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News from Sundling Junior High
January 31, 2024
Letter from the Principal
Although the cold temperatures, blustery winds, and snow (and ice) of the winter months are upon us, things remain warm inside the walls of Sundling Junior High. The students recently wrapped up the first half of the school year and are preparing to set goals and buckle down for a successful second half of learning. Our teachers took time to review both school and classroom CHAMPS expectations when we returned from Winter Break, helping to support a positive tone and set up a successful 2nd semester. We also spent valuable time revising and updating goals and reviewing social emotional learning lessons to support our work together. Thanks to the many teachers and students involved in creating activities, scripts and videos for their peers!
We have shared in many successes since the start of the school year, and have many things to be proud of and thankful for as we look back at the first five months of school. There is still much work ahead as we push toward May, and the end of the school year. No matter the conditions, season, or month of school, the staff and administration at Sundling are committed to providing a safe and comfortable learning environment that will challenge and motivate our students to reach their full potential. This environment is created to help support their academics, and also their social and emotional well-being.
I hope that you stay warm during these winter months. Please be sure to ask your child what he/she is learning each day, and don’t accept, “I don’t know” or “nothing” as an answer!! Our journey as “Partners in Learning” continues…
Thank you for the continued support of our school and staff.
As always, take care and stay well,
Jason Dietz
Principal
#iagdtbap #sundlingstrong
8th Grade Graduation Pictures- 2/1/24
8th Grade Graduation Pictures will be taken at Sundling JH on Thursday, February 1, 2024 during the morning hours. 8th grade students will be called down to take pictures alphabetically by last name during the morning hours. Students will take pictures in a provided graduation gown and in dress clothing.
A few weeks following picture day, proofs will be sent to the school, and then sent home with your child for review. Parents can review pictures and purchase photos on mylifetouch.com at that time.
If a student misses the February 1st Picture Day, or parents are not happy with the original proofs, Picture Retakes will occur at Sundling JH on Friday, March 8, 2024.
WRS Yearbooks! Order Yours Today!
We are excited to announce that you are able to preorder the yearbook online! The 2023-24 yearbook will be hardcover and cost $15. Students will receive the yearbook at the end of the school year. There are a limited number of yearbooks available. Please consider purchasing as this is a great way for students to remember their junior high years!
This year we are accepting all preorders online only. To order, visit www.ybpay.lifetouch.com and search for Walter R. Sundling Junior High (Code: 14528124). If you have any questions about order status or how to access the website, please reach out to Shannon Gill (gills@ccsd15.net) or Jasmine Meeker (meekerj@ccsd15.net).
7th Grade- Choosing Electives for 8th Grade (24/25 SY)
As a part of their middle school experience, our future 8th graders have the opportunity to share their preferences for elective classes next year. We ask that families discuss elective courses with students and identify preferences before Friday, February 2. On this date, students will complete an Elective Preference form in class with their teachers.
Identifying Elective Preferences
Middle school students participate in nine courses each day, including six core academic classes, lunch, and up to two elective classes. Some elective courses are year-long which means they meet daily for the entire school year. Some elective courses meet for only one semester in the spring or fall. A description of all Elective Courses can be found here.
Option 1: The student may choose two year-long exploratories from the following offerings:
World Language (French, Spanish or Spanish for Native Speakers) plus
Instrumental Music (Band or Orchestra — and Mariachi only at WCJH)
If your child selects option 1, their exploratory schedule is complete.
Option 2: The student may choose one year-long exploratory (World Language, Band or Orchestra) and will be assigned to two semester-long exploratory courses, which includes one that will take place during the fall and the other one that will occur during spring semester. Available semester long (half-year) exploratory courses are:
One semester of Comprehensive Music
One semester of Art
One semester of STEM - Automation & Robotics
One semester of STEM - Medical Detectives
Option 3: For a student that does not select a year-long enrichment, students will be placed into a set of four, one-semester long exploratory classes that expose the student to each of the following:
One semester of Comprehensive Music
One semester of Art
One semester of STEM - Automation & Robotics
One semester of STEM - Medical Detectives
Students With Additional Supports
For students who require a Language Studies course for Multilingual programming, IEP/special education support, a two-period math course, placement in social-emotional support group, or is recommended for supplemental reading intervention, such support will take the place of one or both exploratory offerings, and will allow needed support to be provided. Students will be contacted by their middle school to answer enrollment questions and resulting changes to that student’s exploratory course schedule.
Next Steps
You can help prepare your child for this process by talking through the options outlined above before February 2. A description of all courses can be found HERE. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s middle school principal.
