Peterson Elementary School :: Principal's Corner

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December 10, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

Thank you to all of you who have taken a mitten from our Helping Hand tree!!! The project ends on Friday this week, so it’s not too late to support this project.

Thank you to Jen Tedrow and Kim Wightkin for all of their work to make this year’s Holiday Shop a success!! I know the students really enjoyed it!

Students can have a variety of accidents during the day that can require them to change their clothes. While we have plenty of t-shirts and sweatshirts, we could use leggings and sweatpants in all sizes, Kindergarten-Fifth Grade. If you have any leggings and/or sweatpants that your child has grown out of, please consider donating them to the school. We would greatly appreciate it!

We Need Your Feedback:
Parents, students, and teachers across Illinois will once again have an opportunity to participate in the annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school as it relates to the important elements of school effectiveness.

On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by the University of Chicago. All survey responses will be kept confidential. The state will provide survey results for individual schools only if a school has at least 20 percent of parents take the survey. If you have children attending more than one school, we ask that you complete the survey for each school.

To take this short survey:

1. Visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/

2. Type and select “Dupage” as "County." (The county is the location of the school district's main office.)

3. Type your school's name into the "School" field and select your school.

The Illinois 5Essentials Survey identifies five indicators that can lead to important student outcomes, including test score gains. Research has shown that schools strong on these indicators are ten times more likely to improve student learning. The five indicators that affect school success are effective leaders, collaborative teachers, involved families, supportive environments, and ambitious instruction. Parents will have until January to participate in the survey.

Third-Party Educational Programs:
The following companies have rented space in our schools to offer an after-school educational program for students. The distribution of this material is in no way an endorsement of programs, services, activities or products by District 204. For more information about the programs listed below, visit:
Peterson: Young Rembrandts Drawing Classes
Peterson: NanoBeasts STEM & Robotics

Upcoming Events:

December 11^th – Chorus Concert 6:30-7:30pm
December 14^th – Spirit Day
December 21^st – End of Semester
December 24^th – January 7^th No School – Winter Break
January 8^th – School resumes

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
The Helping Hand Project - final.docx.pdf

Former Posts

December 3, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

I am happy to share that we will again be doing our Helping Hands project! To help promote the Third Grade ELA unit of study titled, Making a Difference, we are looking to support families in need this winter season. The Third Grade students have titled this community outreach project, The Helping Hand Project. Our school will again support families in need with The Helping Hands project. The Helping Hand Tree will be located in the LMC. It will be decorated with paper mittens. On each paper mitten will be a name of a store that the family frequents or restaurant/place that is special to the family. There are no monetary amounts listed on the mittens and participation is completely optional. Donations will be collected from Tuesday, December 4th thru Friday, December 14^th. The flyer is attached to this email.

PTA Holiday Shop:
The PTA Holiday Shop is this Wednesday, Dec 5! There will be daytime hours for the kids to shop during school if they choose, and also evening hours (6p-8p) for any parents who would like to come shop!

Envelopes to give shopping guidance & send cash for Holiday Shop shopping came home last week and should be sent back to school with the kids on Dec 5 only. (Example: buy for mom - $5, brother - $3). Typical daytime prices are from $.50 - $15
Participation is optional
Please send only CASH
Do not send envelopes to school before Dec 5
PTA volunteers will be available to help students with "money management" and gift selections

Please consider volunteering at the Holiday Shop. It’s so much fun! https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/30e0945afac2faafb6-holiday5/3120372 Questions:jennifertedrow@sbcglobal.net

Gift Bag Donations Needed
To help support wrapping ALL the gifts students purchase at Holiday Shop, the PTA is in need of gift wrap items like small bags, tissue paper & nametags. Please consider sending donations into school (collection box will be in the front entryway). We will be collecting until Monday, December 3^rd. Thank you!

We Need Your Feedback:
Parents, students teachers across Illinois will once again have an opportunity to participate in the annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school as it relates to the important elements of school effectiveness.

To take this short survey:

1. Visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/

2. Type and select “Dupage” as "County." (The county is the location of the school district's main office.)

3. Type your school's name into the "School" field and select your school.

The Illinois 5Essentand ials Survey identifies five indicators that can lead to important student outcomes, including test score gains. Research has shown that schools strong on these indicators are ten times more likely to improve student learning. The five indicators that affect school success are effective leaders, collaborative teachers, involved families, supportive environments, and ambitious instruction. Parents will have until January to participate in the survey.

Upcoming Events:

December 5^th – Holiday Shop
December 11^th – Chorus Concert 6:30-7:30pm
December 14^th – Spirit Day
December 21^st – End of Semester
December 24^th – January 7^th No School – Winter Break
January 8^th – School resumes

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:

The Helping Hand Project - final.docx.pdf

______________________________________________________________________________________
November 26, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

I hope everyone was able to relax and enjoy Thanksgiving Break and it seems winter is definitely here! Students will go outside to recess when it is 5 degrees or above with wind chill. As a reminder, please make sure that your child(ren) are dressed appropriately for the weather. Snow pants and boots are required for play in the field once it is covered in snow, to ensure students have dry, comfortable clothes for the rest of the day.

PTA Holiday Shop
Mark your calendars for the Peterson PTA Holiday Shop on Dec 5! There will be daytime hours for the kids to shop during school if they choose, and also evening hours (6p-8p) for any parents who would like to come shop!

Envelopes to give shopping guidance & send cash for Holiday Shop shopping will come home this week and should be sent back to school with the kids on December 5th only. (Example: buy for mom - $5, brother - $5). Typical daytime prices are from $0.50-$5.00.
Participation is optional
Please send only CASH
Do not send envelopes to school before December 5th
PTA volunteers will be available to help students with "money management" and gift selections.

Questions: jennifertedrow@sbcglobal.net

Gift Wrap Donations Needed
To help support wrapping ALL the gifts students purchase at Holiday Shop, the PTA is in need of gift wrap items. Please consider sending donations into school (collection box will be in the front entryway). Examples are small gift bags, tissue paper, tape, bows, ribbon, wrapping paper, name tags, etc. We will be collecting until Monday, December 3^rd. Thank you!

We Need Your Feedback:
Parents, students and teachers across Illinois will once again have an opportunity to participate in the annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school as it relates to the important elements of school effectiveness.

To take this short survey:

1. Visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/

2. Type and select “Dupage” as "County." (The county is the location of the school district's main office.)

3. Type your school's name into the "School" field and select your school.

Third-Party Educational Programs
The following companies have rented space in our schools to offer an after-school educational program for students. The distribution of this material is in no way an endorsement of programs, services, activities or products by District 204. For more information about the programs listed below, visit:

Peterson: Illinois Chess Teachers Chess Club
Peterson: Young Rembrandts Drawing Classes

Upcoming Events

December 5^th – Holiday Shop
December 11^th – Chorus Concert 6:30-7:30pm
December 14^th – Spirit Day
December 21^st – End of Semester
December 24^th – January 7^th No School – Winter Break
January 8^th – School resumes

Best,
Allison Landstrom

______________________________________________________________________________________
November 19, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

Thank you to everyone for the incredible job supporting our school through the big Fall Fundraiser, the Orange Ruler Fun Run! It was a tremendous success and we were able to raise over $27,500 for our school. Our children will benefit greatly from these funds as they will be used specifically for PTA events and provide additional academic resources for the Peterson community. This includes the following: academic enrichment funds for individual teachers as well as teams that will enhance student instruction (i.e. materials, supplies, and field trips)and improving the classroom environment (i.e. flexible seating and new additions to the Think Zone).

Not only did we raise these important funds, but the overall Orange Ruler Program was a very positive and fun experience for our children, staff, and community. Throughout the past couple weeks, the consistent encouraging messages for our children to believe in themselves, work as a team and stay active made a big impact. It was also great to see parents at the Fun Run cheering on the children and their teams. We want to thank you again - it was great to see our community come together for this important cause.

Please watch for updates in the future showing how the funds were spent to benefit our children. Thank you again to parents and staff for your incredible support during the Orange Ruler Fun Run.

The November PTA minutes are attached. The next meeting is Thursday, January, 10^th at 9:15 in the MPR.

Car Riders
If your child will be a car rider at any time this year, please fill out the attached Car Rider form. This will allow us to generate a number for your child, which helps when we are dismissing.

