Letters from Limestone Walters
September 2023
🗓️ Important Dates to Remember
Sept. 1st: SIP Afternoon (students dismissed at 11:20am with Kindergarten at 11:15am) *reminder no lunch will be served
Sept. 4th: No School! Labor Day
Sept. 6th: House Council Meeting 7:15am
Sept. 8th: Wheel Spin Day
Sept. 11th: PTO Meeting @7pm (Zoom link is emailed out to families)
Sept. 11th-15th: Monthly Lunch Special (see below for more information)
Sept. 12th: Practice Fire Alarm (with alarms)
Sept. 13th: Rêveur Fundraiser Doughnuts and Juice Breakfast starting at 7:25am-7:50am, House Meetings & House Competition Day (wear your House shirts)
Sept. 14th: Lockdown Drill @9:15am (see below for more information)
Sept. 22nd: Wheel Spin Day
Sept. 24th: Cookies & Bookies Book Club @6pm (see below for more information)
Sept. 25th: Board Meeting @6pm
Sept. 29th: Spirit Day TBA
🍪📚 Cookies & Bookies Book Club!
September's Cookie and Bookie
Cookie: Apple Cookie
Bookie: How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World by Marjorie Priceman
- An apple pie is easy to make...if the market is open. But if the market is closed, the world becomes your grocery store. This picture book takes readers around the globe to gather ingredients for a delicious apple pie. First hop a steamboat to Italy for the finest semolina wheat. Then hitch a ride to England and hijack a cow for the freshest possible milk. And, oh yes! Don't forget to go apple picking in Vermont! A simple recipe for apple pie is included.
ZOOM Read Aloud Event will be Sunday, September 24th @6pm. The link is emailed to parents by Sunday afternoon. Please fill out the form below to be emailed the link
👮🚨 Lockdown Drill Opt Out
In accordance with the School Safety Drill Act, we will post our safety drills in the important dates section of our newsletter. You also have the option to have your child opt out of the lockdown drill which is Thursday, Sept. 14th at 9:15am. If you wish your child to opt out of this drill, please contact the office.
🚗 Arrival Reminders
Arrival
- Doors open for learning at 7:25am
- Please wait for Mrs. Pitzer (or a staff member) to open the doors before exiting your vehicle.
Please follow the cones all the way to the back of the parking lot vs. cutting across the middle. This helps with flow of traffic.
Have your child ready to exit the vehicle.
All students may exit the vehicle as long as you are within the white box on the image you see below.
- This zone is set to hold 5-6 vehicles that can all have kids exit at the same time vs waiting until you are directly in front of the doors.
- Once those 5-6 vehicles have let out, the car next can pull all the way up to the farthest cone.
🍽️ Monthly Limited Time Lunch Offering
This month they will highlight the flavors of the Southwest with Chipotle Cheesey Bean Nachos. This dish features cilantro which did you know this herb is at least 5,000 years old? Cilantro seeds have even been found in ancient Egyptian tombs! Cilantro was brought to the Americas from Europe around the 1600s. This dish will be offered Sept. 11th-15th and students simply need to let their teacher know they want the monthly special.
We are very much looking forward to this new opportunity to learn about new foods, try something new, and provide students with healthy options for lunch.
📚⏰ M.A.S.H. 5th-8th Grade
- MASH is Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 2:40pm-3:45pm
- Transportation home will be provided for your child
- Illinois Central Bus will bring a bus back after their route to pick up any MASH student
- Students in extra curricular activities must go home if there is not MASH after school as there won't be staff available to supervise.
- Students who stay after must have something to work on that is school related
- If homework is complete, they can always read for their reading goal, study for a test, and/or work on a school project that is due at a later time.
- Students are expected to follow school expectations (see below) if they stay after school.
💙 School Wide Expectations
*A big shoutout to Mrs. Holt who worked hard to develop this!
📚 Curriculum Updates
World Book Research Database
Have you and/or your child explored World Book? Teachers shared the username and password in class for access at home. Instead of having your child going to Google first, head to World Book first instead. This is a more safe space for students to get updated and accurate information for any and all research they need.
*You can also find this on our website under student links
Into Reading (K-6th)
K-6 will be diving into Module One this month. One of our many favorite parts of this series is the philosophy of immersing students in literacy elements: reading, writing, phonics, grammar, vocabulary, sight words, spelling, etc. The books and stories your children are reading include these elements so students not only learn important skills but have authentic opportunities to practice these skills through shared experiences.
This series also weaves in vital social skills that focus on a learning mindset. I have included a link to a chart you can use at home below. You will also see an image below with the breakdown of grade level essential questions and social emotional/learning mindset focus.
Be on the look out for communication from your child's teacher for more on the learning Module One includes.
