Junior Bobcat Back to School News

Hello JRW Families!

The faculty and staff at JRW would like to welcome all Junior Bobcats and their families to the 2022-2023 school year! We are going to have a jungle of a good time!

The last couple of years have been anything but normal. We are hoping that COVID is mostly in our rear-view! We will continue to follow CDC guidelines regarding any positive cases, regular sanitation of classrooms, and promote healthy hygiene practices. At this time, masks are not required.

What it means to be a Junior Bobcat is our daily focus and embedded into everything we do! Junior Bobcats are Safe, Respectful and Responsible. We are proud of our Junior Bobcats and look forward to welcoming new members into the den!

Please take a few minutes to read through our Back to School quarterly newsletter. There is quite a bit of information in here about back to school procedures, important dates, new staff members, changes to the lunch program and much more!

We are excited to get this year underway!

As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any questions or concerns.

Warmest wishes for a great year,

Christy Pruski, JRW Principal

Class Lists will be released on Friday, August 12th at 4pm. Login to teacherease.com to find your students teacher.

Supply Drop Off will be on Monday, August 15th from 5-7 pm. Classroom doors will be locked and teachers will not be present. Supplies will be left outside of the classroom. Teachers will have instructions outside of the classrooms on where supplies should be put.

Kindergarten Welcome will be Monday, August 15th by appointment. Please bring supplies. Enter the west doors off of Washington Street.

New Student/Family Welcome will be Monday, August 15th at 6:00 pm in the cafeteria. See the flyer posted on the website for more information.

EC/PreK Orientation will be Wednesday, August 17th by appointment, during the students regularly scheduled class time. Ms. Melissa will be sending out a signup next week. First day of attendance is Thursday, August 18th.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL is Wednesday, August 17th and it's a FULL DAY!

Walkers are released at 2:55 pm

Busers are released at 2:58 pm

The State of Illinois discontinued funding for all students to receive a free breakfast and lunch. As a result, breakfast items will no longer be provided at school. Please encourage your children to have a healthy breakfast before arriving. Students may get hungry throughout the day, especially those with later lunch times.

Lunch money can be deposited into students accounts via TeacherEase or by sending money with your child to school. If students bring cash or checks to be deposited, please include details as to where the money is to be deposited and how much, especially if deposits should be divided among different children in the family.

There is information below on how to apply for Free/Reduced lunches and registration fees, for those who qualify.

Arrival: Students are to enter the building in the morning and report directly to their classroom.

• Bus riders will be dropped off on the bus drive and enter the west Kindergarten doors.

• Students not riding a bus will be dropped off on Maple Street in front of the school and enter the building through the main doors.

• Students are permitted to enter the building at 8:00 am.

Dismissal: Students riding the bus will be dismissed at 2:58 p.m. All other students (Walkers) will be dismissed at 2:55 p.m. in front of the elementary school.

• PickUp Patrol should be used to communicate any changes to a student's dismissal plan.

• Pick up location is on Maple Street. Parents will form a single line down Maple Street, not exiting vehicles.

• Please enter Maple Street off Washington Street to avoid a backup on Route 34.

• Each family will be provided with 2 car tags to place on the visor and display during pick up.

• Students will enter vehicles towards the intersection of Maple St. and LaSalle St.

Students who live 1.5 miles or more from the school, or those deemed to be in a safety zone, are eligible for bus transportation. Children need to be ready and waiting at their pickup location in the morning. Buses run on tight schedules and can’t wait for children who are still getting ready. Also, PLEASE be aware that at the end of the day, bus drivers will not drop off JRW students if an adult is not present or can’t be seen by the driver. This is for your child’s safety!

Returning students can expect to be picked up at the same location and at approximately the same time as last year. We are asking buses to arrive 5 minutes later to the schools, so please be patient as they get a feel for the timing of their routes.

Kindergarten and new students will receive communication from their bus driver with approximate pick up times and locations a day or two before .

A registration email will come from PickUp Patrol before school starts.

Dismissal changes can be made in PickUp Patrol until 2:30 pm for PreK PM session through 4th grade. EC AM session must make changes by 11am.

JRW is looking for substitute Playground Supervisors. Please contact Sheryl at the District Office for an application. 815-498-2315 ext.1235

Email: pruskic@somonauk.net
Website: somonauk.net
Location: James R Wood Elementary, Maple Street, Somonauk, IL, USA
Phone: 815-498-2338