July 2019 Village of Westchester Newsletter by Village of Westchester, IL

Village of

Westchester JULY

POLICE DEPARTMENT

Newsletter

FIRE DEPARTMENT

LIBRARY

CALENDAR

SCHOOL DISTRICT

AROUND TOWN

PARK DISTRICT

2019

We are forever Divine Infant Miracles On Thursday, June 6th, 2019 Divine Infant Jesus School dismissed its students for the last time. The school that started as a brainstorm and dream of a wonderful, passionate man, Reverend Charles H. Langan, became an icon in a town that so many people will always call home. Divine Infant School, which once housed over 1200 students, has, to the dismay and sadness of so many, been a circumstance

of the financial constraints and religious disparity of the present. However, this did not dispel the more than 900 people from all over the country who made the journey and packed the beautiful architectural and stained-glass window building where they received most of their religious sacraments and continued on page 2

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young religious formation those many years ago. Divine Infant School was more than just a place where you learned in a classroom. It was about tradition and values and a feeling – a way to live your life. That is why so many generations of families stayed here and moved back here. Their parents helped build the school and church. The families, who were quite larger at that time, sent all their children there. Then those children stayed and sent their children. Three to four generations of families went to the same grammar school. No wonder the camaraderie that was established between the priests, Sisters of St. Joseph, and the community was such an integral part of DI’s formation, and continues even today. On Saturday, June 8th, over 900 alumni and guests returned to Divine Infant School for an all school reunion. People were present from the many graduating classes, ranging from 1952 to 2019. The festivities began with standing room only at the 5 pm mass at Divine Infant Church. Previous teachers were present and took part in an impressive mass concelebrated by Father Marcin Szczypula, Father Gerald Joyce and Father TomWinikates. The musical ensemble was truly inspirational. Afterwards, the alumni proceeded to the large tent that was erected over the Newcastle parking lot for people to listen to musical entertainment provided by fellow alumni, as well as enjoy food and drink. Alumni could tour the school and reminisce about the teachers they had and what desk they sat at. Families and classmates who had not connected in years were brought together and interacted like they had never been apart. That is what Divine Infant was and is all about. Besides a quality Catholic education, it is about the good people we grew up with, and the values and traditions that we learned. The consistent theme that everyone seemed to agree on was that they made this journey, from near and far, because this was their home. Thank you to Fr. Langan, the Sisters of St. Joseph, all the priests, staff, all the parents who sacrificed so much to send their children to Catholic School over the years and to the wonderful town of Westchester. Divine Infant will always live in our hearts. We truly are Forever Miracles!

JULY 2019

Westchester has a winning flower

Paul Gattuso, president of the Village of Westchester, and Bethanny Alexander, founder of the Grassroots Garden Group, proudly display the Coneflower, which was recently voted by the community as the official flower of Westchester. Photo credit: Grassroots Garden Group.

The community has spoken, and the new official flower of the Village of Westchester is the beautiful Coneflower! In polling organized by the Grassroots Garden Group during the month of May, Coneflower received 32% of the votes, with second-place Allium tallying 29%. Milkweed and Virginia Bluebells received 22% and 17% respectively. Residents are now encouraged to plant Coneflower, Allium, Milkweed and Virginia Bluebells in their gardens as all four flowers are native to Westchester and are terrific pollinator plants attracting bees and butterflies! Supported by village officials, the flower vote was conceived by GGG member Douglas Freeland. Votes were cast at www. grassrootsgardengroup.org, facebook.

com/grassrootsgardengroup and by email at grassrootsgroup2015@gmail.com. Bethanny Alexander, founder of the Grassroots Garden Group, said, “We thank everyone who participated in this momentous, community-wide event!” Grassroots Garden Group also thanks the community for supporting its 2nd annual plant sale last month, with over $1,200 in proceeds donated to the Westchester Food Pantry. And this summer, Grassroots Garden Group invites the community to participate in their inaugural garden walk, on Saturday, July 20 from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m. in the Highridge neighborhood. For more information, and to purchase early-bird tickets for the garden walk, visit www. grassrootsgardengroup.org.

