Friday Focus (Thursday Edition)

We are excited to welcome you to spring conferences starting this afternoon! Please note that all visitors to our school must check in through our front office and present your ID. We kindly ask that you arrive approximately 10 minutes before your scheduled conference time to allow for check-in processing.

• A Message from Marcie
• Helping Hands Donations Needed
• Reminder for All School Volunteers
• Parker's Picks
• Donate to Caruso's Clothing Drive
• Tech Tip Hub
• This Week in Pictures
• News from Early Learners
• Other Important Info

Check out the PTO Spotlight here:

• Order your Yearbook by 3/23!
• Order Spirit Wear by 3/21!
• Helping Hands Donations through 4/4!
• Bulls Game Fundraiser- 4/4
• Cubs Game Fundraiser- 6/1
• End of School Bash- 6/6

Dear Families,

As we head into spring break, I want to take a moment to thank all of the parents who joined us for our community event this past Tuesday evening at Caruso Middle School. It was wonderful to connect and share ways we can continue to support our kids as they grow.

A few key takeaways from our conversation:
✨ Letting your child sit in discomfort helps build resilience—validate their feelings, encourage them, and resist the urge to swoop in.
✨ Engage in the Let Grow projects with your child—you’ll be amazed at the independence and confidence they develop!
✨ Take a break from technology (yes, parents too!)—a little time away from screens can bring a surprising sense of freedom and relief.

Wishing you all a restful and joyful break! We can’t wait to welcome our students back on Monday, March 31st.

Best,

Marcie

We are incredibly grateful for the time, care, and dedication you bring to our school community. Your generosity enriches the experiences of our students and supports our staff in countless meaningful ways. Whether you're helping in the lunchroom, library, assisting with events, or providing behind-the-scenes support, your efforts make a lasting difference.

As a reminder, we ask that volunteers limit interactions with students to a friendly greeting and refrain from monitoring, commenting on, or addressing student behavior. Additionally, we have noticed instances where volunteers have contacted another child's parent directly about incidents they observed at school, such as illness, injury, or behavioral concerns. While this may seem helpful, we respectfully ask that you refrain from doing so.

Reaching out to parents in this way can compromise student privacy and may result in miscommunication or delays in families receiving accurate information. To ensure all concerns are handled appropriately, please report any observations to the school administration, who will follow the proper steps to address the situation.

We sincerely appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a supportive and respectful environment for all students. Thank you for all that you do to support our school!

This week, our Early Learners had an exciting adventure with many special events! First, they went on a St. Patrick’s Day hunt for the elusive leprechaun. While he managed to sneak away, he left behind some tasty treats for everyone to enjoy when they returned to their rooms.

Later in the week, our young explorers took a "trip" to Thailand, wrapping up their learning about Thai culture and attractions. During their adventure, they experienced tuk-tuk rides, elephant rides, swimming in the ocean, exploring the floating market, and even building iconic Thai landmarks with Legos. The children had a blast with pretend play activities, imagining all the fun things they could do at the beach and in the water, and enjoyed trying out chopsticks. It was truly a week full of memorable experiences!

In Grady's Group this week, we focused on manners and being polite, reading books such as Time to Say Please by Mo Willems, Being Helpful by Joy Berry, and Be Polite and Kind by Cheri Meiners. Although we've covered this topic throughout the year, it's a great reminder before extended time away from school. To reinforce good manners at home, I gave the children Grady's Polite Passports, which contain activities for them to complete. Parents are encouraged to place a star, stamp, or sticker on the pages as children complete tasks like helping with dishes or getting dressed by themselves. If a child earns stars on multiple pages, they can win a prize from me, reinforcing the importance of being polite and using good manners at home.

A big thank you to all the families who joined us this morning for Rock Your Socks Day! We had a fantastic time celebrating together, and your support makes our Early Learners community even more special!

Early Learners and their families are warmly invited to join us for an exciting and engaging evening at Early Learners Family Reading Night! This special event will take place at the South Park Library on April 7th from 5:30 to 6:30 PM. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to come together as a community to celebrate the joy and magic of reading. It promises to be a fun-filled evening where families can explore new books, share stories, and foster a love of learning. We can’t wait to see you there and share in this wonderful experience with the Early Learners community!

• All visitors to South Park School MUST bring a valid driver's license or state ID card to the main office before entering into the building. Beginning this year, we will collect IDs during your visit and return it to you as you leave.
• If your child is going to be absent from school, you need to call or email us by 9:00 that morning. ** Call 847-945-5895, ext. 2103 and leave a message OR ** Email Nurse Nora Moskos.
• Please follow our morning procedures, and drop your children off at their regular grade level doors. If you choose to drive through the front circle at arrival, kindly stay in your car when you drop off to help us reduce morning congestion.
• K-5 drop-off is between 8:35-8:45 a.m. Students who arrive after 8:45 a.m. will need to enter through the front door of the school, as all other doors will be locked.
• Dismissal for all Kindy and 1st-grade walkers and car riders will take place at their grade level door.
  
• Early Learners drop-off/pick-up info can be found here.
• When parking in our Birchwood parking lot, please remember that our preschoolers are dropped off and picked up by the west end (closest to the school). Sometimes, their parents' cars can block a parked car from exiting for a few minutes. To avoid that, we suggest that you park closer to Birchwood Avenue.

Thursday, March 20th (corrected date)

• Early Release at 11:40 a.m.
• Spring Conferences from 1:00-8:00 p.m.

• Non-Attendance Day
• Spring Conferences 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Monday, March 24th-Friday, March 28th

• Spring Break

Tuesday, May 20th

• VIP Day for Kindergarten, Third Grade, and Fifth Grade

• VIP Day for 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, and 4th Grade

2024-25 Music Concert Dates:

• 5th Grade - Wednesday, January 29th @ 6:00

• 4th Grade - Wednesday, February 19th @ 6:00 (rescheduled from 2/12)

• 3rd Grade - Wednesday, April 9th @ 6:00 (new date)

• 2nd Grade - Wednesday, February 19th @ 5:00 (rescheduled from 2/12)

• 1st Grade - Wednesday, January 29th @ 5:00

• Kindergarten - Wednesday, April 9th @ 5:00 (new date)

• Early Learners - Thursday, May 1 @ 5:00