April 5, 2026
Sunday Snapshot
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IAR and ISA State Testing Begins (Grades 3-8)
4/6/2026
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PPLC- 8AM
4/7/2026, 8 AM – 8 AM
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Para Meeting @ 2:15pm
4/9/2026, 2:15 PM – 2:15 PM
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Paws Pillar Skill of Inclusivity
4/13/2026
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New Family Orientation & Tour 3:45pm
4/15/2026, 3:45 PM – 3:45 PM
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LSC Meeting @5pm
4/15/2026, 5 PM – 5 PM
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PTA Meeting @ 6pm
4/15/2026, 6 PM – 6 PM
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Additional Notes
Staff Shout-out: Our staff shout out form is back! I want to provide a  space for parents to show their gratitude for our hardworking staff. If you would like to give a shout out to a staff member, please fill out the following form. We will share all submissions with our staff. Parent to Staff Shout out Form
Level I & Level II Volunteer Application Process: All individuals who are interested in volunteering (includes chaperoning field trips) must be approved by CPS. Depending on the level of volunteering you plan to do, you will be asked to complete an application for either a “Level I” or “Level II” volunteer.
NEW: Volunteer services will send parents an email with instructions about a required CPS volunteer training. This is a new step required after being approved at the school level.
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Happy Sunday Garvy!
Be Kind 🐾 Be Strong 🐾 Be Well 🐾 Be a Bulldog
Happy AP Appreciation Week!
 This week is National Assistant Principal Appreciation week. This week, we honor all the amazing and hard work of our AP, Mrs. Brodsky. She is a major
part of the success of Garvy School. Be sure to thank her for her dedication to our school when you see her this week.
IAR/ISA State Assessments
Reminder: State testing for 3-8th grade begins this week on April 7th.
All students need wired headphones for testing.
This week, your child will take the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), which measures student mastery of the Illinois Learning Standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics in grades 3–8.
Students in 5th and 8th grade will also participate in the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA), which measures student mastery of the Illinois Learning Standards for Science and the Next Generation Science Standards.
Help Needed
LAST CALL: A Garvy alum from the Class of 2022 is requesting assistance with a Eagle Scout Project here at Garvy. The outdoor classroom space is complete and we  are renovating the adjacent garden space. Volunteers should be ready to get their hands dirty removing the old planter boxes and installing a new little free library on Saturday, April 11th and Sunday, 12th. Please fill out the form below if you are available to help. Additionally, the Eagle Scouts are looking for some tools and materials to be loaned and/or donated. Please fill out the second form if you may have any tools or materials.
We thank you in advance for your assistance in beautifying our school.
 Student Spotlight
Congratulations to our Chi-Craft Team, we are in 8th place out of 80 teams. We will participate in the Final Minecraft Build Challenge at Chicago State University on Saturday, April 25th. Expect to see city partners, quantum experts, and most importantly the dedicated Chi-Craft teams.
Good luck to the Garvy team: An V, Brayden M, Ezra P, Michael A, Olivia S, and Mr. Ravury.
Scholastic Book Fair
 The Spring Book fair is here! The Scholastic Book Fair starts Monday, April 20th and ends on Friday, April 24th in the Music Room. Your child's teacher will arrange a time to visit the fair during school hours. In addition, the fair will be open late during STEM Night on April 21st.
No cash- No worries. Students can shop without cash thanks to the Book Fair eWallet. Here is a link to the Scholastic homepage to setup the eWallet feature:
Crossing Guard Appreciation
The 2026 Crossing Guard of the Year competition has officially launched! Students, staff and community residents are invited to nominate their favorite crossing guard(s) by submitting a nomination (via the form) to the CPS Office of Safety and Security.
Consider nominating our two wonderful Crossing Guards:
Awards Details
- Deadline: Nominations for Crossing Guard of the Year are now open and will close on April 17, 2026.
- Winners: There will be four Crossing Guard of the Year award winners, one from each region. The winners will be announced on May 18.
- Who can nominate: Chicagoans — including students, school leaders and families — are welcome to participate in the nomination process.
- Criteria: Nominations will be judged based on years of service and attendance, among other metrics.
