The Steward Signal
End of the year Newsletter
May 2024
"To educate a person in the mind but not in morals is to educate a menace
to society." - Theodore Roosevelt
Using the Summer to Build Moral Character
by Superintendent Steven Simpson
Summer break for the students has arrived in Steward and across vast stretches of the United States. Summer vacation is typically fondly remembered by adult Americans as one of the annual highlights of their childhood; and, although there are always more lessons to be learned, we still recognize the value of allowing today’s youth to form similar memories. Yet, we also recognize that learning, in its many forms, need not stop simply because school is not in session for eleven weeks. Yes, it is important for students to have lots of fresh air, outdoor activities, and relatively care-free days as part of their summer experience, but it does not mean that all forms of literacy, numeracy, citizenship lessons and critical thinking should cease. continued...
The next eleven weeks allow children to have greater amounts of time to continue to hone good work habits by being given an expanded schedule of household and yard chores as they learn the value of contributing to the well-being of the family that cares, feeds, houses, and clothes them. Research has shown that children with daily or weekly family chores tended to be more organized in early adulthood, which allowed them to achieve higher levels of training, education, employment and job satisfaction than their counterparts who were not given chores as children by their families. Engaging in work, especially with and alongside family members, can be highly educational. Children can learn lifelong household and yard-based skills, which will serve them well for the rest of their lives. Moreover, when young people perform any sort of work, it helps them to build an appreciation for the work of others.
Understanding the value of hard work, respecting the efforts of others, and appreciating the labor of those who care for them builds moral character in children in a much more natural way than schools can replicate in classroom settings. Such moral character is essential to becoming a contributing member of our republic. Nations run by tyrants or a small, powerful elite only use school-based indoctrination to create obedient laborers. Our democratic republic, as designed by our founders, needs much more than warm bodies to fill jobs; we need critically-thinking, creative, problem-solving citizens of strong moral character. Summer is a wonderful field of opportunity in which families can sow the seeds of moral character-building while simultaneously helping to grow young family members into productive household contributors. Students with strong moral character will be ready for greater success when their break ends and they face new academic challenges.
Congratulations to our
10 graduates!
Morgan DeLille
Ryker Sanderson
Carter Gittleson
Ryley Ginn
Braylon Wells
Dominick Joyce
Zach Saflarski
Chris Lopez
Janitza Perez-Reyes
Good luck
in High School!
Wren Tran
Kindergarten News
by: Mrs. Esposito
Science
Spring has sprung in our kindergarten classroom. We learned about many living things. We enjoyed planting plants, learning about their parts, and understanding what they need to go. We also learned about how plants help humans, animals, and other living organisms.
Chicks
The chicks arrived and even though it was stressful protecting them from little hands, it was an amazing experience. We learned about the different stages inside of the egg. How important it is to monitor the temperature of the incubator and humidity. Once the chicks arrived, they received names. Holding chicks was interesting because chick go to the bathroom whenever they please. That was gross. Understand that caring for chicks is not easy made things difficult because no one wanted to touch the yucky stuff. They also saw how fast their water gets dirty.
Butterflies
With plants growing, chicks chirping, we also watch caterpillars change into butterflies. The crazy part was one butterfly got out and was flying around the room. Those butterflies are fast. Eventually, we had to say goodbye to all the living things and return our classroom back to its normal state. Many tears appeared on the children’s faces but they understood why they could not stay with us forever! A chick flew out of the enclosure and that shocked them.
This has been an amazing year and I am so proud of how much each of them has grown. One thing I learned, never hold a child back from their capabilities. They will prove to you they can soar beyond anyone’s expectations!
1st Grade News
What 1st Grade Have Learned
by: Mrs. Hayes
The first graders have accomplished so much this year!
- They have learned many sight words
- They are continuing to memorize all their addition and subtraction facts.
- They learned so much about habitats, plants, and animals.
- They have learned how to write stories that are grammatically correct, organized, and interesting.