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A Message from the Police Chief – Steven Stelter Building a strong relationship is an essential component of my vision for the Westchester Police Department. Each time the police department engages with the community we can enhance our relationship and give you a voice that will help sow the seeds that build trust. This will also help to improve how we deliver service to the residents and hopefully reduce criminal and antisocial behavior. In order to further this relationship building, I am planning on continuing the nationally recognized “Citizens Police Academy” to the Westchester Police Department. The next class will begin in January, so remind yourself to check the website, Facebook and this newsletter in November for all the details. As July has hit us, just some reminders of the heat we will be experiencing and the affects that occur. Those especially sensitive to the heat are our precious children. I would like to take this time to remind everyone not to leave your children in your unoccupied vehicle for any reason whatsoever. When it is hot outside, the temperature inside a vehicle can rise to fatal heatstroke levels in minutes.

So please remember to never leave your car without checking your back seat; never leave your child in a parked car alone not even for a minute; and call 911 if you see a child alone in a car, every minute counts. NATIONAL NIGHT OUT On Tuesday, August 6th, neighbors throughout Westchester are being invited to join forces with thousands of communities nationwide for “National Night Out” crime prevention celebration. National Night Out is designed to: (1) heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; (2) generate support and participation in local anti-crime efforts; (3) strengthen neighborhood spirit and community-police relations; and, (4) send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. Please join the Westchester Police Department in this year’s fun in giving crime and drugs a going away party!!!! Residents are asked to lock their doors, turn on outside lights and spend an evening out with neighbors and police. The Westchester Police Department realizes the importance of partnering

POLICE BLOTTER 1) At 4:42pm on June 1, 2019 a Retail Theft was reported at Jewel Foods located at 2128 Mannheim. A local ordinance citation was issued. 2) At 11:20am on June 4, 2019 a Criminal Damage to Property was reported on the 1900 block of Portsmouth. Unknown offender(s) struck and damaged the mirror of a parked vehicle. 3) At 9:05am on June 5, 2019 a Criminal Damage to Property was reported on the 11000 block of Burns. The resident reported that person(s) unknown damaged their lamp post. 4)

At 1:37pm on June 5, 2019 a

Theft was reported at Panera Bread located at 11215 Cermak Road. A customer reported that their wallet was taken while dining in the restaurant and credit cards were used. 5) At 9:15am on June 10, 2019 a Theft was reported at 2301 Enterprise Children’s Memorial Hospital. It was discovered that unknown person(s) removed tools from an outside storage container sometime during the previous evening. 6) At 7:01pm on June 13, 2019 a Criminal Damage to Property was reported on the 1300 block of Haase. Unknown person(s) damaged the side of a vehicle while parked in the street

with the citizens to insure we can provide the best services possible. The men and women are extremely dedicated to protecting those within our community. I would like to congratulate the following officers for their particular work anniversaries this month: Sgt. Giuseppe Manna – 25 years of

service on July 1st Officer Phillip Grollo – 24 years of service on July 7th Officer Eric LoCoco – 20 years on July 12th Records Clerk Alan Trucksa – 20 years on July 5th Detective Shaun Lynam – 15 years on July 16th

Fire Department JULY 2019

Library 6

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Public Works 8

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Branch pickup Branch pickup for July will be July 8-12, 2019 Branch pickup for August will be August 5-9, 2019 Branch pickup for September will be September 9-13, 2019 The Public Works Department will pick up branches the first full week of every month. (April-November) All brush must be put out on the front parkway no later than 7:00 a.m. on the designated pickup day. Branches can be up to 7 ‘in length and stacked with the butt ends facing the street in the same direction. If not stacked properly, a “restack” notice will be left. Public Works Crews will only pass through a designated pickup area once due to time schedule and other workload responsibilities. Thursday and Friday are Open Load days for pickup of any brush that will not fit through the chipper, such as logs, stumps, and large limbs. These must be cut for one man to lift. Dirt must be removed from the root ball for pick-up. Landscaping contractors are responsible for their own brush pickup and disposal.

Public Works Please note the following schedule for branch pickup: MONDAY: From Mannheim Road west to Wolf Road and from Canterbury south to Windsor-including both sides of Windsor Drive. Also, Waterford, Waverly, Camelot and Concord. TUESDAY: Roosevelt Road south to Cermak Road-from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road. WEDNESDAY: From Roosevelt Road north to the expressway and from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road. Also, Roosevelt Road south to Canterbury from Haase west to Heidorn. THURSDAY: From Belleview west to Wolf Road, Martindale Drive to 31st Street ************************************ ******************************** Remember….. Waste Management will also pick up your branches if they are bundled no more than 4’ in length. These will be picked up on your regular garbage day every week. Free yard waste stickers for reusable yard waste receptacles are available at the Public Works office and the Village Hall.

