Graves (K-5) Sailor Newsletter

*Para español por favor haga clic en "Translate” en la esquina superior

Please see the following newsletter for important information.

Friday, March 1 - Monday, March 31: Women's History Month

Saturday, March 1 - Sunday, March 30 (Eid): Ramadan

Tuesday, March 4 - Friday, March 7: RESPECT WEEK

Thursday, March 6: SPRING Picture Day

Friday, March 7: Report Cards Sent Home

Friday, March 14: PBIS Spirit Day: Sport Day

Tuesday, March 11- Thursday, March 13: Science (ISA) Testing for 5th Grade

Monday, March 17: Honoring St. Patrick's Day (Non-Uniform Day: Wear Green)

Friday, March 21: Early Release Day 1:50PM

Monday, March 24 - March 28: Spring Break (No School)

Monday, March 31: Classes Resume

Please remember that every Wednesday is a late start 8:50AM-2:50PM

All meetings are scheduled for 7pm on the second Tuesday of the month.

PLEASE JOIN US!

March 11, 2025

Wharton Elementary School ( Wharton Spotlight)

April 8, 2025

Admin Center

May 13, 2025

Graves Dual Language School (Graves Spotlight)

June 10, 2025

Admin Center

🎬 🍿Next month winners will win a gift card to the movie theater! 🎬 🍿

Educators in Santa Rosa, California first celebrated Women’s History Week in March 1978 to increase awareness of women’s contributions to society. Organizers selected a week in early March to correspond with International Women’s Day on March 8.

In 1980, U.S. president Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8 National Women’s History Week, urging everyone in the United States to participate. According to Carter, "too often the women were unsung and sometimes their contributions went unnoticed. But the achievements, leadership, courage, strength, and love of the women who built America was as vital as that of the men whose names we know so well."

The week-long event officially became a month-long one in 1987 when Congress passed a resolution designating March as Women’s History Month. Women’s History Month has been celebrated in the United States every March since.

In compliance with federal testing requirements, Illinois will administer a science assessment to students enrolled in a public school district in grades 5 & 8. The assessment will be administered in an online format and is aligned to the Illinois Learning Standards for Science incorporating the Next Generation Science Standards(NGSS), which were adopted in 2014.

Some key points to remember

Please make sure your child gets a good night's rest and is ready.

Please make sure your child has a healthy breakfast.

Please make sure your child comes to school on time.

Please make sure your child brings their Chromebook charged.

*Please remember that our 5th graders will be testing Tuesday, March 11- Thursday, March 13

Just a reminder that students should be taking care of their technology devices, especially when they taken home.

As stated in the student handbook the policy states:

The district will assume the cost of parts and labor associated with all repairs deemed due to natural failure. If the technical department determines a failure due to damage, the student will be responsible for any hardware costs needed to return the device to a functional state. The district will assume all labor costs associated with damage repairs. Cosmetic damage will not be charged or repaired.

• Sleeve/Cover Replacement ($10)
• Charger Replacement ($25)
• Keyboard Replacement ($25)
• Touch Screen Replacement ($115)
• iPad Replacement: ($300)
• Chromebook Replacement:

- $250 for a new device, Year 1

- $200 for a device that is 2 years old

- $150 for a device that is 3 years old

- $100 for a device that is 4 years old

It is VERY important the students bring their Chromebook, charged and ready to go every day.

Parents, we need your help!

Please remember to help us by completing the following survey. We are currently at 18% response rate and need to get to 20%, we're so close!

To take the survey please visit http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/ and select the appropriate survey to begin. As a reminder, your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.

Thank you to the parents who've already completed the survey!

Regular daily attendance and arriving on time are

critical components of the educational process.

Please remember that our doors open as early as 7:30/8:30(W) to avoid any traffic/morning rush.

It is important for students to arrive on time so that they begin their day on a positive note.

Arriving a few minutes late may not appear to be a big problem, but when he/she enters the classroom the rest of the class has already begun their daily morning routines.

Class instruction begins as soon as the bell rings, and it is not possible to recover all the learning that takes place in the classroom when multiple tardies have been accumulated. Students will receive letters sent home for excessive tardies.

Additionally, research indicates that a student who has excessive tardies will eventually begin having additional absences.

It is crucial that your child gets to school on or before

7:50AM (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays) & 8:50AM (Wednesdays).

We want your child to be successful.

Please help us make a change. Every minute late is a missed learning opportunity!

