Romona Review
11.7.18
From the Principal & PTA
Greetings Parents,
Today is the last student attendance day for this week for our students. On Thursday and Friday, our staff will be busy meeting with parents to talk about the many ways our students shine, and how we can all help them continue to learn and grow. This home-school connection is a vital part of how we help our students succeed at Romona, and we look forward to meeting with you!
The partnership between our PTA and our school is another key part of Romona’s success. Each year, the PTA and the Romona team work together toward a significant school improvement (i.e., Learning Commons, Auditorium seats, Garden Path, etc.). This year, for our 60th Anniversary, fundraising will begin to raise money for new playground equipment. Our current structures are from 1995 and need to be updated since our school population and its needs have greatly increased.
Planning has begun for a new playground and the preliminary plan is posted below. This would be located next to the current swing set. The cost is going to be significant to provide our 1st-4th graders with an updated playground that fits their needs. We are looking at a cost of approximately $130,000 to complete the proposed updates, so we are planning a multi-year fundraising project. Please keep your eye out for opportunities to participate in this fundraising project, most importantly by attending The 2019 Romona Benefit “Jump Jump Jubilee!” on February 23rd, 2019.
We look forward to a continued partnership between the Romona staff and our wonderful parent community!
Sincerely,
Cindy, Elena, Shannon, & Kimberly
Cindy Anderson, Principal
Elena Ryan, Assistant Principal
Shannon Zock, PTA President
Kimberly Newman, PTA President-Elect
Thanksgiving Food Drive
ONE CAN! TWO CANS! WHO CAN? WE CAN!
Romona School, please join us in providing a Thanksgiving meal to families in need this holiday season! Romona’s Student Council is hosting a Thanksgiving Food Drive the week of November 12th-16th, in conjunction with Harper School, to provide food for Connections for the Homeless in Evanston. Each grade level is assigned specific items that they can donate to the drive and can be placed in the boxes in the front hallway of the school. A truck will be picking up the donations that Friday morning around 10:00 am so we ask that any donations arrive at school before then! Thank you for teaming up with us and Harper School to provide food for the hungry! One can! Two cans! Who can? We can!
1st: Boxed stuffing
2nd: Canned vegetables
3rd: Gravy/broth/soup
4th: Bottle of juice
From our Nurse: Hearing & Vision Screening
Each year vision and hearing screenings take place in our school per Illinois Department of Public Health guidelines. This screening is scheduled for Romona students on November 12th, 13th, and 14th.
The state mandated grades for hearing screening at the elementary school level are kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade, students new to the district, and special education students. The state mandate for vision screening at the elementary school level is kindergarten, 2nd grade, students new to the district, and special education students. This vision screening is not a substitute for a complete eye and vision exam by an eye doctor. If your child has been seen by an eye doctor in the past 12 months, or is currently under the care of an eye doctor and wears glasses, he/she will not be screened.
Children who fail two consecutive screenings, 10-14 days apart, of either vision or hearing will receive a referral letter with detailed instructions for next steps. If you have any questions, please contact me by phone at 847-512-6402 or via email at rochem@wilmette39.org.
Mary Ann Roche, BSN, RN
Romona Elementary School Nurse
Certified Hearing/ Vision Technician
Board of Education Meeting
The monthly Board of Education meeting is Monday, November 12th 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.
- New Trier Township 8th Grade Survey
- 2019-2020 Student Fees
- Long Term Enrollment Projections
- Board resolutions:
- establishing fund balance goals
- authorizing intervention in property tax appeals
- Illinois Association of School Board Representation
Conferences: This Thursday & Friday
Please call our office with any questions. We look forward to meeting with you!
Upcoming Dates
Thursday, November 8th
- NO SCHOOL: Parent-Teacher Conferences
- NO SCHOOL: Parent-Teacher Conferences
November 12th-14th
- Romona Vision & Hearing Screening
November 13th-15th
- Romona Book Fair!
Monday, November 12th
- Book Week Spirit Day: Dress-up as a tourist!
- Board of Education Meeting, 7:00, MEC
Tuesday, November 13th
- Book Week Spirit Day: Dress as your favorite book character!
Wednesday, November 14th
- Book Week Spirit Day: Wear a shirt with words!
- Book Fair Family Night (6:00-7:30)
Thursday, November 15th
- Author Kate Klise visits Romona! Thank you, iGNITE!
