Principal's Newsletter - Komarek School District 94

GO WILDCATS!! 

My email is: 

tcriscione@komarek94.org 

My phone number is (708) 447-8030 

X 1-104. Contact me at any time. I will 

reply ASAP. 

Thank you, 

Tom Criscione - Principal 

KOMAREK ON THE WEB 

The Principal Newsletter is available on the 

Komarek website. www.komarek94.org 

QUOTES OF THE MONTH 

Youth is when you're allowed to stay 

up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age 

is when you're forced to. 

- Bill Vaughan 

Pieces of Time 

New years come and new years go, 

Pieces of time all in a row. 

As we live our life, each second and 

minute, 

We know we’re privileged to have you in 

it. 

Our appreciation never ends 

For our greatest blessings: our family 

and friends. 

Happy New Year! 

By Joanna Fuchs 

PRINCIPAL’S NEWSLETTER 

December 2012/January 2013 

MR. TOM CRISCIONE PRINCIPAL 

KOMAREK SCHOOL DISTRICT 94 

8940 W. 24 TH STREET 

NORTH RIVERSIDE, IL 60546-1158 

School Hours 8:20 a.m. – 3:10 p.m. 

BOARD NOTES 

Our next Board of Education meetings will 

be held at 7:00 PM on: 

• Tuesday, December 11, 2012 

• Tuesday, January 15, 2013 

• Tuesday, February 12, 2013 

• Tuesday, March 12, 2013 

• Tuesday, April 9, 2013 

• Tuesday, May 14, 2013 

• Tuesday, June 11, 2013 

• Tuesday, July 9, 2013 

2:30 PM EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS 

• Thursday, January 17, 2013 

• Thursday, February 14, 2013 

• Thursday, March 14, 2013 

• Thursday, April 18, 2013 

• Thursday, May 16, 2013 

12:00 PM EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS 

• Thursday, December 20, 2012 

SCHOOL REPORT CARD 

The Komarek School District 94 2012 Report 

Card is available for viewing on the Komarek 

website, www.komarek94.org, under the 

District tab. 

DATES OF INTEREST 

• Wednesday, December 5, 2012 

Grades K-2 Chorus Program 

7:00 PM gym 

• December 13, 2012 

Geography Bee 1:30 PM 

• December 13, 2012 

Grades 3-5 Chorus Program 

7:00 PM gym









Holiday Band Concert 

7:00 PM gym 


Rally for Daniele (students only) 

2:00 PM gym 

• Thursday, December 20, 2012 

PTA Parties and Dance 

12:00 PM Student Dismissal 

• Friday, December 21, 2012 – 

January 4, 2013 – Winter Break 

• Monday, January 7, 2013 

School Resumes 


PTA Meeting 8:30 AM Board 

Room 


Outdoor Ed. Parent Meeting 

7:00 PM gym 


2 nd Qt. ends 

• Friday, January 18, 2012 

Report Cards issued 

• Monday, January 21, 2012 

No School – Dr. Martin Luther 

King's Birthday 

DISTRICT ASSESSMENT 

Grades K-2 will MAP test in 

January/February 2013. Grades K-8 will 

test in April 2013. Testing twice during the 

school year will give students an 

opportunity to show growth. 

More details will follow. If you have any 

questions, please contact Mr. Criscione. 

DREAMS FOR DANIELE 

Komarek School 

students and staff have 

many fundraisers 

planned to support the 

"Dreams for Daniele" 

initiative. 

Here are some of the events and fundraisers 

planned: 

• All School (students only) Rally for 

Daniele – Wednesday, December 19 th 

2:00 PM 

• Wildcat Incentive Program (WIP) 

Student Committee "Change for 

Daniele" through January 

• Komarek Student Council 

Selling bracelets – all proceeds to 

Daniele 

• National Junior Honor Society 

Planning a fundraiser after the 

holidays 

• Komarek Staff – "Lunch with a 

Teacher" raffle 

• Donating books and music to Daniele 

There are more plans on the horizon. If you 

have any questions, please contact Mr. 

Criscione 

8 TH GRADE PARENT MEETING 

Update 

The 8 th grade Parent Meeting took place on 

Thursday, November 1 st at 7:00 PM in the 

gym. The meeting went well. 

Finance Committee 

Co-Chairpersons 

Mr. and Mrs. Rowley 

Assistants 

Mrs. Hartwig and Mrs. Roudebush

Dinner Dance Committee 

Co-Chairpersons 

Mrs. Ranieri and Mrs. Garbauski 

Assistants 

Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Panzani 

The above committees will organize the 8 th 

Grade finances and the Dinner Dance for 

next spring. Komarek staff will handle 

everything related to the graduation 

ceremony it’s self. Students will still be 

responsible for the cost of cap and gown 

rental, pins, ribbons, and photography 

costs. 

If you have any questions or concerns, 

please contact Mr. Criscione at 

447-8030 X – 104. 

8 TH GRADE SPRINGFIELD TRIP 

The annual 8 th Grade Springfield Trip is 

scheduled for Tuesday, April 23, 2013 and 

Wednesday, April 24, 2013. The cost of 

the trip is in the range of $240.00 – 

$260.00. The cost could change right up to 

the final payment due date based on the 

number of students attending the trip. The 

trip is not mandatory. 

The 8 th graders raised $1105.00 selling 

Taffy Apples. All 8 th graders attending the 

trip will receive a portion of the money. 

The total number of students attending will 

determine the final amount. Students will 

also be able to sell See's Candy to defer 

cost of the trip. Candy fundraiser 

information will be distributed soon. 

Please indicate if your son/daughter intends 

to sell candy or not. The Candy Sale, like 

the trip is not mandatory. 








A $50.00 deposit is due by no later than 

Friday, January 18, 2013 in order to secure a 

spot for your son/daughter to attend the trip. 

There are several ways to make payment. 

Here are some of the payment methods: 

• Credit card – link on the Komarek 

website or stop in to see Mrs. Gibson 

• Personal check – made out to 


• Cashier's check or money order – 

made out to Komarek School 

• Cash (in a sealed envelope with name 

on it) (delivered directly to the 

Principal's office) 

All payments need to be returned to the 

Principal's office. The deposit is nonrefundable. 

The total payment is due by 

Friday, March 1, 2013. Students will be 

required to sign a behavior contract if they 

choose to attend the trip. If you have any 

questions or concerns, please call me at (708) 

447-8030 X-1-104. 

OUTDOOR EDUCATION 

The Outdoor Education Parent meeting is 

scheduled for Thursday, January 10, 2013 at 

7:00 PM in the gym. All students interested 

in the trip should come with their parents. It 

is not mandatory to attend the meeting if 

your son/daughter wants to attend. 

The Trip is scheduled for Tuesday, April 9, 

2013 and Wednesday, April 10, 2013 to 

Covenant Harbor in Lake Geneva, WI. If 

you have any questions, please contact Mr. 

Criscione.

GEOGRAPHY BEE 

Our 4 th – 8 th graders have completed their 

Classroom-Level Geography Bee Contests 

to determine the six representatives from 

each grade level that will compete in the 

School-Level Competition on Thursday, 

December 13 th at 1:30pm in the Komarek 

Gym. Congratulations to our winners and 

good luck in the finals on the 13 th !! 

