LONDON LOOP
December 1, 2019 - Vol. 4, Issue 7
#WeAreLondon
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Dear London Families,
It's hard to believe we are one-third of the way into the school year. As a reminder, report cards will be going home this Friday, December 6th. In addition to reviewing grades, take a moment to look at the number of days absent or tardy so far this school year with your child. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) we have in the state of Illinois has attendance as a measure of school quality and is utilized as a significant component for overall school designations. Chronic absenteeism is defined as students missing 10% of the school year for any reasons, whether is excused or unexcused. A few things to consider for us in London Middle School and District 21:
-Good attendance matters for school success, starting as early as kindergarten, throughout elementary school, middle school. Developing the habit of attendance prepares students for success on the job and in life.
-Research shows students are academically at risk if they miss 10% of the school year. Once too many absences have occurred, learning can be negatively impacted, regardless of whether absences are excused or unexcused.
-Sporadic, not just consecutive, absences matter. Before you know it - just one or two days a month can add up to nearly 10% of the school year.
-Avoid unnecessary absences. Some absences are unavoidable. Occasionally, children get sick and need to stay home. What is important is getting children to school as often as possible.
-Students arriving late to school can be disruptive to learning. Students need to be in their seat ready to learn by 8:30AM. Too many absences and/or tardies can disrupt learning.
If you need extra resources or support as you help your child develop good attendance habits, please feel free to contact us. London Middle School, in partnership with parents, can help our students succeed! Success starts with being on time and attending school regularly. We look forward to your continued support.
Dr. Luis Correa
Principal
BIG NEWS from Yearbook!!!!
Yearbook will be running a
ONE DAY ONLY CYBER MONDAY SALE!!!!
The yearbook is originally $20, but on Monday, 12/2 it will be just $18. Sale applies to online orders only and this will be the final sale price offered this year.
Write yourself a note, tie a string around your finger, or set a phone alarm. You don’t want to miss this BIG sale!
https://yearbookforever.com/schools/london_middle_school_buy_yearbook_9053/2h6KK7xsshp0v4cwogxpJNp1
We are thankful!
As we prepare to take holiday breaks from school, we want to express our gratitude for everyone who makes it possible for as many students as possible to come to school every day, on time, ready to learn. We thank:
Our students and families for making daily attendance a priority since they know the habit of attendance will help them do well in the classroom and eventually in a job.
Our wonderful teachers who pour their energy into making each classroom an exciting place for exploration and knowledge so children do not want to miss out on learning
Our support staff and community volunteers who provide the extra hands and attention our children need
We especially appreciate everyone’s efforts to avoid taking extra days off during the holidays. Just a few missed days here and there, even if they’re excused absences, can add up to too much lost learning time and leave your child behind in school. This is as true in kindergarten as it is in high school.
Every year, absences spike in the weeks before and after the winter holidays- it’s time to break that cycle. This holiday season, give your children the gift of an education and the habit of attendance.
From the London Support Services Team
Winter Weather News from our Superintendent, Dr. Connolly.
Dear Parents/Guardians:
As we enter the winter months, Community Consolidated School District 21 would like to update you on some of the factors that contribute to closing school in the event of inclement weather and when you can expect to be notified. Over the course of the past several years, we have been engaged in collaborative discussions with District 214 as well as our neighboring districts. Together, we are committed to a process that ensures decisions are made wisely and in a timely fashion regarding the safety and well being of our entire school community.
CCSD21 will follow these general guidelines when closing schools for winter-related weather:
Schools will be closed if there is a forecasted sustained wind chill of -30 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, or when the actual temperature is a sustained -15 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, between the travel times of 5:30 AM - 9:00 AM and/or 2:30 PM - 5:30 PM. The District will use forecasts provided by the National Weather Service.
For snow, ice, or other weather-related closings, CCSD21 will monitor the current conditions, the forecasted conditions between the travel times listed above, the ability of our staff to plow parking lots and sidewalks, as well as the ability of local municipalities to plow and make streets passable. CCSD21 will also be in contact with our transportation companies to assess their ability to safely run buses. In these situations, the District will also be in contact with our neighboring districts, our local and State officials, and meteorologists in order to make the most appropriate decision with the facts known at that respective time.
If school will be closed, CCSD21 will make the notification by 5:30 AM the day of the closing, knowing that you may need to arrange for childcare or other schedule changes. If we are able to make the determination the night before to close school – meaning the forecast undoubtedly warrants closure – we will attempt to notify you between 6:00 PM - 9:30 PM.
Typically, we do not send out a telephone SchoolMessenger notice after 9:30 PM as the system can sometimes take up to an hour to complete all calls. The District will update its website, social media accounts, and the Emergency Closing Center website (www.emergencyclosingcenter.com) as soon as a decision has been made. However, in the event the decision to close school is made after 9:30 PM, the District will wait and send out the telephone SchoolMessenger notice by 5:30 AM the following morning.
When school is closed due to inclement weather, all extracurricular programs and school meetings (except for Board of Education meetings) are cancelled.
It is important to remind you that Illinois School Code and District policy allow parents to call their student(s) out, as excused, in the event that the district keeps schools open, because, as a family, you have concerns about your child safely traveling to or from school.
