From School’s Life:

 On February 2^nd and 3^rd, semi-annual parent-teacher conferences will take place. Teachers will contact parents via email or phone to share updates on the student’s progress. In exceptional circumstances, parents may be requested to visit the school.

Join us for a journey back to the past at the Parents’ Ball, PRL style, reminiscent of Poland in the 1970s! This blast from the past event is set to take place on February 3^rd, offering a fantastic opportunity to celebrate with your significant other and friends. It’s also a perfect chance to mingle with other parents and contribute to the school’s fundraising efforts.

Tickets are still available for this unforgettable evening! You and your friends are warmly invited to be part of this retro celebration. We’ll be serving traditional Polish cuisine, and our guests will have opportunities to create fun, memorable 360-degree videos in the photo booth with props that capture the essence of the era. Don’t miss the chance to take a picture with the “Maluch” cutout, grab a ticket for a dance with the president, and set the mood with some “Cytrynówka”.

An open bar and dinner will be provided to ensure you have a delightful time. A plethora of amazing prizes are waiting from our sponsors for the fundraising raffle. The cost of tickets is $100. Secure your spot for a night filled with good company and laughter.

To celebrate the approaching end of the carnival, the school will host a dance for our students on February 9^th and 10^th. Kids can savor delightful “Pączki” snacks while enjoying face painting, balloons, and numerous delightful moments.

 From School’s Life:

The ceremonial “Recognition of First Graders as Students” for first-grade classes will take place on January 19^th, at 6:00 PM and on January 20^th, at 10:00 AM in the parish building (across the street from the school). More information will be provided to parents of first-graders by the teachers.

On January 25th, we would like to remind you that the Friday classes in the last week of January will take place on Thursday, January 25th.

On January 27th, 11th-grade students will join their peers from all Polish schools in the Chicago area to celebrate the traditional “Studniowka” marking 100 days before the final exams.

Announcement: The ticket sales for this year’s Carnival Ball for Parents have begun, which will take place on February 3, 2024! This year, we have decided to immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of the People’s Republic of Poland (PRL) with a touch of good humor. The ball is an excellent opportunity to meet other parents, have a great time, and support the school in raising additional funds to improve its functioning. We guarantee excellent entertainment with music played by a DJ, dinner, an open bar, and a raffle. There are many attractive prizes to be won! We warmly invite all parents and their friends! Formal dress code.

Please see the upcoming schedule:

• December 22, 23, 29, 30 – no classes (break for Christmas and New Year).
• January 5 and 6 – regular classes.

From School’s Life:

St. Nicholas Day Celebration (December 1st & 2nd):

Santa himself will be spreading joy by handing out gifts to the children in their classrooms on December 1st and 2nd. It’s a magical time for our little ones.

Class Photo Orders Reminder (Deadline: December 2nd):

A friendly reminder for families interested in purchasing class photos: please ensure the completed order form and payment reach the teacher by December 2nd, 2022. Access the order form here.

Meeting for grades 8 – trip to Poland:

On Friday, December 8, at 5:45 PM and on Saturday, December 9, at 9:30 AM there will be a meeting for 8th grade students and their families. The topic will be a spring trip to Poland.

Christmas Eve Classroom Celebrations (December 15th & 16th):

The holiday spirit continues on December 15th and 16th as we commence Christmas Eve celebrations in the classrooms. We extend a special invitation to parents to join us at the gym for a performance by the folklore group “Polanie” at 7:15 PM on Friday and 11:15 AM on Saturday.

“Oplatek” Meeting at Polish Club (December 17th):

On December 17th, the Polish Club in Lemont extends a warm invitation to members, sympathizers, and friends to join their “Oplatek” meeting from 11 AM to 3 PM. The gathering will take place in the parish hall of the church of SS. Cyril and Methodius in Lemont.

Holiday Closure (December 23rd, 24th, 30th & 31st):

Please note that Polish School will be closed on December 23rd, 24th, 30th, and 31st for the holiday season. Wishing all our families a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year filled with joy, warmth, and cherished moments. Thank you for being part of our community.

From School’s Life:

Polish Independence Day: On November 11th, we will proudly commemorate Polish Independence Day. To mark this special occasion, on Friday, November 10th, and Saturday, November 11th, our students and teachers will sing the Polish national anthem. We encourage all our students to participate by wearing the national colors of Poland or T-shirts with the school logo. The T-shirts featuring our school logo will be available for purchase on upcoming school days for $15.

Photo session: CLASS PHOTO (all classes) and PORTRAITS (only 11TH graders) Photo sessions will be held on November 10 and 11. We encourage you to wear T-shirts or sweatshirts with the school logo and additional accessories (scarves, hats, etc. in Poland’s national colors).

Thanksgiving Wishes:

As the United States celebrates Thanksgiving on November 23rd, we extend warm wishes for joyful moments spent with family and friends. In observance of the holiday, there will be no classes on November 24th and 25th.

School Board Updates and General Parents’ Meeting Recap:  

During our recent semi-annual School Board Meeting on October 20th at the Parish Building, the school board members and representatives from the school staff discussed the current school year’s enrollment and budget. They also deliberated on the roles and responsibilities of the staff and the board members. Several board member positions will become available in the upcoming spring, and in preparation for this, the current members provided a detailed description of the privileges and responsibilities of the Administrator, Vice President, Event Coordinator, and Treasurer positions. If you are interested in being more engaged in school life and influencing school functions by taking over these positions, please contact the school board at [email protected]. Given that our school is governed by a parents’ board, these positions must be filled. 

Other Highlights from the General Parents’ Meeting: 

Budget. In the current school year, we have a total of 370 registered children. We’ve allocated $164,845 from registrations (tuition and extracurricular activities) and PRCUA subsidies for various expenses: $25,500 for rent, around $13,540 for projected utility fees, approximately $134,700 for payroll, $5,000 for insurance, $2,500 for accounting services, and $2,500 for office supplies, making a total of $158,240. 

The remaining and expected funds from the annual Parents Carnival Ball and other donations will be used for special student events like competitions, trips, celebrations, and graduation activities. We also plan to organize gifts and events for our dedicated teachers to show our appreciation for their hard work. For more details about the budgeted events, please contact our treasurer, Krystyna Mize, at [email protected]. 

Donations. If you or your company can contribute to the school through donations, either in the form of cash or items for a charitable auction during the ball, please contact Ewelina Biczek at [email protected]. Companies donating to our non-profit school organization will receive a tax deduction receipt. Donations of at least $200 will be advertised on the school website for a year. 

Children’s safety before and after classes. During the last meeting, we discussed the protection of our students while entering and exiting the school building. We kindly ask all parents to adhere to the traffic rules and to exercise particular caution. It often happens that children, seeing their guardians in the crowd, forget about their surroundings and suddenly run onto the road. We earnestly request that you avoid driving directly to the entrance. 

We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all the parents who participated in the General Meeting. We firmly believe that these discussions will contribute to the continued growth of our school and foster a stronger collaborative spirit at all levels.