Letters from Limestone Walters
October 2022
ποΈ Important Dates to Remember
October 4th: House Council Meeting @2:40pm
October 6th: Wheel Spin Day
October 7th: No School! Teacher's Institute
October 10th: No School! Columbus Day
October 11th: PTO Meeting @7pm
October 13th: Picture Retakes (Cross Country Group Photo)
October 14th: End of Quarter One
October 18th: Vision and Hearing Screening and Trunk or Treat 5:30pm-7:00pm
October 20th: Severe Weather Drill
October 21st: Wheel Spin Day
October 23rd: October Book Club @6pm (see details below)
October 24th: Board Meeting @6pm
October 27th: No School! Parent Teacher Conferences 3pm-8pm
October 28th: No School! Parent Teacher Conferences 8am-1pm
October 31st: Half Day of School (7:50am-11:20am) *No Lunch Served
π October's Book π¦π
2022 Book Club October - Taking time to wonder and notice (mindfulness)
Whatβs In Your Pocket? Collecting Natureβs Treasures by Heather L. Montgomery invites us to meet a variety of amazing scientists whose wondering and noticing helped them to go and achieve great things. Meet George Washington, Jane Goodall, and more.
ZOOM Read Aloud Event will be Sunday, October 23rd @6pm.
Fill out the form to be emailed the link: LW Book Club ZOOM Event
π Arrival Reminders
THANK YOU THANK YOU! We very much appreciate your understanding in this new process this year. It has helped tremendously in ensuring the safety of all students as well as create a quick way for everyone to get to where they need to be.
Items to Remember:
- Our doors open for learning @7:25am!
Please continue to follow the cones all the way to the back of the parking lot vs. cutting across the middle. This helps with flow of traffic.
Only use the drop off lane when dropping off your child
Please continue to have your child exit the vehicle anywhere within the white box in the arrival map picture.
Have your child ready to exit the vehicle.
π π§ BULLYING PREVENTION MONTH
Wearing and sharing orange shows a unity for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. It sends a message that no child should ever experience bullying. Here at LW we work hard to ensure the safety and acceptance of all students and will continue to promote a welcoming environment.
To learn more about unity day check out the video below from National Bullying Prevention Center.
ππ Vision & Hearing Screenings
As mandated by Senate Bill 0805, PA 93-054, effective January 1, 2004, we want to notify you of our vision hearing screenings which are set to take place, October 18th with a rescreen on November 2nd. Just a reminder that vision screening is not a substitute for a complete eye and vision evaluation by an eye doctor.
π¬ Parent Teacher Conferences
Grades K-5
- these will be in person
- 15 minutes
Grades 6th-8th
- these will be virtual
- 10 minutes.
*The reason for this is all three of our junior high teachers meet with you and virtual allows for the conferences to stay on schedule. If virtual will not work for you, please reach out to the teachers and set up an in-person time.
Please know these decisions are made to accommodate as many people as possible, allow for the schedule to remain on time, and provide opportunities for everyone to get the most out of their conference.
We will be sending out a sign up next week once we have the website all set-up.
π Halloween Festivities
Halloween Events - Monday, October 31st
A quick reminder of the Halloween events happening:
PTO Pumpkin Decorating Contest K-4
This is back again this year. Please bring your pumpkin on Monday, Oct. 31st. There will be a table in the gym for pumpkins to be placed. Voting will then occur during the parade/costume competition. Pumpkins can then go home that day!
Halloween Parade (K-4th) with Costume Competition to follow (5th-8th)
- Begins at 9:45am
- Parents are welcome and can start arrive at 9:30am
- We will have this in the gym
- K-4th students will parade through first and 5th-8th will then begin their costume competition
- Parties will start about 10:30amish
Costume Information
- Grades K-4th grade may wear their costume to school
- Grades 5th-8th need to bring their costume and change here at school
- Please make sure costumes are school appropriate
- Please keep costume weapons at home
π« #LWRocketsRead Book Wishes
Readers thrive when they are surrounded by a supportive reading community which gave me the idea of a Book Wishes Amazon Wish List. This will help with getting even more books into classrooms as well as provide family and friends, who may not live directly within our community, an opportunity to donate as well.
