Fremont Elementary School
August 9, 2024
A Message From Mrs. Carmody
Dear Fremont Families,
We have made it through the month of January! This week was filled with great excitement celebrating our 100th day of school. I remember our first day of school so clearly and can't believe how quickly we have reached this milestone! We are excited to have Groundhog Day and Valentine's Day to look forward to in the next few weeks.
Be sure to check out the Parent University opportunity below. It should be a great presentation and a lot of learning packed into an hour. Childcare is available!
With gratitude,
Beth Carmody
Students in Miss Sherman and Mrs. Duffy's classes participated in Fun Friday stations, engaging in meaningful, hands-on activities. At one station, students created kindness cards, a thoughtful exercise that encourages empathy, gratitude, and the importance of spreading positivity. This activity not only reinforces a sense of community within the classroom but also helps young learners develop social-emotional skills, such as recognizing and appreciating the feelings of others. By crafting and sharing these heartfelt messages, students learn that small acts of kindness can have a big impact, fostering a culture of compassion and connection.
Immigration Enforcement & Schools
Our priority remains to ensure that every child feels safe and supported in our schools. This update is to address questions and concerns regarding the decision by the federal Department of Homeland Security to rescind its policy that previously restricted immigration enforcement in “protected areas/sensitive locations” such as schools. This communication is meant to clarify our role in maintaining a safe environment where all students can learn without fear.
Recent changes do not expand the agency’s authority to gain access to students in schools or to request student records without proper legal documentation or parental/guardian consent as outlined in the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) or the Illinois Student Records Act (ISRA).
Should an on-campus visit occur, visitors cannot enter our schools without permission and/or appropriate legal documentation. Federal agents would be sent to the District Office to ensure all legal requirements are in place. In this case, they would need to present a valid judicial warrant (federal court) and/or receive parental consent before accessing school buildings or interacting with students.
To that end, we have provided clear guidance to our front office staff and administrators on handling situations if federal agents arrive on school property.
The safety and well-being of all our students are our highest priorities. We continue to work closely with our regional and state education agencies as well as our legal counsel. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a school administrator or the District Office.
Control de inmigración y escuelas
Nuestra prioridad sigue siendo garantizar que cada niño se sienta seguro y apoyado en nuestras escuelas. Esta actualización tiene como objetivo abordar preguntas e inquietudes sobre la decisión del Departamento de Seguridad Nacional federal de rescindir su política que anteriormente restringía la aplicación de la ley de inmigración en “áreas protegidas/lugares sensibles”, como las escuelas. Esta comunicación tiene como objetivo aclarar nuestro papel en el mantenimiento de un entorno seguro donde todos los estudiantes puedan aprender sin miedo.
Los cambios recientes no amplían la autoridad de la agencia para obtener acceso a los estudiantes en las escuelas o solicitar registros estudiantiles sin la documentación legal adecuada o el consentimiento de los padres/tutores como se describe en la Ley de Privacidad y Derechos Educativos de la Familia (FERPA) o la Ley de Registros Estudiantiles de Illinois (ISRA).
En caso de que se realice una visita al campus, los visitantes no pueden ingresar a nuestras escuelas sin el permiso y/o la documentación legal adecuada. Los agentes federales serán enviados a la Oficina del Distrito para garantizar que se cumplan todos los requisitos legales. En este caso, necesitarían presentar una orden judicial válida (tribunal federal) y/o recibir el consentimiento de los padres antes de acceder a los edificios escolares o interactuar con los estudiantes.
Con ese fin, hemos brindado orientación clara a nuestro personal de recepción y a los administradores sobre cómo manejar situaciones si los agentes federales llegan a la propiedad escolar.
La seguridad y el bienestar de todos nuestros estudiantes son nuestras principales prioridades. Seguimos trabajando estrechamente con nuestras agencias educativas regionales y estatales, así como con nuestro asesor legal. Si tiene alguna pregunta o inquietud, no dude en comunicarse con un administrador escolar o con la oficina del distrito.
Important Dates
- February 4 - Parent University (New Date)-more information below
- February 5 - Early Release Schedule (ES dismissal at 3:08 p.m.)
- February 11 - Parent Book Club-more information below
- February 12 - Early Release Schedule (ES dismissal at 3:08 p.m.)
- February 14 - PTO Valentine Parties
- 10:30-11:15 a.m. - K-Martinelli, Lindley & Van Reck
- 2:00-2:45 p.m. - K-Eddy, Goldman, Hay, Hoehne, Kastein, Perna & Sherman; K-2 Instructional; and Grades 1 & 2
- February 17 - Presidents Day - No Student Attendance
- February 19 - Early Release Schedule (ES dismissal at 3:08 p.m.)
From the Nurse's Office
It is that time of year when we are seeing a significant increase in illness at school. To help prevent the spread of illness, we would like to remind you of some guidelines to help with your decision on whether or not to send your child to school. We ask that you keep your child home if he or she:
Has a fever of 100.4 degrees or higher
Has abdominal cramps or vomiting
Has a severe sore throat
Has a persistent cough (dry or productive)
Has diarrhea (3 or more episodes in 24 hours)
Has a rash-rashes need to be assessed and cleared by a healthcare provider.