Pre-Application Meetings Did you know that the Village offers pre-application meetings to all business owners and property owners in the Village free of charge. A Pre-application Meeting provides you an opportunity, early in the planning stage for a building project, to meet with representatives from the various departments at the Village that will be involved in reviewing your project. Information will be provided to you regarding what documents and permits will be required for your project. We will discuss the time frame expected to process your permit(s). You will be sent a written record of the Preapplication Meeting to help guide you through the process. These “Pre-App” meetings are intended to provide an overview of the regulatory requirements and application process. Our goal in this process is to make the permitting process as efficient and understandable as possible. Pre-App meetings are highly recommended as they identify early on in the process potential obstacles with

proposed projects. This helps property owners, contractors, developers, and businesses owners determine the feasibility of projects before expending much money. Applicants are provided with requirements, expectations, and code references to assist them with their project. These help ensure complete and correct submittals when applying for building or land use permits which improve plan review and approval times, reduce the need for resubmittals, and save applicants time and money. The Pre-App is a forum for village staff to assist you during the feasibility and preliminary analysis phase of your project. The information we provide does not constitute a formal approval or permit and is dependent on the level of information you give us. If you are interested in scheduling a pre-application meeting or have any questions, please contact Melissa Headley, Director of Community Development at 708-345-0199 or via email at mheadley@westchester-il.org.

Garbage Schedule for 4th of July Holiday, 2019 Monday, July 1, 2019 and Tuesday, July 2, 2019 will be regular pickup There will be no pickup on Thursday, July 4, 2019 Thursday’s pickup will be Friday, July 5, 2019 Friday’s pickup will be Saturday, July 6, 2019 Parkway Restoration: The Public Works Department is now repairing parkways damaged by sewer and water excavations and snow plow damage, weather permitting. Pothole Repair The Public Works Department repairs potholes throughout the Village, weather permitting. Please call Public Works at 708-345-0041 to report potholes. The vac and jet machine will continue to clean out storm sewer inlets, as weather permits. As Always….. Village residents are asked to call Public Works at 708-345-0041 or the Police Non Emergency number after hours at 708345-0060 if an unusual amount of water is visible in the street or parkway. This could be a main break or water leak that requires

our immediate attention. 50/50 Shared Cost Parkway Tree Program Beautify your yard and add to the curb appeal of your home…. The Village offers a 50/50 shared cost program that includes the purchase and planting of a new parkway tree. Residents have a choice of 5 types of trees indigenous to the area. The trees will be planted in November 2019. Please call Public Works at 708-345-0041 to register. Sprinkling Ban Reminder We have water use restrictions in effect every year, May 15-September 15, from 12pm to 6pm. This includes: (1) (2) (3) (4)

Outdoor Watering Cleaning Outdoor Surfaces Cleaning Buildings Pool Filling

Sprinkling during unrestricted hours (before noon, after 6pm) shall be allowed on even numbered days for those even numbered addresses, and on odd numbered days for those residents having odd numbered addresses. If we have a dry summer, further restrictions may be necessary.

Calendar JULY 2019 July 3 - 6:30 pm-8:15pm “Fusion” Youth Ministry, Grades 7-12 Adult Bible Study & Prayer Meeting 7:00pm – 8:00pm Westchester Bible Church Cermak & Sunnyside, 708-562-3040 July 4- Library closed for Independence Day July 7 – 10:00am Worship Service -, Communion will be served – All Are Welcome! Westchester Community Church, 1840 Westchester Blvd. 708/865-1282 July 7 - 9:30 am - Adult Bible - Fellowships & Sunday School, Bible study for all ages. 10:45am -Morning Worship Service Westchester Bible Church - Cermak & Sunnyside, 708-562-3040 July 10 - 6:30 pm-8:15pm “Fusion” Youth Ministry, Grades 7-12 Adult Bible Study & Prayer Meeting 7:00pm – 8:00pm Westchester Bible Church - Cermak & Sunnyside, 708-562-3040 July 13-2:00pm - Family Afro-Beat & Hip Hop at Library. Registration required. Enjoy an Afro-Beat & Hip Hop experience for the whole family. Contact Youth Dept for more information at (708) 562-3573. July 14 –10:00am Worship Service - Cof-

