The Weekly Update #4

Welcome back to a brand new school year! I hope each of you had a restful and enjoyable summer break, filled with moments of joy, relaxation, and perhaps some exciting adventures.

As we embark on this new academic journey together, I want to take a moment to express how excited I am to see our hallways bustling with energy and enthusiasm again in the next few days. This year promises to be filled with opportunities for learning, growth, and success for every member of our school community.

Our dedicated teachers and staff have been working hard to prepare for your return, ensuring that our classrooms are ready to inspire creativity, critical thinking, and a love of learning. We are committed to providing a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment where each student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

Let’s make this year one of growth, exploration, and achievement. Together, we will create a vibrant and nurturing community where everyone feels valued and empowered to reach their fullest potential.

Welcome back, and let's make this year the best one yet!

Thank you to District 181 and our generous PTO, we have a new playground that is ready for the students to explore, climb, spin, slide, swing and try out new items! It will be so much fun!

Also, thank you to a generous donation, we have updated our garden with beautiful plants, benches, and classroom planter boxes. We are so excited for all the additional interactive classroom activities that our garden can provide us!

Families will be able to pre-pay via Skyward for milk to be available for your child daily. NOTE: We will not collect cash/coins for milk purchases during lunches. This is a one-time fee at the beginning of the year, and families are encouraged to sign up through SchoolPay via Skyward by the deadline of September 2. If you miss this sign-up, you will need to send your child with their own drink.

$88 = x1 milk a day

$176 = x2 milks a day

Login to Skyward Family Access.

Click on the Fees tab.

Click Add a Fee.

Select the Milk option.

Pay for the fee in SchoolPay

On Wednesday, August 21st, the entire school will be practicing a fire drill, severe weather drill, and lockdown drill. We will continue to practice these drills throughout the year and I will continue to notify parents prior to our drills.

Lockdown Notification with Police Department

Dear Prospect Community,

Per the School Safety Drill Act covered under Illinois Statute (105 ILCS 12/20), this notification is being provided to parents and guardians of students attending Prospect School. On 08/22/2024 at approximately 9:00 am, Prospect School will conduct a lockdown drill that will include school staff, students, and Clarendon Hills law enforcement agency representative(s). During this drill, teachers will utilize the linked Google Slides to instruct students.

We understand that some parents/guardians may want to opt out of this type of drill for their child. As the parent/guardian of a student attending Prospect School you have the option to exempt your child, for any reason, from the drill. If you choose to exempt your child from the drill, please notify Mary Ann Alberts at 630-861-4401 or malberts@d181.org no later than the day of the drill.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Kristin Cummings

Principal

Please review the assessment calendar for the 23-24 school year before scheduling trips or appointments. The MAP Assessments for this school year are scheduled earlier for the Fall and Winter testing window.

In the event of any absence, the student’s parent/guardian is required to report their child’s absence online at their school before 8:30 am (12:15 pm for afternoon absences) to explain the reason for the absence. If a call has not been made to the school by 10:00 am (1:45 for afternoon absences) on the day of a student's absence, a school official will call the home to inquire why the student is not at school. If the parent cannot be contacted, the student will be required to submit a signed note from the parent explaining the reason for the absence. Failure to do so shall result in an unexcused absence. Upon request of the parent, the reason for an absence will be kept confidential. Only calls from parents or legal guardians will be accepted. The school will check on any student for whom it has not received a call.

The school calendar has been established a year in advance and is available on the District website: www.d181.org. While we realize the value of family time, we strongly discourage the planning of vacations during regular student attendance days.

Elementary School Information Related to Planned Absences:

In the event of a planned absence, a parent must communicate directly with the school at least two days prior indicating their intentions. A parent/guardian may email, complete this form, or call the Office with the following information:

1. Name of student

2. reason for the absence, and

3. date(s) the student will be absent

If a planned absence consists of three (3) or more days, assignments and completion dates will be given after the absence as determined by the teacher. Teachers will not be required to re-teach material missed by students.

