We are very excited to share that our school’s annual Make a Difference Week will be the week of April 15th. At Pleasant Hill, we pride ourselves on taking time every year to engage students in community service projects that demonstrate how we can help others in our community. Please read below to see how students will be participating in Make a Difference Week this year and for opportunities to help support these activities.
Help Make a Difference Week be successful! Many of the community projects involve donating items to support the well-being of others. Here are 2 ways to help:
Purchase items directly from the Amazon wish list. Items will be shipped directly to the parent coordinators to compile.
Bring items to the Make a Difference donation box at school. Here are the items being requested:
Diapers (Sizes 3 and 4 preferred)
Board books in any language (new or gently used)
Preschool books (new or gently used)
Fuzzy or cozy socks (new - youth or adult ‘one size fits all’)
5th and 6th grade parents - please consider donating items to support other grade level projects since the 5th/6th grade project does not need donations. Thank you for your support!!
If you have any questions about projects or donations, please reach out to Kim Saxe at kim7saxe@gmail.com or Jeanine Donnelly at jjmdonnelly@gmail.com.
Schedule of Events
Kindergarten - Friday, April 19
Community Partner: Partners for our Communities (POC)
Students will decorate reusable bags and pack them with diapers and board books for POC to share with the families they support at home visits.
First Grade - Wednesday, April 17
Community Partner: Little Sisters of the Poor
Students will make lap blankets and prepare care bags with word puzzles, tissues, and more to brighten the days of the elderly residents.
Second Grade - Tuesday, April 16
Community Partner: JOURNEYS | The Road Home
Students will make Safe Summer Kits by decorating reusable bags and filling them with first aid kits, sunscreen and more. The bags will be given to JOURNEYS to distribute to the people they support.
Third Grade - Monday, April 15
Community Partner: Bridge Youth & Family Services
Students will decorate pillow cases with positive messages and fill them with comfort and personal items including cozy socks and toothbrushes. The Bridge will share these with local shelters.
Fourth Grade - Specific date will be shared by your child’s teacher
Community Partner: Children’s Home and Aid Preschool
Students will visit the preschoolers to read stories and play games. More details will be coming from your child’s teacher about the designated day for their class (Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday). Students will give the collected books, bubbles, and coloring books for the preschoolers to enjoy.
Fifth Grade & Sixth Grade - Monday, April 15
Community Partner: Feed My Starving Children
Students will pack meals that are distributed to those in need in schools, orphanages and clinics around the world to help address the world hunger crisis. More information will be shared by your child’s teacher.
School Wide Assembly - Monday, April 22
This culminating event will recognize the contributions our school community has made! Representatives from the above community partners will share how our Make a Difference activities and donations positively impacted their programs and the people they serve.
The 5Essentials Survey identifies five indicators that lead to improved outcomes for all students, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. Parent input on how our school is doing is vital in our continuous improvement process. Please take a moment to fill out the survey for our school.
The five indicators that positively affect school success are:
- Effective Leaders
- Collaborative Teachers
- Involved Families
- Supportive Environments
- Ambitious Instruction
2023-24 Illinois Supplemental Parent Survey
Link to survey: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/
Opens Jan. 30, 2024 and closes March 29, 2024.
As we navigate the construction project and how this affects students entering and exiting the building we have a need to tweak our procedures. This is to add to continuing to create a safe environment for our students and families. Thank you everyone for your patience.
After winter break we added the use of the main entrance as a “family entrance/exit.”
This entrance can be used for older students who have younger siblings entering door 3 and 6. Older siblings can now enter/exit through the main entrance if parents/guardians direct them to do so instead of having to walk around the building. This will also creat one area of the building to drop off at..
Parking at Birchwood is still the parking option as the front lot is closed for buses, but this will hopefully help families from having to walk around the building after dropping off and picking up younger siblings.
The decision is between students and parents/guardians. If current drop off/pick up plans are working there is no need to change them.
