Grass Lake School News
October 17, 2024
A Note From Mr. Wollberg
What a great week to be a BRAVE! And we couldn't ask for a more perfect weekend to kick off our annual Fall Fest, hosted by our incredible PTO! Check out the details above, and I strongly encourage everyone to join in the fun. Last year, our students had an absolute blast, and I’m sure this year will be even better!
With the weather starting to feel a bit more like fall, I want to remind all our families to make sure your child is dressed for the changing temperatures. We go outside every day unless the weather is extreme, and we want everyone to stay comfortable and healthy. If you need any help with warm clothing, we’ve got new winter gear donations—coats, snow pants, boots, gloves, and hats—courtesy of Sharing the Joy, a wonderful organization in Hawthorn Woods. If your child could use any of these items, reach out to their teacher or our social worker, Kelly Porter, and we’ll be happy to help. For those interested, there is also a Winter Wear Giveaway brought to you in part by the Antioch Traveling Closet on October 27. Please see below for additional details.
On another sweet note, our amazing PTO is treating all students to ice cream during lunch on Friday, October 18, to thank them for their outstanding efforts in last week’s Popcorn Sales! No need to send any money, it’s all covered. We are so grateful for our supportive community! Plus, we’re still looking for volunteers to help with sales on some days. If you’re available to lend a hand, sign up using the volunteer link. Your support truly makes a difference!
Check out our "Specials in the Spotlight" to see what our Kindergarten students have been up to in Mrs. Moe's Art Class! Not only did they create some amazing bat artwork, but they also soaked up tons of bat knowledge along the way. Oh, and they might have pulled a little trick on me, having lots of fun while learning, of course! Take a look and enjoy the excitement!
Planning for our Veterans Day celebration is well underway! We’d love for you and your family to join us for this special event. Be sure to RSVP using the link below—let’s come together to honor our veterans in a meaningful way.
Lastly, MAP and IAR reports have gone home, so please take a look! If you have any questions or need additional resources, we’ve got plenty to share. Feel free to reach out to me or your child’s teacher for more info.
Thank you, as always, for your help and support. I hope everyone has a great weekend and we look forward to another great week of learning next week!
Warm Regards,
Ryan Wollberg
Principal/Grass Lake School
Sign Your Child Up to To Be in the Breakfast With Santa Video
Mark Your Calendars/GLS Bingo Night
We are thrilled to announce that our Family Engagement Team will be meeting on Tuesday, October 29 at 6:00 PM in the Library (LRC) to plan our first-ever GLS Bingo Night and we need YOUR help to make it amazing! This event is going to be a blast, but we can’t do it without you! We’re looking for volunteers to help gather supplies, organize prizes, coordinate food, and plan the logistics for a smooth, fun-filled evening. Whether you’re a master organizer or just love being part of the action, your time and talents will make a huge difference.
If you’re free on Tuesday, we would love for you to join us and be part of something special. Let’s work together to create a fantastic event for our community!
GLS Bingo Night
Friday, Nov 15, 2024, 06:00 PM
Grass Lake School District 36, West Grass Lake Road, Antioch, IL, USA
Grass Lake Assessment Parent Toolbox
On Thursday, October 3, all families with students in Kindergarten through Eighth Grade should have received their child's assessment data. For Kindergarten through Third Grade students, this includes a cover letter and a MAP Report with your child's Math and Reading scores from the Fall assessments. Families with Fourth through Eighth Grade students should have received the MAP Report along with your child’s Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) results from the March assessment.
It’s important to remember that these scores provide a snapshot of where your child currently stands academically and do not define their full potential. With continued effort and collaboration between home and school, we’re confident that your child’s growth will continue to shine in the days, months, and years ahead.
Below, you’ll find helpful links to guide you through understanding the reports.
Veteran Celebration at GLS
We are excited to announce that this year’s Veterans Day Celebration will be held on Monday, November 11, and we are extending an invitation to all family members who are Veterans or Active Military Personnel, as well as our students’ families, to join us for this special day. The celebration will include a pancake breakfast and a Veterans Day ceremony.
The day will begin at 8:00 a.m. with check-in starting at 7:45 a.m. in the front office. Please bring a valid ID for check-in. The pancake breakfast will be served by our students and will conclude at 8:45 a.m. Following that, at approximately 9:00 a.m., we will hold an all-school assembly to honor our guests, along with a special school-wide tribute.
We understand that some of our guests may only be able to attend one part of the event. On the RSVP form, you will have the option to indicate if you are attending just the breakfast or the ceremony, or both.
To allow us time to prepare, please complete the RSVP form by Friday, November 1, at 3:00 p.m. Late submissions will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis depending on space availability.
We look forward to celebrating and honoring our Veterans and Active Military Personnel on this important day!
Confidential Backpack Program
Each week throughout the school year, families enrolled in our Backpack Program will go home with pre-bagged, shelf-stable, nutritious food items. Items may include: milk, pasta, canned fruit, canned vegetables, cereal, tuna, beans, rice, and more! Please complete this form if your family would like to be enrolled. The food will come home with your student once a week. If you decide your family would no longer like to be part of the program, or if you have any questions, please contact Kelly Porter at 847-395-5160 or kporter@gls36.org. This form and program are confidential.
