Jefferson Jotter
September 2019
Letter from Principal
Dear Jefferson Parents,
I love to see and feel the excitement of the new school year! The teachers were busy over the summer preparing for the school year and anxiously awaiting the arrival of the students. Likewise, the children eagerly anticipate the start of the school year to see old friends or meet new ones, explore what is new in their classroom, and find comfort in the predictability of the school day. With all of this positive energy it is awesome coming to work each day!
You, the parent, have provided your child with their first learning experiences. It is now our privilege to partner with you to further develop your child's social/emotional, cognitive, language, and motor development. As the foundation to a child's school experience, I am committed to ensuring that every child who attends Jefferson School will receive a high quality education. At the preschool level, the children will have whole group, small group, and individual learning opportunities, as well as, child-initiated play. In order to prepare the children for future learning, an emphasis is also placed on self-regulation, independence, language development, and interpersonal skills.
In our Extended Day Kindergarten (EDK) program, the teachers will provide rich learning opportunities for the students, with an emphasis on social/emotional learning and community building, inquiry based learning through social studies and science related themes, and opportunities for child-initiated play. These enriching opportunities are not a continuum of the kindergarten curriculum in their home school, however, they will enrich your child's learning and development. Within the Jefferson Jotter you will see a section that pertains to all Jefferson students and families, a section for preschool only, and a kindergarten only section.
We are fortunate to have an outstanding team of teachers, specialists, and teaching assistants that have a strong understanding of child development, strategies to differentiate instruction for the varying learning needs of the children, assessment tools to monitor the children's progress, and the ability to establish a caring community of learners. Additionally, the Jefferson team is child-centered, compassionate, dedicated, and collaborative.
As we develop a close parent - school partnership, it is important that you maintain regular communication with your child's teacher, share your concerns and/or questions about your child or the program, and invest time in talking with your child about what he/she did at school. The Jefferson team will in turn keep you well informed about the happenings in the classroom, problem solve with you on how to carry over strategies that have been successful at school, listen to your thoughts, suggestions, and concerns, and provide your child with a safe, loving home away from home!
I'm confident that we'll have an awesome 2019-20 school year! Please don't hesitate to contact me, lhalverson@d64.org or 847-318- 4249, if you ever have any questions or concerns.
Respectfully,
Lisa Halverson
Principal
Upcoming Events
Monday, September 2 - No School - Labor Day
Monday, September 9 - Dog Therapy - Morning PK Classes
Yoga - Afternoon PK Classes
Tuesday, September 10 - Preschool Screenings - By Appointment
Wednesday, September 11 - Preschool Family Picnic - 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. - Jefferson Playground
Thursday, September 12 - EDK Curriculum Night - 6:00 - 6:30 p.m. - Morning Classes
EDK Curriculum Night - 6:45 - 7:15 p.m. - Afternoon Classes
Monday, September 16 - Yoga - Afternoon PK Classes
Monday, September 23 - Dog Therapy - Afternoon PK Classes
Wednesday, September 25 - Library Lady - PK Classes
Inspire every child to discover, learn, achieve, and care
Jefferson School Information
New Staff
We are excited to welcome a number of staff members to Jefferson School. Monica Jaworowski is a new Extended Day Kindergarten (EDK) teacher. Ms. Jaworowski comes to Jefferson School having taught full day kindergarten in the Woodland School District 50. Colleen McCloskey is our new part-time physical therapist. Previously Mrs. McCloskey worked in a pediatric therapy clinic. We have two part-time school psychologists joining our staff. Aubrey Hulsebosch and Cheryl McNally. Mrs. McNally will be joining the Early Childhood Diagnostic Team and Ms. Hulsebosch will be supporting the preschool teachers and students. We also have two new speech pathologists, Ashley Lichter and Jen Proffer. Mrs. Lichter is returning to Jefferson School after having worked at Field School. Mrs. Proffer is new to Jefferson but not to the district, as she worked at Franklin School for the past 11 years. Also returning to Jefferson School is Paula Coleman. Ms. Coleman has been at Emerson Middle School the past two years as the school nurse. Finally, we have two new teacher assistants in the Extended Day Kindergarten program, Mrs. Wilcox and Mrs. Haltman. We are fortunate to have such talented and dedicated staff joining the Jefferson School team!
New Families
We want to extend a warm welcome to the families who are either new to Park Ridge/Niles or to Jefferson School. We hope that you have already found the Jefferson School staff to be warm and welcoming to you and your child. Jefferson School prides itself on being a close knit family! We also want to welcome back the returning children and families. We are very excited for the start of the school year!
For an easy reference sheet about Jefferson School hours and numbers please click here.