For real-time, official information regarding school closures, please follow us on Twitter (@ccsd21), like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/ccsd21), and log on to our web site (www.ccsd21.org).
As always, the safety and security of our students and staff remains a top priority of CCSD21, our high school district, and our community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Michael Connolly
Superintendent
London Peer Tutors
The London Peer Tutoring program is up and running for its 3rd year! We are happy to announce that this school year, there is a Peer Tutor group in each of the grades at London. Check the photos below with short updates on what each grade level Peer Tutor group is up to!
6th Graders have been busy learning more about autism spectrum disorder and Down's Syndrome. They are delving deeper in the Zones of Regulation Curriculum to help their tutees in ELSP communicate how they are feeling and choose a coping strategy so they can feel regulated and good about themselves.
The tutors visit the ELSP classrooms 1-2 times a week during their homebase time where they help with initiating and continuing conversations with ELSP students. 7th & 8th Grade Peer Tutors organized a Halloween Celebration for ELSP students where they had fun making slime, decorating masks, and smiling at the photo booth.
This past weekend, we entered the season of being with family and friends, and of sharing and giving our homes, food, and (hopefully) good laughs. With the overhaul of ads and emails flooding our mailboxes and inboxes, it can be difficult to focus and appreciate the good things in life. According to 2 psychologists, Dr. Robert Emmons of U-C Davis and Dr. Michael McCullough of the University of Miami (View Here), expressing gratitude is associated with greater happiness. In fact, people who express their gratitude once a week find themselves feeling more positive emotions, have a higher self-esteem, and are more resilient in the face of adversity.
In the age of technology, according to the American Heart Association, children aged 8-12, spend on average almost 5 hours per day of screentime. More screen time is associated with an impact on sleep quality, reading performance, and social skills. Within seconds, students can post what they are eating or the newest tech or fashion item they just bought or see what their peers are doing for fun. Comparing their own life with the apparent “fun” and “perfect” lives of others’, can hinder the ability of being grateful for what they do have.
Thankfully, no pun intended, gratitude is a skill that through practice, can be fully developed by anyone. Here are some ways you can help your student get started on the gratitude train:
Keep a gratitude journal that you write in once a week
Say thank you more often
Volunteer in the community
Spend more face-to-face time with friends and family
Show those teeth! Smile :)
Wishing you a restful holiday season!
London Student Services Team
Your child goes off to school every day, and parents probably see their primary role in this routine as getting your child to school well groomed, well fed, and on time. If you’re leaving educating up to the school, however, you’re overlooking the most important role you can play. Your involvement in your child’s school experience could mean the difference between success and failure for your child. Your involvement is important because of who you are, not what you know.
Parents have more influence on a child’s academic success than teachers do. No matter how excellent the school program, parents remain the primary educators of their children. What your child “knows” about school has a lot to do with the example you set. If you show an interest in school, your child “learns” that school is important. Getting involved not only helps children—it helps parents. You may not be aware of all the things your child works on at school. Getting involved gives you a good look at your child’s responsibilities and a better understanding of your child’s life. You’ll be surprised how much your increased understanding will add to your child’s self-esteem and willingness to work.
Busy? It’s okay—home is the best place for you to make a difference. Sit with your child while he or she does homework. Just your physical presence helps your child fight restlessness and concentrate better. Being able to discuss the work with you makes homework less frustrating when your child is doing something difficult and even more exciting when your child is working on something interesting. Let your child see you reading, and read to young children whenever possible. This one activity can be essential to your child’s academic success. Achievement in all subjects improves with good reading skills. Talk about school. It sounds simple, but it’s an important part of getting involved with your child’s education. Find out what subjects your child likes and dislikes. Find out what’s difficult in class, and talk about ways to make school easier and more interesting.
If you’re a parent with a little more time to spare… Help the school make good decisions. Don’t forget organizations like the PTSA are there to provide you with decision-making power. Such groups give you a chance to discover how school administrators view the goals of the school and to express your view of what the school’s goals should be. One of the best ways for you to affect your child’s education is by helping to determine school policies. The presence of parents in their child’s education is credited with many positive effects, including giving students more individualized attention, exposing students to a broader base of expertise, and providing powerful role models.
December
- 3 - Boys Basketball vs. St. Peter - 4:00pm
- 5 - Girls Basketball vs. MacArthur - 4:00pm
- 10 - Girls Basketball vs. Holmes - 4:00pm
- 11 - Winter Orchestra Concert - 7:00pm
- 12 - Board of Education Meeting - 7:30pm - Gill Administration Center
- 17 - PAC Meeting - 9:30am in the LMC
- 17 - Girls Basketball vs. River Trails - 4:00pm
- 17 - PTSA Meeting - 7:00pm in the LMC
- 19 - Boys Basketball vs. Cooper - 4:00pm
- 23 - Winter Break Begins
January
- 6 - Classes Resume
London Middle School
Designated Illinois Horizon Schools To Watch
2009, 2012, 2015, 2018
Website: https://london.ccsd21.org/
Location: 1001 West Dundee Road, Wheeling, IL, USA
Phone: 847-520-2745
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ccsd21london/
Twitter: @ccsd21london