Winter Recess
IPSD Elementary Schools will continue to go outside for recess as long as the temperature is above 5 degrees with wind-chill and the recess area is clear/safe. Please ensure students come prepared for winter outdoor recess daily. They should have warm coats, hats, and gloves.

The wood chips must be thawed 12 inches deep in order for our playground to be utilized during the school day, but students may still enjoy games on the shoveled blacktop or in the field. Snow pants and boots are required for play in the field once it is covered in snow, to ensure students have dry, comfortable clothes for the rest of the day.

When no recess space is considered safe, or it is below 5 degrees with wind-chill, students will enjoy an indoor recess with available indoor games and activities in their classroom.

While we understand that at times there is a legitimate need for a student to stay in from recess, a parent note that states the specific reason will only be allowed for 1 day. If a child needs to stay in for more than 1 day, we will require a note from the doctor.

PTA Holiday Shop
Mark your calendars for the Peterson Holiday Shop on Dec 5! There will be daytime hours for the kids to shop during school if they choose, and also evening hours (6p-8p) for any parents who would like to come shop! Envelopes to give shopping guidance & send money will come home about a week prior to Holiday Shop. If you are a crafter that is interested in selling, please see attached flyer. For questionsJennifertedrow@sbcglobal.net

To take this short survey:

1. Visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/

2. Type and select “Dupage” as "County." (The county is the location of the school district's main office.)

3. Type your school's name into the "School" field and select your school.

Upcoming Events:

November 21^st – November 23^rd – No School – Thanksgiving Break
December 5^th – Holiday Shop
December 11^th – Chorus Concert 6:30-7:30pm
December 21^st – End of Semester

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
November PTA Minutes.pdf
Car Rider form (1).pdf
Holiday Shop- 2018.pdf

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November 12, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

In honor of Veterans Day, we would like to recognize members of our community who have served our country both past and present. Please fill out the following form: https://goo.gl/forms/tnIZFMTerGPijp0E2, so those individuals can be included in our announcements on Monday, November 12^th.

Our Orange Ruler Fun Run is coming to a close and we are close to our goal!! We have already raised $19,193 which is 64% of our goal! All money is due on Tuesday!

ORANGE you glad the fun run is near? Get into the spirit and wear your favorite Orange gear!! T-shirts, tutus, socks and more - can't wait to see all of you soar!! See you at the Orange Ruler Fun Run on Thursday, November 15th!! Parents are welcome to attend. Please see the attached schedule for grade level times.

November PTA Dinner Night:
Our next PTA dinner night will be on Monday, November 12^th at Buffalo Wild Wings in Plainfield. They will be giving us 15% of sales and the promotion is good - All Day Long!! So plan those kid-free lunch dates, family dinners out, drinks with friends, etc.! We will be attaching the flyer next week but please mark your calendars!! Any questions please contact Ekta at eluthra@gmail.com or Aarti at aartigupta82@gmail.com.

PTA Holiday Shop
Mark your calendars for the Peterson Holiday Shop on Dec 3! There will be daytime hours for the kids to shop during school if they choose, and also evening hours (6p-8p) for any parents who would like to come shop! Envelopes to give shopping guidance & send money will come home about a week prior to Holiday Shop. If you are a crafter that is interested in selling, please see attached flyer. For questions Jennifertedrow@sbcglobal.net

Toiletry Drive:
In the spirit of giving thanks and helping others, Peterson and Fry Elementary PTAs are collecting new and unused toiletry items to provide to District 204 students in need. Collection runs through Wednesday, Nov. 14. Please consider donating--thank you! (Questions? Contact Christine Paik, christinempaik@yahoo.com)

To take this short survey:

1. Visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/

2. Type and select “Dupage” as "County." (The county is the location of the school district's main office.)

3. Type your school's name into the "School" field and select your school.

Upcoming Events:

November 12^th – PTA Dinner Night at Buffalo Wild Wings (all day)
November 13^th – Orange Ruler Fun Run Donations Due
November 15^th – Orange Ruler Fun Run Day (See Attached Schedule)
November 21^st – November 23^rd – No School – Thanksgiving Break
December 5^th – Holiday Shop
December 11^th – Chorus Concert 6:30-7:30pm
December 21^st – End of Semester

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
Orange Ruler Fun Run Schedule.pdf
Plainfield Fundraising Flyer.doc
CALLING ALL CRAFTER1.docx

___________________________________________________________________________________
November 5, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

This is a busy week!!! There are many new items in this week’s newsletter, please make sure you read all the way through. Remember there is no school on Monday, November 5^th and Tuesday, November 6^th due to Parent/Teacher conferences and Election Day.

In addition, don’t forget we have PTA meeting on Thursday, November 8^th at 7:00pm in the LMC and we have Spirit Day on Friday, November 9^th!

Our Orange Ruler Fun Run is underway and off to a great start!!!!! We have already raised $5561, which is 19% of our goal! Thank you to those of you that have already registered your child in our class at orangeruler.com/signup, donated and also sent donation invites to friends and family to help your child, the class and the school. The students are having a fun time with the program and we are excited to work together as a team to help raise money for our school. Each donation from your friends, your family and you will have the added benefit of not only increasing your child’s chances to win daily drawing prizes but also quickly multiplying the chances that students will get to see Mrs. Witkowski and me dressing up like Anna and Elsa!! Mr. Patterson said he might do something special too if we exceed our goal!! Thank you again for your support with this important fundraiser and program, it is greatly appreciated. If you have any questions, please contact me at allison_landstrom@ipsd.org or Joann Frisby at joannfrisby@gmail.com

Coat Drive:
Thank you to everyone who participated in this year’s IPPC Coat Drive. We collected 15 boxes from Peterson alone, which is incredible! Overall, the drive collected over 700 warm, new and gently used coats, over 150 pairs of bootsand more hats, gloves, and scarves than we could count. The coat drive is in its 13th year and still, the response isoverwhelming. Please see the attached picture and thank you for helping local families in need!

Box Tops Winners:
Congratulations to Mr. White's 5th grade class for coming in first for collecting the most box tops. Mrs. Kucera's Kindergarten class for coming in second, and Mrs. Falck's 3rd grade class for coming in third! All three classes have won extra recess. Overall, Peterson students collected 3,876 box tops and raised $387 dollars for our school. There will be another contest starting again soon so please keep collecting those box tops! Let's see if we can collect even more this time! Also please remember to check the expiration dates on the box tops, expired ones don't count. Congratulations again to our top 3 classes and thank you to Mrs. Narwani for help with this!

Toiletry Drive:
In the spirit of giving thanks and helping others, Peterson and Fry Elementary PTAs are collecting new and unused toiletry items to provide to District 204 students in need. The collection runs through Wednesday, Nov. 14. Flyer with details is attached. Please consider donating--thank you! (Questions? Contact Christine Paik, christinempaik@yahoo.com)

School Safety Community Night on November 14^th
District 204 is partnering with local law enforcement agencies for a School Safety Community Night presentation from 7 to 8 pm on Wednesday, November 14 at Waubonsie Valley High School. Safety topics include what parents should teach their younger children to help keep them safe, the district’s partnership with police and how school resource officers work with staff and students, ALICE training in schools, a new program that involves a school safety dog, and how students and parents can report safety concerns. All District 204 parents are invited to attend this event. Children are encouraged to attend at their parents’ discretion. An RSVP is appreciated, but not required at http://ipsd.us/HPRF0.

To take this short survey:

1. Visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/

2. Type and select “Dupage” as "County." (The county is the location of the school district's main office.)

3. Type your school's name into the "School" field and select your school.

Upcoming Events:

November 5^th – No School – Parent/Teacher Conferences 8:00-8:00 pm
November 6^th – No School – General Election Day
November 8^th – PTA Meeting 7:00pm in LMC
November 9^th – Spirit Day
November 12^th – PTA Dinner Night at Buffalo Wild Wings (all day)
November 13^th – Orange Ruler Fun Run Donations Due
November 15^th – Orange Ruler Fun Run Day (Schedule will be shared closer to date)
November 21^st – November 23^rd – No School – Thanksgiving Break

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
Coat Drive 2018.jpg
Orange Ruler Fundraiser Reminder.pdf
Tolietry Drive Flyer 2018.docx

______________________________________________________________________________________
October 29, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

We look forward to seeing some of you on Thursday, November 1^st for our first evening of Parent/Teacher conferences! Monday, November 5^th is our 2^nd day and evening of Parent/Teacher conferences. If you do not have a Parent/Teacher conference scheduled, please contact your child’s teacher! As in the past, conferences will be 20 minutes in length.

