Attea Flyers
School Newsletter for Parents
Week of September 3
Hello and happy, Attea Families. We hope you all had a great holiday weekend.
It really seems like the school year has gotten off to a fine start:
- Our new 6th Grade Flyers have been supported in their middle school transition by teachers who helped them read schedules, settle into routines, and begin focusing on organization and self-reliance. They've also been coached on how Attea works by our Admin and Student Services Teams who have presented "how to" information regarding arrival, lunch and recess, office resources, etc. The Admin Team has also met with 6th graders during their X Block to review the school's Big 3 - Respect, Responsibility, & Safety - and preview a very helpful matrix that explains what these concepts look like in different parts of the school: Attea Behavior Matrix.
- Our 7th graders have seamlessly transitioned onto new teams and into new hallways. As experienced Flyers they quickly get into cruise control, and we'll try to push them to continue growing as young adults. The Admin Team also met with the 7th graders during their X Blocks to reinforce a message that their teachers send: we believe in them and hold them to high expectations regarding their academic effort and positive conduct.
- Our 8th graders comfortably returned to familiar hallways, teachers, and classrooms. However, there are even new things for our 8th graders and the Admin team met with the students during their X Block in order to provide an overview of the 8th graders' last year at Attea, including high school placement and transition information and their end-of-year privileges. The linked Important Dates for Attea Eighth Grade Students 2018 - 2019 provides a summary list of this information. We also reinforced the major themes of our expectations for 8th graders: Maintain Good Academic Standing by working hard throughout the year and Display Positive and Mature Behavior.
MAP Testing Update: As you may recall from last week, MAP testing at Attea (and around the country) did not go smoothly. Technical issues on Day 1 of Attea's testing (Reading) resulted in nearly 200 students needing to complete the test during make-ups, which will take place starting on Tuesday, Sept. 4. Day 2 of testing (Math) was cancelled entirely. The MAP math test will take place this Wednesday, Sept. 5 and we'll still utilize our special testing schedule so that students have a generous and uninterrupted amount of time to complete their test. Please note that this year students will no longer be taking the MAP language usage test.
On the short horizon are Curriculum Nights and Picture Day, and more information about these will be share in the next newsletter. Of course, more school information can always be found at our website and parents can call the office with questions.
Have a great week. Go Flyers!!
Focus Forward Together: Parent Survey
Important School Procedures: Reporting Student Absences, Late Arrivals, or Early Dismissals
Absences
Students’ timely arrival at school and regular attendance is critical for academic success, and the school partners with parents to ensure the safety and well being of our students by monitoring their attendance. Best efforts should be made to make student’s appointments (medical, dental, etc.) and family vacations when school is not in session.
When a student cannot be present at school, parents must phone the Attea Attendance Line (see below) by 8:30 a.m. on each day of the absence. When leaving a message on the answering machine, please state and spell the student’s name, share the team name, and the reason for absence. Please know that school law regards a student as truant when she or he is absent from school or a portion thereof without a valid excuse. Thus, if parents do not report a student's absence, and the school will contact parents via phone and it will be regarded as unexcused until a valid excuse is given.
Starting this school year the management of Student Attendance is now being handled by the Main Office. Accordingly, please note an adjustment in school contacting procedures:
- Call the Attea Attendance Line to report absences and late arrivals (there are two options):
- 847-486-7700 and select Option #1
- 847-486-7712 (direct) - this line will not be answered and is for leaving messages for absence and late arrivals only.
- Call the Health Office at 847-486-7714 only to discuss student health related matters.
Late Arrival
Students are expected to be in their first period class by 8:25am. Students who arrive too late to make it to their first period class need to sign in at the main office. A student’s tardy to school is regarded as “excused” if a medical appointment or a family emergency was the cause of the late arrival. Students who are late for other reasons that are otherwise within their control are regarded as “unexcused,” and we will help students monitor their tardies to school to help them cultivate good time management habits. Students arriving late should enter through the Main Office and must sign upon arrival. After signing in, the student will be issued a pass to class.
