EARLY LEARNERS 2024-2025

This newsletter will share some important details with you about the following:

• Back to School
• Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
• Bus Routes
• Meet and Greet Sign-Up
• Message from a Parent Regarding After School Care (Second Posting)
• Important Dates for the School Year
• Contact Information

Our Early Learners team is excited to welcome students back to school on Tuesday, August 20 for our first day of school. Our Early Learners students attend our program Monday through Friday and our program hours are listed below:

• 1/2 Day AM: 9:00 - 11:30 Monday through Friday
• 1/2 Day PM: 12:30 - 3:00 Monday through Friday
• Full Day: 9:00 - 3:00 Monday through Friday

As a reminder, Early Childhood does not have Early Release on Wednesdays (this only applies to DPS109 K-8 students). This means that Early Learners arrival/dismissal times remain the same Monday-Friday.

Starting on the first day of school, please use the designated locations for arrival/dismissal. Locations are listed below. If you arrive later than your child's start time, please walk your child to the front office.

• Full Day Arrival/Dismissal Location: South Park front circle (enter off Hackberry)
• Half-Day Arrival/Dismissal Location: South Park main parking lot (enter off Birchwood)

In order to ensure an efficient process for both families and staff, please adhere to the following guidelines:

• Remain in your car during drop off.
• Keep your child buckled in their seat until a staff member approaches your car. The staff member will unbuckle your child during arrival. They will also buckle your child into their seat during dismissal.
• Place the number given to you by your classroom teacher in your front window to help our staff identify students as quickly as possible. Numbers will be passed out to families at the Early Learners Meet and Greet on 8/15 so families can have them ready on the first day of school.
• In order to allow the car line to run smoothly, please email or schedule a phone call with your child's teacher if there is something you'd like to discuss.

Please share these arrival/dismissal procedures with anybody who may be dropping off or picking up your child.

If your child is signed up for bus services, please log into Skyward this week and click on transportation to see your student's assigned bus stop and time. Please note that for security reasons, we do not post entire routes on our website.

As mentioned previously, our Early Learners Meet & Greet will take place at South Park Elementary School on Thursday, August 15th between 3:30-4:30 p.m. All attendees should enter through the front entrance of South Park and our staff will direct you down the hallway to your child's classroom. Once in the classroom, students will have an opportunity to meet their teacher and get acquainted with their classroom.

In the sign-up form, please make sure that the quantity is limited to one to represent your child. To limit the number of individuals in our classrooms, we also encourage families with multiple children to leave siblings at home, if possible. Parents of twins can either divide and conquer with a second adult or bring both Early Learners with them to spend time in each classroom.

To sign up for a time 20-minute slot, please click on your child's teacher's sign-up link below:

• Ms. Armstrong's Meet & Greet Sign-Up
• Ms. Fink's Meet & Greet Sign-Up
• Ms. Prause's Meet & Greet Sign-Up
• Mrs. Smith's Meet & Greet Sign-Up

The Park District does not host an After School Program for the Early Learners students. Both my wife and I work, so we have been exploring some after school options for our son, Gabriel. Hi-Five sports, located in Northbrook Court does host various after school programs. When I called them once Gabriel was admitted to Early Learners, I learned that they do offer bus service from a school if there is at least 5 kids going to their program from the school. I was hoping to learn if there are any other families interested in exploring this option for an after school care program for their kids. If so, please feel free to text or call me at 847.322.6615 or email me at JonathanCharak@gmail.com.

Thursday, August 15

Tuesday, August 20

Thursday, August 22

Tuesday, August 27

Monday, September 2

Tuesday, September 17

Early Learners Program Coordinator

Phone: 847-945-5895 x2105

Email: smonaco@dps109.org

Jenny Newman & Sally Smith

South Park Administrative Assistants

Phone: (847) 945-5895

Email(s): jnewman1@dps109.org, ssmith@dps109.org

Nora Moskos

South Park School Nurse

Phone: 847-945-5895 x2103

Email: nmoskos@dps109.org