4 th Grade: Andre Giurini, Mia Giurini, 

Colin Griffin, Aaliyah Jimenez, Ryan Lach, 

and Alejandra Perez 

5 th Grade: Lidia Bielobradek, Taja 

Martens, Vanessa Montoya, Sean Par, 

Michael Schicker, and David Waas 

6 th Grade: Ian Hardin, Marta Janas, 

Michael Labellarte, Itzel Mancilla, Carina 

Sandoval, and Demetri Schmit 

7 th Grade: Matthew Bielobradek, Trevor 

Bork, Juan Quiroz, Josh Ricchio, Charlie 

Tapia, and J.J. Warren 

8 th Grade: Jalen Brooks, Alex Hamer, Erik 

Hartwig, Nick Mascitti, Andrew 

Roudebush, Misael Villegas 

NJHS NEWS 

Did you know that the NJHS is now in its 

THIRD year of collecting old cell phones 

which will be recycled? We ask that you 

PLEASE continue to donate your old cell 

phones to our organization. The monies 

earned from this project will be put to good 

use. We plan on 

using this money for a very special cause. 

(No chargers, please.) 

We are proud to announce that all rooms 

and offices now have a blue recycle bin for 

the collection of used paper. Our members 








empty the bins in all of the rooms and offices 

on a rotating basis. We ask that you PLEASE 

help us by using our GREEN and YELLOW 

dumpster to recycle papers from home. We 

want ALL of your old: newspapers, 

magazines, office and school papers, 

shopping catalogs and mail!!! The Big 

GREEN and YELLOW dumpster is located 

across from the school on the East side of 

12 th Street near the alley. Please be careful. 

This past November we began a reading 

partnership with Mrs. Wach's classroom that 

will last for the duration of the year. Every 

Wednesday, four of our members will spend 

the 9 th Period Enrichment Block reading with 

the students in her classroom. We will also 

help Mrs. Wach cut out letters, shapes, etc. to 

aid the students in their studies. 

This program was very successful last year, 

and we are confident that it will be a great 

success again this year. We LOVE reading 

with the younger children. 

Thank you for your continued support of our 

organization and activities. We wish you a 

very happy holiday season, and an awesome 

NEW YEAR! 

Roberta Breiding and Diane Vesecky 

NJHS Co-Sponsor 

SPECIAL EDUCATION NEWS 

Annual Reviews/3 Year Evaluations are 

underway. Your child's meeting will be 

scheduled close to the due date of the EP. 

Please try to keep these appointments as rescheduling 

is often difficult. Let the team 

know if you need to reschedule. We 

understand portent work schedules are not

always flexible. We try our very best to 

accommodate. 

Thank you for your continued support and 

cooperation with our team. We appreciate 

your assistance in helping your child make 

academic progress. 

Please call us with any questions regarding 

your child's IEP, meeting dates or 

programming. 

Our best to you and your family over the 

holiday season. 

Special Education Team 

Mrs. Birgit Hillmer, Resource Teacher 

Mrs. Renee Ricchio, Resource Teacher 

Ms. Lauren Shesek, Resource Teacher/RtI 

Teacher 

Mrs. Laura Naughton, Speech Pathologist 

Ms. Abbey Richeson, Speech Pathologist 

Mrs. Jamie Kleinschmidt, (Ms. Piatti) 

Social Worker 

Ms. Kristen O'Connor, LADSE 

Psychologist 

Mrs. Maria Mullen, Special Education 

Director 

SOCIAL WORKER NOTES 

The holidays are fast 

approaching and I cannot 

believe how fast this year 

has flown by. Below is an 

update on groups: 

Kindergarten groups have been learning 

how to share, follow directions, and asking 

for help. First and second grade groups are 

also working on sharing, following multistep 

directions, approaching friends, asking 








to play, learning to ask for help and 

conflict/problem solving. Third grade is 

working hard to learn more about their 

interests and how that helps them make 

friendships, what to do if they see something 

that is not a good choice, how to make good 

choices even when it is hard, and learning to 

manage their emotions. The fourth grade girls 

groups are working towards developing 

empathy towards other girls, about healthy 

conflict, exploring their feelings, fighting 

fair, and promoting a positive change in 

female relationships. Each group is unique 

and all the children are working towards 

success. 

Over break, take the time to ask your children 

how school is going and if they have any 

concerns. As always, if you have any 

questions or concerns regarding your students 

social or emotional needs, please feel free to 

contact me at jkleinschmidt@komarek94.org 

or 708-447-8030 ext. 144. 

Jamie Kleinschmidt, MSW, LSW Certified 

school social worker 

NEWS FROM THE READING 

SPECIALIST 

News from: Raz-Kids! 

Raz-Kids is 

Mobile! 

Did you know that if you 

have a child at Komarek School, Pre-K - 5 th grade, 

that your child has access to Raz-Kids? Did you 

know that your child can access the "On Your Own" 

area right from an iPad or Android device? Did you 

know that your child will find hundreds of books in 

both Listen and Read modes, along with quizzes to

check for comprehension? Did you know that all 

students' mobile activity is recorded in their Raz- 

Kids student activity reports? 

Download the FREE Learning A-Z app 

iTunes 

iPad 

Google Play 

Android 2.2 

Amazon App Store 

kindle fire 

Note: Android devices require version 2.2 and higher. 

Example devices include the Samsung Galaxy Tab, Google Nexus 7 and 

Amazon Kindle Fire. 

Did you know that Learning A-Z has added 

a brand new incentive and reward system to 

Raz-Kids? Students can now board the Raz 

Rocket and blast off to a distant planet for 

an out-of-this-world experience! Students 

earn stars for listening, reading and 

completing comprehension quizzes. 








• Students use earned stars to buy 

items from the Raz Rocket Catalog 

to personalize their rocket. 

• Time students spend in the Raz 

Rocket appears on the weekly 

activity report so teachers and 

parents can monitor the time a child 

spends on this feature. 

• New features and enhancements will 

be added regularly. 

Parent Access -Parent Login: 

Parents can register themselves by simply 

logging in as their child and clicking the 

“Parents” link in the top right! 

If you have any questions about your 

child's Raz-Kids account, please feel free 

to contact Ms. Breiding. 

News from the Wildcat Book Club... 

Did you know that Komarek School 

sponsors a reading club for all students in 

Kindergarten -Grade 8? In a school setting, 

reading is essential to the educational 

process, but schools would be remiss if they 

did not encourage and promote reading for 

pleasure. The Wildcat Book 

Club is designed for this purpose. It 

incorporates reading for “fun” and adds a 

“whole” school dimension. At the beginning 

of each month, the teachers distribute a 

Wildcat Book Club Calendar to all students. 

As students read for pleasure at home, they 

record the number of minutes read. At the 

end of each month, the students turn in their 

signed (by parent or guardian) calendar to

their homeroom, or reading teacher. They 

receive a small incentive, such as a pencil, 

bookmark, eraser, etc. At the end of April, 

two students from each reading group or 

homeroom are invited to participate in the 

Wildcat Field Trip to Drury Lane based on 

the total number of minutes read 

throughout the year. This field trip is 

generously sponsored by the PTA, so there 

is no charge to the students. 

The total number of hours read for the 

month of October is: 2,940 hours and 23 

minutes! 

Kindergarten: Mrs. Albores-61 hours 32 

min.; Mrs.Scriba-55 hours 14 min. 

Grade One: Mrs. Derrick-58 Hours; Mrs. 

Lid -157 Hours 5min.; Mrs. Santoro-150 

hours 5min. 

Grade Two: Ms. Manno-232 hours 35 

min.; Mrs. Ruesch/Mrs. Davis-199 hours 

50min. 

Grade Three: Mrs. Gouty-110 hours 47 

min.; Mrs. Parolin-112 hours 18 min. 

Grade Four: Mrs.Berger-182 hours 45 

min.;Mrs.Daly-145 hours 40 min.; 

Mrs.Sandoval-49 hrs. 38min. 

Intermediate: Ms. Shesek-38 hours 45 

min. 

Grade Five: Mr. Bedalow-268 hours 40 

min.; Mrs. Brandt -152 hours 39 min.; Mrs. 

