Good afternoon Prairie Families,
I hope that you have been able to stay warm this past week! It was so nice to welcome our students back after an unexpected longer weekend due to snow and frigid temperatures.
As we continually endure the midwestern winter, you may be wondering how decisions are made in regard to indoor recess. Please see the Parent/Student handbook for more information on how the decision for indoor or outdoor recess is made each morning.
Today at an all-school assembly, we revisited our Prairie values: being respectful, responsible, kind, ready and safe. Our Prairie Leaders and Puma Pals presented on behavior expectations and how we demonstrate these values every day at school. Thank you to the students who prepared the presentation and presented in front of their peers. What a great way to model leadership!
Please see upcoming dates and repeating informational items below.
Have a great weekend,
Lauren Delahanty
NEW *Upcoming Dates*
- Wednesday, January 17 - Tuesday, March 5 - ACCESS Testing
- Tuesday, January 30 - Early Release Day
REPEAT *Updated Approved Snack List*
As a reminder, all snacks sent to school must be on the Approved Snack List. Our Approved Snack List is updated annually and was recently reviewed in December, carefully curated by staff and parent volunteers, taking into consideration your valuable feedback. We kindly ask that you review the snack list to ensure you are sending appropriate choices with your child to school (our website link has also been updated). If an item is not on our list, it will be sent home. Our aim is to provide a wide variety of snacks that are safe for all students, eliminating the top 8 allergens and gluten, making it a "win" for everyone! For daily snacks, excluding fruits and vegetables, we kindly request that all items be pre-packaged and must be brand-specific. This helps teachers easily check the snacks and ensure they comply with our safety standards.
Thank you for your support in creating a safe and inclusive environment for our students. Together, we can ensure that all our children enjoy their snacks while staying healthy and happy in our classrooms!
https://www.kcsd96.org/student-services/approved-food-beverage-list
REPEAT *Valentine's Day*
Valentine's Day will be celebrated during PTO classroom parties at all elementary schools on Wednesday, February 14th. Your child's teacher will send home any classroom-specific information related to Valentine's Day. Valentines are already popping up in stores. If you choose to send valentines to school and include an item with your child's valentines, please note for the safety of our students only non-food items are permissible. This practice is consistent for all classrooms in District 96 elementary schools.
REPEAT *24-25 Kindergarten Registration Open*
Are you the parent of a kindergarten student or friends with someone who is? Please help us get the word out! Kindergarten registration is now open for the 24-25 school year. Families who complete registration by April 30th may attend Kindergarten Kick-Off in May at Willow Grove Early Learning Center and receive a free t-shirt while at the event! Kindergarten Kick-Off is an exciting event designed to welcome and introduce incoming kindergarten students and their parents/guardians to Willow Grove, supporting a successful transition into school and kindergarten. Please follow this link to learn about the steps to register. Fully registered families will receive additional information about Kindergarten Kick-Off and more in early April.
If your child is already attending Willow Grove in the early childhood program, you will automatically receive a registration link in March for kindergarten. Please wait until you receive that link to proceed with registration. You will still want to complete the registration process by April 30th to receive your child's free t-shirt and attend Kindergarten Kick-Off.
Please note that your child must be 5 years old by September 1st, 2024 to attend kindergarten for the 2024-25 school year.
https://www.kcsd96.org/wg/kindergarten-registration
Repeat *ACCESS Testing*
The State of Illinois requires identified English Learner (EL) students to annually participate in the ACCESS testing to determine current English language proficiency in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. Our ACCESS testing window will occur from 1/17/24-3/5/24. Each school’s testing schedule is unique and will only impact students who take the ACCESS test. Students taking ACCESS do not need to prepare anything ahead of time.
REPEAT: Parent Pick-Up Procedures
Morning Parent Vehicle Drop-Off
- The earliest drop-off is 8:10am when adult supervision starts. Students should NOT BE dropped off before 8:10am as there is no adult supervision outside.
- Right or left turns into the circle are permitted in the morning (NOT the afternoon)
- This occurs in the front circle by the main entrance to Prairie
- Pull up as far as you can
- Students exit the vehicle on the passenger side, if driverside exit is needed, call over a supervisor for assistance
- Adults stay in the vehicle, drop and go.
- NO cell phone use in school zones - Illinois State Law
- Right or left turns leaving the circle are permitted in the morning (NOT the afternoon)
Students walk to the back of the school, go to the blacktop area for morning recess, and will line up in response to a signal provided by the supervisor. Each day, teachers will up students outside. If there is inclement weather, students will gather by grade level in the multi-purpose room.
After School Parent Vehicle Pick-Up
- Vehicles can turn RIGHT ONLY into the front circle after school. Why? With so many vehicles gathering at the same time, it is necessary to have traffic moving in one direction.
- Pull up as far as you can
- Please tape your family name card to the passenger side front windshield at a height visible to supervisors. Three family name cards were given to your student on the first day of school. If you need more, contact the office.
- Using your family name card will decrease wait time for everyone, as supervisors can quickly call students to vehicles.
- Students will enter the vehicle on the passenger side. Supervisors will assist if driver-side entry is needed.
- Drivers stay in the car.
- Vehicles can turn RIGHT ONLY out of the front circle after school. Why? With so many vehicles leaving at the same time, it is necessary to have traffic moving in one direction.