Principal's Message 8.31.12

Highlight of the Week
Thank you to everyone who came out this week for Curriculum Night.  We had a wonderful turn out.  We spent the first portion of the evening sharing information about our Extended Learning Support Team also known as our coaching staff at Prairie and how they work with all teachers to expand their knowledge and instructional skills resulting in better learning experiences for your children.  The rest of our time was spent with grade level teachers learning about curriculum and guidelines specific to individual classrooms.  

MAP Testing Next Week
Your child's classroom teacher can share specifics about when your child's classroom is assessing.  Please help your child to do his/her best by getting a great night's rest and eating a healthy breakfast.  Results will be sent home via backpack mail as soon as all students have been assessed and the score reports are available. 

Extended Math Information
Please click here for information about our extended math program.

Hot/cold lunch purchases
Students are allowed to return to the serving area to purchase a 2nd hot/cold lunch if they wish.  If you do not want your child to purchase a 2nd lunch, please send a note to the school office.  Please know as well that snacks such as pretzels, Rice Krispy treats, and muffins are offered for purchase during the last five minutes of the lunch period.  More information about menus and food pricing can be found on the Lunch Menus/Food Service Info link on the district website.

Picture Day Date Change

Picture Day has been moved to Wednesday, September 5th.  

PTO Happenings

The Prairie PTO is looking forward to seeing all families at the Back-to-School Bash on September 6th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm.  Don't miss this great opportunity to mingle with friends and enjoy some delicious ice cream.  Ice Cream Fridays and School Store start next week.  For more PTO news, please check out the PTO newsletter.  

Parent Review Committee
New Parent Review Members are sought for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 school years.  Serving a two-year commitment, Parent Review Committee members review and offer feedback on curricular and instructional innovations, initiatives, policies, programs, topics required by school board policy or school code, and provide feedback during the development of the district calendar.  Parent Review members have shared that they become well informed regarding our school district.  The role of Parent Review members include being active participants by sharing opinions, questions, suggestions, and feedback in positive ways, act as district ambassadors to promote the district in the community, direct other parents to the appropriate district personnel and resources as needed, and invite other parents to attend district sponsored meetings and events. Meetings are scheduled for 9/24, 10/22, 11/12, 1/8, 2/11, 3/18, and 4/15 from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. Additional members are needed to represent Prairie School.  For more information or to express interest, please contact     Dr. Pfaff by September 7, 2012.

3rd Grade Parent Math Night
Please join us for a lively workshop to learn and practice the focus algorithms your child will be using this year in math on Wednesday, September 12th from 7pm - 8pm.

School Yard Scamper
The School Yard Scamper Fun Run is just around the corner!  Please submit your online permission slip ASAP so your child can participate in this fabulous all school event. Forms can be found on the Prairie homepage.  If you are interested in volunteering for the Scamper please complete the lower portion of the form.

Fitness Walk permission slips are due no later than Friday, September 7^th for all 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade students. Fitness Walk forms are submitted online and can be found on the Prairie School homepage. Fitness Walks take place during your child's regular gym period and are part of the P.E. curriculum and will start the week of September 10th.

Important Dates

Monday, September 3rd - Labor Day, No School

Wednesday, September 5th - School Store Starts...items range from 25 cents to $2.00

Thursday, September 6th - PTO Back to School Blow Out - Enjoy ice cream & dancing

Friday, September 7th - Ice Cream Fridays start.  Most items $1, some $2. Peanut Free.

Wednesday, September 12th - 3rd Grade Parent Math Night at Prairie 7pm - 8pm
Monday, September 17th - Rosh Hashanah - No School

Wednesday, September 19th - PTO General meeting at 9:30am  

Principal's Message 8.24.12

First Days of School
We had a wonderful 2.5 days of school this week.  Everyone is settled in and engaged in learning.  Our new food service program, Organic Life, has been very well received by students with many positive comments about the fresh salads.  We ended our week today with our annual Welcome Back to School assembly where we introduced new teachers, recognized our new 1st graders, and also recognized any new student who has just joined our Prairie family.  Parker the Prairie Dog sadly had another engagement this morning and was not able to attend our assembly but he'll be here again soon.  

