Good afternoon, Country Meadows Families!
Wow! What an incredible week! I can not tell you how wonderful it was to have smiling faces radiating within our hallways and classrooms this week! Students and staff were eager to begin a new school year, and the energy continues to be positive and contagious. I can honestly say that I full-heartedly believe I have the very best job in the entire world! The minute the students walked through the doors, I was reminded of how important, critical and FUN the work we do as educators truly is! Thank you for sharing your most precious resources with us. We can’t wait to spend more time with them and get to know them as the special individuals they are.
My goal this year is to be very transparent with the Country Meadows community in regards to what is happening while students are spending time with us during the day. Here are some notable moments from this week:
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Courtesy Cub (along with myself and other excited staff members) greeted students as they entered the building on Wednesday morning. There is a LOT of photo evidence that Courtesy Cub is a fan favorite!
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We kicked off our year as a whole school community in the gym with the Pledge of Allegiance, our Country Meadows PRO Pledge, and our school song!
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Students quickly caught onto the lunch and recess routine! There were lots of smiles on the playground, and we dodged the threat of indoor recess all week!
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Students have been reporting that they have met new friends and learned more about how their classroom works!
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All students received iPADs and their new Apple pencils/crayons! Each student learned all about how to keep their iPads safe from our new technology coach, Mrs. Cohen!
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TAKE A LOOK at other fun moments this week!
NEW *Yearbook Cover Contest*
Does your child like to draw? Help us celebrate the fact that every individual at Country Meadows is unique and special. Show us what “This is Me” means to you. Submit your drawing by September 14th! All entries will be included somewhere in the 2018-2019 yearbook!!!! CLICK HERE for more information!
NEW *Note This Important Info Concerning Students' iPADs*
The policy concerning damage to iPads will be changing beginning in the 2018–2019 school year. Please be sure you READ AND UNDERSTAND THESE CHANGES and discuss them with your student. Direct any questions to your student’s school principal.
NEW *Picture Day*
Picture day at Country Meadows will be next Thursday, August 23rd! Picture envelopes will be going home on Monday! If you are interested in ordering, please return your envelopes no later than 8/23. Color Portraits recommends that students avoid wearing green, so I wanted to pass that information along!
NEW *MAP ASSESSMENTS AUGUST 20–29*
District 96 students in kindergarten through Grade 8 will be participating in MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) assessments in the areas of math and reading/language arts during portions of their school days August 20–29.
The MAP assessment is given three times during the school year to equip our teachers with data they will use to identify their students' current understanding as well as opportunities for support and extension. Students do not need to study for their MAP tests; sufficient sleep and nutrition are, as always, the best preparation. This assessment serves as a benchmark–a point in time from which to measure academic growth through the academic year.
For more information about MAP assessments, please see the following resources:
PARENT’S GUIDE TO MAP GROWTH (Need a TRANSLATION?)
In September KCSD96 parents will receive info by email with directions for accessing their child’s MAP assessment results online.
If you have questions about MAP assessments, please contact your student’s principal.
NEW *A Special Message from the PTO*
Please log into our Membership Tool Kit to purchase your students Spirit Wear, Special Lunch, and Dessert Day. Order now while supplies last.
Follow & Like us on Facebook to stay current on all the activities and great things going on at Country Meadows. Like us on Facebook by September 15th, & get enrolled for a drawing of a $25 Amazon gift card.
Get more information by checking out the COUNTRY MEADOWS PTO BLOG!
NEW *Curriculum Night*
Curriculum Night is scheduled for Thursday, August 23rd, for ALL grades. This is a “parents only” meeting, and we hope you can attend. Please come directly to the gym for a brief presentation, and then we will send you on your way to your child’s classroom. See our schedule below!
REPEATING *Approved Snacks: What Parents Need to Know*
The District has revised the APPROVED SNACK LIST, adding more items to this list to give families more choices. The items the list includes are free of the Top 8 allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat.
This list includes the foods that are approved for students' Daily Snacks. It also includes (for children in Grades 1–5) foods approved for Special Events such as birthday treats for a class or for PTO Halloween, Winter, or Valentine's Day parties.
IMPORTANT: All items for Daily Snacks, with the exception of fruits and vegetables, MUST be prepackaged to allow staff to easily check that snacks meet the approved requirements.
Director of Educational Services Amy Gluck also has provided responses to FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs) about foods approved for daily snacks/special events.
For your convenience, find links to the District 96 Approved Snack List and Approved Snack List FAQs on the homepage of the District 96 website and the homepage of each school.
I hope you and your child/children are as excited as we are that this school year is officially underway! The feeling that was permeating the building this week is one that leaves me to believe we are in for an amazing school year full of fun, growth, and partnership. This year, our theme is "This is Me" influenced by my mild obsession with the soundtrack of "The Greatest Showman". Our talented music teacher, Mrs. Murray (Ms. Fallon got married this summer and has a new name!), will be teaching all of the students the song during music class. I also found a book titled "This is Me" that celebrates individuality and celebrating differences! In the next few weeks I will be reading the book to each class and leaving a copy for the class's classroom library! This theme is one we will embrace this year as we continue to grow as a school community!
Thank you for the opportunity to be a part of this very special Country Meadows family again, and I look forward to seeing you all at Curriculum Night next week!
Warmly,
Mrs. Meghan Bird, Principal