We hope this will help elevate any inconvenience and increase safety.
District 15's Instrumental Music Program would like to share basic information about the 5th grade Instrumental Program to current families of 4th grade students for the 2024 school year so you can choose whether or not to enroll your child for their 5th grade year. Please review this information carefully if you are a current 4th grade parent and wish to enroll your student in either the band or orchestra program.
https://www.smore.com/7y58p-ccsd15-instrumental-music-program
No animals are allowed on school grounds during times when children are present unless pre-authorized by the Principal of the school. (Trained service animals in use by a person with a disability are allowed on school grounds.)
Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we kicked off the 2023-2024 school year. We apologize for any confusion or frustration bus routes may have caused. Last year, we implemented Stopfinder (the new bus GPS system) as a resource to help families. Invitations were sent to families of bus riders.
Please note, the invitation will go to the PRIMARY email address listed in Infinite Campus (only one contact). Once activated, the primary contact can share the link to register with other caregivers. We have shared instructions for how to share the bus schedule below or it can be found on our website.
It is important to download the mobile app as StopFinder will have the most up-to-date information regarding your child’s transportation.
Has your student received a minor? Have they received a major? These forms of behavior management are used for various offenses that can occur during the school day. Below is a guide to help you as the parent better understand what they are to help you support your student at home. If for any reason you are unsure or have any questions, please contact your child's teacher or Dr. Morris and Mr. Fabrikant.
What is a minor?
Students have been taught what is expected at school in various settings. They are reviewed periodically throughout the year. We have visual reminders of our expectations displayed around school and Boosters three times a year as a school.
A minor is a record of a behavior that is in violation of the Three B’s. It is a warning.
Parents are notified either by email or by the teacher to help reteach the appropriate behavior at home.
A student will receive a minor after he/she has been re-taught the appropriate behavior but continues the inappropriate behavior .
If a student receives 3 minors within a month period, a Major will be issued.
What is a major?
Major behaviors demonstrate a purposeful or serious disregard for expectations at Pleasant Hill. Some examples but not limited to are behaviors that can lead to injury, the safety of others and extreme disrespect towards students or staff.
For a major offense students will be seen by administration.
Consequences will be determined and given by administration.
Parents will be notified by a school administrator when a major offense has been issued.
Three minors equals one major. Staying in from lunch/recess and being retaught the appropriate behavior is a consequence that is issued but not limited to unless administration determines otherwise.
Doors Will Open at 8:18 each morning. For students in grades K-2, parking at Birchwood to walk your students to their door is encouraged.
Thank you for your support!
Grades 1&2 - Door #3 (located By The Bike Racks)
Grade 3/4- Door #10 (Back of the school, middle entrance)
Grade 5/6- Door #11 (Back of the school east entrance)
Kindergarten AM - Door #6 (West side of the school)
Kindergarten PM - Front Entrance of The School
Students Riding The Bus or using the sibling family door option (please see above) will Enter and Exit The Front Doors
* All visitors are requiered to produce a valid ID that will be scanned through our RAPTOR system. If you do not have a valid ID you will not be allowed in the building
*All visitors must enter through the front entrance of the school and check in at the front office and will recieve a colored lanyard that must be worn during the entire stay
*Meetings with teachers are by appointment only and must be scheduled with the teacher
*Only individuals who are listed in Infinite Campus under emergency contacts will be allowed to pick up a student. We will not release students to individuals who are not in our system as an emergency contact.
*Please do not park along the front of the school in the fire lane as this restricts access for emergency vehicles as well as school buses from entering properly.
*During drop off and dismissal in the front parking lot is not to be used. This is only for school buses.
When visitors ring the doorbell at a school, the office staff will ask the visitor their name and the purpose of their visit. If the visitor is a parent or guardian that is just dropping off a forgotten lunch or homework assignment, etc. they will be asked to leave it on the "drop off" table in the vestibule.
