Longfellow School PTO
  • News & Updates Blog
  • Winter Carnival
    • Ticket Presale
    • Winter Carnival FAQ
    • Volunteer
    • Sponsors
    • Donate
  • Activities
    • Activities
    • Afterschool ALL
    • Move-a-Palooza Fall FUNdraiser
    • Winter Carnival Tickets
    • Book Fair
    • Family Garden
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • Bike Walk Oak Park
  • New Parent FAQ
  • About/Contact Us
    • About/Contact Us
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News & Updates

Winter Carnival!!!

2/5/2026

 

Winter Carnival is on Saturday, February 21st from 1-4pm. Enter through the Main Entrance or Door 11 W
​
NEW:
  • Sensory-Friendly time is available 12:30-1pm
  • A classroom Calm Zone is available from 12;30-4pm
  • Silent Auction

 IMPORTANT LINKS: 
  • Ticket presale packages - presale closes 2/15 @11:59pm 
  • Donate a wristband
  • Split the Pot Tickets
  • Preorder Food Tickets
  • ​Donate to the Sweet Walk Fund
  • Donate a sweet treat for the Sweet Walk
  • ​Volunteer during the Winter Carnival! Serve food, run games, help with set up or clean up. Grab a friend and make a date of it. Games are great fun for Longfellow Alumni in 6th-12th grade to help out with! We literally can't make the Carnival happen without parents/guardians volunteering. There's literally not enough Board members to helm every station! Please sign up early to show your support <3

Many thanks to our sponsors: Oak Park Jewelers, Frick Kids Art, Elfi Studios, Legacy Sports Camp. 

Email [email protected] with questions.

PTO Community Meeting

1/26/2026

 
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Preregistration for pizza and childcare is appreciated but not necessary; come on thru! 

January CARNIVAL CHALLENGE!!!

1/14/2026

 
We really NEED your help planning the Saturday, Feb. 21, Carnival Fundraiser. 

Parents: Help us plan the event and get a chance to win a $25 Publican Gift Card! 

Kids: Convince your parents to help plan the event and you, and the classroom with the most parents helping on the Carnival Planning Committee wins a PUMPKIN MOON GIFT CARD for each student! 

Details:

Email Josh Kirchner at  [email protected] before midnight, Monday, 1/19 to volunteer to help PLAN the event.   (We will have a separate February challenge for “Day Of” Volunteers. 

If a parent signs up, all of their kids get credit. If a parent is already on the Committee, their kid(s) get credit, too.

On 1/20, we will select 1 Parent Winner for a $25 Publican Gift Card and 1 Classroom Winner (every student wins a $5 Pumpkin Moon Gift Card)


Keep an eye out for a February Challenge for Day-Of volunteers

We currently need help with … 
  • Decorations (2 more volunteers needed)
  • Sweet Walk (2 volunteers needed)
  • Raffle or Sponsorship (3 volunteers needed)
  • Games (2 volunteers needed)
  • Volunteer Organization and Greeting (1 volunteer needed)
  • Marketing - (1 volunteer needed)

Meet Longfellow's Social Workers!

11/9/2025

 
The role of Longfellow's Social Workers is to support students’ social, emotional, and behavioral growth so that they can be successful learners both in and out of the classroom. We work closely with students, families, and staff to help create a positive, inclusive, and supportive school environment for everyone.
As a school social worker, we partner with families to address challenges that may impact a child’s ability to learn or thrive at school. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you ever have questions, concerns, or need support.
Did you know that we can also help connect families with: 
  • Local counseling and mental health services
  • Food, clothing, and housing resources
  • Financial or utility assistance programs
  • Childcare or after-school programs
  • Community-based social services and supports
Sincerely, 
Grace Wojcik ([email protected]) -K & 4th,
Sarah Bielecki ([email protected]) - 2nd & 3rd 
Canika Gulley ([email protected]) -1st & 5th

Do you know about our Bears Care Fund?

10/31/2025

 
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Families experiencing a financial crisis - for any reason - can contact the Social Workers and get connected to Bears Care Funds. Families do not have to qualify for Free/Reduced lunch to access funds. The Social Workers maintain confidentiality. Families have accessed this fund has been used for groceries, winter coats, and other basic needs. If you need support, please reach out to the social workers: [email protected] (2nd-4th), [email protected] (k, 1st, 5th), or [email protected]

A portion of the Bears Care Fund was raised during Move-a-Palooza and by a generous donor to an "Angel Fund." If you would like to contribute to the Bears Care Fund, you can do so through this link:

https://www.longfellowpto.org/store/p1/Donation_to_Longfellow_PTO.htm

Halloween Wrapper Wrap Up

10/27/2025

 
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Join us on November 3rd after drop off to pick up candy wrappers from the Longfellow campus! We will be recycling the wrappers through Terracycle; feel free to bring wrappers from your Halloween candy as well! 

