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September 2015 Newsletter
School Office:
708/342-4850
Absentee Line:
708/342-4850 ext “1”
On the Web:
www.mokena159.org
New Website 2
Welcome New Staff
Dismissal Information
2
Fall Fling 3
Box Tops for Education
Absent/Tardy Call In
4
September Asset
Dippin Dots
5
Permission Forms
Daily Schedule
Birthday Treat Policy
6
Calendar 7
September Asset 8
Recipes for Success 9/10
Inside this issue:
Mokena Elementary School
Mrs. Anna Kirchner
Principal
Mrs. Judy Splayt
Assistant Principal
Dear Parents, Welcome back to the 2015-2016 school year! We are excited to begin another school year with your child. The teachers and staff have been spending a great deal of time teaching their students our MES behavior expectations. We have three main goals: Being Respectful, Responsible, and Safe. This year we kicked off the school year with a goal to decrease the number of MES students tardy to school. Last year MES had over 1000 tardies. Please help us this school year by getting your child to school on-time!!!
We hope all of you enjoyed our Back to School Night. It was wonderful to see so many students and their families at our school. Please don’t forget to read over the MES Parent Handbook with your child and return the last page signed to school. We appreciate your support in teaching our students the MES expectations.
When you have a chance please check out our new website at:
http://www.mokenaelem.il.schoolinsites.com/
The website includes detailed information about Skyward, lunch account information, and other resources. We look forward to working with you and your child this school year. We are off to a great start!!! Thank you for your continued support.
Looking forward to a successful school year!
Mrs. Kirchner Mrs. Splayt Principal Asst. Principal
APPROVED SNACK LIST
Below is our current snack list. Please only send your child with a snack from the list below. Any items with identifiers such as “containing peanuts/tree nuts, may contain peanuts/tree nuts, or made in a facility with peanuts/tree nuts, will be returned home with your child.” Please note the snack list will be updated on a monthly basis. The update can be found on the district website.
Fresh fruit and vegetables Fruit Snacks (Betty Crocker and Annie’s Organic) Rold Gold Pretzels Tostitos Cheese Teddy Grahams/Scooby Snacks Keebler Vanilla Wafers Nutri Grain Bars Special K Bars Cheez-its Applesauce Kellogg’s Poptarts (No peanut butter flavored) Pepperidge Farm Goldfish (pretzel or cheddar—NO cinnamon) Pirate’s Booty Aged White Cheddar cheese baked rice/corn puffs
Welcome to our newest
MES staff members!
Liz Duran—Dual Language 1st grade teacher
Mary Essary—Reading/Math Interventionist
Kristen Geary—Psychologist
Emmaleigh Halweg—Social Worker
Suzanne Jablonski—Paraprofessional
Lynette Lang—Building aide
Samantha Ross—Specialized Instruction teacher
Cindy Spreadbury—Paraprofessional
Please join us in extending a warm Mokena welcome to all
our new staff members!
No Cell Phones on School Grounds
Please note that there is a No Cell
Phone on school grounds policy for
our school district. Help us keep
everyone’s attention focused on our
children’s safety! Thank you!
Dismissal Information
Please note the following:
If a parent/guardian would like to pick up a child before the regular dismissal time the student must have a note from the parent/guardian explaining how the child will be picked up. In order to minimize the loss of instructional time, students will not be called to the office until the parent/guardian has arrived at the school to pick up their child.
Due to the large number of students attending MES we ask that if parents/guardians are coming to excuse their child(ren) before the regular dismissal time, they do so before 2:50 p.m. After 2:50 p.m. students will be dismissed as part of the regular process — once the dismissal process begins it is difficult to contact teachers to have students excused from class.
Please send all transportation notes to your child’s teacher. We ask that you keep all changes to their normal, everyday schedule to a minimum as the new year begins.
Again, thank you for your patience!
Early Dismissal Dates:
Wednesday, September 16 12 Noon
Wednesday, October 21 12 Noon
Tuesday, November 24 2:15 p.m.
Wednesday, December 9 12 Noon
Friday, December 18 2:15 p.m.
