Lincoln Weekly News

Lincoln Early Learning Center houses the preschool programs for three school districts: Fremont District 79, Hawthorn District 73, and Mundelein District 75.

⬅️ Check out the Table of Contents on the left for the latest news from your district.

Please note: If you are unable to view this message in its entirety (viewing all 3 district sections below), please open the message in a new browser so you are able to view important time-sensitive information for your respective district.

Dear Lincoln Early Learning Center Families,

Welcome back! I hope your Thanksgiving break was filled with joy, rest, and time spent with loved ones. We are so grateful for your partnership and for the time our Fremont, Hawthorn, and Tri-District families dedicated to participating in parent-teacher conferences before the break. These conversations are a vital part of supporting your child’s growth, and we are proud to ROAR together as a school community.

As we move into the season of gratitude, we’d like to invite you to take a moment to share your appreciation for our dedicated staff. Your kind words mean so much to the team that works tirelessly to nurture and inspire your children every day and will be shared with staff before winter break. Links to the forms are included below:

• Hawthorn D73 Families
• Mundelein D75 Families
• Fremont D79 Families
• Tri-District Classroom Families

Thank you for taking the time to celebrate the incredible efforts of our teachers and staff. Your support helps us continue building a positive and connected environment where every child can thrive.

We look forward to a wonderful few weeks ahead as we approach the winter season together. Thank you for being an essential part of our preschool family.

Warm regards,

Katie O’Brien
Principal, Lincoln Early Learning Center

kobrien@fsd79.org

Kim Stergios
Building Assistant Supervisor, Lincoln Early Learning Center

stergiosk@hawthorn73.org

Absences

If your child will be absent from school because of illness, doctors’ appointments or vacation, please contact us at Lincoln at 847-949-2720. Please notify the school office by 9:30 a.m. the day of the absence to leave a recorded message regarding your child's absence. Keeping track of all the students on a daily basis is a huge task and we greatly appreciate your prompt attention.

Medical Forms

Annual Physical Examinations are required within the first 30 days of entering preschool. All forms can be emailed, faxed, or brought in with your student. If we do not receive your child’s physical, your child will be excluded from school and cannot return to school until submitted. Per IL State Law we must have a child’s physical by October 15 or within 30 days of starting preschool.

Illness and Injuries

Please remember that any child with a fever should stay home until they have been fever free without the use of fever-reducing medication, for at least 24 hours. Students should also remain home if they are experiencing vomiting or diarrhea. Students may NOT return to school for at least 24 hours after the last episode.

**We are seeing an increase in nurse office visits with sick students. It is imperative that the health office has current telephone numbers for parents and designated emergency contact persons. You are responsible for someone picking your child up within 30 minutes of the call.**

Medications

All medications, feeding, and treatment supplies are to be supplied by the parent per school policy.

Doctor’s orders for medications, feedings, and treatments are required at the beginning of each school year. The school nurse will not accept or administer any medications (including over the counter medications) or perform nursing services or treatments without a doctor’s order. Please do not send medication to school in your child's backpack. All medication must be brought to school by a parent or guardian.

Any questions related to the above health office guidelines should be directed to the health office staff.

Liz Mulé

847.949.2720 ext.1503

emule@d75.org or mulee@hawthorn73.org

efax: 847.388.4842

Parent/Guardian Pick Up and Drop off is at Door 2 on the east side of the building. Parents/Guardians who pick up their children on set scheduled days will have a laminated sign with their child's first and last name on it in their district’s color. Please make this sign visible so supervisors can easily identify you. If you need extras, please let the office know.

Parent/Guardian Drop Off

● Pull along the curb. The first car to arrive should stop at the first cone along the curb. There are 4 cones total. The line will continue along the curb and onto Ridgeland Ave if needed.

● Once at a cone, please wait in your car for a staff member. When a staff member is present, please exit your child curbside. Do not walk your child to the door.

● Do not exit your car until you have been able to pull up to a spot marked with a cone along the curb.

