Weekly News- Week of August 20, 2018

Longfellow Weekly News: Week of August 20th

Dear Longfellow Families,

Welcome to a brand new school year at Longfellow School.  We have been counting the minutes until our school doors open and our Longfellow Bears arrive on Wednesday! 

 

We have so much to share with you and your student(s) who will be attending Longfellow.  This "Weekly Message" is one of the many forms of communication we use to reach out to families.  Each Sunday evening a link to this message will be sent to you via email so you can connect to our webpage, read the latest message, and find out about news and important events. You can also access the digital backpack link that is found above the buttons to the left of this message. The digital backpack contains flyers and information from our school, our PTO, the district, and the community.  

 

Our children will thrive and succeed if we create a partnership together. Please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher, specials teachers, support staff, office staff, or administration.  You are your child's first and best teacher and if we work together great things will happen for our children.  

 

We are proud of our Longfellow community and honored to have the privilege of serving your family this year at Longfellow School.

Sincerely,

~Maggie Cahill, Asst. Principal

 

New School Hours

Our school day begins promptly at 8 am each morning and will end at 3 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.  On Wednesday our school hours are 8 am- 2:30 pm.  This is a change from last year so please be sure to make note of it!  We hold a strong belief that every instructional minute counts at Longfellow School.  Please tame the tardies and be here on time!  Any student arriving at or after 8:00 am will need to report to the office to receive a tardy pass.  Here are a few important things to note:

  • Supervision begins at 7:45 am on the playground
  • The first bell rings at 7:57 am and students will begin entering the building at that time
  • At and after 8:00 am all students will need to report to the office to receive a tardy pass
  • Our morning breakfast program begins in the cafeteria at 7:15 am and ends at 7:45 am. Students can enter the front of the building or the lunchroom doors at entrance 9W for breakfast
  • Sunrise Study Hall will begin on Thursday, August 23rd and run from 7:30-8:00.  Students should enter the main office and receive a pass to report to the library
  • Before School Gym will be a new support offered by Ms. Bennett and an opportunity for students to come to school early and play before the school day begins.  More information about this program will be shared as it is avaialble!

Create healthy habits now and have your child at school and ready to enter the building with their teacher well before 7:57 am!   

Back to School Support

Returning to school is very exciting but can also cause some anxiety and organizational challenges for kids. Here are some resources for getting in front of that back-to-school anxiety and for setting them up for efficient planning and organization. Although the second resource is for students with ADHD, it includes ideas that most kids can benefit from. Feel free to reach out to Rike Frangos ([email protected]), school psychologist, with any questions. 

Traffic Safety at Drop Off & Pick Up

Please refrain from picking up and dropping off students on Jackson Street at arrival or dismissal.  This is our bus loading and unloading zone and stopping in this area is hazardous and might result in a ticket from the Oak Park Police.  Students can be picked up and dropped off in the roundabout on Cuyler at the Southwest side of the school and parking is available on Highland and Cuyler Avenues.  Also, please be sure to adhere to roundabout etiquette in the Cuyler cul-de-sac and pull forward as far as possible to pick up and drop off.  Parking in this circle is not permitted and traffic should keep circulating as much as possible and allow children to safety enter and exit vehicles. 

New Parent Information Night

Last Wednesday we held a New Parent Information Night and invited families who are new to our school to meet with our office staff and hear about the processes and procedures at Longfellow School.  The powerpoint presentation from that evening can be found by clicking here.   

PKP Parent Orientation

PKP parents are invited to the Longfellow Auditorium on Monday, August 20th at 6pm to learn about the PKP program.  They will be given a chance to hear about the program philosophy and procedures.  This event is for adults only and will last approximately one hour. 

Kindergarten Open House

To ease the transition to Kindergarten incoming Kindergartners can come to school, meet their assigned teacher, drop off supplies and meet their fellow classmates the day before school starts.  On Tuesday, August 20th Kindergarten families will be invited to enter their classroom between 5:30-6:15.  At 6:15 all Kindergartners and their families are invited to the playground to play and receive a warm welcome and popsicle from Principal Dolezal and Assistant Principal Cahill.  

Snack Lists

Snack lists have been posted to the digital backpack!  Please click here to access the full list of snacks allowed at your child's grade level.  This list will be updated as new information about student allergies is received.  

Background Checks

A background check is required for individuals who want to serve as a chaperone on a field trip or volunteer within the school. To obtain a one-time background check, please visit our online sign-up page.  To your appointment please bring your driver’s license or State ID to your appointment. Results take about 7-10 business days (sometimes longer), so please plan accordingly. If you have any questions, please email Ellen McKay or call the district office (708-524-3000).

 

Financial Support

Please consider completing the Free/Reduced form, even if you think there is a remote chance it will be approved.  This form assists families with cost of lunch, milk, school fees, field trips, fee-based PTO programs, and any other money items that may come up over the course of the school year.  This is a confidential process that can be started by filling out this form and returning it to the school office.  Completing this form is mutually beneficial as additional school funds may be available depending on the number of students who qualify.  Please contact Ms. Dolezal if you have further questions or concerns

New Parent Welcome Letter

If you did not receive Principal Dolezal's parent welcome letter letter in the mail it can be found here.  

Follow Us on Twitter!

Did you know that you can follow Longfellow School on Twitter?  Simply follow the hashtag #longfellowbears and you will receive updates from all of our classrooms and staff members using Twitter.  Also you can follow Principal Dolezal at @AngelaDolezal98 and Assistant Principal Mrs. Cahill at @MrsCahill97.

What's Happening At Longfellow (WHAL)

Click HERE to subscribe to the "What's Happening at Longfellow" newsletter (also know as the WHAL) that is published by our PTO.  You'll get information about volunteering, getting involved, and other important news in our Longfellow community.  

Upcoming Events

Monday, August 20th-              PKP Parent Orientation at 6pm in the Auditorium

Tuesday, August 21st-              Kindergarten Meet and Greet at 5:30 (K students meet their teacher, see their classroom and drop off supplies)

Wednesday, August 22nd-        First Day of School!   (Dismissal at 2:30)

Friday, August 23rd-                  Each Friday is Longfellow Spirit Day!  Students are encouraged to wear our school colors (blue and white) or Longfellow gear!

Wednesday, August 29th-         Curriculum Night from 6-7 pm for grades 1, 3 & 5 and from 7:15-8:15 for grades K, 2 & 4

Friday, September 7th-             Back to School Picnic

Thursday, September 20th-       Picture Day