In The Laidlaw Loop
Family Update- August 18, 2023
The 1st day is just around the corner
Well, this weekend marks the end of summer vacation. It's hard to believe. Our Laidlaw custodial team has been working so hard to make sure the building shines top to bottom and is ready to receive students next week. We look forward to seeing all of your smiling faces soon!
All classroom teachers will be outside and present on the first day of school (next Wednesday, August 23rd). We will all cross our fingers for sunny skies. ALL arrival and dismissal procedures are located below. Please make sure to read them carefully as we do have some changes this year.
Have a beautiful weekend and we will see you all WEDNESDAY to start the year.
Renee
THANK YOU LAIDLAW PTO
A huge shoutout to our amazing Laidlaw PTO and especially to President Amanda Luther for ALL of the work they have done to help us prepare for the school year. Amanda and a team of volunteers spent most of Tuesday here at school delivering supply boxes and sorting supplies to each and every classroom. It truly takes a village to get everything done and we have one of the best!
Class List Distribution
All families should have received student class assignments last week. If you did not receive an email with your student's class list information, please reach out to me.
Welcome, New Staff:
Join me in welcoming our new staff to Laidlaw and D101:
Ms. Sarah Hughes: 3rd Grade teacher
Mrs. Heather Virgilio: 1st Grade teacher
Ms. Sandra Miranda: PM Custodian
Mrs. Jennifer Hospodar: social work intern
Mrs. Lisette Kreuzer: PE teacher
Mrs. Katie Eavenson: Kindergarten assistant with Mrs. Fera
Ms. Melissa Owens: Sub Squad
Mrs. Kara Cliggett, OT
Mrs. Terri Calhoun, OT
Mrs. Katelyn Jelinek, PT
D101 welcomes Ms. Hannah Andrews as our new Orchestra Director
D101 welcomes Mr. Eddie Barrios as our new D101 Director of Technology.
D101 welcomes Mr. Steve Dembo as our Director of Digital Innovation.
Dear Orchestra Families,
This summer we began a search for an Orchestra Director following the resignation of Mrs. Stacey Block. We had a number of good candidates and believed we had found our match. After a late August resignation from our hire, we began our search for a director anew. It gives me great pleasure to announce the hiring of Ms. Hannah Andrews as our Orchestra Director. Our interview committee was truly impressed with Ms. Andrews. Despite the added pressure of interviewing in late August, it was immediately apparent that Ms. Andrews is someone who, at any time of year, is a high quality teacher who matches the practices and philosophy of excellent education that we require in D101.
Ms. Andrews has taught for the last four years in a position very similar to ours in Joliet. She has taught fourth through eighth grade orchestra and led district orchestral groups, all while traveling between buildings. She brings an enthusiasm for fostering musical skills and appreciation in students, and is excited to get to know our kids.
With the timing of the school year as it is, we expect Ms. Andrews to begin in late August or early September. As she begins, she’ll reach out to you directly to introduce herself.
New School Supply Process & School Supply List Link
As previously shared in the Spring, there will be a new school supply process this year:
*There will NOT be a school supply drop off event this year prior to school starting as there has been in the past. Instead, all school supply boxes will be delivered to your child's classroom at Laidlaw prior to the first day of school and teachers will ensure the boxes get unpacked. If you did not order a school supply box through the PTO, please send your child with their school supplies on the first day of school. If your child can not fit all of their supplies into their backpack at once, feel free to bring school supplies over the course of the first few days of school. If you did not purchase school supplies through the PTO and wish to buy them yourselves, here is the K-5 school supply list.
*Your student will meet their teacher on the first day of school. All teachers will be outside at lineup to greet students that first morning.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
Please view the arrival and dismissal details below We do have one major change this year: Maple Ave (between Forest and Hampton) will be closed to traffic at arrival and dismissal times. Closing Maple Ave. during arrival and dismissal will allow for a much safer experience for our students and the supervisors who work at the corners at arrival and dismissal.
Bell Schedule
Bell Schedule
Nothing has changed from last year regarding the bell schedule.
Regular School Hours
8:40 – 11:40 a.m. and 12:30 – 3:30 p.m: Grades 1-5
8:40 – 11:40 a.m :Kindergarten (A.M.)
12:30 – 3:30 p.m.: Kindergarten (P.M.)
Bell Schedule
8:30 a.m.: Bell to line up
8:35 a.m.: Bell to enter school
8:40 a.m.: Tardy Bell
11:40 a.m.:Morning Dismissal Bell/Lunch Bell
12:25 p.m.:Bell to line up and enter school/End of Lunch
12:30 p.m.:Tardy Bell
3:30 p.m.:Afternoon Dismissal Bell
Bus Info
We are still working with First Student to finalize bus routes and times for this school year. I'll share that information as soon as it is available. If your child will be new to utilizing the bus this year, please reach out to Cricket Walker at ewalker@d101.org to ensure we can add your child to the list.
Message from Mrs. Dolan Regarding Lunchtime
We are so excited to resume lunch in the same fashion that we did last year. Students who choose to stay at Laidlaw for lunch will eat between 11:40 am-12:25 pm; part of this time will be spent eating in the gym, and part will be spent playing during lunch recess. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders will eat first; 4th and 5th will eat second. Families have the choice to have their student(s) come home for lunch (11:40 am-12:25 pm). Students who go home for lunch may not return to school until 12:25 pm. Please CLICK HERE to complete a quick Google Form to let us know your lunch plans. This form will not “lock” you into a permanent choice, as we understand plans may change, but it does give us a starting point for developing accurate lunch attendance records. The safety of your children is always our highest priority. To ensure safety, it is important that there are minimal changes to the lunch schedule once it is set moving forward. Please complete this form ASAP.
