Northside Elementary School
August/September 2018-19 Newsletter
Welcome Back!
I want to officially welcome all of you to the 2018-2019 School Year! For those of you who are new to our school, I want you to know that you are coming to an absolutely wonderful place. This is my 7th year as the Northside Elementary Principal and firmly believe that all students can and will succeed.
Our teachers and staff are caring, innovative, and always learning something new for the benefit of your children. We are a collaborative and driven group of educators who strive to have our students reach their highest potential.
I look forward to our continued partnership in ensuring a productive and fun educational experience for your child(ren). I believe that building strong relationships between home and school is a key factor in increasing student achievement. As principal, my door is always open and I welcome your input. I strongly believe that parental involvement is an essential component to student success, as research continues to show strong correlation between increased involvement and high student success. We ask that you guide and support your child's learning by ensuring that he/she:
- Attends school daily and arrives on time, ready for the day's learning experience.
- Completes all assignments given by teachers.
- Reads or is read to daily in order to develop a love for reading and to improve literacy skills.
- Shares school experiences with you to engage in conversations about his/her schooling.
- Knows that you expect him/her to do their best in school!
Newsletters and additional information can be found by accessing our Northside website by visiting: www.geneseoschools.org/northside/. Individual teachers websites can be accessed through this site as well.
In this newsletter you will find MANY important reminders and information. Please take your time to review this information and do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Alex Kashner
Principal
Northside Elementary School
New Faces at Northside!
We are excited to announce the new faces to our Northside School Family. Some are new to the district, while others are new just to Northside. We are ecstatic that they are a part of our team!
Mrs. Stephanie Cokel - K-2 Life Skills Instructional Aide
Ms. Hannah Johnson - Music
Ms. Carly Kupersmith - Speech Pathologist
Ms. Natalie Puent - Physical Education
Mrs. Michelle Ramirez - Northside Instructional Aide
Mrs. Merit Ringberg - K-2 Life Skills Instructional Aide
Mrs. Stephanie Rickman - 4th Grade
Mrs. Sarah Swanson - Early Childhood Special Education
BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT
Tuesday, Aug 21, 2018, 04:00 PM
Northside Elementary School, North Russell Avenue, Geneseo, IL, USA
Student Drop-Off
All students being dropped off by car should use black-top area on Aldrich street. Please pull up as far as possible. Students will enter the building doors by the cafeteria. This allows students direct access to the cafeteria where staff is stationed in the AM.
Drop off on Palace Row is dangerous as that is our bus lane. All drop-offs on Aldrich please.
PM Student Pick up Car
Changes in Transportation
If your child has a change in their normal routine for transportation:
- Please send a written note to your child(ren)'s teacher informing them of the change.
- Indicate on the note the name of anyone other than yourself that may be picking up your child.
- If the change happens during the school day, a call needs to be made by 2:00 pm in order to ensure communication and changes get relayed on time.
- Do not email transportation changes to your child's teacher as they may not be able to check their email during the school day.
Behavior Matrix and Character Education
All three elementary schools utilize our Geneseo behavior matrix to ensure common language and expectations for all our students. Board Policy 7:20 included specifics of bullying prevention and contact information and can be found in our board policy book. The behavior matrix is included in this newsletter. These expectations will be taught the first week of school and it is an expectation of our students, staff, and parents. Additionally, monthly character education lessons will be included during our library time.
If you have any questions about the rules and expectations, please feel free to contact me or to discuss them with your child’s teacher. It is very important that you and your child are fully informed regarding standards related to appropriate behavior for a safe and productive school year.
Safe Snacks
Only items on the District Approved list will be accepted in the classroom. This includes birthday treats, holiday/party treats, treat-bag items and valentine candy.
Food for personal snacks eaten in the classroom must be an item from the snack list. Snacks may be packaged individually at home.
Attendance
According to our policy, if a child has ten (10) days of excused and/or unexcused absences the following may take place:
- 10 day absence policy letter sent home
- Any student who has accumulated ten (10) days of unexcused and/or excused absences per year must obtain a doctor's note for each and every absence over the ten (10) days to be considered excused.
Reminder: Nine (9) total unexcused absences means a student is in direct violation of the Compulsory Attendance Laws of Illinois. Administration reserves the right to contact the Henry County Truant Officer.
Please note that there will be times your child will be sent home because of illness. Arrangements should be made to have your child picked up within the hour. This is for the well-being of your child and other students.
Visiting the School
The Northside PTA is a great way to get involved in our school. They do an amazing job and provide fantastic resources and opportunities for our students. I hope you consider joining this wonderful organization!
Meeting Schedule: All meetings held in the Northside Collaboration Lab unless otherwise noted.
9/4/2018 - 3:30 pm 10/9/2018 - 6:30 pm (@ City Park) 11/6/2018 - 3:30 pm
12/4/2018 - 6:30 pm 1/8/2018 - 3:30 pm 2/5/2018 - 6:30 pm
3/12/2018 - 3:30 pm 4/2/2018 - 6:30 pm 5/7/2018 - 3:30 pm
Drop Off-Pick Up Zone Reminders
Areas directly around the school are considered cell-phone free. This allows the driver to be mindful of students walking, and bike traffic during nice weather.
Pick up and drop off on Wells and Russell avenue are strictly prohibited.
Bike and Walker Reminders
Please review the following safety rules with your child if they are going to be a walker or bike rider.
- Wear a bike helmet!
- If walking, or biking, please have your child stay on the sidewalk and use the doors by the cafeteria to enter in the morning.
- All bikes need to be walked on the sidewalks on Northside property for safety of the riders and walkers.
Homework Routine Tips
Homework routines are critical to set up as soon as the school year starts.
- Many students will have folders or assignment notebooks that need to be checked daily. Get your child in the habit of getting things out of their bags as soon as they get home.
- Important notes and information will come home in folders. Be sure to check them daily!
- When reviewing your child's papers or journals, have them identify something they are proud of and something they could improve on. Reflection and keeping that mindset of growth is critical in supporting your child(ren).
Northside Upcoming Calendar
Aug 21 - Back to School Night 4-6 pm
Aug 23 - 1st Day of Student Attendance
Aug 23 - 1 hr Early Dismissal
Aug 24 - 1 hr Early Dismissal
Aug 27 - 1st Day of PreK
Aug 28 - Bus Safety Training
Aug 30 - Fire Drill
Sept 3 - No School (Labor Day)
Sept 4 - PTA 3:30 (Collaboration Lab)
Sept 5 - Girls Scouts Meeting 1st-5th Grades (8:30-8:40 am)
Sept 7 - Lock Down Drill w/ Police Present
Sept 20 - School Pictures
Sept 23 - Harvest Music Festival
Sept 28 - Homecoming Parade
Sept 28 - 1 hr Early Dismissal
Northside Elementary School
Email: akashner@geneseoschools.org
Website: www.geneseoschools.org
Location: 415 North Russell Avenue, Geneseo, IL, United States
Phone: 309-945-0625