Dear Ivy Hall Families,
What a great start to the school year! It was so wonderful to welcome our Wildcats back for the 2024-2025 school year! School spirit and positive energy were at an all-time high during our Back to School Assembly today. During the assembly, 5th Graders made their grand entrance, and 1st graders and new students to Ivy Hall were introduced to their Cat Pack.
Each Ivy Hall student is assigned a Cat Pack when they enter Ivy Hall. Cat Packs is a student-led club that meets after school and they design grade-level activities for students to build connections and friendships throughout the school. Cat Pack activities that are planned by the club take place during the school day. Look out for more information to come about opportunities to join the Cat Pack club in a future Principal’s Message.
Please see repeating important dates below as well as some new information in regard to Newspaper Club, technology and band registration.
Have a great weekend!
Mike Senatore
NEW *Bus Evacuation Drill Next Week*
On Tuesday, August 20th, Ivy Hall will be conducting the annual Bus Evacuation Drill. This will take place in the morning.
NEW *Fire Drill Next Week*
On Friday, August 23rd, Ivy Hall will be conducting a Fire Drill. Students will be evacuating the building during the drill. If the weather does not cooperate, we will reschedule the drill and communicate the rescheduled drill date.
NEW *Picture Day*
Picture Day is coming up on 08/28/2024! Order before Picture Day to receive free shipping to the school. Order online at https://inter-state.com/FlyerEntry/87514GF.
NEW *4th and 5th Grade Newspaper Club*
Calling all 4th and 5th graders with a passion for reporting the latest happenings around Ivy Hall! Newspaper Club will begin Thursday, September 5th (9/5) and meet every Thursday through Thursday, May 15 (5/15) in Ms. Katz' classroom (Room 208). Maximum of 15 students- first come, first serve! If your student is interested, please fill out this form.
REPEAT *Important August Dates*
- Monday, August 19th Curriculum Night at Willow Grove
- 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
- Wednesday, August 21st Curriculum Night at Ivy Hall
- 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. (Grades 1 and 2)
- 7:15 to 8 p.m. (Grades 3-5)
- Thursday, August 22nd Curriculum Night at Kildeer & Prairie
- 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. (Grades 1 and 2)
- 7:15 to 8 p.m. (Grades 3-5)
- Thursday, August 29th Curriculum Night at Country Meadows
- 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. (Grades 1 and 2)
- 7:15 to 8 p.m. (Grades 3-5)
- Tuesday, August 27th - Early Release at 2:05 p.m. at Country Meadows, Ivy Hall, Kildeer, & Prairie. Please see the Twin Groves, Woodlawn, and Willow Grove Principal’s Message for attendance times.
- Wednesday, August 28th - Ivy Hall Picture Day
NEW *Kildeer District 96: iPad Fleet Renewal and Distribution Update*
At the end of last year, Kildeer District 96 collected all outstanding student equipment as part of our ongoing commitment to providing our students with the best possible learning tools. This collection allowed us to recycle and renew our iPad fleet, ensuring that our students have access to the latest technology for the upcoming school year.
The new iPads that your students received are very similar to the devices they have used in the past, with one key update: the new iPads feature a shared input for both power and audio. To accommodate this change, the district is providing an audio adapter in addition to the standard equipment students have traditionally received. Each student will receive the following:
- iPad
- Keyboard case
- Logitech Crayon
- One charging brick
- One charging cable
- Audio adapter
Students received their login instructions when they were issued their new iPads yesterday. We encourage all families to review the iPad Handbook, which can be found here, for detailed information on the use and care of these devices. Additionally, please familiarize yourself with our policies on the damage and replacement of iPads, available here.
We look forward to a great year ahead, with these new devices supporting our students in their educational journey.
NEW *5th Grade Band Starting Next Week, still time to join!*
The band program is open to 5th grade students only. Students may learn one of 7 instruments during their 5th grade year in the beginning band: Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium, and Percussion. (Percussion consists of drum pad or snare drum and mallets.) We will begin our lessons at Ivy Hall on Wednesday, August 21 and Prairie on Friday, August 23. Many students are already signed up for band but there have been new families that have moved into the area and some families that did not fully make their decision yet, but now want to sign their student up for band. If this is you, please follow this Beginning Band Registration link to sign up your student for band and get the necessary information so they can be ready to go on our first day of practice. If you have questions please email Mr. Nagle, [email protected]
NEW *Simultaneous Student Pick-Up from Willow Grove & Elementary Schools*
Please know that we understand that some families may have concerns related to picking students up from Willow Grove and an elementary school building. Please know that all principals are aware of this concern, and no child will ever be left unattended. We know you may be going to more than one school with the same dismissal time. We appreciate your best effort in picking your children up in a timely manner, and we appreciate you adhering to our dismissal times. If when you arrive at a building your child is not waiting outside with an adult, please park and come to the front office. If you will be after 3:15 to a specific location, please call and inform the office of your ETA.
REPEAT *Arrival and Dismissal Procedures for the ‘24-’25 School Year*
There are many rules and procedures regarding arrival and dismissal. These procedures have been developed with student safety as the most important consideration. These plans and procedures were developed in conjunction with our Facilities Director (Sam Miranda) and the Buffalo Grove Police Department. The Buffalo Grove police and District 96 appreciate your patience and understanding as we have established these routines in the interest of safety. The first few dismissals can be slow due to staff and students learning their routines. Please be patient. The picture below denotes all the forms of transportation that we have here at Ivy Hall. Please observe the picture and note areas where walkers, busers, and private transportation arrive and depart from here at Ivy Hall.
REPEAT *Changes to Dismissal Plans*
Please contact the school office by noon in the event that your dismissal plans change. Your child will be at the designated dismissal location unless the school is notified in accordance with the above. Please notify the office in writing in accordance with the district handbook. Please see Section 9.4 in the Parent/Student Handbook regarding permission for students to ride other buses, as in most cases, this is not allowed.