Dear Country Meadows Families,
It’s hard to believe that we have arrived at the end of trimester one. I am so proud of all of the effort that teachers and students have put in so far this school year. There is so much progress to celebrate! There is important information about report cards below, please be sure to review it thoroughly.
As the weather begins to turn, please ensure that your child is adequately prepared and dressed for colder weather. All jackets, gloves, hats and other colder weather clothing should be labeled with your child’s name. Students should check the lost and found as unclaimed items will be donated during Thanksgiving break.
Kindly,
Aska Lempke
REPEAT *Important Upcoming Dates*
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November 8 - Report period ends, EC-Grade 8
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November 15 - Trimester 1 report cards issued
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November 19 - EARLY RELEASE DAY
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November 27 - NO SCHOOL District Holiday
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November 28 - NO SCHOOL District Holiday
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November 29 - NO SCHOOL District Holiday
NEW *Report Cards*
Families: A helpful reminder! Report card season is here! Next week, Friday, November 15th, families will be able to view their child’s report card on TeacherEase at 3pm. Families can find more helpful information about report cards, including how to view them and how to switch between multiple students, here: https://www.kcsd96.org/curriculum/access-student-progress-reports-online
We also have a helpful webpage dedicated to helping you understand your child’s report card: https://www.kcsd96.org/curriculum/understanding-your-childs-report-card If you happen to forget your Teacher Ease password, please click “Forgot Password” on the log-in main page.
NEW *Guiding Coalition of Interculturalism Next Week: Join Us!*
GCI will meet on November 12th at 6:30pm in the Educational Development Center at Ivy Hall Elementary (1072 Ivy Hall Lane). Please fill out this form if you are interested: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScDk4k-xHYTEr3jhAo6zZpPQzwGq84g__oqzfU2mEogqnRY8Q/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawGaBfpleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHf9RO_eCMeD6s--SyK78bEkv9852kblstlzF9epC8PMqEd49ncGLfzTqjw_aem_SI7EnB5Rb6RfqoKxzZpuCg This meeting, we will be discussing many topics including refining our students' middle school experience by exploring the opportunity for more student choice in curriculars. We look forward to seeing you there!
Guiding Coalition of Interculturalism (GCI) is a learning community that reflects and connects the KCSD96 values of diversity and inclusion; aligns parents, educators, and students in cultural and educational experiences; and engages with a wide audience. This year our Bilingual Parent Advisory Council will merge with GCI to create a more cohesive group focused on cultural diversity, inclusion, and language support.
FAMILY READING ADVENTURE PART 2
Join us and mark your calendars for Thursday November 21st, 6:30-7:30 p.m. You will also have an opportunity to shop the Country Meadows Book Fair as a family during the evening!
I have a new addition to add to the post from last week’s principal message! Each week I will feature a new book and session offered at our Family Reading Adventure Night. This will help inform your decision for which two sessions you would like to attend. There are six sessions offered this year. If you would like to know about previous sessions, visit the last principal’s message.
This week I introduce to you, We Are Water Protectors, by Carole Lindstrom.
From swirling, detailed watercolor illustrations to lyrical text with the refrain, "We stand with our songs and our drums. We are still here," this title explores the Indigenous fight to protect water from pollution. A young Anishinaabe girl explains the prophecy of the black snake "that will destroy the land. Spoil the water. Poison plants and animals. Wreck everything in its path." The unnamed girl calls for action to protect all living things and "fight for those who cannot fight for themselves." The illustrations use rich colors and shading to show the intricate connection among all living creatures.
The activity for this book is:
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Creating an oil pastel picture
REMEMBER to RSVP to help with planning!
Can’t wait to see you there! - Mrs. Lockhart
NEW *Be Persistent - Reading Challenge*
We are partnering with Mrs. Lockhart for a school wide reading challenge! In the month of November, Mrs. Lockhart will be sharing all the Monarch Reader’s Choice nominated books for 1st to 3rd grade, and Bluesteam Award books for 3rd to 5th grade. Students are challenged to read at least one book from the list and turn in the slip for a raffle to win a book to take home. Each student will also receive a sticker to commemorate their effort in reading the books that are nominated for the prestigious awards!
