News from Sundling Middle School

Happy kick-off to the beginning of the 2024-2025 school year, and the opening of Sundling Middle School. The Sundling staff is gearing up after the summer months, and looks forward to working with you as our “Partners in Learning” again this school year. Please remember that our front office staff is here to assist with your transition into the new school year. Jennifer Ratkovich, our school secretary, Zuly Martinez, our Office Clerical, and Sarah Opper, our recently hired school nurse, will be available for support throughout the entire school year.

The Sundling Leadership Team consists of myself, Associate Principal Kelly Rice, newly acquired Assistant Principal, Antonio Illescas, Student Services Coordinator, Stephanie Reuter, School Counselor Chelsea Gieseke, and our School Resource Officer Robert Patrick. Please do not hesitate to contact any of us if we can be of assistance to you. As a leadership team, it is our goal to provide a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable learning experience for all of our students so that they continue to achieve the academic excellence that the community has come to expect from Sundling. If you have questions or areas of concern, we encourage you to contact any of your child’s teachers, our school counselor, or the administrative staff so that we can work together to help your child reach his/her academic goals throughout the year.

School supply lists can be located at this SITE. We recommend that students just come to school on Day #1 with their "charged" Chromebook, notebook, and a writing utensil. We'll help them get acclimated. Students will have access to their schedules using the Infinite Campus Student Portal on Monday, August 19th after 4:00 PM. Students can use their Chromebook login information to gain access and view their draft chedule. Help us to remind students to have their Chromebook charged and ready for learning each day, and to regularly check emails for daily updates and news a few days prior to school, and thereafter. Here is a link to the Sundling Bell Schedule as a reference. Students will use this bell schedule and their own schedule to move through their classes each day. Teachers will be taking attendance for classes at the beginning of the school day, and for each class period.

The process of scheduling a middle school of more than 650 students is extremely complex. During the past several months, the Sundling staff has been working through the scheduling process for all students. This was a time-consuming process that involved content specialists and student support staff. We appreciate the trust you have given us in using our best professional judgment in placing students. Our scheduling process is a team effort that is very complex and completed with great care. Please know that we work to place each student in the best schedule possible. Every consideration is made to best accommodate each student’s needs. Unfortunately, it is impossible to honor over 650 requests. As such, we will not be able to change schedules if students did not receive their electives of choice. Doing so would create unbalanced classes and upset the instructional environment for all. Thank you for your understanding. We appreciate you for relying on and trusting our professional judgments on this important issue.

Our adopted motto for this upcoming school year will remain "It's a Great Day to Be a Paladin!” We will focus on this motto in various ways throughout the school year as we teach students what it looks like to be respectful, responsible, and safe in all school-related settings of our middle school. We will support them by kicking off the year with lessons and activities that teach them about our behavioral expectations while gearing them up to be the best student they can be.

Enjoy the remainder of your summer. I will continue to send out additional information as we close in on the first day of school. look forward to the opportunity to meet and work with you and your child to help promote growth and success during their middle school experience.

Jason A. Dietz

Principal

#iagdtbap

Please click on the following link to view the list of school supplies needed for Sundling Middle School this school year: WRS School Supply List 2024-2025.

Happy Summer! Here is a friendly reminder about Health office requirements as we start the school year.

• Annual health examinations are required for interscholastic sports participation. Physical exams are required- before trying out- for participation in an interscholastic sport. The exam form, completed and signed by a doctor, must be dated within 13 months prior to the start of practice or tryouts, and on file in the school nurse's office. Physical forms are available in the school office, online, and here: Certificate of Child Health Examination.

• All students new to District 15 will require a current physical exam with all immunizations up to date (Certificate of Child Health Examination), and students new to the State of Illinois will require an eye examination. This form is available in the school office, online, and here: State of Illinois Eye Examination Report.
• All students must provide proof of immunizations by October 15, 2024, or the student will be excluded from school. The list of current immunizations can be found on the district website here: IDPH Health Requirements.
• Students with health conditions such as asthma, epilepsy/seizures, severe allergies, and diabetes require the emergency action plan completed by their physician along with the Medication Administration Forms, signed by the physician and parent, for any medications required at school. Please bring all forms and medications on or before the first day of school.

If you have any questions regarding the above requirements, you may call our school office, or our school nurse, Sarah Opper, directly at any time.

Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your summer!

Please note these important upcoming events:

*Tuesday, September 3rd, 12:45-1:30 PM Walk Your Schedule & Welcome to WRS (All Students)

This is an opportunity for the administration and staff to welcome our students to Sundling, and for students to use their daily schedules to walk the school building, and meet the teachers that they will be working with each day! The WRS PTA will be hosting the Kona Ice Truck for our families, and we will have tables set up outside (weather permitting) to share information about fall sports, school resources, community resources, and more.

*Thursday, September 5, 7:30 AM-2:10 PM First Day of School for Students

School doors open at 7:15 AM for a 7:30 AM start.

The first day of school is a kickoff day in which we begin to orient/re-orient students to the processes, procedures, and expectations at Sundling. Students will have the opportunity to meet teachers, administrators and staff; ask questions; provide input into extra-curricular clubs and activities offered during the school year; and meet their classmates. Students do not need to bring ALL of their school supplies on the 1st day of school since lockers will be assigned and significant time allowed for new students to practice locking/unlocking. Students will also review lessons on Pledge to the Paladin, our school expectations, and Digital Citizenship throughout the week to support appropriate and safe use of the Chromebook both on and off school grounds.