● Please keep in mind your speed when arriving and leaving as students, parents, and staff

members are arriving at school. Do not pull forward to an empty cone unless a staff member directs you to do so.

*If you are a family that walks to school from your own, please walk your child directly to the student line on the basketball court.

Parent/Guardian Pick Up

● Pull along the curb. The first car to arrive should stop at the first cone along the curb. There are 4 cones total. If the curb is full, please wait in the line to pull to a cone along the curb.

● Once at cone, please wait inside of your car until a staff member brings your child

to you. Please do not walk to the door to get your child.

*If you are a family that walks to school from your home, please wait by the basketball court with your sign.

Please refer to our Pick Up and Drop Off Procedures for our specific guidelines.

Change in Dismissal

Please contact América Lanuza (lanuzaa@hawthorn73.org) or Danielle Garcia (dgarcia@d75.org) at the Lincoln Front Office(847-949-2720) if there are any end of day changes throughout the school year. Teachers may not always be able to pick up their phone or check email throughout the day, so it would be best to call the front office with any changes. América and Danielle will relay any changes to the classroom teacher after you contact them. Please contact the main office by 10:00 a.m for the morning session and 2:00 pm for the afternoon session for any changes in regards to a child's dismissal procedures.

As a reminder, if your student is in our Tri-District classroom, they will follow the arrival and dismissal times below:

• AM: 8:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
• PM: 12:15 p.m. - 2:45 p.m

Please review the Hawthorn School District 73 section for information about important dates. Please review your home district section for any other information, including PTO, spirit wear, and other fun things happening in your home district!

Dear Fremont Community,

Fremont School District 79 takes extensive measures to ensure the safety of all students when using school-issued electronic devices. Behind the scenes, robust firewalls and security systems are in place to protect against potential threats. In the classroom, tools such as Gaggle, Hapara, and Securly assist in monitoring students’ technology usage, further promoting a secure learning environment. Additionally, the District’s policy on cell phones and personal electronic devices requires students to keep these devices powered off and stored safely during school hours. If a student needs to contact their parent or guardian, they may do so by using the school telephone in the main office. This policy is designed to maintain a safe and focused environment for all students throughout the school day.

One valuable resource for parents that we’d like to continue to highlight is Securly. Our continued partnership with Securly ensures effective internet content filtering on student-issued devices. Registered parents and guardians can actively participate in their child’s online safety by accessing the Securly Home Web Portal or the Securly Home App, available for both Android and iPhone. The Securly Home App offers additional features, such as push notifications for flagged activity, the ability to schedule offline times for student devices, and options to pause or unpause internet access on school-issued devices while away from school.

Below you will find resources to help you set up and navigate Securly.

• Digital Parenting Simplified

• Setting Up The Securly App

• Brief Video Explaining Securly Parenting App

• Parent Portal Login Page

• Parent Portal Guide

As a reminder, parents who have never registered for Securly in the past should have received a "Welcome to Securly” email from noreply@securly.com at the beginning of September. For registration issues, please contact the Director of Information Systems and Network Security, Craig Albers at calbers@fsd79.org.

Katie O’Brien

Principal, Lincoln Early Learning Center

Beth Carmody

Principal, Fremont Elementary School

Stefan Ladenburger

Principal, Fremont Intermediate School

Dr. Emily Loerakker

Principal, Fremont Middle School

Parent Book Club - “The Anxious Generation”

As part of our Parent University programming, FSD79 and the Fremont PTO will be co-sponsoring a Parent Book Club event on New York Times #1 Bestseller, “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt. We will be hosting a one-night discussion on the book on February 11, 2025. For more information on the book club event, please visit our table at next Friday’s Reading Rally. Additional information will be shared with families in the near future. Secure your physical or audio copy of the book now to prepare for the discussion.

Free Mental Health Resources

Dear Fremont Families,

As we approach the holiday season, it's important to remember that our students' social-emotional and mental health remain top priorities, especially during this time of year. Please take the time to review our new Family Resources document created by the Fremont Mental Health Team to help support our students and families.

