The Royal Decree
September 2019 Newsletter
On the Docket in September
Tuesday, September 3, 2019: K-5 Parent Only Curriculum Night (See Information Below)
Friday, September 6, 2019: Picture Day
Monday, September 9, 2019: One District, One Book KICKOFF!
Tuesday, September 10, 2019: Parent's Club Meeting 7pm. Please use the cafeteria doors in the rear of the building to enter!
Friday, September 13, 2019: Progress Reports Issued
Friday, September 20, 2019: SIP 1/2 Day. 11:15am Dismissal
Week of September 23: Fall Book Fair Week. Stay tuned for additional details and read the Parent's Club Corner below!
Wednesday, September 25, 2019: Board of Education meeting at DHS 6pm
Parent-Only Curriculum Night
DGS teachers will host a parent-only Curriculum Night on Tuesday, September 3 from 6:30-7:30. This night is intended to explain the following topics related to your child’s education this year:
Overview of the academic and social-emotional curriculum
How student progress will be communicated
Classroom expectations and routines
Overview of 1:1 chromebook usage
Means and expectations regarding communication
There will be 2 identical presentations in each classroom to help accommodate parents who have more than one child. The first presentation will take place from 6:30-7:00 and the second presentation will take place from 7:00-7:30. The evening will conclude at 7:30.
STAR Assessments
Teachers will use this information to guide their instructional practices and develop plans for the teaching.
Parents will receive copies of these reports at Parent Teacher Conferences.
Dunlap Grade School Improvement Action Plan
Volunteering and Visiting DGS
Visitors are welcome to any School District building, provided their presence will not be disruptive. All visitors must sign in at the school office and wear a Visitor’s Badge. Any person wishing to confer with a staff member shall contact that staff member to make an appointment. Please refer to Board Policy 8:30 for more information.
Any staff member may request identification from any person on school grounds or in any school building; refusal to provide such information is a criminal act. The building principal or designee shall seek the immediate removal of any person who:
(1) refuses to provide requested identification,
(2) interferes with, disrupts, or threatens to disrupt any school activity or the learning environment,
(3) or engages in an activity in violation of Board Policy 8:30, Conduct of School Property. School volunteers are important to the success of our school district.
If you are interested in volunteering for our school and working with the students, we have established the following procedure for our volunteers:
1. Contact the school in which you are interested in volunteering to see what opportunities are available.
2. Complete the online application. To find the application go to www.dunlapcusd.net then click on the employment link.
3. After completing the online application, if you are volunteering within a role that requires you to be fingerprinted, you will receive an email with the needed forms and instructions on how to complete the process. 30
4. The school will contact you when you are fully approved to volunteer.
Some examples of volunteer roles that do require fingerprints are listed below. This is not an exhaustive list but to be a reference: Activities that DO need to have an online application and be fingerprinted:
● Junior Achievement
● Weekly Classroom helpers
● Copy parents
● Library Helpers
● Regular Reader
● Enrichment Eagles
● Anyone who is alone with students
● Accelerated Reader Helper
● Field Trip Chaperone
If you are making the commitment to volunteer in your child’s classroom, please be aware that teachers come to depend on your presence very quickly. They make their daily plans based on whether or not you will be in attendance. Sometimes emergencies arise for all of us, and it won’t be possible for you to be here at your appointed time. In general, however, if you are scheduled for a certain time, please make every effort to be here at that time.
As much as we value your help, we would ask that you not bring any preschool children when you come to volunteer. Please make other arrangements for your preschool children when you are coming to volunteer your time. If you cannot make arrangements for your preschool children, consider asking for volunteer opportunities that you can help with from home.
Parent volunteers are here to help a specific classroom and/or grade level. Please do not take advantage of your access to the school to visit other children you may have in other classrooms. We take great care to limit unnecessary interruptions to classroom instruction.
Please remember to enter the building only through the front entrance and to report to the office before you go to the classroom where you will be volunteering. You will be given a visitor’s sticker to wear while you are in the building.
When you are volunteering with the children, please remember that all discipline should be handled by the classroom teacher. While your help is valued, you may not discipline children (other than to remind the students to pay attention, for example). Any serious discipline situations on the part of any child should be brought to the teacher’s attention immediately.
In the course of your volunteer time, you may occasionally hear or see things that may be confidential. It is extremely important that these incidents not be talked about outside the school. Confidentiality for teachers and students is very important.
A Note from the School Nurses
Medication Policy
A medication form must be completed for all medications, including all over the counter medications. (ex. pain relievers, itch cream, cough drops)
· All prescription medications require a physician’s signature on the medication form.
