It has been an absolute joy seeing our school community settle into this 21-22 school year. Together, we are engineering a bright future and the moments of these past weeks are evidence that something special is happening at Churchill School. Thank you to our staff, students, and families for believing in our school and working so hard to bring our vision for success to life.

While on lunch duty, I had the pleasure of participating in a bit of a joke-a-thon. 3rd grade friends had me rolling with laughter with their sense of humor. I also had the chance to work with a group of 5th graders over the last two weeks and my time with them was truly inspiring. Getting to be a part of their enthusiasm for learning, seeing their creative writing skills and teamwork in action was a highlight of my week. These are just a few of the many reasons I am proud to be a Bulldog. Our little Bulldogs are the BEST!

I am also in awe of the unwavering commitment of our staff. Day-after-day their care for our students and the endless ways they are responding to needs and creating pathways for success is admirable. Please take a moment over the next few weeks, to share a note of thanks or appreciation for the staff that supports your child - or complete a shout out form here.

Please reinforce with your child the importance of cellphone responsibility while at school. Cellphones should remain off and in a secure location in their backpack at all times. Any other electronics should remain at home. If a cellphone or electronic device is a distraction/disruption to the school day the following steps are taken:

• Warning and redirect to the student to turn off/put away.
• Teacher collects the device and gives it back at dismissal. Teacher contacts the parent and explains device expectations and the next steps.
• Teacher brings device to the office and the parent is contacted to pick-up the device.
• Teacher brings device to the office and the parent is contacted to pick-up the device. A plan is put into place (i.e., the student will drop-off the phone upon AM arrival and will pick-up the phone at dismissal).

If a cell phone or electronic device is lost or stolen, the school and its staff are not responsible. We will investigate and do all we can to relocate, but the cellphone and/or electronic device is the student's responsibility.

Transportation changes for your child must be called in by 2:30pm each day. Please understand that after 2:30pm we are not able to communicate and ensure changes are completed due to staff locations and meetings taking place throughout the building.

We need your help! There continue to be students arriving onsite before 8:15am. Please help us keep everyone safe by having your student AFTER 8:15am. Please do not encourage your student to walk/bike and wait outside or drop your child off early.

Encourage your students to exhibit their best behavior on the bus at all times. Masks are required on the bus at all times. Bus driver will be documenting with conduct reports any students not following this rule. After 3 conduct reports for any offense, bus suspension will be considered.

Be considerate of our neighbors! Please do not pull into driveways or on private property at any time during arrival and dismissal. While our community members are compassionate and understand arrival and dismissal can be a busy time, we must be respectful of their private property. When people choose to take this action it creates a delay and sometimes unsafe conditions during this busy time. Please follow the flow of traffic and find a more respectful and safer path to where you are headed.

Halloween is approaching and many of our students and families are excited to celebrate. On Friday, October 29th, students may wear a costume to school. The following guidelines must be followed:

• Must wear costume to school. Students will not be allowed to change into a costume.
• Must be able to wear a costume comfortably while conducting daily activities.
• No make-up or masks are allowed.
• Refrain from any costumes that contain blood/gore, weapons.
• No props of any kind.

Please carefully read the guidelines to ensure they are are met and your child will be comfortable and able to learn throughout the school day. Each class will have the opportunity to engage in some fun activities on this 1/2 day at school. There will be no snack or eating.

If you and/or your child does not celebrate Halloween, please communicate with your child's teacher. We will be providing an alternate activity and location for anyone who would like that option.

Mid Trimester grades were accessible on Wednesday, October 6th. Please log-in to Parent Portal to view your child's current grades and continue to check-in to monitor their progress. Connect with your child's teacher should you have any questions. If you need to update your contact information or are having difficulty in accessing Parent Portal, contact the district office.

Our Churchill Club sign-up for our first session is complete and after school meetings have begun. Please be sure to check your email, the Bulldog Bulletin, and our website for updates on clubs and the next rotation sign-up. If you are interested in learning more, please contact the office or a club sponsor directly.

Way-to-go! The following folks participated in the recent Foundation 153 Fund Run and were top runners in their age bracket.

7-8 year olds: Vivian Lewis, Oliver Jacobsen; 9-10 year olds: Mia Willford Holley, Jon Kempe, Greta Zirbel, Bennett Harding

All Children Will Learn. All Children Will Be Served.

Email: sara.schnoor@hsd153.org
Website: https://churchill.hsd153.org
Location: 1300 190th Street, Homewood, IL, USA
Phone: 708-798-3424
Twitter: @Ch_PrincipalS