Remember there is no school on Monday, November 5^th and Tuesday, November 6^th due to Parent/Teacher conferences and Election Day.

Attached to this newsletter is a document that provides information and guidelines to you on when students should stay home and when they can return to school. If you have any questions, please contact me or our school nurse, Marney Collins at marney_collins@ipsd.org.

To take this short survey:

1. Visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/

2. Type and select “Dupage” as "County." (The county is the location of the school district's main office.)

3. Type your school's name into the "School" field and select your school.

Parents will have until January to participate in the survey.

PDAC:
On October 23^rd, the Parent Diversity Advisory Council (PDAC) hosted the conversation: Parent Engagement: Communication and Advocacy. We discussed ways to celebrate parent engagement and shared potential solutions to enhance communicative efforts between home and school. The meeting slides can be found HERE. Please consider joining us at a future PDAC meeting. The PDAC Calendar is available on the PDAC subpage.

Alice in Wonderland at Metea Valley High School!
We are performing Alice in Wonderland the first weekend in November and would love to have you share the show and ticket information with the parents and kids at your school in perhaps the next newsletter or two. Performances will be in the Auditorium at the MVHS Auditorium:

Friday, November 2nd at 7pm,
Saturday, November 3rd at 2pm and 7pm
Sunday, November 4th @ 2pm

**In addition, we will be hosting a special event: Tea with Alice at 12pm on Saturday, November 3rd. It will start at 12pm and conclude at 1:30, just before our 2pm show. Tickets will be $10 and will include, treats, drinks, and fun activities, as well as photos and autographs with some of the cast members. Children under 2 are free.

Tickets can be purchased at this link: http://www.meteamusic.org/theater.html or by scanning the QR code on the flyer that’s attached to this email.

Upcoming Events:

October 30^th – Orange Ruler Fun Run Kick-Off
November 1^st – Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30-8:00 pm
November 5^th – No School – Parent/Teacher Conferences 8:00-8:00 pm
November 6^th – No School – General Election Day
November 8^th – PTA Meeting 7:00pm in LMC
November 12^th – PTA Dinner Night at Buffalo Wild Wings (all day)
November 13^th – Orange Ruler Fun Run Donations Due
November 15^th – Orange Ruler Fun Run Day (Schedule will be shared closer to date)
November 21^st – November 23^rd – No School – Thanksgiving Break

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
When to Stay Home (1).pdf
Alice 8x11 Final.pdf

_____________________________________________________________________________________
October 22, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

On Friday, October 26^th beginning at 4:00pm, report cards will be posted in Home Access Center. Here are the directions forViewing & Printing Report Cards. There is also a help site for parents: eSchoolPlus Home Access Center. If you need assistance, please contact Mrs. Gamboa and/or Mrs. Newman in the main office.

ELL report cards will also be available in the Home Access Center this school year (beginning October 26 at 4:00pm). They will be located in the “Grades” tab, along with the district report card.

Thank you to those of you who have already signed up for November conferences. Sign-up is online. When you login into the Home Access Center you will find a link to PowerPTC where you will enter your Home Access Center login and password. Sign-ups will close on Friday, October 26^th. Please see this document for help in scheduling conferences. Parent/Teacher Conferences are November 1^st and 5^th. As in the past, conferences will be 20 minutes in length. When you sign-up, you will notice that the conferences slots are each 25 minutes. We have done this to allow for a “5 Minute Passing Time”.

The October PTA Meeting Minutes are attached to this email. We hope to see you for the next meeting on Thursday, November 8^th at 7:00pm.

Panther Points Newsletter:
We have our second edition of the Panther Points Newsletter by Don Sweeney, our school psychologist. The purpose of thenewsletter is to help parents be aware of some of the mental health challenges seen in schools. This information is another way our school district wants to help build a strong school-community collaboration to deal with issues that may impact child development and educational growth. The Panther Points newsletter is attached to this email.

October PTA Dinner Night:
Please join us on October 24th from 5 to 9pm at McAllister’s Deli for Peterson’s October dinner night. The flyer is attached andwill be coming home as well. Here is the link to the flyer: Dinner Night Flyer Please present the flyer in paper or pdf form in order for us to get the 15% credit. Any questions please contact Aarti Sharma at aartigupta82@gmail.com or 630-865-7517.

Coat Drive:
Please consider SPREADING THE WARMTH by donating new or gently used coats (infant to adult) in addition to other winter accessories (boots, hats, scarves, mittens, snow pants, etc.).

The PTA is partnering with IPPC again this year for a winter gear drive. The items collected will benefit students within District 204 that are in need and will be delivered in early November. We are collecting until October 26th - a donation box is in the entryway at Peterson.

We also need volunteers from Peterson to help with sorting items donated through the Coat Drive. Sorting will take place at Builta Elementary, and there are multiple timeslots available Oct. 29^th – Nov. 1^st. Please see this link:https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090B45AAAB2CA6FB6-coat for additional details. Thank you so much for your participation and helping a family in need!

PDAC:
The Parent Diversity Advisory Council (PDAC) will host its first meeting of the school year on Tuesday, October 23^rd, 7:00-9:00 pm, at Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora. The topic of the meeting is: Parent Engagement: Communication and Advocacy. For PDAC meeting dates, please access the PDAC Calendar or PDAC subpagefor more information.

Upcoming Events:

October 24^th – PTA Dinner Night at McAllister’s Deli 5:00-9:00pm
October 26^th – Report Cards Posted in HAC at 4:00pm
October 26^th – Coat Drive Ends
November 1^st – Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30-8:00 pm
November 5^th – Parent/Teacher Conferences 8:00-8:00 pm
November 6^th – No School – General Election Day
November 8^th – PTA Meeting 7:00pm in LMC
November 12^th – PTA Dinner Night at Buffalo Wild Wings (all day)

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
October PTA Minutes.pdf
Panther Points October 2018.pdf

_____________________________________________________________________________________
October 15, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

There is a lot of information in this newsletter!!! Don’t forget Reflection entries are due on Friday. Please see below for more information! Our Box Top drive ends Friday as well!

Thank you to Joann Frisby, Angela Soderquist, everyone who donated an item for the cake walk, and all the volunteers! This amazing event wouldn’t happen without the tremendous support of the PTA and volunteers!!

We had another fun spirit day!!!! Our Primary classroom winner is Mrs. Yee’s class with 96% of the students participating andour Intermediate classroom winner is Ms. Falck’s class with 96% participation! They will enjoy an extra recess tomorrow. Our Primary grade level winner was Second Grade with 70% participation and our Intermediate grade level winner was Third Grade with 88% participation! Those two grade levels will get to choose where they sit tomorrow during lunch.

As a reminder, District 204 is using PowerPTC, an online service that allows parents at all grade levels to easily schedule parent-teacher conferences. In order to use the service, you will use your Home Access Center (HAC) login and password. When you login into the Home Access Center you will find a link to PowerPTC where you will enter this information.

You will be able to sign-up for Parent/Teacher Conferences on Monday, October 15that beginning at 10:00am. Sign-ups will close on Friday, October 26^th. Please see this document for help in scheduling conferences on the 15^th! Parent/Teacher Conferences are November 1^st and 5^th.

As in the past, conferences will be 20 minutes in length. When you sign-up, you will notice that the conferences slots are each 25 minutes. We have done this to allow for a “5 Minute Passing Time”.

LMC Think Zone:
Did you know that the Peterson LMC has a Think Zone? The LMC Think Zone is a place where students can come to the libraryand explore different ways to enhance their learning. This space uses the Makerspace concept to allow students the time to explore, create and play in the LMC. For more information on what the items the LMC Think Zone has please see the attached PDF.

Reflections:
If your child has an artistic side, this is the time to start planning for this year’s National PTA’s Reflections Arts program. Reflections, which has been running in public schools across the country for several years, is a program that allows students to submit their original creative works in different categories to compete for national awards and recognition. The entries are judged at a school level and a maximum of five entries in each category per grade division advance to the national level where they are pitted against entries from other schools.

This year’s Reflections theme is “HEROES AROUND ME” Entries are due by Friday October 19^th 2018 and can be submitted to the students’ homeroom teachers. Entries can be submitted in one or more of the six available categories – Visual Arts, Photography, Literature, Music Composition, Dance Choreography and Film Production. There is also a Special Artist category for students with disabilities who receive services under IDEA or Section 504.

