Dear Parents,

I wanted to provide a quick update on our faculty for next year. Our remaining openings are now filled and we have a full team for the year.

We are excited to extend a warm welcome to Tina Grandinetti, who will be ​our second Fourth Grade Teacher this fall. Tina is a former parent at Embers and knows our community well. She holds a masters in education and has worked with elementary and middle school students in the Chicagoland area​, first in 2004,​ and again from 2021 to the present.

Brenda Fernandez has worn many hats at Embers​ over the last decade, having most recently been a Kindergarten aid​e, a Spanish teacher, and an Ar​t​ aide. ​We are pleased that Brenda is stepping into a new role this year as a PK3 ​Co-​Teacher, in addition to teaching 3rd-5th  Spanish and assisting in Art classes. She is multi-talented and a joy to our students!

Madeline Black is another familiar face, having been a beloved substitute teacher at Embers​ in recent years. Madeline will be our ​Teaching ​Fellow, a new position that will entail teaching ​Fifth ​Grade math and history, two subjects in which her talents will shine. Madeline is a senior, finishing her degree in elementary education at Northeastern University.

My teaching responsibility. I had originally planned on teaching Fifth Grade history myself, and I still plan to guest teach on occasion. But that class is a natural strength for Madeline, and there was an alternative option that will allow me to teach all the Embers Sparks: I will teach a new K-5 course entitled “Virtue Studies: Narnia.” Mary Kay Hastings developed C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia into a key component of an Embers education. This year, I’m designing a “mini-course,” in which I will continue the tradition of reading Narnia novels to each grade individually, K-5, and leading the students in discussions of the virtues demonstrated by the characters.

With a faculty this talented, I can’t wait to welcome them and your children back to school soon. 

I continue to be grateful for your warm welcome. And, I’m very excited to share additional enhancements at our Curriculum Night. We have a great year ahead!

Sincerely,
Christopher Goffos
Headmaster

A core initiative of the 2023 Extravaganza Paddle Raise was to raise funds for the much-needed renovation of our West Wing Bathrooms. Contractors have been hard at work this summer installing beautiful, clean, new facilities that will be ready for back to school. None of this would be possible without your generosity. We greatly appreciate our Embers families!

We will be hosting a used uniform sale in our lobby this Tuesday, August 15 – Thursday, August 17 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Stop by to peruse the gently used skirts, vests, and more that have been generously contributed by our families. Donations for uniform purchases are accepted by cash or check; donate what you are able!

Now is a great time to ensure that your students have proper-fitting uniform pieces. Beginning with the first day of school, students must wear the required Embers school uniform. A complete list of dress code requirements can be found here.

Tuition payment information is available online at Blackbaud Tuition Management. To access this site for your Smart Tuition account, visit https://parent.blackbaud.school. Please note that Blackbaud Tuition Management is a different site than myEmbers! and you will need to create a new log on to access your information.

Please email the Business office at business@embersacademy.org if you have any questions or need assistance. Thank you!

Starting Monday, our office will resume normal office hours in preparation for the school year. We look forward to assisting you:

Daily Milk orders are available for students in PK (full day only) through 5th Grade at a cost of $.60/carton.  The total cost for the school year is $97.00, per child, which will be billed to your Smart Tuition account. Delivery begins Wednesday, September 5, 2023. Both 2% and Skim milk are available.

Natalie Donado: School Office Secretary
ndonado@embersacademy.org
Uniforms, school supplies, hot lunch, and general questions about the school day.

Sylvia Casaletto: Office Manager
scasaletto@embersacademy.org
Medical and allergy forms, birth and baptismal certificates, and student records.
 

Karen Reardon: Registrar 
kreardon@embersacademy.org
Information and questions about myEmbers!

Lelia Harig: Business Office Manager
lharig@embersacademy.org
Tuition, Billing, and Extended Day Program (EDP).

Christopher Goffos: Headmaster
cgoffos@embersacademy.org