We're excited to announce we will be hosting our next Parent Town Hall session on Tuesday, February 11th, from 5:30-7:30 on Social Media Safety.
Parents who attend will be entered into a raffle to win a gift card from one of our local community businesses. The advisory class who has the most parent attendance will win donuts and the students will receive 20 Mega Stallion Medallions!
Please click the link for more information and to RSVP for this event. A light meal and childcare will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.
Graduation Gowns
An email was sent to 8th grade parents this past week regarding the payment for the graduation gown. If you received this notice, a payment can be made online using RevTrak via credit or check with your student’s ID# in the amount of $27. You can make a cash payment in the exact amount of $27 with the secretaries in the office.
*All payments are due by Monday, January 27th.
8th Grade Cap and Gown Pictures
The 8th graders will be taking cap and gown pictures on Monday, January 27th beginning at 8:00 am. More information will be shared when we get closer to the date.
8th Grade T-Shirts
The T-Shirt fundraiser for the Class of 2025 is now live on Image Market. You can place your order today using the link below.
Planning Ahead
8th Grade parent donations and volunteers is needed for the EOY activities. Please reach out to Mrs. Thorsen at thorsen@ccsd93.com for more information and how you can support.
Tips for Building Positive Attendance Habits
In examining our student data from previous years, we consistently find that:
Students who miss 1 or 0 days of school per month throughout the school year are twice as likely to meet grade level expectations in reading and math than those who miss 2+ days of school per month.
Students who arrive on time to school also generally outperform those who are frequently tardy.
Without question, on-time attendance truly matters to student success. Knowing this, our goal is to help students and their families to build positive attendance habits this school year, and school administrators will be making an extra effort to monitor attendance more closely than ever. Please review this info sheet for some great tips to ensure your child is consistently in attendance and on time this school year.
Middle School Attendance Habits - English
Middle School Attendance Habits - Spanish
It’s wintertime and students should be dressed for the weather at school. We encourage you to check the forecast daily before leaving home and wear warm jackets/coats, hats, gloves, and scarves.
We need our students at school every day feeling well and ready to learn.
*Students enter the building through their grade level door at 7:50 am.
Hello Stratford Parents,
The PTA is a well established organization at our school, providing several activities for our students and staff every year. We are able to do so with the help of our Stratford families who join and help us fundraise.
This year however, we have a very low number of PTA members. Not only does this affect us financially, it also hinders the ability to host activities that our school enjoys.
Without any new additional membership or more volunteers to help with fundraisers, we have several annual student activities that are in jeopardy of not happening. These include the end-of-year 8th grade events (dance, breakfast and gift) as well as 6th & 7th grade end-of-year events. We would also like to host some dances this year for the students and other fun new activities.
We really need parents to step up and help with coordinating these activities as well as financially support the PTA. There are several ways you can help.
Financial Support
Become a PTA Member - Your $12 membership fee goes directly to the PTA. Join now at https://stratfordmiddleschool.givebacks.com/store/items/16703.
Community Nights - Visit our local business sponsors on Community Nights. A percentage of sales will be given back to the PTA.
Fundraisers - Donate directly to PTA fundraisers held throughout the year.
Volunteer Support
Fundraising - We are always looking for new ideas to fundraise. Also need volunteers to help coordinate fundraisers/community nights.
Membership - Volunteers are needed at school events to hand out flyers about joining the PTA.
Hearing/Vision Screening - Assist students going from classrooms to the screening.
Concessions for After School Activities - Volunteers are needed to work at a PTA concession stand.
Activity Coordinator (i.e. school dance) - Lead a team of volunteers for student activities.
Newsletter Chair - We would like to create a newsletter that keeps our families updated on what the PTA is doing.
Teacher Appreciation Week - This 5 day event needs volunteers to help each day at the school.
Board Positions
Treasurer - We currently have an open position for a treasurer that needs to be filled. If any of this sounds like you can help, please reach out to me at 847-322-5695 or niecce6@aol.com.
Denise Yabi
PTA President
Please help us with the academic success of your child by making sure they have all the necessary items like pencils, pens, notebooks, folders, and charged devices to ensure they can participate fully in their studies without interruption due to missing materials.
Key points about students being prepared with school supplies:
Academic success:
Having the proper supplies allows students to actively engage in learning activities without having to borrow from others, potentially impacting their academic performance positively.Organization:
A well-stocked backpack with organized supplies helps students stay focused and manage their time efficiently.Classroom readiness:
Being prepared with supplies shows responsibility and allows students to start class promptly without distractions.
We appreciate your support.
Illinois requires that all students who have been identified as English Learners take the state’s English language proficiency test each year.
EL students participate in the state-mandated Assessment for English Language Acquisition (ACCESS) test annually. This test measures the student's ability to communicate in English for academic and social purposes within the school setting. Students are tested on their reading, writing, speaking and listening proficiencies. Families and staff members receive a yearly report on the student’s overall score for each language domain.
Please review the attached ACCESS letter for more information.
Our next meeting will be Wednesday, January 15th. Please plan to attend one of the following session times.
Taborn Morning Meet Up: 8:30-9:15 am
Taborn Takeaways: 4:00-4:45 pm
Please review the attached agenda. I look forward to meeting with you.