fee Hour to follow worship service. All Are Welcome! Westchester Community Church, 1840 Westchester Blvd. 708/865-1282. July 14 - 9:30 am - Adult Bible - Fellowships & Sunday School, Bible study for all ages. 10:45am -Morning Worship Service July 17 - 6:30 pm-8:15pm “Fusion” Youth Ministry, Grades 7-12 7:00pm-8:00pm - Adult Bible Study & Prayer Meeting Westchester Bible Church - Cermak & Sunnyside, 708-562-3040 July 22 - No cost, Vacation Bible School, from 9:00am – 12 noon. Ages 4 - 12 plan to join us as we run the Incredible Race for lessons, games, snacks, crafts, and singing. Register online at westchesterbiblechurch.org or contact the church office at 708-562-3040. Westchester Bible Church - Cermak & Sunnyside, 708-562-3040 July 26 – 7:00pm – W.O.W (Women of Westchester) Night Out. For more information about W.O.W or this event pls email womenofwestchester@yahoo.com Or call 708-402-8516 No cost, Vacation Bible School, from 9:00am – 12 noon. Ages 4 - 12 plan to join us as we run the Incredible Race for lessons, games, snacks, crafts, and singing.

Register online at westchesterbiblechurch. org or contact the church office at 708562-3040. Westchester Bible Church - Cermak & Sunnyside, 708-562-3040

August 3 – 2:00pm - Wheel of Wisdom at 2:00 pm at Library. Registration required. Contact Youth Dept for more information at (708) 562-3573.

July 27 – 8:30am – 11:30am Youth Group Car Wash Cost is $5 for cars and $8 for vans/ trucks. All proceeds help to fund our Annual Mission Trip.

Aug 4 -9:30 am - Adult Bible - Fellowships & Sunday School, Bible study for all ages. 10:45am -Morning Worship Service Westchester Bible Church - Cermak & Sunnyside, 708-562-3040 August 6- 2:00pm – Chess Tournament with Mr. Tom at Library. Registration mandatory. Contact Teen Dept for more information at (708) 562-3573.

July 28 –10:00AM Worship Service – All Are Welcome! Westchester Community Church, 1840 Westchester Blvd. 708/865-1282. 9:30 am - Adult Bible - Fellowships & Sunday School, Bible study for all ages. 10:45am -Morning Worship Service Westchester Bible Church - Cermak & Sunnyside, 708-562-3040 July 30 -12:00pm Hands on Art with Michelle Stanley of Prairie Art Studio at Library. Registration required. Contact Teen Dept for more information at (708) 562-3573. July 31 -6:30 pm-8:15pm “Fusion” Youth Ministry, Grades 7-12 7:00pm – 8:00pm - Adult Bible Study & Prayer Meeting Westchester Bible Church Cermak & Sunnyside, 708-562-3040

Aug 7- 6:30 pm-8:15pm “Fusion” Youth Ministry, Grades 7-12 7:00pm-8:00pm Adult Bible Study & Prayer Meeting Westchester Bible Church Cermak & Sunnyside, 708-562-3040 Aug 11 - 9:30 am - Adult Bible - Fellowships & Sunday School, Bible study for all ages. 10:45am -Morning Worship Service Westchester Bible Church - Cermak & Sunnyside, 708-562-3040 Aug 14- 6:30 pm-8:15pm “Fusion” Youth Ministry, Grades 7-12 7:00pm-8:00pm - Adult Bible Study & Prayer Meeting Westchester Bible Church Cermak & Sunnyside, 708-562-3040

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Did you know that Westchester has its very own Craft Studio, where you can play with glitter and paint, create havoc and not have to worry about the clean up? Well, if you did not know, you better check out Joyfully Crafting. Westchester resident, Cherise Greski, opened last July at 10708 31st St. Cherise will be having a one-year anniversary open house on Saturday, July 27th in conjunction with her monthly craft fair - Crafters on the Green. Cherise chose Westchester to open her studio because it has been her home for over 25 years. She wanted to bring joy to area residents by offering fun, creative things to do in a welcoming space. She also serves as an incubator for fellow

crafters who wish to try new things, sell their crafts and teach what they love. In addition to regular craft classes, the studio has weekly craft socials, provides space for charitable craft activities and supports the Westchester Food Pantry by providing monthly kids craft packets during the Women of Westchester (WOW) volunteer evening. The studio is also an on-request facility. If you want to learn a craft and there isn’t a scheduled class, Cherise will arrange for one, just for you. The studio also hosts custom parties and events; craft camps and fine arts curriculums for children who are home schooled. Cherise has had a love of crafts of

