Parkside Newsletter

NOTEWORTHY ITEMS

• Thank You for an Incredible Staff Appreciation Week

  We are beyond grateful for the outpouring of kindness and generosity shown during Staff Appreciation Week. From the delicious meals and thoughtful letters and gift cards to the beautiful bags and flowers—every gesture reminded our staff just how much they are valued. Your support and love made the week truly special, and we can’t thank you enough for making us feel so appreciated. Special thanks to Jamie Phillips for coordinating the week!  

• Thank you to all the volunteers, staff, and students for making our 2025 Talent Show and Field Day a HUGE success. Events like this happen because of amazing helpers - thank you!

• June 5th is our end of the year celebration that PTO has been busy planning.    There will be a foam party among other activities. In order for your student to participate in this, WE NEED TO HAVE A CONSENT FORM SIGNED. The consent form has to be filled out online by following THIS LINK or by using the attached QR code. This consent form is through Battle GR, you MUST complete the form attached to this link even if you have already filled out a consent form with Battle GR before. Please complete it as soon as possible. Thank you!

• Still time to join Parkside at the Whitecaps on 5/20!  See flyer below for more details.  

• Yearbooks have been ordered and will be arriving in the next few weeks.  We will have a small limited quantity available for purchase in the office (first come, first serve). 

Character Trait of the Month – Perseverance

Quote:
"It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop." – Confucius

Conversation Starter:
At dinner or during bedtime, ask your child:
"What’s something that felt really hard today? How did you handle it?"
These conversations help children understand that it’s okay to face challenges—and that continuing to try is what really matters.

Tip:
Praise your child’s persistence by focusing on their progress, not perfection. Whether they’re learning to tie their shoes, solve a tricky math problem, or practice an instrument, acknowledge their effort: “I saw how hard you worked—that’s what really counts.” When they see that you value effort, they learn to value it too.

Important Dates

• May 20 - Whitecaps Family Night
• May 23 - No School
• May 26 - Memorial Day, no school.  
• June 3 -  Parkside Community Reunion (6:00 pm-7:00 pm)
• June 5 -  PTO end of the year party, 1/2 day.
• June 6 - Last day of school, 1/2 day.  
• See full list of PKS Events and upcoming field trips on the calendar link:  Parkside Calendar 

PTO Corner

Our final Mileage Club day is Wednesday, May 22, and we could use a few more volunteers to help cheer on our students as they reach their goals!

So far, 126 students have walked or run at least one mile, and 24 students have made it onto the 5-mile leaderboard!

Prizes will be awarded to our top finishers:
1st Place: Gift cards to Rockford Footwear Depot and Celebration Cinema
2nd Place: Movie Popcorn Bucket with a pass to Celebration Cinema
3rd Place: A Summer Fun Bucket filled with goodies

Thank you for supporting healthy habits and a little friendly competition—we couldn’t do it without you!

 Mileage Club Sign-Up

If you’re interested in purchasing a Pachyderm Tote Bag, please email Phillips.l.jamie@gmail.com. We are gauging interest. Thanks! 

STEAM

From the STEAM Team:
A heartfelt thank you to all the families who volunteered their time and donated supplies to support STEAM this year. Your generosity and enthusiasm made so many hands-on learning opportunities possible for our students!

As we begin planning for next year’s STEAM Night, we are gauging interest from families who might like to help out. If you're interested in being involved, please take a moment to fill out our short interest survey:
STEAM Night Interest Survey