Prairie Point Panther Press
Newsletter for Prairie Point Elementary School
Friday, March 3, 2017
Welcome to the Prairie Point Panther Press!
Greetings from the Art Room!
Thank you to all the families who chose to order during the Art to Remember fundraiser. The items you ordered will be in just before or just after spring break. I will send them home with your child as soon as they come in.
Your child has been creating amazing artwork each week during art classes. I have been saving the work of all first - fifth graders. Each child has a portfolio to store their work. This amazing folder of beauty and learning will be coming home during the month of May and will contain nearly all of your students' artwork. If you would like to see your child's work before May, You may contact me to set up an appointment or conference. It is amazing to see their growth through the year! Prepare to be amazed!
If you would like to reach me you may email me at bcollins@sd308.org
Bev Collins
Off the Shelves - News from the LRC
Thank you to Sadie Mateja, Robbie Wilson, and Ryan Wilson for their book donations in celebration of their birthdays. If you would like to honor your child by donating a book, please send $15 cash or check (payable to Prairie Point) and he/she will select a new hardcover book from a selection of books we have set aside for this purpose. After March 24th these books will be added to the general collection, so please make your request by then. Thank you!
A reminder that during the week of March 21-24 we will have a CHILDREN’S USED BOOK SALE in the LRC. Your donations of books from preschool through 5th grade levels are appreciated. Students will visit the book sale during their scheduled LRC class time.
Home & School President's Letter
So when the movie Bad Moms came out, my reaction was “oh no!” Is this what people think of PTAs, or in our case, HSOs? I hope not! No one gets dressed up to come to a meeting with an elaborate power point presentation, and a dictator leading the meeting (at least I sure hope I don’t come across that way!). We don’t “control” the school like the moms did in the movie. Most guidelines we follow are those set by the district. And we don’t throw raging “gatherings”, though maybe if we did, we’d get more people involved?!
What exactly do we do? We work behind the scenes, setting up the calendar of events - Home and School events only. (There are some events throughout the year that are not sponsored by Home and School.) Often the school asks us to help when they need assistance and we try to support them as best we can. We put together a budget for the year for our events, help make sure we have chairpersons for our committees and that they have all of the support they need to be successful. Finally, we try to communicate what’s going on to parents, on the marquee, through fb, and the Panther Press. Because we work together, being on the board is not as daunting as it may sound.
We are planning for the next school year and that means asking for help from our parents. I cannot stress enough that we must have parent involvement in order to continue offering our events and programs. We also want it known that we welcome new thoughts and ideas. At this time, we have one confirmed member of our board staying on next year, willing to fill any role needed. Our board consists of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Recording and Correspondence Secretaries. Each position does have specific duties, but as mentioned, most time is spent working as a group.
We also have the following committees in need of chairpersons: Beautification, Holiday Shop, Marquee Management, PAWSS, and Rewards. We also need someone to take on the role of Penny the Panther. We are looking for co-chairpersons to help with: Appreciation, Health and Wellness and the Panther Fitness Challenge. All committee descriptions can be found at the beginning of the school directory. Please reach out to any of us on the board, or email us at homeandschoolprairiepoint@gmail.com if you have any questions and/or want more information.
Before I end the letter, I would like to continue to thank everyone who has recently volunteered at the school. Your time is so appreciated. And hats off to the chairpersons of the Fun Fair. What an amazing event!! Thank you to the staff and parents who volunteered that night. A big thanks to the OHS National Honor Society students who gave their time and ran our games. Their involvement allowed so many parents to enjoy the evening with their families. And to Twisted Mister, or as our students know him, Mr. Paul, congrats on being one of the biggest attractions of the fair!!
Have a wonderful month and a fabulous spring break!
Lisa Eloe
Home & School President
Home and School Calendar
Upcoming Dates
March
3 Variety Show, 6:30pm
14 TND - Portillo's
15 3rd Grade Musical
17 Morning with Mom
27-31 Spring Break
April
5 Health & Wellness, 4th & 5th, 6:45-7:45
7 Raging Waves forms due
Lego robotics - we need parent volunteers!
