Ferson Creek eNews
May 22, 2020
From the Principal...Kristy McKnight
Well, we made it! The last day of the 2019-2020 school year! This year has definitely been filled with ups, downs, and surprises. Through it all, I can still find so many memories that warm my heart. Thank you for truly showing what we are all about here at Ferson...community. Whether it's a celebration, a time of sadness, or a challenge, the way everyone pulls together is truly impressive. It is what makes Ferson such a wonderful place to be!
A special CONGRATULATIONS to our 5th graders for completing elementary school! I know this was not how they planned to finish elementary school, but we have been so proud of them throughout their time here at Ferson. I know they will have a wonderful time at the middle school!
I want to share a special story for the last day of school. While I know this is not the last day of school that any of us envisioned, the ending of a school year is always bittersweet. Moving on is hard, but summer brings so many new adventures. I am hopeful that you will all find some fun this summer, and that there are memories of this school year to bring smiles to your faces!
Thank you for sharing your children with us!
HAPPY LAST DAY OF SCHOOL!
Kristy McKnight
Pre-K/Kindergarten Choice Board
Yearbook - Monday is the Last Day to Order!
Online sales are still open through Monday: https://inter-state.com/YearbookEntry/43057E
(FYI- there was no pre-orders for this at the beginning of the year, only high school and middle school do that)
Kristi
Ashley
Ferson Creek Newspaper
St. Charles Public Library Summer Reading
Read. Investigate. Discover!
Dig Deeper! Read, Investigate and Discover with Your Library
Summer Reading is almost here!
The St. Charles Public Library District invites kids to read a little bit every day to keep up their reading skills outside of the school year. They can pick up a book in any format- print or digital, and they can read or be read to. If a kid reads 20 minutes each weekday for the ten weeks of the program, he or she will reach 1000 minutes by August 2nd!
Starting May 26th, visit our website or scpld.readsquared.com to sign up and start logging minutes online. Kids receive a virtual badge for every 100 minutes logged! Complete an online mission each week and earn additional minutes.
At 1000 minutes, kids are eligible for a book prize and an entry in our Grand Prize Drawing. There will be five gift baskets in the drawing- each focused on a different area: Reading, Science, Art, Video Games, and Legos.
For a short movie highlighting the program, visit our Youtube channel.
Additionally, we are excited to announce that the St. Charles Public Library will be offering library cards to all District 303 students! Every student who attends a District 303 school will be eligible to get their own library card. Parents will opt in for a student card when they do online registration. Please note that only students will be able to get a library card. Parents, or other family members who do not attend school are ineligible to receive a card.
A library card will give you access to all our ebooks and eresources while our public space is closed. You can access all the information on what we have available at scpld.org/ebooks.
We are so excited to offer this invaluable resource to our students at District 303. If you have any questions, please contact Kelly Stulgate, 630-549-8971
All Day Kindergarten Tuition
Online Student Registration - Closes Friday, June 5th.
The deadline to register for elementary school is Friday, June 5, 2020. If your family is moving and you know that you will not return to District 303 schools, please call or email the office with that information. Returning Student Registration for 2020-2021 has moved to an online format that is now open. In years past, parents completed the necessary paperwork in paper format. This year, all acknowledgments and authorizations are contained in a single electronic, online registration form that will be easily accessible from most electronic devices (computer, Chromebook, and Smartphones).
Parents can sign into the Returning Student Online Registration form using their Home Access Center (HAC) credentials, select individual students, and complete their registration. The form will be located in the Parents/Community menu of the District website.
Registration fees for elementary and middle school are now available in Pushcoin, and billed to reflect the early bird discount of $10.00 if paid by May 22. High School fees will be available in June. For families who may qualify for a fee waiver, and are not directly certified by the state, a 2020-2021 district fee waiver application will be available on the District 303 website in July, accessible from the Parent/Community menu.
Summer D303 Food Service and Meals
Dear District 303 families,
As we move into the summer months, District 303 is extending our grab and go meal service at each of our 6 locations. As part of this communication, you will find an updated schedule of days when meals will be available for any student in the district who needs them.
From now until May 29, we will operate on the same schedule that we have used throughout the spring. However, we will not be serving meals on Monday, May 25 in observance of Memorial Day.
Beginning on June 1, we will operate on Mondays and Thursdays only. Students will receive three meals on Mondays and two meals on Thursdays. Please refer to the list below for specific locations and times of service.
