It’s hard to believe that we are quickly approaching the end of January. The launch of our PAWS program was a great success! Students have been excited to earn individual blue student paws and classroom or grade-level golden paws. Beginning next week, students who have collected 10 paws will have their names drawn to win experiences around our school. Grade levels are continually working toward specific goals for golden paws.
As always, it’s my joy to spend a few moments of my week with students. Whether it be reading with a student, having them show me something they have worked hard on, or joining 5th graders in an epic game of basketball, spending time with students is always the highlight of my week.
Please remember that Tuesday is an Early Release for students.
Have a great weekend!
Mike Senatore
NEW *Crafting Club - Session 2*
Come redecorate the Ivy Hall hallways with us! We will continue to meet once a month to update the shared bulletin boards in the hallways and special spaces to establish and create a positive and welcoming school environment. The second session of this club will run from February-May. See session dates below. This club is open to 4th and 5th graders who enjoy crafting and are interested in keeping the climate and culture positive for anyone who enters our building. If your child is interested in joining Session 2 please fill out this permission slip and return it to school by Friday, February 3rd. If your child was enrolled in session 1 and would like to continue to craft with us, please fill out a NEW permission slip for session 2. We look forward to crafting with you!
Session 2 Dates:
February: Wednesday, 2/15, 3:05-4pm
March: Wednesday, 3/8, 3:05-4pm
April: Wednesday, 4/19, 3:05-4pm
May: Wednesday, 5/3, 3:05-4pm
NEW *Valentine's Day*
I like to try to catch parents before they buy valentines, should you choose to do so. If you choose to include an item with your child's valentines, please note for the safety of our students only non-food items are permissible. This practice is consistent for all classrooms in District 96 elementary schools including Ivy Hall. Your child's teacher will send home any classroom specific information related to Valentine's Day.
NEW *PTO Blog*
Our PTO maintains a weekly blog that has useful information for opportunities to get involved in the Ivy Hall School community. Their latest blog post can be found here, below are this week’s highlights.
- Valentine’s Party Volunteer Sign-up
- A Valentine’s Day Treat for Staff
- Ice Cream Wednesday Cards for Jan-May
REPEAT *Upcoming Dates and Spirit Days Hosted by Student Council*
Tuesday, January 24 - Early Release Day
Friday, January 27th - Spirit Day - PJ Day (Paired with Special Lunch, Breakfast for Lunch)
REPEAT *Changes to Lunchroom Seating*
Beginning in January 2023, we will no longer be assigning students to sit at a specific table during lunch.
Each classroom will have 4 designated tables by teacher and students will be able to choose where to sit within those 4 tables.
For 5th-grade students, we will begin “Free Sit Friday” where students can choose to sit at any table within the lunch room. This is to help students prepare for their transition to middle school where there are no assigned seats at lunch. Please encourage your 5th grader to extend invitations to all students to make sure each student feels that they have a group of friends to sit with.
REPEAT *Assessments for Middle School Language Arts, Math*
Each spring, students in 5th grade take several assessments that determine the placement in middle school Language Arts and Math classes. For more details concerning the placement process ~ including the number and type of assessments as well as dates ~ please CLICK HERE to access the information on our website.
REPEAT *Pre-Registration Open for Incoming 2023-24 Kindergartners*
Pre-Registration for incoming 2023-24 kindergartners is now open.
The 2023-24 Kindergarten Pre-Registration is open to students who live within District 96 boundaries and will be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2023.
To begin the Kindergarten Pre-Registration process, parents must email all required documents to the administrative assistant at Willow Grove Early Learning Center at [email protected].
Parents need to supply the following:
Student’s Proof of Age (such as a Birth Certificate or Passport or Visa)
Parent/Guardian Photo ID (Passport or Driver’s License)
Proof of District Residency (a current mortgage statement or current lease or property tax bill)
Current Utility Bill
Click the link to download & complete: RESIDENCY FORM
Click the link to download & complete: HOME LANGUAGE SURVEY
Click the link to download & complete: ENROLLMENT FORM
After the submitted documents are approved, families will receive a Pre-Registration link to complete by January 31, 2023. Students pre-registered by January 31 will receive a free Willow Grove T-shirt. (T-shirts are not available after this pre-registration period.)
Families needing to pre-register their child in person may contact Kimberly O’Neill, administrative assistant at Willow Grove Early Learning Center, at [email protected] or at (847) 541-3660.
Learn more about Kindergarten in District 96: https://www.kcsd96.org/wg/kindergarten-in-kcsd96
Got questions? Email Kimberly O’Neill, administrative assistant at Willow Grove, at [email protected].