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4 | May 24, 2018 | The orland park prairie NEWS opprairie.com The Bridge Teen Center announces summer open house New student orientation, more to take place June 2 Megan Schuller Freelance Reporter The Bridge Teen Center plans to kick off the summer by offering more than 100 free programs for students across the area, as the center celebrates its eighth year in Orland Park with its annual open house and new student orientation day Saturday, June 2. “Summers are really amazing at the bridge,” said Priscilla Steinmetz, The Bridge’s executive director and co-founder. “I think it’s a great opportunity for students in the area.” New student orientation is from 10-11 a.m. June 2, and the center opens to the community from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Parents and students can get tours of the facility and meet the staff. Starting at 2 p.m., students can sign up for summer programs. “One of the reasons why we really encourage both new seventh-graders and students who have never been to The Bridge to come to orientation is it’s one of the only days we’re open to the public,” Steinmetz said. “It gives parents a chance to view it as a family.” This summer local businesses from across the area will be involved with classes on various subjects. The Mokena Animal Clinic is to lead a program in which a veterinarian discusses working with animals. and shows students how to read X-rays and examine specimen jars. Tinley Park’s Bettenhausen Automotive is slated to offer a program on basic auto maintenance, like recharging the air-conditioning and changing the oil. Frankfort businesses Fat Rosie’s and Down Home Guitars also are to lead programs on how to prepare authentic corn tamales and play the ukulele, respectively. The center offers programs and events for students grades 7-12. To date, more than 6,100 students from 128 different communities have been involved with The Bridge. Sandburg High School sophomore Jade Hamilton has frequented The Bridge Teen Center since seventhgrade. She has attended and help run programs, as well as volunteered at The Bridge Thrift Store as part of the job readiness program. “Running programs there has helped me become more comfortable talking to people,” Hamilton said. “I’ve met friends there that I still talk to today.” Hamilton works the register at the thrift shop and said that work experience in customer service has helped her feel confident for future opportunities. “It has helped gear me toward having a future job,” she said. There are 10-15 sales associate positions at the thrift shop for which students can apply once the student becomes 16 years old. “It helps them gain skills and volunteer hours, if needed,” Steinmetz said. A variety of volunteer opportunities also will be available and can be used as community service hours for school. “We’re really trying to encourage them to be selflearners, to explore and innovate,” Steinmetz said. The Bridge Teen Center recently installed a new interactive art wall in the art studio. An art club is to be launched during the summer. “Students will have the opportunity to commit to a series of programs that are more advanced,” Steinmetz said. “They’ll come and they can work on a long-term project. They’ll get to see the process of a long-term project while learning advanced art skills.” There are plans in the future for a garden club, different athletic clubs and several music clubs, according to Steinmetz. Steinmetz also suggested that parents and students fill out the student membership form on the website in advance, so they get their username and password to sign up for programs at 2 p.m. June 2. On orientation day, students can become members and get their Bridge Teen Center ID cards to scan in and out of the center. “Come get a tour, meet the staff and see the space,” Steinmetz said. For more information about The Bridge Teen Center, visit www.thebridgete encenter.org or call (708) 532-0500. Orland School D135 Board of Education Officials look to expand policy on service animals in schools Superintendent gets three-year contract extension, raise Megan Schuller Freelance Reporter Policy revisions took center stage May 14, when the Orland School District Board of Education met at Prairie School for its Committee of the Whole Meeting. One policy proposed would expand the existing policy on service dogs in school to include therapy and emotional support animals to assist particular students in need or to visit children in groups. According to Special Education Specialist Karen Janettas, a female student at Meadow Ridge has had a therapy dog with her throughout this year, and it has been successful. “The additional policy I’m asking you to consider would expand our current policy on support and therapy animals, so that they can come into our schools.” Janettas said. “It would be for all students, because we have found that therapy dogs provide emotional support to all of us.” It also would open up possibilities of contracting with a therapy animal agency, or for animals to be brought in by a trained staff member. At the board meeting, several important decisions were made including a modification of the holiday waiver, which passed unanimously. This allows the optional use of certain holidays as school days in order to make up days of canceled school for snow/emergency day. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday, Casimir Pulaski Day, Christopher Columbus Day and Veterans Day are the five holidays that can be used as school days, as needed. “If we do a holiday waiver, there has to be specific focus of instruction on that holiday,” Superintendent DJ Skogsberg said after the meeting, “If you think back to six or seven years ago, when we had pretty inclement weather, there were many districts that were closed from inclement weather for 5-6 days. If you had that policy in place , ou would be more easily able to absorb those days.” If the holiday falls in the middle of the week, the school also may choose to be in session, and it shortens the school year by one day. According to Skogsberg, it has become more and more of a common practice for school districts to use remaining holidays to absorb inclement weather and emergency closing days. After over an hour-long closed session, the board approved the resolution of considering and improving the superintendent’s contract, according to the details they discussed in closed session. According to Jen Obright, director of communications for D135, the board approved a new three-year contract with a base salary 3.1 percent increase to $193,802. New goals were also established, she said. No public comments were made during either meeting. Orland Township announces Senior American Idol Winner Singing competition benefits scholarship foundation Submitted by Orland Township Fourteen talented seniors recently showcased their vocal skills before a live audience, as they vied for the title of 2018 Orland Township Senior American Idol. After three rounds of singing their favorite tunes, fivetime competitor Phil Orsi, of Orland Hills, was crowned 2018 Orland Township Senior American Idol. Orsi started off the night with Frank Sinatra’s “Chicago,” continuing in the second round with “Georgia” by Ray Charles. In the final Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady (right) congratulates 2018 Orland Township Senior American Idol winner Phil Orsi (middle), standing alongside his sister Sharon Maggy. Photo submitted round, Orsi impressed the audience and judges with “Feeling Good” by Michael Bublé. Contestants for the finals were chosen from a group of more than 25 people who sang a cappella during auditions in February.
