The Central Scoop
October 27, 2017
From the Principal's Desk...
Dear Parents,
We are looking forward to celebrating Halloween this Tuesday, October 31st. Just like in past years, children may dress in costumes. We will be holding our annual parade outside starting in the front of the building at 9:00AM. We walk along the sidewalk and make one big loop around the school. Parents can view the parade anywhere along the sidewalk. Please remember that for the school parade, students are not allowed to bring weapons or wear a costume that "is in bad taste." If you are skeptical about your child's choice of costume, your instincts are probably correct. :-) If it rains, the parade will be moved indoors for students and staff only. Due to security concerns, there will not be an indoor parade for parents. We will do our best to notify parents if the parade is moved indoors, but also understand that because the parade is scheduled for 9:00 AM, it could be a last-minute, "game day" decision. More information about our parade and classroom parties will be shared by the classroom teachers.
**Also note that this Tuesday is an early release day for students. Students in grades 1-4 will be dismissed at 11:55AM and kindergarten will be dismissed at 10:00AM. There is no PM kindergarten on this day.
Have a wonderful weekend,
- Becky
Rebecca Littmann
Principal
Central Elementary School
School & District Announcements and Reminders...
Student Council Announcement
Student Council will be collecting extra Halloween candy November 1st thru Tuesday November 7th. Students can give the extra candy to their classroom teachers. Student Council is preparing special collection boxes for teachers to use. No candy will be shared or eaten at school. All the candy that is collected will be donated to Hillside Food Panty in Wilmette.
Friday Early Release Reminders
If your child is signed-up for after-school supervision on Fridays and you want to sign him/her out early, please follow the procedures below. The procedures are in place for the safety of students because 2:15PM-3:15PM is still considered part of the school day for students who have been enrolled in after-school supervision.
- You will need to come sign your child out on a clipboard in the main office in order for your child to be released. You can do this in the morning or at any point of the day that works for you.
- Your child will also need to still go to the cafeteria at 2:15PM like he/she normally does on Fridays so supervisors can take attendance. After attendance is taken, the supervisors will collect any students that have been signed out and bring them to the main office to meet the person who is taking them home. This process usually takes about 10 minutes so please plan accordingly.
- Please let your child know what the protocol is and that he/she still needs to go to the cafeteria like usual on Fridays. When students leave the building without checking into the cafeteria, they can be considered "missing".
Carpool Line Safety Reminders
As the weather gets colder, our carpool line gets longer. I thought this would be a good time for safety reminders. Please adhere to our safety procedures below. Also, please make sure your caregivers are aware of the procedures as well.
- Cell phones are not allowed while you are driving, even in the carpool line.
Please follow the suggestions of our supervisors in green vests on the curb. They are staff members who are there to help your child get in and out of your vehicle safely. These adults are also safe people for students to use if they need help finding a caregiver.
- Please wait to let your children out of your vehicle in front of the school. Letting them out of the car any earlier is dangerous.
Pull your vehicle up as far as possible in the line (even across the driveway to the black top), but leave room to pull out so you don't need to back up to get around the car in front of you.
Keep pulling up as cars exit the line to keep it moving.
Stay in your car at all times. Please don't leave your car or park it in the carpool line. This is very dangerous for you and for those trying to maneuver around your car. If you must walk your child to the door, please park your car across the street or a block away so you can walk your child safely to school.
Use the crosswalk on Central Avenue. We have a wonderful crossing guard on Central Ave. His name is Dudley and he is hired by the Wilmette Police Department. Please make sure that your entire family uses the crosswalk on Central Avenue. Dudley will ensure that you get across the street safely.
Also, please be mindful of our crossing guard, Dudley. It is his responsibility to ensure drivers are following the rules of the road. He will call the police, if necessary to ensure everyone's safety.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Parent/Teacher conferences are November 9th and 10th. The system for signing-up went “live” on Tuesday, October 24th. Parents should have received an email from the district on Monday Oct. 23rd with specific sign-up information. Conferences cannot be scheduled outside of these days/times. Please do not ask teachers to make exceptions for your family - thank you.
Attendance Announcement From the Nurse - Last Posting
Parents often ask: When is my child considered absent according to state requirements?
Kindergarten: Can miss 35 minutes before being considered absent. They must be present for 120 minutes to be considered present.
- AM: if they arrive after 9:10 or leave before 10:35 they’re absent.
- PM: if they arrive after 1:15 or leave before 2:40 they’re absent.
1st grade: Can miss 90 minutes before being considered absent. They must be present for 120 minutes to be marked for 1/2 day and 240 minutes for a full day.
