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Schools

Happy New (School) Year!

It is hard to believe that summer is winding down and school is starting again. These La Grange Park families are experiencing something new in the new school year.

Even though it’s been many years since a school calendar has hung in my kitchen, when school starts, it is the new year to me. The block where I live gets eerily quiet this time of year, with families trying to salvage the last vestiges of summer. Most likely they're also trying to establish earlier bedtimes, getting ready for the big first day.

With the new year also come a few new experiences in the village.

Marilyn and Sara Fagan are beginning their kindergarten career at Ogden Avenue School. Fortunately, within our school district, families still have a choice as to whether they want to send their kindergartners to full or half-day kindergarten. Sara's mom Susan decided on half-day for her twins even though Ogden School is not their home school. The girls will be in the same class and are both excited to be entering school.

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Even though the twins can read a little, they are excited about learning to read books.  According to Susan, the girls learn in different ways and she is interested to see how they blossom under the leadership of Miss English at Ogden Avenue School. They have both toured the classroom and each is looking forward to something different. I asked each girl what they are most looking forward to about kindergarten.

“I am excited to do some new crafts,” Marilyn said.

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Sara said, “The kitchen.”

There is indeed a great kitchen at the kindergarten–lots of space to create food concoctions and creative play.

The girls have a few things in common with their teacher:  Miss English is also a twin and they all have the same birthday of Nov. 22. 

The Fagan twins, along with their little sister Katie, have had a fabulous summer. Susan instituted Field Trip Friday a couple of years ago and each week, they embark on a new adventure. Recently, the family was able to visit with their second and third cousins who own a farm in Kenosha and the girls all got to groom and feed the cows, readying them for the county fair.

“We will have to change it to Field Trip Saturday for the coming school year," Susan said. "But we will keep the tradition going.”

All three girls agree.

The Tully family of La Grange Park also has two firsts: their oldest is going to high school and their youngest is going to kindergarten. Matt, 14, will be starting at Benet Academy next week, and Terese, 5, will begin her ‘big K’ career at St. Francis School in La Grange. Between Matt and Terese are Mae, 10, and Emmett, 8.

“I am just excited for Benet,” said Matt. “I have grown up loving that school because my cousins went there, and I am ready to start the new year.”

Matt is on the freshman football squad, playing safety. There are 60 boys on the no-cut team and Matt has already made some new friends. Practice is at 7 a.m., so he is already on schedule for the school day.

“My friends will be going all over–to LT, Nazareth, Fenwick, but I am pretty sure we will all still keep up with each other,” said Matt.

While Matt has paved the way for his younger siblings, Terese has the advantage of observing her older siblings in school.  In fact, she has the same teacher that her siblings Mae and Emmett had for kindergarten: Mrs. Hill.

“I like my teacher,” said Terese. She is not sure what she will be wearing the first day, but she does have a new backpack all ready.

Terese will be attending all day kindergarten and she will be taking her lunch from home, and both are new experiences for her. It will be a big change from her preschool, but she is excited to be in ‘all day’ school. Her siblings assured her that she will be able to go to music class and art class that will include painting, one of her favorite activities.

Teachers too have thoughts about the new year. Having taught in the district for 15 years, Mary May is currently a 3rd grade teacher at Ogden Avenue School. This year is no different from any other, it’s just another new year with new students.

“As a teacher, I am just as excited to meet the new students as the students are excited to meet the new teacher,” said May. “Even though we may know some children from the neighborhood, or have had their older siblings in class, each child is an individual and that is what makes the new year exciting for me.”

So, whether your child is the oldest, the middle or the youngest, it is the beginning of a year filled with new things to question, to absorb and to experience–for children, parents and teachers.  

Happy New Year!

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