I pour over book blogs and websites, reach out to fellow educators, and grab titles as I read too. I used these resources to carefully curate a selection of books that cover a wide variety of ages, genres, topics, themes, etc. I then added these titles to our #LWRocketsRead book wishes list on Amazon. Your purchase means it will be shipped directly to the school, find its way into the classroom, and have a label with who donated it! Please make sure to include your name when purchasing.
The first 9 books listed are from our Book Club and would go to our school Library. Next are first chapter books and then picture books are more toward the bottom of the wish list.
The number requested lets you know what grades it will be for:
For chapter books:
2: 5th-8th
1: 7th-8th
For picture books:
5: for all classrooms K-4
3: for K-2 classrooms
2: for 3-4 classrooms
1: for our school library (Book Club Books)
If you are interested in donating please click the link below. Please feel free to share our with family and friends! I can't wait to see where our farthest book comes from.
π Curriculum Updates
This month, K-6 students will be starting/continuing with module 2 and beginning module 3 at various time depending on the class. Below you will find two graphics that share grade levels essential questions and the social emotional/learning mindset focus.
π³οΈ Board Elections
Board Elections are approaching. This year we have four positions that are 4 years and one position that is for 2 years.
The Illinois State Board of Elections has posted the 2023 Candidates Guide that includes a candidate checklist, information on campaign contributions/expenses and disclosure, and petition forms (pages 42-43) for board candidates. The State Board of Elections has also made available the 2023 Election and Campaign Finance Calendar.
If you are interested in becoming a candidate for our Board of Education please visit the Peoria Elections Website by visiting the link below. This will provide you with what you need as well as address any questions you might have.
π Girls Basketball - October Schedule
Oct. 5th: Home Game vs. St. Vincent @5pm (White Out Night)
Oct. 6th: Away @ Rankin starting at 5pm bus leave at 4:15pm
Oct. 11th: Home Game vs. Monroe @5pm (Hawaiian Night)
Oct. 12th: Home Game vs. Blessed Sacrament @5pm (Pajama Party Night)
Oct. 13th: Away @ Brimfield starting at 4:3pm bus leaves at 3:30pm
Oct. 17th: Away @ Oak Grove (7TH GRADE ONLY) starting at 5pm bus leaves at 4:15pm
Oct. 19th: Home Game vs. Parkview @5pm (The 80's Night)
Oct. 20th-22nd: 7th Grade Tourney @ St. Jude time is TBD
Oct. 25th: Home Game vs. South Pekin @5pm (Halloween Night)
Oct. 26th: Away @ St. Jude starting at 5:30pm bus leaves at 4:45pm
Oct. 27-29th: 8th Grade Tourney @ St. Thomas time TBD
πΏπ« Girls Basketball Concessions
π£πΆ Calling All Kids Who Like to Sing!
π LW Spirit Gear
π PTO Points
Our PTO meets the first Tuesday of the month at 7pm in the library. This is a great way to get involved in fundraisers and activities that support our school. If in person doesn't work for you, they also have a virtual Zoom option. The links are always posted on our website closer to the date.
LW Trunk or Treat
PTO is working on a date so stay tuned for more information.
Pumpkin Decorating Contest K-4
This is back again this year. Please bring your pumpkin on Monday, Oct. 31st. There will be a table in the gym for pumpkins to be placed. Voting will then occur during the parade/costume competition. Pumpkins can then go home that day!
ππ₯°π― Principal Ponderings
I loved the excitement around lunch time read alouds beginning. Voices exclaiming..are you reading today are you reading today?... are good for the soul.
Gratitude
I'm grateful for transportation successes, a supportive Board of Education, pumpkin spice lattes, and seeing readers in a reading emergency (curled up with a good book).
Goals
- attend and support staff during Into Reading Professional Development
- continue to pass out caught reading by the principal bookmarks
- visit more classrooms during PE, music, library, art, and WIN
~Mrs. Stefanie Pitzer, Principal
Limestone Walters School District #316
Email: spitzer@limestonewalters.com
Website: https://www.limestonewalters.com/
Location: 8223 West Smithville Road, Peoria, IL, USA
Phone: 309-697-3035
Facebook: facebook.com/LWrockets316
Twitter: @lwrockets