If they arrive after 10:05 and stay the rest of the day, they’re marked 1/2 day absent.
If they leave before 1:45 and were present the entire rest of the day, they’re marked 1/2 day absent.
2nd-4th grades: Can miss 30 minutes before being considered absent. They must be present for 150 minutes to be marked for 1/2 day and 300 minutes for a full day.
If they arrive after 9:05 and stay the rest of the day, they’re marked 1/2 day absent.
If they leave before 2:45 and were present the entire rest of the day, they’re marked 1/2 day absent.
However - on FRIDAYS, students in 1st-4th grades can only miss 15 minutes before being marked for a 1/2 day.
If they arrive after 8:50 or leave before 2:00, they’re marked for a 1/2 day.
Call Central School "Safe Phone" For Absences: 847-512-6150
Please call the "SAFE" (absence) phone to report absences even if you let the classroom teacher knows, because some teachers don't see the email/voicemail until later in the day. Teachers assume you are calling the office. It's important that the school nurse is directly aware of any absences otherwise, your son/daughter may be considered "missing." The school nurse keeps track of all school absences in the building. For safety reasons, we want to make sure all of our students are accounted for and safe.
Central School is on Twitter!
We have TWO Twitter accounts. Please "follow" us at Twitter.com!
Explore Central 39 (with our actual "handle" as @explorecentral). With this account, we mostly share student activities that are completed in the Learning Commons (but other activities are often included as well). We are also providing this Twitter feed on our Central School homepage.
There is also a principal page @BeckyLittmann where you can follow a variety of school happenings including professional development, student activities, parent involvement, and school goals.
PTA Announcements and Reminders...
* The PTA sends out their own newsletter on Sundays - here are just a few highlights
Dodgeball Fundraiser
Friday, November 3rd from 6 pm - 7:30 pm
The Central P.E. Department is hosting a Dodgeball event for all 1st-4th grade students. This drop-off event will take place from 6:00-7:30 p.m. in the Central School gyms. Proceeds from this fundraiser will help fund the purchase of a GaGa Pit for the P.E. Department and recess. The cost is $40 per participant with a maximum of 64 participants. Please click HERE to register. Space is limited, so sign up fast!
Central School Garden
Please help the garden grow as Central looks forward to celebrating its 20th Anniversary next year! The PTA is excited about improvements to enhance learning and further ways to enjoy outdoor space. Please consider donating, we appreciate your support!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090e4daeab28a2fa7-support
Community Announcements...
- Youth Connection is hosting a fundraiser at Skokie Chipotle Saturday, October 28th, 4:00-8:00 pm. Show the flyer or state your support for Youth Connection of Wilmette to donate 50%.
- League of Women Voters of Wilmette hosts buffet dinner and State of the Village meeting with Village Leaders on November 1st at 6:00 pm. Register by October 27th.
- League of Women Voters of Wilmette & Wilmette Public Library host informational meeting on IL School Funding Reform - SB 1947 at Wilmette Library on November 5th 7:00 - 8:30 pm
- PEDAL POWER is collecting gently used bicycles to reward CPS students for making honor roll! Drop off in Wilmette at McKenzie Elementary School November 11th 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. Other drop off sites available.
- New Trier HS Football Schedule is posted online.
- Wilmette Rotary Club hosts annual BIG BOOK DRIVE October 2nd - November 15th. Donate books at any D39 school.
- Register now for Wilmette Park District’s Saturday Basketball for boys & girls grades 4-8.
- Free sneak peek of WTTW’s “Nature Cat” Screening at Wilmette Theatre for kids ages 3-7 Saturday October 28th at 9:30 am.
- Additional information on community events can be found here http://www.wilmette39.org/news/community_events
Upcoming Events...
- 10/31 - Halloween Parade at 9:00am (weather permitting), Early Release Day
- 11/2 - PTA's Dad Night Out Backyard BBQ
- 11/3 - Dodgeball Fundraiser
- 11/7 - D39 Parent Event at the Junior High - Navigating Social Conflicts
- 11/8-11/10 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
- 11/13-11/17 - Book Fair
- 11/13 - Board of Education Meeting
- 11/14 - D39 Parent Event at the Junior High - Growth Mindset
- 11/20-11/24 - No School, Thanksgiving Break
- 11/28 PASS 39 Meeting
- 11/29, 11/30, 12/1 - Outdoor Education for 4th graders
- 12/6 - D39 Parent Event at the Junior High: How to Raise Resilient Children