Romona Review
1.19.18
From the Principal
Greetings, Parents,
Our new Learning Commons is a space where our students are constantly impressing us with their creativity, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking (the four Cs). Everyday, students are coming down as a class and in small groups to participate in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, & Math) activities and engage with literature.
Additionally, our students have the opportunity to come to the Romona Learning Commons during their recess time to participate in a number of activities and challenges. Some of our students' favorite challenges so far have involved building towers & catapults and using the Lego Wall.
We will have opportunities for all of our families to come in and experience the fun of the Learning Commons as well! Please save the date for our two PTA-sponsored Open Learning Commons Nights on January 30th and February 13th from 6:00-7:30! We hope to see you there!
Have a great weekend!
Cindy
Kindergarten Enrichment Survey
District 39 is looking for your input as we explore the feasibility of a sustainable, fee-based kindergarten enrichment program. Your input is very important and will help determine if we take this idea to the next step. We are sending this short survey to all of our Early Childhood - 4th grade parents. Please take a few minutes to give us your thoughts by Wednesday, January 31st.
Board of Education Meeting
The monthly Board of Education meeting is Monday, January 22nd at 7:00 PM at the MEC. Below are a couple of topics that may be of interest. If you can’t make the meeting, you can view it live or later, either on the District website or on Channel 6. Highlights of the meeting will be emailed and posted online within a day or two.
- Interim Administrative Appointments
- Strategic Plan Updates
- School Calendar - 2018-19
Pick-Up & Drop-Off Reminders
- Please do not park along the island on Romona Road. If all parents stay in their car, the traffic moves smoothly and more quickly for everyone.
- The parking lot is not open before and after school for safety reasons.
- Please be courteous of our Romona neighbors! Thank you!!
A Note for Current EC Families
A reminder for all EC families of children who have current IEPs and are going to Kindergarten in the fall.
Erin's Law Presentations
The State of Illinois passed a bill known as “Erin’s Law,” which requires all public school districts to implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program. This program teaches students in grades EC-12th grade age appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult.
Erin’s Law is important because child sexual abuse happens every day across the country, across all populations, to children in all socioeconomic and education levels, across all racial and cultural groups, and in rural, suburban, and urban areas. 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before age 18. 90% of child sexual abuse is committed by someone they know and trust.
District 39 will provide a classroom-based program using age-appropriate strategies, language, and materials in grades K-4. Information for Kindergarten and 1st grade will include information from No Trespassing - This is My Body. Information for grades 2-4 will include information from Health World’s, “Keeping Kids Safe: An Erin’s Law program” (http://www.healthworldeducation.org).
From 1/29/18 - 2/28/18 these presentations for the Personal Body Safety Program will occur at Romona in all K-4 classrooms with instruction from our school social worker. Kathy Brandeisky and social work intern, Megan Mesirow. For our Early Childhood students, a Second Step program will be offered by our social worker, Jill Gershune from 1/17/18-2/28/18 this year.
These programs are designed to empower and educate the children. These presentations will discuss the following concepts:
· Safe vs. Unsafe touch
· The Safety Rule about Touching (No one should touch your private parts except to keep you clean and healthy)
· Safe vs. Unsafe Secrets
· Uh-Oh Feelings
· Saying no/stop
· Identifying and learning to tell safe adults
· You are the boss of your body
· If someone breaks the safety rule, it is not the child’s fault
If you have any questions about the content of the programs, please feel free to contact me at andersoc@wilmette39.org. Together we can make sure our children have the right to be safe, and know where to go for help from adults.
Summer Enrichment Program
Wilmette, District 39’s Summer Enrichment Program brochure will be available to view online January 16
** Registration is done online . Registration opens February 5, 2018 @ 9:30 am. **
Upcoming Dates
Monday, 1/22
- D39 Board of Education Meeting, 7:00, MEC
- Open Gym, 5:30-7:00
Thursday, 1/25
- Open Gym, 5:30-7:00
Friday, 1/26
- Connecting Kids Preschool Registration Due
Tuesday, 1/30
- Open Learning Commons Night, 6:00-7:30
- Open Gym, 5:30-7:00
Thursday, 2/1
- SAC Spirit Day: Rock Star Day
Friday, 2/2
- Early Release Day (Grades 1-4 Dismissed at 11:55, AM Kindergarten Dismissed at 10:00. No School for EC or PM Kindergarten)
Open Gym Nights at Romona
January 23, 25, 30
February 6, 13, 20
NEW TIME THIS YEAR: 5:30 - 7pm
From the PTA
BOX TOPS
Box Top (free money for Romona) deadline approaching! Send in Box Tops by Friday, Feb. 16 to be entered in a drawing for a SleepUnder ticket. Box Tops can simply be tossed in a baggie, or you can tape or glue them to the sheet that went home late last year. Earn even more money for Romona with the Box Top Bonus App! Create an account on your desktop; download an app for your phone; scan receipts for bonus earnings - more information here.
