Dear Parents,
This week we conducted IAR testing for students in grades 3 - 5. The testing ran very smoothly. We will be conducting make-up tests as needed next week.
There is still time to add to our Humanitarian Relief donation boxes in the front lobby! This donation effort will continue through April 14th. Please remember that monetary donations are being accepted as well. Information and a link to these locations are below in the “REPEAT *D96 Humanitarian Relief Support*” section of today’s blog.
Kindly,
Christine Pfaff - Principal
NEW *PPLC News ~ Spirit Week*
NEW *Pizza Bingo*
We are so excited that Pizza Bingo is BACK on Thursday, April 14th from 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm!!! Dinner will be from 6 - 6:30pm with Bingo starting at approximately 6:45pm. Students will win prizes for Bingo such as candy and small toys. While the students play Bingo, silent auction items are available for parents to bid on such as 2 Principal for the Day prizes, Weekly Announcer, Field Museum passes, a variety of opportunities for lunch or extra time with a teacher, Chicago Dog and Schaumberg Boomers tickets, and MyGym gift certificate as just a few examples.
Please visit the PTO MyToolKit page to pre-register for a reduced cost and to guarantee there is pizza and water for the family. Doughnuts will be for sale the night of the event.
NEW *5th Graders to Visit TG on May 16th*
Our 5th-grade students will be visiting Twin Groves Middle School on May 16th at 1:00pm. Students will be transported by bus. While at TG, Mrs. Barnes and Mrs. Delehanty will walk students through a typical schedule including Flex, Exploratory classes, PE/Health, Technology, Clubs, Study Hall, Lunch, Sports, and how to get extra help. The principals will talk about passing periods and where to go if help is needed in any area of school life. 6th graders will provide a tour of TG after the "Day in the Life of a TG student..." overview.
REPEAT *2022-23 KINDERGARTEN KICK-OFF EVENT - MAY 3, 2022*
Kindergarten Kick-Off is an opportunity for all FULLY REGISTERED incoming kindergarten students and families to tour Willow Grove and for incoming kindergarteners to experience an activity in a classroom. Families must be fully registered by Monday, April 18, to receive the invitation link for the event. Kindergarten Kick-Off sign-up closes on Tuesday, April 19. During the time children are in classrooms (30 minutes), parents will meet with Willow Grove Principal, Jenny Smith, for Kindy 101 to learn about Willow Grove and common questions families have.
YOU MUST BE FULLY REGISTERED AND SIGN UP TO ATTEND. View information on registering your incoming kindergartener. If you are fully registered and do not believe you've received the link to sign up for Kindergarten Kick-Off, call the Willow Grove office for support or email [email protected].
REPEAT *D96 Humanitarian Relief Support*
District 96 is collaborating with other Lake County School Districts to collect emergency items for refugees from Ukraine. These items will be collected during school days, from March 30 to April 14: Only the requested items are to be dropped off in the lobby of each District 96 school.
Financial donations are also being accepted.
Please mail checks directly to:
Lake County Schools Relief Effort/ First Bank of Highland Park
Lake County Schools Relief Effort
C/O First Bank of Highland Park
1835 First Street
Highland Park, IL 60035
OR
Make a contribution to:
Rotary International District 6440
REPEAT *Transitioning to Middle School Session*
Parents of 5th Graders... Who is more excited or nervous, you or your fifth-grader, as you both contemplate transitioning to sixth-grade and a whole new school?
Find answers to some questions you may have in the “Transition to Middle School” virtual meeting, an information-packed program for parents of all current KCSD 96 fifth-graders. This program begins at 7 p.m. on April 20 via Zoom.
Middle School Principals Jessica Barnes (Twin Groves) and Greg Grana (Woodlawn) will discuss academics, extracurricular opportunities, and the changes that middle school years bring. Also, current 6th-grade panelists will share their perspectives.
Questions? Contact KCSD 96 Community Parent Liaison, Lubna Andrabi, at 847.459.4260, ext. 8136.
REPEAT *Dual Language Opportunity for 22-23 Kindergarteners*
Do you have an entering kindergartener or know a D96 resident that does? Are you interested in your child having a bilingual school experience?
