IG PARENT NEWSLETTER
JANUARY 2019
Indian Grove Elementary School
Assistant Principal: Mrs. Amy Veytsman
Email: mcannata@rtsd26.org
Website: http://ig.rtsd26.org/Home
Location: 1340 North Burning Bush Lane, Mount Prospect, IL, USA
Phone: (847) 298-1976
Facebook: www.facebook.com/IndianGroveSchool
Twitter: @IndianGroveEdu
Our Life Rules: Be respectful, Be responsible and Be ready to learn!
Message from the Principal
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Happy New Year! January is a great time to set goals for yourselves and your students here at Indian Grove. One goal I have is to set aside more time to read. Perhaps you can encourage more reading in your home, too. If your child is a pre-primer level, reading to children builds connections with our kids, it is often fun and it nurtures a love of reading that can last a lifetime. If your child is older, you may consider asking them what they are reading at school or at home and read along with them.
Goal setting is an annual event for Indian Grove students. Individual goals are set for each student in grades 2-5. The kindergarten and first grade students will set classroom or individual goals in January. Goal setting is a lifelong skill and at our school, we promote using the SMART model (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely). It would be great if parents could talk about the goals for the New Year with their child. Some student would benefit from having goals in the area of responsibility. At Indian Grove, we encourage respect and responsibility but many children need to be taught these character traits both in school and at home. Parents and guardians play a major role in helping to build character in their child.
I know 2019 will be a great year for Indian Grove! We will be assessing our students during this month of January. Kindergarten and first graders will take the AIMSWEB assessments between January 7-11. Later in the month students who qualify for LEP services will take the state-mandated ACCESS tests. Students in grades 3 and 5 will be taking the CogAT test in early February. All of this data assists us with looking at the progress made thus far and helps us set goals for future instruction. Please know your child is much more than a test score. These assessments are only a small piece of your child's learning profile and all we can do is ask the students to do their best.
I hope 2019 is full of peace, good health, loving relationships, and joy. The staff at Indian Grove is ready and motivated to bring the best learning experiences into your child's world. In closing, I leave you with this thought from Theodore W. Higginsworth:
"How the New Year will turn out is entirely up to you. The attitude you bring, the determination you have, the goals you set all will result in the type of year that you will have. So let your attitude be positive, your determination be strong!"
Respectfully yours,
Mrs. L. Fisher Principal
JANUARY EVENTS
PLEASE GO TO OUR IG WEBPAGE FOR SPECIFIC EVENTS SUCH AS BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES
Monday - Jan 7 - Classes Resume
Wednesday - Jan 9 - 4th Grade Officer Friendly Visit
-PTC Meeting 7PM
Thursday - Jan 10 - Late Arrival 9:25 a.m. start
Tuesday - Jan 15 - 3rd Grade Field Trip to the Mt Prospect Library
-Board Meeting 7PM at the Administration Center
Wednesday - Jan 16 - 1st Grade Purple Asparagus Program
-3rd Grade Field Trip to the Mt Prospect Library
Thursday - Jan 17 - Late Arrival 9:25 a.m. start
Monday - Jan 21 - NO SCHOOL - Holiday - Martin Luther King Day
Wednesday - Jan 23 - DISTRICT 26 Internet Safety Presentation - 7 PM at RTMS LRC.
ALL PARENTS WELCOME!
Thursday - Jan 24 - Late Arrival 9:25 a.m. start
Friday - Jan 25 - Kindergarten Report Cards Sent Home
Thursday - Jan 31 - Late Arrival 9:25 a.m. start
Five Parenting Goals to Start the New Year
Taking measures to prepare for something new is routine for many. For example, you might do some research about a city before traveling there, or you might buy some new clothes before starting a new job. Starting a new year on the right foot is also important, and to help make this happen, many people set goals and resolutions for themselves. For parents, some of their resolutions may have to do with improving matters related to their family. Whether parents are still together or not, deciding on a few parenting goals to begin the new year on a positive note can be helpful. Here are give parenting goals to help your family start the new year.
WORK TOGETHER
Parenting is a huge responsibility, and cooperation between parents can make it much easier to manage. Commit to working together with your co-parent, whether you're still together or not. Divorced or separated parents may find it especially hard to cooperate, but it is still important to try. Using tools to help you communicate and share information clearly can be helpful in this situation. When parents can collaborate their efforts in raising their children will be in a better place to help their children succeed in the new year.
DON'T SWEAT THE LITTLE THINGS
Sometimes, it's the small annoyances that really get under the skin and make raising children to feel harder than it should. Whether it's a child being disobedient or a disagreement you're having with your co-parent, knowing how to handle these stresses in a healthy way will be helpful. One strategy to keep in mind is to remember to not get too worked up over the little things. A little flexibility can go a long way helping to make parenting easier. If you find yourself not being able to let go of these little things, think about what might really be at the root of what's bothering you and work on improving that.
