Longfellow Weekly News: Week of Sept 4, 2018
Hello Longfellow Families,
We hope that everyone had a a nice, long Labor Day weekend. We are looking forward to returning to school on Tuesday and continuing to dive deeper into content and curriculum as the year progresses. As you may have noticed from our ongoing communication, we have placed an increased emphasis on the importance of students being at school and on time every day. Throughout this school year you will receive monthly robo-calls reminding you of the importance of attendance and timeliness at school. Our first message went out on Monday and was inadvertently sent to all parent, guardian, and emergency contacts for our students. This message was intended just for Longfellow households and we will fix this setting for our upcoming calls. Please extend an apology to any relatives, neighbors, or friends who may have received this message and reassure them this will not be a continued practice. Our main goals with these calls are increase awareness about the concern, establish healthy routines, remind families of before-school supports, and maximize every instructional minute that we have with students. Thank you for all you do to prepare your child(ren) for learning at Longfellow.
Take care,
Maggie Cahill
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 is offered every day from 7:30-8:00. Students should enter the main office and receive a pass to report to the library for an opportunity to read, complete work, and have a quiet start to the day.
- Before School Open Gym is an opportunity for students to come to school early and play before the school day begins. By participating in physical activity before school students will enhance learning, concentration, memory, and mood. Students should report to the office to get a pass and then meet in the Longfellow gym at 7:30 am.
Create healthy habits now and have your child at school and ready to enter the building with their teacher well before 7:57 am!
Indoor Morning Arrival Procedures
On days when there is a steady rain or temperatures below 10 degrees fahrenheit we will hold an "Indoor Arrival". On indoor arrival days students are welcome to enter any door of the school. Kindergartners report to the PKP hallway to line up with their classes. First, third, and fifth graders should report to the auditorium. Second and fourth graders report to the mini-gym. There will be a sign indicating "Indoors" on the window of the front office and staff stationed at entrances welcoming students on these days.
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.
Second Step This Week
Second Step is our social emotional learning curriculum. It teaches valuable skills to help build empathy, solve problems, and cope with feelings. Our classrooms coteach these lessons with another teacher every Wednesday morning. Each week we will post a "home link" in our weekly message and recommend taking a moment to read about what your child is learning so that it can be discussed and reinforced at home. The following grade levels have homelinks this week: Kindergarten, First Grade, Fourth Grade, and Fifth Grade.
ALL (Always Learning at Longfellow)
ALL Registration opened on Friday August, 31st. Always Learning at Longfellow (ALL) is a fee-based, after-school enrichment program that offers affordable, educational classes to all Longfellow students. Each class begins 5 minutes after school dismissal (to allow for transitions) and runs for 1 hour (4:05pm dismissal, 3:35 on Wednesdays). The 2018-19 ALL session dates will be: Fall : September 17–December 13; Winter: January 14 – March 14; Spring: April 8-May 23.
The Fall brochure can be found by clicking here. Fall ALL registration opened on August 31@ 8:30am and will close Sept 7 @ 5:00pm. No late registration. Need-based scholarships are available.
Registration link: https://d97pto.wufoo.com/forms/longfellow-fall-session-2018/
Scholarship application link: https://goo.gl/forms/bY1PJnXADOcPECdz1
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
Cheers for Peers
We would like to recognize children and adults who make a difference at Longfellow School! If you would like to nominate an individual who makes a difference at our school, please fill out this form. The individual you nominate will receive a printed form with a description of their contribution to making Longfellow a great place to be.
PING!
Does your child want to play a band or orchestra instrument, but you feel instrument rental is beyond your budget? PING!—Providing Instruments for the Next Generation—can help. PING! provides instruments to D90, D97, and D200 students so they can participate in instrumental music regardless of family income. We have expanded our eligibility beyond free/reduced lunch families to “families in need” and will be doing sign-ups in September for 4th & 5th graders. If you have any questions, please check out our website at www.pingoprf.orgor call us: 708-524-3001 ext. 2995.
Spirit Wear
Every Friday is Spirit Day at Longfellow School! Bring in the new school year with some new spirit wear! The new design for the 2018-2019 school year highlights Longfellow’s 125th year. Options available include: Dry-Fit, Baseball Raglan, Girl's Cut, Retro Stripes, Tagless Tee, and a Hoodie. Available in Youth AND Adult (pink shirt is youth only). Orders taken online and delivered to your home around September 25. Money raised from this fundraiser will help fund the Back to School Picnic, New Family Dinner and busses for Fall field trips!
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.
Back to School Picnic
Bring your lawn chairs and picnic blankets to chill out, enjoy your picnic meal and hang out with the Longfellow Community on Friday, September 7th from 5:30-7:30! The PTO will be buying current Longfellow students' meals. Please pick up your student's food ticket at one of the PTO tables on the playground before going to grab your meal. For the rest of your family, you can bring your own picnic lunch or there are meals available for purchase from Cuzzo's Pizza and Robinson's Ribs for $5-7, cash only.
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, September 3rd- No School (Labor Day)
Friday, September 7th- Back to School Picnic at 5:30 on the Playground
Tuesday, September 11th- Dining for Dollars at Culvers in Berwyn (be sure to mention Longfellow School!)
Wednesday, September 12th- Longfellow Community Meeting in the Auditorium at 7pm
Monday, September 17th- Always Learning at Longfellow (ALL) Classes Begin
Thursday, September 20th- Picture Day
Tuesday, October 2nd- New Family Dinner
Friday, October 12th- Fun Run