Dec. 6, 2019
IRVING-RELATED: NEW
ATTENDANCE GOAL UPDATE
This year our school improvement plan has a goal focused on student attendance. Specifically, the goal states that Irving will increase the percentage of students who are on time for school 95% of the school days (1 or less tardy a month) from 76% (360 out of 476 students) of the student body to 80% of the student body. We have put a variety of practices in place to meet this goal including communication, education, reinforcement, incentives, and responses.
In November, 382 or 77% of our students were on time every day. This means that 116 students had one or more tardies. The 382 students who were on time in November every day have their names posted on the main bulletin board, were entered in a raffle for a prize, and a kindergartener student won a prize.
PEER RELATIONSHIP GOAL UPDATE
This year our school improvement plan has a goal focused on increasing positive peer relationships. Specifically, the goal states that by the end of the 2019/2020 school year, 1st-5th grade students will indicate an improvement in positive peer relationships at Irving School by 70% of students responding “agree” or “strongly agree” to the following two statements in comparison to 64% at the end of the 2018/2019 school year.
- “When I am at school, I feel students at my school treat me with respect.”
- “When I am at school, I feel students at my school are friendly.”
To meet this goal we have put in place social emotional practices, such as incorporating morning meeting into our daily schedule, restorative practice training for staff, second step, and Eagle’s Nest activities. In November the students took the first round of the survey and we saw an increase in favorable responses already. 66% of students responded that they “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement “When I am at school, I feel students at my school treat me with respect.” 69% of students responded that they “agree” or “strongly agree” with the statement “When I am at school, I feel students at my school are friendly.”
IRVING RELATED: PBIS, SOCIAL EMOTIONAL, & SECOND STEP
SECOND STEP
This week we paused our second step lessons to focus on reteaching our school wide expectations. Throughout the school and in every classroom students follow the Eagle Essentials (Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe). Ask your child what it looks like to follow these Eagle Essentials at Irving in the classroom, lunchroom, hallway, gym, and art room.
In addition to these emails, you can find information regarding PBIS and Second Step on our Irving Webpage through the PBIS & Second Step link on the left.
As always, if you have any questions or comments don't hesitate to reach out.
|
GRADE |
ACTIVATION CODE |
HOME LINK INFORMATION |
|---|---|---|
|
Kindergarten |
SSPK FAMI LY70 |
None this week |
|
Grade 1 |
SSP1 FAMI LY71 |
None this week |
|
Grade 2 |
SSP2 FAMI LY72 |
None this week |
|
Grade 3 |
SSP3 FAMI LY73 |
None this week |
|
Grade 4 |
SSP4 FAMI LY74 |
None this week |
|
Grade 5 |
SSP5 FAMI LY75 |
None this week |
IRVING RELATED: REMINDERS
BOOK CLUB/TABLE TALK: THE 5 LOVE LANGUAGES OF CHILDREN
(December 10th 6:30pm) Table Talk Flyer
Join us in a meaningful conversation as we explore “The 5 Love Languages of Children” authored by Dr. Gary Chapman and Ross Campbell, M.D. Limited copies of the book are available inside the school’s main office. More copies are also available at our local libraries in both hard copy and audiobook formats. RSVP for this event using this eventbrite link.
WARM CLOTHING DONATIONS FOR LUNCH & CLASS RECESS
If you have any extra hats, gloves, scarves, snow pants, or coats at home that your child has outgrown, please consider donating them to our Irving students to use during lunch and class recess. Drop off any donations in the office. We will set up a donation area for students when they are in need of items or have misplaced items and need an item to keep them warm and safe.
SAVE THE DATE: SPRING SING
This year the district is changing the format of our music concerts. Instead of a winter concert during the school day, Irving will hold a SPRING SING in the evening in March. These concerts will be under the direction of our new general music teacher, Mr. Deaton, and Mrs. Friesen. So, mark your calendars now:
K & 1st grade:
2nd & 3rd grade
4th grade, 5th grade, & Chorus: March 12th
ESSENTIALS SURVEY GENERAL INFORMATION
District 97 will be administering the Illinois 5Essentials Survey again this year to certified staff and parents/guardians from all 10 of our schools, as well as students in grades four through eight.
The online survey was developed by the University of Chicago’s Consortium on Chicago School Research and is derived from the Five Essentials for School Success, which is an evidence-based framework that identifies five factors that can lead to important student outcomes such as improved attendance and significant gains in test scores. These five factors/essentials are:
- Effective Leaders
- Collaborative Teachers
- Involved Families
- Supportive Environment
- Ambitious Instruction
The parent survey will take approximately 10 minutes to complete. You may skip questions you do not wish to answer, but the survey must be completed in one sitting and cannot be retrieved once it is submitted. If you have more than one child enrolled in a building (i.e., two students who attend the same school), you have the option of completing multiple surveys for that building. In addition, if you have children enrolled in multiple schools (i.e., a District 97 elementary school and middle school), you may participate in the survey for each school.
However, only one parent/guardian per household may fill out the survey.
As with the student and teacher surveys, your identity will be kept completely confidential and your responses will not be linked to you. In addition, school-level reports will only be generated if at least 20 percent of our parents/guardians complete the survey, which can be accessed until Friday, February 14, 2020 by visiting http://survey.5-essentials.
If we successfully meet this requirement, we will receive our reports in Spring 2020. The results will also be made available to the public via the Illinois School Report Cards, which will be released in the fall.
You can access general information about the Illinois 5Essentials Survey by visiting https://illinois.5-essentials.
Thank you for participating in this important endeavor, and for your continued support of our schools and the children we serve.
NEWS FROM THE PTO
PTO MEETING: JANUARY 9TH
Our next PTO meeting will be held on January 9th at 7pm in the Irving Auditorium.
DivInc MEETING: DECEMBER 17TH
The next Diversity & Inclusion Committee meeting will take place on Tuesday December 17th at 7pm.
DISTRICT AND COMMUNITY INFORMATION
SOCIAL MEDIA AMBASSADORS
District 97 is seeking social media ambassadors who are willing to share news and information about our efforts to support all students. Whether you are sharing posts from our Facebook or Twitter pages or shouting out a teacher or student, being a social media ambassador is great way to be part of the "MyD97" campaign and support District 97 schools! If you are interested in being an ambassador for the 2019-20 school year, please complete our online form. If you have any questions, please email the district's director of communications, Amanda Siegfried, at [email protected].
D97 UNIVERSITY
The teaching and learning department is hosting a Parent University on Saturday, Dec.14, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Lincoln Elementary School. The theme of Parent University is "Cozy Up to Curriculum." Our focus is to help families understand more about our curriculum and how to assist their child at home. Families will receive the opportunity to attend three 40-minute sessions of their choice. We are asking principals to send a Parent University registration link in their school newsletter during the week of December 2. The registration link will be shared with principals next week.
FREE MENTAL HEALTH ASSESSMENTS
The Oak Park Public Library, in partnership with Rush University Medical Center, is offering free mental health assessments (through pre-scheduled appointments) for children and adults on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Main Library. A Rush psychologist will conduct the onsite assessment.
For more information, please visit https://www.oppl.org/news-
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
December 7th Irving Cookie Crumble/Craft Fair
December 10th Book Club/Table Talk: The 5 Love Languages of Children (6:30pm)
December 17th DivInc Meeting (7pm)
Dec. 23rd-Jan 3rd No School
January 9th PTO Meeting (7-8:30pm)
January 14th DivInc Meeting (7pm)
January 20th No School
January 30th 11am Dismissal (P/T conferences)
January 31s 11am Dismissal