all varieties for over 40 years. She has taught at several of the local big-box craft stores as well as providing private classes. She always wanted her own store and with her full-time position coming to an end July 2019, it felt like the perfect time to reach for a new dream. Joyfully Crafting is much different from the big box craft stores. Cherise has created a space where you can try a new craft, meet-up with others who share your passion, repair items, or connect you with someone that can help. The studio has a wide variety of the most popular tools, such as Cricut, Silhouette, Gemini, Brother and more. In addition, she has connected with one of the largest wholesalers of craft

supplies in the US and offers 10% or more discounts on thousands of craft items every day. Each month Joyfully Crafting will be hosting an outdoor craft fair - Crafters on the Green - on the fourth Saturday of the month from May to October. During November and December, the fair will be held inside the studio. The Farm will be starting in July, make sure when you pick up corn to stop and check out the crafters, but also peek in the studio as other crafters items are on display in the retail section. You can also pick up a schedule of future classes and can find them online at www. joyfullycraftingevents.com.

An Old Fashioned Prairie Fest Saturday, August 24, 2019, 10am – 4pm 11225 Constitution Drive (northern edge of Wolf Road Prairie) Westchester, IL 60154 Save the Prairie Society invites you to attend An Old Fashioned Prairie Fest on Saturday, August 24 from 10am – 4pm. Enjoy this free family-friendly event that celebrates the history of the Midwest and the beautiful Wolf Road Prairie Nature Preserve. Explore the newly-restored 150 year old Franzosenbusch Prairie House, the oldest structure in Westchester, and hear about its history. Learn about the unique ecology of Wolf Road Prairie and efforts to restore it from the prairie ecologist. After the discussion, enjoy a walk in the preserve with a knowledgeable guide. This festival has something for everyone including an interactive program with live raptors (10:30am – 12:30pm), crafts and art for sale, historic reenactors, genealogy advice, quilt displays, music, food, and more! The Wolf Road Prairie talk and tour program is offered at 11:00am and 2:30pm. To sign up for the tour, visit https:// bitly.com/wolfroadprairie . For more information about the fest, send an email to r.cabe@sbcglobal.net or visit http:// savetheprairiesociety.org/. Save the Prairie Society is dedicated to promoting and protecting the natural resources of Wolf Road Prairie and the 1850’s Franzosenbusch Prairie House Nature Center and Museum located at the north end of the preserve.

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St. Joseph JULY 2019

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School District JULY 2019

A Letter from the Superintendent Dear Parents and Guardians, I am excited about partnering with Right at School next year for before and after school programming. Students will have the opportunity to complete homework before joining in curriculumbased enrichment activities. Students will engage with math and science, reading and writing, nature and outdoor learning, creative and performing arts, composition and design, history and commerce, fitness and conditioning, and community service learning. Parents will be able to work with Right at School to create flexible monthly schedules that support families’ busy lives. Drop in care is also an option. A Parent Forum is scheduled with Right At School for Wednesday, May 8th, at 6:00 p.m. at Westchester Primary School. This forum will help answer any questions you have about their program and will provide you the opportunity to preregister for the 2019-2020 school year. Please join us for the forum if your schedule permits. As we close out this year, we need to begin talking about next year! We will start student registration for the 2019-2020 school year on July 10th. Once again, this year all returning families must register online through your Home Access Center (HAC) account. HAC is the same website and login you use to check your child’s grades. You will be required to upload documents online that prove your residency; no in-person or document drop-off will be available. Video tutorials to help guide you through the process are posted online. Timely registration will allow principals to staff their buildings adequately, so we ask that you do not delay in registering your children. Teacher assignments and student schedules will be shared beginning the week of August 12th. Registration for new students will also start on July 10th. Please contact the school offices to make an appointment to begin the process for new student registration. I hope that you have a fantastic Summer. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email me at psalemi@sd925. org or call 708-670-1927. Sincerely, Philip Salemi Superintendent Westchester Primary School Little Free Library Please stop by Westchester Primary School to see our newest addition to our school - A Little Free Library! Please feel

