Friday Focus

• A Message from Marcie
• Calendar Reminder: School is in session on Monday, March 3
• Dogs on School Grounds

• Looking to Borrow Play Materials for Kindergarten

• CIC Parent Focus Group Opportunity - Additional Participants Still Needed

• Conference Sign-Ups are LIVE

• Parker's Picks
• Tech Tip Hub
• South Park VIP Day is Coming!
• This Week in Pictures
• News from Early Learners
• Other Important Info

• Skate Night this Sunday, 2/23!
• Domino's Pizza Fundraiser through 2/24!
• Submit Yearbook Photos by 2/28!
• West Side Classic is 3/5!
• Bingo Night is 3/9! Register and Volunteer!
• Feed My Starving Children Philanthropy Event is 3/15!
• and much more...

Dear Families,

We hope you are staying warm during this chilly February week! Thankfully, the temperatures rose just enough to get our students outside for recess today—I’m not sure who was happier, the students or the staff!

As we move through February, we often see an increase in concerns from families as the long stretch of the school year, academic demands, and social dynamics take a toll on students. During this time, we want to remind you that your child’s teacher should always be the first point of contact when a concern arises.

Your child’s teacher sees them in action every day and has the most immediate insight into their experiences and needs. Going directly to administration can actually slow down the problem-solving process, as we will ultimately need to gather input from the teacher before taking action. By starting with your child’s teacher, we can work together more efficiently to address concerns and provide the best support possible.

We appreciate your partnership in maintaining open and productive communication!

Best,
Marcie

We kindly ask that all families consider refraining from bringing dogs onto school grounds during the day. While we know many of our families have beloved pets, some students are afraid of or uncomfortable around dogs. It can also be a distraction during outdoor PE and recess times. To ensure our school remains a safe and welcoming environment for all students, we appreciate your cooperation.

Our kindergarten teachers are looking to expand the play-based experiences in their kindergarten classrooms. To help us achieve this, we are looking to temporarily borrow items that will enhance our students’ learning and engagement. If you have items at home such as pretend food, dolls, dollhouse furniture, or dress-up clothes, please consider loaning them to our kindergarten team by signing up below. Thank you!

Kindergarten Play Materials Sign-Up

District 109 is excited to participate in the Consortium for Interdistrict Collaboration (CIC), a partnership with neighboring North Shore districts focused on enhancing instructional practices. Modeled after the successful Tri-State Consortium in New York, the CIC promotes continuous improvement through peer reviews and collaboration.

As part of this process, we’re seeking parent volunteers to participate in a focus group during the CIC’s site visit on Wednesday, March 12th from 1:50-2:25.

Thank you to those who have already reached out. We still need 4-6 more participants. If you're interested, please reach our directly to Dr. Faust to express your interest ASAP.

Thank you for your support!

The Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-up is now open. Please click here to access the sign-up links.

Spring conferences will be held on Thursday, March 20th from 1:00-8:00 p.m. and on Friday, March 21st from 8:30-11:30 a.m. Families should indicate whether they plan to attend the conference in person or virtually in the comment section.

We hope that families who choose to travel during this time will take advantage of the virtual conference option and sign up for a time slot during our teachers' designated conference times.

It is our practice to host one conference per child, and we ask that children not be present during the conference.

This week in Early Learners, our preschoolers have continued celebrating Black History Month. After reading Salt in His Shoes and Hockey is for Me, we discussed how Michael Jordan and Jamal Mayers showed persistence, leading students to reflect on times they overcame challenges. The children also participated in a hands-on quilt project, learning about the history and significance of quilts in different cultures. Our 3-year-olds got creative by repurposing old t-shirts to make their own quilts, while the 4-year-olds practiced their fine motor skills by weaving paper to create beautiful quilt patterns.

In Grady's Group, our Early Learners explored the theme of diversity by discussing how people may look different on the outside, but are the same on the inside. To illustrate this concept, we used a brown egg and a white egg, prompting the children to guess whether the insides would be the same or different. When the eggs were cracked open, the kids were amazed by the shared interior, sparking a wonderful "Aha!" moment. This lesson helped reinforce that, like the eggs, we all have feelings, bones, organs, and dreams, and that each child can achieve anything they set their mind to. We also enjoyed reading The Colors of Us by Karen Katz to further support the idea of celebrating uniqueness.

We are excited to begin preparing for Rock Your Socks Day, an event that will take place on March 20th at South Park from 9:15 AM to 10:00 AM. This fun and colorful day encourages everyone to wear their most vibrant socks in support of diversity and inclusion! We ask that each student is accompanied by one adult for the event. We can't wait to see you there as we rock our socks together!

• All visitors to South Park School MUST bring a valid driver's license or state ID card to the main office before entering into the building. Beginning this year, we will collect IDs during your visit and return it to you as you leave.
• If your child is going to be absent from school, you need to call or email us by 9:00 that morning. ** Call 847-945-5895, ext. 2103 and leave a message OR ** Email Nurse Nora Moskos.
• Please follow our morning procedures, and drop your children off at their regular grade level doors. If you choose to drive through the front circle at arrival, kindly stay in your car when you drop off to help us reduce morning congestion.
• K-5 drop-off is between 8:35-8:45 a.m. Students who arrive after 8:45 a.m. will need to enter through the front door of the school, as all other doors will be locked.
• Dismissal for all Kindy and 1st-grade walkers and car riders will take place at their grade level door.
  
• Early Learners drop-off/pick-up info can be found here.
• When parking in our Birchwood parking lot, please remember that our preschoolers are dropped off and picked up by the west end (closest to the school). Sometimes, their parents' cars can block a parked car from exiting for a few minutes. To avoid that, we suggest that you park closer to Birchwood Avenue.

Friday, February 14th

• No School - Teacher Institute Day

Monday, February 17th

• No School - Presidents' Day

Thursday, March 20th (corrected date)

• Early Release at 11:40 a.m.
• Spring Conferences from 1:00-8:00 p.m.

• Non-Attendance Day
• Spring Conferences 8:30-11:30 a.m.

Monday, March 24th-Friday, March 28th

• Spring Break

2024-25 Music Concert Dates:

• 5th Grade - Wednesday, January 29th @ 6:00

• 4th Grade - Wednesday, February 19th @ 6:00 (rescheduled from 2/12)

• 3rd Grade - Wednesday, April 9th @ 6:00 (new date)

• 2nd Grade - Wednesday, February 19th @ 5:00 (rescheduled from 2/12)

• 1st Grade - Wednesday, January 29th @ 5:00

• Kindergarten - Wednesday, April 9th @ 5:00 (new date)

• Early Learners - Thursday, May 1 @ 5:00