Early Dismissal
If parents need to pick up their child before the end of the school day, please send her/him to school with an explanatory note. Be sure to include the time you will be at school to pick-up your child. Instruct her/him to bring the note to the Main Office upon arrival at school. A staff member will issue an Early Dismissal Pass, which she/he will present to the teacher whose class she/he will be leaving. At the designated time, the student will pack up her/his belongings and wait for her/his parent in the Main Office. A parent or parent-authorized person indicated on the note must come into the office to sign out the student. Students are not permitted to wait outside.
Students are required to have a note even if they will be leaving during passing period or lunch. They should present the Early Dismissal Pass to their next teacher so their whereabouts will be known.
On rare occasions, if a student needs to leave early for an issue that has come up after the child has left for school, parents should call the Main Office to request an Early Dismissal Pass be sent to their student in class. These requests should be made as early as possible and will be only taken until 2:30pm.
As a rule, office staff does not call into rooms to give students messages so as to avoid interrupting instruction. Parents' adherence to the Early Dismissal Pass procedure will help ensure prompt and efficient departure from school.
Drop-off / Pick-up Procedures - Update
In order to maximize student safety and school security, we're re-sharing this information with parents with some changes highlighted:
Athletic Entrance Drop-off: Students dropped off by car will need to enter the building through the Athletic Entrance on the west side of the building. The image below shows the traffic pattern we ask all parents to follow. We need parents help with a few things:
- Drivers should not stop before the Pedestrian Safety Zone
- Parents should not drive into the bus parking lot.
**Please note that starting Tuesday, September 4, the Athletic Entrance will remain locked until 7:10am. Students dropped off before 7:10 am will either have to wait outside until the doors are unlocked, or they can walk to the Bus Entrance.
Bike Riders: Students who ride a bike can use a bike rack in the front or rear of the building and can enter the building through the Athletic Entrance or Bus Parking Lot entrance.
Walkers: Students who walk can enter the building through the Athletic Entrance or Bus Parking Lot entrance.
Athletic Entrance Pick-up: after-school pick-up will continue to take place at the Athletic Entrance. In order to ensure student and staff safety and to maximize the number of cars that can fit into the parking lot, we need parents' help with a few things:
- Do not stop in front of the orange chains near the bus parking lot.
- Please pull as far up as possible and use the entire curb along the pick-up area.
- Pull your car as close as possible to the vehicle in front of you.
- Do not create second lines of traffic or cut in front of other drivers.
- Please not have your student walk through the parking lot to your vehicle.
Forgotten Item Drop-off Procedure
As a reminder, last year's new security measures and protocols in the District required all school visitors to be buzzed into the office. This led to the development of a new system for parents to drop off items that their child forgot at home, and this system is still in place: a drop-off cart is in the school vestibule with a shelf for each grade level. We ask that parents simply leave the forgotten item on the shelf with a sticky-note with the student's name. Items are brought into the school office for students to retrieve for themselves at a convenient time during the day or with a pass from a teacher. This system reinforces the security of the school office with fewer people coming in and out, and it also contributes to students' developing self-reliance and self-advocacy.
Character Counts in Glenview Essay Contest
In conjunction with CHARACTER COUNTS! in Glenview’s annual fall poster contest, the Character Counts in Glenview Committee is proud to launch the sixth year of the video contest. Students in fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth grades are invited to create videos of between one and two minutes visually depicting one or more of the Six Pillars of Character (trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring and citizenship).
Last year about 80 uplifting and imaginative entries were submitted, and the Committee is hoping for even more creativity and imagination this year. Detailed information can be found on the Character Counts website at www.ccglenview.org. Also on the website is a 1-minute instructional video about the contest, which can be viewed here.
The deadline for entries is 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, September 25. First-, second- and third-place winners in two categories – 5th-6th and 7th-8th – will be recognized and awarded cash gift cards generously donated by the Kiwanis Club of Glenview-Northbrook at the Tuesday, October 16 Village Board of Trustees meeting.
Friday Spirit Days
Every Friday is Spirit Day at Attea. Students are encouraged to wear their school outfits, school colors, or the clothes of a favorite team. Students can purchase spirit wear through our PTA at various times throughout the year or at our school store during its morning hours of operation.
Attea Middle School
Email: attea.website@glenview34.org
Website: https://at.glenview34.org/
Location: 2500 Chestnut Avenue, Glenview, IL, USA
Phone: 847-486-7700
Twitter: @AtteaSchool