Message from the Principal

Dear Virginia Lake Families,

School begins in less than 2 weeks! We can't wait to welcome back our Dolphins! Classroom assignments are available in Campus Parent. Teacher assignments are located under the schedule tab. If you do not see your teacher assignments, your registration is not complete. Please contact our school office.

Transportation information will be available this week. District 15 has a new application for parents to track school buses, My Ride. Please see the information below to download the application.

We are excited to share that we will have 4 to 5 sections/classrooms at each grade level-kindergarten to 5th grade. Each of our teachers seek to provide a positive, academically challenging, and welcoming learning environment at Virginia Lake.

Kindergarten Teachers- Ms. Boynton, Mrs. Dashto, Ms. Grosch, Mrs. McGarrie, Ms. Slusarczyk

First Grade Teachers- Mrs. Dlatt, Mrs. Emery, Mrs. Castelan, Ms. Peterson, Mrs. Rokosz

Second Grade Teachers- Mrs. Acero, Ms. Ferrazzuolo, Mrs. Lopez, Mrs. Pashkow, Ms. Ridler

Third Grade Teachers- Ms. Brache, Ms. Gajewski, Ms. Ng, Ms. Paraskevas, Ms. Theobald

Fourth Grade Teachers- Ms. Aykroid, Mrs. Degrazia, Mrs. Mohammed, Ms. Menas, Ms. Schafer

Fifth Grade Teachers- Mrs. Brown, Mrs. McRorie, Ms. Husak, Ms. Schallmoser

We are welcoming several new teachers to our school community. Information about our new team is available in this newsletter.

There are new parking restrictions that the City of Palatine has implemented over the summer. Parking is not longer allowed on the east AND west side of Rohlwing Rd. This change is in effect because during arrival and dismissal parked cars and cars waiting in our car rider line have blocked traffic on Rowlwing. Cars are no longer allowed to park on the Rohlwing Rd. during arrival and dismissal. If families prefer to exit their car to pick up their child, they can park in the Palatine High School stadium lot and walk to our property. Cars waiting in the car rider lane should wait along side the curb to pull into our lot. The photo below provides a visual of the parking restrictions. We thank you in advance for your help in implementing this change.

Let’s make it a great school year!

Warmest Regards,

Patti Van Winkle, Principal

Arrival begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 9:15 a.m. Virginia Lake provides supervision beginning at 9:00 a.m. If families arrive prior to 9:00 a.m., please have your child(ren) wait in their vehicle. Car riders should exit on the passengers side of the vehicle for your child's safety. Parents, please remain in your cars. Staff members are happy to help your child enter the school building. All vehicles should take a right out of our parking lot. If families walk, students are welcome to socialize on the grass or by Door 4. At 9:00, students should line up by the brick wall by Door 4 to enter the school building. Playing sports is not permitted on school property prior to arrival. We want to ensure everyone is safe.

Students who ride the bus will enter in Door 1 or Door 16. All students participating in our breakfast program will enter through Door 16.

Dismissal begins at 3:55 p.m. Students who ride the bus, will load their bus when the bell rings. Students who are car riders, will wait for their car in between the cones on the sidewalk ( picture below). Parents should remain in their cars at all times. Students who are walkers can meet their family at a meeting spot ( near Door 4) or begin walking home. Students who are walking must use the cross walks with the crossing guards on Rohlwing Rd.

Did you know? Students with perfect attendance are more likely to excel in their studies. Help us meet our goal of 9 or fewer absences for success! Together, we can make every day count for our children!

Viviana will be joining the leadership team. Viviana most recently served as the 5th grade Dual Language teacher at Jane Addams Elementary, where she served as a mentor and lead teacher. Prior to that, Viviana served as an English teacher in the United Arab Emirates, and a 3rd grade Dual Language teacher at Winston Campus Elementary. She is known for her classroom management skills and her commitment to setting high expectations and achievable goals for student success.

Kristi Aguilar is joining Virginia Lake as the Student Services Coordinator. Kristi most recently served as the Coordinator of Multilingual Supports for the Exceptional Learners Collaborative at Stevenson High School, where her focus was planning for and teaching others about multilingual students with disabilities. Prior to that, Kristi worked at the Hawthorn School of Dual Language for 11 years where she served as a bilingual special education resource teacher, and then a 5th grade dual language teacher. She is known for her desire to serve both multilingual learners and students with disabilities, and her interest in the intersection of those two areas.

María will be joining the Pre-K bilingual team. María most recently served as a preschool teacher at a school in Dublin, where she was the room leader teacher of the preschool classroom and also had a supervisor position. Prior to that, María served as an early childhood educator in different schools in her home country (Spain) and as a preschool English teacher. She is passionate for early childhood education, social-emotional education, and the use of children's literature as a way to motivate and engage with her students.