West 90 hours 

Grade Six: Mrs. Lovera 237 hours; Ms. 

Schmit-142 hours 

Grade Seven: Mrs. Lovera 202 hours; Ms. 

Schmit 142 hours 

Grade Eight: Mrs. Lovera 90 hours 30 

min.; Ms. Schmit 107 hours 








Wishing you a very a very peaceful holiday 

season, 

Ms. Roberta Breiding 

Reading Specialist 

ELL NEWS 

As we look to the start of 2013, ELL students 

will soon be ACCESS tested. ACCESS 

stands for Assessing Comprehension and 

Communication in English State-to-State. 

The test covers Listening, Speaking, 

Reading, and Writing for students in 

Kindergarten through 8 th grade. The testing 

will begin when we return from winter break 

for all students who have been identified as 

ELL, whether they receive services or not. 

This test will help determine placement for 

next year. If you have any questions 

regarding ACCESS testing, please feel free to 

contact me. 

Thank you, 

Ms. Gibson 

ELL Coordinator 447-8030 x150 

SCIENCE AND MATH NEWS 

6 th grade students are currently learning about 

physical and chemical reactions in the 

science lab. Students are also discovering lots 

of information about the 3 states of matter 

that exist. 

7 th grade students continue to learn about 

heredity and DNA. We are also learning how 

to calculate the probability of inheriting 

certain traits from your parents! 

8 th grade students are using Newton’s laws to 

design a contraption that will allow for an 

egg to fall from the overpass without 

cracking. The building, designing, and 

redesigning has been worked on for 2 weeks.

The official drop will take place on 

November 28 th . 

All Math students should continue 

practicing skills at home on the computer. 

Ms. Vesecky 

JUNIOR HIGH SOCIAL STUDIES 

In all Social Studies classes, 

we took some time off of 

our subjects to discuss the 

recent Presidential election. 

The students took a survey 

to determine which 

candidate they agreed with more in terms 

of policies and agendas, and they also 

learned how our nation elects a president. 

They wrote a short essay on whether they 

think the Electoral College is a good thing, 

or if it is outdated and should be abolished. 

Make sure to ask your child how he or she 

feels! 

The 6 th graders have just finished up their 

unit on Ancient Israel. They learned about 

the Israelite's history, culture, beliefs, and 

traditions. They also compared their own 

beliefs and traditions with those of the 

ancient Israelites to see how much they had 

in common with this interesting group of 

the past. Next, we will be moving on to 

study the culture of Ancient Greece. 

7 th graders recently ended our chapter on 

the American Revolution. We took time to 

create timelines and draw political cartoons 

about events leading up to the Revolution, 

and we even wrote our own personal breakup 

letters to King George from the 

colonists, in a format similar to the 

Declaration of Independence. We will now 

be learning about how the colonists formed 








a government after achieving independence, 

and then we will begin our study of the 

United States Constitution. 

8 th grade finished up their unit on 

Reconstruction following the Civil War, and 

we discussed how the expansion of railroads 

led to the settlement of the West. Next, we 

will be moving on to learn about the growth 

in Industry in American, along with the 

Progressive Movement. 

All classes have been focusing on developing 

our ability to read historical texts and create 

outlines that highlight the most important 

information. We will continue to develop and 

strengthen these study skills. 

I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday 

season! Please feel free to contact me if you 

have any questions or concerns regarding 

your child. My email is 

kwilliams@komarek94.org and my phone 

number is (708)447-8030 ext.141. 

Ms. Williams, JH Social Studies 

JUNIOR HIGH MATH 

High school Algebra I is 

offered to the 8 th grade 

students at Komarek School. Eighth grade 

students need to qualify for the class by 

passing the Iowa Test of Algebra Readiness 

and by exhibiting good study habits. Those 

students who successfully complete Algebra I 

in 8 th grade will have met their state 

mandated high school Algebra requirement. 

When the students enter high school, they 

will begin a sophomore level math class. 

Ms. Mizia

JUNIOR HIGH SCIENCE 

TECHNOLOGY 

Sixth grade has begun a unit on properties 

and changes of matter. The students will 

learn about the many different properties 

that objects can have, and why these 

properties are important, They will learn 

about physical properties compared to 

chemical properties and what happens to 

matter during physical and chemical 

changes . They are doing a great job and 

enjoying the lab activities. After the 

holiday, they will continue doing many labs 

about elements compounds and mixtures. 

Seventh grade is immersed in learning 

about genetics. They have already mastered 

using Punnett squares to determine possible 

outcomes for different inherited traits like 

hair color. They conducted a survey of their 

own family members to collect information 

about traits like tongue rolling, right 

handedness and dimples. Each student 

wrote a report and presented information 

about a specific genetic disorder. 

Eighth grade is studying light. We started 

with a survey of the electromagnetic 

spectrum. They tested forms of energy like 

infrared and radio waves to determine their 

ability to transmit through various kinds of 

matter. They enjoyed an activity about 

optical illusions. The labs have involved 

many interesting interactions of light as it 

travels through matter. Ask your eighth 

grader to explain how they can make their 

eyes disappear or have 4 eyes. 

Mrs. Wade 








JUNIOR HIGH READING/LANGUAGE 

ARTS 

The Junior High reading classes have been 

very busy this fall and winter. We finished 

reading some beloved novels recently, so be 

sure to ask your child about these great 

books. While reading these novels, we 

worked on comprehension strategies, 

vocabulary development, literary devices, 

and interpreting theme. 

At this time of year, students spend more 

time inside. This makes for a great 

opportunity to rediscover the joy of reading. 

Students should be reading each day, so as a 

family it is important to make sure that there 

are plenty of materials available for your 

son/daughter to enjoy. Why not enjoy a 

newspaper or magazine? Have you checked 

out the local libraries recently? The libraries 

are always adding new programs to 

encourage reading; better yet, they offer most 

of them for FREE! Scholastic Book Clubs are 

another great way to have appropriate 

reading materials available, and the prices are 

fabulous! 

Ms. Schmit 

JH READING 

The sixth, seventh, and eighth graders are all 

exploring the big question: Why read? As we 

learn the various purposes authors have for 

sharing a story, we are taking a look at our 

own interests and reasons for reading. We are 

exploring stories we read for enjoyment as 

well as stories we read to gain new 

knowledge on a particular subject. 

Our main focus continues to be 

comprehension, oral fluency, vocabulary, as 

well as various literary elements such as

analyzing story structure, making personal 

connections, foreshadowing, and imagery 

to name just as few. We look forward to 

beginning our next novel soon after our 

winter break! 

Mrs. Lovera 

JH LANGUAGE ARTS 

So far in second quarter we have been 

concentrating on writing with regards to 

what is going on in the world. Starting with 

the 2012 Election, students were asked to 

voice their opinion on the race to 

presidency and the outcome through 

journaling. Students also completed 

Veteran's Day Projects. The seventh grade 

completed personal reflective essays on 

what the American Flag means to them. 

The eighth graders participated in 

Operation Gratitude and wrote heartfelt 

letters to veterans. Some of the letters were 

sent to their friends and family members 

who served our country and others were 

sent to Operation Gratitude, where they 

will be distributed to participating veterans. 

Thanksgiving is a time for reflection and 

giving thanks to those we love. Students 

wrote poems and “I am thankful for...” 

essays for Thanksgiving. They also wrote 

thank you letters to Komarek staff, family, 

and friends. 

We will continue to focus on the writing 

process and incorporating our spelling and 

grammar skills to make our writing superb! 

Students have been pre-writing with a 

variety of graphic organizers before 

drafting their essays. Upon completion of 

their first draft, students review for 

organization and details, then edit for 

spelling, grammar, and punctuation. 








Finally, students evaluate their work through 

reflection in order to publish a final draft. 