Wednesday, February 24 12 Noon
Thursday, March 24 2:15 p.m.
Thursday April 13 12 Noon
Wednesday, May 11 12 Noon
Page 2
Mokena School District 159 has a new website!
Have you had a chance to check out the new Mokena School District website yet? Important information is provided such as:
The Parent Resource webpage was developed to help you find any documents that you need quick access to during the school year. You will find links to any needed documents or information on this page.
The Virtual Backpack provides members of the District 159 community with a place to access information that has been submitted from parent groups, non-profit organizations, intergovernmental agencies, service organizations, and business partners for distribution and information purposes.
Please make sure to sign-up for the new NotifyMe System if you would like to receive news and updates via email and/or text from Mokena School District 159!
PAGE 3
Mokena District 159’s 4th Annual Fall Fling fundraising event will be held on Friday,
November 6th. This is a fun filled adult night out that brings parents, staff, and community
together to support Mokena Schools.
Fall Fling is being held in Mokena at The Alley Grill & Tap House. As always, the Fall Fling
is being organized by the Mokena District 159 Parent Teacher Association (PTA), and the
Mokena Educational Foundation (MEF).
The Fall Fling has raised funds that go directly back to the Mokena District 159 School
programs and activities:
Enhanced Technology in every classroom.
Modernizing our Libraries into Learning Resource Centers.
Creating unique learning opportunities with field trips, assemblies, guest speakers, and
specialty items for classrooms.
In order to continue with the success of this event, we reach out for help from the District 159
Families.
Sponsorship team members - Sponsorship plays a huge role in Fall Fling and pulled in
close to $14,000 to our event last year!!!
Gift Baskets, Gift Cards, Etc.– You might have a favorite location to get your hair done,
eat, shop, or just a place you think would make a great silent auction addition. Reach out
to them!
Experiences - Skydiving, Race Car Driving, Photography Packages and then some...we
pride our event on having a very diverse set of items to bid on.
Travel - We have been very fortunate to have fellow district families donate personal
vacation homes, timeshares, and Disney Passes to silent auction.
For additional information on sponsorship and silent auction, please email
Box Tops for Education
Mokena Elementary School will continue to collect box tops from General Mills
products to raise money for the purchase of school-related equipment.
Please save these box tops and send them to school with your child or drop them off at the MES office.
Thank you!!!
Absentee / Tardy Call-In
Please call school the prior evening or before 8:30 a.m. the day your son/daughter will be absent or
tardy. The absentee phone line for Mokena Elementary School is our main number: 708/342-
4850. You may access the absentee line by pressing “1”. Please speak clearly and leave the following
information:
* Your Name and relationship to student
* Name of Student (please spell student’s last name)
* Student grade and Teacher name
* Reason and Length of the Absence or Tardiness
If your child is absent or tardy, and the school has not received a call or a previous written excuse, you
will be called by the school to verify the absence.
PAGE 4
Nurses Office Welcome back to MES! And welcome to all of our new students! I hope you had a fun and relaxing summer. I’m looking forward to a happy, safe year. And to help keep us safe, here are a few reminders:
Shoe Safety: please wear “closed toe and heel” shoes. Second grade dental due by May 15, 2016. Kindergarten physicals, Eye and Dental due by September 12, 2015. Approved Snacks—please see our website for a complete list of safe snacks.
Please feel free to call me with any questions at 708-342-4853 Nurse Therese
Custody Alerts / Orders of Protection
If situations arise within a students home life that result in custody issues or court orders of protection, please provide the school office with a copy of the court’s written order. This information needs to be updated each school year. If you need to speak with a school official regarding issues related to legal custody and/or orders of protection, please contact Mrs. Kirchner or Mrs. Splayt.
Page 5
Mokena Music Boosters Presents:
Dippin Dots for the 2015-2016 School Year
Once again the Music Boosters will be bringing the students Dippin Dots for the 2015-2016 school year. Dippin Dots will be distributed 4 times a year at each school. The cost is $4.00 each ($16.00 for the school year—check made out to Mokena Music Boosters).
