The Central Scoop
September 7, 2018
From the Principal's Desk...
Dear Parents,
This week, the students made new friends, adjusted to the lunch and recess procedures, and learned about "First Class Central" during an all-school assembly. Many of the classrooms also did a variety of creative team-building activities. Please visit my principal Twitter account to view pictures of the students and to learn more about school happenings from this week (search @BeckyLittmann on Twitter).
We had a great turnout for Curriculum Night for first and second grades this week. Next Wednesday we are having Curriculum Night for third grade starting at 6:15 PM, and fourth grade starting at 7:15 PM.
We have also started our fall benchmarking period. This week the students started taking both Performance Series assessments and reading and/or math CBMs (Curriculum Based Measures). Soon, the children will also begin their writing pieces for the Common Writing Assessment. Results of these assessments are used by teachers to inform instruction and ensure we are challenging all students.
As a reminder, there is no school on Monday. I wish those celebrating a Happy Rosh Hashanah.
Warmly,
~ Becky
Rebecca Littmann
Principal
Central Elementary School
4th Grade Team Building Activities This Week
Picture Day - September 13th
Stuart-Rodgers is our official photography studio for Picture Day this year. After picture day, you will receive an email from info@srphoto.com providing you with your child's personal password protected online gallery. Approximately 10 days after picture day, you will also receive a printed proof sheet that will have your child's photo and gallery password with directions on how to make purchases.
Placing an order is easy! You can visit the website at www.srphoto.com > Order Photos and enter your password. You can also mail in your printed proof to the Stuart-Rodgers Photography studio on Green Bay Road in Evanston.
New this year is a free shipping code that you can use to get free shipping if your order is placed by 11:59cst on October 11th. Central Elementary Schools code is: 3NS. If you have multiple students, you can combine the online orders by going to the top bar and selecting "Gallery Options" and then "Combine Galleries" to put all your children on one order!
If you have any questions please call Stuart-Rodgers Photography at 847-448-0216, or email info@srphoto.comSuperintendent Search
Tuesday, September 18th at 9:15 a.m.
Village Wide PTO, D39 Educational Foundation, Community Review Committee, PASS 39
Tuesday, September 25th at 10:00 a.m.
Parent forum at WJHS
Wednesday, October 3rd at 7:00 p.m.
Community forum at WJHS – all are welcome
Important School Safety Reminders
We provide adult supervision before school each day beginning at 8:20 AM at the doors only. Our playgrounds are not supervised by adults (they are considered public parks before and after school). If you would like your children to be able to play on our playground before or after school, they should have a parent or adult babysitter present to supervise.
After School, please wait until after the dismissal bell to walk onto school property to retrieve children. Our PE classes are still in progress until 3:10pm and it's not safe for large crowds (or strangers) to have access to school property during the day. Starting next week, supervisors will be on hand in green vests to remind crowds to please wait for the bell to ring. There will also be supervisors on hand at each door to help students locate their caregivers.
Please help us promote bike/scooter safety. Children may not ride bikes/scooters on school property. This includes school sidewalks and blacktops. We are simply asking the children to walk their bikes to the bike racks when they arrive to school. As a reminder, 3rd and 4th graders may bring their bikes to school. Those in 2nd grade are encouraged to bring their bikes to school once they participate in bike safety training in May.
Please...no dogs on school property (including sidewalks). There are signs posted to remind you of this important Village ordinance. I'm a dog lover myself, but we really enforce this rule to protect the safety and comfort of our students. If you retrieve your child from school (and like to walk your pooch at the same time) please pick a rendezvous spot across the street from the school. Our crossing guards will make sure your child crosses the street safely to get to you.
For more information about school rules and safety procedures, please view our district and school handbooks listed on the front page of our school website.
New Lunch Times This Year!
11:05-11:55 - 4th Grade
11:10-12:00 - 2nd Grade
11:25-12:15 - 3rd Grade
11:30-12:20 - 1st Grade
Community Support For A Family
Over the coming weekend, the Wilmette community will be putting orange ribbons around town and in front of schools, to show support for the Duncan family. Sebastian Duncan, a former D39 student, has been missing since going kayaking on Lake Michigan on the evening of August 27. The Wilmette community is showing support as the family continues to search for his whereabouts.
Show Your School Spirit
"Welcome Back to School" Video For Families (last posting)
Improved Security Protocol (last posting)
District 39 continues to evaluate our safety procedures and has made some adjustments for when we have visitors. When you come to volunteer at Central, you will need your driver’s license each time you come into the building. While in the past, a parent could show his/her license one time, the new requirement will be to bring the license EVERY time. The secretaries will hold onto the driver’s license while you are in the building and return it to you when you leave for the day. These procedures will be practiced in all D39 schools. Our new procedures will be aligned with other schools in the area, including New Trier High School. Thank you for your help in keeping our students safe!
Friday Early Dismissal Reminder (last posting)
As a reminder, with the start of the 2018-2019 school year, 2:15pm-3:15pm supervision for our Friday Early Dismissal will be offered only to families who meet one of following criteria:
Your child attends the Park District After School Recreation Program and takes the 3:15pm bus from Central School to the Wilmette Park District Recreation Center.
