Friday, January 18, 2013

Principal's Message 1.18.13




Happy New Year!!


News from Student Council
The funds raised for the holiday family basket drive were plentiful.   There was a surplus of cash.  We bet you're wondering what happened to the "extra" money.  The Student Council voted on three charities to donate it to.  The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA ), St. Jude's Hospital, and Hurricane Sandy victims each received $100.00 from the Prairie School student body. The thank you letters we received from the gift basket families and the cash donations are on display on the bulletin board outside the office.  Thanks again to everyone who donated.

Click here for the PTO Newsletter.

Girls on the Run!
Hi parents! We still have a few spots left for our 2013 Girls on the Run team and we're looking for a few more girls who would like to participate. If you want your girl to gain self-confidence, increase self-esteem and learn healthy habits please consider Girls on the Run. Check out the program at www.girlsontherun.org
Please contact Miss Sauer at esauer@kcsd96.org for an application and more information.
 
Practices begin Wednesday, February 27th  and will be Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3:00-4:45  If you have a scheduling conflict that might require your daughter to miss one practice, or leave a little early, please let Miss Sauer know and we'll see what we can do to work with you.  

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Starts Tuesday, 1/22/13.
MAP testing will be next week for grades 1-5.  Both math and reading assessments will be given during this time frame.  Your child’s teacher will use MAP results as another piece of information in planning instruction for your child.  If you have any questions, please contact your child's teacher.  

The Power of Coaching
How does District 96 use coaches in the classroom to build our teachers' capacity to implement best practices and extend learning for our students? On Jan. 8, the District 96 Board of Education heard a presentation by Director of Professional Development Jeanne Spiller and District faculty on the EVOLVING ROLE OF COACHES and the positive difference that coaches are making.

K.I.D.S. Mini-Grants: Does your student have a novel idea that will help classmates learn?
The District 96 Foundation is now accepting applications from students for K.I.D.S. Mini-Grant Program (Kids Initiating a Difference in School). Read details and complete the online form found atwww.96foundation.org. Don’t delay–the deadline for accepting applications is Fri., Feb. 1. Winners are acknowledged by the foundation prize patrol who will be out and about February 28th and March 1st. Questions? Call the public info coordinator at 847.459.4260, ext. 7722.
Valentine's Day 
If you choose to include an item with your child's Valentines, please note that only non-food items are permissible.  Candy, snacks, or any sort of food item will be sent back home with your child on Valentine's day if sent to school.  Non-food items are permitted, and there are many pre-packaged Valentines that can be purchased that include a trinket (i.e., pencil, erasers, book mark, etc.).  Card and party stores or stores with a birthday party aisle (i.e., Target) are a great place to look for these types of items.  Here are some ideas of non-food items if you choose to include something:
  • pencils
  • erasers
  • stickers
  • play-dough
  • bubble wands
  • plastic or rubber figurines
  • capsules that become figures when placed in water
  • mini deck of cards
  • spinning top
  • crazy straws
Nearly one-third of our Prairie student body has medically based dietary restrictions and this does not include students on specific diets of family choice (i.e., vegetarian, low calorie/sugar, religious, etc.) Monitoring the individual needs and requests is not feasible, thus not safe. In addition, it is frequently reported that several children eat Valentine's treats on the bus, as evidenced by an abundance of wrappers found.  This poses a choking risk, as well as exposure for students with specific health restrictions.  Thank you for your assistance in helping us maintain the health, safety, and personal family preferences of our students.   

Human Growth & Development Unit Coming Soon
Human Growth and Development will be taught to all thirdfourth and fifth students February 11 - 15.  The unit will deal primarily with the informational aspects of human growth and development education.  Instruction will be provided by a trained teacher to teach our district's program.  Classes will meet for four-five 30 minute sessions as part of the Physical Education program.  The connection between this subject matter and individual moral values and religious beliefs will be considered the responsibility of parents.  Unit objectives were shared at the start of school.  Should you need further clarification on the objectives of the program please contact the school.

WOW Names Read This Wednesday...We call it "WOW Wednesday"
Grade 2:  Linsie M., Marlon B., Jacob E.
Grade 3:  Nandini K.
Grade 5:  Radha P., Nick C.