The Weekly Update #4

As we celebrate Thanksgiving, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to each of you. Your ongoing support, dedication, and involvement are what make our school such a vibrant and nurturing community.

This holiday is a time to reflect on the blessings in our lives and to celebrate with loved ones. Whether you're gathering with family and friends, volunteering to help others, or enjoying some quiet moments of rest, we hope your Thanksgiving was filled with joy, gratitude, and warmth.

We look forward to seeing our students back on December 2nd, ready to continue the exciting learning journey ahead.

Thank you for being such an integral part of our school family. I hope you had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

• Winter MAP for grades 1-5: Grade level testing will be held the week of December 9. The week of December 16 will be reserved for makeup testing.

• 2025-2026 placement criteria for 3rd-8th grade math and 6th-8th grade A-ELA and ACE courses, along with a timeline of placement related events, are available on the Placement, Advancement, and Acceleration page of the D181 website.
• Preliminary placement notification for math, A-ELA and ACE will continue in March, with potential movement in the following year.
• New for 25-26: Math Bridge Pre-Assessment offered to students who qualify under the initial criteria (top line of placement document).
• Bridge becomes OPTIONAL for students who score an 85% or higher on the pre-assessment (new threshold for ALL bridge assessments)
• Pre-assessment will be offered on May 15 (after school) and May 17 (Saturday morning) - more information will be shared with qualifying families.
• SAVE THE DATE! Math Summer Bridge will be held Thursday, June 5 - Friday, June 27, 2025 (no attendance on Thursday, June 19, 2025).

If you have any questions, please stop by the office during conferences or ask your child's teacher.

On Tuesday, December 3, the D181 Department of Learning will host their annual Parent Placement Night at Hinsdale Middle School. This event provides parents with information about the 3rd-8th grade math and 6th-8th grade ELA and social studies placement process. This presentation will outline various course trajectories and the criteria required for course placements in advanced and accelerated math, along with A-ELA and ACE in our middle schools. Please see the invitation below for more information.

CLICK HERE - 2024 Parent Placement Night Invitation

The Prospect School Scripps Spelling Bee will be offered to our third through fifth-grade students. During the week of December 16th, written spelling bees will be conducted in each third, fourth, and fifth-grade classroom. To prepare, students should start with the classroom bee study list below which includes words from levels 3, 4, and 5, all of which may be included in the school bee. Every child in these grades will be given a study list, however, this is an optional activity. This "test" will not count as a grade.

Classroom Bee Study List

If children are interested in participating further, they can begin studying the school bee study list, linked below.

Scripps School spelling bee list

The top two students from each classroom are invited to participate in the Prospect School spelling bee held in person on January 9, 2025 after school. More information regarding the Prospect School spelling bee will be shared with the classroom bee winners after the classroom bees are held. The two overall students with the highest scores from the Prospect School spelling bee will move on to compete at the District 181 spelling bee on January 22, 2025. More information will be provided to the school bee winners after the school bee is complete.

One more family resource for the Scripps Spelling Bee is Word Club App. Click here for more details.

The school calendar has been established a year in advance and is available on the District website: www.d181.org. While we realize the value of family time, we strongly discourage the planning of vacations during regular student attendance days.

Elementary School Information Related to Planned Absences:

In the event of a planned absence, a parent must communicate directly with the school at least two days prior indicating their intentions. A parent/guardian may email, complete this form, or call the Office with the following information:

1. Name of student

2. reason for the absence, and

3. date(s) the student will be absent

If a planned absence consists of three (3) or more days, assignments and completion dates will be given after the absence as determined by the teacher. Teachers will not be required to re-teach material missed by students.

The Community House will be offering the Before and After the Bell programs at Prospect School to help meet the needs of our families.

The Community House Registration

For more information about either program, please contact Karen Kaspar at 630-323-7500 ext. 248 or at kkaspar@thecommunityhouse.org