Peterson Elementary School :: Principal's Corner

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March 4 2019

Dear Peterson Families,

I hope to see many of you on Thursday for our Digital Citizenship presentation! In this digital age, the more informed we are about technology and its impact, the better decisions we can make! The presentation is being offered at two different times, 9:15 am and 6:30 pm. Please see below for more information.

Digital Citizenship Presentation:
Game systems, smartphones, IPADS, laptops and more........technology is everywhere! Your child’s digital footprint begins the minute they go online and is something can that have both positive and negative long-term ramifications. Imagine if your child couldn’t attend a particular program or get into the college of their choice because of their digital footprint. We know that trying to keep up with all technology that’s out there can be difficult for parents! Please come hear Allan Davenport, Director of Innovation & Instructional Leadership as he talks to parents about technology trends, best practices for parenting in a digital environment, and how school and home can work together to help our students develop a positive digital presence. Additionally, Mr. Davenport will share several kids picture books that address Digital Citizenship as well as some other helpful technology management tools for parents. We hope to see you on Thursday, March 7^th at 9:15 am or at 6:30 pm for this presentation.

Young Author's Information:
Projects for Young Authors should be well "in the works" by now, and completion should be in the next week! Some students have already turned in their work to Mrs. Grahn for the March 1 deadline! Below is the student info for the final check for your young, budding writers. If you have students who are currently working or nearly finished, they can SHARE the project with me (through Google docs) at any time.

All levels of Peterson students are welcome to turn in a project from this school year, whether done at school or home.
Projects should have been edited by a parent or teacher before being turned in for judging.
The project, whether hand-written or typed, should have a title page added for identification of the student.
Projects may have illustrations (they must be hand-drawn; no computer images). A picture can be on the cover or scattered throughout the story or work.
Longer projects of more than 10 pages, may have "to be continued" to allow for completion evenfollowing judging. Permission for this extension comes from the judges.
We will have an assembly to honor ALL the participants as well as the school-wide winner, probably later in March.

Thank you for encouraging good writing skills at school and home!! Any questions, please contact Brenda Grahn brenda_grahn@ipsd.org

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 Teacher's Chess Club
Peterson: Young Rembrandts Drawing Classes

Upcoming Events:

March 7^th - Digital Citizenship Presentation 9:15am and 6:30pm
March 8th - Spirit Day
March 11^th - Spring Pictures
March 12^th - Second Grade Concert 6:30-7:30pm
March 13th - Science Fair 6:00-8:00pm
March 15^th - End of Quarter
March 20^th - Incoming Kindergarteners Presentation 6:30-7:30pm
March 22^nd - Report Cards posted in HAC after 4:00pm
March 25^th-April 1^st - No School - Spring Break

Best,
Allison Landstrom

Former Posts

February 25, 2019

Dear Peterson Families,

Congratulations to all of the students who competed this weekend at the Robotics Tournament! I was so incredibly proud of their determination, perseverance, and sportsmanship! A special congratulations to the Robo Wreckers: Carter S., Zach N., Leah J., Anoushka S. and Krithi P. for winning the Excellence Award!

Thank you to Amie Strasma for organizing the Daddy/Daughter Dance and to all of the many volunteers who made it a special evening for our families!

Parents are welcome to join us tomorrow at 2:00pm for an all-school assembly from the Movement Revolution Dance Crew. The performance is titled, “Jamming with the Boombox: The History of Hip Hop”. Through music & dance, students will learn about the history of hip hop and the five elements that make up this dance revolution. There will be a DJ, MC, and four dancers. Parents are welcome! Please, sign-in at the front office. This assembly is sponsored by the PTA.

Remember, there is no school on Thursday and Friday this week; enjoy your long weekend!