In the event of any absence, the student’s parent or guardian is required to call the school before 8:00 a.m. to explain the reason for the absence. If a call has not been made to the school by 10:00 a.m. 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 or guardian cannot be contacted, the student will be required to submit a signed note from the parent or guardian explaining the reason for the absence. Failure to do so shall result in an unexcused absence.

Student attendance is critical to the learning process. A parent or guardian who knowingly and willfully permits a child to be truant is in violation of State law. Truancy is therefore a serious issue and will be dealt with in a serious manner by the school and district. If chronic truancy persists after support services and other resources are made available, the school and district will take further action, including:

D104 Action Plan for Truancy:

Per SD 104 Handbook, Chronic Truancy/Absences Protocol is as follows:

5 absences (unexcused/excused) = Attendance post card sent to Parent via text

9 absences (unexcused/excused) = Truancy letter mailed home, meeting with student

18 days absences (unexcused/excused) = Truancy letter mailed home, building administration will contact parents, and an attendance intervention plan can be implemented via social worker and administrator. Future absences will be marked as Truant unless a doctor’s note is provided.

21+ absences (unexcused/excused) = Truancy letter mailed home, building administration will contact parent/facilitate meeting, and attendance intervention plan will be restructured as needed. IL South Cook regional office will be notified with contact of truancy officer and potential Summit police involvement.

For more information, please look over our districts handbook

March is here, bringing the first signs of spring, National Nutrition Month, and a little extra luck with St. Patrick’s Day just around the corner! Here are some important health updates and reminders to keep our students feeling their best.

🍏 National Nutrition Month: Eat the Green!

March is National Nutrition Month, making it the perfect time to encourage healthy eating habits! Why not celebrate St. Patrick’s Day by adding more green to your plate? Spinach, broccoli, cucumbers, green apples, and avocados are packed with nutrients that help keep young minds sharp and bodies strong. Try making a fun, healthy green smoothie or adding extra veggies to meals this month!

🤧 Spring Allergies: No Luck Needed—Just Preparation!

As flowers begin to bloom, pollen levels rise, and so do allergy symptoms. If your child suffers from seasonal allergies, talk to their doctor about prevention and treatment options. Please inform the school if your child needs allergy medication during the day so we can support them in staying comfortable and focused in class.

🧼 Handwashing: The Gold at the End of the Rainbow

Staying healthy isn’t about luck—it’s about good habits! Handwashing is one of the best ways to prevent illness. Please remind your child to wash their hands regularly, especially before eating and after sneezing or coughing.

⏰ Spring Forward: Adjusting to the Time Change

Don’t forget to set your clocks forward one hour on Sunday, March 10! Losing an hour of sleep can be tough, especially for children. Help them adjust by sticking to a consistent bedtime routine. A well-rested child is ready to learn and enjoy the day!

🏫 Health Office Updates & Reminders

• Dental Day was a success! Miles of Smiles serviced over 100 students at Graves/HMS!

• Health Documents 25'-26' It's time to schedule summer doctor appointments. Please note action plans and medication authorization forms are to be updated and submitted every school year! Health documents for the 25'-26' school year are due August 1st, 2025! See the flyer below the state mandated requirements for each grade level.

• PMHU Loyola pediatric mobile health unit returns to Graves/HMS on April 1st, call the office for more information.

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy March full of good luck and good health! 🍀

Nurse Tina, Nurse Anita & Ms. Oli

Now that the weather is getting nice out, students will continue going out for recess every day. Please make sure that your child wears appropriate sweater/jacket to school.

Per Illinois State Guidelines

- if the REAL FEEL is 32 degrees or higher, students will have OUTDOOR RECESS.

- if the REAL FEEL is 31 degrees or lower, students will have INDOOR RECESS.

Please review this months breakfast & lunch menus with your child.

As a reminder, students have breakfast & lunch options to choose from.

We ask that parents do not send in birthday treats for students to distribute. Please read below, as taken from the 2024-2025 District 104 Handbook:

Treats & Snacks [PreK-5] 1.80 Due to health concerns and scheduling, no birthday treats are allowed. Treats will be limited to certain school-wide celebrations.

The following Graves students were chosen to be our

STUDENT OF THE MONTH

as they have demonstrated how to be

-RESPECTFUL

-RESPONSIBLE

-SAFE

As a reminder, students may wear their "student of the month" T-Shirts with Blue Jeans on Fridays!

Please remember that the previous information is for students in grades Kindergarten-5th only.

For more information about our PreK program please contact the

Pre-School Director, Kathleen Dunn at 708-546-7151 or at kdunn@sd104.us