School News

A BIG thank you goes out to our PTA for organizing another wonderful set of activities related to raising both awareness and funds for Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month. If you have been to school, you have seen the gold ribbons and yard signs that signify our awareness and care for the cause. Students have been excited about having streaks of color in their hair and wearing hats to school. The fun continues with maniCURES and tattoos, along with pajama day, next week. The efforts will culminate with an all school assembly where some key staff members will take a pie in the face! We couldn't be more proud of our community for rallying for such a meaningful cause. Thank you for your support of this endeavor.

Thank you to those parents who expressed an interest in serving as a Room Parent or volunteer at school this year. Room Parents have been identified and notified. They will be reaching out with information about their plans for the year ahead and the help they will need to execute those plans.

As we forge ahead into October, we find ourselves hitting our stride with our procedures and routines. The sounds of teaching and learning are abundant throughout the building. Students are engaged in meaningful and fun experiences throughout their school day. We hope that the home routines related to school are falling into place as well. Thank you for reading books, allocating a time and place for homework completion, and talking with your children about what they are learning in school. It was once said that the days may be long, but the years will fly by quickly. Relish every moment as it is all of the little things we pour into our children that cultivates the adults they will become.

On Tuesday, October 15, 2024 all parents are invited to an informational presentation which will include a showing of a Mental Health Awareness video and Mental Health Presentation in English. A Spanish night is currently being scheduled and we will share that date as soon as possible.

Community Consolidated School District 15 is committed to supporting every student’s academic growth as well as their social, emotional and behavioral growth. In our continuing efforts to support the well-being of our students, District 15 is implementing a comprehensive mental health screening process this school year to identify students who may benefit from additional support. As part of this process, District 15 is utilizing the Social, Academic, Emotional, Behaviors Risk Screener (mySAEBRS) this school year. The screener, mySAEBRS, is a brief rating scale which will be completed by all students in grades 5-8. Student screeners and presentations, for 5th-8th grade, will be taking place during the months of October, November and December.

Our photography company will be back at Marion Jordan for Picture Retake Day on October 22, 2024. All students who were absent on Picture Day will be photographed on that day. If your child was here on Picture Day and you would like for them to sit for a retake, simply send your child's picture package back to school with your child. Picture packages will be distributed in the coming weeks, prior to October 22, 2024. Please contact our school secretary, Jessica Veltri, at veltrij@ccsd15.net with any questions.

We regulary give out clothing items during the course of a school day for students who need them. This need presents when lunch is spilled, student clothing becomes dirty during play at recess, bloody noses present, or accidents happen.

We are currently in need of new or gently used pants, sweat pants for boys and leggings for girls, in all sizes. T-Shirts are also needed. Thank you for keeping us in mind as you shuffle the closets and dressers as the season of fall gets underway.

Marion Jordan, along with other District 15 schools, is happy to offer participation in a program called Blessings in a Backpack. The program offers shelf stable food over the weekends for students in need. Bags of food are lovingly packed and sent home each Friday with your student for consumption over the weekend. The bags are distributed in a discreet and caring manner here at school. We have been delighted to offer this program in previous years and are pleased to be able to start it up again this year.

The program runs the full 38 weeks of the school year. There is NO COST to a family for participation in the program and all you have to do is let me know you're interested. These past few years have been difficult for many and we hope you will take advantage of this available resource.

The first day of distribution for this program will be Friday, October 25, 2024. Kindly submit the form below to indicate your interest in participating in the program.

On January 24, 2013, Governor Quinn signed into effect Public Act 097-1147, also known as Erin’s Law. Erin’s Law was named in honor of Erin Merryn, a brave young woman who has crossed the country advocating for laws that will increase awareness of sexual abuse against children. This law has passed in 37 states, Illinois being one of them.

One of the law’s requirements is that schools provide an age/developmentally appropriate presentation to all students relating to sexual abuse and safety skills, which may include a variety of discussions, activities, videos and/or role play scenarios. These topics include concepts such as; safe and unsafe touches, getting help, boundaries, and empowerment. The purpose of this presentation is to provide students with tools needed for personal safety. We also strive to provide a nurturing and caring environment to openly discuss these topics, if a student desires.