Robotics Trivia at OHS
Girls on the Run is coming to Prairie Point!
We are excited to announce Prairie Point Elementary School has been approved as a Spring 2017 program site for Girls on the Run (GOTR)! This after school program inspires young girls to be joyful, healthy, and confident using a fun, experienced-based curriculum which creatively integrates running.
Online Registration will open next week! An email will be sent to 3rd through 5th grade girls with registration information, start and end dates, and your coaches information.
The 8-10 week program is for girls in grades 3rd through 5th. It starts with helping the girls get a better understanding of who they are and what is important to them. Then, they look at the importance of team work and healthy relationships. And, finally, the girls explore how they can positively connect with and shape the world. Physical activity is woven into our program to inspire an appreciation of fitness and to build habits that lead to a lifetime of health. At the end of the program the girls participate in the Girls on the Run 5k which serves as the culminating event of the program.
The coaching team is excited to bring this rewarding program to Prairie Point Elementary. Interested in learning more, please contact the GOTR Site Coordinator, Caroline Griffin at cgriffin14@comcast.net.
Hands - On Steam night -March 17th
Optimist Club Scholorship Contest
Optimist Oratorical Contest
-10th Annual Oratorical Contest
-Contestants write and deliver a 4-5 minute speech
-Topic: “What the World Gains from Optimism”
-Open to students under the age of 18 as of 10/1/16
-Cash prizes for boys and girls category: 1st place $200 and 2nd place $100
-Winners go on to Regional and then District competitions.
-District winners get a $2,500 scholarship and chance to compete for $20,000 in additional scholarships
-Contest Date: March 4, 2017 at 1pm
-Wheatland Salem Church – 1217 Wolf Road, Oswego
-Mail application to P.O. Box 882, Oswego, IL 60543 by 2/24/17
Save The Date - Sweet Send Off
PRAIRIE POINT ELEMENTARY
SWEET SEND OFF
Join your fifth grade classmates for a fun-filled healthy celebration.
The kids will vote on the night’s activities at the Valentine’s Day class parties.
DATE: Saturday, June 3rd
TIME: 6-11pm Lock-In
LOCATION: Rush Copley Healthplex
COST: tbd
More details coming soon
Know Any 5th Graders? Oswego School District 5th Grade Band Registration Appointments
The Oswego School District Beginning Band Appointments are scheduled during March and April with appointments being taken during January and February. The appointments are intended for any students who will be enrolled in 6th grade next year (2017-18) and would like to participate in band. Sixth grade is the only time that Beginning Band is offered at the junior high level in District #308 so it is important that interested students secure an appointment now.
Appointments are required for 6th Grade Band Registration!
Make an appointment through your junior high school link below.
Students will try all instruments and a final selection will be made with the assistance of an instructor.
Traughber JHS, make an appointment at
http://www.supersaas.com/schedule/OswegoJHSBand/Traughber_JHS
For questions, contact: Rachel Maxwell or Jessica Shields, 630-636-2721, rmaxwell@sd308.org
From the Nurse's Office
Cough drops are NOT allowed at school without a doctors note.
Noted on the District 308 website: http://www.sd308.org/Page/17756
When should my student stay home from school?
Your child is too ill to go to school if he/she has any of the following symptoms:
· Vomiting and/or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
· Shortness of breath or wheezing (not controlled with an inhaler if they have asthma)
· A cough that interrupts his/her normal activity or wakes them, or other family members at night.
· An undiagnosed rash unless cleared by a physician’s note
· Drainage from the eye
· Severe sore throat
· Fever- If your child has a temperature of 100° (or higher) in the past 24 hours they cannot attend school. Children are to be fever-free for 24 hours, without the use of fever reducing medication, before returning to school.
· A contagious illness that is treated with antibiotics, such as strep throat or pink eye, and has not been taking the antibiotics for a full 24 hours before returning to school.
Aramark Positions Available
For details visit
http://www.sd308.org/Page/8234 or call Kate Kloet at 630-636-4611.