4th GRADER HEADING TO HIGHCREST NEXT YEAR?
The Highcrest Middle School PTO is currently in the process of setting up the nominating committee to assist with the exec and general boards slates for the next school year. If you or someone you know is interested in a position on the nominating committee or in general or executive board positions, please contact Lisa Hirschle at nominating@highcrestpto.org by January 31st.
MULTICULTURAL PICTURE MOSAIC
Help Romona build a picture mosaic!!! Do you have a family photo of a trip you have taken to a country of your ancestors or to a native country? Submit one or more photos so we can create our custom American Flag Mosaic. This flag will be digitally mastered using pictures submitted by you and will be unveiled during our International Festival. Please email Esther your photo(s), location, and family name to romonamosaic@gmail.com by February 18th.
YEARBOOKS
Kids love to see themselves in print! A yearbook is a great way to preserve memories of your child’s experience for a lifetime to come. Click here to order your child’s 2018 yearbook NOW! Price is $25 until January 31st and then increases to $30 through March 31st so don’t delay!
LUNCH CLUBS
Lunch club registration is open at http://romonapta.org/! Clubs run Jan. 22 - March 16 during lunch recess, with several options each day. Some clubs have proven quite popular already, so we will open waiting lists for any clubs that meet their maximum enrollments. If you are unable to register for a club your child wants to join, please email lunchrclubs@romonapta.org and we will add them to the list on a first-come, first-listed basis. Thank you!
ROMONA INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL
SAVE THE DATE: ROMONA INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL, MARCH 4th, 2-4PM. Come celebrate our diversity at Romona’s Annual International Festival. Enjoy multicultural performances by Romona students, then “travel the world” with your child sampling food from different countries as your child learns about the nations and gets their passport stamped. When the passport is fully stamped, your child can claim a small prize. For more info and to participate, sign up HERE.
READ TO SUCCEED
Great America’s Read to Succeed is a wonderful program to help motivate students to read at home. Any student (in grades K-4) who logs 6 or more hours of recreational reading can earn a free ticket to Great America this summer! Children can either read or have someone read to them. All logs are due by THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2018. Can’t find yours? Get another one HERE.
RED GALA
SAVE THE DATE! This year's PTA Fundraising Gala will be held on Saturday, March 17, 2018, at the Wilmette Golf Club. More details to follow in 2018! If you have something you would like to donate to the Gala's online auction, please contact the committee at redgala@romonapta.org. WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!
DONATE TO IGNITE TODAY
Every student at Romona has access to innovative, hands-on programs that not only bring to life the curriculum taught in schools but helps build skill sets integral to future success like field trips, outside speakers and performances. What you might not know is that these programs are NOT paid for by the school district. They are funded by Romona families through IGNITE.
IGNITE is the Romona PTA's way to fund these enrichment activities for our students. It aims to enhance curriculum-based learning, build skills that drive characteristics of successful learners, and promote social and emotional awareness. Every dollar you donate goes directly back to your children and is tax deductible! If you haven't already donated, please consider doing so. IGNITE a passion for learning!
A TO Z & PTA MEMBERSHIP
Parents, want to stay involved in the PTA happenings at Romona Elementary? It is important to log into your A to Z account, verify your personal information and "opt in" to receiving PTA e-mails. For those of you who did not receive the initial e-mail, please contact our directory chair at directory@romonapta.org
We encourage all parents to verify their data to ensure that they can be easily contacted, but only paid PTA members will be able to view the entire directory and use it for looking up a student’s name and get GPS driving directions to their home, filtering students by class to get class or grade level lists, e-mailing, texting, or calling parents directly from the app as well as marking favorite contacts for easy access.
Community News
- Wilmette Historical Museum Celebrates African American History Month on Sunday, February 11th from 2:00 - 3:00 pm
- Click here for more information.