January 17, 2020

  • Posted January 17, 2020
January 17, 2020


Stevie Speaks Assembly (NEW)

On Monday, January 13, 2020, Ivy Hall had an assembly. Inspiring and motivational speaker, Stevie Hopkins, co-founder of 3E Love, shared his story of how he fell in love with life with Ivy Hall Elementary School students. Through the highs and lows of adventuring through his life with a disability, running a business, and forging his own path in the face of adversity, he tells a tale of inspiration and strength unlike any other.

Pictures Here

Stevie’s Website

ACCESS Testing (NEW)

During the week of January 27th, your child or children will be taking the ACCESS test. The test consists of four parts: listening, speaking, reading and writing. Here is the website if you'd like to read more about it https://wida.wisc.edu/assess/access/preparing-students

Please make sure that your child is well-rested and has a good breakfast. Also, for 4th, and 5th graders make sure their iPads are charged.

If you have questions feel free to contact Mr. Halstead, Mrs. Wang, Ms. Driscoll, Mrs. Himes or Ms. Hepler.

PREREGISTER FOR 2020–2021 KINDERGARTEN (and Get a Free Willow Grove Student T-Shirt) (NEW) 

CALLING ALL INCOMING 2020/21 KINDERGARTEN FAMILIES - FREE (AND ONLY OPPORTUNITY) FOR WILLOW GROVE SPIRIT WEAR! 

Preregistration for 2020–2021 kindergarten is Thurs., Jan. 23, 2020, 5–7 PM drop-in at Willow Grove Early Learning Center, 777 Checker Dr., Buffalo Grove, IL

Parents of incoming kindergartners will need to prove residency with required documents and District forms and to complete a brief online preregistration form. (Incoming kindergartners do not need to be present.)

Required documents:

Questions? Please contact the public info coordinator [email protected], 847.459.4260, ext. 8022.

Jenny Smith, Principal at the Willow Grove Early Learning Center can be reached at (847) 541-3660 

"One of the greatest dignities of humankind is that each successive generation is invested in the welfare of each new generation." -Fred Rogers

Erin’s Law (New)

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 Victor Pacini to present Be Seen & Heard ©.

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. For more information about this presentation please go to www.victorpacini.com/peace-of-mind-2

The presentation to Ivy Hall Elementary School students will be during the school day on February 10, 2020

If you prefer that your child does not attend this prevention education session, please submit your written request - or your questions - to me at [email protected]

Change Wars (New)

All for Books is an easy and effective way to unite the school community and provide more books for kids and teachers. All funds collected through All for Books are used to buy more books from the Book Fair.

Funds are used to:

  • Add new books to the school library.
  • Help teachers build and refresh their classroom libraries.
  • Donate to another school or community organization in need of books.

*** Next week classroom will receive their box to collect change. The winner of the collection (the class that collects the most change) will win a free book(s) from the book fair.

2nd Grade Music Show (New)

On Thursday February 13, 2020 @ 6:30 p.m. The second grade will perform their choral concert at Ivy Hall.

Human Growth & Development: Physical Education (New)

We will be starting our Human and Growth and Development unit the week of February 3. This unit is for grades third through fifth.

  • Third-grade lessons are on plants, animals, and babies.
  • Fourth-grade lessons cover the development of babies and puberty.
  • Fifth-grade lessons are on puberty and a discussion on Erin's Law with the social worker Ms. Jarrett. 

The links below contain a document with more information and a waiver if you wish to opt-out of the Human and Growth and Development unit. The opt-out forms must be signed and returned to the PE team.

*** If you have questions regarding materials please contact Todd Spangler [email protected] or Jenni Cigrand [email protected].

Ivy Hall Celebrates Giving Back & PTO Book Fair (Repeat)

On Thursday, February 6, 2020, from 6:30 pm-8:00 pm Ivy Hall Elementary School cordially invites you and your family to come to Ivy Hall and celebrate giving back. The evening will consist of a variety of activities that are aimed at improving the lives of those that are less fortunate or those that could use some extra support. Some examples include greeting cards for those that are suffering from illness, care packages for those in need, and other wonderful opportunities. In the coming week, we will have a more comprehensive list of activities. In addition to this great opportunity, there will be an opportunity for students to visit the bookfair that will be running that week at Ivy Hall.

IMPORTANT ACTION ITEM FOR PARENTS OF CURRENT 5TH GRADERS (Repeat)

Parents of ALL currently enrolled 5th graders whose students will attend in School District 96 in the 2020–2021 school year must prove their residency again by Feb. 14, 2020.
Ivy Hall Administrative Assistant Jodi Zachara will accept proof of residency and provide a required form for your signature.

Please note that the requirement to re-prove residency for a current 5th grader applies–even for families who have other students currently attending KCSD96 schools.

MORE INFO about the requirement and process to re-prove residency

KCSD96 Offers a Dual Language Opportunity (Repeat)

Parents are invited to consider the Dual Language Program for their incoming Willow Grove kindergartner. The program’s purpose is to give children the opportunity to develop deep academic proficiency in two languages. Fifty percent of the academic day instruction is delivered in Spanish and 50 percent in English. Following their kindergarten year at Willow Grove, Dual Language participants continue at Country Meadows for Grades 2–5 and transition to Woodlawn for Grades 6–8.

