News from Sundling Junior High
January 31, 2020
Letter from the Principal
Although the cold temperatures, blustery winds, and snow of the winter months are upon us, things remain warm inside the walls of Sundling Junior High. The students recently wrapped up the first half of the school year and are preparing to set goals and buckle down for a successful second half of learning. We have shared in many successes and have many things to be proud of as we look back at the first five months of school, but also much work ahead as we push toward May, and the end of the school year. No matter the season or month of school, the staff and administration at Sundling are committed to providing a safe learning environment that will challenge and motivate our students to reach their full potential.
On January 21st, while students were at home, the Sundling staff participated in a Teacher Institute Day. Our staff, along with other schools in District 15, attended professional development on Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning with Dr. Sharroky Hollie. Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching and Learning uses research, best practices and evidence-based teaching strategies to provide practical activities and information to support the modern-day teacher. Following this training, and future professional development opportunties, Sundling teachers will be able to implement best-practice instruction with the practical, easy-to-implement strategies and concrete activities, and approach their instruction through a culturally and linguistically responsive lens.
Our fall sport of boys’ basketball came to an end in mid-January. Thank you to 7th grade coach Nicole Mogilinski and 8th grade coach Sean Clarke for their commitment and team approach to the sport. The boys gained a lot of skill, experience and self-confidence through practices, games and tournaments this year. With the end of basketball brings the start of our volleyball and wrestling seasons. Girls volleyball is coached by Anne Olson and Nicole Mogilinski, while wrestling is coached by Eric Young and Chris Dewey. It was great to see many students try-out for the teams and/or stay involved in junior high. We look forward to great seasons from both sports.
PBIS is in full swing at Sundling. Our Green, Yellow, and Red Teams are meeting on a regular basis to review data and make decisions to promote positive behavior at our school. We continue to promote our “Pledge to the Paladin- Defenders of a Noble Cause” theme in our daily work. We are always looking for ways to build strong character and positive behavior traits in our students to exhibit both inside and outside of the school building. Our PBIS Yellow Team has implemented a Sundling Connection Program and also our SAIG, Structured Academic Intervention Groups, to help build relationships between students and adults at school. This is a great way to check-in and check-out with some of our students at the beginning and end of each school day and meet with others to promote positive behaviors and interactions within our school. We are pleased by the results so far, and look for continued success. When students feel safe and comfortable at school, learning is possible.
I hope that you stay warm during these winter months. Please be sure to ask your child what he/she is learning each day, and don’t accept, “I don’t know” or “nothing” as an answer!! Our journey as “Partners in Learning” continues…
We hope you will join us for our annual WRS PTA Student vs. Faculty Basketball Game on Thursday, February 13th. It’s a fun night, a main school fundraiser for our PTA, and carries a lot of tradition! The staff is carrying a two year winning streak, and hopes that this will carry into 2020!
Thank you for the continued support of our school and staff.
Sincerely,
Jason Dietz
Principal
Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @SundlingJH and Instagram @wrsjhpaladins
5Essentials Survey
How are we doing? Take the 5Essentials survey to share your feedback.
This is your opportunity to evaluate your school according to five areas, including but not limited to instructional climate, homework policies and quality of facilities. Fill out your online survey through Feb. 14, 2020.
The results from this survey will become part of each school's public Illinois School Report Card. The data is also used periodically by media outlets as part of national and state school rankings.
8th Grade Graduation Pictures
Hello 8th Grade Families,
MARK YOUR CALENDARS! Lifetouch will be at Sundling on Thursday, February 6th to take 8th Grade Graduation pictures.
Students will take one photograph in a provided graduation gown, followed by another photograph from the waist up.
Send no money now. You will have the opportunity to review your photos later to determine if you would like to purchase. Students should wear dress clothes, as they will take pictures with and without the graduation gown.
More information will be provided on a flyer sent home with students later this week. Retakes are scheduled for Tuesday, March 3rd.
Additional information about our upcoming graduation ceremony and activities will be coming home in the following months.
WRS Scholars Program Needs Speakers
Notes from the Nurse
January and February are big months for winter illnesses! Despite the slightly
milder weather we have been experiencing, getting a cold, the flu or strep throat
is not out of the question!