free to stop by and take a book, leave a book, or both! Little Free Libraries are a global phenomenon. The small, front yardbook exchanges number 36,000 around the world in 70 countries — from Iceland to Tasmania to Pakistan. Now, the new Little Free Library at Westchester Primary School will join the movement to share books, bring people together and create communities of readers. Thank you Mr. Waters for building our library with love! Talent Show Congratulations to all of our students who participated in our Talent Show! We had 21 acts ranging from vocal solos, dance, and instrumental playing! We are so proud of the amount of talent, bravery and confidence of our students! Thank you Mrs. DelFiacco and Ms. McMorrow for hosting this amazing display of talent! Message to Parents of Eligible Kindergarten Children All students, whose families have requested the full-day option, will be placed in full-day kindergarten. All students, whose families have requested the half-day option, will be placed in the morning session. Half-day students will be exposed to the exact same curriculum as the full-day students. Full-day students will be afforded specials (i.e., physical education, music, art, and media) in the afternoon as well as reinforcement of what was learned in the morning session. As part of planning for the next school year, parents are urged to register their children and return completed paperwork as soon as possible. We are closely monitoring class sizes. The next round of kindergarten screening will be held at WPS by appointment only on Thursday, August 8th from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm. Both a parent and pre-registered child must attend thescreening. For more information on kindergarten screening, please see our website. If you have any questions regarding the registration process, please do not hesitate to contact the school office (708-5621509). It is very important to keep learning throughout the summer! During the summer, students’ skills and knowledge can SLIDE back 2-3 months. That makes an enormous impact on their academic abilities at the beginning of the school year. Common Core standards are very rigorous, and students jump right into learning the first day of school. Help your child be prepared for the first day of school by spending some academic time during the summer. During the first two weeks of school, children will be assessed in reading and math. They will take the standardized MAP test, as well as other assessments. Based on those assessments, academic decisions will be made to place

Pictured: Maggie Church, Jack Waters, and Stephanie DelFiacco the children in the correct reading and math “differentiated groups” within their classroom. Students who need more support may be meeting with the reading and math specialists for additional learning time. Home partnership and support will help children make a SPLASH next year! Please check the website for essential skills and strategies that will support student success in the next school year. Westchester Intermediate School Even though the school year is over, there is still work to be done here at WIS. Our custodial staff is busy breaking the classrooms down and giving them a deep cleaning from the ceilings down to the floors. Our school will look amazing when our students return in August. We hope to have a few more cameras installed over the summer as well. Some will be on the outside which will give us more coverage of our recess field and the west side parking lot where the bike rack is located. We will have a few more installed inside as well. We have some exterior work being done on the building as well. Sadly, we had to say goodbye to one of our staff members. Mrs. Lisa Gudmundson has been a great member of our staff providing support to our students with special needs. We wish her the best of luck as she moves on to the next chapter of her educational career. We will spend the summer months reviewing our academic data from this school year, using that information to make adjustments to how we challenge all of our students so that they can be the best learners they can be. An exciting shift

for us next here is creating a fully inclusive classroom at the third-grade level. This classroom will fully integrate special needs students with general education students and have the benefit of two teachers providing them with academic challenges and support next year. This is an exciting change that will benefit all our students moving forward. Please make sure your children read and practice a little math over the summer so we can limit the summer slide. We look forward to seeing all our students back in August. We hope all our families have a safe and fun-filled summer. Go Huskies! Westchester Middle School Congratulations to the Class of 2019. We wish our 104 graduates the best of luck in high school! Congratulations to our May Warriors of the Month: 6th Grade - Beth Hennings and Hunter Creaney. 7th Grade - Jeremiah Jones and Scott Creviston. 8th Grade Javion Hooks and Victoria Palomino. Parents looking for some summer resources can refer to the WMS website under News & Announcements. There are many options available for students to keep their minds going over the summer. A group of staff and students from WMS participated in the Relay for Life event at Lyons Township High School on Saturday, June 8. A goal of $1,000 was set, but the team blew past it and raised over $3,500! The Relay For Life movement is the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraiser dedicated to helping communities attack cancer.

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Westchester Middle School teachers, parents, students, and friends gathered at the McDonald’s located in Westchester, on Wednesday, May 22nd. The golden arches where shining bright under the sunshine of the day and this successful event had everyone beaming with excitement. This event offers community members a win-win situation whereby dining in the restaurant, a portion of proceeds would be donated to the school. Teachers and Administration volunteered behind the counter where they served students and their families at McTeacher’s Night. Several Teachers sold Apple Pies to customers during this event and did an outstanding job. WMS Band Director Jason Kluge wore the apple pie costume and took pictures with families and students. The proceeds from the 128 pies sold, which were donated by David Bear, went directly to benefit the students. Twenty percent of the proceeds from the McTeacher’s Night sales were also donated to the WPTC, which stands for Westchester

