Weekly Update

October 18, 2024

Parents,

Next week we will have a half day. Half days are slightly different than early dismissal days. On Friday, October 25th we will dismiss at 11:35 am. We know that different dismissal times can be hard to remember for families. We will send a reminder text on Thursday evening as well as Friday morning. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Don't forget...Tuesday, October 22nd is picture retake day. If you would like your child's picture retaken on that day, please send your original packet back. If your child did not get his/her picture taken earlier this year, we will be taking the picture that day. Ordering information can be found below.

We hope you and your family have a great weekend!

Katie & Chris

Oak Brook Spirit Wear

Don't miss your chance to get you or your child some Oak Brook Spirit Wear. Whether you want a shirt to support the Oak Brook Singing Eagles at their next concert or a new tie dye shirt with our core values on it, you can find it in the store. Use the link below to begin shopping. Hurry, the store is only open for a limited time!

Spirt Wear

Culver's Night

Cyberbullying Presentation

Nationwide, cyberbullying and teen self harm/suicide are on the rise. The increased access that today's youth have to technology and social media opens the door to this behavior as both the victim and the cause. As parents, it is admittedly difficult to navigate this topic with your child(ren). To help you learn more about this topic and receive tips that can support you at home, the Parkway School District has established a parent event to address this topic. Tina Meier, of the Megan Meier Foundation, will be conducting a presentation at West Middle School on October 29th at 6:30pm. Mrs. Meier will share the the story of her daughter, Megan, along with the devastating effects of bullying, cyberbullying, and suicide. This powerful message will be followed by an audience Q&A that will allow the participants to seek advice and ask questions that could prove to be a powerful experience for all in attendance. For more information, please check out the attached flyer and, if interested in attending, please click here to kindly RSVP.

Picture Retake Day

Parkway Votes

Students will participate in the “Parkway Votes” mock election on Monday, November 4. You should have received an email with more information from the district on October 15.

Parkway Votes is an opportunity for students to learn about the democratic process, understand the importance of lifelong voting habits, and increase communication with their families about the value of civic engagement. Families are encouraged to talk with their children about their values around voting.

At our school, students will have the opportunity to practice voting. Our students will be voting in the following ways:

Kindergarten - Grade 2: Which of these is your favorite national monument? Students will vote for the Statue of Liberty, Gateway Arch, Washington Monument, or the Grand Canyon.
Grade 3 - Grade 8 will vote for the President of the United States.

While we believe students should have the opportunity to vote, we respect that you may prefer for your child not to participate. If you do not want your child to participate, please complete this opt-out form by October 23.

Focus on Character

Accountability

We will focus on accountability this week. We define accountability as taking responsibility for your actions. Taking accountability for our actions and what we need to do is part of what responsibility is. Responsibility is one of Oak Brooks Core Values. Teaching accountability doesn't have to be a huge task. If you start small and grow from there, you can help your child learn to be accountable for his/her actions.

Start young - the younger kids are, the more easily they can pick up on skills.
Identify responsibilities - it is hard to be accountable when you don't know what you are supposed to be doing.
Don't forget to follow up - it is important to follow up with your child to make sure responsibilities are taken care of in a timely manner.
Set a good example - remember, kids learn by watching us.
Start small - don't expect kids to conquer big responsibilities right away - start with small tasks.

In our monthly Focus on Character at the beginning of the month, we share a list of age-appropriate responsibilities kids can have around the house. You could start with some of those tasks.

This information was adapted from Thinkpsych.com's blog.