News from Sundling Junior High

I hope this communication finds you well as we move quickly through the month of November. With the Thansgiving holiday upon us, I would like to take this opportunity to thank our teaching staff, the parent community, and our students for their continued work, support, and resilience over the past few months of school. I am grateful to work with a staff that is dedicated to supporting and enriching the lives of our students, an involved parent community that supports our work and provides necessary help and feedback for our continued success, and of course, our Sundling students; that roll out of bed each day and find new and innovative ways to engage with school, their friends, and more. Together, we can, and will, help our students to grow by showing kindness, perseverance during difficult situations, growth academically and socially, and promoting self-advocacy. No matter what the situation, these are important skills for life! I hope that whatever your plans are for the remainder of this month, that you find time time to be grateful and thanfkul; and the you find time for yourself, your family and friends.

Our students are moving swiftly through the 2nd quarter of school, which will end on Wednesday, December 21st. Winter Break will be extended this year, beginning on Thursday, December 22nd and ending on Sunday, January 8th. School will resume again on Monday, January 9th.

During the holiday season, Sundling Junior High has always looked for opportunities to give back to our community and help families in need. This year is no different. Our annual Toys for Tots Drive with the Palatine Police and Fire Departments is going on now through Friday, December 13th. Please consider helping a child enjoy the holidays by donating a new toy. Collection boxes are located in the front foyer of our school, and will be there through December 13th.

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!
#stronger4ever #sundlingstrong

Sincerely,
Jason Dietz
Principal

As we wind down the month of November I wanted to send a reminder for school start times. Please remember that school starts at 7:35 AM each day, and students should be in class and ready to learn at that time. The school doors are open for students to enter at 7:20 AM, which gives them 15 minutes to get organized, say a quick hello to friends, and start the day. Please be aware that if a student comes to school after the 7:35 AM bell, or is not in class at the time of the 7:35AM bell, they are considered tardy. Multiple tardies to school will result in administrative follow up, and problem solving to

It has been brought to our attention that there are social media posts circulating regarding incidents at Walter R. Sundling. We would like to start this letter by saying, if you see something on social media regarding our school that you have a question or concern about, please reach out to our school directly. There is often misinformation reported which could lead to rumors in our school community.

To address questions sent to us regarding discipline for fighting in school, the Board of Education Policy 7:190 Student Behavior clearly states, “The school administration is authorized to discipline students for gross disobedience or misconduct, including but not limited to: Engaging in any activity, on or off campus, that interferes with, disrupts, or adversely affects the school environment, school operations, or an educational function, including but not limited to, conduct that may reasonably be considered to: (a) be a threat or an attempted intimidation of a staff member; or (b) endanger the health or safety of students, staff, or school property.” In addition, Policy 7:020 Harassment of Student Prohibited states, “The District will not tolerate harassing, intimidating conduct, or bullying whether verbal, physical, sexual, or visual, that affects the tangible benefits of education, that unreasonably interferes with a student’s educational performance, or that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment.”

The District investigates all reported incidents and takes appropriate disciplinary action. Please understand that due to student privacy laws, if an incident occurs, the District will not be able to provide specific details.

Please take a few moments to speak with your child about the importance of following all school rules to ensure everyone is safe at school and focused on learning. In the event that your child is concerned about safety at our school, please assure them that:

1. WRS is a safe place for students, our staff, and their families; student safety is the District’s first priority;

2. Building administration, District administration, and local law enforcement are aware and involved during safety issues and work to address them immediately; and

3. School safety is a shared responsibility. Students or other valued members of our school community are actively encouraged to let an adult know about any safety concern at school so that it can be immediately addressed. Please encourage your child to contact WRS administration immediately if they feel unsafe at school or at a school-sponsored activity.

As a reminder, we have a process in place to “See Something, Say Something” and have a platform for students or community members to report incidents through the District’s Tip Line.

If you have any further questions, please contact me directly at 847-963-3700 or dietzj@ccsd15.net.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our school safe,

Jason Dietz

Principal

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL 2022-23

🏐 REGISTRATION LINK 🏐

Registration Opens: November 9, 2022

Registration CLOSES: January 9, 2023, 9:00am

2022-23 Wrestling - All Are Welcome!

⇒ REGISTRATION LINK ⇐

Registration Opens: November 9, 2022

Registration Closes: January 12, 2023

We are pleased to join up with Lou Malnati's Pizza again this year!! The Sundling PTA is selling Lou's certificates for $13.25 each (small processing fee if paid online with a credit card), and Lou's will give back to the PTA after all the sales have wrapped up. These certificates are good ANYWHERE there's a Lou's! We expect delivery of the certificates by Dec 15th, plenty of time before Winter break to hand out as gifts! SALES OPEN NOVEMBER 1 - NOVEMBER 30

The Fine Print:

1. Each coupon is good for one 9” frozen Deep Dish pizza (cheese, sausage, pepperoni, or spinach ONLY) to be picked up by customers at any Lou Malnati’s location, including Arizona and Indiana, and Wisconsin. Good for 6 months, the expiration date will be at the bottom of the coupon. At this time, a gluten free option is not available with the coupons.


