble
prefabricated furniture. One important skill is to recognize situations
when it would be best to call in a professional to help them solve the
problem.
Parents and students can learn more about the Applied Technology
curriculum by visiting Mr. Mancilla’s webpage.
“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”
-Confucius
PE Department
From: Mr. Bullard, Mr. Kahle, Mrs. Kmiec, Mrs. Schaver and Mrs. Zimmerman
The Physical Education Department has been hard at
work this quarter. Our students will begin their
weekly trips to the fitness center to prepare them for
the upcoming Spring fitness tests. These workouts
are designed to help students improve their
cardiovascular fitness through aerobic activity. We
would like to see each of our students maintain a
constant heart rate between 145-185 beats per
minute. This ensures that each student will get
maximum benefits from their workout. The goal is to
see noticeable improvement on our students
Presidential Fitness test scores this spring.
After the holiday break our students participated in a
two week dance unit,
discovering that dance can be
a lifelong fitness activity as
well. The students will have
fun learning about creative
movement and rhythm. Our
6th and 7th graders will learn several social and
cultural line dances and mixers including the
Majestic Slide, the Boot Scootin Boogie, CottonEyed Joe, and the Wild Wild West. Our 8th graders
will be hand-jiving through the 50’s, twisting through
the 60’s, and disco dancing to the Hustle and the Bus
Stop through the 70’s.
Mrs. Kmiec choreographed a
tribute dance to one of Michael
Jackson’s most popular songs,
“Thriller”. This dance will be
taught to all three grade levels
and has proven to be a smash with our students. The
dance unit continues to evolve into one of our most
popular activities.
Our students have just completed the rollerblading
unit in P.E. Skatetime provided the equipment and
our students provided the enthusiasm and skill
required for this fun activity. After a day of
instruction from our PE staff our
students were off and gliding
around the gym. This activity is
an excellent cardiovascular
workout as well as a test of
one’s balance and coordination.
By the end of the two week unit most of our students
showed vast improvement in their skating form. We
look forward to this unit every year and enjoy the
freedom this activity provides our kids.
Next up for our students will be Bowling and
Volleyball. Stay tuned for our 4th quarter newsletter
detailing these units.
We would like to recognize the recipients of our December/January PE Students of the month award.
6th Grade
Alex Florczyk
Tim Roe
Miranda Procopio
Gianna Hurley
7th Grade
Brendan Sise
Colton Pattee
Gianna Macino
The Palos South Physical Education Department,
Roy Bullard
Carolyn Schaver
Robin Kmiec
Tim Kahle
Ivy Zimmerman
8th Grade
Mike Kotas
Liam Yunker
Lakota Hollowell
Alexandra Loya
Christina Muraskas
Student Council
Attention!
Parents and Students of ALL ages!
The Palos South Student Council is sponsoring its
4th annual FAMILY TRIVIA NIGHT.
You don’t need to be an
Einstein to participate!
Proceeds from Trivia Night will benefit: “Camps Count for Kids” (IAJHSC state service project)
and the student council state convention fund.
Talk to your family and friends. Get a team of 10 people together. Don’t have
ten on your team? We can combine your team with another smaller team.
Wednesday, March 4, 2015
Palos South Commons
6:30 – 8:30 (ish)
$10 per person (children under 15 are $5)
****One adult per table MINIMUM****
Bring your own snacks!
Sorry, no liquids!
Beverages (water, soda, coffee) must be purchased that night.
Teams must register by February 25th.
More information lswan@palos118.org or mamurphy@palos118.org
Sports Teams
7th Grade Girls Basketball
Coached by Mr. Scott Adams
The 7th grade girls’ basketball team ended their season with an overall record of
8-6 for a 5th place finish in the regular season. In the post season S.W.I.C.
Tournament, the girls lost in the Consolation game against Grissom. Maeli
Sanchez was selected to the S.W.I.C. All Conference Team. Thank you to the
entire team for all of their hard work, efforts, and accomplishments this season.
Team members included:
#1 Samantha Webb, #2 Maeli Sanchez, #3 Jodi McMahon, #20 Molly Fitzpatrick, #31 Maggie Mintle, #40
Ronya Abulaila, #41 Katarina Balchunas, #42 Kelsey Dwyer, #43 Emma Westphal, #44 Kate Murray, #51
Norah Duffy, #53 Karolina Rozanski, and #54 Maddie Rieland.
8th Boys Basketball
Coached by Mr. Randy Buvala
Cardinal Basketball
The boys’ varsity basketball team started out red hot winning their first four games of the season. They have since
hit a bump in the road, losing their last three, dropping them from first into fifth place. They are working to regain
their winning ways. Watch for the Cardinals to come back strong.
The 2015 members are:
Obadah Abu-Rezeq, Ryan Doubek, Noah Farrell, Josh Georgiou, Jaylan George, Nick Karas, Joe
O’Gorman, Eddie Nelson, Luke Pitcher, Ricardo Vazquez, Brian Ward, Tyler Winkelmann and Danny
Russo.