Thompson Middle School, 705 W. Main Street
9:00 - 11:00 a.m. - Monday and Thursday
Anderson Elementary School, 35W071 Villa Marie Rd.
9:00 - 11:00 a.m. - Monday and Thursday
Wasco Elementary School, 4N782 School Street, Wasco
10:00 - 10:45 a.m - Monday and Thursday
A District 303 bus will deliver meals to the front of the school.
Cumberland Green Cooperative (1798 Cumberland Green-Office Lot near court #1)
11:15 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Monday and Thursday
A District bus will deliver meals to the office parking lot at 1798 Cumberland.
Prairie Point Apartments, 1820 Wessel Court
10:00 - 10:30 a.m.- Monday and Thursday
A District 303 bus will deliver meals to the park facing the road at the front entrance (Entrance nearest to Randall Road).
The Crossings, 1690 Covington
10:40 - 11:10 a.m. - Monday and Thursday.
A District 303 bus will deliver meals to the area near the clubhouse.
St. Charles Place, 15th Street and Indiana
11:20 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. - Monday and Thursday
A District 303 bus will deliver meals to an area in front of the apartment complex.
As we progress through the summer, we will send families additional information and reminders about the district’s meal service program.
School Tool Box
Thompson School Supplies for Next Year
The Thompson PTO has teamed up with School Tool Box to give incoming 6th graders the option of purchasing pre-packaged school supplies for next year. Place your order online and it will be delivered directly to your home address. You will have the option to customize your order by adding or removing items. Be sure to place your order early to allow plenty of time for your supplies to be shipped to your home before supply drop off day. Please use this link (https://schooltoolbox.com/school-supplies/) to place your order. Please see this flyer for more information.
School supply lists for next year can be found on the Thompson registration page by clicking here.
Get Ready for Orchestra!
Orchestra begins in 3rd grade for district 303. The instruments in the orchestra are string instruments. String instruments range from small and high pitched to big and low pitched. The instruments of the orchestra are the: violin, viola, cello and bass. The most important factor in choosing an instrument is what the instrument SOUNDS like. Check out the small descriptors below in addition to the videos of professionals and students playing!
- The violin is the highest and smallest of the instruments. It usually carries the melody and has faster notes. The violin’s bright sound often attracts the greatest amount of students.
- Professional Violin solo video Student Violin
- The viola is slightly lower sounding and larger than the violin. It usually carries the harmony and helps the orchestra by creating a rich, buttery sound.
- Professional viola solo (with piano) Student Viola
- The cello is the only string instrument for which the player must sit down. The cello often switches between the melody, harmony, and bass lines in music. It is incredibly versatile.
- Professional Cello solo video Student Cello
- The string bass is the lowest and largest of the instruments. The bass provides the foundation for the orchestra with its full, rich sound. The bass is also commonly used in jazz.
- Professional Bass solo video
Students should choose their instrument because of how that instrument sounds. It is ok (and encouraged) to play a different instrument from your friends. We ultimately play all together for the most fun. Check out these combinations of instruments:
String Quartet (Violin, Viola, Cello, Bass)
All students entering 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades are welcome to participate in the D303 elementary strings program. Our staff has an exemplary reputation in providing meaningful learning experiences in music and developing individual student achievement and appreciation of music. The elementary instrumental music program also provides excellent preparation for the middle school and Grammy winning high school orchestra programs. Almost 80% of the 3rd graders at Ferson Creek and Corron schools participate in our orchestra, and we hope that your child will be one of the newest members of our fantastic orchestra family!
Not quite sure? Hear it from a current orchestra student!
Please reach out to our orchestra teacher, Rachel Saldana, with any questions.
It's Time for Band Recruitment!
Mrs. William has put together a band recruitment website. You can learn about instruments, be introduced to Mrs. William, and hear from some current 5th grade band students!
Social Emotional Learning
SEL Lessons:
Thank you for engaging in the weekly Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons. Across the past five weeks, parents and students have engaged in learning around each of the CASEL core competencies connected to SEL which are:
Self-awareness: The ability to accurately recognize one’s emotions and thoughts and their influence on behavior. This includes accurately assessing one’s strengths and limitations and possessing a well-grounded sense of confidence and optimism.
Self-management: The ability to regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively in different situations. This includes managing stress, controlling impulses, motivating oneself, and setting and working toward achieving personal and academic goals.
