The Patton Post

• PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE (NEW POST!)
• BOOK FAIR (NEW POST!)
• DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP WRAP UP (NEW POST!)
• BE SAFE AT THE END OF THE DAY (NEW POST!)
• FOOD DRIVE COLLECTION - THANK YOU! (NEW POST!)
• VALENTINE'S PARTIES (NEW POST!)
• Morning Drop Off - Important Information! (2nd POST!)
• Note from the Nurse (2nd POST!)
• Staff Only Parking Lot - Important Information (FINAL POST!)
• PRE-REGISTRATION: 25-26 SCHOOL YEAR - OPEN! (Ongoing Post!)
• Outdoor Recess (Ongoing Post)
• Book Fair - Volunteers Needed (Ongoing Post!)
• 4th and 5th Grade Homework Club (Ongoing Post!)
• R2E - Photo Request (Ongoing Post!)
• 2024-2025 Calendar (Ongoing Post)
• Dates to Know (Updated Post!)

We had another wonderful week at Patton! I hope those of you that were able to go to the Trivia Night last weekend had a great time! I heard it was a lot of fun!

Our Sign Up genius for Parent Teacher conferences closed today - if you need to reschedule your appointment or have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Dunning or Mrs. Hamilton in the office at 847-398-4288. We are looking forward to meeting with those of you who can make it on Friday, February 14th. Please remember that there will be NO SCHOOL on this day!

Thank you for your help in making morning drop off run smoothly this week - everyone adjusted to the new drop off doors and our traffic pattern is running quickly and efficiently. Thank you for allowing extra time in a morning to ensure students arrive on time - it is hugely appreciated!

Our Digital Citizenship week was a huge success this week and it was so fun to see all the different outfits each day!

Bingo Night is tonight! We look forward to seeing all who come!

Have a great weekend!

Ellie Chin

Our Anderson's Book Fair is coming up next week! Please see the flyer below for information about our book fair. Continue on to read other important items to note:

1. Students will browse the fair with their classes on Tuesday 2/11 or Wednesday 2/12 to create a wishlist to bring home.

2. If parents/guardians allow, students can bring their wishlist and CASH back on Thursday 2/13 in an envelope with their name. Teachers will collect these first thing in the morning, send them to the fair, and volunteers will fulfill these orders.

3. Friday 2/14 is open shopping for families at the book fair during conferences from 9 am - 3 pm.

4. See instructions on the flyer for ordering online at abcfairs.com. Online ordering will begin February 11. Please feel free to share share the link with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and families to help earn for our school!

Finally, help us spread some love to our teachers during our Valentine's Day week fair! Teachers will have a wishlist bin at the book fair. If you are able, please purchase a book from their bin and leave them a wonderful note. We will deliver these books to them with a little treat after the fair ends.

Any questions? Please email Maddie Schultz at mhonn11@gmail.com or Liz Ballinger at liz.jacobsen1@gmail.com

Thank you for supporting our students and school at the Book Fair!

It was so much fun celebrating Digital Citizenship Week this week! Student's learned about being balanced, kind, safe, aware, and informed online and when using technology. We had so much fun with the themes for each day - "Silly Socks" day was a particular hit! For more information on what we learned this week and for questions you can ask your children to continue the digital citizenship discussion at home, please see the attached documents from Common Sense Media.

Recently, we have experienced some instances of children trying to cross the parking lot unsafely at the end of the day to get to their waiting car in the parking lot. If you park in the parking lot at the end of the day, please remember to get out of your car and head to the blacktop to collect your child/ren.

There is a lot of traffic at this time of day and we want to ensure everyone is safe and following all traffic directives. Please remember to always use the crosswalk.

Thank you to all our families who donated food for our Student Council Food Drive these past 2 weeks!

We are astounded by the generosity of our Patton community and the volume of donations we collect. Thank you to all who volunteered to load the donations and drop the food off after school - it was so helpful!

The Wheeling Township Food Pantry was delighted to accept our donations and they will be well received by local families in need.

WILL TAKE PHOTOS TOMORROW!

Our Valentine's Parties will take place onThursday February 13th in the afternoon. Your room parents and teachers should have reached out with more information.

This is always such a fun afternoon and we always enjoy the festivities. If students are planning on handing our Valentines, please remember that we have a strict NO FOOD policy for the safety and wellness of all our panthers. Please refrain from sending in candy, chocolates, baked goods etc.

PLEASE READ!

During this time of year, we always see an increase in the car line as it is too cold to walk or bike. Please note that the doors at the back of the building (doors 7 and 8) close promptly at 9:00 AM. If you arrive after the 9:00 AM bell has rung, your child/ren need to enter through the main entrance. Our amazing traffic team are on hand to help until 9:05 AM. After that, students will need to be signed in at the main entrance.

Please remember that we would like all students at their desks and ready to start their day at 9:05 AM. During the winter months the car line does take longer with the increased number of cars so please allow for this and leave a few minutes earlier.

