Cool Thoughts: October 8, 2009

Calendar of Upcoming Events October 8, 2009

Thursday, October 8 7:00 p.m. PTA Meeting in LRC Friday, October 9 Student Council Spirit Day: “PAJAMA DAY” MONDAY, OCTOBER 12 NO SCHOOL

Calendar Page 1

From the Principal’s Desk Page 2

H1N1 Flu Update

Page 3

COLUMBUS DAY

Tuesday, October 13 7:30 p.m. Board of Education Meeting at 164 S. Prospect Friday, October 16 9:00-2:00 Fifth Grade Field Trip to “Tall Ships” 3:00-4:00 PTA Market Day Pick Up Tuesday, October 20 9:00 K-2 PTA Cultural Arts “Story Teller, Donna Washington” 10:00 3-5 held in Franklin Auditorium Thursday, October 22 Franklin Flyer distributed on line Friday, October 23 6:00-9:00 PTA Family Fun Night in Gym Thursday, October 29 10:00-11:00 Picture Retake Day

Table of Contents

Head Lice Prevention Page 4

Battle of the Books

Page 4

Pumpkin Decorating Contest

Page 5

Franklin Funwear Information Page 6, 7

PTA Meeting Reminder Page 8

Franklin’s Halloween “Family Fun Night” Page 8

District 64 Highlights Page 9, 10

Math & Science Connection Page 11, 12

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 From the desk of the principal: H1N1 Flu Update District 64 continues to monitor the H1N1 situation closely and is working with the Cook County Department of Public Health. Please read the message on the following page from Dr. Pryor and Margret Petkofski, our District Nurse, regarding H1N1 Flu Vaccinations. Opportunities to Consider Franklin School and District 64 do provide many opportunities for students to be a part of fun educational events that involve collaboration and teamwork. A great example is the Battle of the Books, designed for fourth and fifth grade students. (Please see information in this newsletter regarding the Battle of the Books program). Later in the year there will be other events like the Science Olympiad and the District Spelling Bee. Please encourage your children to be a part of these events. I will highlight these events more as the dates approach. Pumpkin Decorating Contest Ms. Hetzke, our LRC Director, is promoting a Pumpkin Decorating contest! Please see the announcement enclosed. Pumpkins will be judged at the Family Fun Night Event! Walk-A –Thon Thank you Franklin PTA and all of the Parent Volunteers for making the Walk-A-Thon a great success! I appreciate the flexibility from everyone, as we had to move to the rain date. Please Help Us Monitor Our Roof Over the past few weeks we have become aware that, during evening hours and on the weekends, teens have been going onto the roof of Franklin School. This is a very serious issue because we do not want anyone getting hurt and any foot traffic on the roof can cause damage. If you see someone on the roof during evening and weekend hours, please call 911. Dan Walsh [email protected] 



 


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*** H1N1 Flu Update ***

District 64 Schools to Offer Free H1N1 Flu Vaccinations this Fall In cooperation with the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH), the Board of Education has authorized District 64 schools to offer H1N1 flu vaccinations for students in grades K-8 in coming weeks. Because the timeline for the availability of the vaccination is not yet known, no specific dates have been set yet. However, it is expected that the vaccinations will be offered at all elementary and middle schools. The vaccinations will be entirely voluntary. Parents must submit completed permission and health forms in advance for each child. Parents may come to school to be present when the vaccination is scheduled. The vaccinations will be free. In coming weeks, we expect to e-mail all parents with links to several important items. At that time, you will be asked to read the materials and complete the forms: 1. H1N1 vaccine information sheets for both the nasal spray and the flu shot. It is possible that either or both forms of the vaccination will be used by CCDPH. 2. Parent/guardian permission form. Please fill out a separate permission form for each child, indicating your permission to receive the vaccination (“Yes”) or not receive the vaccination (“No”). 3. Student health information form. Please fill out a form for each child receiving the vaccination. Details also will be announced about the expected day and time the vaccination is scheduled to be given as soon as that information is finalized. Prepare now for this upcoming program At this time, please:  Preview the vaccine information sheets at these links: Information on nasal spray: http://www.d64.org/site/files/vis_spray_10_2_09.pdf Information on flu shot: http://www.d64.org/site/files/vis_shot_10_2_09.pdf  We also urge you to contact your child’s health care provider if you have specific concerns about your child receiving this vaccination. The H1N1 page on the District 64 Web site will be the central focus for information about these activities. It can be viewed via link from the home page at www.d64.org. Dr. Sally Pryor, Superintendent Margaret Petkofski, RN, Facilitator, School Health Services

