9/8/13

Hi Lincoln Families,

It has been a great start to the school year. Routines and procedures have been established, little bumps in the road have been ironed out, and instruction is in full swing!   During the first week of school, students participated in an Abe's Way Adventure.  They visited different areas of the building to review behavior expectations, watched short Abe's Way videos, and participated in discussions and activities. By the end of the week, each class had earned seven stamps on their class passport and gained entry into our first all school celebration.

Our students were treated to a special PRO Kids (People Respecting Others) assembly by Tim Henning. The assembly was very entertaining and Tim's message was closely aligned with Lincoln's Abe's Way. THANK YOU to our PTA for sponsoring this event. The assembly was a great way to end the first week of school.

Drop-Off and Pick-Up Plan

I'd like to express my thanks to the PTA Safety Committee and volunteers for assisting with the new drop off and pick up system. It has gone very smoothly. Of course the true test will be the first rainy day when the volume of students getting picked up greatly increases. It was on inclement weather days last year that the safety of our students was most compromised. I expect pick-up on the first few rainy days to be slow as students that normally walk will need to remember to report to the main entrance. We will do what we can on our end to remind students. If you would also reinforce the family plan for rainy days with your child, we would greatly appreciate it.

A few reminders regarding pick-up/drop-off and student safety...

•  Students are not allowed to cross Greenfield Ave in front of the school. Parents please honor this request when walking your child to and from school and use crosswalks only.
• Cell phone use is prohibited in school zones. This applies even when stopped in the drop off zone while waiting for your child to exit the school. We will not allow our students to be put at risk. Police officers frequently monitor traffic at Lincoln during pick-up and drop-off. As a word of warning, the fine for use of a cell phone in a school zone is quite hefty.   Please help us keep our students safe by not using your phone at all when in your car in the school zone.
• These first weeks have gone so smoothly due to our parent volunteers. Please consider signing up to help.The commitment is minimal (15 minutes in the morning and/or afternoon) and the pay is good (well the pay is really just a THANK YOU). You do not need to sign up for long periods of time, even one or two days a month would help. Sarah Mical is our PTA Safety Chair and has organized our volunteers. Please consider sending her an email at micalsarah7@gmail.com to sign up. On behalf of the entire Lincoln community, THANK YOU.  

NWEA MAP Testing Begins This Week

 Glen Ellyn School District 41 will continue to use the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test in reading and math this year. Lincoln students will take these online tests three times during the school year. The fall testing window begins this week and will close on September 27th.

MAP test results are used to gage instructional levels and measure the academic growth of our students throughout the school year, and from year to year. MAP tests are unique in that they are interactive; adapting to the appropriate learning level while a student is answering the questions. Teachers use MAP test results along with classroom assessment data to plan instruction that is best suited to the needs of students. MAP test results will be shared with you at fall conferences.

If you would like to learn more about MAP, visit www.nwea.org and type "Parent Toolkit" in the site search engine.

Curriculum Night for Parents

Please plan on attending this year's curriculum night event. The evening will begin in the Old Gym with an overview of our Literacy and STEAM curriculums. Parents will then have an opportunity to visit their child's A.M. and P.M. classrooms respectively. Be sure to bring the names of your child's A.M. and P.M. teachers with you. As a gentle reminder, this is a parent only event.

Tuesday, Sept. 10        6:45 PM           Level 3 (Grades 4 and 5)

Thursday, Sept. 12       6:45 PM           Level 2 (Grades 2 and 3)

Monday, Sept. 16        6:30 PM           Level 1 (Grades K-1)

Thank you for your support!

Linda