Week at a Glance
May 23-27
What's Happening This Week
Monday, May 23
Adopt-the-Garden Sign-up Genius Link Opens
Sticky Fingers Monday Class 2:35-3:35
Tuesday, May 24
Sticky Fingers Tuesday Class 2:35-3:35
Garden Club 2:30- 3:15 and 3:15-4:00
Wednesday, May 25
Young Rembrandts 2:30-3:30
Thursday, May 26
5th Grade Pool Party 5-7pm at HSTC
Friday, May 27
LAST DAY OF SCHOOL
5th Grade Clap Out
Winner of our New Outdoor Space Naming Contest
Prairie Day Thank you
Dear Prairie Community,
We want to extend a big thank you for your support of this year’s Prairie Day. It was such a treat to see students, staff, and volunteers all working together again to make this a memorable event for the students. We know it’s one of the best days of the year and we could have never pulled it off without the help of our many amazing volunteers.
Home and School would love to thank:
Students
Thank you so much to our students for showing your Prairie PRIDE and being respectful throughout the day.
Prairie Elementary Team
Thank you to Mr. Zallis for working with us to create a day that was fun and safe for students, staff, and volunteers. Thank you to the teachers, staff and administrators for so seamlessly blending in to the whole process to make this a fantastic event.
Prairie Day Volunteers
Thank you to all of the volunteers. We could have never made this event happen without you selflessly donating your time. A special thanks to our station captains for organizing and running all of the creative Prairie Day stations: Jon Crannell, Greg Shufelt, Megan Pagnucci, Ali McKenna, Mel Lund, Dan Lund, Amanda Donegan, Liza Hood, Emily Kozlowski, Stacey Rizzi, Amity Caile, Naomi Wattles, Corey Vest, John Collins, Michelle Weisseg, Arica LeFevour, Michelle Shufelt, Bridget Karnick, Kim Vigue, Nikki Genthner, Shannon Filip, Prema Yeaman, Kat Stark, and Lisa Swatland. Thank you to our food donation organizers, Jessica Rhea and Erica Gerdes, for making sure all of the volunteers never had the opportunity to go thirsty or hungry.
Prairie Special Assembly Chair
Thank you to Matt Wilhelm for organizing a visit from Staley Da Bear to show our students the importance of a healthy lifestyle and kicking off a day of physical activity. Thank you to Kathy Wilhelm for being available the day of the assembly to make sure things went smoothly.
Photo Booth Sponsor
Thank you to the Empire Restaurant Group and the Cullen Family for so generously sponsoring our photo booth and giving the students a memento to remember this very special Prairie Day.
End of Year Device Collection
Wednesday, May 25th
All Kdg-1st and 5th grade students will bring their iPad/Chromebook and charger to school on Wednesday, May 25th where they will stay until they are collected. Teachers will be given a check-in sheet to verify that students return their assigned iPad/Chromebook and charger.
2nd-4th grade students will take their Chromebooks home over the summer.
*ALL Chromebook cases will go home over the summer*
Thursday, May 26th
Kdg-1st and 5th grade teachers will send home an “oops I forgot to return my iPad/Chromebook/Charger” slip with the students who have not yet brought in their device/charger.
Friday, May 27th - Last day of school
Kdg-1st and 5th grade devices will be collected from the classrooms throughout the day.
Any student who does not return their device or charger could potentially be charged.
Chromebook Case cleaning instructions will be sent home with all 2nd-5th grade students (instructions listed below).
Chromebook Case Cleaning Instructions
Remove tag
Close zipper
Wash in cold water (gentle cycle or hand wash)
Air dry
Replace tag
Return to school in August
Come Adopt-the-Garden with Us!
What is Adopt-the-Garden?
This is how we make sure the Prairie Garden doesn’t shrivel up during the summer break! Families from the Prairie community can sign up to take care of the Garden for one week and in return take home the fresh vegetables and herbs they harvested. Everything growing in the Garden was planted by Garden Club students.
How does it work?
Participants choose a week in June, July or August where they commit to visiting the garden at least three times to water, weed and harvest the garden beds. We just put in a NEW super cool irrigation system that should make watering so much easier!!! Some of the weeks during peak harvest will require two families. No experience necessary. All instructions, tools and equipment are provided.
Why participate?
The Prairie Garden provides garden-based learning opportunities to Prairie students during the Spring and Fall. When you adopt the Garden for a week you’re making sure the vegetables and herbs planted by the Garden Club thrive during the growing season. And you get to take home the fresh produce you harvested!
How will I know what to do?
Easy-to-follow instructions will be posted in the garden shed and made available electronically. Families who have signed up will be required to attend one Garden orientation to learn how to use the watering equipment and to become familiar with basic garden maintenance. Orientations take place in the Garden on Thursday, June 2nd at 7pm OR Saturday, June 4th at 10am
How do I sign up?
Signups are on a first come, first served basis. Please note that priority will be given to families who do not currently have a child in the Garden Club.
A Talk 203 will be sent out on Monday, May 23rd with the Adopt-the Garden Sign-up Genius link.