· All medications, prescription and over the counter must be in the original bottle or package.
· A parent must drop off all medications. (asthma inhalers, Epi-pens, Glucagon and Diastat may be transported and kept with the child)
· We are only able to dispense bandages, ice and Vaseline for dry lips without a completed medication form and parental supply.
Head lice (Pediculosis) are tiny, wingless, parasitic insects that live close to the human scalp. Knowing the definition doesn’t make us feel any better. However, I do want to reassure you that, although these insects may be pesky, they are not harmful. Dunlap School District follows the evidenced based mindset of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN). We support a “No Live Lice” protocol.
Head Lice Facts.
- Anyone can get head lice
- Cleanliness is not a factor
- Lice do not jump or fly
- Head lice are mostly spread by direct head-to-head contact—for example, slumber parties, sport activities and camp
- Lice and nits (silver to dark gray colored eggs attached to the hair shaft) are visible to the naked eye.
- Nits which are further than ¼ inch from the scalp are not considered viable.
Please routinely check your child’s hair throughout the school year.
What are the signs and symptoms of having head lice?
- Tickling feeling on the scalp or hair.
- Itching (caused by the bites of the louse) especially behind the ears and at the nape of the neck.
- Sores on the head from scratching.
- Presence of nits that are less than ¼” from the scalp or live lice in the hair.
Procedures if your student is found to have head lice while at school.
- Parents will be notified and encouraged to pick their child up and begin head lice treatment.
- If parents are unable to come then the student may return to class. Immediate removal of child is unnecessary. This is supported by the AAP, CDC and NASN.
- Your child may return to school after initial application of lice shampoo/ treatment.
- Your child will be rechecked upon arrival to school and then again 5-7 days after initial treatment.
- Whole classroom head checks have not been proven to be effective in ridding schools of lice. No school is EVER lice free. We encourage you to be proactive and routinely check your child’s hair. *Remember lice can be acquired anywhere close contact occurs. This could be at home, at school or within the community.
- Staff will maintain the privacy of students identified as being infected with head lice.
What to do if my child gets head lice?
- It warrants repeating....In order to provide safe and effective treatment please follow the Package Directions!
- Apply lice shampoo/treatment according to directions. There are a number of over the counter treatment options or prescription medication available.
- Wash all bed linens, recently worn clothing articles, towels in very hot water. Items that are not washable may be sealed in a plastic bag for 2 weeks.
- Dry items on high heat for at least 20 minutes.
- Personal items such as combs, brushes, hair clips, should be soaked in very hot water and sanitized or thrown away.
- Vacuum the floors and furniture.
- All household members and other close contacts should be checked and those with evidence of head lice should be treated at the same time.
- Call your family doctor if you have any questions. A prescription treatment may be recommended.
When to Keep Your Child Home from School
FEVER
A temperature of 100 or over is a sure sign to keep your child home. The child must be 24 hours fever free without fever reducing medication before returning to school. Giving a fever reducer and sending them to school will almost guarantee a call from school when the medicine wears off, as well as exposing other students to your child’s illness.
VOMITING/DIARRHEA
If your child has been vomiting or having diarrhea during the previous evening, please keep them home. Consult your doctor if symptoms continue more than 48 hours or worsen instead of improving.
CONTAGIOUS DISEASE
If your child is diagnosed with a contagious disease, such as strep, impetigo or pink eye they should be on prescribed antibiotics for 24 hours before returning to school.
RASH
A rash is a characteristic symptom of infectious diseases. If your child has a rapidly spreading rash or any rash with fever, signs of other illness or behavioral change they need to be evaluated by a physician.
NASAL DISCHARGE/COUGH
Keep your child home if they have heavy nasal congestion and/or frequent cough. They probably feel miserable and will not be focused on school work, as well as sharing
their illness with others.
RED, RUNNY EYES
If your child has crusty, red or weepy eyes with thick or sticky eye drainage please keep home until evaluated by a medical provider. Prescription medication may be needed depending on the diagnosis.
LICE
We have a “No Live Lice” policy. Keep your child home until after the first treatment is administered.
MALAISE
Any illness that prevents your child from participating comfortably in class or school activities
Positive Office Referrals
Students may receive a positive office referral from any staff member for demonstrating one of four traits:
- Skills for Learning
- Empathy
- Emotion Management
- Problem Solving
We celebrate these Royals by recognizing them at morning announcements and having them sign our office wall of honor!
