The first full week of school was fantastic! Our learners are starting to settle into their classroom routines. It is great to walk into classrooms, the gym or outside on the playground and see all the positive connections that have already been made. Thank you to all the families who attended Curriculum Night this week. I enjoyed having families back in the building for events like this! If you were unable to attend, please reach out to your child’s teacher to obtain a digital version of their presentation. My portion of the evening was quick, however, you my access my slideshow at this link.
Next week we will have another full week of learning before the long holiday weekend. Students will be taking MAP on Monday and Wednesday. A healthy breakfast, good night’s sleep, and some positive words of encouragement will help setup students for successful. We look forward to another great week of learning.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Michelle Garlick
NEW * Early Release Reminder*
Tuesday, August 30th is an Early Release Day. Country Meadows, Ivy Hall, Kildeer, & Prairie will be dismissed at 2:05pm. Please make sure your child is picked up on time. Please see the Twin Groves, Woodlawn, and Willow Grove Principal’s Message for attendance times.
NEW * Thought Exchange Partnership*
The District 96 Thought Exchange Partnership (TEP) offers parents opportunities to give feedback and receive information about District instruction, programs, and initiatives. Understanding parent perceptions is helpful for planning and communicating. Contact District 96 Community Parent Liaison Lubna Andrabi, 847.459.4260, ext. 8136, with questions. In particular, the District invites parents who have students enrolled at Willow Grove Early Learning Center to consider joining the Thought Exchange Partnership. The first meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 15 from 6:30-8:00.p.m.
NEW *UPCOMING PTO DATES TO REMEMBER*
Visit our PTO Blog for more information on all the below events!
Dessert Day: August 31
Don’t forget to log in to Membership Toolkit (MTK) to order Dessert Day for the school year!
Yearbook Cover Contest Entries Due!: September 16
Country Meadows Students can submit a drawing to be used as the cover on this year's yearbook! The theme this year is: The World Needs Who You Were Made To Be. Be sure to submit a vertical drawing and indicate the student's name and grade. Submissions can be sent to [email protected] or dropped off to the school office.
Fall Festival: October 27
This year’s Fall Festival will be one for the books! Help us plan the best party yet for our kids! We are looking for volunteers to help on the Fall Festival Committee: You can help by signing up on MTK.
Classroom Halloween Party: October 31
Does your child's class need a volunteer? Most 2nd-5th grade classes still need volunteers to assist with their classroom Halloween Parties! You can help by signing up on MTK.
Spirit Wear Sale (30% off!): Ends September 7th
Did you miss us at Meet the Teacher and Curriculum Night or maybe you just want some more variety in Spirit Wear this year? Check out our online shop and save 30% on orders submitted by September 7th!
Repeating *NWEA MAP Assessment*
All students in grades K-8 will be participating in NWEA MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) assessment on Monday, August 29th and Wednesday, August 31st. The MAP assessment is a normed referenced, computerized adaptive test that helps teachers, parents, and administrators improve learning for all students and make informed decisions to promote a child's academic growth. Like in previous years, all students will be taking the MAP test in reading and math during the school day.
Repeating *Erin’s Law*
An Illinois law known as Erin’s Law requires schools to implement an age-appropriate sexual assault and abuse awareness/prevention curriculum for Kindergarten through Grade 12.
Kildeer Countryside CCSD 96 researched and observed best practices and programs for delivering this instruction, selecting Be Seen & Heard ©. For more information about this presentation please go to www.victorpacini.com/peace-of-mind-2
The focus of this developmentally appropriate and interactive program is to teach children skills to keep them safe from danger or abuse. Concepts discussed will include distinguishing safe from unsafe touches, safety rules at home and school, saying NO, safe/unsafe secrets, and telling a trusted adult, as well as reinforcing that an adult’s touching him or her is not the child’s fault.
Opt-Out Procedures
The presentation to Country Meadows students will be during the school day on September 30th. If you prefer that your child does not attend this prevention education session, please submit your written request or your questions to [email protected].
Repeating *Approved Snacks: What Parents Need to Know*
The District has revised the APPROVED SNACK LIST. The items on the list 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. Daily snacks for your children must be from this list or they will be sent home.
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, Bob Hanrahan, 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.
Lunches packed from home may contain any food items, and do not need to be from the Approved Snack List. If your child is bringing in lunch, snacks must be packed separately from lunch. Please label lunch bags and snacks with your child’s name.