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HEAD LICE PREVENTION Although the focus of head lice is usually on treatment, prevention is just as important. Since head lice cannot jump from child to child, preventing head lice may not be as hard as it sounds. Experts recommend: •Avoid head to head (hair to hair) contact during play and other activities. •Encouraging your children to avoid sharing items that have been on or near another child’s head, such as hairbrushes and hair accessories, hats, scarves, towels, pillows, helmets, etc. •Teach your child to hang up hats and coats on individual hooks. Avoid having coats piled on top of others. •Review pictures of head lice and nits (eggs) to help you understand what you are looking for when checking your child’s head. •Check your child for lice and/or nits on a weekly basis. •Recognize symptoms of head lice: itchy scalp, and small red bumps on the back of the neck and scalp. •Review head lice prevention steps with your child before sleepovers or trips.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Battle of the Books First Meeting!

Who: Fourth & Fifth Grade Students Date: Tuesday , October 13th Time: Lunchtime Where: LRC 4

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Highlights C OMMUNITY C ONSOLIDATED S CHOOL DISTRICT 64 Park Ridge-Niles 164 S. Prospect Avenue

Park Ridge, IL60068-4079

(847) 318-4300

FAX: (847) 318-4351

Board of Education Meetings ! Summer-Fall 2009 Review The Board of Education welcomes your involvement, questions and comments.

Board of Education John Heyde, President Genie Taddeo, Vice President Eric Uhlig, Secretary Pat Fioretto Russell J. Gentile Sharon Lawson Ted Smart E-mail:

The following provides a brief summary of information presented and actions taken at recent Board meetings (June 8 – September 28, 2009). Please refer to the date noted after each item to read the full meeting minutes or report posted at: www.d64.org.

Schools ! ! !

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First name initial followed by full last name @d64board.org

Superintendent Sally Pryor, Ed.D.

Curriculum & Instruction !

[email protected]

Upcoming Meetings Hendee Educational Service Center, 164 S. Prospect Ave., Park Ridge

October 13 & 26 (Lincoln)

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November 9 (Franklin) & 23 December 14 (Washington)

Student enrollment of 4,272 is 45 students fewer than last year’s. (Aug. 24, Sept. 14) Assistant Principals were confirmed for Field School (Katie Kelly) and for Washington School (Dan Ophus); both schools have enrollments above 600. (July 13) A total of $1.1 million in Life Safety and maintenance projects were completed at all schools over the summer, including extensive exterior work at Roosevelt School. The first phase of sound abatement work was completed at Washington School. ((June 8, Aug. 24) Jefferson School received a $25,000 Illinois capital program grant. (Aug. 10) Interactive “smart” boards will be installed in 33 classrooms around the District to enhance the educational opportunities for students. (Aug. 24, Sept. 14) A parent communications survey conducted this summer provided valuable insights on contact preferences for ongoing news and emergency situations. (Aug. 24) In cooperation with the Cook County Department of Public Health, District 64 schools will conduct voluntary student H1N1 flu vaccinations this fall. (Sept. 28) Contingency plans for potential school closures also are being developed. (Sept. 14) Following a competitive bidding process, the food services contract for the middle schools was awarded to Arbor Management. (June 8 & 22)

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A new location for the Outdoor Education field trip for fifth grade students will be piloted in 2009-10. Franklin and Washington schools will participate in an outdoor education experience at Camp Duncan, a YMCA facility in Ingleside. The remaining schools will continue to visit White Pines Ranch in Oregon for the three-day, two-night learning experience. (June 8) An update on the District’s Educational Ends initiative showed that 76% of the 120 assessments tracked in the Ends were in the green (“at or above target”) scoring range, surpassing the District’s goal of 70% for the first time. (Sept. 28) Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) testing results during its third year of use by District 64 students in grades 3-8 were examined. During 2008-09, 60.5% of students reached their full individual growth target in reading and 61.4% reached their full growth target in math; both are increases from the prior year. The District has set a multi-year goal of having 70% of students meeting or exceeding average growth, a target shared by other high-performing districts that utilize MAP testing. The Board was updated on activities undertaken during the third trimester to move forward with the District’s Response to Intervention (RtI) initiative. The District has made strong progress with implementation at the elementary schools, while laying the foundation at the middle schools. (June 22) Student Learning Goals for 2009-10 will continue to focus on improving the achievement levels of the whole child. A key component will be the continued use of assessment data to monitor and guide individual student growth through both the RtI initiative and the Educational Ends project. A new Reading Framework and new instructional materials in reading will be introduced this year. (Aug. 24) Early release Wednesday staff development time will be reallocated this year to provide additional opportunities for problem solving and collaboration regarding student learning and instructional practices. (Sept. 14) (continued)

View agendas, complete reports and minutes: www.d64.org

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Board Highlights (continued) District 64 !

