Cougar Courier
ELM MIDDLE SCHOOL’S WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
April 8, 2022
Principal's Message
Greetings Elm Families,
We hope everyone had a wonderful week! It was a busy one here at Elm! We had another amazing Career Study experience for our Creative Writing Students, who were enthralled in learning about the various aspects of being an author, writing techniques and publishing!
Additonally next week is our Illinois Assessment of Readiness state testing week! It is imparative for our students to arrive to school on time, well rested and ready to take these assessments! Please take a few minutes to talk with your students this weekend about IAR! We know all of our students are going to do amazing!
I can't believe it, but we're also turning the corner on the end of the year, in addtion to IAR conversations make sure you're talking to your students about their grades and ensuring they are on pace to finish of the year strong!
Please take a few minutes and read through this week’s Courier! As always, should you need anything, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me directly. Stay safe! #TeamElmStrong
Ms. Ashley Groeneveld
Illinois State Testing Reminders
The Illinois Assessment of Readiness will be given to all students at Elm next week! Please be sure to have your students arrive at school on time and rested ready to take these assessments! Addtionally breakfast is offered every morning at Elm for studnets to get a great jump start to testing! More information can be found here. Please reach out if you have any questions.
Bark Alerts-Technology Usage Alerts for Students
When schools give students access to devices and online accounts, an incredible world of learning opportunities opens up — as well as potential dangers. Digital safety is critically important to Elm Middle School which is why we use Bark for Schools to help us protect our students both online and in real life.
Bark monitors for signs of potential issues like:
Cyberbullying
Suicidal ideation
Sexual predators
Threats of violence
And more
As a school, we receive alerts that we can respond to during the school day, however we know that students use their school-issued accounts both at school and at home, and families are often in a better position to respond to urgent alerts after hours, on weekends, and during breaks. In the coming days, you will receive an invitation to create your free account for the Bark for Schools Parent Portal. As soon as you opt-in, you’ll be able to receive after-hours alerts if Bark detects potentially time-sensitive issues.
Please see this letter for more information and reach out if you have any questions!
Elm Middle School Art Show
Join us for a celebratory evening featuring the art of our 6th, 7th and 8th grade student artists. You can even try a few art activities while you wander! The Art Show will be held at Elm Middle School on May 3rd from 5:30-7pm.
Box Top Collection!
COLOR EXTRAVAGANZA - Orders due April 12th!
PAT and Elm Middle School are excited to announce the return of the COLOR EXTRAVAGANZA! Come celebrate the end of a great school year by having fun and getting messy. This event will take place on Thursday, May 12 from 3:30 to 4:45, outside in the Elm Field. Students in grades 5-8 will get to participate in multiple activity stations while getting doused in color powder, led by our Principal, Ms. Groeneveld!
A light snack will be provided after the event. Kits are available for purchase at $20.00 each and include a t-shirt, sunglasses, 5 packs of Color, an inspirational bracelet, a sticker, and temporary tattoo. Orders need to be in no later than April 12, and kits will be distributed on the day of the event. Please wear old clothes and shoes!
We need lots of volunteers so please consider helping out! Order form can be found here.
Easter Trunk Hunt
Title 1 Family Night - Celestial Voyage!
Your family is invited to join us for a journey through the universe without leaving Elmwood Park! Please join us on Tuesday, April 26th at Elmwood Elementary School Gym. There will be two showings: 4:00 - 4:45 PM or 5:00 - 5:45 PM. Students must be accompanied by an adult.
Please click here for more information! Families have until 4/15 to register.
Mark Your Calendars!
Ideas include dance and cooking demonstrations, a community potluck, and multicultural readings!
SAVE THE DATE
May 23rd, 2022
Elmwood Park High School
Attendance Reminders
If a student is going to be absent from class, a parent or guardian should call our Attendance Clerk at (708) 583-6600 or email elmattendance@epcusd401.org.
When calling, please spell your child’s last name and give their student ID number.
Upcoming Events
April 11th-April 14th- Illinois Assessment of Readiness Testing Week
April 15th-No School
April 20th- Regular Board of Education Meeting
April 25th-April 28th- Elm Middle School Book Fair
April 29th-Early Release
May 3rd - Elm Art Show
May 12th- Color Extravaganza!
May 19th- 8th Grade Dinner Dance
May 20th- 8th Grade Breakfast
May 22nd - 8th Grade Graduation
May 23rd- Multicultural Night
Need Help? Contact Us!
Ms. Ashley Groeneveld, Principal: 708-583-6227, groenevelda@epcusd401.org
Ms. Stephanie Spiewak, Assistant Principal: 708-583-6228, spiewaks@epcusd401.org
Mr. Michael Goodman, Dean of Students:
708-583-6238, goodmanm@epcusd401.orgMain Office: 708-452-3550, elminfo@epcusd401.org
Website: https://www.epcusd401.org/elm
Location: 7607 W Cortland St, Elmwood Park, IL 60707, USA
Phone: 708-452-3550