Each original work must meet the applicable Submissions Guidelines and must be accompanied by a completed form (attached to this email). If you have any questions or need more information, please reach out to our Reflections Chair, Christine Paik (christinempaik@yahoo.com)

Box Tops Contest
The first classroom vs. classroom box top contest is starting. The top 2 classrooms that collect the most box tops will win extra recess!

Collecting box tops is an easy way to earn money for Peterson. We earn $.10 for every box top that we turn in, so don't be afraid to ask your family and friends to help collect. IN the past we have earned over $700 and we hope to earn even more this time around. Box tops can be found on many products you use every day. For a listing of products, go tohttps://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/participating-products

Each classroom has a container where the box tops can be placed in. Just have your child bring in any box tops that you collect, trimmed along the dotted line, and place them in the containers. The contest will end October 19th. Good luck and happy collecting! Any questions, please contact Eileen Narwani at eileen.narwani@gmail.com

Coat Drive:
Please consider SPREADING THE WARMTH by donating new or gently used coats (infant to adult) in addition to other winter accessories (boots, hats, scarves, mittens, snow pants, etc.).

Upcoming Events:

October 15^th – Online Sign-Up Opens for Parent Teacher Conferences at 10 am
October 16^th – Fall Picture Retakes
October 19^th – Box Tops Contest Ends
October 19^th – Reflections Entries Due
October 19^th – End of First Quarter
October 24^th – PTA Dinner Night at McAllister’s Deli 5:00-9:00pm
October 26^th – Report Cards Posted in HAC at 4:00pm
October 26^th – Coat Drive Ends
November 1^st – Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30-8:00 pm
November 5^th – Parent/Teacher Conferences 8:00-8:00 pm
November 6^th – No School – General Election Day
November 12^th – PTA Dinner Night at Buffalo Wild Wings (all day)

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
2018 PTA Reflections Submission Guildelines.pdf
2018 Reflections Student Packet.pdf
LMC Think Zone.pdf

____________________________________________________________________________________
October 8, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

A reminder, there is No School tomorrow in honor of Columbus Day. This Friday, October 12^th is Spirit Day!! I’m excited to see everyone dressed in their purple and gold!

District 204 is using PowerPTC, an online service that allows parents at all grade levels to easily schedule parent-teacher conferences. In order to use the service, you will use your Home Access Center (HAC) login and password. When you login into the Home Access Center you will find a link to PowerPTC where you will enter this information.

The Online Conference Sign-up date has changed since last week’s newsletter. It will now open on Monday, October 15^th at10:00am and close on Friday, October 26^th. Please see this document for help in scheduling conferences on the 15^th! Parent/Teacher Conferences are November 1^st and 5^th.

Please do not send glass containers to school. They pose a safety hazard for students if they break in the MPR during lunch. In addition, please remember to send your child with spoons and napkins!

Monster Mash Bash:
Monster Mash is this Saturday, October 13th from 1pm-3pm. We hope to see you there. We have an exciting afternoon planned which will include a Cake Walk, Games, Bingo, and several Inflatables! There will also be a magician performing 3 magic shows at 1:15pm, 1:45pm and 2:15pm.

Wristbands are now only available for purchase at the door on Saturday. The cost is $10.00 for Purple Paw PTA Members and $15.00 for Non-PTA Members. Golden Paw members please let the greeter know on Saturday that you are Golden Paw and you will be given your wristbands. All students need a wristband to participate in all the activities.

We still need many volunteers to make this event a success. Thank you to those who have already volunteered. Without volunteers, we may have to cancel some activities we have planned so please consider volunteering. If you can help, please sign up at Monster Mash Bash Sign-up Genius

We still need donations for the Cake Walk. All the cakes (brownies, cookies, cupcakes, etc) need to be store-bought packaged items with the ingredients on them. If you have signed up to donate an item for the cake walk or haven’t yet but still want to donate, please drop off your donation this Thursday or Friday at Peterson. There will be a table with a cake-walk donation sign on it. There will also be volunteers collecting donated items in the car rider line on Friday afternoon. We look forward to seeing everyone there! If you have any questions, please contact Joann Frisby joannfrisby@gmail.com and Angela Soderquist scottandangela117@yahoo.com

Box Tops Contest
The first classroom vs. classroom box top contest is starting. The top 2 classrooms that collect the most box tops will win extra recess! Collecting box tops is an easy way to earn money for Peterson. We earn $.10 for every box top that we turn in, so don't be afraid to ask your family and friends to help collect. IN the past we have earned over $700 and we hope to earn even more this time around. Box tops can be found on many products you use every day. For a listing of products, go tohttps://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/participating-products

This year’s Reflections theme is “HEROES AROUND ME” Entries are due by Friday October 19^th, 2018 and can be submitted to the students’ home room teachers. Entries can be submitted in one or more of the six available categories – Visual Arts, Photography, Literature, Music Composition, Dance Choreography and Film Production. There is also a Special Artist category for students with disabilities who receive services under IDEA or Section 504.

Upcoming Events:

October 8^th – No School – Columbus Day
October 10^th – National Walk to School Day (More information will be coming soon!)
October 11^th – PTA Meeting at 9:15 in MPR
October 13^th – Monster Mash Bash 1:00-3:00pm
October 15^th – Online Sign-Up Opens for Parent Teacher Conferences at 10 am
October 16^th – Fall Picture Retakes
October 19^th – Box Tops Contest Ends
October 19^th – Reflections Entries Due
October 19^th – End of First Quarter

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
2018 PTA Reflections Submission Guildelines.pdf
2018 Reflections Student Packet.pdf

_____________________________________________________________________________________
October 1, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

It’s hard to believe we are half-way through the first quarter! Thank you to the Val Gremillion, Amy Welsh, and the PTA for a wonderful Back-to-School Breakfast; it was such a terrific way to begin our day!

Thank you to those of you who filled out the Parent Engagement survey! The purpose of the survey is to learn about what types of activities/events you would like to see at Peterson, the best days and times for parents and families to participate and to obtain suggestions on how we can continue to increase our parent/family engagement. Here is the link to the survey:https://goo.gl/forms/AUuEfEIux4LUa8jp1

I have received some calls from residents that drivers are on their cell phones and cars are blocking driveways during arrivaland dismissal. Please remember you should not be on your cell phone in school zones. In addition, while you’re waiting in the car line, be mindful of driveways so that residents are able to access them.

Fall conference sign-ups will be done online again this year. There will be no activation codes. Instead, parents will use the same username and password that is used for Home Access Center. Please call the office if you are unsure of your Home Access Center log-in information. Online Conference Sign-ups will open on October 8^th. I will have more information on the process for doing that in next week’s newsletter.

September’s PTA meeting minutes are attached to this email. I hope you can join us for the next meeting on October 11^th!

Monster Mash Bash:
Monster Mash Bash only two weeks away! Please join us at Peterson on Saturday, October 13th from 1pm-3pm. We have an exciting afternoon planned which will include a Cake Walk, Games, Bingo, a Magician and several Inflatables! Don’t forget to pre-order your wristbands, please copy and paste this link into a new web browser: Wristband Order Form

Please pre-order your wristbands by October 5^th. Wristbands cost $8.00 per child for Purple Paw PTA Members if ordered by October 5^th. Wristbands cost $10.00 per child for Non-PTA Members if ordered by October 5^th. After October 5^th, payments will no longer be accepted at school. Wristbands will be available for purchase at the door the day of the event. The cost is $10.00 for Purple Paw PTA Members and $15.00 for Non-PTA Members. All students need a wristband to participate in all the activities.

We still need volunteers to make this event a success. Thank you to those who have already volunteered. Without volunteers, we can’t run all the activities we have planned so please consider volunteering. If you can help, please sign up at Monster Mash Bash Sign-up Genius

We also still need donations for the Cake Walk. All cakes, brownies, cookies, cupcakes, etc. need to be store-bought packaged items with the ingredients on them. We are asking that winners do not eat or open the items at the event. Please note this year the Cake Walk will be held in the gym. Please consider donating store-bought baked goods for the Cake Walk. This is one of the favorite activities at the Monster Mash Bash and more goodies results in more winners! If you can donate, please indicate that when you order your wristbands. More details about drop-off to come!