Social awareness: The ability to take the perspective of and empathize with others from diverse backgrounds and cultures, to understand social and ethical norms for behavior, and to recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.
Relationship skills: The ability to establish and maintain healthy and rewarding relationships with diverse individuals and groups. This includes communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, resisting inappropriate social pressure, negotiating conflict constructively, and seeking and offering help when needed.
Responsible decision-making: The ability to make constructive and respectful choices about personal behavior and social interactions based on consideration of ethical standards, safety concerns, social norms, the realistic evaluation of consequences of various actions, and the well-being of self and others.
This has been a very different school year. The collaborative relationship between home and school, established and made stronger by this health crisis, has supported students' ability to continue to come together to learn and grow. Remote learning has taken a toll on students and adults. As you enter the summer months, know D303 staff continue to be accessible to you. Do not hesitate to reach out via Let’s Talk or by connecting with your building administration. All previous SEL lessons are available through the D303 Remote Learning for Students. We are hopeful the resources shared will be a continued support to parents/guardians and children across the summer months. If you have any questions on the information provided or are seeking additional support for yourself or child, please contact Patti Palagi, Director Instructional Interventions (patti.palagi@d303.org or (331-228-6457).
Additional resources to support you over the summer months are included here:
Coping During Times of Uncertainty
Self Care is defined as the practice of taking an active role in protecting one's own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress
Self Care: CDC, 40 Things You Should Do for Yourself During Self-Quarantine, 25 Simple Self-Care Tools for Parents and Parents Self-Care: Prioritizing Your Own Well-Being Benefits your Whole Family
COVID-19 Updates
Please visit the District 303 website that is designed to answer your questions about e-Learning, assist you with finding community resources, and link you to information from reputable agencies about COVID-19.
Por favor, visite el sitio web del Distrito ya que está diseñado para responder sus preguntas sobre el aprendizaje electrónico (e-Learning), ayudarle a encontrar recursos, y enlazarlo con información de agencias confiables sobre el COVID-19
Tech Support
- Live Chat will remain available M-F from 8 am - 4 pm
- Phone support is also available at (331) 228-4357. Families should leave a message and expect a timely call back during business hours.
Device Exchange for families will resume, if necessary, at TMS on 4/6. Please use the live chat for device assistance if you have a need. Up to date tech information can be found on the technical support resource page.
Pandemic EBT Application
Pandemic EBT Application Available
The Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) launched the Pandemic EBT application for families on May 1 at https://abe.illinois.gov/abe/access/. P-EBT is a new special benefit that can help families buy food for their school age children who would normally receive National School Lunch Program (NSLP) free or reduced-priced meals when schools are in session. All families with school age children who attend schools approved for Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) are eligible for the benefits as they receive NSLP meals at no charge.
Families that currently receive SNAP benefits do not need to apply for P-EBT benefits. These additional P-EBT benefits will be loaded into Illinois LINK EBT accounts along with regular SNAP benefits. Families who do not currently receive SNAP benefits but do have children who receive NSLP free or reduced-priced meals will need to apply directly with IDHS. The fastest way for families to receive benefits is to complete the application for P-EBT available online (Click “Apply for Benefits” at the link.) A paper application in English and Spanish is also available and can be submitted by email to DHS.FCS.PEBT@illinois.gov. IDHS created a flyer to help families with the application process. We are asking NSLP sponsors to share this flyer with their families.
ISBE is working in partnership with IDHS to ensure that this validation is available for all NSLP sponsors, both public and non-public. Thank you to all the schools that participate in the NSLP for submitting data by the April 17 deadline. We are asking that you please continue to verify that count, so that all families who are eligible can access the additional financial support provided by P-EBT. Instructions for this crucial verification can be found online.
If NSLP sponsors need assistance with the data submission/update, please email the ISBE Nutrition Department at cnp@isbe.net. If families need technical assistance with the application, please direct them to email IDHS at DHS.FCS.PEBT@illinois.gov.
Nutrition Department, Illinois State Board of Education
100 N. First St., Springfield, IL 62777
cnp@isbe.net, www.isbe.net/nutrition
Ferson Creek Elementary
Website: https://fersoncreek.d303.org/
Location: 38W160 Bolcum Road, St. Charles, IL, USA
Phone: 331-228-2300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ferson-Creek-Elementary-1492773537612187/