Do you ever look at the calendar and wonder where all the time goes? It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of April making preparations for graduation and the other year end celebrations. This can be a tough time for middle school adolescents (and the rest of us) to focus on the task at hand. As I told the 8th graders recently, we do not want students thinking so much about tomorrow that they forget to make the positive choices necessary to be successful today. Although the year is winding down, we still have much to accomplish, and want students to continue to grow academically, socially and emotionally all the way through the last day of school. Parents, we ask that you help them along by continuing to ask your kids questions about their day, check grades regularly on the Skyward grading system, and visit our website for calendar updates. As always, this newsletter is full of valuable information about what students have accomplished in the last couple of months, along with a preview of events to come during the last weeks of school.

Here are some particularly noteworthy accolades and interesting upcoming events:

• Oh what a night: On the evening of March 14, Palos South came alive as the Student Council sponsored the first ever, South Trivia Night. The Commons was packed with parents, teachers, administrators, former and current students. All proceeds for the evening went to benefit the Grace Regan Educational Fund, daughter of South teacher Kelly Regan. It was a heartwarming night, and good times were had by all who attended!

• Way to go math department: Huge kudos go out to Mrs. Duffy and the rest of the South math department and our students for their efforts in raising money for St. Jude Children's Hospital. Our school once again participated in a math-a-thon to benefit the hospital. 150 students raised a record amount of over $10,300 for this worthwhile cause. Over the last 7 years, we have raised over $80,000 for St. Jude. The kindness of our students and families during these difficult economic times is truly amazing!

• 8th grade graduation reminders: The graduation ceremony will again be held at Moraine Valley Community College this year. The event will take place at 6:00 pm on June 5. Each student's family will receive four tickets to the highly anticipated event. I would like to be the first to wish our 8th graders congratulations and much success in their future endeavors! We are extremely proud of their efforts, and ask that they continue to try their best to finish the year strong! We expect a lot from them as the role models of the school, but only because we know they are up to the challenge.

• Save the date, Golf Outing in honor of Mr. Marty Regan: As many of you are aware, Marty Regan, one of our Palos South Physical Education Department teachers, passed away suddenly last summer. A group of Mr. Regan's colleagues, friends and family are putting together an outing on July 16th in his honor. The event will benefit Mr. Regan's daughter Grace. The outing is open to everybody over the age of 21. The cost is $125 which includes 18 holes of golf with a cart, lunch, a steak dinner, and two hours of open bar. The group is currently looking for sponsors and prize donations. For more information, visit the following website: www.golfforgrace.com.

• The PFA sponsored 8th grade Dance: We look forward to the PFA sponsored 8th grade Dance which is scheduled for Thursday, May 31, during the school day (10:00 am - 2:00 pm) at Gaelic Park. We have already talked to students about dress code, but would like to remind everyone that the dance is not meant to be prom. For boys, we would suggest a pair of dress pants and a button down shirt. It is not necessary to wear a suit. As for girls, although we realize the style of the day is tight fitting, low cut dresses, this is not appropriate for a middle school dance. Dresses should have straps across the shoulders. If this is not possible, girls should wear a sweater as a cover up. Shoes must be kept on for the entire dance. If girls choose to wear high heels, they can bring a pair of flip flops or other shoes to change into at the dance. If your son or daughter has not yet turned in their permission slip, make sure they bring it back to their Connections teacher ASAP.

• Congratulations to Amy Christie: I would like to take this opportunity to formally congratulate Ms. Amy Christie on her appointment as the new principal of Palos East Elementary. During the past four years, the parents, students, and staff of Palos South have benefited from her hard work, wisdom, and commitment to always putting student needs above all others. Although we are going to miss her greatly, Palos East and the district will benefit from her leadership! We have posted the assistant principal opening, and will begin the process of finding Amy's replacement during the next month.

Ms. Christie and I would like to extend our thanks to all the community members and families who continue to support our students' efforts. As always, if you have any thoughts or concerns, do not hesitate to contact us.

Regards,

Chris Bingen
Principal