Dear Ivy Hall Families,
PTO’s Breakfast with Your Buddy this morning was an incredible success! What a great way to start our day by sharing a delicious breakfast with good company. Thank you to our PTO volunteers who always go above and beyond in coordinating these great school events.
I know it’s cliché, but I can’t believe we are turning the calendar to May next week! The school year has flown by, and the bittersweet time of the end of the school year is upon us. Please review the upcoming dates below for our final month of school.
The Principal’s Message this week is light without new information items, however, I do want to remind you that input for class placement next year will close after April 30th (see below).
Have a great weekend,
Mike Senatore
*Upcoming Dates*
- Tuesday, April 29th
- 5th Grade Concert - 6:30 pm
- Wednesday, April 30 - Thursday, May 1
- MAP Testing
- Friday, May 9th
- Student Council Spirit Day
- 1st Grade - Sports Day
- 2nd Grade: Costume or Dress Fancy Day (Get creative!)
- 3rd Grade: Color Day (Wear your favorite color head to toe!)
- 4th Grade: Anything But a Backpack Day (Think outside the box!)
- 5th Grade: Beach Day (Dress in your favorite summer wear)
- Student Council Spirit Day
- Tuesday, May 13th
- Early Release - Dismissal at 2:05 pm
- Incoming 1st Graders Visit Ivy Hall
- Wednesday, May 14th
- Fire Drill
- 4th Grade Orchestra Concert @ Twin Groves - 6:30 pm
- 5th Grade Orchestra Concert @ Twin Groves - 7:30 pm
- Friday, May 16th
- 5th Grade Party during the school day
- PTO Frozen Treat Friday
- PTO Family Picnic - 6 pm
- Monday, May 19th
- 5th Graders Visit Twin Groves
- Wednesday, May 21st
- Field Day
- PTO Special Lunch
- Thursday, May 22nd
- Beginning Orchestra Parent Night
- Friday, May 23rd
- Half Day of School - Dismissal at 11:45 am
- Monday, May 26th
- No School - District Holiday
- Thursday, May 29th
- Last Day of School
- Half Day of School - Dismissal at 11:45 am
NEW *NWEA MAP Assessment*
All students in grades K-8 will be participating in the NWEA MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) assessment on Wednesday, April 30th, and Thursday, May 1st. The MAP assessment is a normed-referenced, computerized adaptive test that helps teachers, parents, and administrators improve learning for all students and make informed decisions to promote a child's academic growth. Like in previous years, all students will be taking the MAP test in reading and math during the school day.
LAST CALL! *’25-’26 School Year - Parent Input for Class Placement Survey*
Creating balanced class lists that meet the needs of all students is a tremendously difficult job that takes many hours of thoughtful dialogue between classroom teachers, administrators, and specialists. We take this process very seriously. The process for class list creation is as follows:
Teachers think about the social and academic needs of each of their current students while recording pertinent information to assist in the decision-making process.
Grade-level teachers, principals, specials area teachers, and specialists meet together to form class lists that are balanced in terms of academic, social, and emotional needs as well as considering friendships. This is no easy task and often takes several meetings. This team of educators considers each child’s personality, academic needs, friendship patterns, etc. as they make a match for each individual child.
This team of educators creates a draft set of class lists taking into consideration parent input.
Class lists are then revised in August with summer changes for students who move in or out of the district.
Class rosters are never final until they are released to families in August.
This process happens for grades 2-5. Willow Grove creates the class lists for our incoming 1st graders. Our 5th-grade team actively works with Twin Groves to provide data and input related to placement decisions at the middle school level.
We strongly believe that this detailed and collaborative process creates learning environments that benefit all students. It is a delicate balancing act that takes much consideration and thought by professionals who know and care about your children. Our goal is to create balanced class lists that promote the success of each child. Please know that your child is placed in a classroom for very specific reasons. The process benefits all students. Because of the input and thought given by teachers, specialists, parents, and the principal, we do not make changes once this process occurs, as removing or moving one child can disrupt the balance of an entire class, impacting all students.
I welcome any insight you wish to share about your child’s strengths, needs, and learning style. I will take into consideration pertinent information received on or before Wednesday, April 30th. Please remember, while we welcome your input, specific teacher or friend placement requests will not be honored.
I cannot express enough how important it is that your thoughts are provided through the Parent Survey that is linked HERE. As you can imagine, we receive a lot of parent input, and verbal information is impossible to track. The information you provide in the survey will remain confidential between you, me, and Mrs. Heinrich.
REPEAT *Dental Exams*
Dear Parents/Guardians of Current KCSD96 Kindergarteners, 2nd, and 6th Grade Students ONLY:
Please note that your child’s completed dental examination has an upcoming due date, per Illinois school law. The deadline for the dental examination is due no later than May 15 of the current school year. Proof of this required dental examination must have been completed within eighteen months prior to the May 15 deadline.
If you haven’t already done so, please make an appointment with your child’s dentist for a dental examination, have him and/or her complete the required form and return it to your child’s school nurse.
State of Illinois Proof of Dental Examination Form - Click Here
In the event that you are unable to fulfill this requirement, the state of Illinois does permit a waiver of the examination - Click here