Dear Families,
I just want to begin with a friendly reminder that Tuesday, December 14, 2021, is an early release day. Students will be dismissed from school at 2:00 pm. Today we have important information about winter parties. It is important that we follow all health and safety protocols. Please take the time to review the information contained in this message to ensure that you understand how winter parties will be conducted.
Kindly,
Christine Pfaff ~ Principal
NEW *PRE-REGISTER FOR 2022–2023 KINDERGARTEN and Get a Free Willow Grove Student T-Shirt!*
Pre-registration for 2022–2023 kindergarten is in-person or online. Incoming kindergarten students must be 5 years old by September 1, 2022, to register for the 2022-23 kindergarten school year.
In-Person Pre-Registration Option:
When: Thursday, January 13, 2022, 5–7 PM drop-in (Parents may also pre-register online during the month of January for the free T-Shirt)
Where: Willow Grove Early Learning Center, 777 Checker Drive, Buffalo Grove, IL
Parents of incoming kindergartners will need to prove residency with required documents and District forms and to complete a brief online pre-registration form. Incoming kindergartners do not need to be present for the pre-registration event.
Required documents:
• CURRENT monthly mortgage or lease statement or property tax bill AND
• CURRENT utility bill AND
• Student’s birth certificate, passport, or visa (photocopy not accepted) AND
• Parent or Guardian photo ID (Passport or Driver’s license)
Online Pre-Registration Option:
You do not have to attend in-person to pre-register. Details coming soon. Please continue to watch for updates in the Principal's Message and on our District 96 website.
Click HERE to learn more about Kindergarten in District 96.
Questions? Please contact our D96 Public Information Coordinator, Stephanie Esters, at [email protected] or 847.459.4260, ext. 8022.
NEW *Prairie School is celebrating Winter Spirit Days on December 13th, 15th, and 17th*
Join us in wearing some of your favorite winter wear:
Monday, December 13: Pajama Day (wear your favorite pajamas, holiday or not)
Wednesday, December 15: Cozy Winter Wear Day (wear a cozy scarf, hat, and your coziest outfit)
Friday, December 17: Holiday Sweater Day (wear fun/festive/silly holiday sweater)
NEW *Winter Parties December 17, 2021*
Parties will begin at approximately 2:00 pm and end at 2:45 pm. Only PTO-approved parent party volunteers may attend classroom parties. Please see more party volunteer information below.
IMPORTANT NOTES FOR PARTIES
District 96 remains vigilant in our efforts to slow/stop the transmission of COVID-19 and works hard to help to ensure a safe learning environment for all students. We are asking that all winter parties adhere to the following guidelines:
- No food items should be present at winter parties, even if they are part of a craft
- No goody bags/party favors containing food are permitted to be handed out to be taken home
IMPORTANT NOTES FOR PTO PARTY VOLUNTEERS
Parents attending the parties may not bring additional family members, other children, etc. Anyone who is not on our volunteer list will need to leave.
Every PTO volunteer approved to come into our school MUST have their license or ID scanned through our security system to enter. You have to bring this with you or you will not be able to enter. There can be a long line if you wait until the day of the party to scan your ID, so please anticipate this. We highly encourage PTO room party volunteers to swing by Prairie sometime before the party to have their license scanned. The more people who come in early, the shorter the line!
All volunteers must have followed our procedures for verifying vaccination or have proof of a negative Covid test. Call the office with questions at 847.634.3144. All volunteers must wear a mask at all times and remain socially distanced.
NEW *Volunteers & Vaccination Verification or Proof of a Negative Test*
This year Illinois Governor J. B. Pritzker signed Executive Order 2021-20, regarding educational employee vaccination and testing requirements. The Executive Order which applies to all “school personnel,” includes volunteers in the definition unless they are present for only a short period of time and whose movements of close physical proximity are “fleeting”.
Those who have been identified as a current or upcoming PTO volunteer recently received a survey asking that you provide proof of vaccination and notifying them that if unvaccinated they would need to provide proof of a negative Covid test within 48 hours of reporting to volunteer.
If you have already uploaded proof of vaccination, please disregard this information.
How do I provide proof of vaccination proactively should I choose to volunteer at my student(s) school this year?
By following THIS LINK, you may provide proof of vaccination to your school(s).
What if I am unvaccinated but want to volunteer this year?
Unvaccinated volunteers must provide proof of a negative Covid test when they arrive at the school on the day they are scheduled to volunteer. Negative test results are only good for the 48 hours prior to arrival. For example, if an unvaccinated volunteer is scheduled to be in the school the next week, they would have to provide a new test result.
What type of Covid test qualifies?
You may present a negative antigen or PCR test. Home testing kits do not qualify as the test must be observed and documentation of the result is provided to you.
Why can’t unvaccinated volunteers take a Covid test at the school?
The BinaxNow test provided to schools is in short supply at this time. As a result, schools have been notified that we cannot use the test for any screening purposes. If we were to do so, they would no longer supply the test to us. We are only allowed to use the test for symptomatic individuals on campus (students or staff) or when a person qualifies for test-to-stay. If and when test supplies increase, those restrictions may be lifted. If they are, we will be in a position to reconsider testing unvaccinated volunteers in our schools at that time.