Ms. Susy Casas will be joining the ECDEC Pre-K team. Ms. Susy most recently served as the ECDEC Pre-K teacher at Conyers Learning Academy, where she was able to provide instruction to children in an all Spanish preschool classroom . Prior to that, Ms. Susy was a teaching assistant for 6 years in ECDEC at Kimball Hill Elementary. She is known for providing assistance to families and children entering the school system for the first time in families' native language and emphasizing the importance of bilingualism in all children.

Lindsay Boynton will be joining the kindergarten team. Lindsay most recently served as the 6th grade teacher at Lake Louise, where she received a “Those who Excel Award” from district office. Prior to that Lindsay served as a 2nd grade teacher in Houston,Texas. She is known for her positive attitude that benefits her teammates, and students.

Ericka Slusarczyk will be joining the Kindergarten grade team. Ericka most recently served as a student at The Erikson Institute, where she was receiving her masters in Early Childhood Education with a Special Education Endorsement. Prior to that, Ericka served as a Child Care Director at Stepping Stones Nursery School. Ericka student taught in District 15. She is known for incorporating play into education and focusing on social/emotional skills.

Leah Paraskevas will be joining the 3rd grade team. Leah most recently served as the 3rd Grade teacher at Lake Louise, where she began her teaching career. Prior to that, Leah was in school pursuing her education degree. She is known for prioritizing relationships with the students, as well as adding movement to her student's learning

Kayley Ng will be joining the third grade team. Kayley most recently served as fourth grade teacher at Kilmer Elementary where she served as team leader. Prior to that, she served as a camp counselor for six years where she fell in love with working with children. She is known as crafty and loves to use her Cricut to create bulletin boards, t-shirts, and custom stickers.

Kate Gajewski will be joining the 3rd grade team. Kate most recently served as the Academic Interventionist at Paddock, where she was known for her fun and engaging math projects! Prior to that, Kate served as a 4th grade teacher in the private schools and later was a building substitute. She is very excited to create a classroom community with her students and build on their social/emotional learning.

Teresa Schallmoser will be joining the 5th grade team. Teresa most recently served as a 4th grade student teacher at Harrison School in Wonder Lake, where she was able to develop her teaching skills. Prior to that, Teresa was a student at Illinois State University where she got to be a part of diverse learning spaces and served as a clinical student in schools near Illinois State. She is excited to kick off her teaching career in the school district that she grew up in and to create a strong community in her classroom.

Adan Morales will be joining the art team at VL. Adan most recently served as the itinerant art teacher at Jane Addams, Kimball Hill, and Lincoln, where he was running art club in addition to his regular art classes. Prior to that, he substituted for two years across CCSD15 and student taught at Elk Grove High School as he earned his Master’s in Education from North Park University. Adan has his Bachelor’s in Fashion Design and loves all forms of Fine Arts. Adan “es bilingüe” in English and Spanish and is happy to communicate with you in your preferred language.

Abriana Tereza will be joining the general music team. Abriana recently graduated from Augustana College this past May, where she majored in Vocal Music Education. During her time, she was involved in The Augustana Choir and other music ensembles. She is passionate about leadership and creativity, and she is so excited to be joining District 15!

Jennifer Muccianti will be joining the specials team as the itinerant P.E. teacher. Mrs. Muccuanti has been working in District 15 since 1998. Most of her time was spent as the P.E. teacher at Lincoln. Mrs. Muccianti enjoys spending time with her 15 year old triplets. She is known for her love of sports and music. Mrs. Muccianti is excited to be a part of the Virginia Lake team.

Amanda will be joining the clinician team as a social worker. Amanda most recently graduated with her Masters in Social Work in May and she served as a social worker intern with District 15 at Lincoln School and Conyers Learning Academy, where she was able to work with a wide variety of students that has helped her to be able to problem solve in various settings. Prior to that, Amanda served as an intern for State Senator Karina Villa where she sat on their education board, learning about various different topics in the field of education. She is able to be a continuous problem solver and is always thinking of the best ways to be able to help the students in our school.

Emma Langer will be joining the Pre-K Special Education team. She recently graduated college at Rivier University, where she played softball, was a part of multiple clubs, and led a community Pre-K. During that time, Emma served as a children’s culinary instructor at Cook, Cork, & Fork over the summers. She is known for being good with technology.

Mr. Kevin Holt will be joining the special areas team as the band director at Virginia Lake Elementary School. Mr. Holt most recently served as the comprehensive music teacher at Winston Campus Elementary School for the last three years, where he was the Special Area Team Leader, Coordinated the School Spelling Bee, and a member of the School Leadership and Organization Team. Mr. Holt is also a current Golden Apple Teaching Scholar working towards earning his Crystal Apple. He is known for going above and beyond with student relationship building, as well as excellence in best teaching practices with band students. He is excited to be a part of the team, and a part of the community this school year!

Shayla Flores will be joining the ESL team. Shayla most recently served as the Bilingual Intervention teacher at Winston Campus Elementary School, where she was working alongside the K-2 teachers in the dual-language program. Prior to that, Shayla served as a lead staff at an after school program that partners with D15. She is particularly skilled in motivating children to practice their reading at home while also making it fun and engaging for students at school in small group settings.

