Friday Focus

• A Message from Marcie
• Cold Weather Reminders
• Weekly Tech Tips
• Parker's Picks
• A Note from Our New Music Teacher, Ms. Woods
• Parent in the Age of Anxiety - Nov. 19th at HPHS at 7:30 p.m.
• This Week in Pictures
• News from Early Learners
• Other Important Info

Check out the PTO Spotlight here:

• LAST CALL for the Chicago Wolves Game!
• Gift Wrap Sale ENDS TODAY!
• Yearbook Cover Contest Open to all Artists!
• and much more...

Families, we need your help during morning drop off!

As the weather cools down, we’ve noticed an increase in families driving their children to school instead of walking. To ensure smooth traffic flow, it’s essential that our front circle remains clear of parked cars during morning drop-off. If you need to park, please refer to the attached image and use only the area highlighted in yellow. Your cooperation helps keep our arrival process safe and efficient for everyone.

Also, please remember that we need all families to follow our procedures below:

• Pull your vehicle all the way up toward the front entrance of South Park and let your child get out of your vehicle unassisted.
• All drivers should stay in their cars while students exit their vehicles.
• If your child needs help getting out of the car, please pull all the way up and past the front entrance of our school to help them.

Thank you for your cooperation!

-Marcie

As the colder months approach, we kindly remind parents to ensure their children come to school dressed for the weather. Students should have warm clothing, including coats, hats, gloves, and appropriate footwear, to stay comfortable during outdoor recess. Fresh air and outdoor play are essential, even in cooler temperatures, so please help your child be prepared to enjoy this time safely. We will take students outside for recess if the temperature is 15 degrees or higher with the windchill.

While we encourage everyone to limit time spent on devices, we understand that these tools can foster meaningful connections when used wisely. However, in today’s digital age, it can be difficult to stay informed about the latest apps and trends to ensure your child's online safety. We want to do our part in supporting students and families in the various ways they can implement security settings on their children’s devices and monitor time spent online. What better time to introduce these tech tips than October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Throughout the school year, we will feature practical technology tips in our newsletters, offering fresh ideas for families to use at home developed by our own Student Resource Officer, Lauren Maldonado, and our Innovations Specialist, Maria Galanis.

Welcome to Parker’s Picks, a column where Parker Penguin shares some of the best books for kids and families to read at home. This week, let’s look at family read-alouds. Reading together isn’t just for families with little kids; big kids love to hear a great story too! Here are some great choices for all our penguins.

• A Boy Called Bat: When his veterinarian mom brings home a stray baby skunk that needs rehabilitation before it can be placed in a wild animal shelter, Bat, who has autism, resolves to prove that he is up to the challenge of caring for the skunk permanently.

• Bob: Visiting her grandmother in Australia, Livy, ten, is reminded of the promise she made five years before to Bob, a strange, green creature who cannot recall who or what he is.

• Mac Undercover: One day, Mac receives a telephone call from the Queen of England, recruiting him to find the crown jewels, so Mac embarks on his first adventure as a secret agent--with the assurance that the Queen will give him a note excusing him from school.

• Save Me a Seat: Ravi has just moved to the United States from India and has always been at the top of his class; Joe has lived in the same town his whole life and has learning problems--but when their lives intersect in the first week of fifth grade they are brought together by a common enemy and the need to take control of their lives.

• Our Friend Hedgehog: The Story of Us: When a storm separates Hedgehog from her lifelong friend, Mutty, she bravely sets out to find him and makes some very good new friends in the process.

In the 3s class, the students have started exploring the concept of families. This has been done through a variety of activities, including reading books about families, sharing their own family structures with the group, and working on family-themed art projects. These activities have allowed the children to reflect on their own family dynamics and express their understanding creatively.

In the 4s class, the focus has been on math and family traditions. The children are learning to count beyond 10 and practice one-to-one correspondence. Additionally, they have been researching their own families and traditions, developing skills in descriptive language and sharing longer sentences with the group. Kid-led activities related to the Fundations program have also been going well, helping reinforce early literacy concepts.

In Grady's Group, the theme this week was self-control and understanding how our "sneaky brains" can lead us to make choices that go against the rules, such as struggling with waiting or listening. Through role-playing different scenarios, the children learned ways to manage these impulses and make better decisions. One of the highlights was a game with bubbles, where the rule was "Don’t pop the bubbles!" The children discussed whether it was easy or hard to follow that rule. The phrase "Stop Brain! Do the right thing!" was also introduced to help children pause and think before acting.

Mid-November is going smoothly, and we’re excited to continue the positive momentum as we look forward to a full week together next week. It’s been a great time of growth and learning, and we’re eager to see what’s ahead!

• All visitors to South Park School MUST bring a valid driver's license or state ID card to the main office before entering into the building. Beginning this year, we will collect IDs during your visit and return it to you as you leave.
• If your child is going to be absent from school, you need to call or email us by 9:00 that morning. ** Call 847-945-5895, ext. 2103 and leave a message OR ** Email Nurse Nora Moskos.
• Please follow our morning procedures, and drop your children off at their regular grade level doors. If you choose to drive through the front circle at arrival, kindly stay in your car when you drop off to help us reduce morning congestion.
• K-5 drop-off is between 8:35-8:45 a.m. Students who arrive after 8:45 a.m. will need to enter through the front door of the school, as all other doors will be locked.
• Dismissal for all Kindy and 1st-grade walkers and car riders will take place at their grade level door.
  
• Early Learners drop-off/pick-up info can be found here.
• When parking in our Birchwood parking lot, please remember that our preschoolers are dropped off and picked up by the west end (closest to the school). Sometimes, their parents' cars can block a parked car from exiting for a few minutes. To avoid that, we suggest that you park closer to Birchwood Avenue.

Wednesday, November 27-Friday, November 29th

• No School - Thanksgiving Break

• Last Day of School Before Winter Break

Tuesday, January 7th

• School Resumes for Students

• No School - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

• No School - Teacher Institute Day

Monday, February 17th

• No School - Presidents' Day

Thursday, March 19th

• Early Release at 11:40 a.m.
• Spring Conferences from 1:00-8:00 p.m.

• Non-Attendance Day
• Spring Conferences 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Monday, March 24th-Friday, March 28th

• Spring Break

2024-25 Music Concert Dates:

• 5th Grade - Wednesday, January 29th @ 6:00

• 4th Grade - Wednesday, February 12th @ 6:00

• 3rd Grade - Wednesday, March 19th @ 6:00

• 2nd Grade - Wednesday, February 12th @ 5:00

• 1st Grade - Wednesday, January 29th @ 5:00

• Kindergarten - Wednesday, March 19 @ 5:00

• Early Learners - Thursday, May 1 @ 5:00