5 Essentials Parent Survey
You have been invited to complete the Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey. The information you provide will help guide improvement as we strive to inspire each student to realize their potential through the education and opportunities we provide at Sundling Junior High School. Your participation in this survey is voluntary, but important to our school and the District. We do not receive results from the survey unless at least 20 percent of parents/guardians respond. The more responses parents/guardians provide, the more we will know how to focus our efforts toward the improvements you want. Therefore, we have set a goal to reach an 80 percent response rate.
Please help us reach our goal by completing the survey.
Go to: the 5Essentials Survey website to take the survey.
Select “Parent Survey.”
You may enter your email address if you would like to receive confirmation of your submission, but it is not required.
Then enter COOK into the county field and “NAME OF SCHOOL” to find our school.
You will then be asked a series of questions to provide input regarding your family’s experience here at Sundling Junior High School. Please remember to click “submit” once you are done so your responses can be counted.
Please know that your identity and responses will be kept confidential and will not be connected with your child. If you have multiple children who attend Sundling Junior High School, you may complete one survey for each child. However, only one parent per household may submit a survey for a given child. The survey closes on March 29, so please submit your responses soon!
Thank you in advance for your time and input. We appreciate you!
If you have any questions about the survey, please contact 5Essentials Customer Support at 1-866-440-1874 or 5essentials@uchicago.edu.
Donations Needed for "Snow Glow" Dance
The students on the WRS events planning committee have been hard at work planning their spring dance, which will be held at the school on Friday, 2/23/24 from 6:00 - 8:00pm. Please help make the event fun by donating water and snacks for their enjoyment.
Donations may be dropped off at the WRS front office any day Monday thru Friday, 2/19/24 - 2/23/24, from 7:00am-3:30pm.
Review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. Thank you!
WRS PTA Annual Student vs Staff Basketball Game- March 21st
We are preparing for the Sundling Student vs. Faculty basketball game on Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 6:00 PM, and wanted to reach out for some help from Sundling families.
Tickets will be sold at the door for $2.00 per person which includes a free raffle ticket as well. You will be able to buy more at the door as well for your chances to win some fabulous prizes!
The evening features a raffle in which various raffle prizes are available, including PHS and Fremd spirit wear, gift cards to local businesses and gift baskets prepared by Sundling families. In the past Sundling families have provided various themed gift baskets including a movie themed basket, Valentine's themed basket, Sports themed basket, etc. We have also included items such as autographed sports memorabilia, autographed books, sporting event tickets, etc. All donations will be recognized in the event program. If you're able to donate a basket or another item, please contact Kelly Barista at kbarista80@gmail.com Items can be dropped off at the school by Thursday, March 14th or a committee member can pick them up.
We will also be having Curious Crow and Berry Yo-Frozen Yogurt bring in some fun food for our students, staff and families.
We are also looking for volunteers the evening of the event. The game will be held on Thursday, March 21st from 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Please be on the lookout for a sign up genius to help out at the game!
Thank you for your help! It is a fun evening that really brings together students, staff and parents.
Sincerely,
Kelly Barista and Lori Calabrese
WRS PTA Student vs. Faculty Basketball Game Event Chairpersons
District 15 Spelling Bee- February 5th
The CCSD15 District Spelling Bee will be held, Monday, February 5th at 7:00pm.
Congratulations and Best of Luck to Piper and all of our participants!
If you would like to watch the District Bee, please join us VIRTUALLY.
Click here for THE CCSD15 District SPELLING BEE LIVE LINK.
The Sundling auditorium will be limited to participants and invited guests only.
The link can also be found on the CCSD website.
Help support the WRS School Store using Amazon Wishlist
Please help our WRS Culture & Climate Team by purchasing items for our Sundling School Store. Once per quarter, students will have the opportunity to shop our School Store using their Positive Paladins. We are in desperate need of items to replenish our store.
You can help by purchasing items from our Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2SH6TKE3K7D1X?ref_=wl_share
We appreciate any support that you can provide.
Sincerely,
The WRS Tier 1 Culture & Climate Team
D15 Registration for the 24/25 SY is NOW OPEN!
Online student registration for the 2024-2025 school year is now open. The year ahead brings many new and exciting initiatives to District 15! One such something new is that this is the first year we will offer FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN for every student. Additionally, many of our schools are undergoing construction which will be completed for the upcoming school year, AND our 6th graders will join their adolescent peers in our newly restructured middle schools.
The first day of school for the 2024-2025 school year is Thursday, September 5 for grades 1-8 and Friday, September 6 for kindergarten and early childhood students.