Smartwatches

Cell phones, smart watches, and similar electronic devices shall be collected by a teacher or kept in a student’s backpack during the regular school day and while attending school-sponsored activities. The school does not claim any responsibility or liability for student’s personal items like these or others.

Prospect teachers will communicate specific information to you in their newsletter.

Attendance Philosophy

District 181 is committed to the philosophy that every student should attend all of his/her classes every day. Regular attendance and promptness are expected in all classes and are essential for good performance. The Student Services Office and/or Principal will monitor tardiness and absences. In case of excessive tardies and/or absences, parents/guardians will be notified in accordance with our school attendance procedure.

• A student who is absent for more than ten consecutive days or has a planned absence that will be longer than ten consecutive days will be withdrawn from school and will be re-enrolled when they return upon a parent's request.

• A student will be marked as hospitalized if they are sick and absent from school for more than ten days.

• A student will be able to take up to five excused mental or behavioral health days. According to the State, these days will still be a part of their overall number of absences used to calculate truancy.

Due to safety and health concerns, pets may not be brought into school or on school grounds before, during, or after school. Recognizing that some children fear animals, please avoid bringing pets on school walking routes.

Students in Grades 3 and any new students in 4th or 5th grade will participate in the Bide Rodeo today. After participating in the bike safety check students in Grades 3-5 may ride their bike to school. Bikes must be walked on school grounds. Students are expected to wear the properly fitted bike helmets. Please follow all bicycle rules of the road when going to and from school. All bicycles must be locked in the school bicycle racks. The District is not responsible for bikes brought onto school grounds.

The Community House will be offering the Before and After the Bell programs at Prospect School to help meet the needs of our families.

The Community House Registration

For more information about either program, please contact Karen Kaspar at 630-323-7500 ext. 248 or at kkaspar@thecommunityhouse.org

Information from last week's SMORE

Those who pre-ordered school supply kits, our Prospect PTO has arranged for supplies to be delivered to classrooms so they are awaiting students on the first day. Teachers will help students unload the supplies on the first day. If you did not pre-order in the spring, we ask the students to bring their own supplies on the first full day of school, Tuesday, August 20th. School supply lists can be found on the Prospect PTO website.

We encourage you take advantage of one of the following suggestions to bypass the parking lot.

• Walk your child to school if weather permits.

• We have a crossing guard at the intersection of Prospect and Norfolk Avenue. This is where the students are expected to cross to get onto to the school grounds.

• Choose an alternate location to pick-up/drop-off students off of school grounds if you are not using our pick up and drop off area.

Crossing Guards at Chicago Ave. and Middaugh and Chicago Ave. and Woodstock

Crossing Guard Hours: 7:45-8:30 am, 11:20-11:40 am, 12:00-12:20 pm, and 3-3:40 pm

If you choose to drive, all car and bus traffic shall enter the Prospect Circle Drive which begins on Chicago Avenue. Please refer to the map below. (Cars may not drive around the CHMS buses when the bus arms are out.)

Morning Drop-off Procedures Reminder:

Vehicles should pull as far forward into the unloading zone as possible to allow multiple cars to unload and the line to move more quickly. We ask that children exit vehicles in the morning from any point on the sidewalk in the car line and as soon as your car comes to a stop while in the carline area. This will expedite the drop‐off process. While we know parents may want to wait until their child is near the door to unload, we expect that our supervision along with appropriately‐dressed students exiting alongside sidewalk areas while stopped will greatly improve traffic flow in the line.

After-School Pick-up Procedures:

Parents picking up students in the carline must pull ahead as far down as possible to allow for the maximum number of cars in the lane. Students will be corralled in the middle of the carline on the sidewalk. Once your car is in sight along the sidewalk of staff parking lot, students will walk to your car.