Parents and Teachers for Children, which will use the money to help support the WPTC. To make this event even more memorable the WMS Band and Chorus made appearances. They kept the beat alive with the Drumline and sound of songs. David Bear, Owner-Operator of the Westchester McDonald’s on 31st. St. is honored to be part of the success that is making a difference in the lives of today’s children. “McDonald’s has a large commitment to education and many important initiatives that support families and the local community, McTeacher’s Night does that.” David Bear said. A special thank you goes out to Tammy Flynn of the WPTC for coordinating the entire event. McTeacher’s Night was courtesy of the Bear Family Restaurants and McDonald’s Owner-Operator, David Bear. For more information about events provided by the Westchester McDonald’s, please contact Community Relations Director, Julie Travers at julie.travers@ comcast.net.

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Around Town 18

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Around Town JULY 2019

Westchester parents and teachers What is the WPTC? Westchester Parents and Teachers for Children Organization was established in 1999 to encourage a closer relationship between home and school. Our members support the district’s mission and work directly with staff and administration at each of our public schools: Westchester Primary, Westchester Intermediate and Westchester Middle Schools. Our volunteer group provides additional monetary support to the schools and sponsors activities for the students throughout the year. OUR MISSION We firmly believe that family involvement promotes student success! When our supporting adults are involved, students earn higher grades, improve test scores, pass their classes, attend school more regularly, have better social skills and are more likely to go on to post-secondary education. When our families, school and communities work together, our connections multiply. Increased student achievement and teacher morale are just a few of the benefits of improved communication among parents, teachers, and administration. OUR BOARD The WPTC board is comprised of district parents and works closely with the Administration at each school. These parents work together to plan, create the budget and set up committees and guidelines for all of the activities that we sponsor. None of this is possible without additional volunteers and support from

other parents. WPTC Board members can be contacted using wptc925@gmail.com President - Jen Hall VP WPS - Karen Spiropoulos VP WIS - Eric Thomas VP WMS - MaryEllen Newhouse Treasurer - Tammy Flynn Secretary - Elis Guidice OUR ACTION AT A GLANCE This past year, we were able to provide a monetary gift donation of $2,000.00 to the District, allowing it to be used in the best way to fill the district’s needs. The primary school was able to use their funds for: subscription for Time for Kids magazine, holiday tree at the community center, and improving their media center. The intermediate school used their funds for: additional musical instruments for the students, new outdoor recess games, supplies for a new gaga pit, new lunchroom games, supplies for a new little school library to be built, and the holiday tree at the community center. The middle school used their funds for the holiday tree at the community center, a postcard exchange program, student of the month t-shirts, supplies for the WMS fine arts festival, transportation for the 8th grade students not attending the DC trip, little school library, and Feed My Starving Children transportation. Other highlights include the 2nd grade and 5th grade celebrations – our special celebration for the children moving on to the next schools. The students have a great

time together as a class and receive a spirit wear shirt for their next school. At WPS and WIS we support three classroom parties a year. Extensive planning and organization is required of our volunteers to budget, plan and run successful parties! At WMS we support the art department and provide a guest for the Lincoln Assembly. A total of four school dances are planned and sponsored for the 6th – 8th graders. During the year we have a number of opportunities to support our school through fundraising. Monthly events at local restaurants, an adult Trivia Night, spring plant sale, Walk-a-thon, and Step-itup fun fitness day to name a few. OUR VOLUNTEERS We have wide ranging volunteer opportunities that are a great fit for any skill set! As we look at next year, we invite

our district families to support our student activities with their membership and time. There’s no better way to be involved and informed! 2018 marked the launch of our brandnew website intended to provide an easier way to become a member and stay up to date with our calendar. We will soon begin using our website tool as our email communication. Please go online to create your account so you’re registered to receive our emails and updates. www.Wptc.membershiptoolkit.com Our Facebook page is also useful to stay up to date with us. We would like to take this time to say THANK YOU for all of your continued support. Without the financial support and our volunteers, we would not be able to continue to provide these resources, events and programs for the children and schools. Everything we do is all for the kids!

Junior Girl Scout Troop 45148 Troop 45148’s leaders and parents have reason to be proud. On June 6, 2019, the troop of 13 girls completed their remaining requirements and officially advanced from Brownies to Juniors in a program largely planned by the third graders. In addition to the traditional “flying up”, each Girl Scout took a moment to express what she enjoyed about being a Brownie and what she looked forward to doing as a Junior. These girls have big plans for the future! They have their sights set on camping, archery and beginning work on a Bronze Award project. The Bronze Award is the first step required to earn their Gold Award, the highest honor earned in Girl Scouts. Look for their float in the Westchester 4th of July parade along with STP Towing.