Bus Note Clarification

Please read carefully and help us to keep all of our boys and girls at Prairie safe.  Thank you so much for your support and understanding.  Our main objective is to make sure that your children are safe and accounted for at all times. 

Our District 96 Transportation Policy has become more specific in a few ways:

• A daily written note will continue to be required when changes occur.
• Emails to office staff and teachers will not be accepted because we cannot guarantee they will be read prior to dismissal.
• Phone calls to office staff will not be accepted to change a child's typical routine with the exception of emergencies.
•  Riding buses for parties and scouts continues to be not allowed.  Play dates are also considered an unacceptable use of transportation resources.  With  a note sent in your child's backpack in the morning, your child can be claimed at parent pick up to go home with another family.  We sincerely appreciate your support in keeping our students safe and accounted for by picking up children at school that have play dates together.

You can find more information in the Parent/Student Handbook by using this link:  Link to Handbook.

Here is the transportation excerpt from the Handbook:

 9.4 Permission for Students to Ride Other Buses

Changes to the typical/assigned routine must be communicated in a daily written note; no email will be accepted. Due to capacity restrictions, the request will be considered by the building principal (at the middle-school level, by the Assistant Principal), who will determine whether there is adequate seating on the bus to accommodate additional riders. Emergency changes to the typical routine must be communicated by phone call to the school. Riding an unassigned bus for birthday parties, scouts, carpools/play dates, etc., is not considered appropriate use of transportation resources. Permission for such reasons is reserved for emergencies only or at the discretion of the principal.  A student attending Willow Grove School is not allowed to ride a bus other than the one to which he or she is assigned, or to get off a bus at a stop other than his or her assigned bus stop under any circumstances.

9.4-a. Removal of a Child from the Bus. Parents may not remove their child from the bus if the bus is at a location other than at the child's assigned bus stop. In the event of a delay or malfunction, bus drivers are not authorized to release students to parents. Only the building administrator may allow students to be released from a bus route, and then only to the child's parent or guardian.  The bus company will send another bus to continue the route.

A Note from Mrs. Williams ~ Band Director
5th grade students are eligible to join the school band this year!  I was at Prairie yesterday to talk to the students in their music classes about band and demonstrate the different instruments of the band for them.  Tuesday, September 4, they will also have the opportunity to actually try playing several instruments (fun!), to see if they like it, and find what instrument they might be most successful on.  Students that find that they are successful when trying an instrument may decide to join the band this year!  Yesterday students were given more detailed information about how to join band.  If you did not see this flyer, all of this information is on my webpage, which you can access from the Prairie School website.  There will be an informational meeting for 5th grade parents to find out more about this musical opportunity, and how to rent an instrument, on Tuesday evening, Sept. 4, at 7:00 p.m. at Woodlawn Middle School.  The actual Beginning Band Registration night will be from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 6 at Twin Groves Middle School.  Who knows, your child may be a star as we 'Strike Up the Band' this year at Prairie!

Plan ahead to DO THE DASH on Sept. 23

Join District 96 families, teachers, and staff for the 2nd annual District 96 Dash. The 5k walk/run will step off from Twin Groves Middle School, 2600 N. Buffalo Grove Rd., at 8:30 a.m. on Sun., Sept. 23. REGISTER ONLINE (each registered runner and walker will receive a T-shirt) and mark your calendar for this fun family activity that all ages will enjoy. All the PTOs in District 96 are working together to sponsor this event and will donate the proceeds to the District 96 Kids in Need Fund. If you are unable to run, please consider making a DONATION.  

**Please know that THE DASH is a separate event from Prairie's Schoolyard Scamper.  

PTO Happenings
The Prairie PTO is looking forward to seeing all families at the Back-to-School Bash on September 6th from 6:30pm - 8:00pm.  Don't miss this great opportunity to mingle with friends and enjoy some delicious ice cream.  Don't forget, Special Lunch orders are due by August 30th.  For more PTO news, please check out the PTO newsletter.  

