Weekly Update 10/16/23-10/20/23
Upcoming Dates
Week of October 16-20: Unity Week
Monday, October 16: Band Sectional Lessons
Monday, October 16: D101 Board of Education Meeting (6:15pm)
Tuesday, October 17 : Orchestra Sectional Lessons
Tuesday, October 17: Draw and Paint For Life (3:30-4:30pm)
Tuesday, October 17: PTA Meeting (7:00pm)
Wednesday, October 18: 5th Grade Band & Orchestra Rehearsal at McClure (7:30am)
Wednesday, October 18: Unity Day Assemblies
Wednesday, October 18: FUSION (3:30-5:15pm)
Thursday, October 19: Coffee With Dr. Coffey at Forest Hills (9:00am)
Thursday, October 19: Chess Wizards (lunchtime)
Friday, October 20: Blue Ribbon Celebration
Friday, October 20: Sticky Fingers Cooking (3:30-4:30pm)
Tuesday, October 24: Lockdown Drill (10:15am)**changed from 10/26
Thursday, October 26: Picture Retakes
Tuesday, October 31: Halloween Parties (2:15-3:00pm) and Parade (3:00pm)
Wednesday, November 1: LATE ARRIVAL (10:00am) (AM KDG: 10-12; PM KDG: 1:30-3:30)
Unity Day/Week Spirit Week: October 16-20
Every year on the third or fourth Wednesday in October, a very special event comes around — the Day of Unity, or Unity Day, as it is commonly called. This is the signature event of National Bullying Prevention Month, also celebrated in October. Multiple anti-bullying campaigns — of which Unity Day is one of them, are organized during this period. The key message of this month, and this day, is to unite for kindness, courage, and inclusion, to prevent students from being bullied.
The PTA and Student Council have partnered to make this a week-long celebration and effort to combat bullying. Here is what's happening:
Monday: School-wide anti-bullying pledge
Tuesday: Create a school-wide unity tree
Wednesday: Every Step You Take activity and Super U Challenge Assemblies
Thursday: A Wrinkled Heart activity
Friday: Blue Ribbon festivities
Also, please see the flyer below for the Student Council Spirit Week themed days.
Blue Ribbon Celebration!
A BIG THANK YOU to the wonderful Forest Hills PTA for all of the support and funding to make this celebration possible. As a reminder, the itinerary for the afternoon can be found below:
REMINDER: Fall Student Climate Survey
Individual survey results will be shared with classroom teachers and appropriate other staff for follow-up and collective results will be communicated in the next Family Update.
Thank you for your support in helping us gather this important information about our students' perceptions of school, connectedness and safety.
Halloween at Forest Hills!
- Students should wear regular clothes to school in the morning, and change into their costumes at lunchtime. We understand that many families opt to take their children home at lunch to change. Please make sure to communicate your child/ren's lunch attendance that day to their classroom teacher, should it differ from their usual plan.
- AM Kindergarten should wear their costumes to school and are welcome to return for the parade in the afternoon. (See more details from Mrs. Barritt.)
- Costumes should be appropriate for school. (No weapons, excessive gore or blood.)
- Classroom parties will take place from 2:15-3:00pm. (Kindergarten will vary a bit.)
- The Halloween Parade will begin promptly at 3:00pm and will follow the route below, starting at the YELLOW STAR (Kdg/1st Grade SE Doors).
- Spectators are welcome to attend.
- In the event of rain, the parade will be held indoors, for students only. (Due to safety protocols, we are unable to have all spectators inside the building.)
- Families can plan to pick up students at their usual dismissal locations.
Culture of Appreciation Reminder
Send a message of gratitude to staff HERE!
Word From WSFEE
Have you heard about Renovation for Innovation? It is a district-wide multi-year initiative that supports D101’s instructional improvement plan, of which innovative learning spaces are a part. These renovations allow classroom designs to match innovative teaching and learning methods. WSFEE is excited to have partnered with D101 to accelerate this initiative to benefit more teachers and students sooner by supplementing District funds. These funds have been used for flexible seating and work spaces in elementary school classrooms, lighting projects like the McClure library, and other classroom and school upgrades over the past 4+ years. WSFEE has contributed over $200,000 to this remarkable program. Remember to visit wsfee.org or follow WSFEE on Facebook or Instagram (@wsfee_d101) to hear about events, donations and sponsorship opportunities throughout the year.
INFO FROM PREVIOUS UPDATES, BUT STILL RELEVANT...
Student Ownership Attribute–EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS
It has been WONDERFUL to spend time in each of the classrooms these first few weeks of the year, as we’ve re-launched our Student Attributes with students and staff. This month, we’re learning what EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS do and how we can strive to be one.
Our D101 definition of EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS is: Effective communicators are people who can share their thoughts and feelings with others in a simple, clear way that works!
Some of the components we discussed at the various grade levels:
Words are powerful–choose them carefully!
“HOW” you say something is often as important as “WHAT” you say.
LISTENING is a really important part of being a good communicator!
We communicate with our bodies and our words.
Words can bring people together.
Make sure what you are communicating is TRUE.
Digital communication can be tricky–think before you “speak” (5th grade)
We’re discussing these talking points in connection with the following grade level texts:
Kindergarten: Click, Clack, Moo…Cows That Type, by Doreen Cronin
1st Grade: Lacey Walker, Nonstop Talker… by Christianne Jones
2nd Grade: Quiet Please, Owen McPhee… by Trudy Ludwig
3rd Grade: Mr. Peabody’s Apples… by Madonna
4th Grade: Mango, Abuela and Me… by Meg Medina
5th Grade: Nerdy Birdy Tweets…by Aaron Reynolds
Although this is our collective focus for the month of October, we’ll always be practicing being EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATORS throughout the year, and will be using these skills as a part of our November focus–COLLABORATION! Stay tuned for more information about COLLABORATION next month!
Assessment Distribution
1st Grade: Fall Snapshot
2nd Grade: Fall MAP Report
3rd Grade: Fall MAP Report
4th Grade: Fall MAP Report and Spring 2023 Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) Report
5th Grade: Fall MAP Report and Spring 2023 Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) Report
If you have any questions, please reach out to your child's teacher. We look forward to a year of progress and academic growth!
2023-24 School Calendar
Have a wonderful weekend!
Rachel
Rachel Corrough
Email: rcorrough@d101.org
Website: www.d101.org
Location: 5020 Central Avenue, Western Springs, IL, USA
Phone: (708)485-5184
Twitter: @corrough