Social Studies (4th-8th)
4th-8th grades will be diving into their first topics of our brand new social studies curriculum. You will notice that this curriculum also uses the CASEL framework for social emotional learning. This common language being integrated across the building and multiple subjects will support our students with an even greater understanding that will lead to mastery. You will see that each grade level has an essential question(s) that lead their discussions too.
👩⚕️🩺School Nurse Introduction
Dear Parents,
I want to introduce myself. My name is Cari Subbert and I will be the school nurse for
the 2023-2024 school year at LW. I have been a nurse for over 10 years, working primarily in
surgery, specifically the recovery room. My husband Jay and I have 4 children and 2 of them
are currently at LW. I have lived in this area for a long time, and was also a LW Rocket! I have
2 labs, Hazel and Tudge and 1 (NOT NICE) cat, Ruby. I am excited to be involved with your
student’s healthcare while at school, and want you to feel free to reach out to me with any
needs!
I do have a few housekeeping items that I need addressed. I will be sending home a
medication authorization form with your student. You can also find the form attached to this
email. This form is only for students who take medication during the school day. Only the
medications that need to be taken during the school day should be listed on the form. Please
note, this is for BOTH prescription and non-prescription/over the counter medications.
Please list any prescription medication as well as over the counter medications (tylenol,
ibuprofen, cough drops, cold medications, creams, etc.) that you would like your student to take during school hours. This form must be signed by a parent as well as the provider/physician.
Prescription medication must be in the original labeled container and all over the counter
medications need to be in the original container with your students name on it. If you need an
additional container for a prescription medication, please contact the pharmacy. They provide
labeled bottles for student’s school use medications. I am happy to administer over the counter medications as needed, provided that YOU supply the medication.
If your student has asthma, life threatening allergies that require intervention, seizure
disorder or diabetes, please be sure to have an updated action plan with physician signature on file in the office. Also, please be sure to send in the required rescue medication. Please reach out with questions/concerns via phone or email. I am eager to get to know you and your student!
Sincerely,
Cari Subbert, BSN, RN
csubbert@limestonewalters.com
309-697-3035 EXT 222
💫 #LWROCKETSREAD BOOK WISHES
Readers thrive when they are surrounded by a supportive reading community which gave me the idea of a Book Wishes Amazon Wish List. This will help with getting even more books into classrooms as well as provide family and friends, who may not live directly within our community, an opportunity to donate as well.
I pour over book blogs and websites, reach out to fellow educators, and grab titles as I read too. I used these resources to carefully curate a selection of books that cover a wide variety of ages, genres, topics, themes, etc. I then added these titles to our #LWRocketsRead book wishes list on Amazon. Your purchase means it will be shipped directly to the school, find its way into the classroom, and have a label with who donated it! Please make sure to include your name when purchasing.
If you are interested in donating please click the link below. Please feel free to share our with family and friends! I can't wait to see where our farthest book comes from.
👍 PTO Points
Our PTO is trying something new with meeting days. PTO meetings will now be heled on the first Monday of the month at 7 pm, unless it falls on a day off. Here are the dates for this semester:
September 11th
October 2nd
November 6th
December 4th.
We will reevaluate in December to see if Mondays are working. Our PTO is a great way to get involved in fundraisers and activities that support our school. If in person doesn't work for you, they also have a virtual Zoom option. The links are always emailed closer to the date.
We are in desperate need of volunteers to help with PTO sanctioned events. Here is a link to sign up or get more information: Google Form
The Box Tops competition amongst each grade level is from now until November 30. The grade with the most Box Tops submitted using the app will earn a treat party from the PTO. Additional information can be found on the attachments with more details.
The flocks have arrived! Beginning this week and throughout the month of September, the PTO will be hosting a “Flamingo Flock Fundraiser.” This fundraiser is meant to be a fun collaboration within the LW community. If your yard is “flocked” with flamingos, you’ll have the opportunity to make a donation to the PTO and dictate the next yard the flamingos land. Additional attachments with more information.
As in years prior, we will offer the sale of Coupon Books. Be on the lookout for more information in early to mid September.
💭🥰🎯 Principal Ponderings
I loved seeing our Rockets both new and old walk through the doors. Our school just isn't the same without them. Back to school was good for my soul!
Gratitude
I'm grateful that I get the chance to greet the kids during morning arrival which is one of my favorite parts of the day. I'm also grateful that pumpkin spice lattes are back!
Goals
- continue to keep traffic moving safely and efficiently through our AM drop off lane
- start lunchtime read alouds (picture books on We Read Wednesday for grades K-4th and First Chapter Fridays for grades 5th-8th)
- begin teacher evaluations and professional goal conversations with staff
~Mrs. Stefanie Pitzer, Principal
Limestone Walters School District #316
Email: spitzer@limestonewalters.com
Website: https://www.limestonewalters.com/
Location: 8223 West Smithville Road, Peoria, IL, USA
Phone: 309-697-3035
Facebook: facebook.com/LWrockets316
Twitter: @lwrockets