School News
News From Marion Jordan Elementary
Information from Mrs. Grosch
Summer brings the opportunity to change up your schedule and find time to connect with family and friends. I hope you and your family are doing both! We are busy here in the building preparing for the upcoming school year. This year will be special as we welcome back many returning families as well as a good number of new ones. Our Welcome Wednesday playground playdates were a wonderful opportunity for students and families to meet and hang out together.
With the boundary changes, full day Kindergarten, and other shifts related to the Moving 15 Forward initiative, this school year brings an added sense of excitement, enthusiasm, and hope. Our goal at Marion Jordan is to offer students a fun, memorable year of learning and growing in all senses of the word. I am confident that this will be accomplished this year as it has been in previous years.
Teacher assignments will be viewable by parents/guardians in Infinite Campus on/after August 19th. We are working hard on finalizing registrations and placing students appropriately into classrooms as needed. If you have not completed the registration process, please kindly contact our school office to finalize the process as soon as possible.
The Marion Jordan staff would like to invite all of our students to our annual Meet the Teacher event on Tuesday, September 3rd from 1:45-2:30pm. This is a great time for your student to bring in his/her supplies, navigate the hallways, and meet their classroom teacher. If you are not able to attend, your child should bring his/her supplies on their first day of school. School supply lists are linked HERE for your convenience. Due to limited parking available, families with last names A-L are encouraged to attend from 1:45-2:10pm, and families with last names M-Z from 2:05-2:30pm. Familes with students in our Structured for Independence Program (SIP), are welcome to come between 1:15-1:45pm.
We are a few short weeks from the beginning of another school year! Both September 3rd and 4th are dedicated to professional development for our teachers. We will be focused on preparing our students for academic, social-emotional, and functional success. We are committed to providing the best possible school experience for your child(ren). The first day of school for our Kindergarten - Fifth grade students is on Thursday, September 5th.
We hope you embrace the remaining weeks of summer. Our school prides itself on the collaborative relationship we have with our parent community. Please know we are here to answer any questions you may have. You are welcome to call our school office at 847-963-5500 or email me (Mrs. Grosch) directly if I can assist or support you or your student in any way.
With the start of the school year quickly approaching, I want to thank you all in advance for your partnership. We have found over the last few years that we have LIMITLESS POSSIBILITIES when we work together!
Warmly,
Jenny Grosch
Kindergarten Student Screening
All incoming Kindergarten students need to attend a screening session prior to receiving their final class placement. If you have not yet had the opportunity to sign up for a screening appointment, please call to set up an appointment. As part of the screening, students will be asked to write their name, identify known letters and words, count objects, and make a take-away project. There is no need to practice these tasks before the screening as it developmentally appropriate for children to have a wide range of abilities at this age.
All students who participate in our screening process will be assigned to a Kindergarten classroom for the 2024 -25 school year. Students who have not been screened will receive a temporary class assignment that could change after they are screened.
Meet the Teacher
Meet the Teacher will take place on Tuesday, September 3rd from 1:45-2:30pm at Marion Jordan School. Our SIP classrooms will be open for this event from 1:15-1:45pm. Students attending will have the opportunity to find their classroom, meet their teacher, and drop off school supplies. Families are encouraged to drop off any forms for the health office and/or any medication that has been prescribed to be taken during the school day as well as any emergency medications that could be needed at school. Due to limited parking available, families with last names A-L are encouraged to attend from 1:45-2:10pm, and families with last names M-Z from 2:05-2:30pm.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
If your student takes the bus, he/she will be dropped off on the blue awning side (Harrison Road, East side) of the building. Staff will eagerly greet your student and assist them in getting to the right classroom. Upon dismissal, your student will board the buses in this same area. Each bus has a number and color associated with it and your child will quickly learn his/her color and number. While they are learning, adult supervisors are equipped with rosters to look up and verify your child's correct bus. Once the buses are loaded, they will depart from school and be on their way back to you. At the discretion of the driver, seats may be assigned on the bus.
If you drive your student to school, you will drop them off at Door #1, the main entrance to the school by the flagpole. Please come into the school area by driving up Clyde St. (one block east of the school). Clyde circles around to Wilson which joins up with Harrison. As you come up Clyde, you will likely see cars pulled over to the side - this is the line to join! When it is time, the cars will be waved into the parking lot where you will circle around and come to the area in front of Door #1. Please pull as far forward in the line as you can, this helps us to unload multiple cars at one time, thus expediting the process for all. Staff will be at this entrance as well to welcome and assist students to their classrooms. For pick up at the end of the day, follow the same procedure. Staff will be outside with the students waiting for rides and will help to match families after a great day at school. Every family will receive a family name sign - this will have your last name and your child (ren)'s names on it. Please display the name sign in your windshield at pick up to assist our staff in matching families efficiently and accurately.
