The Walden Weekly
October 18, 2024
Hello Walden Families!
Even with no school this past Monday, we made the most of a great week at Walden School. It was a blast having the book fair open this week. We want to thank our PTO for organizing the book fair as well as Movie Night on Monday! We are so grateful for your partnership and support.
As a reminder, we look forward to seeing all parents next week at parent teacher conferences on Thursday and Friday. Students will be dismissed on Thursday at 11:40am and there is no school for students on Friday due to conferences.
Have a great weekend and we'll see you back on Monday!
- Stephanie Strenger
Park District Enrichments & Before/After Care Next Week
As a reminder, there are no Deerfield Park District enrichment courses next week due to our abbreviated schedule.
Before & after school care will take place as scheduled on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. There will be before care on Thursday but no after school care.
Please reach out to the park district if you have any questions.
Celebrating Our Veterans -- Form Due Next Wednesday!!!
We would like to celebrate our Walden family veterans. If you would like, you can fill out this sheet and return it to your child’s teacher by Wednesday, October 23. We will be hanging them up in the hallways of Walden to honor our veterans. A copy of this sheet should come home with your child this week.
Please include a photo of the Walden student, as well as a photo of the veteran. You can also share something special about your veteran. This can be a special memory, fun fact, or anything else you would like to share. If you completed this activity and saved it, you are also welcome to send it back in to be displayed again this year!
Halloween Information (2nd Posting)
This year, we will be celebrating Halloween at Walden on Tuesday, October 31. Below is important information to help make this a fun and safe day for everyone.
We want to remind families to be cautious when helping their child select a costume for Halloween. Using another's culture as a Halloween costume can be viewed as insensitive or offensive. In addition, we encourage students to be inclusive so that students do not feel excluded during the Halloween festivities. Students may not wear group costumes that exclude other students.
Costume Information:
- Please do not send costumes that are difficult to change into. Students will NOT wear their costumes to school, but will be changing into them after lunch. Our festivities will begin in the afternoon with classroom parties, the parade, and fun classroom activities.
- Masks (for costumes) should come to school in a bag to be worn only for the parade, pictures, and parties. Students should not wear masks on the bus or when walking to school.
- Please do not send costumes that include weapons of any kind or costumes with bloody guts and gore.
- If you need assistance in providing your child with a Halloween costume, please Stephanie Strenger or Ann Pasquesi know.
- Avoid group costumes since this generally leads to others feeling left out. Our goal is to create an inclusive school environment.
Parade:
- Our all school parade will take place from 2:00-2:25 outdoors (weather permitting). Families are invited to attend! All students will be walking around the entire perimeter of the building, so feel free to stand around the outer areas, leaving space for students to walk by. If there is inclement weather, our parade will be cancelled.
- Parents/guests should not stop the parade, approach the children, or ask students to step out of the parade for a photo.
All families should leave the premises directly after the parade. Our students will have recess following the parade and we ask that all parents exit school grounds at the conclusion of the parade. Thank you!
Visitors:
- We ask that all guests remain outside during the parade.
Our parking lot will fill up quickly. Please simply use the city streets (not our bus circle) if there are no spots available, or walk if possible.
- Parent/Guardian volunteers for classroom parties MUST have their ID when they check in with our office staff. No visitors will be allowed in the building without their driver's license or state ID.
Families who are not comfortable sending their child in costume, please reach out to your child's teacher so that we can be sensitive to you or your child's feelings about dressing up for Halloween. We want everyone at Walden to feel comfortable.
Save the Date: Chasing Childhood Film Screening (2nd Posting)
Join us on Tuesday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m. in the Caruso Middle School auditorium for a special screening of Chasing Childhood. This thought-provoking documentary explores the decline of free play and independence in children’s lives, replaced by a culture of perfectionism that has fueled increasing rates of anxiety and depression. An RSVP form will be sent out in the coming weeks. We look forward to seeing you there!
DPS109 Digital Safety Tips!
While we encourage everyone to limit time spent on devices, we understand that these tools can foster meaningful connections when used wisely. However, in today’s digital age, it can be difficult to stay informed about the latest apps and trends to ensure your child's online safety. We want to do our part in supporting students and families in the various ways they can implement security settings on their children’s devices and monitor time spent online. What better time to introduce these tech tips than October, Cybersecurity Awareness Month! Throughout the school year, we will feature practical technology tips in our newsletters, offering fresh ideas for families to use at home developed by our own Student Resource Officer, Lauren Maldonado, and our Innovations Specialist, Maria Galanis.
Photos From The Week
Upcoming Dates
Thurs. Oct 24 - Students in Session ½ Day (PM Conferences)
Fri. Oct 25 - No School for Students (AM Conferences)
Thurs. Oct 31 - Halloween
Tues. Nov. 5 - No School (Election Day)
Thurs. Nov. 7 - Picture Retakes
Mon. Nov. 11 - No School (Veterans Day)
Thurs. Nov. 21 - 3rd Grade Music Show 6pm
Nov. 27-29 - No School (Thanksgiving Break)
Thurs. Dec. 19 - Classroom Winter Parties
Fri. Dec. 20 - No School (Winter Break Begins)
Mon. Jan 6 - Teacher Institute Day (No School for Students)
Tues. Jan 7 - Students Return from Winter Break