3/5/21
TGIF…Twin Groves it’s Friday!
Just a reminder…
March 11th is an early release for students. HERE is the schedule.
There is no school on March 12th.
IMPORTANT March 8 Communication to Parents of FULL REMOTE Students
Parents of FULL REMOTE students, please make a note to check this Monday, March 8, for an email from District 96. The email includes a link to a survey to opt your student in for in-person learning, if you choose. Survey responses are due no later than 11:59 PM on Thursday, March 11. Questions? Contact [email protected]
Counseling Corner
Ms. Baker and Ms. McDevitt, School Social Workers
Ms. Koulentes, School Counselor
Ms. Leverentz, School Psychologist
Middle school students face pressures on a daily basis while also dealing with the mental and physical changes that their bodies are going through. This year students are also dealing with living in a new reality due to Covid 19. The combination of all these factors can result in large amounts of stress that the student may not be used to dealing with. Learning effective ways of dealing with stress early will help students balance and take control of their lives.
Some of the more common culprits of stress in a student’s life are: schoolwork, parents and familial relationships, friendships and peer relationships, physical changes, and high expectations set by self or others.
Parents can help encourage their student to determine what is causing the stress and do the following to help alleviate stress:
-Talk to a trusted confidante.
-Take time to relax. Find an activity that the student enjoys and set aside time to do it. Drawing, reading, playing a musical instrument, listening to music etc.
-Exercise and eat healthy-Be sure to avoid drinking too much caffeine.
-Be prepared and organized. This can help the student avoid a lot of stress in relation to schoolwork. Staying on top of assignments and large projects is an invaluable skill to learn in middle school.
-Learn to break large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.
-Learn to prioritize. Determine what tasks must be done immediately and what tasks can be completed shortly after.
-Learn to look for the positive in different situations.
--Learn to decrease negative self-talk. Challenge negative thoughts with positive or neutral ones.
-Learn to feel good about doing a competent job at times rather than always demanding perfection.
-Practice relaxation, breathing techniques, and yoga to help control the stress. Need a sample exercise for calming emotions? Try the following exercise from the Book Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety Christopher Willard PsyD.
“Clearing the Mind”
Sometimes when you have so much going on in your life it is hard to see what is actually important and what you need to focus on in your life.
Imagine that your life is like a snow globe or a glitter ball and all of your thoughts are the pieces of glitter inside. Shake the ball either a lot or a little and just watch and wait for the glitter to settle.
Now close your eyes and bring your attention to your mind and breath. Try to imagine all of your thoughts settling with each breath. Your thoughts never go away, but they can move aside and this can allow more clarity and calm in your head.
You can even make your own snow globe from a kit and put in inspirational images and/or quotes in it.
On a final note:
The Mindfulness and Yoga Club is a great place for Twin Groves Middle School students to practice relaxation in real time. It meets every Thursday from 3:00-3:45pm on Mrs. Kugler's Zoom link.
Tips and exercises drawn from Troubled Teen 101, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and the book Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety by C.Willard, PsyD.
2021–22 REGISTRATION EMAILS WERE SENT THURSDAY, MARCH 4
Please check for registration email(s) for the 2021–22 school year, sent Thursday, March 4.
Each registration email includes a link and a unique “snapcode” needed for access to register your returning student for 2021–22.
EVERY student returning to District 96 for the school year ahead must be registered.
Information you provided previously will appear in your student’s online registration record. Please check that info carefully and update it if it is not accurate.
Completing and submitting online registration and making payment no later than Apr. 15, 2021, will save families $20 in registration cost per student. Fees increase after Apr. 15. Registration questions? Please send email to [email protected] or call 847.459.4260, ext. 8022.
Student Report Card Access March 10 After 3 PM
Your student’s report card will be available for you to access online Wednesday, March 10, AFTER 3 PM. If you need assistance, please SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VIEW YOUR CHILDREN’S REPORT CARDS, to switch between your children’s report cards, and more. Report cards will be available for online access after 3PM. on March 10th.
