Turtle Times
Mary Kay McNeill Early Learning Family Newsletter
Friday, March 10th, 2023
Message from Ms. Barkley, Coordinator of Early Learning
Dear ELC Families,
Registration for the 2023-2024 school year is now open. If you are re-enrolling your child in preK or if your child will be going to kindergarten next school year, you should be registering your child as a returning student. All families will need to provide proof of residency. Below are further details to complete the registration process.
Our spring Parent Teacher conferences will be held on April 27th and 28th from 8:20AM - 3:20PM. There will be no student attendance on these two days. Families will have the option to schedule an in-person or virtual conference with their child's classroom teacher. Links to schedule a time with your child's teacher will be coming soon!
The ELC students participated in our April PBIS assembly that focused on sharing. Mrs Ginny read a book to the students and we discussed strategies for sharing with others. Below is a link to the read aloud for you to read with your child at home.
We invite you to attend our Family Kindergarten Transition Night on April 11th at 6:00PM. We will be providing information on kindergarten registration, assessments, common core standards, and kindergarten readiness. This event will be offered in person and virtually. Please complete the form below to register for our Kindergarten Transition Family Night.
Please also mark your calendars for our Family STEAM Day on May 8th from 1:00PM-3:00PM. The Discovery Museum from Rockford, IL will be providing an afternoon of fun and exciting science experiments for you to explore with your preschooler(s). Please complete the form below to register for the event.
Sincerely,
Ms. Barkley
PBIS Read Aloud : Sharing
2023-2024 School Year Registration
Returning Student Registration (any student currently in a D34 school)
An email was sent to the email address currently listed in PowerSchool.
Follow the instructions in the email.
Note: If your child is moving from one school in the district to another, they are not a New Student. That child would register as a returning student.
For example:
- 5th grade student at Hillcrest Elementary going to 6th grade at Antioch Upper Grade School; or
- PreK student at Mary Kay McNeill Early Learning Center going to Kindergarten at W.C. Petty Elementary
2023-2024 School Fees:
Payments can be made online, take advantage of early bird rates and raffle.
If your 2023-2024 school fees are paid in full or you have a payment plan in place before the first day of school, you will pay Early Bird Fees as shown here. All payments after the start of the school year will be as shown in the column titled Fees on or after August 11, 2023. This applies to ALL District families, including outplaced students.
District Raffle
All families have the opportunity to be entered in a district raffle once they complete the registration process and pay 2023-2024 school fees or enter into a payment plan as follows:
- Completed by March 31, 2023 - One family will get a refund of their student's material fee in September.
- Completed by April 28, 2023 - One family will get a 50% refund of their student's material fee in September.
- Completed by May 31, 2023 - One family will get a 25% refund of their student's material fee in September.
Eligibility for the drawing will be based on completed registration and either submission of payment or enrollment in a payment plan. If you have multiple students, you will be entered in the raffle for each child you have completed registration and paid fees for. Only the student whose name is drawn will qualify for a refund.
Parent Education and Engagement Opportunities
Kindergarten Transition Night
Family STEAM Day: May 8th 1:00-3:00PM
Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee
On Thursday, March 2nd, in partnership with Rachel Balcer from D117, we had our first Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting. This is a requirement of school districts that have a BIlingual EL program, and our program has doubled in the last three years. We will be meeting monthly and our next meeting is on April 6th from 6:30-7:30 at Lakes High School.
The goals of the committee are:
Establish and maintain collaboration between the School Districts and our bilingual community
Plan, promote, and encourage participation in workshops for and about culture, education, and community resources
Review and provide recommendations regarding District bilingual grants and programming
5 Essentials Survey Links
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be conducted January 23, 2023 through March 31, 2023. Please click on the link below or scan the QR code to access the survey. To link the results to our school, please enter Mary Kay McNeill Early Learning Center for the school name.
Your participation in the Illinois 5Essentials Survey will help us understand the conditions at our school and guide improvement. We would like to thank you in advance for your participation and feedback.
Role Model Students
Jacob
"Jacob is a very hard worker and has shown tremendous growth during his time at MKM. We are so proud of him for always trying his best and being a wonderful role model for his classmates!"
- Mrs. DeShasier
DJ
"DJ completed his work of counting out quantity to 6 using his token board. He did not require additional prompts to stay engaged."
- Mrs. Ginny
Oluwadesire
"Oluwadesire arrives eager to learn each day. She follows all teacher directions and demonstrates through actions the classroom expectations. She raises her hand, waits to be called on and participates throughout the day. Oluwadesire is a friend to everyone! She is a great help to her friends that need support. She demonstrates compassion and overall grace in all situations."
- Mrs. Weider
Jonathan
"Jonathan has been working very hard at school and is a very kind student. He likes to help his friends (especially with opening their milk cartons) and the teachers (often the last one cleaning up). He is responsible and takes care of his own needs independently. Jonathan is getting ready for kindergarten and is a fun and happy guy."
-Mrs. Dempski
Cody
"Cody has been quick to acknowledge peers who are demonstrating positive behavior."
-Mrs. Hanrahan
Weston
"Weston enjoys playing with a variety of teachers and peers and has a wonderful imagination! He is helpful in the classroom noticing when things need to be put away or are not in the right spot. He is participating more in large group activities and sharing more about activities going on outside of school. Way to go Weston!"
-Mrs. Maybrun
Mary Kay McNeill Early Learning Center
Email: mbarkley@antioch34.com
Website: https://www.antioch34.com/MKMELC
Location: 817 Main Street, Antioch, IL, USA
Phone: 847.838.8901