Bulldog Bulletin Weekly Newsletter

Thanks so much to all of the families that came to our Open House/Curriculum Night, Thursday, 9/12/24. Your kind words, emails, and phone calls reiterated to us that we are off to a great start. Our commitment is to foster growth in ALL ways always! We are honored to partner with you in the education of your student. See pictures below from this well attended event. This week also kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month. We will have a short announcement each day from 9/16-10/15/24, to learn about famous Hispanic Americans. See other resources below to review as a family.

Have an amazing week,

Mrs. Peacock

“Did you miss the sign up to volunteer at your student’s classroom parties? Please use this link to sign up and your room rep will reach out about the three parties:

Fall Party is October 31 at 10:45-11:45

Winter Party is December 20 at 10:45-11:45

Valentines Party is February 14 at 1:45-2:45

Churchill PTA Class Party Volunteer Interest Form

docs.google.com

October is around the corner, and with it comes Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year, we have created pink shirts for each of our schools to promote awareness and to also help raise money for an organization that was created by one our own staff members, Ellen Noonan, to honor her friend. You can read more about this organization by clicking here: https://embraceemily.org/#about

If you would like to show support for Embrace Emily and wear some nice pink attire, you can order it here: www.wcsshirts.com/district153. You can see a picture of the shirts for each school below.

Orders close September 19th!

Thank you,

Dr. McAlister

ARRIVAL:

• Students must arrive AFTER 8:15am. There is no assigned supervision inside or outside before 8:15am. We appreciate your attention to this important matter.
  

• If a car rider/walker arrives to school before 8:15am, they must wait and remain on the Center Ave. sidewalk until a supervisor greets them and invites them to walk to their assigned entrance. Students and families are not allowed onto the blacktop area to allow for easy to travel traffic patterns and safety/supervision purposes.

• Each grade level will have their own designated entrance to the building. Supervisors will be ready to greet and have students enter after 8:15am. The following entrances are for ALL students.

3rd Grade - Door C (Center Ave.)

4th Grade - Door F (Center Ave.)

5th Grade - Door E (Center Ave.)

• 4th and 5th graders wishing to purchase breakfast must do so immediately upon arrival. They are not to report to their classrooms first. 3rd grade students will be dismissed by their teacher as a group during the 8:15-8:30am window. Breakfast ends at 8:30am.
  

• Students arriving after 8:30am must be signed-in by an adult in the office - Door A.
  

Carline

• All students arriving by car must use the carline.
• We will have several staff members waiting to receive and assist your child when they arrive. Please consider waiting to arrive at or after 8:15am as our arrival process moves very quickly.
• Our carline is located on Center Ave. and extends, weather permitting, from our circle drive north towards Jamie Ln. Pull all the way forward going south on Center, follow signage and staff direction, and be aware of the line traffic in front and behind you.
• We highly encourage all of our families who are driving to use the carline. If you choose to drop off your child in order for them to walk onsite, please note the following:
• It is safest to use the carline.
• DO NOT travel on or use 190th St., Loomis Ave., or Poplar Ct. as a drop-off location. This causes MAJOR congestion and conflicts with our morning bus traffic.
• DO NOT drive through or drop off in our staff parking lot.
• If you choose to drop off your student offsite and have them walk to school, instruct your child to use only sidewalks and cross where there is a crossing guard. Car traffic should exit the neighborhood by traveling south and east from the school.

Bus

• Bus riders will follow all school and transportation rules while riding the bus. Once they have arrived a staff member will greet them off the bus as they move towards their designated grade level entrances.
  

Walk/Bike

• Walkers and bikers will follow school rules while traveling to and from school. Bikers will walk their bike once on school property as walkways may be congested. Bikers should lock their bikes at the bike rack on Center Avenue before proceeding to their designated entrance.
  

• We highly encourage families to consider working together to coordinate students walking/biking together, increasing both safety and the number of students who walk and bike. This will also help decrease traffic congestion.
  

DISMISSAL:

• All students are dismissed at 3:15pm and will be escorted by supervising teachers to their designated areas (walk/bike, car, bus).
• 3rd grade walkers and car riders will exit Door C at the end of their wing.
• Walkers/Bikers will immediately report to the bike rack and/or their route home.
• Any person walking up to meet students at dismissal must remain on the Center Ave. sidewalk. DO NOT stand by dismissal doors or enter the blacktop or playground areas to meet students. This disrupts the flow of traffic and make it difficult for our staff to safely supervise dismissal. Please direct your child to meet their pick-up person at a point on the Center Ave. sidewalk.

• Bus riders will be checked-in by a staff member at their assigned bus. Students are expected to follow all transportation rules in order to continue receiving transportation services.
• Car riders will wait on the Center Ave. sidewalk and look for their ride. Students will walk to the vehicle only once it has pulled all the way forward and come to a stop.
• VERY IMPORTANT:
• DO NOT double park on Center or any other side street. This choice creates extremely unsafe conditions for neighborhood traffic. You must travel to the end of the carline in order to not create a one lane road.
• Please do not arrive too early for the carline as this creates an unnecessary back-up before school dismisses. Our carline typically takes 10 minutes with all students being picked up by 3:25pm.
• You MAY NOT pick-up students from the carline if you are traveling north on Center.
• DO NOT park in or turn around in neighborhood driveways.
• We highly encourage all families who choose to pick-up in a vehicle to use the official carline. If your child is walking offsite to meet their ride please note:
• If being picked up in a car, the carline is safest.
• Please categorize your child's transportation as a walker to the teacher/office.
• Provide your child with what to do in the event they are not able to locate your vehicle at the designated spot.
• Regardless of your final destination, it is best to travel south and east of the school in order to exit the area.

Early Dismissal or Transportation Change:

• If a student needs to be picked up early or a transportation change is needed, please call the main office at 708.798.3424, before 2:30pm. You may also send a written note to school with your student. They must bring it to the main office. The time for making changes on early dismissal days is before 11:15am.
• Wednesday, 9/18/24 is an early release day. School gets out at 12noon. If there is a change in transportation, please call the office before 11:15am.

Lunch Drop Off:

• Food delivery services such as Uber Eats, Door Dash, etc., are not allowed and will be returned.
• Parents/Guardians may drop off lunch for students 20 minutes before the lunch period begins.
• Lunch period times are:
• 3rd grade 10:40am
• 4th grade 11:30am
• 5th Grade 12:15pm

School Board Meeting

• Monday, 9/16/24 - 7pm, James Hart School Media Center
• A public hearing on the FY25 school district budget will take place followed by the regular September meeting of the Board of Education

Early Student Dismissal

• Wednesday, 9/18/24 Churchill Students will be dismissed from school at 12noon.
• Students will not receive lunch.

No School - Staff Institute Day - 10/11/24

October 12, 2024 9am - 12 Noon

PAPER ONLY!