Erickson Express

Each month we will post a video to watch as a family, discussion questions to discuss together, and a quick form to fill out to be entered into an eagle ticket raffle. Please consider completing the Character Counts Family Connection together!

Dear Erickson Families,

On Veterans Day, 3rd Grade Students led an assembly and taught us about the importance of Veterans Day and the branches of the military. Students in all grade levels sang patriotic songs to honor the Veterans. It was wonderful to have so many Veterans in the audience. Afterwards, the Veterans and their families enjoyed a reception in the library.

Tomorrow, Friday, November 15th is Early Dismissal at 1:40. All full day students will dismiss at 1:40. Kindergarten PM will dismiss at 3:30. Students should wear their pillar shirts or pillar color for Eagle's Nest on Friday.

The end of the 1st Trimester is on Friday, November 22nd. Student Progress Reports will be Posted in Alma on Friday, December 6th. Please make sure you are able to log into ALMA. Everyone has an account as this is the same site you used to register your child.

Parent Teacher Conferences ...please make sure you sign up for a conference with your child's classroom teacher. Other specialists are also available to meet with! Check out the conference sign up . Parent Teacher Conference Sign-Up Link. All families should find a time to connect with the classroom teachers.

If you need to report an absence, please call the school 630-529-2223 or email the teacher and the attendance line: erattendance@sd13.org

Have a wonderful day!

Stacy Johnston

Principal

sjohnston@sd13.org

• November 15: Hot Lunch, Eagle's Nest- Wear Pillar Shirts or a colored shirt / School Improvement day 1:40 early dismissal - see note below

• November 16 (Saturday): Girls on the Run 5K

• November 18: Hot Lunch Buona Beef

• November 19: School Store during lunch

• November 20: Trivia 3rd-5th Grade after school (sign-up required)

• November 22: Hot Lunch Pot Belly

• November 25 & 26: Parent Teacher Conferences: No School

• November 27 - November 29: Fall Break, No School

• December 1: Hot Lunch-Buona Beef

• December 3: School Store, Holiday Gift Corner in the evening

• December 4: Holiday Gift Corner during the school day

• December 5: Choir concert evening performance

• December 6: Hot Lunch-Potbelly, Spirit Day, wear blue and gold

• **Please note: 1:40 Early Dismissal Days/School Improvement are on FRIDAY. Early Dismissal/School Improvement days are one Friday per month and FULL DAY students are dismissed at 1:40 while teachers are involved in professional development activities. Half-Day PM Kindergarten will attend school at their normal PM times. AM & PM Preschool students do not attend school on early dismissal days.

Dear Parent,

In our continual efforts to be a leader in the field of education, our school district is striving to ensure parents of our students know their opinions are valued and feel welcome in our schools. We would like to invite you to complete a 5-minute survey to let us know your thoughts. The online survey is being conducted by our partner, HUMANeX Ventures®, and will be used to better understand perceptions regarding the school, teachers, principal(s), and superintendent. This survey is completely anonymous and confidential. No individual responses will be reported; rather, the responses will be reported in an aggregate fashion.

The survey will be available to complete online beginning November 14, 2024 and will close on December 4, 2024. Please plan to complete the survey in one sitting, as the page will time out if left inactive, requiring you to start over.

To access the survey, please use the following link or click the image below.

Please join us in our efforts to provide the best quality education for students in our school district!

Sincerely,

Stacy Johnston

Principal

Are your kids growing out of their pants? The nurses office is in need of gently used pants that we can use for kids that may rip theirs, get covered in mud, etc. We really need more pants for boys of all ages, girl's pants that are preferably not leggings, boys shorts for the warmer weather, and any L and XL boy shirts. If you are looking to clean out some closets, please send our way! You can drop off clothes in the front office or directly with the nurse.

Thank you so much for supporting the nurse office!

November Parenting Tip:

Gratitude

With Thanksgiving approaching, the topic of showing gratitude comes to mind.

I recently read the book The Mister Rogers Effect: 7 Secrets to Bringing Out The Best in Yourself and Others from America’s Beloved Neighbor. I know I am aging myself here, but I grew up watching his TV show, Mister Rogers Neighborhood. Looking back, I am so grateful for having grown up with this show. Mr. Rogers provided a safe place for children to learn about themselves and others, the world around them, how to manage their emotions, use their imagination, and how to build relationships with others. The show had a calming effect on children’s sensory systems. His voice, routines, music, and puppets would lull me to sleep. Now as a mother, I see that this was probably my mother’s secret tactic to get me to take a nap!

‘ Getting back to the book, there is a whole chapter that talks about how Fred Rogers showed gratitude in his show. Each episode of his show started with him singing, “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood” and he invited us to be his neighbor, leaving children feeling like they had a place where they belonged and felt connected to. He ended each show with a song called “It’s Such a Good Feeling” and he listed many things to be thankful for in his lyrics.

Below are just some of the health benefits of showing gratitude.

• Increased acts of helpfulness and generosity

• Decreased depression

• Decreased risk of anxiety

• Decreased risk of substance abuse disorders

• Increased resilience

• Increased happiness

• Increased social connection

• Increased capacity to form and maintain relationships

Looking at this list, I think we can all agree that we as parents want these health benefits for ourselves and for our children. Here are a few parenting tips discussed in the chapter.

• For us to build a positive relationship with our child, our positive interactions need to be 5 times greater than the number of negative interactions. So everytime you criticize your child, you will need to praise them (show gratitude) 5 times in order to negate the one negative interaction.

• Have you and your child journal what you are thankful for or at dinnertime have a verbal “praise report”

• Make time in your and your child’s daily schedule to enjoy the little moments and simple treasures

• Buy a box of thank you notes, or make your own, and have you and your child each send to someone to show your appreciation.

Remember, modeling gratitude for your child is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child! Brainstorm with your child what he/she is thankful for, not just this Thanksgiving, but everyday!

This section will feature students who excel!

Please send in pictures and information to sjohnston@sd13.org if you would like your child featured in a future Express.

Audriana and her 2nd grade cheer team are going to State Finals at Northern Illinois University tomorrrow and Saturday, November 16th to compete for the State title for cheerleading! Audriana has been dedicated to this sport since she was 4 years old and it is her passion! She is an amazing tumbler, cheerleader, athlete and teammate!

Good luck to these athletes from Erickson on the Bloomingdale Athletic Club 2nd Grade Team: Audriana L., Charlotte S., Amanda W., Genevieve D., Kayley Jean N. & Katie N.!

-Submitted by the Latrofa Family

School Hours:

Grades 1st-5th: 8:40-3:30

Kindergarten AM: 8:40-11:30

Kindergarten PM: 12:40-3:30

Preschool AM: 8:50-11:20

Preschool PM: 12:50-3:20

Student Arrival:

Kindergarten-5 grade students can begin arriving at 8:25. Students should gather in the front of the building. Doors open at 8:30. Students should arrive by 8:40

Lunch Hours:

1st, 2nd & 3rd Grade Lunch: 12:00-12:25

4th-5th Grade Lunch: 12:25-12:50

Dropping off lunches from restaurants (ie- McDonald's, Wendy's, Panera, etc.) as well as using food delivery services to drop off food (ie -GrubHub, Door Dash) is not allowed. Students should bring their lunch in the morning to school each day. Safety is our number one priority and we would like to limit visitors.

Email: sjohnston@sd13.org
Website: sd13.org
Location: 277 Springfield Drive, Bloomingdale, IL, USA
Phone: 630-529-2223

Fax: 630-893-9849