Has open or draining sores
Red eyes (with or without discharge)
Has symptoms that prevent him/her from participating in school activities such as:
Excessive tiredness
Loss of appetite
Headache
Body aches
Earaches
If you child has recently been ill, please be aware of the following guidelines before having your child return to school, athletic or social activities:
Be free of fever for 24 hours (without the use of fever reducing medication)
Feel fit for at least 24 hours for a full days worth of school activities
Free of vomiting and/or diarrhea for at least 24 hours
If strep throat is diagnosed, must be on the appropriate antibiotic for at least 24 hours.
If conjunctivitis, must be on appropriate eye drops for at least 24 hours.
To keep children healthy, make sure they have plenty of rest and a nutritious diet. Show your child the proper way to wash their hands and to do it frequently throughout the day. Make sure to use soap & water and to rub hands together for at least 20 seconds. Limit touching areas such as the eyes, nose or mouth. Teach your child to cover coughs and sneezes with a tissue or their arm. Minimize the time your child spends with others who are ill. Avoid sharing personal items such as hats, brushes, combs, lip balms or towels.
Please notify the school if your child has been diagnosed with an infectious condition such as strep throat, influenza, scarlet fever, pertussis, pink eye, etc.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Wednesday Afterschool Care Survey
If you are a family who has at least one student enrolled in the Wednesday early release childcare program, the District kindly requests that you complete this brief survey. We know that is an important service for many in our community. This is our second year of providing this no-cost childcare. Enrollment has significantly grown this year, so we need your feedback to help ensure we can continue to provide a safe, reliable, and cost-effective option for our Fremont families.
Your feedback will help us in refining our approach for next school year. This survey will remain open through Friday, January 31.
Away for the Day
As part of our commitment to fostering a focused learning environment, we introduced the Away for the Day Cell Phone Initiative this past August. Please take a moment to complete this survey. Your feedback is essential, and we appreciate your support in minimizing distractions and enhancing our students' educational experience. The survey will be open from Friday, January 31-February 7, 2025. Thank you for your participation!
Parent University: NEW DATE - Feb. 4
Join us for our next Parent University engagement series session at Fremont Middle School on Tuesday, Feb. 4. In this presentation, Jennifer McAdams, LCPC, CEDS-S joins our Fremont community to discuss how to support kids through emotional validation, compassion and positive boundaries. Borrowing from Emotion Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), this presentation will empower parents to lean on proven strategies in order to let go of guilt and foster a caring environment where their child feels emotionally safe and supported.
Join Us for Parent Book Club Night! - Feb. 11
Excessive technology use and its potential consequences are concerns for many parents. With that in mind, we invite all parents to join us on February 11 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at Fremont Middle School for a Parent Book Club discussion on the New York Times #1 Bestseller "The Anxious Generation" by Jonathan Haidt. We’ll explore all three sections together, share thoughts, and discuss how to navigate the challenges of raising kids in the digital age.
While we encourage parents to read the book in advance, it is not necessary to have read the book in order to join us for the discussion on February 11. For individuals who would like to listen to the book, an audio version can be found at Audible. The evening's event will be an opportunity to share our own experiences with our children's technology and social media use.
District parents, administrators, and psychologists will collaborate to lead the discussion. We'll also be offering complimentary soup for attendees. While it is not required to RSVP to attend the discussion, we ask that you please do so if you intend to take advantage of free on-site childcare that evening (see link below).
Additional Resources:
Valentine Reminder
We will be celebrating Valentine's Day on February 14th. As a reminder, Valentine cards that are sent in cannot contain any food and/or candy.
Student Absences
If your child will be absent from school for any reason, please report the absence to the school office by 9:00 a.m. by calling 847-837-0437 option 2. Safety is our number one priority so please help us by reporting as soon as possible. Attendance at school is crucial for your child’s success so every effort should be made to avoid non-health-related absences.
School Lunches
We are going to be phasing out ice cream for sale at the Elementary School. We will begin the phase out by only offering on Fridays. Ice cream is only available to our first and second graders.
Before and After School Care
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
The Fremont PTO would love to see you at our meetings this year! Meetings are on the third Wednesday of the month in the Middle School Den at 6:00 pm. Our next meeting is on February 19th.
Childcare services for children ages 3+ will be provided at ALL of our upcoming PTO meetings. Please use the form below to let us know if you will be bringing a child to the meeting. It is not required to RSVP; however, we ask that you please do so if you plan to take advantage of childcare. Care will be provided by Fremont Middle School students for individuals ages 3 and up. Here is the form. RSVP Form for childcare: https://forms.gle/ceerdTKn7Pa51mVt7
Here is the list of all meeting dates for the 2024-2025 school year.