In a continued effort to support our families with allergies, the PTA and I would like to provide a listing of the food being served at the Monster Mash Bash. Please click on this link: Monster Mash Bash Food List for the list of foods. We look forward to seeing everyone there! If you have any questions, please contact Joann Frisby joannfrisby@gmail.com and Angela Soderquist scottandangela117@yahoo.com

Box Tops Contest:
The first classroom vs. classroom box top contest is starting. The top 2 classrooms that collect the most box tops will win extra recess! Collecting box tops are an easy way to earn money for Peterson. We earn $.10 for every box top that we turn in, so don't be afraid to ask your family and friends to help collect. IN the past we have earned over $700 and we hope to earn even more this time around. Box tops can be found on many products you use every day. For a listing of products, go tohttps://www.boxtops4education.com/earn/participating-products

Each classroom has a container where the box tops can be placed in. Just have your child bring in any box tops that you collect, trimmed along the dotted line, and place them in the containers. The contest will end on October 19th. Good luck and happy collecting! Any questions, please contact Eileen Narwani at eileen.narwani@gmail.com

This year’s Reflections theme is “HEROES AROUND ME” Entries are due by Friday, October 19^th 2018 and can be submitted to the students’ home room teachers. Entries can be submitted in one or more of the six available categories – Visual Arts, Photography, Literature, Music Composition, Dance Choreography and Film Production. There is also a Special Artist category for students with disabilities who receive services under IDEA or Section 504.

Upcoming Events:

October 8^th – No School – Columbus Day
October 8^th – Online Sign-Up Opens for Parent Teacher Conferences
October 10^th – National Walk to School Day (More information will be coming soon!)
October 11^th – PTA Meeting at 9:15 in MPR
October 13^th – Monster Mash Bash 1:00-3:00pm
October 16^th – Fall Picture Retakes
October 19^th – Box Tops Contest Ends
October 19^th – Reflections Entries Due
October 19^th – End of First Quarter

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
Thursday, September 13, 2018-PTA, PDF.pdf
2018 PTA Reflections Submission Guildelines.pdf
2018 Reflections Student Packet.pdf

_____________________________________________________________________________________
September 24, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

I hope everyone was able to enjoy this wonderful weekend!!! As I mentioned last week, I would like you to take a few moments to complete a Parent Engagement survey. The purpose of the survey is to learn about what types of activities/events you would like to see at Peterson, the best days and times for parents and families to participate and to obtain suggestions on how we can continue to increase our parent/family engagement. Here is the link to the survey: https://goo.gl/forms/AUuEfEIux4LUa8jp1

There is a lot of new information in this newsletter! Don’t hesitate to reach out to me with questions or to the committee chairs.

SALE EXTENDED - - our Spirit Wear shop will be open until midnight tonight!!
We have extended our spirit wear sale, so don’t delay and miss out on placing an order. Head to www.petersonpta.membershiptoolkit.com and start shopping today.

Click on “My Account” then find “Spirit wear."
Sale ends September 21st - our goal is to get your apparel to you by our next spirit day, Friday, October 12th.
All orders are final so please double check sizing charts before submitting.
Spirit wear will be delivered to your child's classroom.

Questions? Contact Emily @ limabeanem@aol.com

Peterson’s September Dinner Night:
Peterson September Dinner Night will be on Thursday, September 27^th from 4-10pm at Delicia Mexican Grill. The address is12337 IL-59 #127, Plainfield, IL 60585, Phone: 815-254-9110. Bring your friends and family to enjoy amazing Mexican foodand support Peterson. The PTA will get 15% of all sales. Just be sure to mention Peterson while ordering for dine-in or carry out! Flyer not required. Any questions or concerns please contact Aarti Sharma at 630-865-7517 or aartigupta82@gmail.com

Monster Mash Bash:
It’s that time of year again! Everyone is invited to the MONSTER MASH BASH on Saturday, October 13th from 1pm-3pm. We have an exciting afternoon planned which will include a Cake Walk, Games, Bingo, a Magician and several Inflatables! To pre-order your wristbands, please copy and paste this link into a new web browser: Wristband Order Form

Please pre-order your wristbands by October 5^th. Wristbands cost $8.00 per child for Purple Paw PTA Members if ordered by October 5^th. Wristbands cost $10.00 per child for Non-PTA Members if ordered by October5^th. After October 5^th, payments will no longer be accepted at school. Wristbands will be available for purchase at the door the day of the event. The cost is $10.00 for Purple Paw PTA Members and $15.00 for Non-PTA Members. All students need a wristband to participate in all the activities.

We will need many volunteers to make this event a success. You can sign up to be a volunteer on Sign-Up Genius. If you are able to help, please sign up at Monster Mash Bash Sign-up Genius

We will also need donations for the Cake Walk. All of the cakes need to be store-bought packaged cakes with the ingredients on them. We are asking the winners do not to eat or open the cakes at the event. Please note this year the Cake Walk will be held in the gym. Please consider donating store-bought baked goods for the Cake Walk. This is one of the favorite activities at the Monster Mash Bash and more goodies results in more winners! If you can donate, please indicate that when you order your wristbands. More details about drop-off to come!

In an effort to support our families with allergies, the PTA and I would like to provide a listing of the food being served at the Monster Mash Bash. Please click on this link: Monster Mash Bash Food List for the list of foods. We look forward to seeing everyone there! If you have any questions, please contact Joann Frisby, joannfrisby@gmail.com and Angela Soderquist, scottandangela117@yahoo.com

Reflections:
If your child has an artistic side, this is the time to start planning for this year’s National PTA’s Reflections Arts program.Reflections, which has been running in public schools across the country for several years, is a program that allows students to submit their original creative works in different categories to compete for national awards and recognition. The entries are judged at a school level and a maximum of five entries in each category per grade division advance to the national level where they are pitted against entries from other schools.

This year’s Reflections theme is “HEROES AROUND ME” Entries are due by Friday, October 19^th 2018 and can be submitted to the students’ homeroom teachers. Entries can be submitted in one or more of the six available categories – Visual Arts, Photography, Literature, Music Composition, Dance Choreography and Film Production. There is also a Special Artist category for students with disabilities who receive services under IDEA or Section 504.

Upcoming Events:

September 27^th – Dinner Night at Delicia Mexican Grill 4-10pm
October 8^th – No School – Columbus Day
October 10^th – National Walk to School Day (More information will be coming soon!)
October 11^th – PTA Meeting at 9:15 in MPR
October 13^th – Monster Mash Bash 1:00-3:00pm
October 16^th – Fall Picture Retakes
October 19^th – Box Tops Contest Ends
October 19^th – Reflections Entries Due
October 19^th – End of First Quarter

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
2018 PTA Reflections Submission Guildelines.pdf

____________________________________________________________________________________
September 17, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

What an amazing first Spirit Day!! We started off with Dance Friday and a lot of smiles! Our Primary classroom winner is Mrs. Munn’s class with 93% of the students participating and our Intermediate classroom winner is Ms. Falck’s class with 100% participation! They will enjoy an extra recess tomorrow. Our Primary grade level winner was Second Grade with 85% participation and our Intermediate grade level winner was Third Grade with 75% participation! Those two grade levels will get to choose where they sit tomorrow during lunch.

I have an update on the crosswalks and I truly appreciate everyone’s patience with this! The city hopes to begin the work at the end of September/early October. The crosswalks will be:

Mahogany and Chinaberry – North Leg
Chinaberry and Honey Locust – West Leg
Winterberry and Honey Locust – North Leg
Winterberry and Honey Locust – South Leg
Winterberry and Honey Locust – East Leg
Winterberry and Honey Locust – West Leg
Shumard Lane between Corktree and Carpenter (trail crossing)

New bike racks have been ordered and I am working with the district to have them installed on the east side of the building. I will continue to update you on this as I receive updates!

Next week, I will be sending out a Parent Engagement survey. The purpose of the survey is to learn about what types of activities/events you would like to see at Peterson, the best days and times for parents and families to participate and to obtain suggestions on how we can continue to increase our parent/family engagement.

Procedures for Rating Scales or Releases
I wanted to take a moment and be sure you were aware of proper procedures when you request your classroom teacher to complete rating scales or release educationally relevant materials to an outside provider/source:

Be sure you have filled out a complete District #204 release of information form. This will allow us to send any forms/scale/reports/student information DIRECTLY TO THE PROVIDER. So, when filling out the form, please include the provider’s full name and title, their address, their phone and fax numbers.
Do not send or have your child bring forms directly to their teacher. Please give these types of scales/forms to Mrs. Witkowski, the Student Services Coordinator or Don Sweeney, School Psychologist WITH the completed release of information form. They will be sure to get materials to the teacher once we have the proper releases filled out.
Please know the original rating scale(s)/form(s) will be either mailed or faxed directly to the provider. A copy of the packet (release and scales/reports) will also be provided to you.
Please plan ahead. To assure teachers and the Peterson staff have proper time to distribute/complete/send materials, allow at least a SEVEN DAY window before you are to meet with the provider. In the past, people would bring in scales, without releases, and expect these to be done the next day. Please work with us to assure proper handling of these materials.
If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Witkowski or Mr. Sweeney.

