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Greetings Parents,
This is a great time of year to be surrounded by children. I love listening to their stories and imaginings. The air here is filled with excitement of the days to come. I reflect back to the time when my own children were young and smile. Be sure to take time to really enjoy this season of your life!
Here are a few important notices I want to share with you this month.
All School Celebration....SHHHH!
It looks like our students will surpass our 20,000 blue ticket goal on Friday. This means they have earned their first all-school celebration of the year. If everything goes as planned, we will be sharing this with students during morning announcements on Monday. So for now, mums the word.
Here is the plan....
Near the end of the day on Wednesday, December 17th, we will play all-school Intercom Bingo! It's a student favorite. The winning spirit day attire selected by our weekly Abe's Way winners is Pajamas Day. So on Thursday, December 18th, students and staff will be encouraged to come to school dressed in their comfy PJ's.
Yikes! It's Flu Season!!
It's that time of year again. The flu virus has hit Abraham Lincoln School. We keep close track of absences and at this time we have somewhere between 5-7% of students out with flu-like symptoms. While it seems like a lot, the health department does not consider this an issue unless it exceeds 15% of the population.
We are determined to keep it under control. To deter the spread of germs, our custodians are wiping down hard surfaces in the classrooms each evening. In addition, our day custodian is wiping down doorknobs, faucets, handrails, drinking fountains, etc. several times a day.
Attached is a flyer published by the DuPage County Health Department. Please take a few moments to read it over and share the suggestions with your children. If your child is feeling under the weather, error on the safe side and keep him/her home. Also, please remember that a child must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school.
http://www.d41.org/schools/lincoln/images/Influenza_SchoolChildCareFactSheet.pdf
Report Cards
Have you had a chance to view your child's report card? Report cards were posted on Skyward Family Access on December 5th. If you need assistance with this please contact the Lincoln Office at 630-790-6475.
Friday, Dec 19th -SIP day and Winter Parties for Grades 1-5
The last day of school (for 2014) is Dec. 19th. This is a SIP half day. The morning plan includes a Holiday Sing assembly and Winter party.
If you would prefer that your child not participate in the Holiday Sing and/or party, please email your child's homeroom teacher with this information. Alternate activities will be planned for children not participating in the events.
Thursday, December 18th - Winter Parties for Kindergarteners.
As a reminder, Kindergarten parties are on Thursday. Kindergartner will not be in session on Friday, December 19th.
Construction Update - The Big Move for Level 3 Steam!
It is hard to believe construction is coming to a close and it is on time! We have had a great FQC Project Manager guiding the work here at Lincoln. His name is Mark Hauser. Throughout this entire project, Mark has worked to ensure the safety of our students, provided regular updates, and managed the coming and going of all the contractors. It has been a pleasure working with him. Thank you, Mark Hauser, for a job well done!
At my construction meeting this week I was told everything appears to be on schedule. We passed the fire inspection last week and next week is our DuPage County Regional Office of Education inspection. I'm sure we will have some minor items on the to-do list afterwards, but overall things look good.
Next Wednesday, our Level 3 STEAM teachers will be walking through the new classrooms. They are excited to see the space in the near completion stage and are looking forward to planning their classroom layout. The actual move out of the portables into the building will take place over the winter break. Then in January, when school resumes, our Level 3 STEAM students will make this amazing instructional space come alive!
Hats, Gloves, and Coats, Oh My!!
I have noticed many children out at recess without hats and gloves. We have also had some students wearing lightweight coats on very cold days. Please remind your children to bring the clothing they need for recess. Several students report leaving their hat or gloves in their car or state that they were not thinking about recess when they got into the car in the morning. Let's work together to keep our students healthy this winter.
Traffic Around the School - No Cell Phone Use Please
Thank you for your continued support of the school pick-up and drop-off procedures. The routines are well established and the lines move relatively quickly. However, I need to remind everyone of a couple of things that continue to be a concern:
- Drivers are not allowed to use cell phones while on school grounds. This is a daily occurrence. Fines for cell phone use on school grounds run about $250. For the safety of our students and staff please follow this law.
- Regent and Greenfield is a busy intersection. At the end of the school day, the pick-up lane often extends to Regent and beyond. Many parents park on Regent making the street congested. Please do not block our neighbors from entering their driveways. Please to not use driveways to turn your vehicle around in order to avoid the Regent/Greenfield intersection. Please keep a close eye out for students when driving through this area.
I am asking for your help and support in effort to keep everyone safe and happy.
PTA Holiday Store
This PTA event occurs tomorrow (12/11/14) evening from 5:30-8:00pm. This is a fun opportunity for students to pick out some special gifts for their loved ones.
Wishing you and yours a holiday filled with peace, joy, and laughter.
Linda
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