See the District website to learn more about the District's optional Spanish/English Dual Language program.
The Dual Language Program was designed several years ago to implement instruction across the curriculum that provides an opportunity for students to develop a deep academic proficiency in two languages. In the district’s Dual Language program, 50 percent of the academic day curriculum is delivered in Spanish and 50 percent of the academic day is delivered in English.
Parents interested in enrolling their child(ren) entering kindergarten in the Dual Language Program are asked to fill out the Lottery Form by 3 p.m., April 15th.
REPEAT *Talking to Students about Events in Ukraine *
As indicated in Mrs. Schmidt’s Superintendent’s message, staff has received resources regarding how to support conversations with students who express personal and more global concerns and fears. We will continue to provide the most up-to-date resources to them. Below you will find resources for parents on how to support your student at home.
Many of our students need the guidance and safety of adults in their homes to navigate their own emotions and trauma in a healthy, safe, and productive way. A few reminders when speaking with your student:
News like this can be scary to children if not handled in the right way. Support and conversations will look and sound different with different age groups.
Remain calm
Affirm that it is okay to feel upset
Stick to facts from vetted sources
Keep explanations developmentally appropriate
Model coping strategies
Keep open lines of communication between school and home
Each of the attached resources provides tips for families and educators, and some include what we can do as adults and how you can respond to students.
Resources:
How to Talk to Kids About Violence Crime and War: Common Sense Media gathers tips and conversation starters to help you talk to kids of different ages about the toughest topics.
Talking to Your Kids About War: VeryWell Family explores ways families can speak with young people about war, including tips on sharing information and restricting media coverage.
Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of elementary school children: This article from the American Psychological Association can help adults guide their young children beyond fear and to resilience.
Resilience in a time of war: Tips for parents and teachers of middle school children: The American Psychological Association breaks out tips and strategies for parents and teachers of middle school-aged children.
The following resources are from the National Association of School Psychologists:
War and Terrorism: Tips for Supporting Children at Home and School
Helping Children Cope with Terrorism: Tips for Families and Educators: Fifteen tips for adults in supporting children
REPEAT *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 are very reluctant to 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 FRIDAY, APRIL 29th. 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 Prairie-Parent Input for Class Placement 2021-2022 Survey. 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 Mr. Senatore.
REPEAT *Proof of Dental Exam*
Dear Parents/Guardians of District 96 Kindergarteners, 2nd, and 6th Grade Students:
Please note that your child’s completed dental examination is now due, 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
In the event that you are unable to fulfill this requirement, the state of Illinois does permit a waiver of the examination.
State of Illinois Dental Waiver Form
Dental examination forms, as well as dental waiver forms, can be downloaded from the District’s website.
Thank you for your prompt cooperation.
REPEAT 2022-23 *Registration Open*
Registration now open for the 2022-23 school year
Registration is now open for the 2022-23 school year. This week, parents and guardians of returning students and pre-registered Kindergartners were emailed Notification letters with a SnapCode to start their registration process.
Register today to avoid the $20 late fee (per child) to be charged on registrations completed after April 15.
If you have questions about the 2022-23 Registration Notification email, please email [email protected] or call 847-459-4260, ext. 8022.
For information on registering a new student, visit https://kcsd96.org/registration.
REPEAT *5th Grade Concert ~ Save the Date*
5th-grade families, save the Date! 5th-grade students will have a music concert on Wednesday, May 11th at 6:30 pm at Prairie school. More details to come!
REPEAT *Reproving Residency for Kindergartners and 5th graders*
In KCSD 96, each year, parents of current Kindergartners and 5th graders are required to reprove their district residency.
To re-prove residency, parents are asked to provide three items to the Administrative Assistants at their child’s current school:
a current monthly mortgage OR lease statement OR property tax bill OR Warranty Deed AND
a current utility bill (e.g., water OR electric OR waste collection) AND
For the email address for your school’s Administrative Assistant, and to learn information for other questions, please visit https://www.kcsd96.org/about/registration/the-requirement-to-re-prove-residency. Prairie's Administrative Assistant is Mrs. Michele Demas and you can email her at [email protected].