Field Flash

Dear Field Parents and Guardians,

Thank you so much for joining us on Wednesday night at our Parent Night! Our teachers love to partner with our families, so we are glad to connect with you all in person.

A few reminders:

• Please follow the rules of the road when driving for drop off - our school is in a neighborhood and we want to be sure we are being good neighbors with our parking and driving!
• Our District Transportation Department is working hard with the bus company to work out the routes and timing. Thank you for your tremendous patience and understanding.
• Please no dogs on school property at drop off or pick up! Thank you!
• Please be sure you call the main office as early in the day as possible if your child is not taking the bus home.

As we start the year, I'd like to share a few resources that you may find helpful in supporting your children with the start of the school year.

• Elementary Parents Make a Difference newsletter
• How to Help your Child Make New Friends article
• Confidence Boosting lunchbox notes

Have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Dr. Courtney Goodman

Principal

(847) 318-4383

Save the Date! All District 64 parents are invited to our inaugural D64 PTO Kick-Off! Hear our Superintendent. Dr. Ben Collins, present information on the upcoming Referendum and tour the aging Lincoln Middle School to see some of the proposed improvements with each school's Principal as your guide. PTO's will have their annual kick-off meeting to highlight their year and offer an opportunity to meet more D64 parents. Daycare will be provided and this is a great opportunity to support your child's education. We hope to see you on September 10th at 7:00pm at Lincoln Middle School!

• Week of August 26th: District Safety Week
• Tuesday, August 27th: Pizza Lunch begins - remember, students need to bring or order a drink separately.
• Thursday, August 29th: PTO Back to School Picnic from 5:30-7:30 p.m. (for the whole family!)
  
• Monday, September 2nd: No School for Labor Day
• Tuesday, September 3rd: 2nd Grade Chromebooks begin to go home each day
• Thursday, September 5th: Camp Duncan for 5th Grade
• Tuesday, September 10th: District 64 PTO Meeting at 7pm at Lincoln Middle School
• Monday, September 16th: Lunchtime chess club begins!
• Friday, September 20th: Picture Day at Field (order forms to come soon)

We take the responsibility of educating your children and ensuring their safety very seriously. The beginning of a new school year is the perfect opportunity to review important safety information. To help with our efforts, we are hosting a District-wide Safety Week at the end of August.

Why are we doing a Safety Week? Reviewing our emergency procedures annually with our students and staff is essential. Starting Monday, August 26th, our schools will participate in a different drill daily. I will send an email at the end of each day with information about the drill we conducted. A drill is used to create muscle memory associated with a practiced action. We have worked with our local police and fire departments to ensure they are also part of the drills and get crucial practice of how they would respond.

Please be assured that the lockdown drill does not include any simulations that mimic an actual school shooting incident. The lockdown drill is announced in advance to all school personnel and students before it begins. This year’s lockdown drill will take place on Thursday, August 29th. If you do not want your child to participate in the lockdown drill, please complete this Opt-out Request Form by Monday, August 26th. If your child is exempted from the drill, we will provide your child with alternate instruction related to an active threat or active shooter event.

Some of the terminology we will use differs from the past, but these terms are less upsetting for some of our students and will provide more clarity during difficult situations.

• If a school is placed in a Hold, students and staff will clear the hallways and hold in their classroom or area. Students outside for recess or PE will stay outside. Students and staff will continue their normal routine in their location. We will call a Hold in situations when we need to keep the hallways clear to attend to an individual, such as a medical emergency. Will we notify all families at a school when a hold is put into place?

• If a school is Secure, there is a situation in the community where the police or school officials believe it is safer to move all students inside the school. Students will continue learning during Secure, but visitors will not be admitted to the school. Students will not be dismissed at the end of the day until law enforcement has determined it is safe. All families will be notified when the building is in Secure and when the Secure has been lifted.

• A school is put into Lockdown if there is a threat or hazard inside the school building. District 64 would call, text, and email parents and guardians in the case of a Lockdown. We promise to communicate with you as soon as possible. Please be patient, as our priority will be the safety of students and staff.