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The Board ratified a new, three-year contract with the Park Ridge Education Association (PREA), which represents District 64 teachers. Terms of the contract include a 2.5% increase in base salary. No changes were made to the “step” increase based on a teacher’s education and experience. Teachers will continue to contribute toward the cost of their own health insurance coverage. (Sept. 8) The Board discussed goals and key subjects to focus its work in 2009-10. (June 8, July 13, Sept. 14) District administrators conducted orientation briefings for new Board members before or after regularly scheduled meetings on all aspects of the District’s governance and operations. A Board retreat was held Oct. 2-3 to focus on goal setting and continue the orientation process. Five Action Planning Teams have been formed to turn the draft Strategic Plan’s strategies into specific steps. Community members as well as District 64 staff members and administrators volunteered for the teams, which will work for about four months. Team leader training and an orientation for all team members were scheduled for Oct. 8. (June 22, Sept. 14) District 64 joined the O’Hare Noise Compatibility Commission (ONCC) and named Director of Buildings & Grounds Roy Jensen as its official representative. (July 13, Aug. 10) The District is working with ONCC to learn why Carpenter School has been dropped from the FAA’s approved list for sound abatement work, as announced at an ONCC meeting. (Sept. 28) To assist in its planning for the retirement of Superintendent Sally Pryor on June 30, 2010, the Board officers interviewed the four top school administrator search firms in the area. (Aug. 10, Sept. 14) Goals for the Community Finance Committee’s activities in 2009-10 were approved (Sept. 28), and reports received on recent Green Team (Sept. 14) and Traffic Safety committees (Sept. 28).

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The Board approved the appointment of Becky Allard as Business Manager and named her as the District’s authorized agent and representative for its various financial accounts. (June 8 & 22) For the 2009-10 school year, the District’s annual supply of white copier paper was purchased for about $52,000, a 15% decrease from last year. Vendors and bids also were approved for physical education and custodial supplies. (June 8 & 22) As a District 64 Green Team Committee initiative, the District will use remanufactured printer ink cartridges at an estimated cost savings of 25%. (June 22) Results for 2008-09 – The Board approved the annual transfer of interest income to the Education Fund from the Working Cash and Debt Service funds. (June 22) Due to revenues received from the referendum, the District’s financial position continued to gain strength. For the first time since the policy was adopted in 2006, the District’s operating fund balance reached its goal of having 33% of expected annual operating expenditures at the close of the fiscal year on June 30; the fund balance was about 47%. (Aug. 24) Budget for 2009-10 – Following a pubic hearing, the final budget was adopted (Sept. 28), based on the July 13 official tentative budget. The District will receive more income from the first installment (55% compared to 50%) of real estate property taxes in spring 2010, due to a change made by Cook County. (June 8 & 22, July 13, Aug. 24) State funding for some 2008-09 aid payments has been delayed and some grants for the current year have been reduced. (Aug. 24) The District approved resolutions in compliance with the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act (June 22) and posted information in compliance with administrative compensation reporting requirements. (Sept. 28) The Board approved employee medical and dental insurance renewal rates for 2009-10. (Aug. 24) The Maine Township School Treasurer reported a 2.61% return on the District’s investments. (Aug. 24) The District authorized legal counsel to intervene in tax objection complaint proceedings pending in Cook County Circuit Court, excluding complaints filed on class 2 residential properties. (Sept. 14 & 28)

Awards & Recognition ! ! ! ! !

The District 64 Elementary Learning Foundation (ELF) presented the 2009 Judith L. Snow Ethical Leadership Award to 8th graders Emma Brown (Lincoln), Jisha Jose (Emerson) and Ian Peter Pappas (Lincoln). (June 22) Several 8th grade students who were unable to attend promotion ceremonies at their schools due to illness received their promotion certificates and congratulations from the Board. (July 13) All District 64 schools received Certificates of Recognition – Fully Recognized for 2008-09 from the Illinois State Board of Education. (Aug. 10) A $250 donation from the BP Fabric of America fund was earmarked for energy conservation. (Sept. 14) The 2008-09 Student-Parent Handbook received an Award of Merit from the National School Public Relations Association; the “Surviving Middle School” booklet garnered an Award of Excellence from the Illinois chapter. (Sept. 28)

View agendas, complete reports and minutes: www.d64.org

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