The BIST Approach
B.I.S.T. is a school-wide behavior management plan that increases student learning time, stops disruptive/hurtful behavior, and teaches skills that will lead to life success.
- Early Intervention (When)
Utilizing the expectations that it's never okay to be disruptive or hurtful allows adults to intervene consistently with all students. A student will be asked one time per activity to stop a behavior that is disruptive or hurtful. Adults will intervene in a quick, kind, calm and firm manner if a student cannot meet this expectation.
- Caring Confrontation (How)
Caring Confrontation is a language of partnership when intervening with a student’s disruptive or hurtful behavior. With the intent of creating awareness of the situation and one's actions, Caring Confrontation provides the student with an opportunity to meet the set standard and partner with the adult.
∘ “I see …" (disruptive behavior)
∘ “Can you …" (desired behavior)
∘ “Even though …" (student’s feelings) - Protective Plan (What)
Protective Plans provides an opportunity for the adult and student to identify a missing skill and partner together to develop the skill. Teaching replacement skills and practicing the Goals For Life helps students manage their behaviors and move toward making life changes.
- Outlasting the Acting Out
Maintaining a relationship and restrictions while guiding the student to identify their level in the Continuum of Change (Noncompliance, Compliance, Partnership, Independence) until the student is able to partner with and be coached by adults.
BIST CONCEPTS
- Buddy Room: A seat in another teacher’s classroom to help a student regroup, complete a Think Sheet and process with an adult so they may return to the classroom Safe Seat.
- Class Meeting: Weekly meetings facilitated by the adult to help students problem solve, plan events and maintain a positive classroom community.
- Goals for Life: Goals we help students obtain so they may have the life they want and deserve. Goals for Life are based on the beliefs that:
1. I can make good choices, even if I am mad.
2. I can be okay, even if others are not okay.
3. I can do something, even if I don’t want to (or even if it’s hard). - Processing: Questions the adult asks the student so he/she may take ownership, practice skills and create a plan to make better choices.
- Recovery/Focus Room: A place where students can go to practice replacement skills, calm down, prepare an apology or create a plan to make better choices.
- Replacement Skills: Desired student behaviors that are practiced during Triage so the student can be successful at school.
- Safe Seat: A seat in the classroom away from other students to help a student regroup, process with an adult, then rejoin the class.
- Target Behavior Sheet: A daily visual of goals the student is working on to help him/her problem solve.
- Think Sheet: A tool a student completes to help him/her take ownership of the problem, partner with adults and create a plan to be successful.
- Triage: Daily adult “check in” to practice replacement skills, assess emotions, focus on what it means to have a successful day and formulate solutions to problems.
BIST Parent Information Night
"Dunlap Valley Middle School is hosting a parent night for all Dunlap parents interested in learning more about social-emotional learning practices within the BIST model. The parent night will be held on Tuesday, August 27 at 6:00 p.m. in the Spartan Theater at DVMS. The presenter for this event is BIST Director, Marty Huitt. To learn more about the BIST model you can visit https://bist.org/. We ask that those planning to attend complete the RSVP form below so that we can have an accurate count for attendance."
Physical Education Excusal
A parent/guardian may excuse a student from physical education for up to two days. Any long term physical education excuse must be requested in writing from the student’s health care provider, specifying the length of time your child is to be exempted. A written note from the health care provider should be submitted for the student to resume full activities.
Any child who is exempt from physical education for medical reasons will not be allowed to participate in outdoor recess activities. Re-injury on the playground could occur, resulting in prolonging the child’s healing and recovery period. Arrangements for indoor recess in the main office or a supervised classroom will be made.
Any child who is exempt from physical education for medical reasons will not be permitted to participate in school sponsored sports.
Parent's Club Corner
A Note from our Parent's Club President
Welcome back to school, DGS Royals! If you are the parent or guardian of a DGS Royal,
you are automatically a member of the Parents’ Club. There are no dues to be a member.
Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend the Parents’ Club meetings the first
Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the DGS cafeteria. Our main purpose is to support the
educational needs of our students, teachers, and staff while fostering a sense of community
and pride.
Due to the Back to School Curriculum Night, we will have our first Parents Club meeting of
the 2019-2020 school year in the DGS café at 7 PM on TUESDAY September 10th. All
parents and legal guardians are welcome to attend!
Social Events: The Parents’ Club is proud to host social events during the year, including
this year a Royal Ball, Donuts with Dudes, Muffins in the Morning, and several Family
Nights Out throughout the year (which are also fundraisers). We offer our families lots of
opportunities to get to know one another inside and outside of the school environment. We
will send home information with your students on these events as the dates get closer.