Students in grades 1-4 will be sitting by classroom tables at lunch to start the year. 5th graders will have assigned seats at lunch to begin the year. This ensures that we can take some time to make sure all students know the lunchroom expectations and are able to follow them so that we have a safe experience for all students during our busy lunchtime process.
Additionally, are you interested in volunteering for recess duty this year? We greatly appreciate the help. If so please click here.
11:40:
Grades 1, 2 & 3 eat in the gym
Grades 4 & 5 outside for recess
12:05:
Grades 1, 2, & 3 outside for recess
Grades 4 & 5 eat in the gym
Questions about lunch? Please email our Dean of Students, Carrie Dolan at cdolan@d101.org
Smart Watch Use
Smart Watch Procedure:
We know that many of our students come to school with gadgets, including phones and Smart Watches. While these are helpful tools for communication outside of school, within the school day we expect our students to remain focused on learning. Smart Watches are allowed at school, but can only be used in their non-interactive capacity as a simple clock.
To ensure that our learning environment is Respectful, Responsible, and Safe for all students, we do not allow Smart Watch use in the building or on the grounds between 8:30am line-up and 3:30pm dismissal (except for use as a clock/timer); this mirrors our expectations for cell phone use. Again, students may wear a Smart Watch, but it is to be on school mode or not in use during the day (other than for telling time).
We know that many students use their Smart Watches to communicate a need home to their parents/guardians; instead, we emphasize with our students the need to communicate via the trusted adults on site to help them navigate situations with peers, health issues, or other concerns. We also note that when devices are used in school, it is often a parent who is the one calling or texting their child; please don’t be that person. Should you need to reach your child, please contact the main office to help us emphasize the value of connecting with our trusted adults.
If a student is observed using their Smart Watch at school other than as a simple watch, we will take the following progressive steps:
For a first instance, the staff member will remind the student that devices are not to be used at school.
For a second instance, the staff member will ask the student to put the device in their backpack/locker.
For a third instance, the staff member will take the device to the office for the duration of the day; parents will be contacted for device pick-up and to problem-solve as partners to eliminate usage at school.
Thank you for helping keep our focus on learning!
Safety Reminders
For all returning families, you likely recall that we implemented some new safety/security procedures at the start of last school year, which remain in place this year as well. New and veteran families, please read the following information carefully and we appreciate your partnership in maintaining a safe school environment for everyone.
Entrances: You will notice clear signage on all external doors indicating that ALL visitors (any person who is not a current Laidlaw student or active staff member with a key) MUST enter and check in through the main office. Even if your child spots YOU knocking on a Laidlaw door, we explicitly teach all students and reinforce with our staff the need to point to the signage, point to the main office, and NOT open any external doors, even for known/trusted adults.
Staff Identification: All District 101 staff members will wear lanyards, clearly indicating for students, staff, and all that they are registered members of our D101 staff and thus able to enter/exit buildings and supervise students. All visitors (including parent volunteers in classrooms, in the library, etc.) will need to wear our visitor lanyards at all times within the building.
Visitor Procedures: All visitors will be required to enter through the main office, check in with our Administrative Assistant (Mrs. Walker), and trade their government-issued ID card (Driver’s License) for a “Visitor” lanyard; they will be required to check out again, as well, to return the lanyard and retrieve their ID. This will serve as a visual marker of safety and purpose for any adults not within our D101 staff, so that our students, staff, and community have a clear understanding that any “other” adults are safe and authorized to be within our space.
Visitor Purpose and Destination: We will also ask that visitors to the building remain only in the spaces for which their entry is authorized, without wandering through the building or entering any additional spaces. This will help all of us understand the purpose, role, and need for our volunteers, and to maintain safe entry/exit procedures for all “other” adults.
Again, we appreciate you following these established procedures as we work to ensure our buildings are as safe as possible.
Medication Drop Off
If your child will need any medication administered at school, please feel free to drop it off anytime during school hours on Monday, August 21, Tuesday, August 22 or during school hours, beginning Wednesday, August 23. We do need a doctor’s order to administer medication at school. If you have any questions about medication drop-off, please contact Amber Knoll, our Laidlaw school nurse. Laidlaw will NOT be hosting a medication and forms drop off event this year prior to the school year starting.
Right At School Opportunities
If you would like more information about the Right At School before and after care program, please see the included flyer or visit their website at https://rightatschool.com/.
2023-24 School Calendar
Please find the 2022-23 calendar HERE
Upcoming Dates
Monday, August 21: Kinder family meetup (hosted by PTO, details coming in PTO email)
Wednesday, August 23: First Day of School (FULL DAY!)
Friday, August 25: PTO Welcome Back Ice Cream Social (details coming in PTO email)
Thursday, August 31: Curriculum Night (details coming soon)
Monday, September 4: NO SCHOOL--LABOR DAY
Laidlaw PTO Information
The first 23-24 Laidlaw PTO email will came a few weeks back! It includes instructions for Room Parent requests, as well as more details about August PTO events, Kindergarten Meet Up on Mon, 8/21 and Ice Cream Social on Friday, 8/25. If you have not already, please volunteer this year and join the Laidlaw Elementary School Parents Facebook Group.