Back by Popular Demand - - our Spirit Wear shop!!!
PTA has opened up our spirit wear shop again. Don’t delay and miss out on placing an order. Head towww.petersonpta.membershiptoolkit.com and start shopping today.

Click on “My Account” then find “Spirit wear."
Sale ends September 21st - our goal is to get your apparel to you by our next spirit day, Friday, October 12th.
All orders are final so please double check sizing charts before submitting.
Spirit wear will be delivered to your child's classroom.

Questions? Contact Emily @ limabeanem@aol.com

Upcoming Events:

September 18th – Fall Picture Day
October 8th – No School – Columbus Day
October 10th – National Walk to School Day (More information will be coming soon!)
October 11th – PTA Meeting at 9:15 in MPR
October 13th – Monster Mash Bash 1:00-3:00pm

Best,
Allison Landstrom

_____________________________________________________________________________________
September 10, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

Don’t forget this Friday is our first Spirit Day of the year and I look forward to seeing all of our students in purple and gold!

Thank you to everyone for their patience and understanding during the bad weather last week! Please note, no child will be counted as tardy when we have weather that causes our arrival process to slow down.

We look forward to seeing you at Curriculum Night this Wednesday, September 12^th! The classroom presentations will consist of 2 sessions with both sessions containing the same information. We repeat the sessions for those of you who have more than one child in our school. Session A will be from 6:30 – 7:00 and Session B will be from 7:15 – 7:45. This evening is for parents only. It is a time for parents to learn about their child(ren)’s classroom teacher’s philosophy, expectations, and teaching techniques for the year. The teacher will also give a general overview of the curriculum as well as the learning goals for the grade level. You will receive specific information from your child’s teacher on the location of your presentation.

There are some all school frameworks that I would like to highlight for you! The first one is our intervention block, called Guided Literacy Instruction (GLI). GLI will be used for all areas of literacy: reading, writing, speaking, and listening. There will be flexible groupings across classrooms within a grade level based on student need. These needs will be determined by assessments, teacher observations, and/or student choice.

The second framework is Class Meetings. Class Meetings support our students’ Social Emotional Learning. All classroom teachers will have a Class Meeting at least once a week. The purpose of these meetings is to:

Set a tone for respectful and engaged learning in a climate of trust
Build and enhance connections among students and between students and teachers
Merge academic, social, and emotional learning
Motivate students by addressing the human need to feel a sense of significance and belonging, and to have fun

Finally, with the introduction of 1:1 Chromebooks in Grades 2-5, all students will have increased and easier access to technology use. Any technology, including computers and Chromebooks, is used when it is needed. Technology supports and enhances the learning in the classroom. Students will still complete paper/pencil activities, read books, and collaborate face to face with one another! If you have any questions about any of these frameworks, please contact me!

Panther Points Newsletter:
Don Sweeney is the school psychologist for Peterson. He has been in District #204 since 2001 and has worked at many elementary and middle school here. He also has worked in Schaumburg District 54 and Lake Zurich District 95. Prior to becoming a school psychologist, he worked as a clinical psychologist in hospitals and private practice settings. He also has been a college instructor for 26 years including 22 years currently at the College of DuPage. Panther Points will be a monthly informational newsletter for parents to help make them aware of some of the mental health challenges seen in schools. This information is another way our school district wants to help build a strong school-community collaboration to deal with issues that may impact child development and educational growth. The Panther Points newsletter is attached to this email.

Third-Party Educational Programs:
The following companies have rented space in our schools to offer an after-school educational program for students. The distribution of this material is in no way an endorsement of programs, services, activities or products by District 204. For more information about the programs listed below, visit:
Peterson: Illinois Chess Teachers Chess Club
Peterson: Young Rembrandts Drawing Classes
Peterson: NanoBeasts STEM & Robotics

Upcoming Events:

September 12^th – Curriculum Night: Session A will be from 6:30 – 7:00 and Session B will be from 7:15 – 7:45
September 13^th – PTA Meeting at 9:15 in MPR
September 13^th – Boy Scouts School Rally Night
September 14^th – Spirit Day
September 18^th – Fall Picture Day
October 8^th – No School – Columbus Day
October 11^th – PTA Meeting at 9:15 in MPR
October 13^th – Monster Mash Bash 1:00-3:00pm

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
Panther Points September 2018.pdf

September 3, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

I hope everyone is enjoying the Labor Day weekend and remember, there’s no school tomorrow! Last week, you should have received a letter explaining our Benchmark Assessments that are given in September (Fall), January (Winter), and May (Spring). A copy of the letter is attached to this email. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Curriculum Night:
Curriculum Night is on Wednesday, September 12^th from 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm. The classroom presentations will consist of 2 sessions with both sessions containing the same information. We repeat the sessions for those of you who have more than one child in our school. Session A will be from 6:30 – 7:00 and Session B will be from 7:15 – 7:45. This evening is for parents only. It is a time for parents to learn about their child(ren)’s classroom teacher’s philosophy, expectations, and teaching techniques for the year. The teacher will also give a general overview of the curriculum as well as the learning goals for the grade level. You will receive specific information from your child’s teacher on the location of your presentation.

Lunch Reminders:
Please remember to send your child with a spoon or a fork if they are bringing cold lunch. Also, please do not use glass containers when packing your child’s lunch. Glass containers pose a safety hazard if they accidentally fall on the floor and break.

Third-Party Educational Programs:
The following companies have rented space in our schools to offer an after-school educational program for students. The distribution of this material is in no way an endorsement of programs, services, activities or products by District 204. For more information about the programs listed below, visit:
Peterson: Illinois Chess Teachers Chess Club
Peterson: Young Rembrandts Drawing Classes
Peterson: NanoBeasts STEM & Robotics

Upcoming Events:

September 3^rd – No School – Labor Day
September 4^th – Fall Benchmark Assessments Begin
September 6^th – WatchDOGS Kick-off Meeting at 6:00pm in MPR
September 12^th – Curriculum Night: Session A will be from 6:30 – 7:00 and Session B will be from 7:15 – 7:45
September 13^th – PTA Meeting at 9:15 in MPR
September 13^th – Boy Scouts School Rally Night
September 14^th – Spirit Day
September 18^th – Fall Picture Day

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
2019 aimswebPlus Notification Letter.pdf

August 27, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

It was a wonderful first week of school! The students learned about our expectations, routines, and most importantly – each other!

Thank you so very much to all of the amazing staff and PTA volunteers who helped to make our arrival and dismissal as smooth as possible!! A couple of items related to arrival/dismissal:

All consistent car riders, who have completed a Car Rider form will have their number and orange sign by Tuesday this week.
If your child will be a consistent Car Rider, please make sure you have filled out the Car Rider form. It is attached to this email.
Please do not park on Honey Locust Drive during arrival and dismissal.
If you’re walking or riding your bike, make sure to stay on the sidewalk. Please do not ride through neighbor’s yards.
Remember to walk your bike once you are on school grounds.
Please wait for the Crossing Guards to signal with the stop sign that it is safe to cross the street before doing so.

Curriculum Night:
Curriculum Night is on Wednesday, September 12th from 6:30 pm – 7:45 pm. The classroom presentations will consist of 2 sessions with both sessions containing the same information. We repeat the sessions for those of you who have more than one child in our school. Session A will be from 6:30 – 7:00 and Session B will be from 7:15 – 7:45. This evening is for parents only. It is a time for parents to learn about their child(ren)’s classroom teacher’s philosophy, expectations, and teaching techniques for the year. The teacher will also give a general overview of the curriculum as well as the learning goals for the grade level. You will receive specific information from your child’s teacher on the location of your presentation.

WatchD.O.G.S Program:
This week is the week you can sign up to be a Peterson WatchD.O.G.S! Again this year you will have two options:

Option #1 is an Instructional Watchdog where you will spend time in the classroom with your child and also another classroom at Peterson. Instructional Watchdogs slots are Tuesday and Thursdays from 8:40am - 10:45am (and longer if you stay for lunch/recess). This option will also allow you to participate in your child’s lunch and recess period.