Purchases: The Parents’ Club has used their funds raised the past few years to purchase
safety mats for the gym stage, a laminator, a water bottle filling water fountain, a gym mat
cart, 50 Chromebooks and 2 carts for classroom use; 8 new swings for the playground; a
set of 25 headphones with microphones to use with the Chromebooks; a Buddy Bench for
the playground for students who need a friend to play with at recess; a library shelf divider
system; student planners for this year’s 3rd through 5th graders, along with many other
items that our students and teachers use on a daily basis.
One way we are able to do this is through our fundraisers! 100% of all dollars earned
through the Parents’ Club fundraisers are spent right here at DGS for the benefit of our
students and teachers. We have a Royal Fun Run in October, and a super fun all-school
carnival in late February with raffles, a silent auction, delicious food, and lots of fun games,
entertainment, and prizes! There are also Scholastic book fairs in the fall and spring, where
we use our profits to provide every student at DGS with a birthday book and also donate
books to every classroom library.
There are a few really easy ways you can help us fundraise to help support our school’s
educational needs through your everyday shopping! The Parents’ Club earns cash back
through the Kroger Community Rewards Program, the Box Tops for Education program,
and AmazonSmile:
You can enroll your Kroger Plus Card in their Community Rewards program and
designate Dunlap Grade School as your non-profit organization of choice. You can
find more information on this program on our Parents’ Club website.
The Box Tops program is changing a bit this year. Keep a look out for information
about the changes in your students’ folders.
When you shop Amazon using the DGS Parents’ Club AmazonSmile page, the
AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to DGS.
You can find information on this program on our Parents’ Club website.
Teachers and Staff Appreciation: The Parents’ Club expresses our appreciation to all the
teachers and staff of DGS throughout the school year. They do so much for our students on
a daily basis that we are happy to provide quarterly luncheons, coffee treats, and little
surprises throughout the year, including Teacher Appreciation Week during the first week in
May.
Communication: So how do you keep track of all this information? Our website includes a
wealth of information, including our event calendar, meeting agendas and minutes, officer
and committee chair contact info, volunteer opportunities, and much more. Another great
way to stay up-to-date on our Parents’ Club happenings is to like the Dunlap Grade School
Facebook page where we will post updates on all our events.
Getting Involved: Whether you have an hour a week or an hour a year we have something
for everyone to get involved. Our open Officer and Committee Chair positions are listed
below. E-mail me at president@dunlapgradeparentsclub.com if you are interested in any of
these positions. If you signed up to help at an event on our sign-up sheets at Back to
School Nights, our Committee Chairs will send out sign-ups via email for specific shifts or
tasks closer to event dates.
I encourage each of you to attend our monthly meeting. It is a great opportunity to meet
other families and to hear about what is happening at Dunlap Grade School. If you have any
questions, concerns, or ideas, we would love to hear from you! Please contact us any time.
Book Fair Information
Bundle up and come chill out with us for our Fall (no, winter is not here yet!)
Book Fair on Friday, September 27 th in the DGS gymnasium. The event will be held after school from 2:45pm - 6:00pm.
Throughout the week, we will have a flurry of activities students can participate in to show their support for the fair.
- Start collecting coins to help the school raise money for our “All for Books” birthday awards program.
- Be one of the “cool’ kids by taking part in our dress up days.
- Students will attend a book fair preview to see and hear about what’s new.
- Ask to see their book wish list!
Milk Jugs Needed
Royal Fun Run
This fall we will NOT be doing our regular Fall Fundraiser. Instead of selling products, we
are planning another fundraising event that will get the kids up and moving. Registration
and the easy on-line fundraising details will be coming home after our kick off assembly in
mid-September. Look for sneak peek videos of the fun obstacles that we are building for
the run. The Royal Run will take place during school on Thursday October 17 th . To keep
down the congestion on the obstacles, we will be having each grade run at separate times.
We will be sending out a Sign-Up Genius looking for volunteers to help throughout the day.
Please consider signing up to help with your kid(s) grade, or with the setup and/or tear
down of the obstacles! We are excited to be moving away from selling stuff and dealing
with the drama that comes with the selling rewards.
DGS Spirit Wear
Forms to order DGS and DHS Spirit Wear will be coming home soon! If you missed our
table at Back To School Night, please check us out at the Curriculum Night. We will have
sample sizes to try-on, so you can be sure to get the sizes you need. Since these are
custom designs, we will not be able to take returns or issue refunds.