To keep our school a healthy place, we encourage frequent handwashing and the
practice of covering a cough or sneeze. Surface sanitizing wipes are available in
many classrooms for students to use as needed. Another component of limiting
the spread of germs is for students to stay home when they are sick. An elevated
temperature over 100 degrees, vomiting, diarrhea, and cold symptoms with
persistent cough or heavy drainage are indications that a student should be
absent from school. While we admire students who aim for perfect attendance or
are trying to push through an illness, we are also trying to keep our more fragile
students safe and out of the hospital should they become ill.
As a reminder, students who are not feeling well in class are asked to see the
Nurse before a plan is made to leave school. Please do not come to school to pick
up your child after receiving a text message unless you know your student has
visited the Health Office first. According to district policy, medications (even
over-the-counter types like Tylenol or Advil) are not allowed in purses, lunch bags
or backpacks. The only exceptions are inhalers and epi pens that are emergency
medications and are backed up by a doctor’s order on file for the current school
year.
If you ever have any questions about your student’s school health issues, please
feel free to call! I am here on all school attendance days from 7:40 until 2:40.
Tricia Prebil RN
847 963-3702
Upcoming & Important Dates at WRS- Feb. 2020
February 6- 8th Grade Graduation Pictures
February 7- Music Department Pictures
February 12- Board of Education Meeting- 7:00 PM
February 13- WRS PTA Student vs. Staff Basketball Game- 7:00 PM
February 17- No School- Presidents' Day
February 19- WRS PTA Meeting- 7:00 PM
February 23- WRS PTA Chicago Wolves- Family Night
February 24- District 15 SPARK Meeting at WRS- 7:00 PM
Census 2020
Every 10 years, the United States counts the people in this country. This process is called the Census. Everyone counts – babies, children, teens, adults and older adults.
Illinois receives $20 billion in federal funding through U.S. Census data. This funding is important as it supports vital programs such as public schools, Medicaid and programs that help low-income households. If Illinoisans are not counted during the upcoming 2020 Census, fewer resources will come to the state, having a direct impact on us here in District 15.
District 15 will be working with other community organizations to support a complete count in our area. District 15 will be sharing more information on how to participate in the coming weeks.
Online Registration for the 2020/21 School Year is Open NOW!
Online registration is now open for all students attending District 15 schools in the 2020-21 school year!
We opened registration earlier this year to allow families more time to complete the process. Please visit www.ccsd15.net/registration for information and instructions on how to register your child. If you are having trouble completing the process, please contact your child’s school office for assistance.
District 15 P.B.I.S- Positive Behavior Intervention & Support
Teaching students expectations for their behavior and providing ways for students to learn useful tools and strategies for their daily lives at school, at home and in the community -- now and as they grow to adulthood -- is an important component of D15’s curriculum.
From our youngest to our oldest students, D15 uses a framework -- called Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) -- to teach and acknowledge expected behaviors and create support systems to encourage positive behavior so that students can be successful.
Kindergartners, for example, may gather in a circle to learn and understand each other's special talents and gifts as a way to create a peaceful learning community of students. By eighth grade, our oldest students use "I messages" to express and communicate their emotions and thoughts in an effort to #vibe with their classmates.
Across D15, each school uses PBIS to establish clear expectations for positive behaviors. At every school, a leadership team creates a social culture for students -- like the "Wildcat Way" at Frank C. Whiteley, "Leading Like Lions" at Lake Louise and "We are Warriors" at Winston Campus Junior High -- to help students know and remember the positive behaviors. These expectations are specifically taught, modeled and reinforced across all settings by all school personnel.
Here at Sundling, we use the following slogans to support a positive school culture, including; "It's a Great Day to Be a Paladin," "Pledge to the Paladin," or "Paldins, Defenders of a Noble Cause." We use the hashtage #paladinpride when posting items about our school on social media.
As the school year unfolds, schools monitor and use data about current student behaviors to select areas that may need special attention. And just as we do in academic instruction, all D15 schools use a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) model for PBIS to meet the needs of every child. A school-wide program in the first tier offers a universal lesson for all students. Those needing an extra layer of support to learn these skills will receive tier 2 instruction, and some will need more intensive, individualized instruction in tier 3.
PBIS is a powerful component of D15’s efforts to create a connected learning community so vital to helping each student become a world-class learner, while also improving school safety and promoting positive behavior. To learn more about PBIS at your child’s grade level, please view our website here.
Winter Weather Closures
District 15’s Inclement Weather Protocols
As we enter the winter season, we want to remind families of District 15 families of the district’s emergency closing protocol. The school district takes the responsibility of deciding to close schools very seriously, and will only close in the event of extremely inclement weather.
