Weekly Update

Dear Families,

Can you believe it's already October? It sure doesn't feel like it with the warm weather we are having! I have heard that next week the temperatures are expected to drop, so I encourage you and your child to pack a sweatshirt in their backpack so that they are prepared if it is much cooler.

October brings a bunch of activities including ARK testing, Red Ribbon Week, trunk or treat and Halloween. I will do my best to remind you of everything as it comes up, but please continue to read all the communication that comes out so you can participate in all the activities.

Next week begins ARK testing. The ARK testing window is two weeks long to be sure that we can get everyone tested. This will be our second year of testing, so we will have a better baseline to compare our scores. This first round usually shows a small dip from last spring because of "summer slide". We hope that the beginning of the year routine is well in place by now to help combat this issue. Please encourage your child to do their very best to show off how much they know. These tests are important for our teachers so they can make necessary adjustments in the classroom.

Next week also starts our Empowering God's Children Presentations. I emailed parents earlier this week with an Opt-out form. Please return these by Monday, October 6th so we know to make alternate arrangements for your child if you do not want them to participate in this program.

We still have openings in every grade level in the event you know someone that is looking for a change. Please have them go to our website to schedule a visit or contact Mr. Peyton Glawe at peyton.glawe@aquinschools.org or 815-235-3154.

Mrs. Heitkamp

This summer our teachers did a workshop to help students strengthen their executive functioning skills. We did this through a program called Brain Tracks. The program also has a parent/caregiver workshop to help make students more successful. Information for the workshop is listed below.

The BrainTracks workshop was held and recorded. Attached is the link to access the webinar on your own. Please reach out if you have any questions.

While most of our families always comply with the regulations we have with our lunch program, I need to remind everyone that there are some things that are not supposed to be brought to lunch (even by students that do not purchase lunch) due to the National School Lunch Program guidelines.

• Sugary drinks: including pop, Gatorade, energy drinks, Kool-Aid, and even the packets to flavor water
• Fast food: meals brought from McDonalds, Culvers, etc. We understand that sometimes this is necessary, however we will request that the child eat in the office.
• Candy: In small bite size pieces (such as in a Lunchable) are not an issue, but large bags of candy and regular or large size candy bars are not permitted.

The goal is to have our students eat a well-balanced and nutritious meal most of the time. We do encourage kids to eat their main meal (sandwich, etc.) first before eating the snacks to accompany it. We also encourage them to bring home unopened items so that they can be reused or they can let you know that they do not like items. We discourage them from throwing unopened food away.

Attendance: Mrs. Gaulrapp, (x224) karrie.gaulrapp@aquinschools.org

Mrs. Heitkamp (x224) elizabeth.heitkamp@aquinschools.org

School fundraising/alumni/enrollment: Mr. Peyton Glawe, (x 221) peyton.glawe@aquinschools.org

Lunch or extended care questions: Mrs. Gaulrapp, (x224) karrie.gaulrapp@aquinschools.org

General questions: Mrs. Gaulrapp, (x224) karrie.gaulrapp@aquinschools.org or Mr. Peyton Glawe, (x 221) peyton.glawe@aquinschools.org

Classroom concerns: Contact your child's teacher first, then if no resolution, Mrs. Heitkamp (x224) elizabeth.heitkamp@aquinschools.org