Additionally, ReferralGPS is a service providing assistance to our community in finding local mental-health and substance use-related treatment resources. The service compliments the District's existing support systems as a tool for student service teams and families to connect with treatment. Along with a searchable database of treatment options, ReferralGPS provides Care Navigation to assist families in triage and appointment setting.

School district staff and families may access ReferralGPS in two ways:

1. Contact Student Services (social workers, psychologists, counselors) to seek out treatment options

2. Visit this link to search for treatment resources or connect with a Care Navigator anonymously

The platform has the ability to filter by mental health concern, clinician gender/specialty, location, and insurance acceptance. The service is available for all types of private and public insurance options including PPO, HMO, Medicaid, and families that are uninsured or underinsured.

ReferralGPS is available for use by District students, staff, and families at no cost. All information entered on the ReferralGPS tool is completely confidential and securely stored.

Please note, this service is an optional resource available by choice and is not mandatory in any way. If you are interested in seeking counseling-related services at this time, please consider reaching out to the Student Services team or visit https://referralgps.com/find-help/FSD79.

Your involvement and understanding are vital as we navigate this holiday season together, ensuring a supportive environment for our children. Thank you for being an integral part of our school community.

Best regards,

Ms. Krista Winkelman
Executive Director of Student Services

December 13 - No School

December 13 - No School

December 23 - January 6 - No School - Winter Break

January 7 - School Resumes

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

The Fremont PTO would love to see you at our meetings this year! Meetings are on the third Wednesday of the month in the Middle School Den at 6:00 pm. Our next meeting is on December 18th.

Childcare services for children ages 3+ will be provided at ALL of our upcoming PTO meetings. Please use the form below to let us know if you will be bringing a child to the meeting. It is not required to RSVP; however, we ask that you please do so if you plan to take advantage of childcare. Care will be provided by Fremont Middle School students for individuals ages 3 and up.

RSVP Form for childcare: https://forms.gle/ceerdTKn7Pa51mVt7

Here is the list of all meeting dates for the 2024-2025 school year.

To stay in the know of what Fremont PTO is up to, follow and tag us on social media:

Instagram: @fremontpto

Facebook: Fremont PTO

FREMONT PTO BOOK CLUB

Join us for the Fremont PTO Book Club. The Book Club will meet Tuesday, February 11th 2025 from 6:30-8:00pm in the Middle School Den. We will be discussing "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt. Stay tuned for Reading Reminders! Looking forward to having you join us!

Please secure your copy now.

JOIN THE FREMONT PTO FOR A FUN WINTER BREAK ACTIVITY!

Looking for something exciting to do during winter break? Come skate with us at Glacier Ice Arena!

When: Friday, December 27th
Time: 10:30 AM – 1:30 PM
Where: Glacier Ice Arena, 670 Lakeview Pkwy, Vernon Hills, IL 60061
Cost: $10 per skater (includes skate rentals!)

Whether you’re a pro on the ice or just trying skating for the first time, everyone is welcome. Bring your friends, family, and neighbors for a day of fun on the ice!

New to skating or want to try hockey? No problem—reach out to Charice Paoli at charice@glacierskate.com.

We can’t wait to see you there!

HAPPY LITTLE FLAME FUNDRAISER

Don't forget! If you placed your order for in-store pick up, they are ready for you to pick up at the shop location in Libertyville. All shipping orders have shipped, and if you chose free shipping they are now back at the shop if you did not grab them from the PTO meeting Wednesday.

Please email Elisabeth if you have any questions at FSDVPIS@gmail.com.

WINTER CLASS PARTIES

Party Hosts for the Winter Classroom Parties have been assigned and notified. Each class party is designated 3 Party Hosts. If more than 3 parents signed up for a classroom party, volunteers were chosen at random. Please note: All remaining parents who have not been notified, have not been assigned to host a party will not be invited to attend the party.

SHOP. SCAN. EARN.

