Dear PACT Elementary Families,

As we enter this joyful season and prepare to close out 2025, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for the partnership, energy, and support you pour into our school community. December is a wonderful time to reflect on the growth we have experienced together—and there is truly so much to celebrate!

Throughout November, our students focused on gratitude, our character trait of the month. Classrooms across the grades engaged in meaningful activities that encouraged students to pause, reflect, and express what they are thankful for.

In Character Corner, every student added a link to our “We Are Thankful” gratitude chain. These individual messages of thanks, joined together, created a beautiful chain that decorated our cafeteria—a powerful reminder of the positive community we build when we each contribute our unique voices.

Classroom highlights include:

The thoughtfulness shared by our students has been truly inspiring.

This month, we are thrilled to celebrate an exciting milestone in our 4th Grade Accelerated Reading Program. Two of our fourth graders became the first students to complete the “40 Book Challenge”!

Since the start of the year, they have each read 40 grade-level books across nine different genres. Their dedication, perseverance, and genuine love of reading have been incredible to witness.

We are so proud of their hard work—what an inspiring achievement!

In the spirit of the season, I invited all PACT staff to join me in a “Joy Hunt” throughout the month of December—an intentional effort to look for moments of joy all around us here at school.

Whether in the obvious places—like a student’s proud smile after mastering a new skill—or in the more obscure ones—like a quiet act of kindness or an unexpected laugh during a busy day—our goal has been to notice and celebrate the joy woven into our daily work.

During our final staff meeting of 2025, we will share the joyful moments we discovered. I can’t wait to hear the stories that emerge and to continue building a culture where noticing joy becomes a habit for us all.

On Monday, November 17, I had the opportunity to speak at the University of Northwestern Student Teaching Seminar. I shared PACT’s mission and highlighted the skills and dispositions we seek in future educators. It is always a joy to connect with soon-to-be teachers and invite them to consider partnering with PACT in their professional journey.

November was filled with hands-on learning, curiosity, and exploration!

These experiences extend learning beyond the classroom and created lasting memories for our students.

We are thrilled to highlight a special partnership with Connect By Kindness, founded by PACT grandparent Joanie Schumann. This wonderful project spreads kindness through handmade gifts—and Joanie has generously donated hand-painted rocks and small plushy keychains for our weekly Panther PAWS prize winners.

Students earn Panther PAWS when they go above and beyond in their work or in showing PACT’s character traits. These handmade items have brought big smiles to our students’ faces, and we are sincerely grateful for the talent and generosity of Connect By Kindness.

As we head into the winter season, I wish each of our families a peaceful and joy-filled December. Thank you for all you do to make PACT Elementary such a warm and thriving community.

With appreciation,

Lara Bronson, Ed.D.

PACT Elementary Principal