Caruso Connect - April 8th
#CarusoWay
A HUGE thank you for all of your support this week with IAR! Students were here on time, they had their Chromebooks charged, and were ready to test! If your students need to make up any of their IAR tests they will do so next week. We will communicate directly with them.
Today was our Q3 Rewards Day! Our staff did an amazing job planning it and it was so exciting to see our entire school in white, blue, and black! Please make sure to ask your student what their favorite part of the Pep Assembly was!
As a reminder, no school next Friday!
As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to any of us.
Tim, Caitlin, and Heidy
Tim Brodeur - Principal - tbrodeur@dps109.org
Caitlin Lucci - Associate Principal - clucci@dps109.org
Heidy LaFleur - Interim Coordinator of Student Support - hlafleur@dps109.org
Pictures From Today's Rewards Day!
Upcoming Events
4/13 - ISA Test - 8th Grade Only
4/15 - Non Attendance Day
4/25 - PTO Meeting 7pm
Blue Jays of the Week
Blue Jay Connect Group
ISA Testing - 8th Grade Only
The ISA is designed to reflect classroom experiences. Many students who took the assessment last year said the ISA seemed more like instruction than a test. Students do not simply select an answer and fill in the bubble of a multiple-choice test. Rather, the ISA pushes students to apply their knowledge when they give answers, thus better preparing them for higher education and a career. All students deserve the opportunity to demonstrate what they know; they get to see how knowledge is applied to real-life situations.
The ISA has three sections and is untimed. The average student time-on-task is estimated at 120 minutes. The results provide administrators with important data to help them make broad curriculum decisions at the school and district levels. But classroom educators will not use the results to make teaching adjustments year-to-year for individual students.
We encourage you to talk with your children about the importance of doing their best on the ISA, while communicating that the assessment yields only one piece of information about them and their school’s progress. Students’ attendance, classroom work, homework, projects, performance on local tests, participation in sports and extracurricular activities, and contributions to the school’s climate and culture all help them grow and learn.
We all work together to ensure Illinois students build a cohesive understanding of science over time. Thank you for your role in developing lifelong learners and successful citizens.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Tim Brodeur.
8th Grade Save the Dates
Information for Families
CMS Clubs and Activities
Wednesday and Friday Spirit Days
All students and staff are encouraged to join us for Wednesday and Friday Spirit Days!
Every Wednesday is Caruso Day! Wear your Caruso Wear!
4/22 Earth Day (Blue and Green)
4/29 - Crazy Sock Day
5/6 - Socks and Sandals
Heath and Wellness Reminders
SHIELD Results
SHIELD Testing
Students will begin SHIELD testing at 8:30 AM. Please ensure that students do not have food, gum, or drinks an hour prior to testing. Students will be called out of class for SHIELD testing according to the schedule below. Please communicate with your student if you would like them to test or not. We make reminder calls for all students for testing, and if students have your consent they can test even if they do not have a QR code/lanyard yet. (We are working with district office to ensure everyone has one soon!)
8th Grade 8:30-8:50 from Encore 1
6th Grade 8:50-9:10 from Core 1
7th Grade 9:20-9:40 from Core 2
CARUSO - 8:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Wednesday, April 13
Wednesday, April 20
Wednesday, April 27
Wednesday, May 4
Wednesday, May 11
Wednesday, May 18
Wednesday, May 25
Wednesday, June 1
Testing is not mandatory. By consenting to the testing, your child’s name is put on a roster and the expectation is that they will be testing weekly unless a parent/guardian notifies us otherwise.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO FILL OUT THE SHIELD CONSENT FORM…
Log in to Skyward/Family Access and it should appear as a green box next to your child’s name. Contact Kristen Neu (kneu@dps109.org) with any Family Access questions.
IF YOU WANT YOUR CHILD TO OPT OUT OF A WEEK OF TESTING…
Fill out this Google Form prior to 7 AM on the day that our school tests: Wednesday
COVID Information
TESTING FOR SYMPTOMATIC STUDENTS
DPS 109 will be offering testing for symptomatic students Monday through Friday afternoons during the school year. The BinaxNOW test will be administered outside of the District Office in the beige testing building (please look for sign on door). Testing is free of charge to families. Click here to read more about testing.
WHAT DO I DO IF MY CHILD WAKES UP SICK? DO OTHER SIBLINGS HAVE TO STAY HOME?
It’s always a tough situation when this happens in the morning! Be sure to read this section in our COVID information hub, especially if you have multiple children enrolled in DPS 109. Our school exclusion guidance comes from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
8th Grade Transition to DHS
DHS Registration Dates for the Class of 2026
Special Education Articulation Meetings are scheduled Mid-January – Early February. DHS Special Education staff meet with 8th-grade families to review plans for incoming freshmen with Individualized Education Plans.
Calendar of Events:
April 11, 2022: Extra-Curricular Night
May 2, 2022: Health Forms Due to DHS Health Services Office
Mid-August, 2022: Schedules posted on Infinite Campus
August 15, 2022: Warrior Welcome for Students & Parents/Guardians (6:30 pm- 8:00 pm)
August 17, 2022: First day of student attendance
Who to Contact?
Mrs. Lucci, Associate Principal
Mr. Brodeur, Principal
Mrs. LaFleur, Interim Coordinator of Student Support
Caruso Middle School
Email: cmsoffice@dps109.org
Website: https://www.dps109.org/Page/9
Location: 1801 Montgomery Road, Deerfield, IL, USA
Twitter: @109Caruso