An Update from Countryside

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! I hope you had a fantastic summer. Over the past weeks, Countryside teachers have diligently prepared for another outstanding academic year through classroom setup, lesson planning, and engaging professional development. Our custodial crew has also done an outstanding job preparing the campus for the return of students. Mrs. Marin and Ms. Brokhof have been actively welcoming new families and staff, as well as organizing resources for everyone involved. We are now prepared and excited to welcome all Countryside students!

Countryside is excited to welcome the following new faculty members and congratulate returning faculty members on their new positions or recent name changes!

Parents and students can access their class placements for the 2024-25 school year on Infinite Campus starting at 8:00 AM on Monday, August 5, 2024.

Meet the Teacher will take place on Friday, August 16, 2024, from 2:00 to 2:45 PM. We encourage parents to bring their children to meet their new teacher and to sign up for various volunteer and support opportunities on campus.

The Countryside PTO is hosting an Ice Cream Social on Friday, August 16, 2024, from 2:15 to 3:45 PM at Countryside. We invite all Countryside families to join us for this enjoyable event.

School begins on Monday, August 19, 2024, at 8:00 for grades 1-5. Kindergarten students will have their first day on Wednesday, August 21, 2024. Students may be dropped off at school as early as 7:40, where they will proceed to the back playground.

One of Countryside’s key goals is for students and families to feel a strong sense of belonging at our school. This summer, we painted a community mural in our main hallway to celebrate and reflect our diverse community. This mural aligns with the Barrington Strategic Priorities and our commitment to inclusive education. It aims to support our efforts in building strong relationships and deepening our understanding of each other.

You can contribute to this mural in two ways:

1. Send a 4x6 family photo to your child’s teacher by Friday, September 13th.

2. Have a family photo taken at the Meet the Teacher Ice Cream Social on Friday, August 16th, from 2:15-3:45 pm.

We are excited about this opportunity to celebrate our school families and strengthen our community.

Back to School Night for parents of grades K-2 will be held on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Parents of grades 3-5 are invited to attend on Wednesday, August 21, 2024, also from 5:30 to 7:00 PM. Additional parking will be provided at the Presbyterian Church of Barrington for these nights.

Your child will have their picture taken on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 in the Countryside gym. Students will visit the gym with their class for the photo session. Please look for additional information from your child’s classroom teacher.

Each family is assigned a carline number for the school’s carline pick-up process. Please display this number on a piece of paper where it is clearly visible to our carline supervisor—such as on your dashboard, windshield, or visor—when picking up your child.

To find your carline number, please log in to your Infinite Campus parent portal. After logging in, select “Login ID,” and your carline number will be displayed at the top of the page.

If you need assistance or cannot locate your carline number, please email emarin@barrington220.org.

Hi! My name is Lindsay Balistreri. Many of you know me from my previous role as a first and second grade teacher. I am excited to be stepping into a new role this year at Countryside as the new Instructional Coach! We are looking forward to using the Character Strong curriculum, which you will learn more about at Back to School night and as the school year begins. Students will focus on 3 main goals through the curriculum; Be Kind, Be Strong, and Be Well.

As the school year begins, here are some questions you can ask your student to get them talking about their day:

*What was the most interesting thing that happened in your day?

*What was one thing you did to show kindness today?

*Tell me something that made you laugh today.

*What is the biggest difference between school last year and this year?

*What is one thing that challenged you today?

As part of Framework 220—Health and Wellness, District 220 is excited to incorporate Character Strong into our daily learning schedule. We encourage you to read the Family Welcome Letter and watch the overview video provided via this link for insights and feedback about the program. Additionally, you can explore the Family Character Strong website through this link. Your child's teacher will provide further details about Character Strong during Back to School Night.

Be sure to check out the Wildcat Weekly, brought to you by the PTO. In this edition, you'll find details on how to purchase the PTO Bundle, which includes the yearbook, grade-level t-shirts, and the PTO Party Fund.

D220 will be utilizing SMORE for newsletters this upcoming school year. SMORE provides readers with the option to read the newsletter in their preferred language. We hope you enjoy this new format.