Science Fair:
Registration for Peterson’s Science Fair is open! The Science Fair is Wednesday, March 13, from 6-8pm. All students (K-5) are welcome to participate individually or in groups of up to four students. All participants must register individually! For guidelines, safety rules and resources see the STEM tab of the Peterson website. Register at this link no later than Sunday, March 3, 2019: https://goo.gl/forms/qIjsfpuVc3SHxaSr2

Volunteers are needed for set-up and judging (no science background needed!). Please volunteer at the following link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c054fafac29aa8-science1

Upcoming Events:

February 28^th - No School Parent/Teacher Conferences 1:00-8:00pm
March 1^st - No School - Institute Day
March 7^th - Digital Citizenship Presentation 9:15am and 6:30pm
March 12^th - Second Grade Concert 6:30-7:30pm
March 13th - Science Fair 6:00-8:00pm
March 20^th - Incoming Kindergarteners Presentation 6:30-7:30pm
March 25^th-March 29^th - No School - Spring Break

Best,
Allison Landstrom

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February 18, 2019

Dear Peterson Families,

Thank you to Val Gremillion, the PTA, and volunteers for showing Peterson staff the love on Thursday! Everyone really enjoyed their favorite beverages!! The February PTA meetings are attached and please remember we do not have school tomorrow!

February Dinner Night:
Please join the Peterson PTA this Wednesday, February 20th from 5-9pm for our monthly dinner night at Red Robin in Plainfield! You will need to show a flyer and mention Peterson PTA, so will get 20% back to the school! The flyers will be sent home this week. Thanks to those who came out to chipotle last month in the storm, hopefully, the weather cooperates with us this time.

Fundraiser Date: 2/20/2019
Fundraiser Time: 5-9
Hosting Restaurant: Red Robin Plainfield, 12646 South Route 59, Plainfield, IL, 60544

Daddy/Daughter Event:
The Daddy Daughter Dance is THIS FRIDAY, February 22, 2019, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. **Please RSVP by Wednesday, February 20, 2019,** The dance is $15 per family or $20 per family after February 20 or at the door. Simply click (or paste) the following link to register for this memorable night! https://goo.gl/forms/E1m0TAJyrKjKnidy2 If there are any questions or concerns please email Amie Strasma at: bambina419@att.net

We still have a couple of volunteer spots that are needed to be filled. This is a great night for the Peterson girls and we need volunteer help to pull off such an awesome event. Below is the link to sign up to volunteer: Please click (or paste) the link. Thank you in advance!!!! DDD Volunteers 2019

Volunteers are needed for set-up and judging (no science background needed!). Please volunteer at the following link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c054fafac29aa8-science1

Upcoming Events:

February 18^th - No School - President's Day
February 20^th - February Dinner Night - Red Robin Plainfield
February 22^nd - Daddy/Daughter Dance
February 28^th - No School Parent/Teacher Conferences 1:00-8:00pm
March 1^st - No School - Institute Day
March 7^th - Digital Citizenship Presentation 9:15am and 6:30pm
March 12^th - Second Grade Concert 6:30-7:30pm
March 13th - Science Fair 6:00-8:00pm
March 20^th - Incoming Kindergarteners Presentation 6:30-7:30pm

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
PTA Meeting Minutes- 2719-PDF.pdf

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February 11, 2019

Dear Peterson Families,

Thank you to all of the Peterson Families for visiting Open House, Book Fair, and Savvy Business Kids! It was such a wonderful evening! Benchmark Assessment results will be posted in Home Access Center on Friday, February 15thafter 4:00pm. Please see the attached document for help in understanding the assessments as well as how to interpret them.

2M is the primary winner for Spirit Day and 3F and 4S tied as the intermediate winners for Spirit Day! Second and Fourth Grade had the most participation for the grade level!! Congratulations!

Cookies 4 Courage:
Student Council is collecting cookies for Cookies 4 Courage!! Please help to show how much we appreciate our police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses, and city workers by donating some fresh-baked or store-bought cookies. Collection boxes will be by the classrooms until Tuesday, February 12th. Parents can bring the items to Open House or students can bring them to school. Let's show our community helpers some love!