Safety Patrol News from Miss Cotter

Safety Patrol will soon be up and running! We are currently finalizing our patrols and Safety Patrol schedules for the year. If your child applied to be on Safety Patrol at the end of last school year, he or she has received their letter of acceptance as of August 24. If your child would still like to apply, there are a few spots still open! Please see Miss Cotter for application forms. 

Our first Safety Patrol meeting will be during the first week of September with patrols starting the following week. Look for informational paperwork coming home with your patrol member during the last week of August.

Safe Snack List
District 96 has posted a Safe Snack List on each school's homepage.  Please refer to this list when providing birthday treats for your child's classroom.  Some classrooms at Prairie have a specific safe snack list.  If your child is a member of an allergen restricted classroom, please refer to the safe snack list on the teacher's webpage.  If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Evans, school nurse.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation in creating a safe environment for all of our students.  

Important Dates

Tuesday, August 28th - Grades 1 - 3 Curriculum Night from 6:30pm - 7:30pm, Parents only please

Wednesday, August 29th - Grades 4 & 5 Curriculum Night from 6:30pm - 7:30pm, Parents only please

Monday, September 3rd - Labor Day, No School

Thursday, September 6th - PTO Back to School Blow Out - Enjoy ice cream & dancing

Monday, September 17th - Rosh Hashanah - No School

Wednesday, September 19th - PTO General meeting at 9:30am  

Principal's Message 8.17.12

Four More Days...
We cannot wait to see everyone on Tuesday, August 21st for Meet the Teacher Day from 11am - 12pm.  Please remember that the PTO will be in the Multi-Purpose Room starting at 10:30am where you can sign up for committees, purchase spirit wear, pick up school supplies if necessary, and so much more.  Various Scout groups will be in attendance as well to gather information from if your child is interested in joining Scouts.  Please remember as well that all new families are invited to the New Family School Tour at 12pm.  Please meet Dr. Pfaff in the Multi-Purpose Room for the tour.    

Plan ahead to DO THE DASH on Sept. 23

Join District 96 families, teachers, and staff for the 2nd annual District 96 Dash. The 5k walk/run will step off from Twin Groves Middle School, 2600 N. Buffalo Grove Rd., at 8:30 a.m. on Sun., Sept. 23. REGISTER ONLINE (each registered runner and walker will receive a T-shirt) and mark your calendar for this fun family activity that all ages will enjoy. All the PTOs in District 96 are working together to sponsor this event and will donate the proceeds to the District 96 Kids in Need Fund. If you are unable to run, please consider making a DONATION. 

More New Staff Faces
We are happy to share that Miss Kristy Suiter will be joining the Prairie staff this year.  Miss Suiter will be our new half-time English Language Learner teacher.  She comes to us from Kildeer School where she has been an instructional aide focusing on literacy instruction in the primary grades.  She is a graduate of Trinity International University.  Miss Suiter has a knack for connecting with kids quickly and is extremely excited to be joining the Prairie staff.  

Mrs. Victoria Beryozkin joins us in the role of instructional aide.  She is a graduate of SUNY Stony Brook University in New York with a bachelors degree in economics and Russian language.  Mrs. Beryozkin is a certified teacher and who completed her credentials through National-Louis University.  We are excited about her skills in the Russian language and her warm, caring personality.  

Miss Jamie Kuhl joins us as an instructional aide as well.  She has had clinical experiences working with students ranging in grades 1 - 5.  She has also worked with children in the summer camp setting.  Miss Kuhl is a graduate of St. Norbert College with a bachelors degree in early childhood education.  She is a great team player professionally and on the basketball court as she played Division III collegiate basketball while attending St. Norbert.   

Vacation Pictures

Did you have an awesome vacation or stay-cation this summer?  We would love to hang up one photo of your child or whole family having fun in the sun.  If you would like a picture hung up on the entry way bulletin board, please send one to school during the first few weeks.  Please know that pictures will not be returned.  