Around Town 20

JULY 2019

Boy Scout Troop #73 News

June brings summer and that means summer fun for Boy Scout Troop #73, sponsored by the Westchester Community Church. In the beginning of the month, the Troop enjoyed a beautiful afternoon at Guaranteed Rate Field to cheer on the White Sox for Scout Day. Prior to the game Scouts and their families participated in an on-field parade and were given commemorative patches. On June 16th, the Troop set out for their annual trip to Boy Scout camp at Rainbow Scout Reservation in Morris, Illinois. Throughout the week-long camp the boys worked on various merit badges ranging in the areas of aquatics, ecology, Scoutcraft, shooting sports and STEM. First year campers participated in a special program called Pathfinders, where these new Scouts were trained in the fundamentals of scouting and through the patrol method practiced first aid, swimming and outdoor skills. Through this special program these first-year campers worked on skills from Tenderfoot to 1st Class, to help assist with rank advancement, as well as giving them the opportunity to earn up to 3 merit badges. In the evenings, the Troop enjoyed special activities like Luau at the Lake and “Rock Under the Stars”. On Friday of

their camp week, families were able to visit for the evening and enjoyed dinner with their Scout, watch the “Iron Scout” challenge and participated in the closing camp fire ceremony. Troop #73 loves to have fun but Scouting is also about giving “cheerful service”. Recently the boys and leaders helped with set up for the Westchester Community Blood Drive, helped with the Village of Westchester clean-up and also helped with clean up from the Divine Infant All School Reunion on June 8th.

Jimmy Milas, a sophomore at St. Joseph High School is currently working on his Eagle project. For his project Jimmy is creating a Cancer Memorial Courtyard at St. Joseph High School. Although the courtyard will be located at St. Joe’s, it will be made available to all Westchester residents. The courtyard will contain a tree, where people can tie colored ribbons, that represent the various cancers, to the tree to honor those that are fighting cancer or to remember those that have lost their battle to this awful

disease. The tree will be surrounded by bushes, flowers and benches for quiet reflection. Jimmy will be breaking ground on his project this month and hopes that it will be completed by early fall, with an official dedication at its completion. For further information, or if anyone would like to donate towards the project, please contact St. Joseph High School at 708562-4433. For more information regarding Troop #73, please contact Scoutmaster John Milas at scoutmaster@wcctroop73.org.

Around Town JULY 2019

Good Neighbor Nominees Ginny Hodina has nominated her neighbor: HELGA MENDOZA OF 1902 PORTSMOUTH AVENUE Where do I start! She is always there at the important times anyone needs her, that’s for her family members, her friends and neighbors like me. As a member of the Westchester Community Church, she has become very active in putting together fund raisers and meetings and reaches out to those in distress with illness and surgeries with dinners and her ever present soup of the day. She loves to cook and does it on a magnificent scale. As her elderly next door neighbor she always invites me to share in the family gatherings and celebrations she and her husband John put together. Her garden is glorious and she has much to do in hers, and is always willing to help me with a garden chore, along with her knowledge in the plant world. She is creative & very smart with crafts and flowers. She is in tune

with the needs of others and is always willing to listen and help!! Thanks for being such a good Neighbor!!! Mike & Trish & Anna Connelly Have nominated their neighbor : COLMAN & FINN KUZNIAR – 2922 DOWNING AVENUE Why are they good neighbors? Colman and Finn are 9 and 6 and they are the best neighbors in the world !! They have their own landscaping and public works business, and paying them is optional!! Along with their dad Jason, they snow blow most of our block, they cut down some pesky weeds, helped with landscaping, bring in our garbage cans and any other job big or small. Once they helped us take care of a skunk problem! These two guys are friendly and know all the Downing news, too. We are so grateful for all they do for us. We can always count on Colman and Finn they make living on Downing Avenue so much fun!!

Would you like to be a featured business? The Westchester Economic Development Committee will be featuring a local Westchester business each month in the newsletter and our Facebook page. We will be asking why they chose Westchester, what keeps them here and why they opened a business in the first place plus much more. If you have a local business either brick and mortar or home based, please contact Krista Brazel at krista. brazel@gmail.com or 708-495-6338 to schedule an interview.

Chamber 22

JULY 2019

Commerce

JULY 2019