We work very hard to ensure student safety and accuracy at both arrival and dismissal times. Efficiency will come and we appreciate your patience as we get the process underway.
Pick Up/ Drop Off Tips:
- The school parking lot is a phone free zone. Kindly refrain from using your cell phone during drop off and pick up.
- Students should exit and enter cars on the passenger side. Please adjust any booster seats or car seats that may be in the way of your child.
- Pulling as far forward as you can in front of the building greatly helps with the timing of our arrival/dismissal.
- Display your family name sign when picking up.
- Students should be ready to exit the vehicle as you pull up at arrival - shoes on and backpack easily accessible.
- If you arrive after 8:25am, you will be asked to come in to sign your student in to school for the day.
Bus Routes and Transportation
Parents will receive information directly from the transportation department in regards to the bus routes, with pick-up and drop-off times. All routes are created by our transportation department and our school office is unable to make adjustments to transportation routes or pick-up locations. Please note that it takes the drivers longer to drive their routes at the beginning of the year. As they become more familiar with the students assigned and the route and the route itself, efficiency will ensue. Thank you for getting out to the bus stop a full five minutes before the stated pick up time. We will communicate with you via email and text message when buses are late leaving school.
What's happening at MJ?
Student Registration
Prepping for Student Meals
Touch Up Work
Important Dates
Monday, August 19 - Classroom Teacher assignments viewable in Infinite Campus
Friday, August 30 - Teacher Plan Day
Tuesday, September 3 - Teacher Institute Day
Tuesday, September 3 - Meet the Teacher from 1:45-2:30pm; SIP Classrooms from 1:15-1:45pm
Tuesday, September 3 - Kindergarten Play Date - MJ Playground @ 2:30pm
Wednesday, September 4 -Teacher Institute Day
Thursday, September 5 - First Day of School for ALL STUDENTS
Friday, September 6 - Early Dismissal (Every Friday) @ 2:15pm
Tuesday, September 10 - Full Day Kinder Open House @ JA, HR, LS, WB, KH, and FCW 4:30-6pm
Tuesday, September 17 - Picture Day
Thursday, September 19 - Parent Orientation - Evening Event - Adult Only Attendance
Thursday, September 26 - Half Day Student Attendance - 11:35am Dismissal
Staff Roster
Kindergarten - Mrs. Adamczyk, Mrs. Fredell, Mrs. Pease
1st Grade - Mrs. Kendall, Mrs. Konishi, Ms. O'Brien
2nd Grade - Mrs. Courtois, Mrs. Geist, Mrs. Hootman, Ms. Rude
3rd Grade - Ms. Barker, Mrs, Eckman, Mrs. Lill
4th Grade - Ms. Butera, Mrs. Clary, Mrs. Mallon, Ms. Wiggins
5th Grade - Mrs. Davis, Mrs. Myers, Ms. Solomon, TBD
SIP Teachers - Ms. Doherty, Mrs. Lizasuain, Ms. Mueller
Mr. Duffy (PE); Mr. Kerkemeyer (Art); Ms. Storinger (Music), Ms. Pater, Ms. Shinsky, and
Mrs. Rausch (Resource Teachers); Mrs. Forde (OT); Mrs. Kowalski (SW); Mrs. Kolka (Sp/L); Mrs. Erickson (Reading Intervention); Mrs. Spellacy (Nurse); Ms. Frisby ( SIP Sp/L); Ms. Mallon (SIP SW); Mrs. Swaback (SIP OT); Mrs. Howard (Librarian); Mrs. Hwang (ESL); Mrs. Jahangir (ESL); Mrs. Carlson (Instructional Coach); Ms. Driver ( Academic Interventionist); Mr. Wilkie (Band); Mrs. Quitschau (Orchestra); Mrs. Emerson (Lunch Coordinator); Mrs. Veltri (Secretary); Mrs. Wallin (Clerical Assistant); Mr. Swierad (Head Custodian)
Administrators - Mrs. Grosch (Principal); Mrs. Pruc (Assistant Principal); Ms. Fleming (Special Education Coordinator)
School Meal Information
Students at Marion Jordan have the option to purchase a school lunch each day. Students place their order for lunch with their teacher each morning. The cost of a student lunch is $2.70 for elementary students. Milk can be purchased Ala carte for $0.45. Breakfast will not be offered. Lunch menus are available here.
