Steele Family Newsletter

Mrs. Grice, Dean of Students

Mr. Orellana, Dean of Students

Mrs. Knuth, Nurse

Mrs. Hickey, School Counselor

Ms. Fones and Ms. Howerter, Front Office Assistants

Email: kcoate@galesburg205.org
Website: https://steele.galesburg205.org/
Location: 1480 West Main Street, Galesburg, IL, USA
Phone: (309)973-2016
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steele205/
X: @wearesteele

Instagram: @205steelestars

At Steele, we focus on celebrating Red Ribbon Week and the fall season to create a welcoming environment that respects our families’ different traditions and keeps activities appropriate for all ages. These celebrations give our Stars opportunities to have fun together while learning about healthy choices, kindness, and safety.

We do not hold Halloween celebrations at school. Any costumes worn as part of an approved spirit day must be school-appropriate and may not promote violence, include scary images/blood, or have props/masks or accessories that could frighten others or create a safety concern.

Thank you for helping us keep our celebrations positive and enjoyable for everyone!

Contact your child's teacher to schedule or reschedule a conference. Attending parent-teacher conferences is important because research shows that when parents and teachers work together as partners, students earn higher grades, attend school more regularly, and show better behavior and positive attitudes toward learning.

Steele families, stop by the Steele School library during parent-teacher conferences on Tuesday, October 27, to grab a snack and connect with BCBA Emily Lester! Join quick behavior conversations and explore practical ideas parents and guardians can try at home.

Rotating topics include:

• Helping children tolerate hearing “no”

• Establishing motivation

• Building independence

• Understanding the functions of behavior

• De-escalation tips

Drop in any time before or after your conference—no registration required!

On October 29, students will participate in fire safety presentations in the school library, learning important safety information from the local fire department. Following the presentations, the school will conduct a fire drill at approximately 2:30 PM.

All meetings are held at Steele in the library. Meetings run from 5:30 - 6:30 PM and are on the first Tuesday of the month.

A Google Meet will be set up for those of you that want to attend but cannot be in person.

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/jms-yjdu-agj

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 678-487-9512‬ PIN: ‪356 280 867‬#

We know many families are facing tough times, and a little extra support can make a difference. Blessings in a Backpack provides students with a grocery sack of food to take home on Fridays to help with meals over the weekend. We are grateful to Knox College for helping pack these bags for students at Steele and other area schools. If your family could benefit from this support, please contact Melissa Hickey at mhickey@galesburg205.org or call the school office at 309-973-2016. We are here to help!

The Shine in #205 program is a way for you to salute any CUSD #205 employee who goes above and beyond what is expected. Whether you are a parent/guardian impressed with that special touch your student's teacher added to a moment, a coworker who thinks their colleague doesn't hear often enough about the great job they are doing, or a community member who witnessed a staff member's commitment to students-you can submit a Shine nomination!

#Shinein205 link https://forms.gle/d5iCyxiBXmjq421K6

Please download the Class Dojo App. This will be our primary mode of communication with families this year. More information will come from your teacher.

As we prepare for the start of the new school year, we'd like to remind families about FIRSTview, our school bus tracking app.

FIRSTview allows parents and guardians to track their student's school bus in real time, receive notifications, and stay informed about their child's transportation throughout the school year.

Whether you're returning to FIRSTview or using the app for the first time, please review the attached letter for information on downloading the app, setting up your account, and connecting to your student's bus route.
We encourage all families who utilize district transportation to take advantage of this free tool to stay informed and connected.

For summer birthdays, we will celebrate your child's half birthday. For instance - if your birthday is August 1st, we will celebrate it on February 1st.

Our district takes student attendance very seriously and we are committed to seeing that every child is at school unless there is an excused reason for absence or tardiness. Studies have shown that when students are consistently at school they are more likely to achieve their dreams.

What Parents and Students Can Do:

• Ensure children arrive to school on time.

• When absent, be sure to make up missed work.

• Communicate with school and seek support when needed.

• Call when your child is absent from school or unavoidably late ASAP at 309-973-2016.

• Know attendance is required on early dismissal days.

• Return to school after appointments.

• Plan appointments outside of school day.

• Call within one hour of the start of school or send a note within 48 hours of the return to school.

• For minor health issues—come to school.

Each month students will focus on monthly themes . Teachers will provide explicit, direct skill instruction in these areas so that our school community as a whole becomes stronger. The month of August is our Kindness Kick off!

View more: htpp://schools.mealviewer.com/school/SteeleElementarySchool

Whether this is your first year at Steele or you have been here for multiple years, we want to welcome you all to the 26-27 school year. We are the "STARS" and we shine bright!

Galesburg 205 Vision Statement: Empowering students to realize their potential to Thrive.

Steele Vision Statement: Creating learners who make wise choices, embrace challenges, and own their future.

Galesburg 205 Mission Statement: Through collaboration with families and our community, our schools will develop the potential of students in a safe, equitable, and engaging learning environment, which advances high performance and excellence for all.

Steele Mission Statement: Diversity is who we are. Equity is what we strive to provide. Inclusion is how we achieve our goals. Together we inspire dreams, celebrate learning and embrace the future.