Daddy/Daughter Event:
The Daddy Daughter Event is quickly approaching. This event is on Friday, February 22, 2019, from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. The dance is $15 per family or $ 20 per family after the February 20 or at the door. Simply click (or paste) the following link to register for this memorable night! https://goo.gl/forms/E1m0TAJyrKjKnidy2 **Please RSVP by Wednesday, February 20, 2019** If there is any questions or concerns please email Amie Strasma atbambina419@att.net

We also have open volunteer spots. This is a great night for the Peterson girls and we need volunteer help to pull off such an awesome night. Below is the link to sign up to volunteer: Please click (or copy and paste) the link. Thank you in advance!!!! DDD Volunteers 2019

Upcoming Events:

February 15th - Benchmark Assessment results posted in HAC
February 18th - No School - President's Day
February 22nd - Daddy/Daughter Dance
February 28th - No School Parent/Teacher Conferences 1:00-8:00pm
March 1st - No School - Institute Day
March 7th - Digital Citizenship Presentation 9:15am and 6:30pm
March 12th - Second Grade Concert 6:30-7:30pm

Best,
Allison Landstrom

Best,
Alli Landstrom

File attachments:
2019 aimswebPlus Follow Up Letter Winter.pdf

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January 28, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

We are at 19% for the 5Essentials Survey!! Thank you again to everyone who has completed it. We need at least 20.0% of our parents to respond in order to receive a report. Please see below for information on how to take this short survey and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns!

During the last week of January and the month of February, Peterson Parent Diversity Advisory Committee has organized a Read Aloud to celebrate our diversity! Parents will have the opportunity to come in and do a read aloud. Mrs. Schimmoler, our LMC Director has compiled books that celebrate our diversity. Please use this link to sign-up: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0945afac2faafb6-january. We realize there are limited opportunities and hope to do something like this again later in the year. If you have any questions, please contact Joann Frisby joannfrisby@gmail.com or me.

Arrival and Dismissal:
A few reminders regarding arrival and dismissal for Car Riders:

When dropping off or picking up your child, please pull up all the way to where the staff member signals.
When picking up your child, please have your number visible to the staff member.
Students should only exit or enter the car from the right (passenger side). No students should be exiting on the left (driver’s side).
When waiting in the drop-off/pick up line, please do not block resident’s driveways.
There should be no cell phone use in school zones.
Please follow the traffic patterns outlined here: http://peterson.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx?id=432. These patterns have been established to keep our students safe.

Panther Points Newsletter:
The January edition of the Panther Points Newsletter by Don Sweeney, our school psychologist is attached. The purpose of the newsletter 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.

January dinner night:
Please join us for the PTA’s January dinner night at Chipotle (2856 s RT 59 in Naperville) on the 29th from 5 to9pm. Attached is the flyer you can show on your phone or just mention Peterson PTA and we will get credit. We are trying to go green in 2019 so we will not be sending home a paper copy before the night. Chipotle is giving back 33% of all sales (online orders do NOT count!) so please please spread the word to family, friends and neighbors! This is our second biggest dinner night for the year so please come out and support the PTA while enjoying some delicious Mexican. Any questions or concerns please contact Aarti at aartigupta82@gmail.com or Ekta at eluthra@gmail.com.

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.

PDAC
On Saturday, February 2^nd, 3:00 pm, at Metea Valley High School, PDAC will host a free screening of Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age. For more information or to attend the event, please visit HERE.

Special Survivor Games:
Special Survivor Games will be held on March 8, 2019 at Peterson. This fun event brings together volunteer peer buddies and District 204 elementary and middle school students with special needs to engage in relay style competitive races. Click here for details and learn more about the games by reading an article that was featured in the Naperville SUN, watch a video created by NCTV-17, and check out the pictures taken by students of District 204.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-survivor-for-kids-st-0320-20160319-story.html

Enjoy all 524 pictures of Special Survivor Games 2018 courtesy of Marissa Kucharski, Molly Keen, and Arda Akma: pix.sfly.com/2hp-z8SE Here is a link to the NCTV-17 Newsclip: https://www.nctv17.com/news/special-survivor-games-for-everyone/