• August 21st- POC Better Together Event (Falcon Park) 6:00-7:30 PM (See included flyer)

• September 3rd-4th- Teacher Institute Days/No Student Attendance
• September 3rd- Walk Your Schedule 12:45-1:30 PM (Kona Ice Truck @ WRS)
• September 5th- First Day of School (7:30 AM-2:10 PM)
• September 9th-13th- WRS PTA Scholastic Book Fair
• September 12th- Parent Orientation (6:00 PM)
• September 14th- WRS Music Department Car Wash 10:00AM-2:00PM
• September 18th- WRS PTA Meeting 7:00 PM
• September 19th- WRS Lifetouch Picture Day
• September 25th- WRS PTA Jersey Mike's Dine & Share (10:00 AM-9: 00 PM)
• September 26th- 1/2 Day Student Attendance (7:30 AM-10:35 AM)

School Name: Walter Sundling Middle School

Picture Day Date: Thursday, September 19th

Retake Picture Day Date: Tuesday, October 29th

Order Pictures online at: MyLifetouch.com

Picture Day ID: EVTWTQPKS

Why Join Chorus?

In other words, who in their right mind would get up that early to sing??

● FUN--You will smile and you will laugh. That’s worth getting out of bed!

● FRIENDS--Spend time with your friends outside of class and make new friends.

● SINGING IS AWESOME! Singing makes you feel great from the inside out.

● LEARN HOW TO SING

● PERFORM GREAT MUSIC

● FIELD TRIPS!

● There are many SCIENTIFIC REASONS like your brain is stimulated more by performing music than any other activity, your brain and body will be prepped and ready for the school day, being part of a group is essential to your emotional health, music students score better in reading and math, etc. I could go on and on...

General Information

A great way to get involved at Sundling Middle School is by joining Chorus! Anyone can be a part of the tradition of excellent singing at Sundling. Because we meet before school, Chorus doesn’t interfere with any after school activities. You just have to be willing to get up a little earlier to sing with friends, go on field trips, and participate in performances. Our first rehearsal is Wednesday, September 11 at 6:45-7:20 am. That Saturday, September 14, we have our fun annual Car Wash with the bands and orchestras. Regular rehearsals are Monday and Wednesday mornings. Contact Mrs. Olson at olsona@ccsd15.net if you have any questions or register here.

CONTACT INFO:

Mrs. Anne Olson

olsona@ccsd15.net

847-963-3718

Please be on the lookout for District 15 emails regarding fall sports registration in the coming days!

Parent Information & Registration Links

Cross Country (no cut-sport):

Registration Deadline- Monday, September 16th (can join if cut from another fall sport)

1st Practice: Tuesday, September 10th (2:10-3:50)

Boys Soccer (cut-sport):

Registration Deadline- September 6th

Boys Soccer Tryouts Monday, September 9th - Thursday, September 12th (2:10-3:50)

FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE: Monday, September 16th(2:10-3:50)

Girls Basketball (cut-sport):

Registration Deadline- September 6th

Girls Basketball Tryouts Monday, September 9th - Thursday, September 12th (2:10-3:50)

FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE: Monday, September 16th (2:10-3:50)

* Please note that times/dates are subject to change. Students should look for more information on announcements, flyers and email communications.

*Your child MUST have a current physical on file in our office in order to tryout/participate in a sport.

* If a student is cut from a fall sport they can still participate in Cross Country following tryouts.

* Activity buses will be available for students at 3:50 PM if they ride a regular school bus route to and from school.

Hello families of Sundling Middle School!

I am Ashley Wangler your PTA president this year and I am super excited to meet all of you and for the upcoming school year! We have so many fun things already in the works and would love for you to come sit in on one of our meetings and introduce yourself! We love to meet new families and OH MY there are a lot of them this year! Please consider joining the PTA via the link below and please stop by and say hi at our PTA table at all of the events! Our first meeting will be held on September 18th from 7- 8 pm in the District Meeting room! Super informative and super fun! If you have any questions or want to volunteer for anything please reach out to me at my email address SundlingPTA@gmail.com or text or call me at 224-319-5440. Keep an eye out for a special email from Principal Dietz for the upcoming Spirit Wear window! IT’S A GOOD ONE! Let’s have a great year as our first year as a MIDDLE SCHOOL!!!!

Looking forward to meeting you all!

Ashley Wangler

Sundling Middle School PTA President

How to Become a Sundling PTA Member!

• Sign up online at: https://sundlingpta.new.memberhub.store/store

(There is a MemberHub service change of 75¢ (Individual) and 92¢ (Household) to join online.)

If you are interested in leading an event or committee, please fill out this google form: https://forms.gle/wY6MFB4L5J415Kwp9

Everyone is also welcome to join us at any of our monthly PTA meetings in the WRS Board Room on:

• September 18; 7 PM—First PTA meeting of the year!
• Oct 16; 7 PM
• Nov 20; 7 PM
• Feb 19; 7 PM
• Mar 18; 7 PM
• Apr 16; 7 PM
• May 21; 7 PM

Whether you show your support with a membership, volunteering as a helper or with donations for a specific event, or volunteering to lead an event or committee—we hope you will join us to make this a fantastic year!