Student Drop Off and Pick Up Procedures
To ensure student and family safety, Greendale Avenue will be temporarily closed to traffic during student drop off and pick up. The road will be closed during the following times:
8:45 - 8:55 (Monday - Friday)
11:20 - 11:30 (M, T, Th, F) and 10:55 - 11:05 (Wednesday)
12:20 - 12:30 (M, T, Th, F) and 11:55 - 12:05 (Wednesday)
2:50 - 3:05 (M, T, Th, F) and 2:00 - 2:15 (Wednesday)
With the expansion of the Extended Day Kindergarten program we have more cars at morning drop off and afternoon pick-up. Therefore, please be aware that the above times are approximate, if no remaining spots are open the road will be closed sooner. Please be considerate of other families and their schedules by complying with the following:
If you arrive before the barricades are setup, you may park on Greendale Ave. next to the curb, in an angled parking spot, or behind an angled parked car. If parking curbside, pull up as far as you can and the buses will park behind you in the bus-loading zone marked with orange cones. If you park behind a car in angled parking, you need to pull ahead as far as you can and park close enough to the car so that you aren’t blocking the roadway. Parking spaces are limited, so please do not park in front of an empty, angled parking spot!
If you arrive after Greendale Ave. is closed or you prefer to head northeast instead of South on Greendale Ave. when leaving school, you can park along the road coming into the back parking lot (North side of street) or in the back parking lot. Please note there is “No Parking” on the South (right) side of the street going out of the back parking lot. Please obey the “No Parking” signs so two lanes of traffic can travel through the street. See map.
Please note: Greendale Avenue is a two way street between Field Dr. and the school, therefore, DO NOT stop behind the barricades and wait for them to be removed, as cars need to be able to turn left from the back parking lot to travel east.
If you are on a tight schedule, it is recommended that you park in the back parking lot or along the entrance to the back parking lot so that you don't get blocked in.
Late Arrivals or Early Pick Ups
To ensure the safety of our students and staff, only one entrance will be used between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. To access the building, parents should ring the doorbell at the main entrance (door #7), state your name and reason for being here, then once “buzzed in” report immediately to the office. If you see another parent standing at the door do not open the door for them, the office will take care of admitting them.
Student Pick Up Forms
If someone other than the parent will be picking up your child, we ask that you complete and turn in the Student Pick Up form. The first time someone other than yourself picks up your child they will be asked to present their driver's license so we can confirm their identity. Once the teacher knows the authorized person they need not show their driver's license. For those of you who have already turned in this form, thank you. If you haven't turned in this form, it can be accessed by clicking here.Drive Safely in the School Zone
Our first priority is the safety of our students, families, and staff. Therefore, it is critical that we maintain a safe environment during drop off and pick up. Everyone who comes to Jefferson School should abide by the following traffic laws and safety procedures:
Follow all parking and traffic laws, including no cell phone usage in the school zone;
Do not block any intersections around Jefferson, especially the intersection of Greendale and Field;
Do not drive past a school bus when the stop sign is extended or park in the bus zone (marked by orange cones);
All preschool aged children need to be either in a car seat or booster seat;
Use your turn signal so others know which direction you plan to go;
Be patient and safe!
School Visitors
You will be asked to produce your driver's license so that it can be run through a visitor management system, prior to receiving a visitor's badge. If you visited your child's class last year, you will need to bring in your driver's license and have it scanned the first time you visit this year. After your first visit, the office will be able to look up your name in the system in order to print out your visitor's badge.
Tuition Payments
On the 15th of each month you will receive an invoice via email from the District’s electronic invoicing system, PayPal. Payment of fees is due by the 1st of each month and can be done through credit card, your PayPal account, or by mailing a check to the District office. A $25.00 late fee will be assessed if payment isn’t received by the 3rd business day of the month. If payment isn’t received by the 20th day of the month an additional $25.00 will be assessed, totaling $50.00 late fee. If a family is late 2 times with their payments, their child(ren) will be dismissed from the program indefinitely. If your child is eligible for the preschool classroom because of special needs, you are not responsible for paying tuition.Snacks and Food Allergy Management
To ensure the safety of all of our students and staff, parents should not send peanuts/nuts and their products for snack time. Product labels should always be read for listing of peanuts/nuts, and for disclaimers such as "processed on shared machinery" or "manufactured in/with peanuts/nuts." Instead, parents are asked to send a healthy snack with their child on a daily basis. Healthy snacks include fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and cheese sticks. The Back to School Health Reminder Letter is attached at the end of the Jotter for your reference.Jefferson School Spirit Wear
It's time to show your school pride by wearing a Jefferson School t-shirt. T-shirts cost $10.00 for children and adult sizes. The children sizes run large, so note that the XSmall is approximately a 4/5 and Small is approximately a 6/8 size. Please send in your order form with payment to the school by Friday, September 20th.
