Dear Palombi Families,
This month, students will take the ELA Illinois Assessment for Readiness (IAR) on Monday and Tuesday, March 9th and 10th. Then they will take Math IAR on Wednesday March 11th, Tuesday March 17th, and Wednesday March 18th. Additionally, our eighth graders will complete the Illinois Science Assessment on March 31st, April 1st, April 2nd. In April, we will conduct makeup testing for any students who miss these important assessments.
With the start of a new trimester, students have a fresh opportunity to develop positive habits that will contribute to their success—both this term and in the future. To help them stay on track, students will review their Wildly Important Goals and focus on reaching their highest potential. We encourage you to continue checking PowerSchool to monitor their progress and support their learning.
Thank you for your continued support!
Mrs. Angela Sisi
Principal
5 Essentials Parent Survey
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey is now open and will remain available through March 13. Students, parents, and teachers across Illinois are invited to participate in the eleventh annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey.
This important survey helps create a detailed picture of how our school is performing and highlights areas of strength and opportunities for growth. As a parent or guardian, your feedback is essential. The survey gives you the opportunity to share your thoughts about the key elements that contribute to your child’s school experience and overall effectiveness.
Parents/Guardians: Please click here to complete the Illinois 5Essentials Survey.
Padres/Tutores: Hagan clic aquí para completar la encuesta Illinois 5Essentials.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and support our school community!
Spring Conferences
Spring conferences are on March 12th 1:45pm-7pm and are typically set up through an invite from a teacher. If you did not get an invite, but would still like to meet with teachers, please reach out to one of your student’s teachers.
6th Grade Orientation
Please join us on Monday, April 27th from 6pm-7pm for our incoming 6th grade orientation. Along with a presentation from administration there will be an activity/athletic fair and self guided tours.
Teacher Shout-Out
A Teacher Shout-Out is an unsolicited special recognition that acknowledges a Palombi staff member who has really helped you or your student or has been highly effective and motivating. Our staff takes great pride in helping students achieve their potential. Take a few minutes and let a staff member know how much you appreciate their work by clicking this link.
Palombi Alumni Wall
Palombi proudly recognizes alumni who have gone on to demonstrate leadership in their careers and beyond. Our “Leaders of Today and Tomorrow” Wall celebrates these individuals who have made a positive impact in various fields, showcasing their achievements as an inspiration to current students.
We are always looking to grow this recognition and would love your help! If you know a former Palombi student who has shown exceptional leadership—whether in their profession, community, or personal endeavors—please take a moment to share with us by submitting a nomination with this form.
Help us honor the incredible contributions of our alumni and inspire the next generation of leaders!
From the Dean’s Desk
Trimester 3 is officially underway! As we look forward to our end-of-year celebrations, we want to emphasize that these activities are earned privileges intended for students who demonstrate academic responsibility and behavioral excellence. Our goal is for every student to participate; however, attendance in the end of the year activities is contingent upon maintaining good academic standing and appropriate conduct. Please take a moment to review the linked expectation document with your child to ensure a clear understanding of the requirements for participation.
Mental Health Minute
As routines shift and the seasons change, March is a great time to pause and check in with how we’re feeling. Encourage your child to name their emotions and remember that all feelings are okay—even the uncomfortable ones. Talking about feelings helps children build confidence, problem-solve, and feel supported. 🌸🌳
March Habit of the Month
This month, our Friday Focus lessons highlight Habit 6: Synergize—working effectively with others by valuing different perspectives and combining strengths. In middle school, students are forming stronger opinions and relationships, making collaboration an essential skill.
You can support this habit at home by encouraging your child to:
Listen to and respect different viewpoints, even when they disagree.
Focus on solutions and compromise instead of trying to “win” an argument.
Contribute their strengths when working with family members on shared responsibilities or decisions.
These everyday moments help middle schoolers grow into thoughtful teammates and confident leaders who understand that we achieve more together than alone.
Library News
We are pleased to announce that the District has partnered with the Lake Villa District Library for the month of March to highlight books that embody the principles of the 8 Habits of The Leader in Me. Spring break would be a great time to visit the library to check out some of the titles available! Hope to see you there!!