If interested in participating, please send your child's name, home school, current grade level, your name and contact info, and their special need to ensure we accommodate all games accordingly to knkucharski@gmail.com .This event is free and fun. Contact Kristen Kucharski 630-440-4792 (Co-Creator of Naperville Survivor Games) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxAJL9rQ__w

Volunteers are needed!! Staff volunteers are assigned special jobs to help keep the games running smoothly. Our volunteers are what help make the games successful! Without the support provided by those who know our students best, we would not be able to keep this event running! Please click the following link to sign-up: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1xvU3IQpruN_nN9vBdHImXD-_0daNibtWfRnf3B5DHfE/edit?usp=sharing

Upcoming Events:

January 29^th - Dinner Night at Chipotle
February 7^th - PTA Meeting 9:15am in MPR
February 7^th - Savvy Business Kids 6:00-7:30
February 7^th - Open House 6:30-7:30
February 18^th - No School - President's Day
February 22^nd - Daddy/Daughter Dance
February 28^th - No School Parent/Teacher Conferences 1:00-8:00pm
March 1^st - No School - Institute Day

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
January Dinner Night.pdf
Panther Points January 2019.pdf

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January 21, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

Thank you to everyone who has completed the 5Essentials survey!!! We are at 18%. We need at least 20.0% of our parents to respond in order to receive a report. Please see below for information on how to take this short survey and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns!

Click here for the January PTA meeting minutes! Also, we have added a tab to the PTA website that will allow you to find a list of each staff member's "favorite things". Here is the link: http://peterson.ipsd.org/Subpage.aspx?id=433

Teaching Assistant Recruitment:
Do you have a Bachelor's Degree? Or an Associate's Degree? Or 60 semester hours of college coursework? You could be a Teaching Assistant with District 204. Teaching Assistants are perfect if you want to work full-time school hours and receive benefits. The District is now accepting applications, screening applicants and hiring individuals to start right away. To learn more, please see attachment or to apply now (www.ipsd.org/careers.aspx).

Daddy/Daughter Dance:
Please see the attached Save the Date information below for the upcoming Daddy-Daughter Dance. This special night, February 22, 2019. will be here before you know it! You won’t want to miss this event!!!!

Young Authors' Projects at Peterson:
It's time for a celebration, honoring great writers at Peterson. The Illinois Reading Council and Illinois Language and Literacy Council is again sponsoring the Young Authors Conference to recognize enthusiastic writers. In January and February, students are encouraged to develop and/or complete one writing project to publish for a Young Authors' project at Peterson.

The program encourages students to write and publish their writing. We have found that given opportunities to write and publish, students will often show us some of their best diligence and creativity. Students can use a current fiction or non-fiction piece of literature they are working on. Also, poetry selections, or another piece of writing are allowed from their current school year. Some classes at Peterson will use class time for the project, and students may work at home too. Students may also use a selection they have created at home. Google drive can be used to share their document between home and school. Edits can be done by the parent if the project is done at home. Please see here for more information!

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.

PDAC:

On Saturday, February 2^nd, 3:00 pm, at Metea Valley High School, PDAC will host a free screening of Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age. For more information or to attend the event, please visit HERE.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-survivor-for-kids-st-0320-20160319-story.html

Upcoming Events:

February 7^th - PTA Meeting 9:15am in MPR
February 7^th - Savvy Business Kids 6:00-7:30
February 7^th - Open House 6:30-7:30
February 18^th - No School - President's Day
February 22^nd - Daddy/Daughter Dance
February 28^th - No School Parent/Teacher Conferences 1:00-8:00pm
March 1^st - No School - Institute Day

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
January Dinner Night.pdf
Save the Date-2019.pdf
TA Recruitment Ad 2018-19.pdf

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January 14, 2019

Dear Peterson Families,

A friendly reminder that all Kindergartners and students new to Illinois are required to have an up-to-date PHYSICAL & IMMUNIZATIONS and a VISION examination completed by a licensed Optometrist. It is also required that any student who is currently in Kindergarten and in Grade 2 need to be examined by a licensed DENTIST. Please return these completed forms to the health office before the month of May.