Spelling & Writing
Reading
Everyone has grown in spelling by learning the most common spelling pattern found in our language. The students have also continued to chip away at their typing skills. While it is a bit difficult, they understand how vital typing is in today’s culture.
We have just finished reading aloud the first book of the Laura Ingalls Wilder series called “Little House in the Big Woods.” The students were amazed at what life was like during the pioneer days in Wisconsin.
These students have all worked so hard this year and are ready to move up to second grade.
I am so proud of them!
2nd/3rd Grade News
by: Mrs. Rod
Read-Aloud
Handwriting
We started reading “A Boy Called Bat” in April as we learned about Autism that month. We all learned to be more sensitive to each other's strengths and weaknesses and what it takes to be a good friend. We watched the character Bat grow and change as he took care of a kit skunk.
Students are becoming more proficient with cursive writing. Practice builds confidence so hopefully they will keep practicing over the summer.
Science
Students completed an Exciting Embryology Exploration Unit. Since the Kindergarten had an incubator to hatch eggs, we observed and completed a packet from Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom about embryology. Students identified and labeled parts of the egg anatomy during an egg dissection. Students completed a daily incubation observation recording sheet for over 21 days. They explored different birds’ beaks during a beak lab as they used household objects as makeshift “beaks” to try and pick up a variety of different types of “food”. The class observed a fun experiment about an egg’s membrane permeability using a decalcified egg, food coloring and corn syrup.
Bucket List
We have met our final goal and will make play dough as last reward.
Language Arts
Math
Finally students concluded the year with a written and oral report about one animal they planned to see at Henry Vilas Zoo. It was very rewarding to finally meet the animal they researched.
Third grade continues to practice multiplication tables and complete two-three step word problems.
Second grade has nearly mastered subtraction with regrouping. We all need reminders about ‘more on the floor go next door’ and how to show the regrouping. Keep working on addition and subtraction facts over the summer so you can really rock the Rocket Math next year.
4th/5th Grade News
by: Ms. Dietze
Happy end of the school year! We had a very eventful last few months of the school year for 4th and 5th grade. We learned a lot and even moved to a new classroom. Through it all, the class was flexible, positive, and understanding, which was amazing to see as their teacher.
Reading
Science
In reading, we completed our final lessons over genres, as well as the last of our reading skills for the year. For the last week of school, our class worked on and then presented two reader’s theaters to the younger grades. They were a hit!
In science, we learned so much! We spent the quarter learning about how plants, animals, and humans function on both the inside and outside. They designed their own plants using what we had learned about how they survive, researched an animal they would see on the zoo field trip, and even did some experiments with exercise to see how our bodies would react. They were amazing scientists this year!
Language Arts
In language arts, our final writing project had the class writing about people who are important in their lives and what award they would like to give them. They also finished out their grammar lessons for the year with interjections.
Social Studies
Math
In social studies, we ended on the American Revolution. It was interesting to learn more about how our country started out and why we celebrate the 4th of July as Independence Day.
In math, we completed our last chapters of our math lessons. The 4th grade class finished off the year with geometry, while the 5th grade dove into algebra with order of operations and number patterns.
This year was wonderful with the 4th and 5th grade class. It was great having older students come back and also getting to meet my new 4th graders. Our class will miss the 5th graders as they go off to middle school, but I know they will do great things! I can not wait to have the current 4th graders back next year and see how they grow. Have a wonderful summer break!
6-8th Grade News
6th Grade Social Studies
by: Mr. Kappes
Students in the 6th grade social studies finished up their unit on WWII at the end of May. This unit covered the main ideas of WWII and the outcomes of the war. To finish the unit, students wrote a paper outlining the B-29 Superfortress. After completing the paper students complete a model of the B-29!
7th Grade Social Studies
Students in the 7th grade social studies class just completed their largest unit of the year, the American Civil War. Students did a great job of mastering the causes and effects of the American Civil War. Students completed many different tasks to go along with the unit, including worksheets, quizzes, and a test. However, this all led up to the final project of the Unit which was a group Powerpoint. Students were able to choose their favorite Civil War battle, and teach their peers more about this battle! The students did a fantastic job and I am extremely proud of their progress!