To stay in the know of what Fremont PTO is up to, follow and tag us on social media:
Instagram: @fremontpto
Facebook: Fremont PTO
HELP WANTED - MEMBERSHIP TOOLKIT
The PTO is looking for two volunteers to help with Membership Toolkit. The time commitment is about one hour per month. For more information on how to volunteer, contact the Fremont Parent Liaison at fsdptoparentliaison@gmail.com.
SUPPORT OUR AMAZING CLASSROOM TEACHERS!
Please help the Fremont PTO replenish all of the amazing teachers’ classroom supplies! The PTO has created an Amazon Wish List for parents to help. The PTO will distribute your donations to teachers via our WOOT WOOT wagon.
If you would like to send money directly to the PTO, please Venmo your donation to @Fremont-PTO with "Woot Woot" in the memo. Thank you for your help!
SPIRIT WEAR
Our Spring Spirit Wear Sale will begin next Friday, February 7th and run through Friday, February, 21st. Please watch for more information via your child's backpack, our social media accounts and/or our weekly updates. We are excited to offer three new designs and a variety of different styles! Thank you for showing your support and spreading our Fremont cheer!
VALENTINE’S DAY CLASS PARTIES
Party Hosts for the Valentine’s Day Classroom Parties have been assigned and notified. Each class party is designated 3 Party Hosts. If more than 3 parents signed up for a classroom party, volunteers were chosen at random. Please note: All remaining parents who have not been notified, have not been assigned to host a party will not be invited to attend the party.
SWEETHEART DANCE
Our annual Sweetheart Dance is Saturday, February 8th from 6:30pm-8:30pm at Fremont Intermediate School. Please have your daughter/s arrive with an important adult figure in their life. Enjoy a sweet evening of dancing, light refreshments, games, and photos! The PTO will be hosting a similar event for sons in May. All ages are welcome to put on their best and pose with their adult for pictures. Here is the Sweetheart Dance registration form. Pre-registration is due by Monday, February 3rd. Click here to see our flyer for more information.
FREMONT PTO BOOK CLUB
Feeling overwhelmed by your child’s screen time and social media?
As parents, we’re all on a learning journey – let’s make that journey easier and more insightful together! Join us February 11, 2025 from 6:30-8:00pm in the Middle School Den for the Fremont Parent Book Club.
Pick up a copy of The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt and dive into this eye-opening book. We’ll explore all three sections together, share thoughts, and discuss how to navigate the challenges of raising kids in the digital age.
Don’t miss out – start reading today and come ready to connect, learn, and grow as a community!
SHOP. SCAN. EARN.
Forget the scissors - Box Tops for Education has gone digital! Simply download the Box Tops for Education app (see www.boxtops4education.com for more info), select Fremont School District 79 (in Mundelein, IL) as your beneficiary, and you're all set! Enter the code H02P2R0D when you register for bonus points. Then simply scan your receipts after shopping, and watch the points (and $$) add up for our schools!
UPCOMING DINE-IN NIGHTS
Thank you for attending our Portillos fundraiser - it was a success! Be on the lookout for our next one. We have a full year of dine-in nights ahead – check out the list here!
ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK NOW!
Don’t forget to order your student's 2024-2025 yearbook. Use the correct school code from our flyer when you order!
PTO MEMBERSHIP/ONLINE DIRECTORY FOR 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR
If you already have an account in Membership Toolkit, thank you for creating and/or updating your Membership Toolkit account last year.
If you don't have an account in Membership Toolkit, set it up now for free! Once you have created an account in Membership Toolkit your child will appear in the online directory immediately (that's if you choose to do so). To create an account, go to fsd79.membershiptoolkit.com and follow the directions in the attached form (Online Student Directory Set Up Instructions 2024-2025).
To gain access to the Online Student Directory your account must be active and you must pay the $15 PTO Membership Family Fee. If you paid your PTO Membership fee through your TeacherEase account before June 15th, your payment has been confirmed and you currently have access to the Online Student Directory. If you didn’t pay your PTO Membership Family Fee before June 15th, you can pay the $15 PTO Membership Family fee thru Venmo @Fremont-PTO; or by bringing or sending the attached form with your cash payment or check made payable to Fremont PTO to any school front office. The option to pay the PTO Membership Fee thru your TeacherEase account is no longer available. Once we receive confirmation of your payment, we will give you access to the online directory. Please note it may take up to one week to be granted access to the online directory.
Don't forget to download the FREE Membership Toolkit app to your smartphone-search "Membership Toolkit" in your app store.
BIRTHDAY BOARD
Celebrate your Fremont Student's special day! "Happy Birthday, Your Child's Name" can appear on the Fremont Electronic Message Board. Just complete the Birthday Board Request Google Form 2024-2025; or complete the birthday board form and send it back to any school front office with your $5 payment per birthday message. If you have any questions, please contact Christie Johnson at cjohnson@fsd79.org.
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Fremont School District 79
Address: 28908 N. Fremont Center Road
Phone: (847) 837-0437
Website: elementary.fsd79.org
Twitter: @FSD79
Instagram: @FSD79
YouTube: youtube.com/FSD79