Writing is a skill that needs to be practiced. 

Journaling is a great way for students to write 

each day, so encourage your son/daughter to 

keep a journal. 

Mrs. Jankowski 

SPANISH NEWS 

Spanish - 6 th grade 

We have started another quarter of Spanish, 

which is going very well. The students are 

very hard-working and seem to really want to 

learn all about the Spanish language. We 

have been learning basic vocabulary, phrases 

and greetings. I have taught them the Spanish 

alphabet and the rules of pronunciation, 

which they are using effectively as they 

practice saying the various words. I 

emphasize how important it is to say their 

vocabulary words and phrases at home every 

day, so they feel more comfortable with the 

language. A variety of grammatical aspects 

of the language are being taught, such as 

pronouns and basic verbs. The students will 

also work with a partner and perform Spanish 

dialogues in class. I think they will enjoy this 

very much. It is great working with this 

enthusiastic class! 


The students have started a new book this 

year, which they will use for two years. We 

have been reviewing the verbs “ser” and 

“estar”(to be) and their conjugations, which 

are used in a large variety of sentences and 

essential in the Spanish language. Also, 

regular and irregular verbs have been 

introduced. Grammar is such an important 

part of learning a language, and knowledge

of these concepts will help the students 

speak more fluently. The students will be 

working on different dialogues, using 

vocabulary and phrases related to activities 

they like to do. I am amazed at how much 

they remember from last year. I look 

forward to a great quarter! 


We have been reviewing a variety of 

regular and irregular (stem-changing) 

verbs. They are doing a great job of 

participating in class and seem to remember 

a lot of the grammatical concepts I taught 

them last year. The students were asked to 

create a 16-line dialogue in Spanish with a 

group, using basic phrases and longer 

sentences, and then perform this dialogue 

in class. They have been writing a variety 

of sentences using different subjects, verbs 

and descriptive adjectives. We will be 

doing more fun dialogues, using vocabulary 

pertaining to clothing, colors and prices in 

Spanish currency. The students will take 

the parts of customer and store clerk and 

act out the dialogues in class. I know this 

quarter will be very interesting for all the 

students. 

Mrs. LaPietra 

PRIMARY PHYSICAL EDUCATION 

Ms. Banas' classes finished 

up their basketball units this 

week. In Kindergarten we 

learned how to bounce the 

ball while walking, shoot the ball into the 

basket, and even had a shooting contest! In 

First, Second, and Third grade we did some 

relay races, had a shooting contest, and 

perfected our shooting and passing skills. 

In Fourth grade we worked on dribbling, 








passing, shooting, and played some side-line 

basketball games. Everyone can agree that 

basketball is a fun yet challenging sport. Our 

upcoming units include Q-Tip Ball and 

Volleyball. 

Ms. Banas 

NEWS FROM THE PRIMARY CROSS- 

CAT CLASSROOM 

In December we are excited about 

completing North Pole Job Applications with 

Ms. Christine as we review and write our 

addresses, telephone numbers and important 

dates! We will also work on the parts of 

speech as we write about our skills and why 

we would qualify to be one of Santa’s 

helpers. 

Decorating our hallway tree, “We Can Light 

Up Our World,” will give us an opportunity 

to read and learn about multicultural 

traditions and learn about respecting and 

helping others. Holiday songs and discussing 

the different days of multicultural 

celebrations will also give us a chance to do 

math and work on counting and ordinal 

numbers. 

During the Month of January we will 

continue to read and learn about diversity, 

respect and how situations can be handled 

peacefully as we celebrate Martin Luther 

King, Jr. Day. To explore the wonders of 

winter and ice we will make our own ice 

cream. Following steps, math and measuring 

skills will be included in this fun project. 

Mrs. Wach

NEWS FROM THE JH CROSS-CAT 

ROOM 

Ms. Houlihan's class has been improving 

their behavior by supporting one another's 

academics and decision making skills. 

Students have been working toward 

rewards and away from consequences. 

Keep it up, students! Parents, please 

continue to help your student succeed by 

initialing reading logs and checking that 

homework written in the assignment 

notebook is completed daily and placed in 

the backpack to be returned to school. 

Parents can also help by drilling math 

multiplication facts and encourage reading 

for pleasure in their homes. Have a safe and 

Happy Holiday break! 

Erin Houlihan 

Special Education Teacher 


(708)447-8030 Ext. 117 

ehoulihan@komarek94.org 

KINDERGARTEN NEWS 

In December, we will be 

taking our second field trip to 

see the Nutcracker Ballet at 

Dominican University. This 

is a wonderful cultural experience for our 

young students. They always enjoy learning 

about and watching this amazing 

production. In Math, we will be exploring 

standard and non-standard forms of 

measurement. We will be learning more 

about estimation, particularly related to 

weight and measurement. In Reading, we 

are continuing to learn a letter each week. 

Our take-home books will become more 

challenging, as we are expecting the 








students to become more independent as 

readers. Other units will include a Social 

Studies unit on government and laws and a 

Science unit on the Earth and natural 

resources. We will discuss the winter 

holidays and their similarities and 

differences. We will also learn about Dr. 

Martin Luther King Jr. and his important 

contributions in history. 

Mrs. Albores, Mrs. Scriba, and Ms. 

Kronenberger 

1ST GRADE NEWS 

In December, First Grade will be very busy. 

We will start off the month reading stories 

about gingerbread men. We will be creating 

our own “gingerbread land” making 

gingerbread houses and people. We will 

begin a new Science unit, where we will 

learn about “The Sky Above” focusing on the 

sun, stars, moon and planets. We will also 

celebrate a special day in first grade, Grinch 

Day! After Christmas break, we will begin a 

new unit in Language on nouns and 

pronouns. We will do a fun project with the 

story The Snowy Day by. Ezra Jack Keats. 

We are looking forward to an 

exciting and snowy winter! 

Mrs. Derrick, Ms. Lid, and Mrs. Santoro 

2 ND GRADE NEWS 

The 2 nd graders are very excited for winter to 

arrive. We will be doing a lot of fun-filled 

winter activities. In December, we will take 

our 100 word frequency test again. Students 

will also learn about all the winter holidays 

celebrated within different cultures. We 

can’t wait for Rockin’ with Santa and our

Winter Music Program! In January, we will 

come back in the New Year and get ready 

for the third quarter. 

Second graders should continue to read 

daily over winter break. They should also 

practice their addition and subtraction facts 

as well as telling time and counting money. 

There are many wonderful websites that 

reinforce the skills and concepts introduced 

in the classroom. We encourage you and 

your child to visit any of the following 

websites for entertaining and educational 

activities: 

Scholastic.com 

FunBrain.com 

KidsKnowIt.com 

PBSKIDS.org 

BrainPop.com 

The 2 nd grade team wishes everyone a safe 

and enjoyable holiday! 

. 

Ms. Manno, Mrs. Ruesch, and Mrs. 

Greenenwald 

3 RD GRADE NEWS 

Halloween may be over, but we are still 

receiving many treats from our third 

graders. "Prize Winning Pumpkin Stories" 

decorate the primary hallway along with a 

cornucopia of acrostic poems giving thanks 

for all our gifts. The creative writing of our 

third graders takes the chill out of the cold 

winds of the winter to come. Not to worry 

we will be staying warm with some "hot 

multiplication facts and ISAT prep. 

On a more serious note, the 

students were in awe of the 

Smart Home Exhibit at the 








Museum of Science and Industry. A big 

thank you to all the chaperones who took 

time out of their busy schedules to spend the 

day with us. Also, a big thanks to the third 

grade room mothers who plan the best parties 

and are so creative and generous. Stay tune 

for more adventures in the Third Grade. 