Nationwide, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused before the age of 18. 1 in 5 children are solicited sexually on the Internet. Nearly 70% of all reported sexual assaults (including assaults on adults) occur to children ages 17 and under. The median age for reported sexual abuse is 9 years old.

Through this program aimed at educating and empowering students, we want to provide your child with the knowledge and skills to use if ever affected by sexual abuse.

Trained staff members will be presenting these lessons, in their classrooms, by winter break to meet the requirements of this law and to offer a safe space to students.

If you have any questions or would like additional information on the Erin’s Law presentations, please contact your building’s clinician or administrator. If you would like your child to opt out of these lessons please call your building principal. The District 15 website also has a list of parental resources for your reference.

Tuesday, October 8 - ManiCURES and Tattoos @ Noon

Wednesday, October 9 - Board of Education Meeting Sundling Middle School @ 7pm
Friday, October 11 - Pajama Day
Monday, October 14 - Indiginous Peoples' Day - NO SCHOOL

Thursday, October 17 - NSSEO Neurodevelopment Autism Presentation at MJ @ 7pm

Friday, October 18 - High Five Friday @ Arrival

October 21-25 - Scholastic Book Fair

Tuesday, October 22 - Picture Retake Day

Tuesday, October 22 - Trunk or Treat

October 24-25 - Donuts with a Grown Up

Thursday, October 31 - Halloween Celebrations

Sunday, November 3 - Daylight Savings - Fall Back

Tuesday, November 5 - Election Day - NO SCHOOL

Monday, November 11 - Veteran's Day Concert

Those who serve our country are among the bravest of people who deserve to be honored and recognized on Veterans Day. The staff and students of Marion Jordan would like to invite the veterans of our community to a Veterans Day event on Monday, November 11th. If you know of a Veteran in our community, such as a neighbor or friend, or, if your child has a relative who has served in one of the armed forces, we would like to hear from you. Your child will then be invited to join the Veteran that he/she knows for our activities planned for the morning of November 11th.

Veteran's Day will be celebrated on Monday, November 11, 2024 at Marion Jordan School. We will gladly welcome Veterans from our community and treat them to a musical delight. Please click the bar below to tell us about a Veteran you know who'd like to celebrate with us!

Consider recording and sending a short video tribute to a Veteran you know or Veterans in general. These clips will be included in our program for community Veterans on November 11th.

We are very excited to celebrate Halloween this school year. We thank our wonderful PTA, Room Parents and volunteers for supporting our event. Kindly take a moment to review our plan and expectations for Thursday, October 31, 2024. We look forward to a memorable and fun time together!

1:30-1:45 pm-Weather permitting, students will parade outside in their costumes. Parents/guardians are welcome to view the parade on the outside field. This is weather permitting ONLY and will not be rescheduled due to inclement weather, nor will it be moved indoors. There will not be a parade if we cannot go outdoors. We will notify parents via email message by 11am on the 31st.

1:45-2:45- Classroom Halloween celebrations will take place which are sponsored and organized by our PTA and our parent volunteers. Room Parents will provide the office staff with the names of volunteers attending per classroom so that we can pre-print visitor badges to expedite the check in process. Only parents who are signed up (4 per classroom) to help with classroom parties will be allowed to participate. All volunteers will check into the school office with a photo ID. Volunteers will wait in the conference room until 1:40pm.

2:45-3:00 Clean up and volunteer check out. REMINDER - we will start this at 2:45 so our visitors are out before buses and cars enter the lot. Volunteers are welcome to sign their student (s) out at the conclusion of the classroom event. Volunteers can only take additional children if we have written permission (submit such information via email to veltrij@ccsd15.net and wallink@ccsd15.net) from both the sending and receiving parent.

All students will be dismissed at 3:05 pm via their normal end of day plan unless an alternate plan is communicated to the classroom teacher and the office staff.

Kindly adhere to the guidelines below when helping your child choose their costume should they wish to wear one.

Halloween Attire

Students are permitted to wear costumes on Halloween as long as their attire complies with the student appearance policy noted in the Parent/Student Handbook and meets the following set of expectations. Comfort and warmth are always key as well!

● Children cannot wear bloody, gruesome, or especially scary costumes.

● Actual weapons, look-alike weapons, toy weapons or weapon-like objects are not allowed.