You have a child in grades 1-4 who has a sibling in PM kindergarten.
Your child participates in a Friday After School Park District 3:15pm club at your home school (Central).
Board Meeting Highlights (last posting)
Wilmette Park District After School Clubs (last posting)
Here is a link to the Park District website where you will find information regarding after-school park district clubs: http://www.wilmettepark.org. The Fall 1 session runs Tuesday, September 11 – Friday, October 19. The Fall 2 session runs Monday, October 22 – Friday, December 21. All participants can register through the Wilmette Park District starting on Tuesday, August 28 at 9:00 am. If you have any questions or concerns about a club, want to know how to sign-up, discuss an absence, etc. please contact Haylee Kessler at hkessler@wilpark.org or 847-853-6297. (please do not call Cathy or Sallie at the front office as the school does not plan/teach/run the clubs - thank you!)
Village Wide Environmental Awareness (last posting)
PTA Announcements and Reminders...
* The PTA sends out their own newsletter on Sundays - here are just a few highlights
PTA Meeting
Please join the PTA at the first 2018-2019 school year General Board Meeting this Wednesday, September 12th at 9:00am in the auditorium for an iGNITE sponsored speaker, Ramaa Krishnan. Ramaa is the founder of the Wilmette based studio, Full Bloomed Lotus, a center for self-awareness. Full Bloomed Lotus partners with the PTA to provide an iGNITE funded enrichment program to our 4th graders, teaching the students how to practice mindfulness. At the PTA meeting, Ramaa will discuss what mindfulness is, along with how it can transform our parenting styles, teach us and our children how to be more resilient, as well as teach us strategies to help respond to parenting challenges with kindness and wisdom! Ramaa has spent most of her adult life developing and practicing approaches and techniques to calm the mind, which began with her practice of Eastern spirituality. Please join us to learn more on how these practices can create harmony in both your child’s and your lives!
Save The Dates!
Central School Carnival
Kick-off the new school year with The Central School Carnival! There are volunteer opportunities for both adults and teens that are in two shifts, so you can attend the Carnival with your family AND help out. The Carnival is on Saturday, September 15th from 2:00PM to 5:00PM, rain or shine, at Central School. Bring the whole family to meet up with old friends and new classmates. This is a family fun event you don't want to miss! To see all of the Carnival details, including how to volunteer, purchase tickets, or donate a cake to the tremendously popular cake walk please click here
Saturday, September 22, 2018 - Parent/Teacher Party
Mark your calendar for the party of the 2018/2019 school year! Central School’s Parent/
Teacher Party is happening on Saturday, September 22, 2018. This is a school wide adult event and is sure to be a blast! More details on the PTA website.
From the Nurse's Office
Call Central School "Attendance Line" For Absences: 847-512-6150
Please call the Attendance Line to report absences even if you let the classroom teacher know, because some teachers don't see the email/voicemail until later in the day. Teachers assume you are calling the office. It's important that the school nurse is directly aware of any absences otherwise, your son/daughter may be considered "missing." The school nurse keeps track of all school absences in the building. For safety reasons, we want to make sure all of our students are accounted for and safe.
New Central Health Office Website!!
Here is your go-to site for all of your health related questions including PE/Recess Notes, Health Requirements, Dental Examinations, Allergy and Asthma, Medications, Snacks in Classrooms, Lice, Influenza...and more!
Community Announcements...
- PASS 39 is hosting a Welcome Ice Cream Social on Monday, September 17th at 6:00 pm at the MEC/District office. RSVP @ pass39@wilmette39.org
- Wilmette Food Pantry is open every Tuesday 10:30-11:30 am at Trinity United Methodist Church.
- All are welcome to join in the festivities at Harper Elementary School's Hoedown on Sunday, September 30th, 11:30 - 2:30.
- The Wilmette Historical Museum hosts "Auto Historica XV” a vintage and classic car show on Sunday, September 23rd, 12:00 - 3:00 pm
- Family Action Network (FAN): Click HERE for information about FAN and upcoming speakers.
Join us on Twitter!
Central School is on Twitter!
- We have TWO Twitter accounts. Please "follow" us at Twitter.com! Explore Central 39 (with our actual "handle" as @explorecentral). With this account, we mostly share student activities that are completed in the Learning Commons (but other activities are often included as well). We are also providing this Twitter feed on our Central School homepage.
- There is also a principal page @BeckyLittmann where you can follow a variety of school happenings including all-school events, classroom activities, PTA enrichment, and school goals.
Save the Dates...
9/10 - No School
9/12 - 3rd Grade Curriculum Night @ 6:15PM
9/12 - 4th Grade Curriculum Night @ 7:15PM
9/13 - Picture Day
9/14 - Picture Day Rain Date
9/15 - Fall Carnival 2:00PM-5:00PM
9/19 - No School
9/22 - Parent Teacher Party - new date!