STAY HEALTHY
A valuable new years goal for any person is to commit to a healthy lifestyle both physically and emotionally. Even just small improvements can help. For example, dedicate yourself to taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or give yourself some time away from your smartphone by turning it off for a while each today. As a parent, it is important that you stay healthy so that you're more prepared to face parenting challenges as they arise. Help your kids stay healthy as well by encouraging them to eat well, get more sleep, and talk about their feelings.
TEACH POSITIVE COMMUNICATION SKILLS
You and your co-parent should always be thinking about what you hope for your children as they continue to grow. Help prepare them for the future by teaching them the skills that will help them succeed like how to communicate and work well with others. You can help to support this goal by working to demonstrate this to your kids through your own actions. Children are constantly looking to their parents for guidance, soaking in lessons all the time. Project positive communication skills onto your kids by practicing them yourself.
HAVE FUN
This past year may have had its ups and downs, but we always hope that the new year is better than the last. Start this new year off on the right foot by committing yourself to have more fun in everything you do. Spend more time doing the things you enjoy both with and without your children. You might even try some new things that you've been wanting to do like take a cooking class or dance lessons. Perhaps you can even sign up for some parent-child classes so that you can share your interests with your kids, too.
Your family may face new challenges in the coming year, but these goals will help prepare you to meet whatever comes your way. Cheers to a happy, healthy new year for your family!
WINTER WEATHER
As the weather becomes colder, let me remind all parents that our students DO go outdoors for a 25 minute recess every day. Students remain indoors if:
● Air temperature is below 15 degrees (street patrols stay indoors)
● And/or the wind-chill is below 15 degrees (street patrols stay indoors)
● If it is raining or snowing.
● Shortened recess (10 min) may occur if the temperature is just below 15 degrees
If the weather gets really inclement, the CLOSING OF SCHOOL will be announced during the early morning hours. The district has an automated calling system for the cancellation of school. Parents/guardians of District 26 students will receive an early morning call announcing the closing of school Our school office doesn’t open until 8:00 AM and our phone system can’t always accommodate the volume of calls on bad-weather days! Thanks for your cooperation.
Cold and Flu Season
During the winter months we often see an increase in cold and flu viruses. If your child is sick with a fever (100+), a bad cough, or is vomiting, please keep them at home for at least 24 hours to recover. If your child shows these symptoms during the school day, we will be contacting you to pick them up. We ask that you ensure that your telephone contact numbers and emergency contact information are up to date with the office so we can get in touch with you in a timely manner.
Principal of the Day
Daniella Jacob - Principal of the Day - December 5th, 2018
Hi! My name is Daniella Jacob, and I am the Principal of the Day. Over the past few years I have read some amazing series, some of my favorites being Harry Potter, the Land of Stories, and all of Raina Telgemier’s books. I would like to thank all of the teachers who have helped me reach my goal, especially Mrs. Creaser and Mrs. Szwed. I would also like to thank my best friend, Jenny Pham, for recommending some great books, and always encouraging me to try my best. Most of all I want to thank my parents and brothers for helping me all my life. Just remember to keep reading, because books can teach you a lot, and take you far.
POP TABS
Starting in January, GCSG is collecting pop tops for the Ronald McDonald House. Our goal is to collect at least 1,000,000 pop tops! All pop tops collected are recycled and proceeds will help support families with sick children. Last year, we did good, but this year we want to do even better. Step up and lend a hand. GO GROVERS!!!!
Kindergarten Report Card
At the end of this month, kindergarten students will be bringing home a mid-year progress report. At the end of the first trimester, kindergarten students did not receive a report card due to their ever-changing developmental progress during the first three months of school. But now that January marks the halfway point of the school year, the kindergarten teachers will be informing you of your child’s progress thus far in the 2018-19 school year. While we do not have formal conference days in January, parents, and guardians are always encouraged to meet with their child’s teacher if there are concerns.
Kindergarten Registration for the 2019/2020 School Year
It is already time to start planning for next school year! Any child who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2019, can attend our full-day kindergarten in August.
Registration and information for Kindergarten will be done on Wednesday, February 20 at Indian Grove. This registration event goes from 4:30 – 8:00 p.m. in our lunchroom. Parents/guardians may come anytime between 4:30 and 8:00 and should plan on being here for about 30-40 minutes.
Prospective kindergarten students DO NOT need to attend this event.
In order to register a child for school, we need a LEGAL (county) birth certificate and three proofs of residency. One of the three proofs MUST be a mortgage statement, real estate tax bill or a current lease.