● Masks that cover the face and head are not allowed.

● Costume make-up is allowed provided it does not cover the student’s entire face.

● Costumes that could be offensive or perpetuate a stereotype about someone’s culture, gender, heritage or religion are not allowed

Students are welcome to wear their Halloween costumes to school for the entire day. We have moved away from students changing during the noon hour or going home to do so. We look forward to students being able to wear their costume and/or fall gear for the day at school. Inflatable costumes will be put on over clothing after the noon hour.

As a reminder, all District 15 celebrations are food free. You are welcome to send in small, non-edible trinkets (pencils/erasers/temporary tattoos, etc.) for your student to share with their classmates. Please note - any food items will not be distributed and will be returned to you.

We look forward to celebrating this student- loved, festive day with your child (ren).

The health office has been sending emails to parents in regards to health documents received or still needed for our students. Reminders to parents will be going out frequently prior to the October 15th, 2024 exclusion date via email, Blackboard and Infinite Campus.

• Kindergarteners: Updated physicals with immunizations (or waiver) and eye exams are due 10/15/2024. Dental exams are due 5/15/25.
• 2nd Graders: Dental exams are due 5/15/25
• New to district/new to IL (does not include students who have transferred from another school within district): Physical with immunizations and eye exams are due 10/15/2024. Dental exams are due 5/15/2025.

Our exclusion date is 10/15/2024, any student who does not have a current physical with immunizations on file will be excluded from school and will not be able to return until we receive this information. Due to the later start date of school this year, proof of an upcoming appointment will be accepted and students will be allowed to remain in school, as long as we have the file by the appointment day provided.

If you have any questions, concerns, or need to be provided with resources to help you in securing your child's eligibility, please contact the health office.

Of all of the things we do at school, safety is always a first and foremost consideration. To help staff and students be prepared for an unexpected event, we practiced the following drills at school this week:

Shelter in Place: Students move to low level, interior areas, away from glass. Students practice covering the most important part of their body - their head. This is for protection against the effects of severe weather.

HOLD: Staff and students remain in the area they are located when this protocol is implemented. The intent is to keep hallways clear in the event first responders would need to navigate them.

Lockdown Drill: This drill helps us prepare for an unexpected intruder inside the building. Students move to an area of the classroom that is out of sight. The lights are turned off and everyone is quiet, giving the impression to an outsider that the room is vacant. The classroom door is locked to keep children inside safe.

Bus Evacuation Drill: Bus drivers teach students what to do in the event of an emergency on the bus, including when and how to evacuate the bus.

Fire Drill: We have a fire drill scheduled with the fire department this coming week. This drill helps us prepare to evacuate the building in a timely and orderly fashion.

• If you have young children (Pre-K and Kindergarten age), be sure to check out the wonderful video series and resources created just for them from the Child Mind Institute to help them build skills to understand their feelings, use their words, have big feelings, be brave and be a good friend. Each topic includes an age-appropriate video as well as parent/educator resources.
• Check out these playful ways to teach your child impulse control, emotional regulation and focus.
• When talking with kids, it can sometimes be difficult to find the right words. Here are 12 powerful parenting phrases that make talking with kids easier.
  
• Join the #DeviceFreeDinner movement. Establish device-free dinner in your home. Try these downloadable conversation starters to build greater connection.
  

Autism Presentation

October 17, 2024

5:30-6:30

Marion Jordan

Understanding IEPs and the Process

November 6, 2024

5:30-7:00

Winston Campus Middle School

District 15 SEL Website

Welcome to Marion Jordan Elementary School, Home of the Blue Jays!

We are located at 100 N. Harrison Ave. Palatine, IL 60067

Our main office phone number is 847-963-5500. Our Absence Line is 847-963-5501.

Principal: Mrs. Jennifer Grosch 847-963-5505 groschj@ccsd15.net

Assistant Principal: Mrs. Hillary Pruc 847-963-5504 pruch@ccsd15.net

School Office Staff: Ms. Jess Veltri 847-963-5580 veltrij@ccsd15.net and Mrs. Kelly Wallin 847-963-5503 wallink@ccsd15.net

School Nurse: Mrs. Brooke Buczkiewicz 847-963-5502 buczkieb@ccsd15.net