Kindergarten Parents: Please note that, starting Monday, February 3rd, all KINDERGARTEN students should enter through DOOR 7 instead of Door 8. Our Kindergarten teachers have been talking to their students about this today and staff will be on hand to ensure all Kindergartners enter through the correct doors for the first few days. We know change can be difficult sometimes, but we appreciate you working with us and reminding your child of the door they should enter as you drop them off. This will save our kindergarteners a few steps during these cold days.

All 5th graders should continue to enter through Door 8.

Cold and Flu Season

There is a rise in common illness within our schools.

Please help us keep our students and staff healthy by following this guidance:

Consider keeping your child at home for a day of rest if they have any of these symptoms:

• Mild stuffy or runny nose and/or mild cough

• Mild sore throat (no fever, no known exposure to strep)

• Headache

• Stomach ache

Your child must stay home if they have any of these symptoms:

• Fever (100.4f or higher)

• Vomiting

• Diarrhea

• Chills

• Feelings of fatigue, discomfort, weakness or muscle aches

• Frequent Cough, including congested (wet) or croupy cough

Your child may return to school when:

• Fever free for at least 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medication

• At least 24 hours since the last episode of vomiting or diarrhea

• 24 hours after starting antibiotics if prescribed by a provider

• Symptoms are improving and they are well enough to participate in normal activities

Help prevent the flu and other colds by teaching your children good hygiene habits:

• Wash hands frequently

• Do not touch eyes, nose or mouth

• Cover mouth and nose when sneezing or coughing, use a paper tissue, throw it away and then wash hands

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

• Avoid sharing personal items, food, or drinks.

Illinois Department of Public Health fact sheets for common illnesses

• Flu

• Strep Throat

• RSV

• COVID

This is a gentle reminder that the parking lot behind Patton, on Patton Avenue, is for staff only. Please do not park in here at the end of the day when picking up students. If you are picking up your children, please drive through the pickup line.

If you meet your child on the blacktop and you are walking through the back parking lot, please use the sidewalks and please do not walk through the middle of the parking lot as cars are exiting at the end of the school day. Please make sure to use the sidewalks for safety. Thank you so much!

Also, please make sure that children are only crossing the street at the crosswalks. It is very dangerous for children to cross in the middle of the street as drivers are not expecting kids to be there. This is especially important during these winter months when car windows are not as clean and clear as they usually are and visibility is impacted.

Pre-Registration for families with incoming new and kindergarten students for the 2025-2026 school year is OPEN!

If you would like to pre-register a new student, please begin the registration process by visiting www.sd25.org/Registration and clicking on the 2025-2026 Pre-Registration drop down.

If you know of any new families to the area or have neighbors with school age children that you think might be interested, please share this information with them!

Please be mindful that students will go out for recess every day as long as the wind chill is above zero, it is not raining, and the blacktop and fields are not too saturated and muddy. Please ensure your Panthers come to school dressed for the weather. If there is snow on the ground, students will not be able to play on the field or the playground unless they are wearing snow pants and boots. They will need to remain on the blacktop only if they do not have appropriate snow gear. Gloves and hats are important when the weather is cold even if students choose not to bring boots and snow pants.

Please note that the blacktop does still have puddles, slush, and snow. When students do not wear snow pants and are running and playing, they may still get wet. Having an extra set of pants at school is a great idea!.

Students are encouraged to bring in a bag of snow gear each day "just in case" - this also helps minimize any classroom disruptions with items being dropped off after school has started. Please ensure all items are labeled clearly so we can reunite any lost gloves/hats/boots with their owners quickly and easily.

It is important to have students bring their snow gear bags home with them every day so clothes can dry, and the over the weekend so they can be washed and "refreshed" for the following week! Snow gear does not fully dry when left in the bag.

We appreciate your partnership and help so that everyone can enjoy their recess time.

Please accept our apologies but the link for Homework Club included in last week's Post did not appear to work! It is working now so we are very sorry to anyone that tried to signup but was unable to!

4th and 5th Grade homework club provides a quiet space for students to complete assignments or read in a relaxing setting. Mr. Morkert will be available to answer questions and provide help when needed.

It is important that you note whether you will pick up your child or if they will walk home. Mr. Morkert will bring the kids to the front doors at 4:25pm. Please be there waiting at this time.

Please reach out if you have questions. (tmorkert@sd25.org)

This club will run on Thursdays, 3:35-4:40pm.

If your child is interested, please sign up here and be sure to enter your child's name when signing up!

Keeping with our school theme this year - Regulate to Elevate - we are looking to fill our bulletin board in the Commons with photos of staff and students being their best, regulated selves. If you haven't already, please send a photo in with your child. They can be turned in to the Office or to classroom teachers. (Photos will not be able to be returned.)

Should you want to print this calendar as well, please click HERE.

• Thursday, February 13th - 100th Day of School

• Thursday, February 13th - Valentine's Day Classroom Parties

• Friday, February 14th - NO SCHOOL - Parent Teacher Conferences!

• Tuesday, February 18th - 5th Grade Band Performance at Thomas Middle School

• Thursday, February 27th - 3rd Grade Musical Performance

Please be sure to click on the Patton PTA website button above for information about other upcoming events

Main Line: (847) 398-4288
Fax #: (847) 394-6681
Absence Procedure
Twitter: @AHSD25Patton