Drop-off and Pick-up Reminders

• During drop-off and pick-up hours (8:25-8:40 and 3:05-3:20), please don’t walk through the car line. For example: if you are volunteering and leaving the school at 3:05, please walk to the parking lot exit and cross safely at the crosswalk that leads into the parking lot.

• The staff parking lot should also not be used as a means to avoid waiting in line. Please do not pull into a parking spot and have your children walk across the carline as this is extremely dangerous.

• Please do not park in the handicap spots in the staff parking lot to drop off or pick up your children.

• For safety reasons, please do not park in the overflow lot and let your children walk through the car lane.

• Children shall always exit on the passenger side of the vehicle and walk along the sidewalk through the front door.

• Cars are not allowed to drop off or pick up any students in or near the service drive/entrance in the back of the school.
• Remember, according to state law, cell phone use is not allowed in school zones.

• DO NOT leave your car unattended for any reason in the pick up lane or in the parking lot.

• Please use your car sign during pick-up. (We will send them home to new families at the beginning of the year.)

• When the bus is in the parking lot with an extended arm, motorists must stop and wait until the arm is withdrawn.

Arrival Procedures:

Staff supervision at the cross walks, school doors and car drop off begins at 8:25 am. Once the 8:25 bell rings, students are allowed to enter the building and go directly to their classroom. Students walking to school may use any of the doors (see picture) to enter and proceed to their classrooms. This will allow students to enter the building using the closest door near their house, walk in the building with their siblings or neighborhood friends, and allow them time in their classroom to organize themselves, build relationships with friends and their teacher, and be ready for a great day of learning when the bell rings at 8:40. Once the 8:40 bell rings, both the side doors will close. If students are arriving after the 8:40 bell, they will need to enter through the front door with a parent who will need to sign them in.

Dismissal Procedures:

1. Students will exit through the front door if they are being picked up in the car lane.

2. Please develop a plan or pick a designated spot where your children should meet before they walk home.

3. Students are not allowed to play on the playground at dismissal. All students must go home first and then they may come back to play on the playground.

4. Supervision will end at 3:15. If students are still waiting for a their ride, we will bring them into the office to be picked up.

5. Walkers will exit out their grade level doors. (See picture below).

Students in Kinder Rising Stars (RS)-5th grade will have lunch/recess from 11:25-12:15. We are an open campus and students are able to go home for the lunch period.

11:25 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. - Grades Kinder RS, 1, 2 and 3 eat /11:50 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. recess

11:25 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. – Grades 4 and 5 recess /11:50 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. eat

Procedures for Students Going Home for Lunch/Recess

• Upon arrival to school each day, your child will indicate to their classroom teacher that they will be going home for lunch.

• Information will be shared with our lunch supervisors about who will not be present for lunch at school.

• Students will be dismissed for lunch from their classroom teacher. Please arrange a pickup location with your child PRIOR to their first day of leaving campus for lunch. If your child is walking home, please be sure they are aware of this plan prior to dismissal.

• Upon returning to school, please ensure that your student enters through the main entrance. Students will not be allowed to join their class in the lunchroom and/or at recess.

• Classroom teachers will take PM attendance and ensure that all students have returned from lunch/recess on time.

• If your plans change for lunch, please notify both the teacher AND the school office. This ensures that the message is received in a timely manner.

If your child will be eating lunch at school, please plan ahead for your child to have a lunch ready to go each day. While we know unique situations can arise, we discourage regular drop off and delivery of student lunches during the school day.

If we experience inclement weather, students will participate in a recess inside their classrooms.

Line Up on the FIRST DAY of SCHOOL (Only)

Below is information regarding first day arrival procedures and designated grade level areas where you child should report. All grade level teachers will be outside to meet and greet their students, take pictures, etc. The teachers will begin entering the building with their classes at the 8:40 bell.

1. Staff will be present starting at 8:25 am.

2. Grade Level areas are designated on the map below.

3. Any staff member will be able to support you and/or your child with questions you may have.

4. If you need to access the front office or health office, please enter through the Front Door.