It is natural for parents to go to their child’s school in an emergency or to call the school office. However, please understand that doing so may significantly impede the response of our local first responders. In addition, it is sometimes necessary to evacuate students to another location. Please know that we will communicate this location, our reunification plan, and any other updates as soon as possible.

The safety of your children is very important to all of us at D64. For more information, visit our website, d64.org/safe-schools, contact your school principal or email me at clilly@d64.org.

All students will eat in lunch in one of our large group spaces (north gym, south gym, or MPR). Students will sit at tables in assigned seats by homeroom. Students are able to bring their lunch from home or purchase a lunch in advance. If you are interested in ordering lunch from Quest, please visit our website linked here for more information. Lunch orders are due by Thursday at midnight for the following week. As a reminder, we do not allow lunches to be delivered to students from outside vendors or restaurants. If your child forgets his or her lunch at home, you are able to drop it by the main office and we'll deliver it to them. If you can't bring a forgotten lunch, we can offer your child cheerios and milk.

Children are also permitted to leave school for lunch. Parents need to come to the main office and sign out their child(ren). Students would remain home for the full hour of lunch/recess.

Our PTO sponsors a weekly pizza lunch on Tuesdays. Please be on the lookout for information on ordering your child's weekly pizza soon!

Your membership helps fund a variety of PTO activities — from books, field trips, family events, teacher grants and staff appreciation, to operational costs of the organization throughout the entire school year. Visit our website (www.FieldPTO.org) to create or update your account and join our Field PTO community today!

Check out this quick and easy beginning-of-the-school-year to-do list:

• Join the PTO today!

• Submit “first day of school” photos to FieldSchoolYearbook@gmail.com.

• Order pizza for August to December.

• Volunteer for Pizza Day on Tuesdays.

• Volunteer to help coordinate the Walkathon.

Chess-Ed is excited to return to Field School to provide lunchtime chess instruction this Fall.

The 9-week program runs from 09/16/24 to 11/18/24 and takes place on Mondays from

11:35 am to 12:30 pm (during lunch). The program is open to students in all grades and

of all chess abilities (including those in full-day and half-day Kindergarten). Professional

instruction will include the basics for beginner and novice players and build with opening

theory, middle game planning, and end game combinations for continuing and advanced

students. Playing chess improves memory, uses analytical and critical thinking skills,

teaches problem solving, responsibility, sportsmanship, social skills and more! The benefits

of chess last a lifetime!

To register, please go to https://2024-2025fieldchess.eventbee.com/. Register by

9/02/24 to take advantage of lowest available fee. For more information about the program,

please refer to the program flyer. Chess-Ed is looking forward to working with your CHESS

ENTHUSIAST this Fall!

Please don’t forget to send your child’s 1st day of school pictures to fieldschoolyearbook@gmail.com Remember to include your child’s grade level in your email.

The yearbook team is looking for volunteers, especially parents of incoming kindergarteners. Please reach out to fieldschoolyearbook@gmail.com if you are interested.

There is still time to register your child/children for our 2nd session of the Rainbows for all Children peer groups. The first session for this school year begins Tuesday, Sept. 10th at 5:30 pm. This free program will meet weekly, for 1 hour, at the Park Ridge Community Church and provides a safe space for students in 1st - 8th grade to share their experiences associated with loss of a loved one and/or a changing family dynamic due to divorce, deployment, etc. Trained facilitators help encourage communication while identifying, navigating and discussing feelings amongst the group.

Please use the Google form link below to sign up your child and/or to be added to our email communications list. Any questions or interest in volunteering to become a facilitator, please contact rainbows64@att.net . For more info about Rainbows, please visit: https://rainbows.org/

Rainbows Student Peer Group Sign up

From the library to the park district, our communities of Park Ridge-Niles have lots to offer, even virtually. For information on all the latest happenings, be sure to check the Community Info & Events webpage.

Website: www.d64.org/fie
Location: 707 N Wisner St, Park Ridge, IL, United States
Phone: 847-318-4385