NEW *Lost and Found*
Please come check out the Lost & Found items.
All items that are not picked up will be donated after Thanksgiving Break.
REPEAT *Illinois School Report Card*
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) released the annual Illinois Report Card on Oct. 30 at www.illinoisreportcard.com. The Report Card shows the incredible achievements of our schools when it comes to a wide range of educational goals.
Our academic successes reflect a strong tradition of excellence at Kildeer Countryside School District 96. This includes maintaining a strong focus on standards-based instruction and core instruction, continuous improvement targeting content and standards, language acquisition, and more. These areas align to our Board Approved Goals for the 24-25 school year, as outlined here.https://campussuite-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/prod/750226/93147715-c5f6-11e6-b7b7-22000bd8490f/2848337/c8544180-7533-11ef-81b3-0a58a9feac02/file/D96%20Goals%20Overview%2024-25%20(2).pdf
One component of the Illinois School Report Card is the annual summative designation – a descriptor of how well our school is meeting the needs of all students. This designation is federally required and is based on 14 indicators of academic and school quality/student success. We are pleased to share that Country Meadows Elementary received the highest tier, an/a Exemplary/Commendable designation. That classification measures areas including academic growth and proficiency, chronic absenteeism, and a school climate survey.
At Country Meadows, we hold high expectations for all students and believe every student can meet our expectations. This designation gives us the opportunity to reflect on our goals to further enhance instruction and supports for our entire student community. We welcome this opportunity to dive into our data and to talk about continued investments we can make to support every student in reaching their fullest potential.
The Illinois School Report card is just one of many pieces of data that we as a District analyze and use to drive school improvement efforts. Soon, you will receive information to participate in the online 5-Essential parent survey. We encourage all of our families to spend a couple minutes to take this important and insightful survey.
It’s incredibly important that as many KCSD96 students take the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) as possible. We ask that parents continue to allow their child to participate, if they are able to based on their grade level. When we have a high participation rate, this allows our school to receive the most accurate data snapshot of our school as possible.
reminder for parents to continue to encourage their child(ren) to take the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR), if their grade level allows them to do so. We want to receive the most accurate snapshot of our school, by making sure our test score data reflects as many students as possible.
Thank you for your continued partnership to ensure every child at Country Meadows is thriving. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to Principal Aska Lempke directly at [email protected]. You can also find this information on our website at any time, at https://www.kcsd96.org/curriculum/school-report-cards.
REPEAT *Human Growth and Development*
Illinois State law requires all school districts with a comprehensive health curriculum to provide instruction on specific health topics including human growth and development. These topics align to the Illinois Physical Development and Health Standards. KCSD96 recognizes that parents/guardians are the primary educators for their families on these topics.
This instruction falls under a specific list of topics that you may elect to have your child excused from, as outlined by Illinois School Code. If you choose this option, please submit a specific request, in writing, to the school principal, asking that your child be excused from the class during that specific period(s) of instruction, and we will provide an alternate assignment.
For questions about the 4th grade program, please consult the links below. Parents of 5th graders will receive more information after the start of the school year. If you still have questions, please contact the school’s principal or assistant principal.
For specific materials, please see below.
Fourth Grade
This year KCSD96 will be hosting Candor Health Education (formerly Robert Crown Center) on November 18th. Candor Health will provide the learning to 4th grade students, and 4th grade teachers will be present during this learning experience. As in the past, students will not be separated by gender during the presentation by Candor Health.
Please click on the links below for a helpful overview of the program. The letter contains tips for parents to start conversations with children at home. The video will show you everything the students will see during the presentation.
School Program Overviews for Parents – Candor Health Education VIDEO
Password Premier25
2nd Grade Raffle Winner
Lunch with Mrs. Lempke and Mrs. Fix!
3rd Grade Raffle Winner - Principal's Message
