Friday Focus

• A message from Marcie
• Curriculum Night Details - Tues. 8/27
• Snack Reminder for K-5 Students
• Save the Date for Your Child's Music Concert
• Other Important Information
• Important Dates
• News from Early Learners
• News from the District

Check out the PTO Spotlight here:

• Register for Family Field Day- 9/14, 2-3:30pm (free event)
• Order Spirit Wear now!!
• Purchase the PTO membership and directory
• Seeking LMC volunteers
• Order Fun Lunch and Volunteer at lunch
• Upload photos to the yearbook from the 1st Day and the Ice Cream Social
• and much more...

Thanks for a great week, South Park!

Our students had a fantastic first week at South Park! The energy and enthusiasm brought by our students has truly set the tone for an exciting year ahead! From the cheerful greetings in the morning to the engaging classroom activities, it has been heartwarming to witness our students' eager participation and genuine excitement for learning.

Each week on Friday afternoons, you can expect a Friday Focus newsletter to pop into your inbox with highlights of the week along with important information for the weeks ahead. Please take a moment to read through each weekly newsletter so that you don't miss out on the happenings of our school.

Have a wonderful weekend!

-Marcie

We will host Curriculum Night next week on Tuesday, August 27th. All of our teachers will be presenting the same information twice on Curriculum Night. Using the schedule below, families with multiple children should be able to attend all relevant presentations without experiencing many conflicts. Click here for additional details about Curriculum Night. Below is the schedule for the evening.

Teachers determine if snacks are allowed during class. To limit allergen exposure District-wide, and to increase the health of students, the District 109 Food Allergy Management Plan limits snacks in elementary classrooms to fruits, vegetables, cheese, and yogurt. Dried fruits and applesauce are also allowed. No additions, toppings, or mix-ins (dips/spreads, granola, or cookie crumbles) are allowed.

Students who bring snacks that are not compliant with the Food Allergy Management Plan will be asked to save those snacks to eat during lunch.

Our Food Allergy Management Plan can be found here.

South Park will host a music concert for each grade level to showcase the music learned during music class with Ms. Woods.

Below are all of our 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

An invitation with concert details will be shared by Ms. Woods closer to the concert dates for each grade level.

• 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, August 27

• Curriculum Night

Monday, September 2

• No School - Labor Day

Tuesday, September 17

• Picture Day

Thursday, October 3

• No School - Rosh Hashana

Monday, October 14

• No School - Columbus Day

Thursday, October 24

• 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

Friday, October 25

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

Thursday, October 31

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

Our Early Learners had a wonderful first week of school! They have kicked off the year by engaging in community building activities and introducing expectations to set the foundation for an incredible year. Students have been seen singing songs to learn classmates names, participating in different center activities, fostering new friendships, exploring their new learning environment, and practicing routines of their classroom.

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.