Please help us to simplify the ordering and distribution process by preordering for the year—orders due by September 4th.
The flavors that are offered this year are: Banana Split, Birthday Cake, Chocolate, Cookies & Cream, Cookie Dough, Cotton Candy and Rainbow (non-dairy). Please note that all Dippin Dots are labeled that they are manufactured in a plant that also processes nuts. Feel free to send in an alternate snack if you do not wish to order Dippin Dots.
Order forms were sent home but you may send in your order in an envelope with your childs name, grade, teacher, check and flavor choice marked clearly.
MES Dates: September 18th, November 20th, February 19th and April 22nd
If you have any questions or would like to volunteer to distribute Dippin Dots—contact: Linda Marquardt, Dippin Dot Chairperson at [email protected].
Like to earn some extra money? Pick the days you work? Work between the hours your children are in school? Work at your children’s school? Mokena Elementary is looking to hire sub-building aides for the 2015-2016 school year. Sub-building aides are called to cover when regular building aides are unavailable to work. Schedules vary from aide to aide but would include assisting with student arrival/dismissal and supervising student lunch and recess. Full training is provided.
If interested or have questions, please call the Mokena Elementary office at 708-342-4852.
September Asset:
Connection & Commitment to School
Young person is actively engaged in learning.
September quote of the month:
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.”
Mahatma Gandhi
See page 8 for details
DAILY SCHEDULE
Please take note of the following times for a
typical school day at MES:
First Bell 8:50 a.m.
Tardy Bell 8:55 a.m.
2nd grade Lunch 11:00 a.m.
AM Kindergarten Dismissal 11:35 a.m.
Kindergarten Lunch 11:30 a.m.
1st Grade Lunch 12:00 p.m.
3rd Grade Lunch 12:30 p.m.
Walkers/Car Riders Dismissal 3:12 p.m.
Day Care Riders Dismissal 3:15 p.m.
Dismissal for Buses 3:20-3:25pm
Parents should have received three documents
brought home by their child the first few days of
school; one outlines the need for a parental
signature for Internet Acceptable Use, Publication
of Student Photos. The second was the Early
Closing of School form with Student Contact
Information. And the third was how your child is
to be dismissed.
It is imperative that all three forms be returned
to school as soon as possible. Thank you!
Parental Permission and
Signature Verification Form /
Early Closing of Schools Form
And Dismissal Information Form
Non-Edible Birthday Treat Policy
As a school district, we have to be proactive with regards to the health and well being of our entire student
population. In order to promote healthier eating habits overall, and to protect those students with food
allergies and sensitivities, and medical conditions that require our care and support, we have implemented
a “non-edible birthday treat” policy.
If you would like to send something to the class to celebrate your child’s birthday, some suggestions include:
pencils, stickers, special erasers, or the donation of a favorite book to the classroom.
The administration and staff greatly appreciate your support in the implementation of this policy.
AFTERSCHOOL DRAWING CLASSES NOW FORMING!
WATCH FOR OUR FLYER COMING HOME WITH YOUR STUDENT or ENROLL ONLINE NOW!!
If your child loves to draw or wants to learn to draw new things in a non-competitive - yet rewarding – environ-ment, ENROLL in YR’s award winning afterschool drawing program! Classes meet immediately afterschool – at your child’s school – once a week for 1 hour!
New Lessons EVERY Session! Every Semester! Every Year!
Enrollment options: 1. Save time … register online at www.YoungRembrandts.com/SWSuburbs 2. Or, stop by the school office to pick up an enrollment form, if your child did not bring one home or if flyer is lost. 3. Or, call YR at (708) 323-7782 to register over the phone with our office.
Let your child discover the power of drawing today!
Page 6
Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 MES Fall Picture Day
2 3
4
5
6 7 Labor Day No School
8 PTA Meeting 9:30 MES
9
10
11 Crazy Sock Day
12
13 14
15
16 Early Dismissal
at 12 Noon
17
18 Progress Reports
19
20 21 22
23
24
25 Make Everyone Shine
26
27 28
29 Board of Ed Meeting 7 pm MES
30
September 2015