Developmental Screenings
On a monthly basis the Early Childhood Diagnostic Team conducts screenings of children ages three to five. The screenings are conducted by a team, consisting of an occupational therapist, speech language pathologist, psychologist, and social worker. The areas assessed include motor, communication, play skills, pre-academic and thinking skills. If you have concerns about your child's development in any of these areas please call 847-318-5360 to schedule an appointment for the screening. The first Preschool Screening for the 2019- 20 school year is scheduled for September 10.
Box Tops for Education
Jefferson School uses Box Tops for Education as a fundraising source for special projects, so please consider sending in the Box Tops from your favorite products. Each box top collected is worth ten cents!
No School
Monday, September 2 is a non-attendance day for students and staff in recognition of Labor Day. Please mark your calendars!
Preschool Information
Preschool Hours
Morning session: 8:50 - 11:25 and 8:50 - 11:00 (Wednesday only)
Afternoon session: 12:25 - 3:00 and 12:00 - 2:10 (Wednesday only)
If there are no staff outside when you arrive, you must come to the main office off of the back parking lot (door #7) to sign your child into school.
Preschool Family Picnic
The annual Preschool Family Picnic is scheduled for Wednesday, September 11 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. The Family Picnic is an opportunity for families to meet one another, talk with members of the preschool team, and enjoy a picnic dinner with their family. Please bring your picnic blanket and dinner for your family as we only have two picnic tables. The Family Picnic will be held in the preschool playground.
Child's Absence
If your child will be absent from school, please remember to call the attendance line, as an email to the teacher isn't sufficient. To reach the attendance line call 847-318-5360 and press 1. You need not listen to all of the prompts, but can go directly to the attendance line by pressing 1. If your child rides the school bus you will also need to call Lakeview Bus Service (847-647-6965) so they don't unnecessarily stop to pick up your child.
Safety during PE and gross motor time
Every day the students engage in gross motor play either in the gym or on the playground. When the children are running, climbing, and/or engaging in various movement activities it can be dangerous when wearing sandals, flip flops, or Crocs. To ensure your child's safety, please send your child to school on T, W, and F in athletic shoes or send a pair to be left at school. Your child will have the opportunity to change into athletic/gym shoes before going to PE. Additionally, girls who wear flowing dresses and/or skirts on PE days find it hard to actively participate and/or are not safe because of the dress/skirt getting caught in the equipment. Please help your child be safe by sending them to school on PE days in clothing that will keep them safe!
On a monthly basis, our school social worker sponsors a workshop for our parents. Please be watching out for an email from Mrs. Sewell regarding the date and topic for the first Parent Group.
Preschool Learning!
First Day Picture!
Students Learn Hallway Rules!
Sharing With New Friend!
Extended Day Kindergarten (EDK) Information
Extended Day Kindergarten Hours
Before School Care - 7:00 - 9:00 a.m.
Morning Extended Day Program - 9:00 - 12:15
Afternoon Extended Day Program - 12:00 - 3:30 (except on Wednesdays: 12:00 - 2:40)
Children attending the Before School Program and/or morning EDK program will enter the building through the EDK door (door #4). The door will close at 9:00 a.m. Therefore, if you arrive after 9:00 you will need to go around the building to the main entrance off the back parking lot (door #7). Parents must personally walk their child to the EDK door (door #4) for the morning and Before School Care program.
Parents picking up their child from the afternoon EDK program can pick up their child from the EDK door (door #4) between 3:00 - 3:30. On Wednesdays you may pick up your child from the EDK door between 2:10 - 2:40. Parents picking children up from school before 3:00 p.m. (2:10 on Wednesdays) must come to the main entrance (door #7) off the back parking lot.
Absences
If your kindergarten child will be absent, you need to call Jefferson School to report the absence (847-318-4212) in addition to notifying their home school. If your child attends Beyond the Bell, you will also need to contact the Park District.
Lunch
Unlike snacks that are eaten in the classroom, children attending our Extended Day Kindergarten program eat lunch in a lunchroom. Therefore, they are able to have food that contains tree nuts or peanuts. We have a dedicated, tree nut/peanut free table for those who are allergic.
Changes with EDK enrollment
Refunds for dropping days and/or the EDK program in entirety will only be given if the school is notified by the 14th of the month or before an invoice is submitted. If you have any billing questions contact Valerie Varhalla at 847-318-4322 or vvarhalla@d64.org.