Prepayments for meals can be made several different ways. Parents can give their student cash or a check made out to the order of Nutrition Services, in an envelope marked "Nutrition Services" and their student’s name. Parents may also make payments online, via SchoolCafé. SchoolCafé can be used to check your student’s balance. You can also elect to have a low balance notification emailed directly to you. Please make sure to set up your School Cafe account for each child to ensure funds are available for purchase.
Families can complete the APPLICATION FOR FREE MEAL AND REDUCED PRICE MEALS to see if they qualify for free or reduced meal prices.
If you have any questions, please contact our Lunch Coordinator, Diane Emerson via email
at emersond@ccsd15.net or by phone at 847-963-5508.
From the Health Office
Hello! I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far! With the start of the new school year only a few weeks away, it is time to make sure your child’s health requirements are up to date.
- All students entering Kindergarten, 2nd and 6th grade require a dental exam.
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, including incoming Kindergarten students, will require an eye examination. This form is available in the school office, online, and here: State of Illinois Eye Examination Report.
All students should provide proof of immunizations by XXXXX, 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 an 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 these forms and medications on or before the first day of school. These forms are available in the school office, online, and here
Diabetic Medical Management Plans must be brought in along with medication and supplies prior to or on the first day of school in order for the student to attend.
If your child requires any of these health documents and you have not done so already, please kindly make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. If you have any questions regarding the above requirements, you may reach me at spellacj@ccsd15.net. I will be back in the office the week of August 26th to answer any phone calls. Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your summer!
Sincerely,
Jillian Spellacy
847-963-5502
School Safety Drills
District 15 is strongly committed to school safety. Each year, school are required by by Illinois School Code to conduct the following drills:
- Three evacuation drills. One of the three evacuation drills must be supervised by the fire department.
- One bus evacuation drill.
- One severe weather/shelter-in-place drill.
- Two law enforcement (lockdown) drills. One of these two law enforcement drills must be a staff initiated lock-down. The schools also conduct an annual drill review meeting with principals and representatives from police and fire departments to continuously improve each school’s readiness to respond to an emergency and/or crisis situation.
House Bill 2400 (The School Safety Drill Act) states:
- All lockdown drills will be announced to all school personnel and students prior to the commencement of the drill.
- Schools will provide sufficient information and notification to parents and guardians in advance of any lockdown drill that involves the participation of students.
- Schools will provide parents and guardians an opportunity to exempt their child for any reason from participating in the walk-through lockdown drill.
- Schools will provide alternative safety education and instruction related to an active threat or active shooter event to students who do not participate in a walk-through lockdown drill to provide them with essential information, training, and instruction through less sensorial safety training methods.
If you prefer your child does NOT participate in the yearly required lockdown drills, please complete this form. Please submit one form for each of your children you are opting out.
Picture Day is Scheduled!
Picture Day for Marion Jordan Elementary School is scheduled for Tuesday, August 17, 2024. Ordering details to follow. Classroom teachers can share your student's picture time after the schedule is set.
Family Resources
- If you are the parent of one of the 20% of children who suffer from a mental health or learning disorder, the start of school can be even more difficult. Here are six things that parents need to know about starting school with vulnerable children.
- Getting out the door in the morning with younger children can be a challenge. A simple change in the words you use can help. Check out these 13 phrases that can speed up your morning routine and get the kids out the door on time.
- With the start of a new school approaching, you may be looking for ways to connect with your kids and get them to open up their day. Here are 105 questions to ask kids other than, "How was your day?".
- Getting out the door in the morning with younger children can be a challenge. A simple change in the words you use can help. Check out these 13 phrases that can speed up your morning routine and get the kids out the door on time.
MJ Social Work Website - needs to be updated
Contacting Marion Jordan School
Welcome to Marion Jordan Elementary School, Home of the Blue Jays!
We are located at 100 N. Harrison Ave. Palatine, IL 60067
Our main office phone number is 847-963-5500. Our Absence Line is 847-963-5501.
Principal: Mrs. Jennifer Grosch 847-963-5505 groschj@ccsd15.net
Assistant Principal: Mrs. Hillary Pruc 847-963-5504 pruch@ccsd15.net
School Office Staff: Ms. Jess Veltri 847-963-5580 veltrij@ccsd15.net and Mrs. Kelly Wallin 847-963-5503 wallink@ccsd15.net
School Nurse: Mrs. Jillian Spellacy 847-963-5502 spellacj@ccsd15.net