Principal's Newsletter

National Hispanic Heritage Month

District 27 will be recognizing National Hispanic Heritage Month from Sept. 15 - Oct. 15. Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month by celebrating the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. In addition to recognition displays in the building and in morning announcements, students will have access to a weekly menu of short learning options related to National Hispanic Heritage Month that they may choose to complete.

Picture day is Wednesday, September 27

Picture order forms were sent home with students. If your child is absent from school on picture day, they will be able to take pictures on the make-up date, Wednesday, November 8. A copy of the order form is available for download  

Dismissal on Shabonee Trail Reminder

We strive to maintain a safe and efficient dismissal process, which typically finishes in about 10 minutes. Third and fourth grade students will be dismissed between Door P (Grade 3) or Door O (Grade 4) on Shabonee Trail. Vehicles should pull up as close to Door P as possible and wait in line along the sidewalk on Shabonee Trail for students to walk to the vehicle. Please do not pull around the line to the front or park along the North side of Shabonee Trail. Parking is prohibited on Crabtree Lane and the surrounding neighborhoods. Remain in your car, and students will load as vehicles pull up to the cones. Traffic cones indicate areas for pick-up. Staff is present to help support this process. As always, please use caution at all times.  

Should parents need to park, do so in the east parking lot located off Pfingsten Road, exit your vehicle, and meet your child on the sidewalk. Children are not allowed to cross over to the parking lot without an adult accompanying them. This is for the safety of the children. School personnel will continue to help supervise students during dismissal and ensure parents follow safety rules during peak traffic times. Please drive cautiously.  

Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-Up (Reminder)

Parent-teacher conferences will take place between October 11 and 13. Conferences are 15 minutes so that parents can meet with both teachers together. We’ve found this structure works best given our partner teaching model. We are using Meet the Teacher to sign up for conferences, giving the parent more control over their schedule. The conference sign-up system will open on September 26 at 9:00 AM. Information about how to sign up for a conference with your child’s teachers was emailed to you on September 13. As always, please contact your child’s teachers or the school office if you have any questions or concerns. Parent-teacher conferences are just one of the opportunities to talk about progress, and parents are welcome and encouraged to reach out to their child’s teacher(s) at any time during the school year. It’s truly through our collaborative efforts that our students achieve success.

Clubs and Activities - Final Reminder - Due TODAY

Shabonee offers several extra-curricular activities. Club descriptions and the online sign-up form can be found HERE. The form does not include session dates, as those will be determined based on enrollment. The form asks if a student participates in band/orchestra/choir so that students can be scheduled for club dates that do not conflict with rehearsals. Participation in band/orchestra/choir will not limit clubs in which a student can participate. Club forms are due no later than Friday, September 15. 

Math Fact Fluency 

Math fact fluency refers to the ability to accurately recall the basic facts in multiplication and division quickly and effortlessly. When children gain automaticity with these facts, they have attained mastery that allows them to remember them without conscious effort or attention. Children who have achieved fluency can devote their working memory to problem-solving and learning new concepts and skills. When a child has not gained fluency, it hinders progress with problem-solving as the child is using the working memory to compute the operation instead. To help support your child’s fluency growth, students use Reflex Math. Every child has an account and teachers monitor progress, especially in third grade, where multiplication is one of the first units in the year. 

Math Extensions for Grades 3 & 4 Students

The Math Extensions program is a one-day-per-week pullout program that takes place during the math block for students who qualify for math enrichment. The program serves a very small population of students who meet the program criteria. Parents of children in grades three and four were notified this week if their student met the established criteria to participate in session one of Math Extensions. Session two for grades three and four will begin in February. All children will be reviewed again at that time. Additional information about math content, the placement process, and program criteria can be found on the District 27 website. The upcoming parent-teacher conferences are an ideal time to talk with your child’s math teacher about his/her math progress.  

Fourth & Fifth Grade Chorus Starting

Chorus for fourth and fifth grade begins the week of September 18. The fourth graders rehearse on Tuesday mornings and the fifth graders rehearse on Wednesday mornings. Students should be dropped off at Door A (main entrance) at 8:00 AM so that the practice can begin at 8:05 AM. More information can be found on the music page in Canvas. Please contact Ms. Simonsen with any questions. 

4th Grade Chorus Information Link 

5th Grade Chorus Information Link 

September Shabonee Spirit Days

• 22 - Backwards Day
• 29 - Tie-Dye Day