PTO NEWS
Specials in the Spotlight
Fall Athletics Information
Please follow the link below for more information about our Fall athletics.
News For our Community
School Breakfast/Lunch
Attendance Matters
This year, you will continue to see important updates from me regarding the importance of attendance every day at GLS. More information will be forthcoming in upcoming newsletters but we wanted all of our students to start the year off headed in the right direction. Please follow this link to view our Academic Calendar for the upcoming school year and we encourage all of our families, to the greatest extent possible, to schedule doctor and dentist appointments, vacations, etc. on days off. While we understand there may certainly be extenuating circumstances out of your control, your help in sending your child to school every day will help them continue to excel at GLS.
As a reminder, Grass Lake encourages you to send your child to school every day, unless they are exhibiting one or more of the following symptoms:
- The student has a temperature consistently above 100 even when taking medication in the last 24 hours.
- The student is throwing up or experiencing diarrhea in the last 24 hours.
- The student has pink eyes that are crusty and not receiving medication for them for 24 hours.
While this list is not all-inclusive your help is appreciated as even missing 2 days a month equates to missing almost 10% of the school year. Also, as a reminder, any absence due to illness that lasts for more than three consecutive days may be verified by a medical note, which must be produced within two days of the student’s return for the absence to be considered excused. Thank you for your help and support!
Student Absences
Grass Lake School hours of attendance are 7:45 a.m. until 2:45 p.m. on regular schedule days and 7:45 a.m. until 1:15 p.m. on early release late-start days. When reporting an absence please indicate the reason for the absence and if it is due to illness, please report symptoms including if your child has a fever, cough, or sore throat. This will assist the district in assessing when a student will return and whether it must comply with any reporting or notice requirements.
Please report absences by phone OR by email:
- Call (847) 395-1550, or
- Email attendance@gls36.org
If the school has not heard from you and your child is absent, you will receive a call to verify the absence. School code provides that parents/guardians/other persons having legal custody of a child provide telephone numbers at the time of enrollment to enable the school to notify the parent/guardian/other person with legal custody of the child’s absence from school. Accordingly, this verification of absence call will be made to the numbers provided at registration and not necessarily the parents’ places of employment.
Drop Off/Pick Up Updates
This year, we have adjusted and included bus information in Infinite Campus. You can view your child(rens) bus information by following these steps or going to our website by following this link:
- Sign into Infinite Campus
- Select your GLS Student(s)
- Select "More"' in the column on the left
- Select "Transportation"
- Under "Bus" it will read one of three numbers GLS00# (# indicates what bus 1, 2, or 3) to indicate if they are on bus 1, 2, or 3. This year we are running three routes for K-8.
- If you are a Pre-Kindergarten parent it will read GLSPK# (# indicates what bus 1(AM), 2(AM), 3(PM), or 4(PM).
As a reminder, for Friday early release, please plan for students in grades K-8 to be home 1.5 hours earlier than Monday through Thursday.
We’ve also posted this information on our website, which you can access by following this link. As a reminder, during the first few days, the buses may run approximately 5-10 minutes off schedule, so we kindly ask for your patience. Additionally, all Pre- K and Kindergarten families, please plan on meeting your child at the bus stop, as the drivers will not release them unless an adult is present for safety purposes. We truly appreciate your cooperation in this matter.
Below, you’ll find a map for your convenience, detailing our drop-off and pick-up procedures. We ask that parents remain in their cars during drop-off and pick-up to ensure smooth traffic flow and student safety. The only exception is for Pre-K families, who may require the need to get out to get their child(ren) out of a 5 point harness car seat.
Please note the following morning waiting areas for students:
- Pre-K: Will enter in the main entrance but have a separate waiting area in our main foyer/hall.
- K-3: Library
- 4-6: MPR (Multi-Purpose Room)
- 7-8: Basement near their lockers
If you plan to pick your child up early from school, kindly email your child's teacher as well as Cristina Monroy, our administrative assistant. Early pick-up and late drop-off should be done through our main entrance. Please remember to bring your ID when picking up your child, as we want to ensure they are sent home with an approved individual.
When your child is dropped off in the morning, they will enter through the main entrance. In the afternoon, they will exit through the same doors (marked by the yellow box below). Please wait in your car, and we will release students to you as quickly as possible. Again, we ask for your patience at the beginning of the year as we refine our procedures—rest assured, the process will become faster as everyone gets accustomed to it. Additionally, please do not drop off your child until the front doors open at 7:30 am.
Thank you for your continued support!
Grass Lake School District #36
GRASS LAKE SCHOOL
26177 W. Grass Lake Rd. Antioch, IL 60002
Phone: (847) 395-1550 | Fax: (847) 395-8632
Email: rwollberg@gls36.org
Website: www.gls36.org
Location: Grass Lake School District 36, West Grass Lake Road, Antioch, IL, USA
Phone: 847-395-1550