Dear Families,
Happy November! The season of giving is upon us and more important than ever this year. Drive-up meals continue to be available for our families. If you would like to make a food donation to help those closest to us in need, you can drop off items at the Exceptional Learners Collaborative at 990 Corporate Woods Parkway, Vernon Hills Mondays through Fridays from 8:00am - 3:00pm. Shipping food items directly to the ELC is also welcome. If you have any questions, please contact Kristen Bordonaro at +1.224.513.6448.
Fondly,
Principal Hanrahan
NEW *Newcomer Coffee*
Has your family recently moved to the United States or are you and your student(s) new to this area?
On Monday, November 23rd at 11 am parents that are new to our area and have students at Ivy Hall Elementary, are invited to a casual conversation.
This is an opportunity for parents to meet some D96 staff, ask questions, share their thoughts, and also to meet parents that may have had similar experiences or have been in the district for a long time.
This is an informal opportunity for parents who–like their students–are experiencing our social customs and practices of teaching and learning for the first time.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://kcsd96.zoom.us/j/83698809762?pwd=OGVtK25HRWRwWHIzVm1jZVIrZzk4UT09
Meeting ID: 836 9880 9762
Passcode: 495000
NEW *Literacy Materials Pick-Up (Informational)*
There will be another material pick-up for families. Literacy materials will be distributed for all grades. In addition to literacy materials, 5th-grade students will be getting the necessary materials for their cookie dissection. This pick up will take place from 9:00am - 3:00pm on Friday, November 13. This pick-up will be a no-contact pick-up. Parents will simply come and take the materials labeled with their student’s name from under the tent on the north side of the building next to the Willard Administration Building.
NEW *Library Book Drop Off*
If your child still has library books that were checked out in the 2019-2020 school year, we are still collecting them! Books can be dropped off in the school office and at future identified drop off dates paired with upcoming Materials Pick Up.
If you are curious about if/what books/titles your child needs to return to our school library, please contact [email protected] for details.
NEW *Reminder: Fri., Nov. 13, is a Half Day*
Please note that Fri., Nov. 13, is a Half Day for Grades 1–8. See the revised elementary Half-Day SCHEDULE.
NEW *Academic Enrichment Fun Hosted By Stevenson Students*
Mark your calendar for creative learning on Sun., Nov. 15, from 1–3 PM.
Stevenson High School National Honor Society students have planned a virtual Academic Enrichment Exposition–fun Zoom activities to help students in grades 3–5 explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.
Engaging opportunities will include academic design challenges, coding projects, virtual field trips, scavenger hunts, and more–as well as the chance to win a $25 gift card.
NEW *Calendar Updates*
This is a friendly reminder that November 13th is a half-day for elementary students.
Willow Grove will not be in attendance on November 13th.
NEW *Creative Holiday Card Design Opportunity for Grades 4 and 5*
Fourth- and fifth-grade students are invited to submit original artwork for a holiday greeting card competition sponsored by Congressman Brad Schneider, Illinois 10th District. The winning artwork will be the cover design of Congressman Schneider’s annual holiday card.
The theme this year is Winter Wonderland–favorite outdoor winter activities enjoyed on cold snowy days. No artwork entry size is specified (the winning artwork will be scaled to fit).
Submissions are due by Wed., Nov. 25, and Congressman Schneider’s staff will announce the winner in early December.
Please submit all entries electronically to Robert Perez at [email protected]
Questions? Call 847.383.4870.
NEW *PTO Blog*
PTO Blog: This is always linked in my blog post below.
NEW *Specials Materials*
Click the link here to learn what materials are needed for specials classes (Physical Education, Exploration lab, Music, Art) next week.
REPEATING *Supporting Reading At Home*
Reading with your child at home is an important component of their reading success. Spending 20 minutes in daily reading can significantly impact the amount of word exposure for your child. For more advanced readers you can show them ways to think more deeply about what they are reading. Thinking more analytically about a story or text is an important step for reading growth. Take the time to ask questions after reading to deepen their understanding and comprehension.
For younger children taking the time to read together will support their reading development. While reading, model appropriate reading strategies and help them learn to think about what they are reading.
Below are some links for you to use as a guide to how to build on what your child is doing at school.
Book Recommendations
Using Questions to deepen understanding
- Questions for Fiction during reading
- Questions for Fiction after reading
- Questions for Nonfiction during and after reading
If you have any questions regarding the information above, please reach out to Todd Halstead at [email protected] or Julie Heimer at [email protected]
REPEATING *Meals Are Available for Drive-Up Pick-Up*
Any KCSD96 family choosing to do so may pick up free breakfasts/lunches for their students weekdays from 11 AM–1 PM when District 96 students are in session. SEE DETAILS
REPEATING *ComEd Bill Payment Assistance Options*
ComEd has provided bill payment assistance options for families experiencing financial hardship. Please find the info HERE.
REPEATING *Updated COVID-19 Metrics*
This UPDATED COVID-19 METRICS is the information “dashboard” that maintains transparent and open communication around COVID-19 metrics. As a user of the dashboard, the District has access to COVID-19 data as recommended by the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Northern Illinois Public Health Consortium. We review this data daily, update the dashboard weekly, and consider this data in making many decisions.
REPEATING *Tech Hub*
KCSD96 Family Technology Hub! The District 96 Family Technology Hub is designed to guide families through technology tools related to Enhanced Remote Learning. On this site, you can find links to the recordings and the corresponding Slides decks for the parent/family informational sessions from last week. You can also find tutorials on how to use ZOOM, Schoology, Seesaw, Clever, Notability, and other iPad essential tools for student learning. Additionally, there is a link to email the technology support desk. Please save or bookmark this site. It will be updated with tools, resources, and tutorials through remote learning to better support your family.
Please email [email protected] with any tech-related support needed.