District 26 residents should be receiving more information in the U.S. mail sometime soon. If you have questions, please call our school office.
Entrance to the School
Visitors must STOP IN THE OFFICE TO SIGN IN BETWEEN 7:50 AM & 4:15 PM. All doors into the school will be locked at all times including the main entrance. Visitors can be allowed in by buzzing the office outside of Door #1. This policy is not intended to discourage parents from visiting Indian Grove School, but it is simply intended to provide an additional measure of safety and security for our children. Please do not drop children off before 8:20 a.m. There is no adult supervision until 8:20 a.m. Also, if you need to drop off anything to your child after 8:40 AM, bring it to the office for delivery. Please DO NOT bring it to the room yourself. The front door will be locked by 4:30 PM each day. If you or your child needs to pick up a forgotten item, please do so before 4:30 PM.
Safety First
We all know to be careful in the parking lot during drop off and pick up times. But parking lot safety must be followed AT ALL TIMES. We still have drivers doing U-turns after dropping off children at Kid Squad before 8:00 a.m. or they are not paying attention to pedestrians in the lot when driving. There are NO U-TURNS allowed in the lot at any time. As stated before, dropping off and picking up students must be done by door #6 and not any further east. Let's all work together so that our students, staff, and parents stay safe on the school campus.
PICKING UP STUDENTS AT 4:15
We are now in full swing with the 2018-19school year. This means there are many after school activities, classes and clubs that meet from 3:30 - 4:15 P.M. Students who stay after school must either take the activity bus home (free of charge), walk or be picked up by an adult. All walkers and bussers should exit Door #1 by the main office. All students getting picked up by an adult must exit by Door #6. Drivers must wait in line by Door #6 for their students. Please do not park in the pick-up line and leave your vehicle. Staff members will be by both locations directing students.
School Absences
Remember to call the office when your child is absent from school. Calls can be made 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to our attendance line. Just dial 874.298.1976 and press 1. By doing this before the school day starts, it saves our staff time in trying to find out if a child is present that day. Excused absences are given for illness, doctor visits and family emergencies. All other absences are considered unexcused.
In addition, if there is a change in how your child will be getting home from school, please call the office by 3:00 PM. It is very difficult to get a message to a homeroom teacher when a parent/guardian calls after 3 PM with a change of plans. We appreciate your cooperation in helping our office staff take care of our students!
1st GRADE PROGRAM: PURPLE ASPARAGUS
Please mark your calendars for the monthly Purple Asparagus program. Once a month, the 1st graders will learn about nutrition and healthy eating. The dates and topics of each Purple Asparagus class during the year are:
· January 16 - Chocolate
· February 13 – Beans
· March 13 – Roots
· April 17 – Herbs
· May 15 – Berries
Preschool Screenings Information
RTSD26 will offer preschool screenings to all District 3 and 4 year olds suspected of having a developmental delay. In addition, we will also be screening students to see if they are eligible for the ECDEC preschool program and our Bilingual Spanish Preschool program. To be eligible for these programs, families must meet specific criteria, such as speaking a second language in the home, income level, or other criteria that can be explained to you at the screening.
If you are concerned that your child has a delay in vision, hearing, motor, speech, language, cognition and/or social functioning, call 224- 612-7308 to set up a screening time. All screenings are done by appointment only and take place at Parkview. Screenings are held on Thursdays and are once a month through April.
If you are unsure if your child is developing appropriately, please consult with your child's preschool teacher or pediatrician for advice. The Center for Disease Control offers the following information: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/milestones/index.html
Your child must be at least 3 years old at the time of screening. Screenings are staffed by educational professionals and therapists who will make recommendations for further action to parents. All screenings are at Indian Grove and by appointment only. Translation services are available. To make an appointment in Spanish, please call Mrs. Perez or Mrs. Santiago at 224-612-7402
SCREENINGS DATES: (2018/2019): 1/10, 2/14, 3/14 & 4/18
Board of Education
Your district’s Board of Education meets on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of every month at 7:00 PM. Meetings are held either at a school or the Education Service Center (ESC), 1900 East Kensington Road, Mount Prospect. The ESC is the administration center adjacent to Park View School. At one of the semi-monthly meetings, an education report is presented. These reports highlight something special happening in the district.
You are cordially invited to attend, ask questions, and learn about the district. Copies of the Board’s agendas and minutes are posted on the district’s web site at http://www.rtsd26.org. Please contact the Superintendent’s office (847) 297-4120 x 7301 for information concerning Board meetings.
If you want a Board member to contact you, please call the Superintendent’s office and leave your name and telephone number. A Board member will return your call.