If school is canceled, that decision is made by 5 a.m. You will be notified of the closure in a variety of ways:
Phone, Text, and Email—District 15 will send a message to all parents through a voice call, text message and email. Please ensure your contact information listed in the Infinite Campus is accurate. If you have changes you'd like to make to your personal contact information, please log into the Parent Portal and adjust your contact information.
Website—If classes are canceled due to inclement weather, an announcement will be posted on ccsd15.net and all of our school websites.
Social Media—School closures will be posted on the district’s Facebook and Twitter pages.
Radio and TV—Should a snow day be called, District 15 will inform television and radio stations.
For more information on emergency school closures and severe cold response plans, please visit our website.
WRS PTA Reflections Contest
Upcoming PTA Events in February
Please join us for some upcoming PTA events!
* Thursday, February 13: Faculty Student Basketball Game - A fun night for everyone!
Please sign up here to volunteer:
https://sundlingpta.memberhub.com/HSR50206I23795
Raffle: Donations for raffle items......gift cards, themed baskets etc.
Please contact Sheree Stark at shereemstark@yahoo.com or 847-774-3935 as soon as possible if you are wanting to donate :)
* Wednesday, February 19: PTA Meeting
* Sunday, February 23: Sundling Wolves Game 3pm vs. Rockford Icehogs - Deadline extended to February 7!
Join Sundling Jr. High School students, teachers, families and friends for an afternoon of fun at a Chicago Wolves hockey game. Everyone will receive a free Chicago Wolves hat and be seated together in section 112. Parking is $15 per car. Tickets are $18.50 each for section 112 (regularly $28). A family pack of 4 tickets is available at $70 saving you $4. You may also choose to enjoy a hotdog and soda preorder for $6.50. Tickets will be distributed by Wednesday February 19th. Please see attachment for details on how to order. These forms were also sent home with student report cards.
Membership:
Fill out the attached form or sign up online at https://sundlingpta.memberhub.store/
WRS PTA Family Night with the Chicago Wolves- 2/23/2020
Join Sundling Jr. High School students, teachers, families and friends for an afternoon of fun at a Chicago Wolves hockey game. Everyone will receive a free Chicago Wolves hat and be seated together in section 112. Parking is $15 per car. Tickets are $18.50 each for section 112 (regularly $28). A family pack of 4 tickets is available at $70 saving you $4. You may also choose to enjoy a hotdog and soda preorder for $6.50. Tickets will be distributed by Wednesday February 19th.
HOW TO ORDER:
Fill out order form (link below) and submit with payment (cash or checks made out to Sundling PTA) to the homeroom teacher by Friday, January 31st, 2020.
WRS PTA Membership
To become a PTA member, you can fill out a paper membership form and send it to school with your student labeled “Sundling PTA.” The form can be found on our website at: https://www.ccsd15.net/Page/8467. Another way to join is to enter your information directly into Memberhub (please be aware that memberhub charges a nominal service fee) at: https://sundlingpta.memberhub.store/. Whatever level you choose to be involved, from simply being a member, to holding an office position, and everything in between, we are most grateful! Sundling PTA needs you!
For those who have already joined and/or donated directly, please know that we greatly appreciate your participation and support of PTA! Sundling PTA can be found on Facebook, online at https://www.ccsd15.net/Page/8458, and at memberhub https://app.memberhub.com/. Our member directory can be found online through memberhub.
Internet Service Provider Assistance Programs
Community Consolidated School District 15 recognizes that providing internet at home may represent a financial hardship for some families. Internet providers recognize this need as well and have programs in place for qualifying families:
To locate additional companies that offer low-cost internet, please visit:
Our community also offers free Wi-Fi at various locations. Find links to locations in our community and surrounding areas that offer free Wi-Fi:
District 15 is Hiring!
Bus Drivers (https://www.applitrack.com/ccsd15/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Transportation)
Classroom Assistants (https://www.applitrack.com/ccsd15/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Program+Assistants)
Nutrition Services Staff (https://www.applitrack.com/ccsd15/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=School+Nutrition+Services)
Substitutes (https://www.applitrack.com/ccsd15/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Substitute)
Sundling students participating in Knitting Club after school.
Sundling students participating in the School Science Fair.
Sundling students playing a game of "Stack Up" during PE classes.
Walter R. Sundling Junior High School
Website: www.ccsd15.net/WRS
Location: 1100 North Smith Street, Palatine, IL, USA
Phone: 847-963-3700