Tioga Family Bulletin
December 1, 2023
Translating: Did you know?
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Important Upcoming Dates
- 12/4-12/9: PTA Five Below Fundraiser
- 12/6-12/13: Anderson Book Fair (students will visit at school during their library time)
- 12/6: Family Literacy Night - The Masked Reader - from 6:00-7:00 PM
- 12/14: PTA Meeting from 5:00-5:30 PM - Tioga Library
- 12/14: PTA Winter Wonderland Family Event - 5:30-7:00 PM
- 12/15: 5th Grade Field Trip to Fenton for Fenton's Holiday Concert
- 12/18: 2nd and 4th Grade Field Trip to Blackhawk for BMS' Holiday Concert
- 12/19: Kindergarten Gingerbread Event at 9:00 AM (for Kindergarten families)
- 12/21: Winter Break Begins
- 1/8: Students Return from Winter Break
- 1/15: No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Check out our upcoming Spirit Day themes:
- 12/1: Neon Day
- 12/8: Pajama Day
- 12/5: 3rd Grade Vote (TBD)
- 1/12: Favorite Color Day
Family Literacy Night
We are excited to invite Tioga families and students to our next school event. Family Literacy Night will be held on Wednesday, December 6 from 6:00-7:00 PM. In addition to exciting activities and read alouds, we will also have Anderson's Book Fair at the event again. Based on feedback from last year's event, the Book Fair will open early at 5:30 PM so families have extra time to browse and shop for books prior to Family Literacy Night starting at 6:00 PM. More details, including a menu of activities, will be shared via Seesaw prior to the event so that families can plan their evening before arriving.
Book Fair - December 7th through December 15th
Tioga school will be hosting an Anderson’s Book Fair during the school day between Thursday, December 7th and Wednesday, December 15th.
K - 5 students will visit the book fair during their scheduled library class visit starting on Thursday, December 7th and ending on Wednesday, December 15th.
The book fair will be set-up in Tioga's library during Literacy Night so that families can browse and purchase books.
We love having our Tioga students at school every day! Our student attendance data shows that attendance rates began to dip at this point in the year during the past two school years (2021-2022 and 2022-2023). Consistent, regular, and on time attendance is critical to enable students to be as successful as possible. Tioga's PBIS HERO goal for November and December will focus on promoting and acknowledging students for consistent and on time attendance. The goal is for students to demonstrate responsibility by being on time and present each day. We will start by aiming for 91% or higher for weekly student attendance in grades K-5.
When students arrive at school (either at Door 1 or Door 17) by 8:35 AM, they will receive a special Attedance HERO ticket for being on time and present. Students will put their names on their Attendance HERO ticket and all tickets will be incorporated into a weekly raffle for the chance to participate in special activities with Mr. Kersten and Ms. Soike the following week.
Please review the infographics below from Attendance Works to learn more about the importance of regular, consistent school attendance in elementary grades.
Student Drop-Off and Pick-Up Reminders
Thank you to all of the families that have helped to maintain a safe and orderly student arrival and pick-up.
Cones have been set out by the crossing guard staff to identify to parents/families where drop-off is NOT permitted. These areas are closest to the cross walk and correspond with no-parking signs from the Village of Bensenville. Dropping off students in these areas creates a serious safety issue.
Families should only use sidewalks and designated crosswalks when walking to/from Tioga. Cutting through the bushes in front of Tioga is not permitted. Through consultation with the District's School Resource Officer, specific crosswalks are staffed with crossing guards to provide safe passage to school.
Finally, if exiting the front parking lot from the Early Learning Side of the School (Pre-K and Headstart), families must exit at the end of the driveway at Center Street. There is a 'NO LEFT TURN' sign posted at the Addison Street entrance to Tioga.
Please contact the Tioga office with any questions about student arrival or dismissal.
December Breakfast and Lunch Menu
Tioga School Report Card
The Illinois State Board of Education annually releases school report cards that show how each school, each district, and the state is performing on a wide range of educational goals.
The report cards also include summative designations that account for each school’s overall performance, as well as the performance of seven demographic subgroups of students. This designation takes into account students' growth and proficiency levels in English/language arts, math, and science, as well as schools' attendance rates and their results in the Illinois 5Essentials school climate survey.
Tioga Elementary School maintained “Commendable” designation this year.
During the November 15 meeting of the BSD2 Board of Education, District Administrators reviewed next steps in addressing the District’s curricular priorities. Those plans included increased support for all of the District’s EL students, and strategies to address increases in chronic absenteeism and truancy across the District.
E-Learning Days
eLearning Days will begin an hour later than normal school days to provide teachers planning time to adjust their instruction for eLearning.
On eLearning Days, K-8 students will log into their Chromebooks that they already bring home daily, go to their Google Classrooms through their Classlink page, and join eLearning from the Google Meets link(s) posted there. Attendance will be taken, and students will then be engaged in live instruction for the entire five-hour school day.
An eLearning Day counts as a regular school day, and does not require the District to use a built-in emergency day at the end of the school year.
Parents will be notified no later than 6 a.m. if the District is closing its schools and holding an eLearning Day. (No announcement means it will be a normal school day.)
- Click here for the District's eLearning Plan.
- Click here for the District’s eLearning Day Parent FAQ.
School Closing Notifications
The District’s mass notification system contacts all student households when a school must be closed for emergency reasons such as extreme weather. In these situations, parents/guardians will receive a phone call, email, and/or text message no later than 6 a.m. if their contact information with the school is up to date. Please make certain your proper contact information is on file with the school to ensure you are notified through this system.
Vision and Hearing Screenings
Each year Illinois Schools are mandated by the Child Vision and Hearing Test Act of Illinois to perform vision and hearing screenings in the school setting. These screenings are performed by a state approved vision and hearing screening technician. BSD2 starts these screenings as soon as possible in the school year, so that students will be provided an optimum educational experience. If your child should not pass these screenings you will be informed and asked to complete the referral form sent home by the appropriate medical provider. Please return the completed referral form to your school's health office as soon as completed.
Illinois mandates hearing screenings for all students in preschool and grades K-3; for all students receiving special education services; for teacher or parent referrals; and for transfer students. Vision screenings are mandated for students in preschool and grades K, 2, and 8; for all students receiving special education services; for teacher or parent referrals; and for transfer students.
The parent or legal guardian of a student may object to hearing or vision screening tests for their children on religious grounds. If a religious objection is made, a written and signed statement from the parent or legal guardian detailing such objections must be presented to your child’s school.
Vision and hearing screenings are not substitutes for a complete eye and ear examination by an appropriate doctor. Your child will not be required to undergo this vision screening if an optometrist or ophthalmologist has completed and signed a report form indicating that an examination has been administered within the previous 12 months and that evaluation is on file at the school. Your child will not be required to undergo this hearing screening if an audiologist has completed and signed a report form indicating that an examination has been administered within the previous 12 months and that evaluation is on file at the school. Vision and hearing screenings are not an option. If a vision or hearing examination report is not on file at the school for your child and your child is in the mandated age, grade, or group, your child will be screened.
SEL Newsletter
Tioga Elementary School
Ms. Soike - Assistant Principal
Email: ckramer@bsd2.org
Website: https://www.bsd2.org/Tioga
Phone: (630) 766-2602