Mrs. Parolin, Mrs. Gouty, and Ms. Rossi 

4 TH GRADE NEWS 

The Fourth Grade has been busy preparing 

for ISAT's. We have been focusing on the 

areas of Reading, Math, and Science. To 

build fluency and comprehension skills we 

suggest reading aloud to someone at home. 

Asking questions to your child will get their 

mind to think critically. To build math skills, 

practice multiplication and division facts. 

The Science ISAT will focus on vocabulary 

and skills taught in class. Please continue to 

review vocabulary words taught in class each 

night. 

We are still struggling with forming letters 

and words in cursive. Any additional 

practice you can do with your child will not 

only be encouraged but also greatly 

appreciated!! 

The Fourth Grade Team would like to wish 

everyone a Happy Holiday Season!!! 

Mrs. Berger, Mrs. Daly, and Mrs. 

Sandoval 

5 TH GRADE NEWS 

KNOW PROGRAM FOR 5 TH GRADERS 

The fifth grade has been busy with many 

activities in November. In Reading, all

classes have completed their first novel 

units. While reading these novels, we 

focused on comprehension, vocabulary, 

making inferences, and many literary 

elements. Mr. Bedalow’s class read 

Maniac Magee, Mrs. Brandt’s class read 

The Sign of the Beaver & Alice's 

Adventures in Wonderland, and Mrs. 

West’s class read Alice's Adventures in 

Wonderland. As we now turn to Unit Two 

in our Reading series, we will focus on 

various genres and skills such as making 

inferences, identifying main idea and 

supporting details, summarization 

techniques, and problem-solution story 

structures. We also use context clues to 

help us decipher the meaning of unfamiliar 

words. In Math, we have concluded our 

study of adding, subtracting, and 

multiplying with whole numbers and 

decimals, and have moved on to geometry 

where we are learning about basic 

geometric vocabulary and measuring angles 

with a protractor. In Social Studies, we 

have been reviewing the 50 states and 

capitals with a sequence of five quizzes. 

We are discussing the economic and 

political conditions in the 13 colonies and 

will soon move on to the American 

Revolution. Finally, we held a mock 

presidential election. The results mirrored 

the actual election, as President Obama was 

re-elected to a 2 nd term. In Science, the 

students have been learning about the life 

cycles of plants and animals. We have also 

learned about heredity and traits. We will 

be moving forward to food chains and food 

webs in our next few lessons, followed by a 

study of the world's different ecosystems. 

In Language Arts we are beginning a new 

unit on verbs. The writing process keeps us 








busy as we continue to practice adding details 

to our writing. Our five paragraph essays are 

getting better!! On three consecutive Fridays 

in November, the 5 th grade completed the 

KNOW program led by Officer Raul Pelayo 

of the North Riverside Police Department. 

The program focused on drug awareness, 

gang awareness, and bullying/cyber bullying. 

Thanks to Office Pelayo for sharing his 

insights and information on these very 

important topics. 

Mr. Bedalow, Mrs. Brandt, and Mrs. West 

INDUSTRIAL ARTS 

Greetings from Komarek’s wood shop! 

We’re moving through the second 

quarter and the students are doing 

just great. There are a variety of 

projects underway, and everyone is keeping 

busy. 

Sixth grade students are finishing their 

introduction to mechanical drawing. They 

have completed many difficult plates and 

have perfected their skills at reading and 

creating a working drawing. Now that the 

students can read and make plans, they’re 

ready for the woodworking portion of their 

experience in the shop this year. We’re 

excited to say they’ll begin woodworking 

soon. 

The seventh grade has a multifaceted 

program this year. While many students in 

class work on drawings and plan their 

woodworking project, others create their 

projects on the lathe. Working on this type of 

machine is a fantastic experience for the 

students, and, for many, a once in a life-time 

event. And, before long everyone in class 

will begin what has traditionally been the

favorite part of the seventh grade program 

… plastics! 

The eighth grade students are coming to the 

end of their grueling series of plates. This 

means that soon they will begin their 

woodworking as well. Many of the students 

last quarter finished with a little time to 

spare and were able to execute a project “of 

choice” in plastic for extra credit. This 

quarter’s students are working at an 

amazing pace and will undoubtedly see 

some more of those extra credit projects go 

into production. 

As always, don’t forget to donate any extra 

clean jars or bottles! 

Mr. Kartje 

COMPUTERS CLASS 

Kindergarten 

Kindergartners will be creating cards for 

the Dreams for Danielle (Santucci) during 

early December. Students will also be 

creating winter drawings using Tux Paint. 

They will also be practicing their emerging 

reading skills and math skills using a 

variety of games from ABCya.com. Many 

of these games have a winter theme which 

excites the students! Kindergartners will 

also continue to practice their emerging 

reading skills with our Bailey's Bookhouse 

software. 

1 st Grade 

Students in first grade will also be creating 

cards for the Dreams for Danielle 

(Santucci) event in early December. First 

graders will be learning to use Tux Paint to 

create winter pictures using a variety of 

effects. Additionally, students will continue 

using Sammy's Science House to extend 








their knowledge of science concepts. Finally, 

students will practicing their reading skills 

and math skills using a variety of games from 

ABCya.com. Many of these games have a 

winter theme which excites the students! 

2 nd Grade 

Second graders will be creating word 

collages for the Dreams for Danielle 

(Santucci) event. Students have enjoyed 

using the word collage application called 

“Word Clouds” in ABCya.com in the past. 

Additionally, second graders will be learning 

to use Tux Paint to create winter pictures 

using a variety of effects. Finally, second 

graders will continue to learn proper typing 

skills using Dance Mat Typing. 

3rd -5th Grade 

The intermediate grade students will be 

learning to work with photos in early 

December. Students will combine their new 

skills for working with photos with existing 

skills of creating text effects to make posters 

for the Dreams for Danielle (Santucci) event. 

Then, students will use a web based tool for 

creating a timeline of important events in 

their lives. Once students have created a 

personal timeline, they will begin researching 

important events in the life of a historical 

person. They will use what they have learned 

from their research to create a timeline of 

important events in the person's life. 

6 th Grade 

Students in sixth grade will spend a majority 

of the quarter working on a state research 

project. Students have all selected their own 

state to research. Each student will use their 

research skills to review information on a 

variety of websites and determine the most 

important information to include in their

project. Students will research many 

aspects of their state such as history and 

background, famous people, state symbols, 

climate, tourism, and natural resources. The 

end product of their research will be a 

presentation given in front of the class. 

7 th Grade 

Seventh graders have just wrapped up a 

series of assignments focused on the recent 

presidential election. First, they researched 

answers to questions about government in 

America and the election process. Next, 

they wrote an essay about 5 issues from the 

election. Students then selected 1 issue to 

write about in a letter to President Obama. 

Next, students will begin a survey project 

to discover whether or not a “generation 

gap” exists for a given topic such as 

political issues, music, and perspective on a 

historical event. Students will learn how to 

properly design an unbiased survey. Then, 

they will conduct their survey and examine 

their results using a spreadsheet. Finally, 

students will present their results to the 

class. 

8 th Grade 

Seventh graders have just wrapped up a 

series of assignments focused on the recent 

presidential election. First, they researched 

answers to questions about government in 

America and the election process. Next, 

they wrote an essay about 5 issues from the 

election. Students then selected 1 issue to 

write about in a letter to President Obama. 

Next, 8 th graders will be researching the 

Titanic as a group. 8 th graders will use a 

variety of media from which to get 

information such as videos and photo 

galleries. Students will research a set list of 








topics for this project. Once students have 

completed research on the Titanic, students 

will select their own “sunken ship” from 

history to research. Students will create a 

presentation to share with the class on their 

“sunken ship”. 