2. Vouchers may be used for a frozen heart shape pizza during holiday season upon availability and depending what is in stock at that location.


3. THESE ARE NOT VALID FOR SHIPPING FROZEN DEEP DISH PIZZAS. Coupons must be brought in the store to be picked up.


4. Certificates cannot be used towards other food items or towards shipping.

Certificates will be delivered to Students when they arrive. We will also alert the parent email that certificates are being handed out (so you know to look for them/ask for them!!).

Questions - sundlingpta@gmail.com

As part of our regular Parent University series, District 15 has partnered with psychologist and educator Dr. Doug Bolton to speak with parents/guardians surrounding the growing mental health needs of our students. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns existed surrounding the overall well-being of school-age children as it relates to mental health needs. As we moved through the pandemic, practitioners saw a rise in such needs, as did our schools. That said, however, as challenging as the pandemic has been on so many of us, the disruption of this pandemic has pushed us all to find resilience during a time of remarkable uncertainty and stress.

That is why District 15 has partnered with Dr. Doug Bolton. He will share some of the valuable “lessons learned” about how to use stressful times to build resilience in our children because doing so will help them both now and in the future as they face unexpected challenges. We hope you are able to join us on Wednesday, December 14 at 6:30 p.m. for a presentation entitled: Supporting the Mental Health Needs of Children in a Post-pandemic World.

Dr. Doug Bolton is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Director of School Consultation for Formative Psychological Services. He has spent over 20 years as a psychologist and principal at North Shore Academy and at a K-12 therapeutic school in nearby Highland Park. Dr. Bolton provides consultation, supervision, and professional development to parents, educators, and clinicians throughout northern Illinois as he is passionately committed to creating communities that help foster student and staff resilience. District 15 leadership, as well as our certified staff, benefitted from a similar presentation by Dr. Bolton in August, and know you will find his presentation not only thought provoking, but useful in your role as parent/guardian.

Again, we hope you are able to join Dr. Bolton on Wednesday, December 14, 2022, for our final Parent University of 2022. The session will be held in the Sundling Junior High School Auditorium. The presentation begins at 6:30 p.m. and will include time for a Q & A.

Your partner in education,

Laurie Heinz

Superintendent of Schools

Cold and flu season is upon us and we are seeing a large number of students with flu symptoms. To prevent widespread flu in the school, we recommend that your child stay home from school if experiencing flu or cold symptoms. To decide whether or not to send your child to school, please consider the following guidelines.

Consider keeping your child at home for an extra day of rest and observation if he or she has any of the following symptoms:

• Very stuffy or runny nose and/or a cough

• Mild sore throat (no fever, no known exposure to strep)

• Headache

• Mild stomach ache

• Chills

• General malaise or feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness or muscle aches

Definitely keep your child at home and consider seeking medical attention if he or she has any of these symptoms:

• Fever (greater than 100 degrees by mouth. Your child may return to school only after his or her temperature has been consistently below 100 degrees, by mouth, for a minimum of 24 hours without the use of fever reducing medications)

• Vomiting (even once)

• Diarrhea

• Frequent congested (wet) or croupy cough

• Shortness of breath

• Lots of nasal congestion with frequent blowing of nose

To help prevent the flu and other colds, please teach your children good hygiene habits:

• Wash hands frequently

• Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth

• Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, use a paper tissue, throw it away and then wash hands

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick

The flu shot is one of the best ways to prevent illness from the seasonal influenza virus. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends adults and children receive the flu vaccine each year. Yearly flu vaccination is needed because immunity against the flu wears off over time. In addition, the flu virus strains often change, so the vaccine also changes from year-to-year in order to match the flu viruses expected to be circulating in the community.

Colds and Flu are the most contagious during the first 48 hours. A child who has a fever should remain at home until “fever free” for a minimum of 24 hours.

Often when a child awakens with vague complaints (the way colds and flu begin), it is wise to observe your child at home for an hour or two before deciding whether or not they should attend school. Your child should be physically able to participate in all school activities upon return to school. Keeping a sick child at home will help minimize the spread of infections and viruses in the classroom.

Sincerely,

School Health Services

December 6- WRS Winter Chorus Concert 7:00 PM

December 9- WRS PTA Kendra Scott of Kildeer Fundraiser 6-8 PM

December 8- WRS Winter Orchestra Concert 7:00 PM

December 13- D15 Board of Education Meeting 7:00 PM

December 19- WRS 7th Grade Winter Band Concert 7:00 PM

December 20- WRS 8th Grade Winter Band Concert 7:00 PM

December 21- Quarter 2 Ends

December 22, 2022- January 8, 2023- Winter Break (No School)

January 9, 2023- School Resumes

WRS Family Assistance Form

Website: www.ccsd15.net/WRS
Location: 1100 North Smith Street, Palatine, IL, USA
Phone: 847-963-3700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jason.dietz.1217
Twitter: @SundlingJH

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wrsjhpaladins/