If you have questions about the Adopt-the-Garden Program or anything related to the Prairie Garden please email Sarah Sommer at s.sommer203@gmail.com or Jenny Bouchier-Hayesat jennyswarbrick13@hotmail.com
Prairie Spring Clean-up Help Wanted! All of this rain has brought many weeds in front of Prairie and we are looking for some volunteers to help remove them. We want to make sure our school looks great even if we aren’t there (and in anticipation of the 2022/2023 school year)! We are planning two sessions, the first Thursday, June 2nd from 6-7:30PM and the second on Friday, June 3rd 10:30AM-12PM. Once we get a listing of all the volunteers for each session more details will follow. Signup Genius links will be sent in a the Adopt-the-Garden Talk 203 email going out on Monday, May 23rd. Please reach out to Kate Morris at kate.e.morris15@gmail.com with any specific questions.
Thank you and Happy Gardening!!!
Naperville North Girls Lacrosse Summer Camp
When: Mon & Wed June 6, 8, 13, 15, 20, 22
HS Camp: 3:30-5:00pm
Youth Camp: 5:30-7:00pm
Where: Naperville North High School
COST: $110
No experience necessary, all levels
Click here for more information
NEF Fundraiser
Run or walk to support the students of Naperville 203! Plus, win an extra $500 for Prairie!
Join TEAM NEF 2022 to run, walk and raise funds for Prairie and the Naperville Education Foundation (NEF).
JOIN TODAY: https://nef203.org/how-to-help/teamnef.html
TEAM NEF is a group of parents, community members, teachers, staff, students - and YOU! - running or walking as fundraising Charity Heroes in the Healthy Driven Naperville Half Marathon and 5k on Sunday, October 16, 2022. (Virtual option also available.) Team members each raise at least $203, with half the funds raised directly supporting your favorite Naperville 203 school and half supporting district-wide NEF-funded programs.
Celebrate NEF’s 30th year with a $203 fundraising commitment for an individual, and (NEW this year!) a $30 fundraising commitment for each additional family member who joins the team! Family members do not all need to run or walk in support of the same school.
BONUS: The TWO schools with the highest % of participation (based on school enrollment) by 11:59 PM on May 27, 2022 will each win an extra $500.00.
Already registered for the 5k or Half Marathon and want to be a part of TEAM NEF? Email nef@naperville203.org for simple instructions on joining.
Thank you to Presenting Sponsor Gail Niermeyer, Coldwell Banker Realty
For questions and additional sponsorship opportunities, contact Amy or Wendy at nef@naperville203.org .
Paws the Prairie Dog is on Instagram!
Health Office Updates
Kindergarten and 2nd Grade Dental Forms Were Due May 16
This is a reminder that all kindergarten and 2nd grade dental forms are due to the health office on Monday, May 16. Individual family reminder letters were mailed to families prior to May 6.
Medication Pick-Up
Unless your child is going to summer school, all medication must be picked up from the health office by the end of the day on May 27. Medication for registered summer school students will be transferred by district personnel. The district medication policy does not allow medication to be sent home with a student or to be stored in the health office over the summer. As a reminder, a new medication order form must be signed by a physician every school year. Allergy action plans also have to be filled out and signed by a physician yearly. The district medication form, allergy action plans, asthma action plans, seizure action plans, and all other health forms may be found at the district’s web page link.Illness Updates from the Health Office
We are advising parents that beginning this week, in addition to new cases of COVID, we have had several positive cases of influenza A reported, as well as some strep and gastrointestinal viruses. We ask that parents let us know when their children test positive for these illnesses so that we can monitor spread throughout the school.
Home COVID tests are now accepted by the district (Please read carefully)
Please be advised that we are now allowed to accept COVID home test kit results, in addition to rapid antigen tests and RT-PCR results. However, we must receive a clear picture of the positive or negative results with the student’s name and date written on the test strip. We are not allowed to accept a verbal parent report from a home kit. You can then email the picture to us at the following email addresses:
Amanda Wood, Health Tech awood@naperville203.org
Jill Accardo, RN, School Nurse jaccardo@naperville203.org
It is important to send us pictures of positive cases because as before, if a student tests positive in the last 90 days, they will not have to quarantine unless they have symptoms. In addition, if your child has tested positive within the last 90 days and has been SHIELD testing on Thursdays, you may want to opt them out of SHIELD testing for the rest of the school year, as they may test positive on their SHIELD test. The health office does not handle SHIELD opt-outs, so please email Barb Butusov at bbutusov@naperville203.org if you are interested in opting out.
Committee Chairs Wanted!
Open Positions for 2022-2023 School Year:
Adult Social (1+ chairs needed) (High Time Commitment)
Please contact Megan Pagnucci at prairieschoolvp@gmail.com with any questions about or submissions to the WAAG. Deadline for submissions are Wednesdays by noon, for posting in the following week's WAAG.
Here are some links you may find useful:
http://www.naperville203.org/prairie
www.facebook.com/prairiehomeandschool
Twitter: @Prairied203