If you have any questions or would like a form emailed to you, please email us
DGS Family Night Out
Our first Family Night Out is scheduled at Double A’s on Wednesday September 18 th
from 11am – 9pm. So skip the dishes and clean up and join us for dinner.
2019-2020 Parent's Club Officers and Committee Openings
If you are interested in helping plan some of the awesome events that the Parents Club puts
on each year, please consider joining one of our committees. Many hands make light work!
Our By-laws include general responsibilities for all committee members. Additional
information specific to each committee can be found on the committee’s page linked in the
menu at the top of our website.
Please email nominations@dunlapgradeparentsclub.com if you are interested in submitting a nomination for the open 2019-2020 VP Officer position or volunteering as a committee
chair.
2019-20 Officers
President: Annalee Huntington
Vice President nominee: OPEN FOR NOMINATIONS
Secretary nominee: Nikki Wikoff
Treasurer nominee: Emily Smith
2019-20 COMMITTEE CHAIRS
Book Fair: Renee Gruel, Annalee Huntington, Amy Stahl, OPEN
Box Tops: Sara Cleveland, OPEN
Carnival Subcommittees
Basket Raffle: Myrna Badawi, Jenny Waldsmith
Business Raffle:
Donations Coordinator: Annalee Huntington, Amy Stahl
Raffle Coordinator: Annalee Huntington
Decorations: Myrna Badawi
Food: Jamie Cha
Games:
Games Coordinator: Renee Gruel
Prizes Coordinator: Renee Gruel
Publicity: OPEN
Silent Auction: Annalee Huntington, Amy Stahl
Volunteers: Laura Boone
Family Night Out: Nikki Wikoff
Fifth Grade Party: Amy Stahl, Myrna Badawi
Hospitality: Jodi Lindsay, Myrna Badawi
Library Coordinator: Renee Gruel
Parent Outreach Coordinator: OPEN
Popcorn/Spirit Day: Renee Gruel, Marleny Sanchez
Room Party Volunteer Coordinator:
Grades K-2: Emily Smith
Grades 3-5: Jodi Lindsay
Royal Fun Run: Annalee Huntington, Sara Cleveland, Renee Gruel
Royal Helping Hands: Jodi Lindsay, Sarah Feuchter, OPEN
School Kits: Tammy Risinger
Social Events Subcommittees
Donuts with Dudes: Sarah Feuchter, Jenny Waldsmith
Muffins in the Morning: Annalee Huntington, Jamie Cha
Royal Ball: Myrna Badawi, Marleny Sanchez, Amy Stahl, OPEN
Spirit Wear: Annalee Huntington, Myrna Badawi,
Staff Appreciation: Jamie Cha, Nikki Wikoff
Website Coordinator: Heather Harper
Yearbook Subcommittees
Yearbook Design: OPEN
Yearbook Sales: OPEN
Once again welcome to your Parents’ Club. We are looking forward to a wonderful year and
the opportunity to get to know each of you.
Thanks,
Annalee Huntington
DGS Parents’ Club President
Staff Birthdays
Michelle Graber: September 16th
Darren Rankin: September 17th
Tina Holloway: September 28th
Peoria Preschool Screening
Peoria County Preschool Screening provides free developmental screening for all preschool children (ages birth through five years of age and not enrolled in kindergarten) living in Peoria County outside District 150. The screening checks areas of development that include: vision and hearing, speech and language, behavior and social development, small and large muscle coordination, thinking and reasoning skills and other readiness skills. The purpose of this screening is to aid parents in answering questions regarding their child’s progress and also to identify those children who may qualify for a free preschool education in the public schools.
Dates planned for the Dunlap Area are on:
Tuesday, September 10
Wednesday, September 11
Thursday, September 12
An appointment is necessary and can be made by calling the Special Education Association of Peoria County offices at 697-0880, ext. 201
DGS Wishlist Items
- Bubbles for recess
- Sidewalk Chalk for recess
- Playground balls, soccer balls, and basketballs for recess
- Books for our "Free" will bookshelves, little libraries, ect.
Virtual Backpack
Those wishing to submit information to be posted must do so electronically by emailing a completed PDF of the flyer to helpdesk@dunlapcusd.net.
Dunlap Grade School
Email: mellis@dunlapcusd.net
Website: www.dunlapcusd.net/dgs
Location: 301 1st Street, Dunlap, IL, United States
Phone: 309-243-7772
Facebook: facebook.com/dunlapgrade
Twitter: @dgsroyals