Admin Weekly 5/5/2021

Calling all Alumni! Join us Saturday, May 22, from 1-3:00 pm at Promontory Point Park at 55th and Lake Shore Drive for an Urban Prairie Reunion/Ice Cream Social. Hosted by Sharla Paul. Please register using this link, so we know how many treats to bring – https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e48aba92ba5fa7-alumni.

Pentathlon

Pentathlon, traditionally held in late May, is an important capstone in the Waldorf fifth grade year at Urban Prairie and many other Waldorf schools in the U.S. Due to the pandemic and COVID related protocols, the Pentathlon will look different this year, but we are excited that we will be able to host an on-site, UPWS-only Pentathlon during school hours on Friday, May 28th. Families of former and future Pentathletes: Please join the faculty and staff in wishing this year’s fifth graders a wonderful experience!

Spirit Week

We are bringing back spirit week! Coinciding with Jump-a-Thon, students will be encouraged to show their school spirit.

June 1: Pajama Tuesday

June 2: Wacky Wednesday

June 4: Favorite Animal Friday

Students may come to school dressed in theme. They should be able to move freely and participate in all activities. We ask that students do not wear full face masks, just their regular mask.

Summer Camp

Capoeira!! and Circus! and Archery! Oh my!  Now’s your chance to secure your child a spot in UPWS summer camp! Enrollments are filling up. Follow this link for all the details:  https://www.urbanprairie.org/life-at-upws/camps/

Community Members Making a Difference – Apollonia Jackson

Apollonia Jackson, UPWS 1st Grader, is following a family legacy of social activism that spans more than 50 years. This legacy includes great uncle Rudy Lozano, late Chicago labor and civic activist; grandparents, Slim Coleman and Emma Lozano, activists and pastors at Lincoln Methodist Church in Pilsen; and mother Tanya Lozano. Tanya is director of Healthy Hood, a not for profit headquartered in Pilsen that provides affordable programs and resources that elevate the mind, body and conscience, as means to combat the 20 year life expectancy gap between underserved communities and high-income communities in Chicago.

To see and hear Apollonia’s most recent press conference addressing the impact violence and  immigration policies have on Chicago’s youngest citizens, follow this link. https://www.instagram.com/p/COTwnjRAmNM/

COMMUNITY CONNECTION CORNER

Jump Around – UPDATED DATES!

To give our 5th grade pentathletes the time and space they need, Jump-A-Thon is being pushed back one week. Pods should stay after dismissal on the dates below to participate.

• 1st & 2nd grade on 6/1 at 2:15 pm

• 3rd/4th & 5th grade on 6/2 at 2:15 pm

• 6th,7th & 8th grade on 6/4 at 2:15 pm

This also means we’ll have one more week to schedule our fun, safely distanced, podded jump rope making sessions on the play lot later this month.  Stay tuned for donation details and keep your eyes out for an email from your class delegate about jump rope fabrication fun later this month! Jump-a-thon is a UPWS tradition the kids just love, logging countless hops and skips in the name of supporting our school.  Family & friends from near and far support their efforts with pledges and the color team with the most jumps wins.

Thank You Teachers & Staff!

Our entire community sends its deepest thanks for the loving guidance and care you’ve shown our little and not so little ones this year 🧡

In appreciation, we’re buying you lunch this Thursday and looking forward to times when we can gather together safely for festivals and potluck meals once again.  Expect a copy of our inaugural cookbook too to spice up your at home Covid cooking routine!  Interested in purchasing a few more copies of the CC Cookbook for yourself?  Another round of printing will be happening soon, drop us a line at c…@urbanprairie.org to let us know you’re interested.

CC Volunteers Still Needed for Next Year

A huge thank you to those who stepped up to be CC class delegates in this particularly challenging year. Next year we can use all the help we can get, not necessarily in the class delegate role either.  We’re looking to change up the structure a little bit so it doesn’t fall so heavily on one person in each class.  If you’d like to be part of a team that helps pull together an event or two of your own choice next year, please drop us a line at c…@urbanprairie.org.  Thank you so much, we could really use your help!