Notes from the Office: Front Door Protocol
Our main entrance doors are locked for security reasons. There are two doorbells: one for the Palombi Office and one for the District Office. Please ring the appropriate doorbell and wait for the office staff to respond to you to determine the nature of your visit. You will then be buzzed into the foyer. Please do not let other visitors in while you are entering or exiting the foyer. This is to ensure the safety of our students and staff. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our school safe.
Attendance
Now that we are in the colder season, we receive more calls on the attendance line and entries on the online absence form. Please give the office staff time to listen to calls in the morning to update your child’s absence. The online absence form is not automatic, it also takes time to update your student’s attendance with the information provided. Reminder, that you need to call each day your student is absent for sickness. Also, please make sure to give the reason for the absence when leaving the phone message. 847-356-2118 choice #1 or online absence form
Spring Picture Day - Tuesday April 14th
ED Clark will be taking Spring pictures for 6th & 7th grade on Tuesday, April 14th at Palombi Middle School. Order forms will be going home with the students the week before.
Health Office
Parents of 6th grade students: Please remember to turn in your student’s Dental Exam form by Friday, May 15th.
If your student is planning on participating in Track and Field, please make sure they have a current physical on file in the nurse’s office. The sign up and physical deadline is 1:00p.m. on Friday, March 20th. No late submissions will be accepted.
During winter weather, please do your part to help our staff and students stay healthy by keeping your child/ren home until they are fever, vomiting, and/or diarrhea free for 24hrs, without the use of medications.
Please remind your child that it is important for them to visit the nurse if they are not feeling well. Students should not be texting/calling parents to be picked up from school.
Music Department News
Congratulations to our Band & Choir students who participated in the annual Northern Illinois Music Conference Solo & Ensemble Festival on Saturday 2/21 at South Middle School in Arlington Heights! They all worked hard & we are proud of their performances.
Band students: Novalee Ayala, Genesis Castellanos, Sophia Connor, Alexander Del-Angel, McKenzie Downey, Norah Flores, Sophia Garza, Maximus Hanamoto, Jonas Hoover, Lily Johnston, Ethan Kumpula, Hans Luedtke, Elena Romero, Spencer Wallace, and Charlotte Wetter
Choir students: Nadia Akanbi, Charlotte Batten, Olivia Bouchard, Makenna Galek, Amelia Garoutte, Sophia Guadarrama, Rya Gumbiner, Makena Lujan, Molly Macrum, Sophia Navarrette, Madeline Partlo, Alien Rubira, Leah Smiles, Mackenzie Twadell, Madison Twadell, and Aliyah Vazquez
Jazz Night hosted by District 117 will take place on Wednesday March 18th at Lakes High School. Our Advanced & After School Jazz Bands will both be performing.
Please wish our 7th and 8th Grade Band and Choirs good luck as they participate in the NimCon Contest on March 6th. Break a leg Lancer Music!
Advanced Art Applications for the 2026 - 2027 School Year
It’s time to plan for next year! Advanced Art is an honors-level, year-long course for current 6th and 7th graders who are passionate about art, self-motivated, and eager to grow their skills. Students may take the class in both 7th and 8th grade without repeating the curriculum.
To apply, students must create a slideshow that includes an introduction and photos of their best artwork (from school or home). Detailed instructions and a sample are linked.
Deadline: Tuesday, March 31, 2026
Email applications to: natalia.brozandreou@district41.org
Families will be notified by April 10, 2026.
Please contact Mrs. Broz-Andreou with any questions.
Building Strong Readers and Problem Solvers
Join us for Title I Night on Monday, April 20th from 6:00–6:30 p.m. in the Palombi Gym! This special evening is designed to support families with practical strategies and helpful resources to strengthen math and reading skills at home. Learn simple, engaging activities you can incorporate into your daily routine to boost your child’s confidence and academic success. We look forward to partnering with you to support student achievement and celebrate the power of learning together! Please complete this survey to RSVP.
ACTIVITIES
Track and Field
Track & Field Clinic sign ups close 2 pm on March 9 and no late submissions will be accepted. Whether you’re new to the sport or returning for another season, this is the perfect time to explore events you’re interested in, practice ones you want to do, and begin conditioning before the season begins.