Mrs. Goodman 

JH COMPUTER NEWS 

Hello from Komarek’s 

computer lab! All the students 

are keeping busy and working 

very hard this quarter here in 

the lab. We plan to have everyone in all 

sections up in front of class at least once to 

present work they’ve done this quarter, and 

we hope to see some awesome presentations! 

Here's what the students are working on right 

now: 

6 th grade computer class students have 

finished perfecting their research techniques, 

and are working on their states reports. Each 

student is assigned a different US state to 

investigate. This project involves an 

extensive amount of research, so the 

student’s organizational skills are truly 

tested. Keeping track of all the information 

they collect will be quite a job, but we’re sure 

the 6 th graders are up to the challenge! 

The 7 th grade has completed their first unit, 

the election process and their second unit, 

which taught graphing with our spreadsheet 

software. Currently, the class has begun to 

focus on a new project, computer animation, 

which it is now working on. After this project 

the students will move on to gaining an 

understanding of “html” and the creation of 

web sites, where the students will develop 

their own personalized web site.

8 th graders are in the process of finishing 

and then will present their “pictures and 

sounds” projects. This assignment requires 

the students to collect images associated 

with a chosen subject, insert them into our 

presentation software, and then animate 

them. Then, the students add a musical 

selection, or sound bite, and their collage of 

pictures appears to be animated to sound. 

We Can't wait to see how the eighth graders 

did with this project! 

Well, that’s it for now from the computer 

lab! 

Mrs. Goodman and Mr. Kartje 

PE, HEALTH, AND SOCIAL STUDIES 

In Mr. Norris' Social Studies classes we 

will be studying Chapter 19, The Growth of 

Industry in the U.S.A. from 

1865-1914. The main topics 

are The Railroads, 

Inventions, The Age of Big 

Business, and Industrial 

Workers. 

In Health Classes we will be completing 

two class projects and Chapters 4 and 3, in 

that order. Chapter 4 with Nutrition and 

Nutrients for good Health, Creating a 

Healthy Eating Plan, Planning Healthful 

Meals, Body Image and Healthy Weight, 

and Maintaining a Healthy Weight. 

In Physical Education, we have just 

completed our 21st Annual Komarek 

Turkey Free throw Shootout. We are 

completing the Basketball unit and 

introducing the Floor Hockey unit. On 

Tuesday and Thursday we complete 

our Presidential Physical Fitness 

programs and our state goals. 








In Enrichment, we complete the writing 

program on Mondays/Thursdays, and our 

D.E.A.R., reading program, along with our 

Tuesdays/Fridays reading programs. 

Mr. Norris 

JH PE AND HEALTH 

Junior high PE has just finished 

our basketball unit. We worked on basic 

skills required for basketball and progressed 

into tournament play. We also learned a little 

about the history and rules of basketball. 

Next up will be seasonal games for 6 th grade. 

The 8 th grade will be working on a special 

project in class (ask them about it, I don't 

want to give anything away by putting it in 

here!) 

We will also continue with our fitness days 

every Tuesday and Thursday including 

running, stations and other fun fitness 

activities. 

6 th grade Health 

In 6 th grade we are currently learning about 

personal health, including analyzing 

influences, health skills, and communication 

skills, as well as hygiene. Next up is a unit on 

healthy relationships followed by preventing 

diseases. We will be role playing, creating 

posters and researching diseases. 

8 th grade Health 

We have finished our unit on alcohol and it's 

affects on the teenager. Future units in 8 th 

grade health include learning about the 

dangers of tobacco and other drugs, as well 

as eating disorders. The students will have a 

research project, including a power point 

presentation, on a specific drug. 

Mrs. Frey

HOME ECONOMICS 

FCCLA 

The FCCLA students will be having a bake 

sale to benefit Daniele Santucci before and 

after the Intermediate Winter Program on 

December 13th. Look for us in the back of 

the gym! 

Mrs. Corlett 

ART NEWS 

Art Club has officially begun 

for the 3 rd and 4 th graders. It 

has been a lot of fun working with such a 

big and talented group of students. We 

kicked of the quarter doing an oil resist 

painting using oil pastels and tempera 

paint. It was neat to see the creative 

pictures and designs the students came up 

with for this project. The next week we did 

a Thanksgiving painting and collage 

project. The students made painted corn 

cobs and shared what they were thankful 

for in their lives. Next we will begin our 

clay project! Art Club is every Tuesday 

from 3:15 to 4:15 for a quarter. These are 

the rest of the dates for the 3 rd and 4 th 

graders: December 4, 11,18, January 8. 

After that we will have the rest of the 4 th 

graders and all the 5 th graders. 

Ms. Corlett 

SPEECH AND LANGUAGE NEWS 

Happy Holidays! Welcome to several new 

speech students. We are looking forward to 

working with you! All of the students are 

continuing to work hard toward achieving 

their individual speech goals. Please 

remember to check your child's speech 

folder to review and sign homework. If you 








have any questions; please don't hesitate to 

contact us. We hope you have a wonderful 

holiday season! 

Stay warm! 

Mrs. Naughton (ext. 142) 

Ms. Richeson (ext. 120) 

STUDENT COUNCIL NEWS 

Komarek Student Council is pleased to 

announce that we were able to make a 

donation of over 120 items to the Veterans 

coat and sweater drive. Mrs. Jankowski's 

homeroom was the winning class with over 

68 items donated! 

We are currently selling spirit bracelets 

during lunch for the Junior High and by order 

forms for Elementary students. Spirit 

bracelets are $1.25 for the solid and $1.50 for 

the multi-colored bracelets. Please support 

Student Council and purchase a bracelet! 

Ms. Vesecky and Ms. Kronenberger 

VOCAL MUSIC PROGRAM 

“Once On This Island” 

Auditions will be held on 

the following days: 

Monday, December 10 th – 

All students interested (3:15pm-4:30pm) 

Tuesday, December 11 th - 5 th and 7 th Grade 

ONLY (3:15pm-4:30pm) 

Thursday, December 13 th - 6 th and 8 th Grade 

ONLY (3:15pm-4:30pm) 

Students must attend both the Monday 

audition as well as their grade specific day. 

Permission slips will be available in the 

music room (108E). Each student planning

on auditioning MUST have a signed 

permission slip turned in prior to or on the 

day of the first audition. 

The show will be performed March 21 st & 

22 nd . 

For more information on the show follow 

the link below. 

http://www.mtishows.com 

Upcoming Performances: 

Primary Music Program 

“Winter Wonderland: Carols of the 

Season” 

Wednesday, December 5 th 7:00pm 

Intermediate Music Program 

“Movie Magic: Songs from the Silver 

Screen” 

Thursday, December 13 th 7:00pm 

Concert Choir Winter Program 

Wednesday, January 23 rd 7:00pm 

“Music is enough for a lifetime, but a 

lifetime is not enough for music.” - Sergei 

Rachmaninoff 

Keep singing! 

Mr. Riegle 

BAND NEWS 

Our first concert of the year was a big 

success, but we have even more in store for 

you for our second concert on Wednesday, 

December 19 th . Not only will all three 

bands be performing holiday favorites, but 

the Komarek Jazz Band will make its 2012 

debut. This year's Jazz Band has only 

rehearsed a couple times thus far, but they 

have impressed me with how quickly they 








pick up on things and it is looking to be a 

great group! 

The RB 8 th grade Band Festival was held at 

Riverside Brookfield High School on 

Thursday, November 15 th . Our 8 th grade band 

students spent the day at RB working on 

some very challenging music along with 8 th 

graders from Gross and Hauser and current 

high school students. Not only were our 

students very well behaved during the entire 

day but they performed extremely well on 

such advanced music. Way to go Komarek! 

