Student Values Activity

Our students engaged in a values activity conversing and brainstorming with classmates around our five District 96 values.  It’s amazing how insightful our young students are. Look for their thoughts in an upcoming Principal Message soon. Click here to see the thoughts of Prairie School staff on our D96 values.

Orchestra "Extravaganza" Concert- 4th and 5th Grade Orchestra

The Orchestra "Extravaganza" Concert for 4th and 5th Grade Orchestras will take place on Thursday, May 10th at 6:30pm at Twin Groves. The concert will take place in the Large Gym. Students need to arrive at Twin Groves in their concert attire by no later than 5:45 pm for tuning and warm-up. It is going to be a fantastic concert! We look forward to seeing you there!

Middle School Orchestra to Visit Prairie Soon

The Twin Groves Orchestra will visit Prairie on Tuesday, May 22nd! The 7/8th Grade Orchestra will be traveling to Ivy Hall and Prairie to perform for all students Grades 3-5. This is a great opportunity to give the 3rd Graders a sneak peak about what Orchestra is like since they have the opportunity to join in 4th Grade. It also allows the 4th and 5th Graders who are in currently in Orchestra to be recognized, as well as allowing the students to see their potential as they enter the Middle School level. It is also a great performing opportunity for the 7/8th Graders!

Community Day - Friday, May 25th

Community Day is an opportunity for you to spend time with your child during the school day.  Your child will share with you assignments and projects they have done this year and you will participate in class team building activities together.  We’ve designed a time to visit one of the three specials class (Art, Music, or P.E.) as well based on your child’s choice. Families with multiple children attending Prairie will be grouped together, however, if you prefer your children to remain with their own class please indicate this in your RSVP.  Family members age 18 and older are welcome to attend. Important information about this day:

• You MUST RSVP here for this fun event

• The office staff MUST print you a Raptor security badge.  We will preprint badges for parents who are already in the Raptor system.  If you are not in the Raptor system you will need to stand in line to get a badge printed.  You are HIGHLY encouraged to stop by the school to register yourself in the Raptor system to avoid a long line and potentially missing the event.  

iPad Policy Change for the 18-19 School Year

The end of the year is a busy time for everyone, but it's always good to get a head start and thinking next year. The policy concerning iPad damage will be different next year. This change is reflected in the flyer HERE and in greater detail in the 2018-19 Student Handbook. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Amazing Author Visit

Thank you to our Prairie PTO for sponsoring our author visit this year. Author Barb Rosenstock is the author of over 20 books, many of them historical fiction picture books. Her very first book was about naturalist John Muir and President Theodore Roosevelt. Together these two men established our national park system.  We learned how Barb stubbornly submitted the same draft of her book, being rejected 25 times before she finally decided to edit and make changes. Eventually the book was published, teaching us all to never give up. In addition she shared her book, the Noisy Paint Box about a man named Vasya Kandinsky, one of the first painters of abstract art. I strongly encourage families to check out some of her books from local libraries if you have the chance!

PTO News

PTO Executive Board Positions

The Prairie Elementary Nominating Committee is proud to present the 2018-19 Ballot for open positions on The Executive Board:

Co -President - Jenny Share

Recording secretary - Melissa Levin

Treasurer - Jianing Yang or Chen Cheng

Further nominations will be taken until May 11th and an official vote will take place on May 21st - 7pm - at Prairie Elementary School.  All PTO members are welcome. Contact Karen Abrams with any further nominations or questions [email protected].

PTO Committee Chairpersons Needed

We need volunteers to lead out exciting PTO Committees so the events our kids enjoy can continue.    Currently, we need chairs for: Dessert Day, Yearbook, School Store, and Special Lunch. These are activities the kids love, and help support our school community.   We are at risk for losing these wonderful events. Please take some time to review the open positions, and keep the Prairie Pride spirit high!!! Visit the Prairie's Membership Toolkit to sign up.  If you have any questions, please contact Karen Abrams at [email protected] or Ivy Freeman at [email protected].

Teacher Appreciation Week

May 7th-11th is National Teacher Appreciation Week.  The Prairie Staff Appreciation Committee will be hosting a week of fun surprises for the amazing staff at Prairie and we need your help!  Please visit the membership toolkit home page to see how you can help!

School Supply Kits on Sale now through June 1, 2018

Avoid the shopping hassles and store crowds and purchase your Prairie school supply kits now!  Each kit is only $55 and includes headphones, which can cost $20 alone! Orders can only be placed online via the Membership Toolkit.  Kits will be available for pick up on Meet the Teacher Day in August.  Any questions? Contact Ronna Belinky at [email protected].

Supply Kits for 5th graders moving to Twin Groves

Current 5th grade parents: 2018-2019 Twin Groves School Supply Kits are now available for purchase! A huge time saver, and they support the TG PTO for your kids! First you must register your incoming 6th grader on the Twin Groves Membership Toolkit.  The 6th, 7th, and 8th grade kits are the same, so just click on the 2018-2019 School Supply Kits Order Form to order. Make sure you also purchase the clay pot, as your child will need this for 6th grade.Your kit(s) will be ready for pickup at Locker Setup Day in August!

5th Grade Year End Class Party

The 5th-grade party will be on Wednesday, May 30th from 12:20-2:45 pm.  There will be special lunch and dessert provided by Culvers. Clowning Around will provide fun team building activities, relay races, and games.  Bizar Entertainment will rock the house with a DJ and photo booth. Be sure to visit the Membership Toolkit to signup your child.

STAY INFORMED ON FACEBOOK!

Please "like" our Prairie School PTO Facebook page to stay up to date on all the exciting PTO information throughout the year.  Also, please share this page with other Prairie families to keep everyone in the know! You can always find event information and PTO info on our PTO webpage and PTO Blog.

Fire Safety Trailer

On Friday, our 1st and 2nd graders visited the Buffalo Grove Fire Safety Trailer right on our own blacktop.  The kids learned about creating fire escape routes at home and that families should have a meeting place just in case.  Be sure to check in with your little about all that s/he learned.

Summer Reading for Student Growth

Having students continue to read during the summer when school is not in session is extremely important to their academic growth and to prevent them from losing academic progress.

Because our goal is to have our students continue to read for pleasure, we offer grade-level-specific book suggestion lists of various genres to appeal to a variety of interests.

Also, grade levels have assigned specific activities as well as a student interest inventory to complete and return at the beginning of the school year.

Please CLICK HERE to find your student's parent letter (including required grade-level activity), book suggestions, and reader interest inventory, listed by 2018-2019 grade level.