Lincoln Elementary families came out in full support to celebrate the start of the 2024-25 school year with a big Back to School Picnic.
The River Forest School District 90 Lincoln PTO Back to School Picnic was held on Thursday, Aug. 29, in the school’s park off of Lake Street, with families and children making the most of the weather and enjoying the day with their school community.
Casey Godfrey, principal at Lincoln, said he was grateful to the Lincoln PTO and the volunteers who made the event welcoming for all.
Godfrey spent part of the event in the dunk tank, with students and parents lined up to take a shot at dunking him.
“The Lincoln Back to School picnic is always one of my favorite events of the year,” Godfrey said. “It offers an incredible way to come together as a school community to celebrate the start of another year.”
Susan Veazie, co-president of the Lincoln PTO, said the event had one goal: To welcome families and celebrate the start of the new year.
“We are honored to celebrate and bring together the parents, teachers, administrators, and students at our annual back to school picnic at Lincoln School,” Veazie said. “Parents have the opportunity to meet or catch up, former students volunteer at the various stations, and children build friendships. What a great way to start the year!”
This year, the picnic featured two large inflatables, which had lines of children eagerly waiting their turn, as well as the Dunk Tank, face painting, balloon artists and an ice cream truck.
Children enjoyed playing on the two parks at Lincoln, including the newly installed playground off of Park Avenue and Lake Street. The newly installed picnic tables also provided much needed seating for families.
Matt Nickels, a parent of three children in D90, said the picnic is the culmination of the excitement felt around the first week of class. Classes for D90 students began on Wednesday, Aug. 21.
“This is our third year doing this,” Nickels said. “It’s a time to socialize and the kids are entertained, the adults alike.”
Mia Esposito, co-president of the Lincoln PTO, said the Back to School Picnic soon becomes one of the student’s favorite activities when they start at Lincoln.
“I mean, what is better than dunking your principal, and this year, our new assistant principal in the Dunk Tank?” Esposito said. “We start planning in the summer and it’s so fun to watch it all come together.”
New to the Lincoln family, Casey Luther and her family came out to meet families as their child started in the Pre-K program.
“Miss Murphy and her team have been excellent,” Luther said of her experience at Lincoln. “It has been a really smooth transition from Willard [Elementary] over to Lincoln, especially with the specialists that hop between both schools to help with the kids.”
Fairly new to the area, Luther said they have only lived in River Forest for three years, and the family is excited to get to know their new school community at Lincoln.
“We know Willard families but now it’s our turn to meet Lincoln families, which is our home school,” she said.
Also new to Lincoln, and to the D90 community, is Jennifer Pasia, the new assistant principal shared between Lincoln and Willard Elementary schools, who also attended the event.
“This is such a fun community vent,” Pasia said. “And I am excited to have the opportunity to get to know more Lincoln families at our Back to School Picnic.”