PTO Positions for the 2021-2022 School Year
The Twin Groves PTO Executive Board would love to have you as part of our team! We need to fill the Co-President and Co-Treasurer positions for the 2021 - 2022 school year and we hope you'll check out these amazing opportunities.
Please head over to Membership Toolkit to learn more and sign up at twingrovespto.membershiptoolkit.com.
Books - Please return
Please return any books that students may have at home that they are finished reading.
There is a box located outside the main entrance doors, by the Twin Groves Office, to return books.
Students in person can return directly to the library.
Technology at Lunch
Students are not allowed to have phones or iPads during lunch when they are in person. All electronic devices should be kept in a backpack or bag.
Spring Conferences
Spring Conferences are right around the corner!
HERE is the link that was sent out on 2/19 at 7PM.
PLEASE NOTE...THE SIGN UP WILL CLOSE ON MARCH 8th.
The conference dates are Thursday, March 11th from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM and Friday, March 12th from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM.
Conferences will be held over zoom. An email from School Messenger will be sent out at 2PM on March 10th with a document that contains links to the zoom conferences.
7th grade Book Pick Up- A reminder will be sent out to 7th Grade Families on Sunday, March 7th.
There will be a book pick up on Monday, March 8th through Friday, March 12th from 7:00 AM-3:30 PM.
7th grade remote students in Language Arts will need to pick up their assigned book club novel and The Outsiders. These will be labeled with the student’s name.
Students should also return their book club novel from the fall/winter. There will be a box for returns.
7th grade remote students in Language Arts Advanced will need to pick up their assigned book club novel and The Book Thief. These will be labeled with the student’s name.
Students should also return their book club novel from the fall/winter. There will be a box for returns.
In person students will receive their books in class.
Pick Up Details and Information:
Students do not need to be present during pick up.
Parents or guardians may send a friend or family member to pick up the materials.
There will be book carts set up outside the main entrance. This is the same entrance as the main office at Twin Groves.
Please wear a mask when picking up materials.
There is no need to enter the building for anything.
6th Grade Dental Forms
Attention parents of 6th Graders. Proof of dental exams for all 6th graders are due by May 15th. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Borzych at 847-821-8946.
Illinois 5Essentials Survey
Share your thoughts about how your child’s school is doing on the 5Essentials for school success. On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago. District 96 will participate in the statewide 2020–21 5Essentials Survey to meet state legislation and the Board’s mandate. District 96 parents may voluntarily participate to complete the survey. (https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/) Please select the Parent Survey and begin.
Beginning in February and through Apr. 2, students and teachers will complete their surveys to help identify strengths and weaknesses in their school’s learning environment. In District 96, students in grades 4–8 will complete their surveys on Mar. 19.
This survey is designed to help school and district leaders better understand the parent/school relationship. All responses are anonymous. Parents are asked to complete a survey for each student attending a Kildeer Countryside District 96 school. The survey will be open through Apr. 2, 2021. Questions? See Frequently Asked Questions (https://impactsurveyshelp.force.com/s/) and/or contact 5Essentials Client Services 866.440.1874.
Opportunity for 6-8th Graders
Stevenson High School Write Club student members are offering 6–8th graders the opportunity to participate in the third annual Marginalia–an online workshop of creative fun and writing activities (rap battles, one-poem-a-day challenges, and more). SHS Club members will lead small groups of 3-4 middle school students. Each participant will have original writing shared in a digital magazine at the end of the workshop. Marginalia runs Mon., Mar. 29–Sun., Apr. 18. SIGN UP NOW (no later than Mar. 21) and select weekday and weekend session time availability and literary genre areas of interest. Questions? Send to [email protected]
Daily Announcements
Please see Twin Groves website for up to date school announcements. The announcements let you know what exciting activities and clubs are going on at Twin Groves. Please click HERE to access the Daily Announcements.