8/27/21
TGIF…Twin Groves it’s Friday!
Please note that Tuesday, August 31st is an Early Release.
Dismissal is at 1:30PM. HERE is the schedule.
Clubs and Study Halls- PLEASE READ
Clubs and Study Halls will begin on Monday. August 30th.
The clubs and study halls run from 2:30 PM-3:15 PM. Students do not need to sign up for clubs or study halls. Information can be found on our Daily Announcements or in linked HERE.
Due to the bus driver shortage, Activity Buses will not be leaving Twin Groves until 4:30PM. There will be supervision for students from 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM. This will be a supervised study hall for students who need to take the Activity Bus home.
We strongly encourage parents to either…
-pick up their child at 3:15 PM
-find a carpool for your child
If your child needs to take the Activity Bus home, please note that they will not be leaving Twin until 4:30 PM.
Please note that the office closes at 3:30 PM every day.
Band and Orchestra
Band and Orchestra rehearsals will begin on Monday, August 30th.
Band and Orchestra runs from 2:30 PM-3:15 PM.
Due to the bus driver shortage, Activity Buses will not be leaving Twin Groves until 4:30PM. There will be supervision for students from 3:15 PM to 4:30 PM. This will be a supervised study hall for students who need to take the Activity Bus home.
We strongly encourage parents to either…
-pick up their child at 3:15 PM
-find a carpool for your child
If your child needs to take the Activity Bus home, please note that they will not be leaving Twin until 4:30 PM.
Please note that the office closes at 3:30 PM every day.
Please reach out to Mrs. Anderson (Orchestra) or Mr. Nagle (Band) with individual questions.
PE Uniforms
Membership Toolkit has closed for ordering PE Uniforms.
If you need to purchase a uniform, please bring cash or a check made out to: Twin Groves PTO.
Shirt $12 (required)
Shorts $13 (required)
Lock $7 (required but can purchase on your own)
Gym bag $3 (optional)
Please note that our inventory is low for certain sizes. We are expecting a delivery in the next 7-10 days.
Special Lunch and Dessert Day Forms-DUE
The last day to order September's special lunch is September 1st.
The last day to order October’s Dessert day is September 15th.
Please order through Membership Toolkit.
NEW *Covid Metrics*
To stay up-to-date this school year on local metrics, please visit the COVID DASHBOARD for District 96. Our priority remains to keep our students safe and follow guidance from the CDC. If your student is identified as a "close contact", you will be notified individually through the contact tracing process.
Counseling Corner
Ms. Baker and Mr. Maddox, School Social Workers
Mrs. Koulentes, School Counselor
Mrs. Leverentz, School Psychologist
Starting the school year off on the right foot can help minimize a student’s stress level throughout the year. Here are some suggestions to ease the transition back to school:
o Encourage structured routines and be actively involved in your child’s education – establish bedtime, mealtime, reading, and homework routines.
o Set education goals. Setting goals help to set the routine of the new year.
o Talk to your child – get to know his or her fears or worries about the new school year. Ask them what they liked about the previous year and see if you can incorporate some of those positives into the new year.
o Empathize with your child – let them know you are aware of what they are going through and that you are there to help them through the process. Nerves are normal, emphasize that different/change isn’t always bad.
o Develop relationships with your child’s teachers – Teachers can be the best source of information about your child’s performance and needs.
o Along with the homework routine, designate a specific quiet place with no distractions. Be sure to monitor technology use during homework times, as this can be the most dominant distraction available.
o Emphasize the importance of organization and help your child become organized. Stress the use of an assignment notebook/homework tracking app, visual organizer, to-do lists, color-coded folders (digital/physical), etc.
o Encourage learning at home – promoting learning outside of the classroom helps children perform better in the classroom. (Ex: 10-15 minutes of reading a day)
New to the Community?
o Get to know your neighborhood and neighbors – find out where neighborhood kids might go to safely hang out together.
o Get involved and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Meeting members of the community will lend support to both you and your child.
Problems with Organization and Time Management?
o Offer continuous support, encouragement, and assistance.
o As much as possible, maintain a structured, orderly, predictable routine for homework
o Monitor your student’s assignments. Your student could identify a Study Buddy for each class, so that they have someone to call after school if they have questions about an assignment.
o Maintain a monthly wall calendar and discuss the week’s upcoming events Sunday night. This helps to reduce any “surprises” the child didn’t know about.
o Post checklists in your child’s room that outline steps needed to take for certain tasks and routines
Back-to-school Backpack safety shared by our Twin Groves OT, Mrs. DeWilde:
“According to a Boston University study, approximately 85% of university students self-report discomfort and pain associated with backpack usage. Good habits need to be set during the earlier school years.”
Read on:
https://chadd.org/pack-it-light-wear-it-right-backpack-awareness-2018/
Dismissal- Parent Pick Up
To ensure timely and safe student pick-up at the end of the day, please follow these guidelines:
-As you pull into the line, pull up as far as possible and as near as you can to the car in front of you. This will help keep traffic off Buffalo Grove Road and it will keep the entrance clear for busses.
-Wait in line. Please do not pull around cars that are waiting. This presents a safety risk for drivers and pedestrian students.
