Norton Creek Elementary

SCHOOL DAILY SCHEDULES

Kindergarten

AM Session-

8:00am -10:15am

PM-Session -

11:25am-1:40pm

1st thru 5th Grades-

8:00am-1:40pm

Our School Office is open from 7:30am until 3:30pm on school days.

Please call the school attendance line if your student will be absent at 331-228-2700. Please spell your students first and last name or their student id number when you leave a message. If you are emailing the teacher please also email nor-office@d303.org indicate students first and last name.

Attendance For Students

Please call the school attendance line if your student will be absent/tardy/leaving early from Remote Learning at 331-228-2700. Please spell your students first and last name or their student ID number when you leave a message. If you are emailing the teacher please also email nor-office@d303.org indicate students first and last name.

Band Information!

Attention 4th-Graders! The band program is back in action!

We are so excited to offer all of our wonderful wind instruments to in-coming 5th-grade students for the 2021-2022 school year. Mrs. Lydigsen will be popping into classrooms in May to show students the instruments and answer questions. Students can choose from oboe, flute, clarinet, alto sax, French horn, trumpet, trombone, baritone, tuba or percussion. To learn about the instruments, see videos of instruments in action, and learn about D303's band program, please click this link: https://sites.google.com/d303.org/bandrecruitment2021/home

If you have any questions, there will be a Parent Info Zoom on May 13 at 6PM. Mrs. Lydigsen is always happy to field questions at jennifer.lydigsen@d303.org as well.

Thank you!

FROM THE PRINCIPAL...TONY WHITE

It has been a very frustrating start to the season for my beloved Cubbies. One of the most frustrating sights has been watching Javy Baez at the plate. Javy has all the raw talent in the world, but is presently leading all of Major League Baseball in strikeouts. When you're facing the best pitchers in the world, you're bound to strike out. However, when you're not in control of yourself at the plate and are deciding to swing before the ball has even left the pitcher's hand, that's a problem. This is where the analogy to our students (and ourselves) comes into play.

When I am in control of myself - my emotions, reactions, and body, positive outcomes are far more likely to result. People feel comfortable around me and are able to be vulnerable, open, and their authentic selves. There's no need for tension because we're all relaxed. However, it only takes 1/12 of a second for the brain to recognize a threat, and if I am not in control and my best self, that could be just enough to throw someone else off too.

Going back to baseball, if I play the game in control (when everything seems to be moving in slow motion and I am ready for anything and everything), it doesn't matter if the umpire missed the call or not. Even more, it's the realization that I don't need to control what anyone else thinks, says, or does. I just need to be in control of myself. No matter what the fans in the stands are shouting, the score is, or how I played yesterday, if I can control myself in the moment, we have a chance at winning.

This is true for our Eagles and us too. I have learned as a parent over the past five and a half years that I cannot make anyone do anything. It's not about controlling my kids; it's about teaching them. They'll make mistakes, and when they do, when I maintain control of myself, I teach them that it's okay to make mistakes and that we can all remain calm and fix it (together if needed). Losing our composure seems like it'll be that release we need to blow off some steam, but it never pays off in the end. Controlling others seems desirable until we remember that we wouldn't want anyone controlling us. The only answer when it comes to control is to control ourselves, and that will give us the sense of control over a situation.

A bit of a philosophical one this week on control and what it really is or isn't. I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Norton Creek, with your favorite people as the weather will start to pick up a bit!

PTO'S E-NEWS THIS WEEK!

BUTTER BRAIDS jennifersolare@gmail.com

Thank you to Jennifer Solare for running our Butter Braids fundraiser again this year! Orders are DUE tomorrow!!! Online order link here.Orders are due April 23rd with local pickup scheduled for May 7th.

EAGLES EAT OUT elisa.ignash@gmail.com

Our Eagles Eat out event this month is with Panda Express! Stop by Panda Express in St Charles Thursday, April 29 to help support our school! See the flyer below for details.

5th GRADE PARENTS photos@szat.com

5th Grade Parents: We need your help to make a montage video for our current 5th graders. Pictures needed include Kindergarten yearbook photos; large group photos of current 5th grade students from any school year (school-only events). Please send pictures to the email address above no later than May 1st. Thank you to Tanya Szatkowski, Jen Solare and Natalie Gjokaj, our party planners, who are collecting ideas as we clap out, celebrate, and say goodbye to our 5th graders!

SAYING GOODBYE to MRS GEYER kristin.b.berry@d303.org

Letters and pictures are needed!! Mrs. Geyer is retiring this year! If your child was in her class at any point in her career, please have your child write her a letter and/or draw her a picture. Norton Creek teachers will be creating a book with these letters for her. Please send them with your child or mail them to Norton Creek addressed to Mrs. Berry or send them to her via email above. Please have letters in no later than May 5th. Thank you!

PTO COMMITTEE OPEN POSITIONS FOR 2021-22 nortoncreekptopresident@gmail.com, nortoncreekptovicepresident@gmail.com

Thank you very much to those who have already volunteered to chair or co-chair a PTO committee next year! Your help is greatly appreciated! There are still several committee chair positions open for 2021-22. Check out the JOB DESCRIPTIONS to see all of these fun opportunities. Contact Maggie McPike Carlson, PTO President, or Kaisa Davis, PTO Vice President with any questions.

SCHOOL SUPPLY PACKS FOR 2021-22 (K-5) kaisa.davis@gmail.com

No worry, No fuss; school supply packs are an easy and convenient way to get the supplies your child needs for the next school year! The packs are distributed to your child’s classroom shortly before the new school year begins in August (or local pickup depending on guidelines at that time). The link to order will be available SOON, please be on the lookout!

UPDATES ON PTO EVENTS & ACTIVITIES nortoncreekptopresident@gmail.com

Please continue to check the following for updates regarding school events and activities: PTO WEBSITE; and PTO FACEBOOK PAGE; and NORTON CREEK ELEMENTARY FACEBOOK PAGE; and D303 WEBSITE. Please also watch for THIS WEEK AT THE CREEK (TWAC) emails that come to you on Sunday afternoons. If you are not receiving TWAC emails, please contact Angie Miki at angie.miki@yahoo.com.

AMAZONSMILE nortorcreekptopresident@gmail.com

Calling all shoppers! If you are shopping on Amazon, please consider using AmazonSmile. With ever eligible purchase, AmazonSmile donates .5% to our school when you chose Norton Creek Elementary as your charity. This includes millions of everyday items at smile.amazon.com. You must use the specified link for Norton Creek to receive credit. Ask all of the Amazon shoppers in your family to use AmazonSmile!