Cougar Clips

Happy Friday Kipling Families,

Shout out to the 3rd grade students for kicking-off our musical performances this school year with a bang! It is not easy going first, but the 3rd graders did a tremendous job at preparing and performing their collection of songs from around the world. Thank you to Ms. Brynda, our 3rd grade team, and all our 3rd grade families for your support of our students.

Special Someone Day is next week! These are two of my favorite days of the whole year. Thank you to all the family members and Special Someones who have already pre-registered. We strongly recommend you come to scan your license or ID before the event so you don’t risk waiting in line and arriving late to your student's classroom.

All my best to you and your loved ones over the weekend.

Respectfully,

Mr. Matthew O. Lombardo, NBCT

Principal

Kipling Elementary School

See's Candies

'Tis the See's-on to order some candy and support the PTO! Please share the link with family and friends and encourage everyone to order!

CLICK HERE TO SHOP/SHARE THE KIPLING PTO SEE'S CANDIES HOLIDAY STORE

CLICK HERE TO SHOP/SHARE THE KIPLING PTO SEE'S CANDIES STORE

We understand that head lice can be a nuisance, but it is not considered a true health concern. Parents of students in an affected student’s classroom will only be notified if there are multiple confirmed cases in the same class that have been reported to the school. In accordance with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the CDC, Illinois public schools do not perform mass head checks or exclude students who are symptomatic.

We have had 16 cases of head lice over the past two weeks. As a precautionary measure, we have deep cleaned classroom rugs and soft surface items and are storing them until after Thanksgiving break. Our Buildings and Grounds department is also deep cleaning every classroom and office throughout this week and next.

Please see this linked important information for what you can do at home.

Please notify our school nurse, Edina Szabo, when a case of head lice is suspected. The information below can help answer some frequently asked questions about head lice.

How common are head lice?

Head lice are most common in preschool- and elementary school–aged children. Each year millions of school-aged children in the United States get head lice. However, anyone can get head lice. Head lice are found worldwide.

How do head lice spread?

Head lice are crawling insects. They cannot jump, hop, or fly. The main way that head lice spread is from close, prolonged head-to-head contact. There is a very small chance that head lice will spread by sharing items such as combs, brushes, hats and sports helmets.

What are the symptoms of head lice?

Itching on the areas where head lice are present is the most common symptom. However, it may take up to 4 to 6 weeks after lice get on the scalp before the scalp becomes sensitive to the lice saliva and begins to itch. Most of the itching happens behind the ears or at the back of the neck. Also, itching caused by head lice can last for weeks, even after the lice are gone.

How do you treat head lice?

Check with your child's doctor before beginning any head lice treatment. The most effective way to treat head lice is with head lice medicine. After each treatment, using the comb-out method every 2 to 3 days for 2 to 3 weeks may help remove the nits and eggs.

Calling all grandparents, aunts, uncles, and caregivers! Please join us on Thursday, November 21st and/or Friday, November 22nd for an exciting day at Kipling Elementary School. Each student will be able to have one special visitor come to school to see what they are learning about and stop by our PTO Book Fair!

-Kindergarten, 2nd Grade, and 4th Grade will have their day on Thursday, November 21st.

-1st Grade, 3rd Grade, and 5th Grade will have their day on Friday, November 22nd.

-Limit 1 Special Someone per student due to space issues.

-Only Pre-registered Special Someones with a valid Driver’s License or State ID will be allowed into our school and you must scan your ID through our Visitor Management system before the time of the event.

-Click here for more information and the sign up link!

Tuesday, November 19th

109 Gives Back Holiday Gift Drive

It's that time of year for chilly mornings, hot chocolate, and our district-wide holiday gift drive! Next week, keep an eye out for an email with the gift sign-up list. Donations can be dropped off in school lobbies from Monday, December 2nd, through Wednesday, December 11th. When dropping off donations, please label each item with the family name it’s intended for, as gifts are organized by anonymous family names.

Tech 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.