Longfellow Weekly News: Week of Sept 24, 2018
Dear Longfellow Families,
Throughout the year we practice several types of safety drills. We recently conducted a fire drill and we will continue to practice fire drills on a regular basis throughout the year. On Wednesday morning we will conduct a lockdown drill. A lockdown is called when there is a direct threat to student safety either inside or outside of the school. We will conduct only 1-2 of these drills throughout the year and will always notify you when we do so. Next month we will be practicing a severe weather drill so that students know the steps that we follow in the case of a tornado or other weather hazard. Our goal in practicing these drills is to ensure students know the procedures to follow to stay safe at school. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to reach out to the office or to your child's teacher.
Thank you,
Maggie Cahill
Assistant Principal
Ballett Folkloirio Estrella Del Mar Performance
We invite you to celebrate Hispanic Heritage month with an evening of music and dance on Wednesday, September 26th at 6:30 pm. Señora Lynch, Señorita Ojeda, and the Longfellow PTO are excited to have 'Ballet Folklorio Estrella Del Mar,' a Mexican Folk Dance group perform. Hope to see you there!
Morning Open Gym Cancelled through October 1st
Our gym is currently set up for "Heartland Adventure" and is not available for Morning Open Gym. On Monday, October 1st Morning Open Gym will start back up and students will be welcome to come to school as early at 7:30 am, grab a pass from the office, and play with their friends in the gym. In the meantime students are welcome to join Sunrise Study Hall at 7:30, Breakfast between 7:15-7:45, or play outside with their friends starting at 7:45 am.
Second Step This Week 
This week our fifth graders are learning about predicting feelings of others. Our fourth graders are learning about respecting similarities and differences. Other grade levels will be practicing using self-talk for focusing and learning. These are important life skills that serve students in all aspects of their lives. Please take a moment to talk about and practice these skills as a family by reading your child's "home link" for this week. All of our grade levels have home links this week:
Kindergarten- Being Assertive First Grade- Being Assertive Second Grade- Identifying Feelings Third Grade- Identifying Others Feelings Fourth Grade- Understanding Complex Feelings Fifth Grade- Taking the perspective of others
D97 Seeking Substitute Teachers & Teaching Assistants
District 97 is currently looking for individuals to serve as substitute teachers and teaching assistants. Additional information about these positions can be found by visiting http://www.op97.org/hr/
Walk to School Day
Students from Longfellow School will celebrate International Walk to School Day on October 3. Oak Park will join children and adults from all over the globe celebrating the fun and healthy tradition of walking to school. Some ways to participate:
* Help your children enjoy Walk to School Day even more by walking with them yourself!
* Organize a “walking school bus” by picking up children, who know you, on the way to school.
* Make special arrangements to join the walking school bus, even if your child normally rides the bus.
By encouraging the walk to school on October 3rd and every day, we support an easy, healthy and fun way for children to travel to school.
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.
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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.
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).
Longfellow Expansion Page
On our school website you can now find a special "Longfellow Expansion Page" that will be used to post information and updates about the project. Please click here to view the page. You can also find it on the left-hand side of this webpage.
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.
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, September 26th- Hispanic Heritage Month Performance at 6:30 in the Auditorium
Monday, October 1st- FLIP Classes Begin
Wednesday, October 3rd- Walk to School Day & New Family Dinner
Monday, October 8th- No School (Columbus Day)
Tuesday, October 9th- Dining for Dollars at Lou Malnati's
Friday, October 12th- Fun Run
Monday, October 22nd- Conference Week Begins
Tuesday, November 6th- No School (Institute Day)