Madison Memos
The Madison School Newsletter / November 18, 2016
Dear Madison Families,
Can you believe Thanksgiving and the holiday season is next week? The first trimester of the school year is in the books, report cards go home today, and the Madison Winter Holiday Concert is right around the corner!
The State of Illinois recently released our school’s Report Card. This newly revised and improved website allows all stakeholders to dig deeper into school achievement data. Although our student scores on the PARCC assessment are just a snapshot of our student progress, we are proud of the results our students attained. I encourage parents to take a look at the Academic Progress noted. On last year’s PARCC assessment, 66% of Madison students met or exceeded state standards and 89% of our students approached, met, and exceeded standards. Both of these marks far exceeded the CUSD 200 and state averages. By searching through this database, one can compare schools, search by various demographics, and get an accurate picture of the many strengths of Madison School. I encourage you to contact me if I can be of any assistance in using this site.
Madison’s Winter Holiday Concerts are fast-approaching. Our concert for grades 1-5 will be on Tues., December 13. Grades 1-3 will perform at 7:00 p.m. After a short intermission, grades 4, 5, and chorus will perform at approximately 7:45 p.m. Our kindergarten students will perform in a short concert on Tues., December 20 at 9:30 a.m. We will share more specific directions soon.
Lastly, I strongly encourage and hope that you can attend our Facilities Open House at Edison Middle School on Thurs., December 1. Please stop by this open house any time between 6-8 p.m. so that I can walk you through some of the proposed changes at Madison and Rachel Bednar, Edison Principal, can walk you through the needed improvements at Edison Middle School. Proposals for our high school and Jefferson Early Childhood Center will also be showcased.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week,
Tim Callahan
Children's Author Visit
Breaking News! Children’s author/illustrator David Biedrzycki will be at Madison on Monday, Dec. 5, 2016. His book "Bear Alert!" won the 2016 Monarch Award. Students are preparing for his visit by reading his books and creating movies and artwork to publicize this event. If you are interested in purchasing his books, click
here for the form. Please return the form by Nov. 17, 2016.
Contribute to Christmas Sharing
It is Christmas Sharing time again! Christmas Sharing started over 25 years ago as a joint effort between the churches and schools in the Wheaton area with the goal being to provide for needy families during the holiday season.
Madison school is asking for your donations to assure the success of the program. Needed items include clothing (gently used is okay), new underwear and socks, blankets, winter coats, mittens, boots, paper products, baby wipes, diapers, baby food, baby clothes, toys, food, face/body soap, cleaning supplies, and other nonperishable goods. The program is also in need of cash donations. There will be Christmas Sharing tables set up near the main doors and we will be collecting donations through December 2.
Thank you so much for all your support and together we can make a difference.
Questions? Contact Shannon Prahl and Lisa Parrilli at shannon.prahl@cusd200.org
Pick a mitten off the tree
Please take a mitten to help our Madison families during the holiday season. The mitten tree is in the front hallway outside the office. Please wrap the item with the mitten on the outside of the gift and return the present to me no later than Friday, Dec. 9. *New this year: Please record your mitten number on the record sheet provided.
Questions? Contact Shannon Prahl at shannon.prahl@cusd200.org.
Have you purchased the Madison school yearbook?
Support the Special Needs PTA
Winter carnival is coming in February
This year’s carnival will be on a Saturday, February 4 from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Interested in helping plan this much anticipated event? Contact Suzie Weber, Kelly Styrkowicz, or Amy Fiorato. Or email
waysandmeans@madisonschoolpta.org Upload photos for 5th grade highlight video
As part of this year’s 5th grade celebration, we will be creating a highlight video that features pictures of the students during their years of K-5th grade at Madison. To include all the students, we need your photos. Please upload/share present and past photos of your 5th grader at the following Tree Ring link:
http://www.treering.com/asset/f6dbc6e60d19c33ccd7639fa98e9d05bd760d078/
Tree Ring is the website that Madison uses for our yearbook orders. If you do not have an account yet, Tree Ring will ask you to create a free account. If you have already placed your yearbook order, then you will already have a Tree Ring account.
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT PHOTOS IS DECEMBER 9TH. Be sure to only include photos that were taken at Madison events or on school property. After upload, it would be very helpful if the year or grade of each photo could be included in the photo caption.