- Book Week Spirit Day: Wear a rainbow of colors
Friday, November 16th
- Book Week Spirit Day: Pajama day!
November 19th-23rd
- NO SCHOOL: Happy Thanksgiving!
From the PTA
ROMONA BOOK FAIR STARTS NEXT TUESDAY
The Romona Book Fair will be November 13th – 15th. Book Fair hours are Tuesday and Wednesday from 9am-3pm and Thursday from 9am-1pm. Family Night is Wednesday 11/14 from 6:00-7:30pm. Proceeds will purchase new books for Romona’s Learning Commons and benefit our sister school, West Elementary in Zion, IL. Volunteers are needed to help staff the book fair. If you can spare an hour or two, please sign up HERE!
THANKSGIVING FOOD DRIVE – NEXT WEEK
During the week of Nov 12th-16th Romona will be collecting specific food items by grade for donation. If you can help, please send in the following with your child: Preschool/Kindergarten- Bisquik/cornbread, 1st Grade- boxed stuffing, 2nd Grade- canned vegetables, 3rd Grade- soup/broth/gravy, 4th Grade- bottle of juice. Thank you in advance for your support!
THE 2019 ROMONA BENEFIT WILL RAISE MONEY FOR A NEW PLAYGROUND
Save-the-Date for the big event: The 2019 Romona Benefit “Jump Jump Jubilee!” will be held February 23, 2019 at Maggiano’s restaurant Old Orchard Mall. This event will raise money for a new school playground. There are many way to support this effort: ATTEND the Benefit, provide a donation (tickets, goods/services, vacation home weekend/weekly rental, etc.) for the auction at the Benefit or help host a small party with other Romona families at a later date. We have the ideas/places, we just need some hosts! Please contact Kimberly Newman, The 2019 Romona Benefit Chair, at romonabenefit@romonapta.org to find out how YOU can support our school. Thank you in advance!
SHOP ON SMILE.AMAZON.COM TO EARN MONEY FOR OUR SCHOOL
Do you buy things on Amazon? Did you know that 0.05% of every purchase could go back to our school? It’s free and easy. All you need to do is go to smile.amazon.com and register “Romona PTA” as your charitable organization! Then every time you want to buy something from Amazon, make sure to start out at smile.amazon.com as your homepage. Everything else is the same! Learn more HERE!
LUNCH CLUB VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
The Romona Lunch Club committee is looking for individuals to run a class during lunch for students during the colder months of January-March 2019. Share your knowledge of a language, craft, yoga or your specific hobby! Please contact Julie Hanahan or Ilene Green at lunchRclubs@romonapta.org with questions or to volunteer.
HELP THE LEARNING COMMONS DURING YOUR CHILD’S LIBRARY VISIT
One hour long spots are available to help the librarians re-stock shelves or assist with checking out books for students. Sign up when your child’s class visits the library! Open spots available HERE.
D39 FASHION SHOW TONIGHT
Come to the D39 Educational Foundation’s 5th Annual “Attire to Inspire” Fashion Show fundraiser from 7:00-9:30pm TONIGHT at Michigan Shores Club in Wilmette. Informal attire, so no need to get drssed up yourself! Do a little shopping, have a little fun watching our Romona models show off clothes from area businesses. Enjoy a complimentary wine pour from 7:00-7:45pm, followed by the Fashion Show at 7:45pm. Proceeds benefit the Gripp Grant Program (which benefitted Romona most recently in Spring 2017 with the purchase of the Gazebo for our outdoor garden area!). Tickets are $75 and can be purchased HERE.
Community News
- Wilmette Rotary Club is running its annual BIG BOOK DRIVE at all District 39 schools from October 1st through November 15th. Please donate any gently used books.
- Wilmette Park District’s Saturday Basketball registration is open for boys & girls grades 4-8.
- Wilmette Food Pantry is open every Tuesday 10:30-11:30 am at Trinity United Methodist Church.
- Free adult English language classes are available at Highcrest Middle School through November 13.
- Fall Registration is open for "GIRLS ON THE RUN" available to 3rd & 4th grade girls. Train for a 5K run September 11-November 15, 3:15-4:30 at Romona School.
- Chess-Ed is open to all Romona students and will be held on Wednesdays, 3:20 - 4:20 pm.
- Wilmette Park District is hosting a Holiday Hustle exercise challenge November 26-December 23; register November 19-25. Also the Center Fitness Club schedule and various classes for children ages 3-14 are posted.