Speaking of performing well on advanced 

music, that brings me right to my next topic: 

at-home practice. Students should be 

spending on average 20 to 30 minutes for 

four to five days a week practicing at home in 

order to be successful and proficient 

musicians. Fundamentals such as proper 

embouchure and tone production, rhythm and 

subdivision, and elements of musicality and 

expression are just a few of the things taught 

in rehearsals and lessons, but if they are not 

reinforced with regular at-home practice then 

progress slows almost to a halt. Please try 

you best to get your practice minutes in every 

week! 

Practice can be difficult I know (I’ve been 

there), but it is near impossible without your 

instrument! Please make sure not to leave 

your band instrument at Komarek, especially 

on weekends and during long breaks. Besides 

a practice issue it is also a security issue. 

Instruments are expensive pieces of 

equipment, and if yours comes up missing 

because it was left in a cubby or an unlocked 

storage cabinet the school cannot be held 

responsible. Instruments should be brought 

home when not in use. You would not leave

an iPod lying around and unattended to, but 

students often do that with a musical 

instrument which is much more expensive 

to replace than an iPod. Please treat your 

instrument like you would your other 

valuables and keep it safely stored when 

not in use. 

Please make a note of the following 

upcoming Komarek band events: 

Please make a note of 

these band dates for the 

2011-2012 school year: 








• Friday, December 14 th - Concert 

Band Holiday Music Tour (7 th & 

8 th grade-during school day) 

• Wednesday, December 19 th - 

Winter Band Concert - 7PM - 

Main Gym (all bands) 

• Wednesday, March 20 th - Spring 

Band Concert - 7PM - Main Gym 

(all bands) 

• Saturday, April 20 th - Solo & 

Ensemble Contest – Komarek, 

9AM to Noon (6 th , 7 th , & 

8 th graders) 

• Wednesday, May 22 nd – 

Final Band Concert - 7PM 

- Main Gym (all bands) 

• Friday, May 24 th - Bands perform 

during Honors Day Assembly 

(Jazz, Concert, & Cadet Bands) 

Mr. Moffett 

GIRLS BASKETBALL NEWS 

Our girls basketball teams have reached the 

midpoint of the season. Our 7 th grade team, 

coached by Mrs. Derrick, is currently 1-3 in 

conference. Team members include: #10 

Tiondra Little, #11 Katie Polanski, #12 Jamie 

Pena, #14 Elise Mitchell, #15 Stephanie 

Johnson, #20 Kailyn Ngo, #21 Audrey 

Santora, #22 Alanna Waas, #23 Valerie 

Carrillo, #25 Maggie Munoz, #31 Natasha 

Turner, and #32 Mary Padilla. 

Our 8 th grade team, coached by Mr. Bedalow, 

is currently 3-1 in conference, 7-1 overall. 

The team also participated in the Berwyn 

PAV YMCA Thanksgiving Tournament, 

winning the championship for the second 

year in a row!!! Samantha Bloom, Taylor 

Jensen, and Allie Kucera were selected to the 

All-Tournament Team. The 8 th grade Lady 

Wildcats include: #10 Sam Bloom (Co- 

Captain), #11 Allie Kucera, #12 Gracie 

Garza, #13 Alexia Flores, #14 Alondra 

Villalobos, #15 Taylor Jensen (Co-Captain), 

#20 Ariyan Breaux, #22 Mya Sostre, #25 

Natalie Jensen, #31 Morgan Litavecz, and 

#32 Isabel Marquez. The team managers are 

Zach Georgopoulos, Arta Latifi, and Gustavo 

Lopez. 

The girls have two home games remaining: 

Wednesday, November 28 th vs. Lindop 

Tuesday, December 11 th vs. Hillside 

Come out and cheer our Lady Wildcats on 

to victory!!! 

Mr. Bedalow and Mrs. Derrick 

BOYS BASKETBALL NEWS 

Attention all 6th, 7th and 8th 

grade boys interested in trying

out for the boys basketball teams. 

Permission slips for boy's basketball tryouts 

are in Mr. Criscione's office. Please come 

by to pick one up. They need to be signed 

and turned into the Principal's office, or 

given to Mrs. Derrick, by Thursday, 

December 13th. Anyone who wants to 

tryout must also have a sports physical 

turned in by this date. No exceptions will 

be made. Tryouts will be held afterschool 

on Monday, December 17th and 

Tuesday, December 18 th . Please contact 

Mrs. Derrick at extension 114 if you have 

any questions. 

CHEERLEADING NEWS 

Attention all Junior High girls 

who are interested in trying out 

for the Komarek Cheerleading 

squad! 

Permission slips for Cheerleading are 

available through the Cheerleading 

coaches, Ms. Kronenberger and Ms. 

Anderson. Please see them for a permission 

slip. Forms need to be signed and turned in 

to the Principals' office, or given to Mrs. 

Derrick by Thursday, December 13th. 

Anyone who is interested in trying out must 

also have a sports physical turned in by this 

date. No exceptions will be made. 

Cheer Clinic will be held Monday, 

December 17th and Tuesday, December 

18th. Tryouts will be held Wednesday, 

December 19th. Any questions, please ask 

Ms. Kronenberger, Ms. Anderson or Mrs. 

Derrick 

WILDCAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM 

The WIP Student Committee is 

spearheading a fundraiser called "Change 

for Daniele". The group will be collecting 








change from students, staff, and parents to 

support "Dreams for Daniele". 

WIP Committee members will set up a table 

at Chorus and Band concerts, as well. 

Please support "Change for Daniele". 

A small donation can go a long way! If you 

have any questions, please give Mr. 

Criscione a call at any time. 

Mr. Criscione and Mrs. Kleinschmidt 

PAW PRINTS 

It has been an exciting 

first half of the school year at Komarek, and 

your Paw Prints staff has been happy to be 

able to report all of the wonderful happenings 

so far. Paw Prints is distributed to students in 

grades 4-8. In order to conserve paper, the 

Junior High students do not get their own 

copy, instead have the opportunity to read the 

paper in his/her reading class. Additionally, 

the Komarek newspaper is available on the 

school's website. This means that you can 

have family and friends who may be located 

in different parts of the country, read our 

paper. As always, if you have any 

information which might be of interest to the 

Komarek community, please feel free to 

contact me. 

Ms. Schmit 

FISHING CLUB 

Just in case you're 

wondering, the Komarek 

Fishing Club is up and 

running and going strong! 

We've had two more meetings since the last 

Principal’s Newsletter, and both of them have 

been a hit. The club has been meeting in Miss

William's room in the Jr. High and is very 

grateful for the privilege. 

The room is fitted with an eno board, which 

has been incorporated into the meetings as 

a vehicle to run instructional videos. After 

watching the video / instruction, club 

members have a hands on experience with 

what ever the topic of the day is. So far, the 

topics have been knots and knot tying and 

lures and baits, two topics important for our 

members to know. 

Other activities include the introduction of 

the club's own library of books and 

magazines. Members can browse during 

meetings, and materials are also being 

loaned out so students can enjoy them 

during their free time. In addition, plans are 

currently being made to build a bookshelf / 

cabinet to house the library. Eighth grader 

Erik Hartwig has been helping us out in this 

department. And, so you know, donations 

of books and magazines on fish, fishing, 

and the environment are now being 

accepted in the shop. 

At the same time, the club has also made 

it's mark on the Internet, with our own 

YouTube channel, @KomarekFishClub. 

The initiative was spearheaded by another 

eighth grader, Nick Mascitti, and is also in 

its early stages of development. We're 

looking forward to the day when our club 

Internet channel is up and fully operational. 

Lastly, as we move into the colder, winter 

months, we plan to continue our meetings 

in preparation for our field trip that will be 

held when the weather warms up again. 