To be included in the public lottery that will be used to select the 2020–21 Dual Language kindergarten class, an Interest Form (ENGLISH  or  SPANISH) is due to the Willow Grove Early Learning Center office by 3 p.m. on Mar. 18.

LEARN MORE about the KCSD96 Dual Language program and attend a Parent Education Evening on Feb. 12 or Mar. 16 at 6:30 p.m. at Willow Grove Early Learning Center to hear a presentation from District faculty/administrators and ask questions.

PTO Blog (New)

PTO Blog: This is always linked in my blog post below.

Upcoming Dates:

  • January 20, 2020 - Martin Luther King Day (Non-Attendance Day)
  • January 28, 2020 - Early Release @ 2:00pm
  • February 6, 2020 - Ivy Celebrates Giving Back & PTO Book Fair
  • February 10, 2020 - Erin’s Law Assembly
  • February 13, 2020 - 2nd Grade Music Concert

2020–2021 Calendar Change Notification (Repeat)

District 96 has made revisions to the published Quick List calendar for the upcoming 2020–2021 school year. 

The revisions made accommodate the alignment of the District 96 Spring Break 2021 with the recently published Stevenson students’ Spring Break 2021. 

IT'S COLD OUTSIDE! (Repeat)

Please remember to send your child to school daily with proper outerwear.  Weather permitting students go outside for recess every day. In winter the temperature and wind chill and weather conditions will be monitored throughout the morning.  The weather website and playground will be checked to determine whether conditions are appropriate for children’s outdoor recess. When the temperature or wind chill is below zero degrees, students will be kept inside for recess.  We weigh options when the temperature or wind chill is between zero to ten degrees, to determine if we have indoor or outdoor recess, such as how damp it is outside. We do try to allow the children to go outside whenever possible, so please help them to come prepared. Thank you!

How is Outdoor vs. Indoor Recess Determined (Repeat)

Weather permitting students go outside for recess every day.  In winter the temperature and wind chill and weather conditions will be monitored throughout the morning.  The weather Website and playground will be checked and outside supervisors consulted to determine whether conditions are appropriate for children’s outdoor recess.  When the temperature or wind chill is below zero degrees, students will be kept inside for recess. When the temperature or wind chill is 0 – 10 degrees, students may go outside for a shortened recess period.  If a student has a doctor’s note or a medical condition, he or she may stay inside the building office for recess.

Determination of whether children will have outdoor recess will be made prior to each recess period, based on the weather at the moment and in the judgment of the principal or his or her designee.  Any request for prolonged indoor recess MUST come from the child’s physician.

Please see the Revised 2020–2021 Quick List School Year Calendar.  

Questions? Please contact the public information coordinator.

Car Pick Up & Car Drop Off (Repeat)

ONLY MAKE A RIGHT-HAND TURN ONLY INTO THE SOUTHWEST LOT, please DO NOT MAKE A LEFT INTO THE SOUTHWEST LOT DURING CAR DROP OFF AND CAR PICK UP AT DISMISSAL. 

THIS PROCEDURE IS LISTED IN THE PARENT STUDENT HANDBOOK. THIS PROCEDURE HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR AT LEAST 3 YEARS. HERE

The traffic pattern for the CAR rolling drop off and CAR rolling pick up is clockwise around Ivy Hall. Your RIGHT TURN should be made from Penny Lane into the lot. NEVER A LEFT TURN into the southwest recess lot. 

We have and will continue to have the Buffalo Grove police helping us enforce this procedure. This procedure was developed with the Buffalo Grove Police Department for student safety. Thank you for helping keep kids safe.

Car Drop Off  *** Students must be signed in via the front office after 8:25am. Please DO NOT drop students off in the east lot, without walking them into the office and signing them in. 

Car Pick Up *** There are a few commercial vehicles that are permitted to make a left into the south lot. These vehicles do not participate in the rolling car line, but we have no other avenue to load these vehicles. This only occurs during CAR pick up. Thank you for your continued help allowing these vehicles into the lot. They will not join the line in front of you, they will pass on the right side of the line. We also stop the line to allow these vehicles to exit.

1072 Ivy Hall Lane

*** Only students that are being picked up in the southwest lot are permitted to be in the lot.

IF YOU ARE WALKING TO THE SOUTHWEST LOT, MEETING A STUDENT, AND THEN WALKING AWAY … 

YOUR STUDENT IS A WALKER NOT A CAR PICK UP. PLEASE CONTACT YOUR CHILD'S TEACHER AND MAKE THE ADJUSTMENT ACCORDING (SO YOUR STUDENT IS DISMISSED OUT THE NORTH EXIT). 

YOUR STUDENT WILL BE DISMISSED ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE BUILDING BY THE OFFICE. THIS WILL REDUCE THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT NEED SUPERVISION IN THE SOUTHWEST LOT AND INCREASE SAFETY.