2Y and 3F are the primary and intermediate classes that won for Spirit Day!! Second and Third Grade had the most participation for the grade level!! Congratulations!

Please see below for information about the 5Essentials Parent Survey as well as the directions for taking it. It is very important for you to take this survey and provide your feedback! As of last week, our parent response rate was 13% for the 2018 Illinois Parent Survey. We need at least 20.0% of our parents to respond in order to receive a report. Please take this short survey and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns!

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.

PDAC:
On Tuesday, January 15^th, 7-9:00 pm, at CEC, PDAC will host a meeting, Parent Engagement: Parenting the Whole Child. This meeting is open to all District staff and families.

Special Survivor Games:
Special Survivor Games will be held on March 8, 2019 at Peterson. This fun event brings together volunteer peer buddies and District 204 elementary and middle school students with special needs to engage in relay style competitive races. See attached flyer for details and learn more about the games by reading an article that was featured in the Naperville SUN, watch a video created by NCTV-17, and check out the pictures taken by students of District 204.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/naperville-sun/news/ct-nvs-survivor-for-kids-st-0320-20160319-story.html

If interested in participating, please send your child's name, home school, current grade level, your name andcontact info, and their special need to ensure we accommodate all games accordingly to knkucharski@gmail.com .This event is free and fun. Contact Kristen Kucharski 630-440-4792 (Co-Creator of Naperville Survivor Games) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxAJL9rQ__w

Upcoming Events:

January 21^st - No School - In Observance of Martin Luther King
February 7^th - PTA Meeting 9:15am in MPR
February 7^th - Savvy Business Kids 6:00-7:30
February 7^th - Open House 6:30-7:30
February 18^th - No School - President's Day

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
January Dinner Night.pdf
Special Survivor Games 2019.pdf
Screenagers.pdf

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January 7, 2019

Dear Peterson Families,

I hope everyone had a relaxing and enjoyable break! Remember, there is no school for students tomorrow and I’m looking forward to seeing all the smiling faces on Tuesday! Thank you to Valerie Gremillion and Amy Welsh for all their work coordinating and setting up our Holiday luncheon. Thank you to all of you that donated sweets. Staff enjoyed the lunch and sweets greatly!!! Staff enjoyed it greatly. On Friday, report cards will be posted in Home Access Center beginning at 4:00pm. Here are the directions for Viewing & 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.

Please see below for information about the 5Essentials Parent Survey as well as the directions for taking it. It is so important for you to take this survey and provide your feedback! As of December 17^th, our parent response rate was 11% for the 2018 Illinois Parent Survey. We need at least 20.0% of our parents to respond in order to receive a report. Please take this short survey and don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns!

PTA Member Exclusive Event - Movie Night

Please join us on Friday, January 11^th in the MPR at Peterson for a PTA Member Exclusive Movie Night. We will be showing the movie Small Foot. If you are a PTA member, please RSVP using the following link, https://goo.gl/forms/3GbHsCh7249TabZv1

If you are not a PTA member and would like to join us for this event, you can join the PTA by following this link, https://petersonpta.membershiptoolkit.com/home

Please see that attached flyer for more information and if you have any questions, please email us at Petersonpantherspta@gmail.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:

January 7th - No School - Institute Day
January 8^th – School resumes
January 8^th - Winter Benchmarks Begin
January 10^th - PTA Meeting at 9:15 in MPR
January 11^th - Report Cards Posted in Home Access Center at 4:00pm
January 11^th - PTA Member Night 6:30-8:30 MPR/Gym
January 21^st - No School - In Observance of Martin Luther King

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
Movie Night Flyer.pdf

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December 17, 2018

Dear Peterson Families,

Don’t forget this week is Spirit Week! The schedule is listed below. My next weekly update will not be until Sunday, January 6^th. I wish all of you a wonderful and safe Winter Break!