March 16-19 from 2:20 - 4:30 pm, pick up location TBD depending on the number of participants. If students are unable to be picked up by a parent/guardian at 4:30, they can take the 4 pm late bus.
A current physical is required to participate. Current physicals can be emailed to the nurse coordinator, Mrs. Taylor at francesca.taylor@district41.org.
Click here to sign up.
The fee is $20 and can be paid via MySchoolBucks.
The signup for Track and Field regular season will be live March 2! Track and Field is a no cut sport and is open to all 6th-8th grade students. The season begins Monday, March 30 when we return from spring break.
Click here to sign up your student for the regular season (March 30-May 23).
If your student is returning for another season (7th/8th grade), please have them complete the Event Selection form.
A current physical is required in order to participate. Current physicals can be emailed to the nurse coordinator, Mrs. Taylor at francesca.taylor@district41.org.
The sign up and physical deadline is March 20- no late submissions will be accepted.
There is a $125 athletic fee that is due by Friday, April 3 and can be paid via MySchoolBucks. Track & Field Payment
Email Coach Horn at ashley.horn@district41.org if you have any questions.
After School Enrichments
Sign-ups for session 4 of after school enrichments will open mid-March. An email will be sent home and a morning announcement will be made when sign-ups are available. Session 4 enrichments will begin the week of April 6th and end the week of May 11th. If an enrichment activity is scheduled on a non-school day, it will be made up another day. Sign-up forms and payment will be due on Friday, April 3rd! Please reach out to Mrs. Rochford with any questions at emily.rochford@district41.org
2027 Washington, D.C Trip
7th Grade Families! If you would like to sign your current 7th grade student up for the 2027 Washington D.C trip, please enroll at this link here. Reach out to Ms. Gama at cecilia.gamamendoza@district41.org for more information or look at common questions here.
8th Grade Dinner Dance
It’s time to celebrate our promotees! We are thrilled to announce that the Class of 2026 will be celebrating their milestone with an evening of food, music, and memories.
Please mark your calendars for this special tradition:
When: Tuesday, May 26th
Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Where: Valley Ridge Golf Course
This is a wonderful opportunity for our 8th graders to come together one last time before heading off to high school.
Detailed information regarding tickets, dress code, and meal options will be sent out in the coming weeks. For now, just make sure to clear your schedules for a night to remember! There are a limited number of spots available so make sure to get your tickets early.
Shoe Drive
Pavells LEAD group would like to send out a big thank you to all that donated to the shoe drive. Our goal was to collect 75 pairs of shoes. I dropped off 264 pairs of shoes. These shoes will be kept out of the landfills and will be shared with those in need. Thank you!
IMPORTANT DATES
Links to all dates can be found here: Palombi Full Calendar of Events
Mar 2 Lake Villa 41 Board of Education Meeting, 7:00 p.m.
Mar 3-9 PTO Palombi Book Fair
Mar 4 Book Fair Family Event 5p-7p
Mar 6 Spring Dance 5:30-7
Mar 6 7th & 8th Grade Bands & Choirs to Large Group Contest
Mar 9,10 IAR (Illinois Assessment for Readiness) ELA Testing, 6th - 8th grades
Mar 11 IAR (Illinois Assessment for Readiness) Math Testing, 6th - 8th grades
Mar 12 Spring Conferences 1:45 - 7:00 p.m. (Invite only)
Mar 13 No School - Non-attendance Day
Mar 16 Lake Villa 41 Board of Education Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
Mar 17,18 IAR (Illinois Assessment for Readiness) Math Testing, 6th-8th grades
Mar 23 - 27 Spring Break - No School
March 31, Apr 1,2 ISA (Illinois Science Assessment) Testing, 8th Grade
Apr 6 No School - Easter Monday
Apr 6 Lake Villa 41 Board of Education Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
Apr 14 Spring Picture Day for 6th and 7th Grade
Apr 15 7th Grade Field Trip to Milwaukee Zoo
Apr 16 7th Grade Field Trip to Milwaukee Zoo
Apr 20 Lake Villa 41 Board of Education Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
Apr 27 Incoming 6th Grade Orientation - 6:00p.m.- 7:00p.m.