And, we hope to have our first fish fry soon 

and are currently planning that, as well. 








We would also like to thank Mr. Norris for 

his support by being present at almost every 

meeting, and Mr. Criscione who has been 

kind enough to keep our meetings supplied 

with Munchkins and plenty of good, first 

hand advice about our topics. Thanks Mr. C.! 

The Fishing Club Membership 

BEFORE AND AFTER CARE 

Komarek Childcare is excited about the 

holiday season. We decorated the room with 

pretty snowflakes and twinkling lights, as 

holiday songs filled the air. And the children 

made beautiful beaded ornaments to hang on 

their trees at home. We will be playing 

Hanukkah games and making edible 

dreidels to celebrate the 8 days of Hanukkah. 

On Fri. Dec. 7th the Childcare will have its 

annual Holiday Party. We will be going to 

CiCi's Pizza, to play some games, mingle 

with our Childcare family, and celebrate the 

season together. We truly are one big family 

in Childcare. So from our family to yours 

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year! 

Ms. Liz Gron and the Komarek Childcare 

Family 

Liz Gron and the Komarek Childcare 

Staff 

LIBRARY NEWS 

Thank you to the Komarek 

PTA for our great book 

sale. Your hard work is 

appreciated! 

In the library in January, 

we will read books nominated for the 

Monarch Award. Sponsored by the Illinois 

School Library Media Association, the award 

is chosen by students.

We will read 6 books and vote for our 

favorite! 

Mrs. Lesher 

PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK 

Please read the Parent/Student Handbook 

with your children. It’s very important for 

families to understand school academic and 

behavior guidelines. Also, the Principal's 

Newsletter is available monthly in hard 

copy and on the Komarek website. The 

newsletter is filled with school information 

for parents and students. I highly 

recommend that all parents and students 

read it each month for important news and 

updates. 

HOMEWORK DETENTION 

PROGRAM 

The Homework Detention Program will 

continue this year for grades 3-8. 

Homework Detentions will be held in the 

cafeteria for all grades. 

Protocol for Homework Detention is in the 

Parent/Student handbook. 

If you have any questions concerning the 

Homework Detention Program, please 

contact Mr. Criscione. 

HOMEWORK CLASS 

Contact Mr. Pellicci or Mrs. 

Anderson if you have any 

questions concerning Homework Class. 

YOUR COOPERATION IS GREATLY 

APPRECIATED 

If you have a concern with a teacher, please 

contact him/her first to discuss the issue. If 

the issue is not resolved, then contact the 








Principal. I will do whatever it takes to take 

care of the problem. If you are not satisfied 

with the Principal’s decision, you can discuss 

the matter with the Superintendent. 

Remember, our goal is always to provide a 

safe, academic environment for all Komarek 

children. We want all of them to achieve 

academic success, but they need to follow the 

school guidelines and complete classroom 

work. 

If you ever have any questions or 

concerns, please give me a call. 

Mr. Criscione 

PARKING AND DROP-OFF 

CONCERNS 

We are now a school 

with over 500 students 

and close to 80 staff 

members. Traffic and parking during dropoff 

and pick-up is not showing improvement. 

Several parents, residents, and staff members 

have witnessed students almost getting hit by 

a car due to motorists not following traffic 

and parking rules. Please, follow all traffic 

and parking rules to avoid accidents around 

the school. Our main concern is the safety 

of our children as they come to school and 

go home at the end of the day. 

For this reason, we are again requesting that 

our parents follow a certain procedure for 

drop off and pick up. Your cooperation is 

greatly appreciated. 

For drop off and pick up, please follow 

these simple guidelines:

A. Students in grades 4 - 8 should be 

dropped off and picked up at the designated 

area on 12th Avenue between the alley and 

24th Street. The students in grades 6 - 8 

will then walk along 24th Street to the 

playground area where they will line up to 

enter the building. 

B. Students in kindergarten to grade 3 

should be dropped off at the designated 

drop off area on 24th Street, west of 13th 

Avenue. Cars should pull into this area as 

far west as possible and then depart once 

the children have left the car. It is illegal 

to sit or park in this drop off area. 

C. Parents can pick up primary students by 

using the area on 23rd Place which is 

designated for pick up and drop off. This 

is not an area to sit or park the car. 

Please avoid the following: 

A. DO NOT drop students off on 24th 

Street between 12th and 13th Avenues. It 

is dangerous and causes traffic to back up. 

B. DO NOT drop the students off in front 

of the 13th Avenue barricades. This can 

also be a dangerous situation. 

C. DO NOT park on the south side of 24th 

Street and let students out on the street side 

of the car. This is an obvious dangerous 

situation. All students who disembark on 

the south side of 24th Street should walk to 

the nearest corner to cross over to the 

school. 

Drivers who are violating these stated 

guidelines run the risk of receiving a 

traffic citation from the North Riverside 

Police Department. 

We are very concerned about the smooth 

flow of traffic around the buildings and 








especially the safety of our school children 

and staff. Please contact Mr. Criscione or 

Mrs. Stalla if you have any questions. 

BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL 

SECURITY 

We will continue to 

provide increased staff 

supervision around the 

building before and after school. This has 

decreased the amount of before and after 

school student behavior problems. We will 

not hesitate to get the North Riverside Police 

involved, if necessary. 

We encourage parents to inform their 

children to go home immediately after school 

and stay off the property of others in the 

community. 

Please report any issues to Mrs. Stalla. 

Mr. Criscione 

PLEASE BE PATIENT! 

We are asking parents to be understanding 

with the office staff and teachers. Shouting 

at Komarek staff members will not be 

tolerated at any time, and could result in 

police involvement. Also, parents should 

never approach any students on the 

playground to reprimand them. If parents 

have conflicts with other parents or approach 

any students, police will be notified by the 

administration immediately. Your 

cooperation is greatly appreciated. 

If you have any disputes with others on 

campus, please contact Mr. Criscione or 

the North Riverside Police Department 

immediately.

LEAVING OFF-CAMPUS FOR 

LUNCH? 

Any student leaving the school 

grounds during lunchtime 

must have a lunch permission 

slip on file with the principal’s 

office. All phone calls or notes 

requesting permission to leave for lunch 

must be received in the principal’s office 

before 9:00 AM. Please clearly print 

your child’s name on the note. Students 

in violation of permission to attend offcampus 

lunch will be considered truant 

from school. 

Don’t forget that the lunch period is 30 

minutes. 

DOGS ON CAMPUS 

We need a favor from 

parents. Some parents pick 

up their children and bring 

the dog along. That's OK, 

but please keep any dog 

away from the children. 

Some dogs may not appreciate children 

approaching them. We would not want any 

children to get bitten. Your cooperation is 

greatly appreciated. 

If you have any questions or concerns, 

please give me a call! 

Thank you! 

Mr. Criscione 








PLEASE, FOLLOW THE RULES! 

Students are not allowed to bring ipods, 

skateboards, roller blades, or large sums of 

money to Komarek School. They should 

not bring anything valuable to school. The 

school is not responsible for lost or stolen 

items. 

Mr. Criscione and Mrs. Stalla 

CELL PHONES 

Students need to follow the school cell phone 

rules. Cell phones are to be turned off and 

placed in book bags or lockers during the 

school day. They are only allowed to be used 

in the event of an emergency. If a student 

needs to call home, please ask the teacher to 

call from the school phone when it does not 

disrupt class. Any student caught using the 

phone, texting, or taking pictures at school 

will be suspended and lose the right to have a 

cell phone at school. 

Please follow the rules stated in the 

Parent/Teacher Handbook and the Cell Phone 

Agreement signed at registration. If you 

have any questions or concerns, please 

contact Mrs. Stalla.

Principal's Newsletter - Komarek School District 94

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