Spirit Week:
Monday Movie Day: Teachers will make selections for "brain breaks" throughout the day. Choices may include math or science videos, stories, brain teasers, or challenges like domino runs or sports' contests.

Tuesday Twin Day: Pick a friend, a trio, or a group and plan to dress exactly alike!! OR, make a paper version of yourself, looking just like you, and bring it to school to be your "partner" throughout the day; talking to the imaginary friend is totally allowed!! Study with your twin; read with your twin; play with your twin at recess. Students are allowed to wear hats for this!! Watch for pictures of our clever twins on the slideshow in the front hallway.

Wacky Wednesday Switch-Up Day: Grade levels will "switch-up" teachers for a time during the day as a change of pace and activity. Different activities will be going on; some curricular or just for fun.

Class Party Day Thursday: Each class will play games at times during the day. Games may be curricular, like a math game, or maybe a "brain break" just for fun.

Stuffed Animal Day/Dance Party/Kona Ice Friday: Bring your stuffed animal to school and a good book.Coincides nicely with the "Read-In" on Friday in the LMC. All grade levels will have an extended reading time in the LMC during the day. Also, we'll we'll see Mrs. Landstrom and Mrs. Witkowski dress up as Elsa and Anna and all students and staff will show off their dance moves. The eleven classes who earned the Kona Ice reward for 100% participation or more in our fundraiser will be enjoying their treat in the afternoon!

PTA Member Exclusive Event - Movie Night
Please join us on Friday, January 11^th in the MPR at Peterson for a PTA Member Exclusive Movie Night. We will be showing the movie Small Foot. If you are a PTA member, please RSVP using the following link, https://goo.gl/forms/3GbHsCh7249TabZv1

If you are not a PTA member and would like to join us for this event, you can join the PTA by following this link, https://petersonpta.membershiptoolkit.com/home

Please see that attached flyer for more information and if you have any questions, please email us at Petersonpantherspta@gmail.com

Family Engagement Survey Results:
Thank you to those of you who provided your feedback for our parent engagement survey. This survey was sent out for two weeks in September. There were 30 responses. For a summary of the responses, please click here. Many respondents indicated that volunteering was an important way to be involved. Grade levels have many opportunities for volunteering including Mystery Reader, drill sergeants, field trips, special class projects, playing games andreading one-on-one with students, and read-ins. If you are interested in learning more about the volunteer opportunities in the classroom, please contact your child’s teacher. In addition, there are LMC and Whole School opportunities, which are listed below

LMC: The LMC likes to have volunteers on a daily basis. Volunteers rotate on a schedule every two weeks. The LMC staff add different tasks throughout the year to build volunteer capacity in the LMC. If you are interested in volunteering on a regular basis in the LMC, please contact Mrs. Schimmoler @ann_schimmoler@ipsd.org to get started!
Whole School: Olympic Day, Instructional WatchDOGS, Lunch/Recess WatchDOGS, WatchDOG greeter, monitor computer interventions, Picture Day helper, Multicultural Night, PTA Events (i.e. Monster Mash Bash, Fun Run, Mother/Son Dance, Father/Daughter Dance)

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: Young Rembrandts Drawing Classes
Peterson: NanoBeasts STEM & Robotics

Upcoming Events:

December 21^st – End of Semester
December 24^th – January 7^th No School – Winter Break
January 8^th – School resumes
January 8^th - Winter Benchmarks Begin
January 10^th - PTA Meeting at 9:15 in MPR
January 11^th - Report Cards Posted in Home Access Center at 4:00pm
January 11^th - PTA Member Night 6:30-8:30 MPR/Gym
January 21^st - No School - In Observance of Martin Luther King

Best,
Allison Landstrom

File attachments:
Movie Night Flyer.pdf

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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!

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: 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

____________________________________________________________________________________

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

______________________________________________________________________________________
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.

Peterson Elementary School Peterson Elementary Peterson

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