Option #2 provides supervision during your child’s lunch and recess period only. There are two slots available Monday - Friday and you can attend all lunches or just the lunches for your children. The lunch schedule is as follows:

5th - 10:45-11:20
3rd - 11:15-11:50
4th - 11:45-12:20
2nd - 12:15-12:50
1st - 12:45-1:20
KDG - 1:15-1:50

The sign up for Option #1 will be sent out by Mrs. Landstrom at noon on August 29th and for Option #2 by Mrs. Landstrom at noon on August 30th. New this year - if you are a PTA member for 2018-2019 (your membership dues have been paid) you will have the option of signing up 24 hours for both options. PTA members will receive their email from the PTA. We have lots Dads who are new to Peterson who would love the opportunity to be a Watchdog - if you have been able to be a Watchdog for the last several years please consider not signing up as an Instructional Watchdog so that someone else can have this experience. If you have any questions please email Leslie Shepherd at watchdogs.peterson@gmail.com

Team IPEF Kids Marathon (Register now-Deadline is 9/3):
Want a great way to get your children ready for their school PTA’s fall fun runs and to encourage healthy activity for a good cause? Register them to participate as a charity hero with Team IPEF in the Naperville Kids Marathon. Students ages 5-13 commit to running 25 miles (one mile at a time) until October 19 and track their miles. On Saturday, October 20, they run the final 1.2 miles at Naperville North High School on a portion of the course used by Team IPEF runners in the Naperville Half Marathon the following day. All participants receive a Team IPEF shirt, race shirt and finisher medal. Register online at IPEF and select the school your child will represent. Cost is $44 and includes race registration and a $26 tax-deductible donation. This year, IPEF is proud to partner with Mathnasium who will award $1,000 to the school with the most kids registered.

Peterson: Young Rembrandts Drawing Classes

Upcoming Events:

August 31st – No School – Institute Day
September 3rd – No School – Labor Day
September 12th – Curriculum Night:

Session A will be from 6:30 – 7:00 and Session B will be from 7:15 – 7:45

September 13th – PTA Meeting at 9:15 in MPR
September 13th – Boy Scouts School Rally Night
September 14th – Spirit Day
September 18th – Fall Picture Day

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
Car Rider form.pdf

August 20, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

It was wonderful to see so many of you at Meet and Greet on Thursday! We so excited for our year to begin! Thank you to those of you who have turned in your Arrival/Dismissal form. If you haven’t done so, please make sure we have it on Tuesday. The form is attached below. This newsletter contains some of the information from last week, but there are also new items that have been included.

A note about parking on Tuesday and Wednesday. As in the past, for the first two days of school, all students will be lining up out on the blacktop. This is a wonderful way to begin the year! I would ask you to avoid parking on Winterberry (street right behind the school) and Chinaberry (street in front and to the west of the school) as parking on these streets will interfere with car drop off and busses.

We have students walking and biking to school this year. Please see below for important safety tips for motorists from the Naperville Police Department.

Important First Day Information:
The First Day of School for students in Grades 1 – 5 is Tuesday August 21^st. Our Kindergarten students will come for a Kindergarten Visitation – see information below. Kindergarten Students will start on for their first full day of kindergarten on Wednesday, August 22^nd.

Kindergarten Students will not ride the bus to school on Tuesday, August 21^st. Instead, we invite you to bring your child to kindergarten on the first day for a thirty-minute orientation. This visit will familiarize your child with his/her new classroom, let him/her meet the teacher, and will prepare all of our students on their first day of school on August 22^nd. Please plan your visit according to your last name and the schedule listed below:

o 9:30 – 10:00 A – D

o 10:00 – 10:30 E – H

o 10:30 – 11:00 I – L

o 11:00 – 11:30 M – Q

o 11:30 – 12:00 R – Z

Parent-Student Handbook:
Here Peterson’s Parent/Student Handbook. Within the handbook is a link to District 204’s handbook. Please take the time to read both. They contain information regarding policies and procedures of both Peterson and our District.

First “Dinner” Night of the Year:
Let’s start off the year with a sweet treat! Yogurt Beach is hosting our first fundraiser for the year on Monday, August 20th all day. Grab all of your family and friends and stop by Yogurt Beach. Just mention Peterson Elementary at the checkout. Come out and support Peterson, as 30% of the proceeds will go back to our school.

Spirit Wear:
The 2018-2019 school year is here, and with a new school year comes new spirit wear designs!! This year you will find plenty of options, so you can get your spirit wear apparel the way you really want. Think glitter, performance shirts, and comfy sweatshirts/hoodies, personalization options are also available.

This year ALL spirit wear orders will be done ONLINE ONLY through Membership Tool Kit. Log on to your account, click on "MY ACCOUNT", then scroll down until you see Spirit Wear, then start shopping today!! https://petersonpta.membershiptoolkit.com/home Sale ends August 24th so orders can be created and delivered before our first spirit day on Friday, September 14th. Click here for the flyer:

Safety Tips for Motorists:
The Naperville Police Department has provided safety tips for motorists as children will once again be walking to school through neighborhoods, waiting at bus stops and being dropped off at schools by parents. The beginning of the school year is an especially important time to check your driving behavior and ensure you are practicing the safest driving habits. Motorists can assist with keeping children safe when headed back-to-school by following these tips:

Plan ahead and leave home earlier than normal to allow enough time to reach your destination without rushing.
Always come to a complete stop at stop signs, and be sure to check carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding. Be sure to obey crossing guards and student safety patrols.
Slow Down! Remember, school speed zones are reduced for a reason. When entering a school zone, slow down to 20 mph and be extra alert for children on foot and on bicycles.
Being cautious when approaching school buses. It is illegal to proceed around a school bus with the stop sign arm engaged. Please be patient as children enter and exit school buses.
Eliminate distractions. Leave time in the morning to eat and groom before entering your vehicle and stay off the phone while driving. As a reminder, Illinois bans the use of all hand-held devices while driving in Illinois as well as texting while driving.
Follow each school’s traffic and parking plans and signage. If you have questions or want more information on your school’s traffic and parking plan, please contact your school.
Lock your car doors and remove valuables before exiting your vehicle at schools and daycares. Even if you’ll only be gone for a brief time, leaving valuables in plain sight or leaving your doors unlocked is an invitation for thieves.
Talk to your teen. According to AAA, nearly one in four fatal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the after-school hours of 3 to 7 p.m. Remind them to slow down, reduce distractions and be aware of their surroundings.

Team IPEF Kids Marathon: (Register now-Deadline is 9/3)
Want a great way to get your children ready for their school PTA’s fall fun runs and to encourage healthy activity for a good cause? Register them to participate as a charity hero with Team IPEF in the Naperville Kids Marathon. Students ages 5-13 commit to running 25 miles (one mile at a time) until October 19 and track their miles. On Saturday, October 20, they run the final 1.2 miles at Naperville North High School on a portion of the course used by Team IPEF runners in the Naperville Half Marathon the following day. All participants receive a Team IPEF shirt, race shirt and finisher medal. Register online at IPEF and select the school your child will represent. Cost is $44 and includes race registration and a $26 tax-deductible donation. This year, IPEF is proud to partner with Mathnasium who will award $1,000 to the school with the most kids registered.

Hot Lunch:
District 204’s hot lunch vendor is OrganicLife. For school lunch menus, please visit: http://www.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/SchoolLunches

You may check your child’s balance or create a new account by visiting: http://www.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/OnlineMealPayments. You must have your child’s ID number to complete this process. Please contact the school office if you do not have your child’s ID number. If your child had a balance from last year’s account, it will automatically roll over to their current lunch account.

The Free Lunch and Fee waiver applications may found online at Fee Waiver Information. If you should need any more information about our school lunch program, please visit the following website: http://www.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/SchoolLunches

Peterson: Young Rembrandts Drawing Classes

Upcoming Events:

August 21^st – First day of school for 1^st – 5^th Grades/Kindergarten visitations
August 22^nd – First full day for Kindergarten students
August 23^rd – 1:1 Chromebook Presentation for 2^nd – 5^th Grade Parents at 6:00pm (More detailed info will be provided in a separate email.)
August 31^st – No School – Institute Day
September 3^rd – No School – Labor Day
September 12^th – Curriculum Night 6:00-8:00pm
September 13^th – PTA Meeting at 9:15 in MPR
September 14^th – Spirit Day
September 18^th – Fall Picture Day

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
1819 Arrival Dismissal form.docx
Yogurt Beach Flyer.docx

August 13, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

I hope everyone has enjoyed their weekend! We have a couple more changes to our staff. Troy Adams was able to return to Welch due to their increased enrollment. Please welcome Meghan Daniels as the new 5th grade teacher. In addition, we will now have 5 sections of 3rd grade and Laurel Miner will be joining the 3rd grade team. I have included information about both of them here! I look forward to seeing some of you at the New Student Open House and many of you at the Meet and Greet!