opprairie.com News the orland park prairie | May 24, 2018 | 5 Inclusive spring fun: D146’s CMS Olympics bring everyone together Jamilyn Hiskes Freelance Reporter The laughter of children on a sunny day can be enough to lift even the sourest of spirits. Under the hot sun of a late spring afternoon, dozens of students from Community Consolidated School District 146 gathered on the large field outside Central Middle School Thursday, May 17, for the start of the annual CMS Olympics. The CMS Olympics, organized by District 146 Student Services and CMS, is a yearly event similar to the Special Olympics in which students of various abilities are paired to participate in sports-related activities. The day is meant to encourage students to celebrate their unique qualities, according to a press release issued by D146. Margi Strombeck, a special education teacher at CMS and the organizer of the CMS Olympics, said events such as this help “expand the world” for children with disabilities. “I don’t think anyone knew how it would turn out when we started [in 2017],” Strombeck said. “But it’s great to see the students play together. Everyone has a good time.” The event began with the participants gathering in the library of CMS for preliminary announcements from Strombeck. Paper torches were given to students who could hold them, and “torch hats” were given to students who could not. From there, the students paraded through the halls while the “Olympic Fanfare” played over a speaker, and fellow classmates and teachers applauded from the sidelines. The event included indoor and outdoor activities, such as T-ball, soccer, races, adaptive bowling and an obstacle course. The activities at the CMS Olympics were designed to be accessible to students of all ability levels, according to Strombeck. “We work with the teachers and [physical and occupational] therapists when we plan the event,” Strombeck said. “We also do group work with students to promote sportsmanship skills throughout the year.” In 2017, only 10 students with disabilities were sent to CMS for the CMS Olympics. This year, Strombeck said D146 schools sent 25 students. Ron Gonser, the principal of Fulton Elementary School, said he enjoys seeing students from his school participate in this event and hopes to send more next year. “Some of these students don’t normally have the opportunities for these social activities, so it’s wonderful to get them out here and watch them maybe trying something new,” Gonser said. Throughout the afternoon, students mingled, laughed and helped each other, while kicking around huge inflatable soccer balls and crawling through collapsible vinyl tunnels. Even when an unexpected fire alarm forced students out of the gym and away from the indoor activities, spirits were not dampened. Strombeck and a few other teachers simply brought out a huge rainbow parachute, keeping the children excited and engaged with impromptu fun. “It’s one of the best feelings in the world to know you’re making a difference to these kids,” said Jack Day, an eighth-grader at CMS. He said he was changed by his experience helping Lucas Podoreski, from Kruse Education Center, boots an inflatable soccer ball Thursday, May 17, during the CMS Olympics staged by Community Consolidate School District 146 at Central Middle School. Photos by Julie McMann/22nd Century Media with the 2017 CMS Olympics and sees volunteering in his future after he graduates this summer. The busy day ended with a brief awards ceremony in the library, during which each participating student with a disability proudly posed for photos with their medals, trophies and certificates. “It’s a good opportunity to socialize and play, and it’s just a great initiative to support,” said Maram Sweis, the mother of Misho Sabbagh from Kruse Education Center. “[CMS] has great facilities, and the kids are so supportive and helpful.” RIGHT: Vraj Patel (left) and Dayton Young, both from Central Middle School, race to the cone and back, as fellow students cheer for them.
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