Email Alison Bower at [email protected] for more info! ​

October 27th, 2025

10/27/2025

 
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Hola familias de Longfellow,
Día de Muertos is a celebration of life, to remember loved ones that have passed away. It is celebrated in Mexico, and in some Central and South American countries. It is celebrated on November 2nd. 
If you would like to participate in our school's ofrenda:“Alas de Recuerdo” (Wings of Remembrance), share a picture of someone you would like to honor and write a note of who the person is to you and a memory you shared with them or a note to them . You have three options on how to do that:
  1.   Send a digital copy to Sra. Lynch-Marinelarena [email protected] by October 29th and she will print it.
  2.  Send a picture in a picture frame with your child to turn in to Sra. Lynch by October 29th. (Let Sra. Lynch know if you want the picture back).
  3.  Or bring a picture and put it up on the ofrenda after it is set up.
 NOTE: Sra. Lynch is not responsible for any damages to your picture/picture frames.
--- En español---
Hola familias de Longfellow,
Día de Muertos es una hermosa celebración de la vida, en la que recordamos a nuestros seres queridos que han fallecido. Esta tradición se celebra en México y en algunos países de Centro y Sudamérica cada 2 de noviembre.
Este año, nuestro comité está organizando un evento especial e invita a las familias y a la comunidad a colaborar en la creación de una ofrenda escolar llamada “Alas de Recuerdo” (Wings of Remembrance)).
Si desean participar, pueden compartir una foto de la persona que quieren honrar y escribir:
  • Quién es esa persona para ustedes.
  • Un recuerdo compartido o un mensaje para ella.
Tienen tres opciones para entregar su foto y mensaje:
  1.  Enviar copia digital a Sra. Lynch- Marinelarena a lmarinelarena@op97.org antes del 29 de octubre. Ella imprimirá la foto.
  2.  Mandar una foto enmarcada con su hijo/a para entregarla a Sra. Lynch antes del 29 de octubre. (Si desean que se les devuelva, por favor avisen).
  3.  Traer la foto en persona y colocarla en la ofrenda una vez que esté instalada.
 Nota: Sra. Lynch no se hace responsable de daños a las fotos o marcos.
Si participaron en años anteriores, las fotos y mensajes previos se volverán a usar a menos que indiquen lo contrario por correo electrónico.
¡Esperamos que muchas familias se unan para celebrar esta tradición llena de amor y memoria!

We Crossed the Finish Line!

10/27/2025

 
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Thank you to everyone who contributed to our Fall Fundraiser! We hit our $30,000 goal. 

MOVE-A-PALOOZA

10/3/2025

 
 Save the Date: Move-a-Palooza is October 17th! 
​
Move for what Matters! Longfellow students are moving for what matters—jumping, dancing, running, and cheering each other on—all to support our school! 
 Our goal: $30,000! Every dollar supports the Longfellow experience, from field trips and enrichment programs to community events and staff appreciation.
 Donate here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/peer-to-peer/move-a-palooza--2025-4
(Heads up: Zeffy adds a default “service fee.” To opt out, select “OTHER” and enter $0.)
 We also need volunteers! Move-a-Palooza can’t happen without our amazing community helping to cheer on students and keep things running smoothly on the big day. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084DADAA2AA1FCC25-58703107-funrun#/
 Please share this post with friends, family, and neighbors so we can make this our most successful Move-a-Palooza yet!

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Save the Date!

9/8/2025

 
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Sign up to volunteer click here and earn 10% off your purchases!
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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Elementary School
Parent Teacher Organization

715 Highland Ave, Oak Park, IL 60304
Click here to donate via PayPal

  • News & Updates Blog
  • Winter Carnival
    • Ticket Presale
    • Winter Carnival FAQ
    • Volunteer
    • Sponsors
    • Donate
  • Activities
    • Activities
    • Afterschool ALL
    • Move-a-Palooza Fall FUNdraiser
    • Winter Carnival Tickets
    • Book Fair
    • Family Garden
  • Get Involved
    • Volunteer
    • Donate
    • Bike Walk Oak Park
  • New Parent FAQ
  • About/Contact Us
    • About/Contact Us
    • Financial Resources for Families
    • PTO Board
    • Documents
    • Minutes
    • Reimbursement
  • Small Business Directory