New Student Open House:
If you are a new student in grades 1-5 come and join us for the New Student Open House on Monday, August 13th from 4:30-6:00!! You’ll have the chance to tour the school and learn more about Peterson during a presentation from 5:00-5:30 in the LMC. The PTA will be hand to answer questions and sell spirit wear. Kindergarten students and their families are more than welcome to come if they’d like. Kindergarten parents heard much of this information in March at the Kindergarten Orientation evening.

Student Classroom Assignments:
Student classroom assignments will be viewable in the Home Access Center (HAC) on Monday, August 13th beginning at 4:00pm. Students new to Peterson, including kindergarteners will need to register for a Home Access account. Here is the link to the Home Access Center (HAC): https://hacipe.sungardk12saas.com/HomeAccess and here are the directions to register for a Home Access account: http://ipsdweb.ipsd.org/Uploads/eschool/Good/HAC%20Claim%20Account.pdf Please take some time to become familiar with the HAC system. The HAC system is where you will find information regarding bus routes, classroom assignments, as well as report cards. This link should be able to answer many of your questions: http://www.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/eSchoolPlus

Meet and Greet is Thursday, August 16 from 2:30 – 3:30:
Teachers will be available to meet their new students and parents in classrooms beginning at 2:30. This is the only opportunity for teachers to be available to meet their students prior to the start of school. Please keep in mind, this is a fun event for the children. It is not to be used as a time to conference with teachers. Thank you for understanding, as we want to provide an opportunity for ALL students to meet their teachers. The PTA will be on hand for questions and sell Peterson spirit wear.

Transportation Information:
Arrival/Dismissal Form:
This year, we will have students walking to school. In light of this addition, I am asking all families to fill out an Arrival/Dismissal form. This form will help us to better know how your child is arriving and leaving school each day. We are asking families to fill out a form for each child. The form is attached to this newsletter and will be available in your child’s classroom on Meet and Greet, which is on Thursday, August 16th

Bus Routes:

Bus stop information will be available on HAC on Monday, August 13th.
If you have a circumstance where your child will not be riding the bus, you are required to send a note.
If your child will be a car rider on a consistent basis, please fill out the Car Rider Form
Please note: Route change requests will only be considered if received in writing by the Department of Support Services. “Request to Add or Change a Bus Stop” form can be found on the district web-site athttp://ipsdweb.ipsd.org/Forms/BusRouteRequest.aspx
This form must be returned to the Peterson Office, will be reviewed, and then forwarded to the Department of Support Services for approval/denial. After school begins, route changes will not be made until after the third week of school unless there is a safety concern.

Important First Day Information:
The First Day of School for students in Grades 1 – 5 is Tuesday, August 21st. Our Kindergarten students will come for a Kindergarten Visitation – see information below. Kindergarten Students will start on for their first full day of kindergarten on Wednesday, August 22nd.

Kindergarten Students will not ride the bus to school on Tuesday, August 21st. Instead, we invite you to bring your child to kindergarten on the first day for a thirty-minute orientation. This visit will familiarize your child with his/her new classroom, let him/her meet the teacher, and will prepare all of our students on their first day of school on August 22nd. Please plan your visit according to your last name and the schedule listed below:

o 9:30 – 10:00 A – D

o 10:00 – 10:30 E – H

o 10:30 – 11:00 I – L

o 11:00 – 11:30 M – Q

o 11:30 – 12:00 R – Z

Hot Lunch:
District 204’s hot lunch vendor is OrganicLife. For school lunch menus, please visit:http://www.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/SchoolLunches

Upcoming Events:

August 13th – Kindergarten and New Student Open House: 4:30-6:00pm

Tour the building and listen to a presentation to learn about Peterson from 5:00-5:30

August 13th – Teacher Assignments listed in Home Access Center (HAC) at 4:00pm
August 16th – Teacher Meet and Greet: 2:30-3:30pm
August 21st – First day of school for 1st – 5th Grades/Kindergarten visitations
August 22nd – First full day for Kindergarten students
August 23rd – 1:1 Chromebook Presentation for 2nd – 5th Grade Parents (More detailed info will be provided.)
August 31st – No School – Institute Day
September 3rd – No School – Labor Day
September 12th – Curriculum Night 6:00-8:00pm

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
1819 Arrival Dismissal form.docx
Yogurt Beach Flyer.docx

August 6, 2018

Hello Peterson Families-

I hope all of you have enjoyed the summer and remember it’s still not over!!! We are getting ready to begin the year and I am looking forward to having our school filled with students and staff!! We have staff members in new positions this year and many new faces! I have listed the changes below and if you’re interested in learning more about our new staff please click here!

I will have information about Arrival/Dismissal, accessing bus routes in Home Access Center (HAC) as well as a link to our Parent/Student Handbook on Sunday evening, August 12th. Our website is being updated with information for the 18/19 School Year! Please be sure to check it: http://peterson.ipsd.org/Default.aspx

If you or someone you know is looking for part-time work, we have two part-time positions open at Peterson, Lunchroom Supervisor on Tuesdays and Thursday and Crossing Guard (AM 8:45-9:15 and PM 3:30-4:10). Please contact me if you or someone you know is interested!!

Student classroom assignments will be viewable in the Home Access Center (HAC) on Monday, August 13^th beginning at 4:00pm. Students new to Peterson, including kindergarteners will need to register for a Home Access account. Here is the link to the Home Access Center (HAC): https://hacipe.sungardk12saas.com/HomeAccess and here are the directions to register for a Home Access account: http://ipsdweb.ipsd.org/Uploads/eschool/Good/HAC%20Claim%20Account.pdf Please take some time to become familiar with the HAC system. The HAC system is where you will find information regarding bus routes, classroom assignments, as well as report cards. This link should be able to answer many of your questions: http://www.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx/eSchoolPlus

New Grade Levels/Names:

Lauren Quinn moved to Kindergarten
Melinda Lippe moved to 2^nd Grade
Sue Corbin moved to 2^nd Grade
Traci Hamilton moved 4^th Grade
Ann Marie Decker moved to 5^th Grade
Julie Washburn will now be a Supported Education Teaching Assistant
Heather Wulf got married and is now Heather Consalvo!

New Faces!

Brittany Bennefield came to us from Brookdale and will be in 3^rdGrade
Troy Adams came to us from Welch and will be in 5^th Grade
Rachel Witkowski came to us from Graham and will be the new Student Services Coordinator
Persis Sidwah came to us from Builta and will be our new ELL teacher
Saurabh Mehta came to us from Gombert and will be our new Art teacher
Debi Steffenhagen comes to us from Gombert and will join Mr. P as a PE teacher
Don Sweeney comes to us from White Eagle and Brooks and will be our Psychologist
Jessica Mantovani will be our new Speech-Language Pathologist
Jami Shelbrock will be a new 4^th Grade teacher
Niki Manita will be a new 4^th Grade teacher
Aarthy Shanmugam will be a new Supported Education Teaching Assistant

Upcoming Events:

August 13^th – Kindergarten and New Student Open House: 4:30-6:00pm

Tour the building and listen to a presentation to learn about Peterson from 5:00-5:30

August 13^th – Teacher Assignments listed in Home Access Center (HAC) at 4:00pm
August 16^th – Teacher Meet and Greet: *2:00-3:00pm (*Time is tentative.)
August 21^st – First day of school for 1^st – 5^th Grades/Kindergarten visitations
August 22^nd – First full day for Kindergarten students
August 23^rd – 1:1 Chromebook Presentation for 2^nd – 5^th Grade Parents (More detailed info will be provided.)
August 31^st – No School – Institute Day
September 3rd – No School – Labor Day
September 12^th – Curriculum Night 6:00-8:00pm

Best,
Allison Landstrom, Principal

File attachments:
Yogurt Beach flyer 2018.docx

Peterson Elementary School Peterson Elementary Peterson

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