Forget the scissors - Box Tops for Education has gone digital! Simply download the Box Tops for Education app (see www.boxtops4education.com for more info), select Fremont School District 79 (in Mundelein, IL) as your beneficiary, and you're all set! Enter the code H02P2R0D when you register for bonus points. Then simply scan your receipts after shopping, and watch the points (and $$) add up for our schools!

UPCOMING DINE-IN NIGHTS

We have a full year of dine-in nights ahead – check out the list here!

ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK NOW!

Don’t forget to order your student's 2024-2025 yearbook. Use the correct school code from our flyer when you order!

PTO MEMBERSHIP/ONLINE DIRECTORY FOR 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR

If you already have an account in Membership Toolkit, thank you for creating and/or updating your Membership Toolkit account last year.

If you don't have an account in Membership Toolkit, set it up now for free! Once you have created an account in Membership Toolkit your child will appear in the online directory immediately (that's if you choose to do so). To create an account, go to fsd79.membershiptoolkit.com and follow the directions in the attached form (Online Student Directory Set Up Instructions 2024-2025).

To gain access to the Online Student Directory your account must be active and you must pay the $15 PTO Membership Family Fee. If you paid your PTO Membership fee through your TeacherEase account before June 15th, your payment has been confirmed and you currently have access to the Online Student Directory. If you didn’t pay your PTO Membership Family Fee before June 15th, you can pay the $15 PTO Membership Family fee thru Venmo @Fremont-PTO; or by bringing or sending the attached form with your cash payment or check made payable to Fremont PTO to any school front office. The option to pay the PTO Membership Fee thru your TeacherEase account is no longer available. Once we receive confirmation of your payment, we will give you access to the online directory. Please note it may take up to one week to be granted access to the online directory.

Don't forget to download the FREE Membership Toolkit app to your smartphone-search "Membership Toolkit" in your app store.

BIRTHDAY BOARD

Celebrate your Fremont Student's special day! "Happy Birthday, Your Child's Name" can appear on the Fremont Electronic Message Board. Just complete the Birthday Board Request Google Form 2024-2025; or complete the birthday board form and send it back to any school front office with your $5 payment per birthday message. If you have any questions, please contact Christie Johnson at cjohnson@fsd79.org.

Erin’s Law - Student Program and Parent/Guardian Information Night

In response to Erin’s Law (House Bill 6193), which requires all public schools to implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program, Hawthorn District 73 hosted the Be Seen and Heard© assembly program for all preschool and elementary students this week. This program is designed to create an age-appropriate, safe, and engaging environment in which students learn the difference between safe and unsafe touch, and the importance of having trusted heroes.

• Click here for the parent/guardian night flier.

• Click here for the student program information flier.

December 13 - No School

December 23 - January 3 - No School - Winter Break

January 6 - School Resumes

The online spirit wear store is open! Orders will be accepted through 12/16.

Unfortunately, they will not be ready for the holidays, but pick up should be over break.

https://ultimate-screen-printing.printavo.com/merch/d75online

BRIGHT ARROW

• Our BrightArrow notification system enables you to stay in touch in the event of emergencies, delays/cancellations, and other important events throughout the school year. In order for you to be able to receive these notifications, it is vital that you keep your contact information accurate and up to date with your child’s school.
• You can confirm and/or request to update your contact information by contacting your student's school. We encourage you to take a minute to make sure your contact information is up-to-date so you don't miss out on important notifications.

To Receive Text Alerts

1. You must have your mobile phone number on file with your child’s school to receive text messages. (If you’re not certain whether you’ve done this, please contact your child’s school.)
2. To opt in to text messages send the word Yes to the shortcode 79041. Once you opt-in, BrightArrow will send you a confirmation that your phone number is subscribed.
3. After opting in, you should be receiving text messages along with email notifications. If you still are not receiving text messages (only email) please contact your child’s school to update your telephone number.

December 13 - No School

December 20 - January 6 - No School - Winter Break

January 7 - School resumes

January 8 - PTO Meeting (7:00pm at CSMS)