Please visit our registration page to begin registering your child(ren) for school. Doing so helps us solidify staffing for our schools, allows your child(ren) to be placed on a class list, and allows your child(ren) to ride a bus to and from school. Registration MUST be completed and student fees must be paid by July 1, 2024. With close to 12,000 students to place in a classroom and on bus routes, we ask that you please do your part and register on or before July 1.
Registration
Register Online: Registration is the first step in getting ready for the upcoming school year but is not the only step in the process. After you register your child online you also need to complete steps 2-4 listed below.
Provide Required Documents: Our registration webpage outlines the documents you must provide to complete registration.
Provide Proof of Residency (Living Situation): New families to the district, kindergarten students, families with a lease, and families that were flagged by our third-party residency verification system are required to provide proof of residency (living situation) to complete the registration process. Our residency webpage outlines the documents you must provide to prove residency (living situation). Questions? Please contact your school office.
Pay Student Fees: Our student fee webpage outlines the District’s student fee structure and the three ways to pay fees. Information regarding fee waivers for families in need can be found on our website.
Again, all returning students MUST be registered by July 1, 2024, or they will be unenrolled from CCSD15. Families who have not completed their registration requirements will not receive a classroom assignment and will not be placed on a bus route. Families that do not complete the registration by July 1, 2024, should contact their school to re-enroll their child(ren).
NEW! Map My School Tool
District 15 is excited to share its new Map My School tool, which allows families to type in their home address to see where their house is on the updated boundary map, showing their “home school” assignment. (A “home school” is the family’s school assignment based on their home address.) We apologize for any intermittent issues with the tool as a large amount of families tried to access it at the same time.
*Please keep in mind that the Map My Schools tool may not reflect school assignments due to programmatic placement (special education and EL) as the Map My School tool shows a student’s home school assignment based on their address.
To view the full list of schools by bus tier, along with the programmatic placement at each school, please view our Boundaries/School Assignment Plan webpage.
Additional Information
For step-by-step written registration instructions, please visit the registration page on our website.
For an intro to Campus Parent, view the Campus Parent Document.
Think you may be eligible for a student fee waiver? Visit our student fee webpage to learn about the requirements and how to apply.
Temporary Living Situation? Currently enrolled families in temporary living situations will receive an email regarding registration from the Superintendent’s Office.
Think you may be eligible for services under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act? Please contact Claire Kowalczyk, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent at 847-963-3202.
Applied for our Dual Language Program? Please note that families who applied for the Dual Language program will be notified of their placement into the program by the end of the day on April 22, 2024.
Being considered for the Academically Talented and Gifted (ATG) Program? If your child is in grades 2, 3, or 4 and is scheduled to take the CogAT exam to be considered for the ATG Program, you will be notified of your student’s eligibility status by March 15th. All elementary ATG programming is provided at Stuart R. Paddock School.
Students must be registered in order to accept placement in the Dual Language and Gifted Programs.
For a full list of frequently asked questions and answers, please visit the FAQ section on the registration page of our website.
Important & Upcoming Dates
February 1- 8th Grade Graduation Pictures (AM)
February 2- WRS Music Department Photographs (AM)
February 5- District 15 Spelling Bee (WRS Auditorium) 7:00 PM
February 19- No School: Presidents' Day
February 20- WRS PTA Dine & Share- Tacos El Norte 4:00-9:00 PM
February 20- No School: Teacher Plan Day
February 21- D15 Board of Education Meeting 7:00 PM
February 23- WRS School Dance "Snow Glow" 6:00-8:00 PM
February 28- Chorus Open Rehearsal 6:50 AM
February 28- WRS Shelter in Place Drill
February 28- WRS PTA Meeting 7:00 PM
WRS PTA Membership
Sign up online at: https://sundlingpta.new.memberhub.store/store (There is a MemberHub service change of 75¢ (Individual) and 92¢ (Household) to join online.) -OR-
Return the form (attached to the email) to the school office in an envelope marked “PTA MEMBERSHIP” along with exact cash or check (payable to: “Sundling PTA”) Sundling Jr. High will be open during school hours or you can mail to:
Sundling Jr. High 1100 N. Smith Rd. Palatine, IL 60067
Walter R. Sundling Junior High School
Email: dietzj@ccsd15.net
Website: www.ccsd15.net/WRS
Location: 1100 North Smith Street, Palatine, IL, USA
Phone: 847-963-3700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jason.dietz.1217
Twitter: @SundlingJH