What is the process for volunteers to either provide proof of vaccination or proof of a negative test?
Vaccinated volunteers may submit their proof of vaccination at any time by following the link provided and completing the survey and uploading proof of vaccination.
The list of those who have done so will be made available to the school (principal, assistant principal, administrative assistant, and nurse) and updated periodically by Lubna Andrabi in our district office.
Unvaccinated volunteers must bring proof of a negative test to the main office on the day they are scheduled to volunteer.
The main office will make a copy of your negative test.
The test result must be within the previous 48 hours. The staff at the front desk in the main office will assist you.
What if I am fully vaccinated but forgot to upload my proof of vaccination?
If you have not uploaded your vaccination card, you may provide proof of vaccination when you arrive (vaccination card). We strongly encourage you to upload your card so that you do not need to present it each time you report to volunteer.
REPEAT *Vaccination Cards for 5-11 year olds*
Once the district-sponsored vaccination clinics for second doses have been completed, a message will be sent out to all families. This message will include a link for vaccination cards to be uploaded. Please do not send copies of vaccination cards prior to the message going out the week of December 13.
REPEAT *PTO News*
The PTO is partnering with Original Bagel and Bialy to create a fun-themed winter cookie kit for our Puma families. The kit will include 3 different cookie shapes (2 of each shape), 3 frostings, and sprinkles!! Order through Membership Toolkit.
The kit will cost $15 and will be delivered to school for you to pick up starting at drop off on 12/16 through 12/17 at 3:30 PM. If you have any questions please reach out to the Prairie PTO at [email protected].
If you haven’t signed up yet, head over on Monday, December 6th to MTK and pay only once this school year and get an ice cream dessert from Hershey's during a designated Dessert Day each month starting from December 2021 to May 2022. Once you purchase a membership, your child will be given a ticket on Dessert Day to use towards their favorite frozen treat, so you won't need to do anything else. No punch cards are necessary. Please note that we disable the form on MTK a day before dessert day and reactivate it the day after dessert day is complete. If you have any other questions please feel free to reach out to us.
REPEAT *Girls on the Run Spring 2022*
We are excited to start our 11th season of Girls on the Run at Prairie IN PERSON this spring! Girls on the Run is a social-emotional program that incorporates running/physical activity to encourage girls to be confident and healthy in all areas of her life. During practices, girls will do activities and lessons about making friends, dealing with emotions, building confidence, and serving her community. The girls will also train to run a 5K in May!
Girls on the Run is an international program with millions of girls participating. If you’d like more information, please visit www.girlsontherun.com or www.gotrchicago.org.
Girls on the Run Prairie meets for 12 weeks, TWO days per week- Wednesdays AND Thursdays from 3-4:30 pm. Girls must be available for BOTH days. We will start our program the last week on February 23rd and go through mid-May (date TBD per the Chicago GOTR council).
There is a fee to participate (GOTR regulated) and there are opportunities for financial support if needed upon registration.
If you are interested in having your girl participate - please click and fill out THIS FORM to let us know. This is an interest-only form NOT registration. GOTR limits the number of girls that are able to participate based on the number of coaches. If we have more girls interested than we have coaches needed, we will do a modified “pull from a hat” model for participants with a slight preference to 5th graders. We will let you know after Winter Break if your daughter is part of the team.
REPEAT *After School Roller Skating Club*
Prairie Elementary School will be offering after-school roller skating during the months of January and February 2022. Students in 3-5th grade will be participating in January and 1st and 2nd-grade students will be participating in February. All students are welcome regardless of their skill level, especially beginners! There are 8 sessions for both age levels of students. Students may attend as many roller skating days as they want but must be signed up and turn in an athletic activity waiver in order to participate. Please choose the days that are most convenient for your family. Roller skating will be held after school from 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. in the gym.
Students will need skates/roller blades (**If your child’s skates are NEW please lace them up at home!) and safety gear (helmets, wrist guards, elbow pads, and knee pads). Please check to see that your child’s helmet fits securely and rests squarely on top of the head. To see the dates and to sign up a 3rd, 4th, or 5th grader please click HERE. To see the dates and sign up for a 1st or 2nd grader please click HERE. Students will also need to fill out the Parent Consent Form and either email or turn this into Mr. Nickle in person in order to participate. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
REPEAT *Morning Greeters Needed*
Morning Greeters ~ Is your 4th or 5th-grade student interested in joining the team of morning greeters?
Morning greeters will be posted in different locations outside the school to welcome students as they arrive at Prairie. There is also an afternoon farewell option. Please join us for an information meeting on Thursday, December 9 from 3:00-3:30 pm in the library. Pick-up will be at 3:30 pm at the front of Prairie.
Additionally, please fill out this form.
Please contact Dr. Yutakis with any questions.
REPEAT *Project-Based Club Opportunity*
New club for students in 3rd-5th grade. Are you interested in building your leadership skills and working with other students? Join us as we identify ways to become involved and continually foster a strong school community.
Join Mrs. Himes and Dr. Yutakis in a project-based club that will benefit all students at Prairie. We will meet on Friday mornings at 7:30 am beginning after winter break.