January 13th, 2023

Good afternoon,

This coming Monday, January 16, we do not have school, so that we can honor the legacy and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. His inspirational leadership helped inspire millions and progress the civil rights movement. As he said, 

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly."
Letter from Birmingham, Alabama jail, April 16, 1963.

"I have the audacity to believe that peoples everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, and dignity, equality, and freedom for their spirits."
Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech, Oslo, Norway, 1964

As a community/society, we must work together to achieve Dr. King’s vision.  Helping students learn from Dr. King, Jr. helps further his dream and equality.  

Please see these for support in talking about MLK, Jr with students.  

19 Picture Books that Help Keep Dr. King’s Legacy Alive
How to Talk to Kids about Race Books and Resources That Can Help 
Learning Resources about MLK, Jr.

Please read below for a few updates.

Have a wonderful day,
Katie and Mattea

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After School All Stars (Reminder) - Just wanted to send out one final reminder about registration for winter after school programs. Please click the link here to access the form. Programs start the week of Jan. 23rd and run until spring break. Registration forms are due on today, Friday, Jan 13th at 3:30pm. If you have already signed up for clubs, you do not need to submit the form again.

Upcoming LSC Meeting - Please see this link for the agenda for the Thursday, Jan. 19 LSC Meeting.  This meeting is virtual and begins at 7PM.

Other upcoming dates - These are events for families to come to and have fun and engage around different content areas.    

• K-2 Winter Assembly -  Wednesday, Jan. 18 at 9AM or 2PM 
  
• Special's Night - Thursday, Feb. 23 from 4:00-5:00
  
• Math/STEAM Night -  Thursday, March 9 from 4:00-5:15
  
• Literacy Night - Wednesday, April 19 from 4:00-5:15
  

Volunteering - Please reach out to Ms. Buckley (jljohnson17@cps.edu) if you would be interested in helping with Literacy Night.  They are looking for individuals who would like to : 

• Make photo booth for literacy night (i.e. backdrop)
  
• Donate items for reading around the world theme
  
• 1-2 Individuals to help at the front check in and give out the travel tags
  

School-wide Spelling Bee - The school-wide bee will occur on Friday, Jan. 20th at 9:00AM. Parents/Guardians of participants are welcome to attend.  This event will not be live streamed.  

From FoSN

FoSN Meeting - There will be an in person FOSN meeting/Parent Coffee on Thursday, Feb. 2 at 8:30 in the parent room.  FoSN helps to support students, families and the school community in many ways and we encourage you to get involved. Volunteers ensure the organization's success. Come to this event to learn more about the organization and how to get involved.

Starry Night - After a 4-year hiatus Friends of Skinner North (FOSN) is hosting its annual Starry Night fundraiser on Saturday, March 11 from 6-10 pm at the Newberry Library in River North! Please mark your calendar for an adults-only celebration of our amazing school, including delicious food and drinks, dancing, games, and a live and silent auction! In the past, funds raised at Starry Night have paid for an updated auditorium, a new scoreboard, tech upgrades, and other important needs related to the school building and curriculum.
 
The parent community is critical to raising these much-needed funds!  Tickets will go on sale soon, but in the meantime, read on to see other ways you can help:

• Silent/Live Auction Donation Items: We are looking for donations of items or experiences (e.g., tickets to sporting events, use of a vacation home, massage services, or music lessons) for our auctions. Nothing is too small, too weird, too extravagant, or too random! If you can donate an item like this or know someone who can, please contact tinaatian@yahoo.com.
  
•  Caregiver-Hosted Parties: We are looking for caregivers to host parties for adults or kids (e.g., a beach outing, taco & tequila tasting, etc.). The hosts are responsible for all expenses associated with the party and the money raised from ticket sales supports our amazing school. Contact: emilyrfriend@gmail.com.
  
•  Classroom Art Project: We are looking for parent volunteers to lead each classroom’s effort to create an art project to be auctioned off at Starry Night.  Time commitment is about 5 hours. Contacts: Claudia.negrut@gmail.com / neducar@comcast.net. 
  
• Volunteer: Help us put on the best Starry Night ever. Contact: lmarcus@gmail.com.​