Dear Prairie Families,
What a great start to the school year! It was so wonderful to welcome our Pumas back for the 2024-2025 school year! School spirit and positive energy were at an all-time high during a rainy arrival yesterday morning. All students were welcomed into the school by our excited staff and a fun party like atmosphere in the gym.
Our Pumas learned more about our Prairie Pillars: Responsible, Respectful, and Safe behaviors. Staff rolled out what volume levels, words, actions, and materials should be expected in different locations of our school community. They even got to view some funny “non-examples” of behavior as demonstrated by our staff. We encourage you to engage in a conversation with your students about what we reviewed this week.
A friendly reminder that school starts promptly at 8:25 am. Any student arriving late must be signed in by a parent inside the building. Please see the repeating important dates below, as well as some new information in regard to technology and band registration.
Have a great weekend!
Ms. Lauren Delahanty
*Important August Dates*
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Monday, August 19th Curriculum Night at Willow Grove
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6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
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Wednesday, August 21st Curriculum Night at Ivy Hall
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6:30 to 7:15 p.m. (Grades 1 and 2)
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7:15 to 8 p.m. (Grades 3-5)
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Thursday, August 22nd Curriculum Night at Kildeer & Prairie
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6:30 to 7:15 p.m. (Grades 1 and 2)
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7:15 to 8 p.m. (Grades 3-5)
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Thursday, August 29th Curriculum Night at Country Meadows
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6:30 to 7:15 p.m. (Grades 1 and 2)
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7:15 to 8 p.m. (Grades 3-5)
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Tuesday, August 27th - Early Release at 2:05 p.m. at Country Meadows, Ivy Hall, Kildeer, & Prairie. Please see the Twin Groves, Woodlawn, and Willow Grove Principal’s Message for attendance times.
*NEW - Prairie Pillars
NEW *Kildeer District 96: iPad Fleet Renewal and Distribution Update*
At the end of last year, Kildeer District 96 collected all outstanding student equipment as part of our ongoing commitment to providing our students with the best possible learning tools. This collection allowed us to recycle and renew our iPad fleet, ensuring that our students have access to the latest technology for the upcoming school year.
The new iPads that your students received are very similar to the devices they have used in the past, with one key update: the new iPads feature a shared input for both power and audio. To accommodate this change, the district is providing an audio adapter in addition to the standard equipment students have traditionally received. Each student will receive the following:
- iPad
- Keyboard case
- Logitech Crayon
- One charging brick
- One charging cable
- Audio adapter
Students received their login instructions when they were issued their new iPads yesterday. We encourage all families to review the iPad Handbook, which can be found here, for detailed information on the use and care of these devices. Additionally, please familiarize yourself with our policies on the damage and replacement of iPads, available here.
We look forward to a great year ahead, with these new devices supporting our students in their educational journey.
NEW *Picture Day - Tuesday, September 10, 2024*
Prairie’s Picture Day is scheduled for Tuesday, September 10th. Please see the attachments below for more information. Flyers will also be sent home with students soon.
NEW *Law Enforcement Safety Drill EDUCATION*
On Monday, August 26th, Prairie will be conducting the annual Law Enforcement Safety Drill EDUCATION. Students will be learning age appropriate safety procedures.
In compliance with the Safety Drill Act, parents have the right to exempt their child from the Law Enforcement Drill EDUCATION with their school peers.
If you do not wish your child to participate in the Law Enforcement Safety Drill Education with the other peers, please contact Ms. Delahanty at [email protected]. The administration will arrange for an alternative review of safety procedures with your child.
If we do not hear from you, we will assume your child has permission to participate in the education.
NEW *5th Grade Band Starting Next Week, still time to join!*
The band program is open to 5th grade students only. Students may learn one of 7 instruments during their 5th grade year in the beginning band: Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone, Trumpet, Trombone, Euphonium, and Percussion. (Percussion consists of drum pad or snare drum and mallets.) We will begin our lessons at Ivy Hall on Wednesday, August 21 and Prairie on Friday, August 23. Many students are already signed up for band but there have been new families that have moved into the area and some families that did not fully make their decision yet, but now want to sign their student up for band. If this is you, please follow this Beginning Band Registration link to sign up your student for band and get the necessary information so they can be ready to go on our first day of practice. If you have questions please email Mr. Nagle, [email protected]
NEW *SMART Watches*
SMART watches are starting to show up here at the elementary schools. Many SMART watches have similar capabilities to SMART phones (game, voice, and text capabilities). If your student has a SMART watch, it must be placed in airplane/off mode during the school day. If a SMART watch becomes a distraction or is used for communication, it may be confiscated and stored in the office to remove the distraction from the learning environment. Essentially, we will treat the SMART watches like a cell phone. If students need to call home, we encourage them to ask their teacher if they can come to the office to use the phone. Confiscated equipment may be picked up in the office at the end of the day by the student(s). If a pattern of distraction occurs, parents may be asked to pick up the technology.
REPEAT *Arrival and Dismissal Procedures - PLEASE READ!
REMINDER… RIGHT TURN ONLY out of the pick-up and drop-off circle. NO LEFT TURNS are permitted.
To ensure that student dismissal runs smoothly, we are asking all families to please complete the form linked below. Please complete one form for each child you have attending Prairie. This information will be sent to our front office staff (Mrs. Demas and Mrs. Glassgow) who will then share it with classroom teachers. Thank you for your help.
Prairie Student Dismissal Form - Please Click Here
Morning Parent Vehicle Drop-Off
- Earliest drop off is 8:10am when adult supervision starts
- Follow the red arrows on the arrival and dismissal map
- Pull up as far as you can
- Students exit vehicle on passenger side, if driver side exit is needed, call over a supervisor for assistance
- Adults stay in the vehicle, drop and go.
- If you would like to walk your student to the front door, you must park in the green oval (map above) and use the sidewalk.
- NO cell phone use in school zones - Illinois State Law
After School Parent Vehicle Pick-Up
- Follow the red arrows on the arrival and dismissal map
- 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. A family name card will be given to your student at Meet the Teacher or 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.
- If you would like to get out of your car to pick up your student, you must park in the green oval (map above) and use the sidewalk.
Bus Drop Off & After School Pick Up
- Students who ride the bus will be dropped off and board the bus in the back parking lot.
- Upon arrival, students will enter the building and walk to their classroom.
- After school, students will board the bus. Many supervisors are present to ensure students board the correct bus. Bus signs and student bus tags are color coded for easy verification.
REPEAT *Changes to Dismissal Plans*
Please contact the school office by noon in the event that your dismissal plans change. Your child will be at the designated dismissal location unless the school is notified in accordance with the above. Please notify the office in writing in accordance with the district handbook. Please see Section 9.4 in the Parent/Student Handbook regarding permission for students to ride other buses, as in most cases, this is not allowed.
REPEAT: Simultaneous Student Pick-Up from Willow Grove & Elementary Schools
Please know that we understand that some families may have concerns related to picking students up from Willow Grove and an elementary school building. Please know that all principals are aware of this concern, and no child will ever be left unattended. We know you may be going to more than one school with the same dismissal time. We appreciate your best effort in picking your children up in a timely manner, and we appreciate you adhering to our dismissal times. If when you arrive at a building your child is not waiting outside with an adult, please park and come to the front office. If you will be after 3:15 to a specific location, please call and inform the office of your ETA.