8th Grade Social Studies
Students in the 8th grade social studies class have had a busy month of learning! We have been learning about WWII and studying it in great detail. The month started off with learning about how the United States entered the war at Pearl Harbor. Recently, we learned how the United States and its Allies were able to topple the Axis Powers on two different fronts! We just wrapped up the unit, and examined how the second World War impacts us even today!
Student Council News
by: Mrs. Odle
Student Council Activities
Somehow, we find ourselves at the end of another school year. The Steward Student Council wrapped up the year with the 3rd Annual Family Fun Night. The night was full of outdoor games for families to enjoy together including 9 Square in the Air. Fun was had by all. Our spring community service project was going to Feed My Starving Children in Aurora. The students also worked on town beautification and clean-up on the final day of school.
Feed My Starving Children
Life Lessons
As the advisor of this wonderful group, I'm so proud of the students this year. They continue to amaze me with their ideas and dedication to building relationships among all students in the school and reaching outside our school to the community. It is my hope that these life lessons will help them to be caring and generous people as they grow up and become active members of their community and society.
Art News
by: Mrs. Loeffelholz
How can it be the end of the year already?! We’ve had loads of fun creating together!
Kindergarten & 1st grade
2nd & 3rd graders
Discussing artist Katsushika Hokusai inspired their oil pastel landscapes & Japanese scrolls!
Our little guys finished their Georgia O’Keeffe up-close paintings. Ask them about organic (curvy) compared to geometric (sharp, angled) shapes!
6th, 7th, & 8th graders
4th & 5th graders
They can tell you all about monochromatic colors (using tints & shades of the same color) & positive and negative space. They then created one-color collages & 2D name art utilizing the previous terms.
The students found out what you get when you fold an 8.5 inch by 8.5 inch paper into eight triangles: a simple way to set up a mandala! Our older students discovered mandalas originated as a Buddhist symbol for balance in the universe. Now this unique
form is widely used across the
globe for many artistic purposes.
Students used mandalas to
demonstrate symmetrical
forward and backward names
written in their designs.
Art Sale
Lastly, a giant thank you goes out to our community for taking time to view or bid on our 3rd annual school-wide art sale creations! Any funds raised last Tuesday evening go toward the purchase of new art materials for your children. Have a wonderful summer!
Music News
by: Mr. Groth
Spring Concert and Awards Night
Thank you to students, staff, families, and community members for attending the Spring Concert on May 16th! The students’ hard work in each of their music classes paid off, as they were able to share some amazing music with the audience. Pictured is our grand finale, International Harvester! We can’t wait to see you next school year at our Christmas program in December!
Last Day of Music!
After the concert, we reflected on our performance both from that night and in music class all year long. After we finished, we celebrated with some fun activities! The older kids played some multiplayer games on Nintendo Switch, and the littles got to watch music movies.
Summer Band
To prepare for next school year, Steward is offering a week-long summer band program! We’ll review and develop skills that we learned this school year so that we can grow even more for our next performance! Dates of attendance are to be determined. Please email Mr. Groth at cgroth@stewardschool220.org for more information or if you are interested in signing up.
Henry Villa Zoo Trip
We took a school wide trip to the Henry Villa zoo on Tuesday, May 21st. We had great weather and got to enjoy an animal presentation where we saw a hissing cockroach, a bearded dragon and a python named Monty.
Science Presentation
On Friday, May 10th we had a science presentation from a group from Illinois that are storm chasers. He shared many stories of their storm chasing adventures including being caught in a large hail storm in a rental van and being almost struck by lightning several times. He talked about the importance of having a weather radio in your house to notify you before you hear the tornado sirens. He also shared many fun experiments with everyone including making a large cloud inside the gym. Creston Elementary school also joined us for this educational afternoon.
Collecting Plastic Bags
The school celebrated Earth day by collecting plastic bags for the United Methodist church to make homeless mats. We collected several large garbage bags full of them!
