Ivy Hall Community Members,
"We all are devastated by yet another school shooting this week. It is always our top priority to keep all kids not only physically but emotionally safe. A little over 6 years ago, District 96 invested in remodeling our school entryways to require a "double buzz in" system paired with cameras and an immediate background check system. At that time we also updated our perimeter door processes and procedures. District 96 has a crisis committee that includes administrators and representatives from the police department, first responders and the fire department, and other community agencies. This committee meets monthly and the district crisis plan is up to date and aligned with best practice recommendations. The most recent update has included new training for all staff and students and improvements to our drill processes. While we cannot share any more specifics related to our crisis plan, please know that we are diligent in its implementation and in our consultation with experts. Please keep all of those impacted by the recent tragedy in your thoughts. "
Resources we want to make available to help you if your child is asking questions or wants to talk include these prepared by the National Association of School Psychologists:
• Crisis: Helping Children Cope with Grief and Loss
• Talking to Children About Violence: Tips for Parents and Teachers (Spanish)
Parent Coffee / Crisis Response - March 2, 2018 (New)
Given recent events, there have been heightened concerns about crisis response. As a parent, I certainly understand, the level of anxiety around school safety. District 96 makes student safety a top priority. At the request of law enforcement, we do not share the details regarding our crisis plan and procedures.
I do want to provide a place for parents express concerns and to ask questions. On Friday, March 2nd, 2018 from 8:30 am-9: 30 am please join, Bob Hanrahan (Ivy Hall Principal), Officer Cliff Paul (Buffalo Grove Police), and Mrs. Jarrett (Ivy Hall Social Worker) for an informal community coffee talk at Ivy Hall Elementary School. We will be fielding questions and having conversations around these concerns.
Conference Sign Up (New)
Parent-Teacher conference sign-ups will be done via Sign-Up Genius. Teachers will push out the invitation via email to sign up for a parent-teacher conference on Friday, February 23rd at approximately 9:00am. Parent-Teacher conferences will be held on Thursday, 3/8 from 5pm-8:30pm and Friday, 3/9 from 10am-1:30pm. One conference is offered per student/teacher and conferences run for 15 minutes. If you are unable to attend conferences on either of these dates, please contact your child's teacher to set up a phone conference. If you have any questions, please contact your child's teacher.
Band Concert (New)
On February 13, 2018, our 5th-grade students put on a terrific performance at Twin Groves Middle School. I am including a link below that has some video and pictures from the evening. All of our District 96 students did a fantastic job. Ivy Hall students did a remarkable job representing the Wildcats! I was proud to be in attendance.
Band Contests (New)
Congratulations to the following students for scoring a 1st designation last weekend at IGSMA (Illinois Grade School Music Association) solo & ensemble contests.
Diya M.
Gargi C.
Shruti G.
Valentine’s Day Parties (New)
Special thanks to all the families that helped contribute to the success of our Valentine’s Day Parties. The students and staff really had a great time. I am including a link below that has some pictures from last Wednesday’s festivities.
PTO NEWS & Highlights
Be sure to check out the PTO BLOG for more information regarding upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.
Flu Season Send or Keep Home? (Repeat)
Deciding when a child is too sick to go to school can be a difficult decision for parents to make. When deciding, use the guidelines linked below and seek the advice of a healthcare provider.
Updates and News from the Band Boosters (Repeat)
Find the latest information from the District 96 Band & Orchestra Boosters in their BLOG.
Upcoming Dates
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February 19, 2018~ No School Presidents Day
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February 23, 2018~
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Report period ends, Grades KDG-8
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School Improvement dismissed @ 11:45am.
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March 1, 2018~ Report Cards go live @ 3:00
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March 2, 2018~ 8:30am - 9:30am
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March 5, 2018~ No School Casimir Pulaski Day
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March 7, 2018~ PTO Exec Meeting 6:30pm-8:00pm
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March 8, 2018~
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Early Release 2:00 PM
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5:00PM-8:30PM (Parent Teacher Conferences)
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March 9, 2018~ No School (Parent Teacher Conferences) 10:00am-1:30pm
Have a great weekend!