Sleepy Hollow Elementary School
Virtual Backpack: Week of
October Attendance Data
Did you know that for the month of October we had 15% of our students chronically absent?
A student is “Chronically Absent” if they missed 10% or more of the school year regardless of excuse.
Last year, our school was at 23% chronically absent by the end of the school year, and our goal is to decrease that percentage by 3% each year.
You can help partner with us to reach that goal by doing the following:
- Make sure your student is at school, and on time, each day.
- Make sure your child understands the importance of attending school and how it helps them learn and achieve their goals.
- Schedule appointments or vacations for after the school day or on weekends when possible.
- Make your child's teacher a partner in their attendance goals. Teachers can provide insights into why your child might not be attending.
Attendance Matters
Dear SHES Parents & Guardians,
If you need to pick up your student early from school, please follow these procedures:
- Please send a note to school if you need to pick up your student(s) early (Ex: Medical Appointment or personal reasons). This will limit the amount of interruptions during instructional time. Do not rely on your student to verbally deliver messages about early releases.
- You can follow up with an email to the teacher, but please also send a note because teachers do not always have time to check their email during the day and we will not get the message if the teacher is absent.
- A valid photo ID will be required in order to release a student to the authorized party.
If you need to pick up a student in the middle of the day and you did not send a note, call the office at 224-484-4900.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Ms. Crystal Farkaschek
Assistant Principal
Attendance Incentives!
As a reminder, to earn the perfect attendance award students must be at school and on time for the entire school day for the entire month!
Last month we had 166 students receive the perfect attendance award. Our goal this month is for 180 SHES students to have perfect attendance! Help us make it happen!
What are coping skills, and when should we use them?
Just like we need to help kids learn to identify and express feelings, we need to teach them how to manage (or cope) with them. Coping skills are strategies we use to manage feelings and handle stress.
Coping strategies can be used at any time, and using them regularly can help prevent some stress from happening in the first place.
Have you ever noticed that you get stressed more easily when you’re tired or hungry (aka hangry)? Practicing healthy habits, such as getting enough quality sleep, eating nutritionally-balanced meals and snacks, and being physically active can help lower stress levels. The same can be said for following simple routines, such as waking up or going to bed at the same time each day.
Routines let us know what to expect, which in turn helps us feel more safe and secure. The security of routines can be especially important during times of stress.
How do we teach coping skills to kids?
There are a variety of ways to successfully teach kids healthy coping skills:
- Role model practicing healthy coping skills. Good or bad, kids watch and learn how to cope from the adults around them. If they see us coping in healthy ways, they’re more likely to do the same.
- Teach new coping strategies when everyone is calm. It’s difficult to learn something new when we’re upset or stressed out, so avoid introducing a new coping skill in the middle of a meltdown or a stressful situation.
- Try lots of different coping skills. Every coping strategy isn’t going to work for every person, and what works today might not work tomorrow. That’s why it’s important to practice many different coping strategies to find what works best at any given time.
- Build coping skills into your daily routine. If practicing coping skills becomes a habit, or part of kids’ everyday lives, they’re more likely to use them without even realizing it.
- Make practicing coping skills fun. Many of the coping skills we’re suggesting are things kids already enjoy doing, so make the most of them!
Try this active coping tool for the week: Go for a walk, run or hike. Enjoy it? Send a picture of your family practicing the coping tools to Ms. Farkaschek (crystal.farkaschek@d300.org) to be featured on next week's Social Emotional Learning at Home article!
Dear SHES Families,
Parent-teacher conferences will be taking place mid-November. This year, sign up will be online using PTC Wizard. The following information will help you to make this as smooth a process as possible:
Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled via the web at https://app.ptcwizard.com/shes300
Use the same login as you do for accessing parent portal
Conferences will occur on Monday, November 25 from 11:00 AM until 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM until 8:00 PM
Conferences will occur on Tuesday, November 26 from 8:00 AM until 1:00 PM
You have from Friday, November 8th at 10AM through Friday, November 22nd at 12:00 PM to schedule your conference.
If you have problems registering from the online directions, please contact the office at 224-484-4902.
If you do not have online access, the office can manually schedule your child’s conference for you
If you would like a translator, please request the translator in the comments and schedule two time slots back-to-back.
If you are interested in conferencing with a support service person (speech, EL, social worker, interventionist, or resource teacher) please reach out to the classroom teacher to determine if they would prefer you to schedule a separate meeting with them or have them join the conference with the classroom teacher.
Parent-teacher conferences play a vital role in the success of children. We strongly encourage you to participate in conferences and look forward to seeing you.
Sincerely,
Angela Reincke
Principal, Sleepy Hollow Elementary School
Similar to past years, we would like to honor and thank all the veterans related to Sleepy Hollow students and staff at the Veterans Day Assembly scheduled for 8:10 a.m. on Monday, November 11th. We greatly appreciate those veterans who joined us in the past. They certainly made a lasting impression on the students and staff! Veterans who are interested in and able to attend the assembly this year will be asked to come on stage to share their name, branch of service, where and when they served, and who they are related to from Sleepy Hollow. They are more than welcome to come in uniform or in any military-issued gear they possess. Veterans will be escorted to the front of the audience by the Sleepy Hollow student(s)/staff member they are related to. We will acknowledge the veterans according to their branch of service. The fifth graders will sing each branch’s hymn. From there, each individual veteran will share his/her information. This will be a memorable experience for all, and it is a great way for the students to see just how many families contain service members. Sleepy Hollow cannot express enough appreciation for our veterans.
