Lester Living
Friday, January 27, 2023
It has been a great week at Lester! It is crazy to think that February will be here next week! Students have enjoyed some Cosmic Bowling during PE classes. It was exciting to see the Winter Wonderland mid-week as well. Remember, students can only play in the snow if they have boots and snow pants.
We have noticed many students hanging on the playground after school. Please note that all students must check in at home before returning to school grounds. The school does not have supervision after 3:15 pm. Please be sure your child(ren) is being supervised on school grounds after hours. We appreciate your help with this in keeping all of our students safe. If you are late picking your child up, he/she would need to wait in the office until you pick him/her up. We cannot have children waiting on the playground for rides after 3:15 supervision time.
Parent/Teacher conference sign-up has begun and will continue through next week.
Enjoy your weekend :)
Katie Novosel
Principal
Lauri Smith
Assistant Principal
Winter Conference Sign Ups opened Thurs. Jan 26
District 58 values the family-to-school partnership, and parent-teacher conferences are a key component of communication and collaboration between home and school. In the past, we have worked to ensure a family member for each student engaged in parent-teacher conferences during both Fall and Winter Conferences. However, we have received feedback that as a result of strong communication that occurs on a more regular basis, a winter conference may not be necessary for all families. We also recognize that many families still find great value in the winter conference opportunity. If you would like to schedule a conference for your child, please follow the directions attached when the conference window opens. If you do not feel that a conference is necessary at this time, no action is needed, you can disregard the attached and future communications regarding conferences.
District 58 invites parents and guardians to sign up for winter 2023 parent-teacher conferences using the online PowerPTC conference signup system at www.PowerPTC.net.
Please view the parent-teacher conference signup guide to learn how to sign up for a conference using the new system, along with other helpful information.
Grove Children’s Preschool will hold an open house on Feb. 15
Will your child be 3 or 4 years old this August? Do you have a neighbor or friend with a future preschooler? Please share! Grove Children’s Preschool will hold an open house on Wednesday, Feb. 15 from 5-6:30 p.m. at Henry Puffer School, 2220 Haddow Ave. Parents and guardians may tour the preschool, meet the staff, hear an overview of the program, and ask questions throughout the open house.
Grove Children’s Preschool tuition applications for the 2023-24 school year will open online at www.dg58.org/preschool on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 8 a.m. First priority applications are due Wednesday, March 8.
GRATEFUL FORM
Would you like to thank a staff member? We have had some families reach out to ask best ways to show their appreciation for staff. We have created a form as an avenue for you! Please feel free to fill out this form and we will share your gratitude with them. I will include this form weekly as an opportunity for you throughout the year. We are grateful for you and all you do! :)
Sneak Peak into Lester Life
Dates to Remember:
- Monday, January 30: District 58 Visioning Sessions for Community 6:30-8:00
- Tuesday, February 7 and Thursday, February 9: Parent/Teacher Conferences 5:00-8:00 & Book Fair in the Library
- Thursday, February 9: Jump Rope Assembly (Thank you, PTA!)
- Thursday, March 23: Kindergarten Round-Up at Lester 6:00-7:00
- Mon. March 27-Friday, March 31: SPRING BREAK
- Tuesday, April 4: No School/Teacher Institute Day
- Friday, April 7: No School/Offices Closed
REPEATED INFORMATION BELOW:
Lice Prevention
Per my prior notification, although a nuisance, lice do not carry infectious diseases, nor do they pose a health risk to students and staff. However, to help prevent the spread of lice, we recommend that parents check their child’s head routinely over the next three weeks as indicated below by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp).
Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons or barrettes.
Do not share combs, brushes or towels.
Do not lie on beds, couches, pillows, carpets or stuffed animals that have recently been in contact with an affected person.
For more information, please visit District 58’s lice webpage to learn more about lice information, prevention and treatment.
Please contact our school nurse with questions or to notify us if you believe your child has lice. Thank you!
2023-2024 District 58 Calendar
Monday evening at the board meeting, the calendar for next school year was approved. Please find this calendar linked here:
Fall is here and cold and flu season is upon us and we are seeing students with cold and flu symptoms. To prevent the spread of these common viruses in the close confines of the classroom, we are cleaning daily and encouraging handwashing in the class. To decide whether or not to send your child to school, please consider the following guidelines.
Consider keeping your child at home for an extra day of rest and observation if he or she has any of the following symptoms:
· Very stuffy or runny nose and/or a cough
· Mild sore throat (no fever, no known exposure to strep)
· Headache
Definitely keep your child at home and consider seeking medical attention if he or she has any of these symptoms:
· Fever (greater than 100 degrees by mouth. Your child may return to school only after his or her temperature has been consistently below 100 degrees, by mouth, for a minimum of 24 hours without medication)
· Vomiting (even once)
· Diarrhea
· Chills
· General malaise or feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness or muscle aches
· Frequent congested (wet) or croupy cough
· Shortness of breath
· Lots of nasal congestion with frequent blowing of nose
To help prevent the flu and other colds, encourage good hygiene habits:
· Wash hands frequently
· Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth
· Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, use a paper tissue, throw it away and then wash hands
· Avoid close contact with people who are sick
The flu shot is one of the best ways to prevent illness from the seasonal influenza virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults and children receive the flu vaccine each year. Yearly flu vaccination is needed because immunity against the flu wears off over time. In addition, the flu virus strains often change, so the vaccine also changes from year-to-year in order to match the flu viruses expected to be circulating in the community.
ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL INFORMATION
LARGER PDF VERSION LINKED BELOW
Fruit/Snack Break
Please make sure your child has a snack each day. Snack breaks should consist of nutritious food choices such as fruits, vegetables, and other portable snacks. This aligns with Policy 6:50. The health and safety of our students are our highest priorities. Therefore certain snacks or foods may be prohibited in your child’s classroom due to food allergies. A daily snack can be provided for students who qualify for free/ reduced lunch.
2022-2023 SCHOOL CALENDAR
2022-2023 CALENDAR DETAILS
The Board of Education approved the 2022-23 school year calendar. Calendar highlights include:
- Thanksgiving Break: Nov. 23-25, 2022
- Winter Break: Dec. 19, 2022 -Jan. 2, 2023
- Spring Break: March 27-31, 2023
- Last Day of School: Wednesday, June 7, 2023 (if no emergency days are used)