Please remember to label the items you drop off with your child’s name and grade level/teacher to ease the delivery of the items.
We appreciate your support and understanding as we work together to keep our schools safe places for our staff, students, and visitors.
PLEASE FOLLOW THESE PROCEDURES
* Do not watch students from your vehicle while students are outside.
* Do not call students over to give them items when students are outside (please go to the main office if you wish to see your student).
* When picking up students after AM Kindergarten do not play on the playground while students are outside.
To help prevent the spread of illness, we would like to give you some guidelines to help with your decision on whether or not to send your child to school
We ask that you keep your child home if they:
- Have a fever of 100.4F or higher
- Have a sore throat with a fever
- Have diarrhea (3 or more episodes in 24 hours)
- Have abdominal cramps and/or vomiting
- Have a rash or open and draining sores
If your child has recently been ill, please be aware of the following guidelines before having your child return:
- Feel fit for at least 24 hours
- Be fever free for 24 hours without medication
- Be free of vomiting and/or diarrhea for at least 24 hours
- For strep throat, they must be on appropriate medication for at least 24 hours
- For conjunctivitis (pink eye), they must be on appropriate eye drops for at least 24 hours or cleared by physician
- Rash illness should be assessed by a doctor
If chicken pox suspected, keep home for at least 5 days after the appearance of the rash or until the blisters have scabbed over
The single most important thing you can do to keep your child free of illness is to teach them the proper way to wash their hands. Also, be sure they are dressed weather appropriate. Please notify the nurse if your child has a communicable illness (strep throat, influenza, lice, COVID, etc.), or any health concerns that need to be monitored at school.
Mrs. Martin can be reached at 847-963-5902 or via email martins2@ccsd15.net
-During the posted time on the sign by the back lot entrance. No left turn is allowed during drop-off heading north on Ceder.
-During the posted time on the sign located on the corner of Ceder and Michigan, no left turn is allowed heading south onto Cedar from Michigan.
-Drop off allows for one SINGLE file line in the circle drive in the morning. Please be patient as cars are stopping frequently to drop off students.
-Pick up allows for cars to park (not left unattended and running) along the curb. Double parking is not allowed.
-Students should not be crossing Cedar or Illinois to get to a vehicle without using he designated crosswalks. (A crossing guard is at Illinois and Birchwood, A crosswalk is at the corner of Michigan and Cedar)
-Students should ALWAYS exit a car on the passenger side while in the circle drive.
-If you are dropping off or picking up and decide to park in the parking lot, students must be escorted by an adult to the schools entrance. Students should not be going through the parking lot without an adult. This is extremely important.
It is important to remain patient and not be on any electronic devices to assure our students and your safety. Please think of the safety of all of our students and families during these times of the day.
Infinite Campus' Campus Parent is designed to provide parents real-time access to student information. The easy-to-use design displays what is currently happening in the classroom so you can understand, monitor, and participate in your child’s educational experience.
This portal also provides parents access to check for teacher placement and student schedules once their student is registered. District 15 has also used IC to gather parent survey responses. Make sure you have your account set up for the new school year! To learn how to set up your account, watch tutorials, or access a help center, please visit our website.
The District 15 mobile app is available on the App Store and Google Play! To download the free app, search for "CCSD15."
This communication tool allows parents and students to quick access to important school and district information, including Campus Parent, the D15 Bullying Tip Line, a quick link to MyStop (bus stop location and pick-up times), lunch menus, schedules, parent/student handbook, directory information, school news, and more.
To see integrated student information on the app, click the "student information" button and log-in using your email address and your Campus Parent password. If you are unsure of your password, please visit Infinite Campus and click "forgot password." If you are still having trouble, please contact your school's main office for assistance.
To make sure you aren’t missing any notices, make sure you turn notifications ON for the mobile app.
Dr. David Morris Ed.D
Email: morrisd@ccsd15.net
Website: ccsd15.net/PH
Phone: 847-963-5900