The Weekly Update #5

A reminder that October 7, 8, 9, and 10 are early release days for students 8:45-2:15. Friday October 11th is a non attendance day for students.

Student-Led Conferences are scheduled for the afternoons and evenings of October 9 and 10. They are a great opportunity for parents, students and their teachers to meet to discuss successes, areas for improvement and goalsetting for the year! Parents were able to sign up for conferences through PTC Wizard starting at noon on September 20.

This year, signing up is easier than ever before: you don’t need to create a PTC Wizard account or add your children yourself. Instead, CCSD93 will send you your PTC Wizard login credentials by email, and your children will be automatically linked to your account. Make sure to follow the directions you received on September 20 to log in and sign up!

Please check your calendars the dates shared in the Last newsletter were not correct.

PTA meetings will take place in the Husky Den at 6:00 pm.

Meetings begin at 6:00pm in the HLS Husky Den.

PTA Meeting Schedule

October 7, 2024

November 11, 2024

January 13, 2025

February 10, 2025

March 10, 2025

April 14, 2025

May 12, 2025

Thursday, October 31

As Halloween approaches and the excitement of this fun day continues to grow we want to remind and inform everyone of a few things. Our primary focus is student learning. It's our responsibility to respect the learning process and provide a safe learning environment at all times. The Halloween Parade will take place on Thursday, October 31 (weather permitting) at 2:30. You can view the parade from outside. Halloween classroom parties will begin after the parade. We respectfully ask that if your child is going to be taking an alternative route home, please inform the office prior to 10/31. We ask that you adhere to the guidelines outlined below. Our goal is to make it a day of learning as well as a day filled with fun activities.

• Be Respectful: Please be mindful of the learning process. Students should bring their costumes to wear later in the day. No costumes or make-up should be worn to school as this will cause a distraction from learning. If students are absent from school, they cannot be in attendance at the party.

• Be Responsible: Students will have time to change into their costume before the parade. Please send a costume that your student can be responsible for putting on themselves with minimal assistance. Staff is able to assist with costume changes but cannot assist with make-up. Costumes exhibiting excessive gore or blood will not be allowed at school.

• Be Safe: No real or simulated weapons such as guns, swords, pistols, pitchforks, etc. or anything that can be construed as a weapon will be allowed. Students may wear masks but must be able to navigate safely through the parade and party.

We are hopeful for good weather, for the Halloween Parade. The parade will be CANCELED if it’s raining. Please know if it’s cold we will still have the parade, students should come prepared with jackets. We will do our best to communicate if the parade is canceled by emailing everyone. Parents can view the parade from outside. Parents and or family members may not enter through any side doors.

Heritage Lakes’ first priority is to keep students safe at school. We have many parent helpers on Halloween. There are several things you can do to make the process smoother. Please make note of the following:

Students come to lunch at the following times.

11:10-11:50 - 4th and 5th grade

11:55-12:35 - Kindergarten and 1st grade

1240:-1:20 - 2nd and 3rd grade

• Students will be provided an opportunity to change into costumes in the classroom. If you are planning on picking your child up and dropping off, please come during your child’s lunchtime. If you have more than one child please pick them up and drop off during their lunch hours when possible.

• Enter only through the front door to sign students in and out (Door # 1).

• Room parents cannot go down to the classrooms before 2:15 and should check in at the office.

• View the parade from outside. Parents and/or family members may not enter through any of the side doors during the parade.

• If you have prepared treats for a party (store bought treats only), drop them off early (marked with teacher name and room number) so runners will have time to run them to the classroom.

• If you are a room parent please make sure you have your ID with you and get here early if you plan to check into the office the day of the party.

October 31 End-of-Day Schedule:Classes end at 2:15 PM

Room parents begin classroom set up 2:15 PM

Parade begins approximately 2:30 PM

Room parties begin after the parade; approximately 2:40 PM-3:30

*End of day dismissal at 3:45 PM

Student safety is our school’s highest concern. We've seen an increase in unsafe driving practices near our school and school buses in recent school years. For the safety of all of our students, all parents and other motorists driving near our school and school buses MUST:

• Remain attentive and NOT use cell phones or personal devices while driving

• Reduce speed to 20 mph when driving near a school between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

• Follow traffic patterns

• Obey crossing guards

• STOP when the stop sign arm of a school bus has been extended; to clarify, this means:

• When traveling on two lane roadway with cars traveling in both directions, ALL CARS MUST STOP

• When traveling on a one-way roadway, regardless of the number of lanes, ALL CARS MUST STOP

• When traveling on four or more lane roadway with cars traveling in both directions, cars traveling in the same direction as the bus must stop

• When in doubt, STOP

• For more information on driving near school buses, view this document from the Illinois State Police website

Please take a moment to consider your driving practices near our school and buses and adjust your habits if necessary. Drivers who are observed by police participating in any of these unsafe practices will be pulled over and ticketed. We are all very busy, which can impact our driving habits, but the safety of our students must be our priority.

So far this school year we have practiced a fire drill, Run Hide and Fight drill and a tornado drill. Students did a great job of exiting the building safely and quietly during the fire drill. During the Tornado drill students learned the safest spots to align in the hall in the event that we ever have a tornado. On September 17th we held a a run hide and fight drill. Carol stream police was invited to observe the run hide and fight drill to ensure that we are doing providing every opportunity to ensure student safety.

Please take time with your children to build routines for charging and returning to school with their device each day (if they take it home). As students may be accessing information for school on their devices it is difficult for students when they come to school without their device. You may consider having a consistent spot where your child stores their device at home. Creating a checklist and or a visual to assist your child in remembering their device (attach or place the list on their backpack).

District 93 is hosting our 2nd Annual D93 Kids Foundation Trivia Night Fundraiser on October 26, 2024 from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. at American Legion Post 76 Hall, 570 S.Gary Ave. in Carol Stream!

The festive event will feature fun trivia and games emceed by our friends at Go 4 It Entertainment, raffle baskets, a 50/50 raffle and more! The winning team’s school will earn the traveling Trivia Night Trophy, currently held by Western Trails, for the year. Tickets are $10 per seat or $100 for a table of up to 10 individuals.

You’re invited to gather up colleagues and friends and reserve your seat(s) or table today at www.ccsd93.com/trivia! After completing that form you’ll receive an automated email with a link to finalize your purchase and more details. It will also include links to pre-purchase raffle tickets so you can head straight to the fun after checking in.

More event info:

• This event is open to CCSD93 parents and educators, along with their friends and family, ages 21 and older.

• If you have a group of less than 10, you can purchase up to 9 individual tickets in one order to ensure you’re seated together. Teams of less than 10 may be seated at a table together.

• Teams are encouraged to create themes, dress in costume and decorate their table.

• Drinks will be available for purchase at the venue's bar.

• All proceeds will go directly to each CCSD93 elementary and middle school PTA and the D93 Kids Foundation, whose mission is to support CCSD93's students to maximize their potential by providing students in need with school supplies, warm winter apparel and additional key resources.

Seats are limited. On behalf of the D93 Kids Foundation, we’d love to see you there!