Important Dates

Tuesday, August 21st - Meet the Teacher at 11am, PTO sign ups starting at 10:30am

Tuesday, August 21st - New Family Tour at 12pm, Meet in the Multi-Purpose Room

Wednesday, August 22nd - First day of school, 8:30am - 11:45am

Tuesday, August 28th - Grades 1 - 3 Curriculum Night from 6:30pm - 7:30pm, Parents only please

Wednesday, August 29th - Grades 4 & 5 Curriculum Night from 6:30pm - 7:30pm, Parents only please

Monday, September 3rd - Labor Day, No School

Thursday, September 6th - PTO Back to School Blow Out - Enjoy ice cream & dancing

Monday, September 17th - Rosh Hashanah - No School

Wednesday, September 19th - PTO General meeting at 9:30am  

Principal's Message 8.10.12

It’s almost that time… the first day of school!!  I know everyone is full of anticipation for our Welcome Back mailing, which will be mailed on Wednesday, August 15^th.  We had the same anticipation in Pfaff household this week.  

Earlier this week, District 96 Superintendent, Mrs. Schmidt, sent an email to all parents sharing news about the new teachers coming to Prairie and teachers who have transferred to Prairie from other schools within the district.  Since Mrs. Schmidt's email, we have two additional new classroom teachers.  It is with amazing enthusiasm that these talented educators join our already outstanding faculty.  They bring to us their passion for helping children learn through their talented skill sets.  The Prairie faculty is very excited to welcome our new colleagues and we look forward to working and learning with them.  Here's a recap of who will be joining our team including our two newest teachers:

Ø Mrs. Betsy Davis is now a member our 2^nd grade team.  She has held several long-term substitute positions in District 96 and, most recently, a special education instructional aide position at Ivy Hall.  Mrs. Davis holds a masters degree in elementary education from National-Louis University. 

Ø  Miss Jessica Johnston joins Prairie’s 3^rd grade team after one year as an instructional aide in our school.  Miss Johnston is a graduate of Northern Illinois University with a bachelors degree in elementary education.

Ø  Mrs. Hayley Knuth joins Prairie’s 1^st grade team from Ivy Hall School where she was a 1st grade instructional aide last year.  She is a graduate of Bradley University with a bachelors degree in elementary education.

Ø  Mrs. Christine Weede is the second addition to our 3^rd grade team this year.  Mrs. Weede is excited to be joining the education profession after several years in the business world.  Mrs. Weede holds a masters degree in elementary education from National-Louis University.

Ø  Ms. Cara Ying joins the District 96 music team in the role of Orchestra Director for Prairie, Ivy Hall, and Twin Grove schools.  Miss Ying comes to us from Indian Prairie School District 204.  She holds a bachelors degree in music education from the University of Hartford in West Hartford Connecticut.  

Ø  Mrs. Sarita (Desari) Barnes will be our new school psychologist.  She will be working between Prairie and Willow Grove schools.  Mrs. Barnes holds a masters degree in psychology from Southern Illinois University.  

Vacation Postcards

Thank you to all the students who sent a postcard to Prairie telling us about your exciting summer adventures.  We have received postcards from Florida, South Haven, Tennessee, Milwaukee, Washington D.C., and China to name a few.  I look forward to reading these postcards during announcements during the first weeks of school.  There's still time to send in your postcard if you have one or if you are planning any last minute trips.

Vacation Pictures

Did you have an awesome vacation or stay-cation this summer?  We would love to hang up one photo of your child or whole family having fun in the sun.  If you would like a picture hung up, please send one to school during the first few weeks.  Please know that pictures will not be returned.  

Important Dates

Tuesday, August 21st - Meet the Teacher at 11am, PTO sign ups starting at 10:30am

Tuesday, August 21st - New Family Tour at 12pm, Meet in the Multi-Purpose Room

Wednesday, August 22nd - First day of school, 8:30am - 11:45am

Tuesday, August 28th - Grades 1 - 3 Curriculum Night from 6:30pm - 7:30pm, Parents only please

Wednesday, August 29th - Grades 4 & 5 Curriculum Night from 6:30pm - 7:30pm, Parents only please

Monday, September 3rd - Labor Day, No School

Thursday, September 6th - PTO Back to School Blow Out - Enjoy ice cream & dancing

Monday, September 17th - Rosh Hashanah - No School

Wednesday, September 19th - PTO General meeting at 9:30am    

The Prairie teachers, staff, and I look forward to seeing you soon!