- Do not motion student to cross the parking lot.
- Slowly process through the pick up line. Drive safely as you process through the line and exit.
- Do not pull into the parking lot (where the busses pull in) to park and wait for your student. We cannot see behind the parked busses, that is not an expected student pick-up area, and we have to be sure students depart safely.
Picture Day
Your school picture day will be held on Tuesday 8/31/21. Afterwards, you’ll receive an email when your images are ready to view online. Or, you can search for them at vipis.com shortly after photos are taken. You’ll be able to select your image for your yearbook/composite (please remember to do so before it’s selected for you), and place your order online. All orders will be delivered to your home. If you need further assistance, contact VIP at [email protected].
NWEA MAP Testing
All students in grades K-8 will be participating in NWEA MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) assessment. The MAP assessment is a normed referenced, computerized adaptive test that helps teachers, parents, and administrators improve learning for all students and make informed decisions to promote a child's academic growth. Like in previous years, all students will be taking the MAP test in reading and math during the school day. Testing will take place on August 30 and September 1.
Students who are quarantined during the testing days will take the MAP assessment after they return to school.
TG MAP Schedule:
August 30th
6th Graders will test at 8:30AM
7th Graders will test at 7:45AM
8th Graders will test at 7:45 AM
August 31st- Make Ups
September 1st
6th Graders will test at 8:30AM
7th Graders will test at 7:45AM
8th Graders will test at 7:45 AM
September 2nd- Make Ups
September 3rd- Make Ups
7th and 8th Grade Upcoming Curriculum Night Information
Please find your grade level below for the upcoming Curriculum Night.
Please note the front office will NOT BE OPEN during Curriculum Night.
7th Grade Curriculum Night
Thursday, September 2nd, 2021 at 7:00 PM
Large Gym
We will be offering a virtual option for this year’s curriculum night for all parents.
If you would like to attend in person, we are asking that only one parent from each family attend.
The in person Curriculum Night will be a fully masked event.
If you would like to attend virtually, please use THIS ZOOM LINK
Meeting ID: 827 8369 6278
Passcode: TWIN
Please note that Curriculum Night is for parents only.
Program- Please meet in the LARGE GYM.
Welcome and Twin Groves overview from Mrs. Barnes and Ms. Delahanty.
Introductions of related services staff and instructional coaches.
Presentations:
Content Teachers- Science, Math, Social Studies, Language Arts
Spanish Teachers
Wellness Teachers- PE/Health
Exploratory Teachers: Art, Music, The Art and Science of Living
Instrumental Music Teachers: Band and Orchestra
8th Grade Curriculum Night
Thursday, September 2nd, 2021 at 7:30 PM
Cafeteria
We will be offering a virtual option for this year’s curriculum night for all parents.
If you would like to attend in person, we are asking that only one parent from each family attend.
The in person Curriculum Night will be a fully masked event.
If you would like to attend virtually, please use THIS ZOOM LINK.
Please note that Curriculum Night is for parents only.
Meeting ID: 829 1227 4903
Passcode: TWIN
Program- Please meet in the CAFETERIA.
Welcome and Twin Groves overview from Mrs. Barnes and Ms. Delahanty.
Introductions of related services staff and instructional coaches.
Presentations:
Content Teachers- Science, Math, Social Studies, Language Arts
Spanish Teachers
Wellness Teachers- PE/Health
Exploratory Teachers: Art, Music, The Art and Science of Living
Instrumental Music Teachers: Band and Orchestra.
Please note...ALL CURRICULUM NIGHT PRESENTATIONS will be shared in my Principal’s Message on Friday, September 3rd.
Middle School Health Topics
2021/22
Dear Parent/Guardian,
District 96 provides a comprehensive health curriculum that addresses an individual’s physical, mental, and social-emotional well-being. Within these broad categories, health teachers cover the topics of body systems, fitness and nutrition, illness prevention, first aid, personal safety, consumer health, bullying prevention, and decision-making.
Illinois state law also requires all school districts with a comprehensive health curriculum to provide instruction on specific health topics including cancer education, AIDS education and prevention, human growth and development, sexual abstinence until marriage, contraception, dating violence, sexual abuse prevention, Erin’s Law, and the Abandoned Newborn Protection Act. In compliance with these state mandates, your child’s health teachers will address these specific topics by the end of eighth grade. The health curriculum is designed to introduce topics at the most age appropriate time. Please visit http://www.kcsd96.org/curriculum/pacing-guides-middle-school for information on both general and specific health topics by grade level.
District 96 recognizes that parents hold the primary responsibility for their child’s education. As parents, you may elect to excuse your child from instruction on any health topic. If you choose this option, please submit a request, in writing, to the building principal, asking that your child be excused from class during the specific period of instruction.
Please note that parents may also arrange to preview instructional materials by contacting their school office. If you have any questions, you may contact Andrea Penepacker, Health teacher at Woodlawn Middle School, at (847) 353-8500; or Ben Leven, Health teacher at Twin Groves Middle School at (847) 821-8946.
We hope you will find this information helpful as we begin a new school year.
Sincerely,
Julie A. Schmidt
Superintendent of Schools
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.