Questions about the 5th grade highlight video can be sent to Sarah Johnson at skjohnson75@gmail.com
Join the Madison PTA
Madison PTA advocates for all children through literacy, math, science, problem solving, arts, music, social studies, character development, physical fitness, reaching out, and having fun. Your membership helps to support the numerous programs and activities that our children experience.
Your Family Membership includes our mobile app/digital directory, DirectorySpot, which will be launched on September 26 with updated information for this school year.
For convenience we offer online registration
Go to www.cusd200.org
· Select Madison School from drop down menu at top
· On left side menu, select ‘PTA’
· On left side menu, select ‘Join Madison PTA! – Family Membership’
· Click on the link to register and pay online
If you prefer to pay by cash or check, please select ‘PTA’ and then ‘Forms & Flyers’ to find registration and order forms. Print and complete the forms at home and submit payment(s) to the school office. Registration and order forms are also available in the school office. All checks should be made payable to Madison PTA.
If you have any questions regarding PTA membership, please contact Lisa Thomas at membership@madisonschoolpta.org
PACE testing requests due in January
In March 2017, the PACE Office will host testing for currently enrolled 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students. This testing will qualify elementary students for participation in one of the following 2017-2018 classes:
- 3rd, 4th and 5th grade PACE Mathematics
- 3rd, 4th and 5th grade PACE Reading
- 6th grade Fast Paced Mathematics
- 6th grade Fast Paced Language Arts
Please Note – Students currently in PACE Program Classes do not need to re-test for 2017-2018
Students may be recommended for testing by their Teacher and/or Parent.
The deadline for a Parent to request PACE Testing is Friday, January 13, 2017.
Students currently attending a private school and/or home schooled, but reside in the
District 200 Attendance Area, are also eligible for PACE Program Testing.
Testing will take place at each elementary school around the first or second week of March, scheduled around mandatory PARCC testing. Parents who register their students by the Friday, January 13, 2017 deadline will be notified by mail about specific testing dates & times prior to testing.
Parent Testing Referral Forms can be found on the District 200 website www.cusd200.org under Departments > Student Learning > Gifted Education > Parent Referral Forms
Please contact the District 200 PACE Office at (630) 682-2024 or email PACE@cusd200.org with any questions
Screen Free Committee Chair Opening
The PTA is looking to fill the Screen Free Week Committee Chair role. If you are interested in helping coordinate this fun springtime event, please contact Kristin Olson,
kolson1@me.com or Rachel Bailey,
mooreracheld@hotmail.com.
Donate to the art room
The art teachers are looking for anything from the list to be donated.
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Egg carton
Yogurt and any plastic containers
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Kleenex
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Large T-shirts for smocks ( please, no button down shirts)
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Paper towels
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Wet Wipes
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Q-tips
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Wallpaper
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Ribbon, string, buttons
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Tape
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Pencils
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Magazines ( appropriate )
Questions? Please contact Mrs. Murray at gayle.murray@cusd200.org.
Save General Mills Box Tops for Education
Please save General Mills Box Tops and turn them in to the LLC. Madison can earn ten cents for every General Mills Box top turned in. Thank you to Mrs. Spires for heading up this effort. Last year we purchased many copies of the new Rebecca Caudill, Monarch, and Bluestem Award Book Nominees. Thank you for your support.
Order from Amazon and raise money for Madison
The AmazonSmile program donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to Madison PTA. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price. Please support the Madison PTA by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com. Then search for Madison PTA (Wheaton, IL) and select it to be your charity. Or, get started by clicking on this link: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/36-3662363. Once you select Madison PTA as your charity, Amazon will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.
CUSD 200 Facilities inspected buildings for asbestos
Save the dates
Click on the calendar on the Madison section of www.cusd200.org to view upcoming dates. See below for some highlights:
Nov. 18: Multicultural Day
Nov. 21-25: Thanksgiving Break
Dec. 13: Winter concert K-5, chorus
Dec. 20: Kindergarten Concert
Dec. 20: Winter Parties
Dec. 21 - Jan. 3: Winter Break
Jan. 16: No school. Martin Luther King Day
Jan. 17: No school. Institute Day.
Jan. 21: Pancake Breakfast
Feb. 4: Winter Carnival
View the 2016-2017 school calendar here.
