Richmond Elementary E-News

Dear Richmond Families,

Earlier this week you received a district communication detailing D303’s efforts to enhance safety procedures for our students. In August, D303 educators took part in online and in-person ALICE training, which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate. As a result of this training, we are prepared to deliver age-appropriate lessons to our students, which will teach an options-based approach when responding to critical incidents.

Starting the week of September 30th, students will view an informational video, introducing them to the concepts of ALICE. Then throughout the fall students will engage in six lessons, roughly two lessons per month, with each lesson focusing the core ALICE concepts: Situational Awareness, Alert, Lockdown, Inform, and Evacuate.

Lessons are differentiated based on age-appropriateness and broken down into the following age groups:

• Early Childhood-Kindergarten

• 1st Grade-3rd Grade

• 4th-5th Grade

• Middle School

• High School

D303’s Safety and Security website has been updated to include informational ALICE resources, such as parent letters for each lesson. Students will participate in their first safety drill utilizing the ALICE concepts in January. For more information you are encouraged to visit the ALICE Family and Community site.

If you have any questions specific to your child’s learning, feel free to contact me at lisa.simoncelli-bulak@d303.org .

Please see Pick-A-Time directions to sign-up for a parent/teacher conference. Pick-A-Time will open for all District 303 families to sign up for conferences on Friday, September 27th and close on Monday, October 7th.

We are looking forward to meeting our parents at parent teacher conferences. We invite you to stop by our ever growing lost and found in the community room hallway when you are here to find lost treasures.

We are excited to offer an exciting parent engagement opportunity. During the end of September and early October, we will invite guest readers into classrooms to read a book that pertains to Hispanic Heritage Month. For a list of possible books please click HERE. If you have another title you are interested in reading, please e-mail your book idea to our LRC director at brittany.brandenburg@d303.org to see if it can be added to our list.

To sign up we will use Sign Up Genius. Please note, you do need to create a FREE account if you do not have one in order to sign up. To sign up for a slot, please click HERE. Please fill out the book you are reading in the comment section.

Walk, Bike, and Roll to School Day is on Wednesday, October 9, 2024. Richmond Elementary are welcoming families to participate in this event. We know that these events are important opportunities to gather as a school or community, encourage physical activity, and promote safety in our neighborhoods and near schools. Wellness committee student leaders, staff, and PTO will welcome our students as they walk to school to promote being active.

At Richmond, students have the opportunity to walk in a parade around Richmond (and outside on 12th street) before their fall parties in their costumes on Halloween. The parade will run outside from 2:25 pm to 2:35 pm. Parents may line up along 12th Street to watch the parade.

• Classroom parties will run from 2:35 pm to 3:15 pm after the parade

• Room Parents will be allowed to go to classrooms at 2:15 pm for party set up and to assist with costumes after they have checked in at the office

• In the event of inclement weather, there will not be a parade

Costume & Party Guidelines: Students should bring costumes in a bag. Costumes must be appropriate for school. Costumes should not be violent or scary in nature. No blood, guts, or weapons. No masks. Make-up is discouraged because it is difficult to apply. Students may be asked to remove or put away any parts of costumes based on teacher judgment.

• Room Parents who are assisting with the parties should not wear disguises that would make it difficult to recognize them as a safe person

• Only parents signed up to assist at the parties are able to attend the parties

• No food treats will be eaten during the party

• Work with the teacher on any non-edible goody bags to be sent home. NO CANDY!

Room Parent Guidelines:

• No more than 4 parents per classroom. Sign-up for Room Parents is through our PTO.

• Complete the D303 volunteer form if you have not already. Contact Darlene Buffano at darlene.buffano@d303.org or call at (331) 228-2800 if you have questions about procedures.

• Work with the classroom teacher on activities/games for the party

• Work with the teacher on any non-edible goody bags to be sent home

From October 7th - 11th, students can explore their next favorite read at the Richmond

Elementary Literati Book Fair! Every purchase supports our school LRC.

The Book Fair will take place during the school day October 7th-9th. We will be open during

Parent/Teacher Conferences on Thursday, October 10th from 8:00am-8:00pm and Friday,

October 11th from 8:00am-12:00pm.

Each classroom will have a 20 minute shopping day/time during the fair. During that time,

students may create a wish list or purchase books using a Literati Digital Gift Card or cash.

Any cash should be sent to school in a plastic baggie marked with the child's name and

class. Students will be responsible for their own money and spending.

● Literati Book Fair Gift Cards: Digital gift cards are an easy payment method that

won’t get lost in a backpack. Buy them online for use at both our in-person and online

fairs. Click HERE or go to: https://literati.com/store/product-category/gift-cards/

All gift cards will be accessible from the bookfair registers at checkout with student name.

● Payment methods: Student shopping: We accept cash or book fair gift cards.

Conference shopping: We accept cash, book fair gift cards, or credit and debit cards.

● Shop from home at our online fair: Can’t make the fair? No worries! Shop for

exciting new books online at fairs.literati.com, through October 11th. Create student

wishlists to share with friends and family. When you search for our school,

double-check that you have the right city and state. Your online order will also benefit

our school.

We can’t wait for our students to experience our upcoming book fair! Thank you for helping

to inspire a lifelong love of reading.

Please contact Mrs. Brandenburg with any questions at brittany.brandenburg@d303.org.

Thank you again for all your support!

Brittany Brandenburg, LRC Director/Media Specialist

Alma Bautista, LRC Paraprofessional

Like and follow the Richmond Elementary School PTO on Facebook to stay to update on events, volunteer opportunities, fundraisers, and much more!

http://bit.ly/4d9A2mf

KICK-A-THON is a local event that began over 30 years ago as an effort from the St. Charles High School Dance Team to raise money to help kick cancer. It has grown to include East and North High School Dance Teams and other amazing charities. This charity event will benefit the Fox Valley Food for Health, Colette A. Miles Foundation, and the high school dance teams. To date, we have raised over a million dollars and need your help to keep that number growing. Please join the St. Charles High School Dance Teams as we raise money to kick cancer.

This year’s event will take place on Friday, October 4th, 2024, at St. Charles North High School, prior to the start of the varsity football game between St. Charles North and St. Charles East. Local community members who help with fundraising will form a kick line alongside the dance team members and kick 100 times in an effort to raise money for these charities.

Student Council will be collecting donations! Please consider donating to support this great cause!

Hope to see you there!

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D303 will host the 4th annual Pathways Night at Compass Academy on October 30. This career fair welcomes employers and educational institutions supporting careers that don't require a 4-year college degree. If you are a business owner and wish to participate in Pathways Night, please complete this form. More information for students and families interested in attending will be available in the next few weeks.

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District 303 is proud to partner with the Glenbard Parent Series (GPS) to offer our families broader access to information sessions and resources that support their child’s development.

For decades, GPS has been offering free programs that aim to empower and strengthen families, individuals and communities. As a partner organization, District 303 will support promoting upcoming programs and their importance to our local community.

>TEXT FOR BUTTON: View upcoming programs and access support resources.

>LINK: https://gpsparentseries.org/

Thank you, and please let me know if you have any questions!