Step Right Up for the Garvy Walk-a-Thon! The annual Walk-a-Thon, scheduled for Friday, May 8th, is a beloved Garvy spring tradition, and this year we’re celebrating Garvy as The Greatest School on Earth!
Each year, the Walk-a-Thon serves as the Adopt-a-Classroom Committee’s biggest fundraiser, helping provide important technology and learning tools for Garvy classrooms. Thanks to your incredible support last year, we successfully replaced the SmartBoards in every classroom!
This year’s goal: Raise funds to help support the purchase of math workbooks for every Garvy student, ensuring our classrooms have the resources they need to thrive.
Earn Your Walk-a-Thon Shirt Students and staff who raise at least $30 will earn an official 2026 Walk-a-Thon t-shirt! Raise your $30 by Friday, April 17, 2026, and you’ll receive your shirt in time to wear it proudly on Walk-a-Thon Day!
Due to IAR testing, our April BAC meeting is cancelled. Our next BAC meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, May 13, 2026 at 8:45 a.m. in Room 208A
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Mark your calendars already for Memorial Day Norwood Park Parade, Monday, May 25th. We would like to invite everyone to attend.
April's Dine & Donate event is Monday, April 27, 2026 at Zabaadi located at 7052 W. Forest Preserve Drive from 11:00 am - 9:30 pm.
Zabaadi Dine & Donate
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1st Day School Supplies store is now open. Yes, it feels early. And that’s actually the point. Ordering now means you can check school supplies off your list before summer even begins. No scrambling in July. No store runs in August. Just the exact supplies teachers requested, handled in a few simple clicks. It only takes a few minutes to select our school and choose your child’s grade. Everything will arrive packaged and ready for the first day. There’s something nice about heading into summer knowing one big thing is already done.
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The end of the 2025-2026 school year is the end of our current PTA Board Member roles, and some parents are unable to continue their role for various reasons- which means we have a few positions open for the 2026-2028 school year PTA Board. If you are looking to help out but don't know how, now is your chance! Looking for more details on what each position is responsible for? Go to our tab on the Garvy website here
If you have any questions you can reach out to the PTA directly, we would love to help!
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IAR/ISA Spring Testing in April
Every year, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) administers federally-required state assessments that help us gauge how our students are growing academically compared to their peers across the state. These tests also help us determine where additional supports and resources are needed in our schools.
This spring, your child will take the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), which measures student mastery of the Illinois Learning Standards in English language arts/literacy and mathematics in grades 3–8. The District online testing window is March 3 – April 17, 2026. Garvy School will administer the test between: April 6- April 17th.
Students in 5th and 8th grade will also participate in the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA), which measures student mastery of the Illinois Learning Standards for Science and the Next Generation Science Standards. The District online testing window is March 3 – April 30, 2026. Garvy School will administer the test between: April 6- April 30th.
Read More...
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Garvy Yearbook for Sale!
Yearbook 2025-2026
It is time to purchase our Garvy Yearbook for 2025-2026. Yearbooks are $25 and here is the link to place your order: https://shop.yearbookmarket.com/garvyelementary
The deadline to purchase is Friday, April 10th.
Read More...
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TreeMachine Clothing Collection
Spring cleaning time is here! If you have any gently used clothing or shoes that your child has outgrown, please consider donating to the TreeMachine (green bin) in the Garvy parking lot.
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Summer Jobs for ages 14–24
CYW Contact Information: Direct youth to apply online at chicagoyouthworks.org
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YMCA Camp Duncan Summer Camp
YMCA Camp Duncan Summer Camp is your place to grow, gather, and get away!
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Paper Mache? Hooray! A WasteShed Spring Break Camp
Spring Break Camp Details:
Monday through Friday, 8:30am–3:00pm from March 23, 2026 to March 27, 2026
Ages: 10 - 13
Paper Mache? Hooray!
Learn the ins and outs of creating art with paper mache in all of its gloopy sticky glory. Campers will learn how to make and use paper clay as well as craft structures with traditional papier-mache strips. Projects include: balloon bowls, colorful paper masks, and a final sculpture to be featured in a mini Friday afternoon art show on the camp’s last day!
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Go Bulldogs!!!
Mrs. Bester 🐾 🐾
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