Carmein Stringer will be joining the bilingual team. Ms. Stringer most recently served as the bilingual resource teacher at Winston Campus Elementary, where she was previously teaching Native Content to 3rd, 5th and 6th grade students. Prior to that, Ms. Stringer served as an ESL teacher at various grade levels in District 15. She is known for having a passion for social studies, geography and teaching about diverse cultures!

Ana Erdei will be joining Virginia Lake as one of our bilingual resource teachers. Ana recently assisted with the launch of Kimball Hill's dual language program as a DL kindergarten teacher. She was among the first teachers to start the dual language program in the district at Winston Campus. Ana also taught bilingual kindergarten and 2nd and 2/3 multiage at Thomas Jefferson. With 24 years of teaching experience, Ana is multilingual and multicultural and comes in with a vast knowledge of language acquisition.

Hilal Ekter will become the itinerant teacher at Virginia Lake Elementary School, where she most recently served as a program assistant-math support. Prior to that, Hilal began her career as a 2nd grade teacher. She had the opportunity to focus solely on teaching math when she worked as a math assistant. While she enjoys teaching all subjects and grades, elementary math is her passion. Her favorite thing about her job is using her passion to inspire the next generation.

This year, Kindergarten teachers in all Illinois school districts are using the 14 readiness measures of the Kindergarten Individual Development Survey (KIDS) to help them understand their students strengths and needs. KIDS is not a test. Instead, KIDS is a tool to help teachers organize and structure how they observe students. KIDS observations occur as the children perform their normal, daily routine. These observations help our teachers learn about each student and his or her strengths, needs, and interests and helps our teachers plan and focus the class’ activities and lessons. If you are interested in learning more about KIDS, please visit the KIDS Families Toolkit at https://www.isbe.net/Pages/KIDS-Families.aspx.

Students in grades 2-8 will participate in MAP Testing in reading and math beginning September 11. MAP tests are unique because they adapt to your child’s responses to measure your child’s skill level. If your child answers a question correctly, the next question is more challenging. If your child answers incorrectly, the next question is easier.

These results provide a more complete picture of what your child knows and is ready to learn — whether it is on, above, or below their grade level. MAP tests measure students’ achievement and growth. Teachers use results to identify students with similar learning needs, tailor classroom lessons, and set goals for students. MAP results will be shared with families in early October.

Supply lists are available online. Please click on the following link for information specific to your child’s grade-level assignment.

Virginia Lake School Supply Lists

Please kindly drop off any needed forms and medications at our Nurse's Office on August 26th, August 27th from 7:45 a.m.-2:45 p.m. and during Meet the Teacher. Please take a moment to review the important medical information below. We look forward to a healthy and happy school year!

• 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 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 October 15, 2024 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 the 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.

• 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 contact our school office. Thank you for your patience. Stay safe and enjoy the rest of your summer!
  

District 15 is implementing a new application that will allow families to track their child's school bus. Please download the application here.

We look forward to welcoming our students and their families on Tuesday, September 3rd to Meet the Teacher, from 1:45-2:30 p.m. Families are encouraged to bring their child’s school supplies to this event.

We will be hosting our Parent Orientation Night on Wednesday, September 11th. Our schedule for the evening is listed below. We look forward to sharing our learning plans and expectations for the upcoming school year. This is an informational evening for parents/guardians ONLY. Thank you for saving the date!

6:30-7:00 p.m.- Preschool -2nd Grade

7:10-7:40 p.m.- Grades 3-5

We are located at 925 N. Glenn Dr. Palatine, IL 60074.

Our main office phone number is 847-963-7100. Our Absence Line is 847-963-7101.

Principal: Mrs. Van Winkle 847-963-7105 vanwinkp@ccsd15.net

Assistant Principal: Ms. Viviana Reyes 847-963-7104 reyesv@ccsd15.net

Assistant Principal: Mr. Rodriguez 847-963-7121, rodrigj2@ccsd15.net

Elementary Secretary: Ms. Tejeda 847-963-7100 tejedar@ccsd15.net

Office Clerical: Ms. Pereyra pereyrac@ccsd15.net

School Nurse: Ms. Mendez mendezs@ccsd15.net

Wednesday, August 28th- Welcome Wednesday- Grades PreK-1 - 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, September 3rd- Meet the Teacher- 1:45-2:30 p.m.

Thursday, September 5th- First Day of School ( All Grades)

Friday, September 6th- PTA Homecoming- 5:00-7:00 p.m.

Tuesday, September 10th- PTA Meeting- 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday, September 11th- Parent Orientation - K-2- 6:30-7:00p.m./ 3-5- 7:10-7:40 p.m.

Monday, September 30th- Picture Day

Email: vanwinkp@ccsd15.net
Website: https://www.ccsd15.net/VL
Location: 925 N Glenn Dr, Palatine, IL, USA
Phone: 847-963-7105