If you are planning on attending and you have a family member planning to be recognized, please RSVP to this event by completing the Google Forms below. It is important that we have an idea of how many guests to expect so we can plan accordingly for seating at the assembly.
*Please note that all guests will need to sign in at the tables at the front entry of the school.
If you have any questions, please email sarah.skrabaczfuchs@d300.org.
Prior to the Assembly
Breakfast for the Veterans (New This Year)
We would like to invite all veterans to the STEM lab/art room at 7:30 a.m. for a breakfast sponsored by the PTC. The breakfast is included on the RSVP form for the Veterans.
After the Assembly
2024 SHES Veterans Day Fun Run
Following the assembly, from 9:10 to 9:40 on November 11th, Sleepy Hollow students will participate in the Veterans Day Fun Run. All Veterans are invited to join in the fun. All participants will receive a commemorative patriotic-themed bracelet. Please contact Mrs. Meyer at Rebecca.meyer@d300.org if you have any questions about the Fun Run.
Sleepy Hollow cannot express enough appreciation for our veterans. Thank you for helping us make this an educational and memorable event.
Classroom Discussion With A Veteran (New This Year)
New this year, we are inviting SHES Veterans to select a classroom/ classrooms they would be interested in visiting to share a kid-friendly bit of information regarding their time in the service. This will take place immediately after the Veterans Day Fun Run at 9:40 a.m. The Veteran can bring pictures to share if they would like. Students will be allowed to ask questions during this time. On the Veterans Day Google RSVP form, there is a place to share which, if any, classroom your Veteran would like to visit. We will do our best to accommodate all requests. Please note that not all teachers may be participating due to scheduling conflicts, etc.
In the Evening
5th Grade Veterans Day Program
All are welcome to attend the 5th grade program at 6 p.m. This event is included on the Veterans RSVP form.
Additional Information
Flags of Honor
Attached to this email, you will see a sheet that will allow you to recognize a Veteran, living or deceased. Please include the following information on the form: Veteran’s name, branch of service, when and where he/she served, and who he/she is related to at SHES. Additionally, there is a spot for a picture of the Veteran, if you have one to share. They will be attached to one of the American flags in our Flags of Honor. If you would like your form and photo returned, please make sure to put the name of your SHES student on the back, along with the name of his or her classroom teacher.
*There will be hard copies of this sheet available in the office for you or your child to pick up, if you prefer.
*Please have these submitted by Thursday, November 7th.
True Patriots Care
True Patriots Care is a non-profit organization that is best known for the breathtaking Healing Field display set up in honor of those who lost their lives in relation to the September 11th terrorist attacks. Below is a link to the website should you want to learn more about the organization or should you wish to make a donation to this non-profit organization. We are very grateful to Jerry, the president, for volunteering to set up and share his flags with us on Veterans Day again.
http://www.truepatriotscare.com/
Summary of Events
7:30 a.m.- Breakfast for Veterans
8:10 a.m.- Veterans Day assembly in the gym
9:10 a.m.- Veterans Day Fun Run outside
9:40 a.m.- Veterans visit classrooms (for those interested)
6:00 p.m.- 5th grade Veterans Day Program
Here is the RSVP to the above events for Veterans. Please complete the form by Wednesday, November 6th.
Here is the RSVP for civilian family members planning to attend the assembly. Please complete the form by Wednesday, November 6th.
Attachments:
Wall_Poster_to_Honor_Veterans.docx (49.5 KB)
Support the District 300 Food Pantry and Earn Money for the Book Fair!
Dear Sleepy Hollow Families,
Sleepy Hollow Elementary is partnering with our amazing Sleepy Hollow PTC to support the District 300 Food Pantry. Your donation can earn money off of a purchase at our upcoming Book Fair, AND help your child’s classroom win Scholastic dollars for classroom books! Here’s how it works:
Beginning November 5th, and continuing through November 14th- you can send in canned goods, rice, pasta, etc. The food pantry welcomes all donations! The November 14th cut off is only so that we can make sure all vouchers are honored, and classroom dollars can be spent. The donations that may come in after will still be collected and given to the food pantry.
There will be a box in each classroom to collect these items. Every 5 items will get your child a 1$ voucher to use when purchasing books at the book fair. All items will go into the classroom box to be counted toward the classroom competition.
You do not have to purchase books at the book fair to send in donations. If you have any questions, please reach out to one of the teachers below.
Thank you for your consideration and support!
Dianne Herrmann- Kindergarten Teacher
Georgette Zimmerman- Kindergarten Teacher
View and select your School Portrait for use in the Class Picture before Retake Day!
The final deadline is two weeks after retake day; if you do not select an image VIP will choose the pose to use in the Yearbook and/or Class Picture for you.
To view your student’s school portrait look for an email sent to you by “Visual Image Photography”, or go to vipis.com (student ID number may be required)
Retake pictures will be taken on November 14, 2024.
Retake photos will be added to your online image gallery approximately 7-10 days after photo day
If you have any questions, please email support@vipis.com
Is your child interested in learning how to play chess? SHES is considering starting a club for students in grades 3-5 who are interested in learning the basics of chess. The time commitment would be 1-2 times per month after school for approximately 40 minutes. All materials would be provided. Parents would be responsible for picking up their child on time. If you may be interested, please fill out the form here by November 5th.
