Friday Focus

• A Message from Marcie
• CALENDAR ALERT: Day of school added on Monday, March 3, 2025
  
• September is Attendance Awareness Month - Join next week's spirit week
• Conference Sign-Ups are Coming
• Learn about the Schooltime Setting on Apple Watch
  
• This Week in Pictures
• News from Ealy Learners
• News from the District

• Dine and Donate, 9/30 at Jimmy Thai
• Save the date for Book Fair, 10/8-10/10
• Family Reading Night, 10/9
• Buy tickets for the Chicago Wolves game, 11/17
• and so much more...

Thanks for a great week, South Park!

We have been very fortunate for beautiful weather so far this school year allowing our students to take advantage of two recess times during the school day. While recess is an important time for your child to relax, play, and socialize, we also recognize that it can be a challenging part of the day because it involves navigating unstructured social interactions, which can sometimes lead to conflicts or feelings of exclusion.

Recently, we have noticed an uptick in parents reaching out to South Park administration expressing concerns about recess. If any concerns arise during recess time, here are steps you can take to ensure your child feels supported:

1. Coach Your Child to Advocate for Themselves
   Encourage your child to talk to a trusted adult at school, such as the recess supervisor or their classroom teacher, if they experience a problem during recess. This helps build self-advocacy skills and teaches them how to navigate challenges on their own.

2. Reach Out to the Classroom Teacher
   If the concern continues or if your child feels unsure, it’s helpful to communicate with their teacher. Teachers often have insights into peer interactions and can help address situations during the school day.

3. Contact the School if Needed
   If your child’s concerns remain unresolved after taking these steps, or if the situation is more serious, please feel free to contact a South Park administrator directly. The well-being of your child is our priority, and we will work together to find a solution.

By encouraging your child to speak up first, we help them build confidence and problem-solving skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.

Thank you for your support in fostering a positive school experience for all students!

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Marcie

Due to the unexpected cancellation of school following the recent storms on August 28, 2024, DPS 109 will have to make up that day of school on Monday, March 3rd, 2025. The Board of Education just approved the calendar change last night and it has been updated on our website today. Please plan accordingly.

Next week, we will be celebrating Attendance Awareness Month with a full Attendance-Themed Spirit Week! See the flyer below with details.

Here's why this is important:

• Kindergarten and 1st grade students who miss more than 10 days each school year are less likely to read on grade level by 3rd grade.
• Half of the students who have missed 2-4 days in September go on to miss nearly a month of school.
• Showing up to school helps students reduce stress, connect with classmates and teachers, and have a sense of belonging.

A reminder that strong attendance also includes arriving to school ON TIME. We open our doors at 8:35 a.m. Tardiness to school disrupts elementary students' learning routines, leading to missed instruction and difficulty in catching up with their peers. Thank you for making your child's school arrival time a priority for your family.

Mark your calendars! Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, October 24th from 1:00-4:00 pm & 5:00-8:00 pm and on Friday, October 25th from 8:30-11:30 am. All DPS109 schools will hold in-person parent-teacher conferences this year with an option to Zoom for parents/guardians who are not available for an in-person conference. Parents will sign up for a conference using Sign-Up Genius. We will share links for all teacher sign-up forms on Thursday, September 26th, at 12:00 pm (noon).

It is best practice to hold one parent conference per child, to ensure that both parents receive the same information regarding their child’s strengths and needs. Therefore, we ask that parents sign up for one joint conference per student. If this is a concern, please reach out to Dr. Faust directly. We look forward to seeing all of our parents during conferences. Conferences are a discussion between parents and teachers. At this time elementary conferences do not include students and therefore we ask that children not attend the parent-teacher conference.

Have you heard about Schooltime? This new setting limits Apple Watch features during school hours, allowing a family member to focus.

Here's How to Set up Schooltime:

1. Open the Apple Watch app on the iPhone used to manage the watch.

2. Tap My Watch, tap Family Watches, then tap a watch.

3. Tap Done, then tap Schooltime.

4. Turn on Schooltime, then tap Edit Schedule.

5. Choose the days and times you want Schooltime to be active on the watch.

Click here for more info about Schooltime for Apple Watch.

If you have not had time to read the book, The Anxious Generation, but you want to learn more about the topics presented in the book, this episode of the podcast, Honestly, has been recommended by several South Park parents.

From Picture Day to engaging in the final week of the construction unit, the Early Childhood classrooms were filled with smiles as we ring in the fall season. Students have been seen becoming more familiar and comfortable with the routines of the classroom. This week, students were engaged in new learning about letters and sounds through our Fundations curriculum. Be sure to ask your child about the letters that they practiced this week. Grady's Group continues to be a highlight for many of our students. This week, students learned about various feelings and how to identify their own feelings. Dr. Grady spoke to students about the Zones of Regulation and will continue this conversation into future weeks as well.

As a reminder, we would like to invite ALL Early Learners and South Park parents and guardians to join us on Tuesday, October 1st from 7:00-8:00 p.m. in the South Park library to take part in a conversation centered around the book The Anxious Generation. Please reference Dr. Faust's most recent communication for more information.

• 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.

Tuesday, October 1

• The Anxious Generation Community Conversation 7:00-8:00 (RSVP Here)

Thursday, October 3

• No School - Rosh Hashanah

• Family Reading Night - 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, October 8-Thursday, October 10

• PTO Sponsored Book Fair

• No School - Columbus Day

• K-5 Students Early Dismissal 11:40 a.m.
• Parent Teacher Conferences 1:00-8:00 p.m.
• Early Learners - Non-attendance Day, Tentative Family Event TBD

• Non-attendance Day for all students
• Parent Teacher Conferences 8:00-11:00 a.m.
  

• Halloween Parade 2:00 p.m. (Livestream available for working families)

2024-25 Music Concert Dates:

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

• 4th Grade - Wednesday, February 12th @ 6:00

• 3rd Grade - Wednesday, March 19th @ 6:00

• 2nd Grade - Wednesday, February 12th @ 5:00

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

• Kindergarten - Wednesday, March 19 @ 5:00

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

Have you checked out our new AI chatbot, Scout? Visit dps109.org, and Scout will appear on the bottom left-hand corner of your screen. Scout is on a two-month trial from now until the end of September. The more you help train him (ask him questions), the faster he learns and "scouts" our website to help find the answers to your questions! Please use the feedback button and star rating system to help us decide if Scout is here to stay.

As last week's events have shown us, we need to be able to reach you in case of unexpected news! Some families still need to complete the quick process of verifying their information for this year. It's also an easy way to read and acknowledge our handbook and review district opt-out forms. Please head to Skyward to get started today!