Ferson Creek eNews

Good Afternoon Ferson Creek Foxes,

A big thank you to all of our families who were able to attend our curriculum night last night. Curriculum night is such a valuable opportunity to share key information with families all at once- establishing proactive communication, building positive partnerships, and helping answer questions before they arise. We hope the information helped you feel confident about the instruction your student(s) will receive this year and as well as provided ideas for at home learning opportunities.

Have a wonderful long weekend!

-Mrs. Salto and Ms. Pigoni

September

September 7th- Labor Day (no school)

September 8th- Bus Evacuation Drill during arrival

September 10th- Run a Monday Schedule

September 16th-17th- Acadience screener for grades K-3

September 18th- PTO booster fundraiser (scheduled for grade-levels during the school day)

September 22nd- PTO Meeting 10:30-11:30 a.m.

September 23rd- Safety day AM (fire drill, tornado drill, lockdown drill)

September 30th- Early Release at 2:25p.m.

Please click the links below to review the curriculum night presentations for our specials classes.

STEM

Music

Art

PE

On September 23rd, Ferson Creek will be conducting our state required annual Lockdown Drill during which students will review and practice the classroom procedures. Parents/guardians may opt their child out of the physical participation in this drill each year by emailing Principal Kara Salto at Kara.Salto@d303.org AND Assistant Principal Ms. Pigoni at Gianna.Pigoni@d303.org at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled date. Students who have been opted out will receive an alternative school safety learning experience with a certified staff member.

Dear Families,

We are thankful for you being part of our school community! The world is changing quickly and we want to do everything we can to help students be successful in school and life.

We are excited to tell you that we will be using a program called PurposeFull People this year and we will be kicking this off next week! This program teaches skills that will help students be successful in school and in life.

We believe that students should have safe, predictable places to learn where they feel included. Students should have healthy and helpful connections with teachers and classmates. They should also experience learning that will help them tackle challenges inside and outside of school. PurposeFullPeople is more than a set of lessons - it is a partnership between schools and families to create a place where students feel like they belong and learn skills that will help them be the best they can be!

Purposefull People has three main goals for students: Be Kind, Be Strong, and Be Well.

● Be Kind: Social skills like listening, friendship, solving conflicts, and leadership.

○ These skills are taught alongside Empathy, Respect, & Cooperation

● Be Strong: Skills that help students focus, stay organized, and set goals.

○ These skills are taught alongside Responsibility, Courage, & Perseverance

● Be Well: Skills that help students handle their emotions and deal with stress.

○ These skills are taught alongside Gratitude, Honesty, & Creativity

This year, you’ll be invited to join the fun! We will send letters home about the skills and strengths being taught each month. Each letter will include some ways to build these skills at home, discussion starters, and fun challenges you can try with your family.

The path forward is full of growth! We cannot wait to partner with you in this work…

● To teach students how to build strong friendships

● To work together to solve problems, big and small

● To grow skills for life

● To become PurposeFull People

Click here to watch a FamilyStrong video with additional information.

BIG NEWS!
Sign ups are now OPEN for our Ferson Fox Fit Games!

We’re raising $30,000 for a new soccer goal, field trips, teacher allotments, assemblies, and birthday books, and when you sign up at MyBooster.com, your pack has the chance to head to @greatwolflodge!

We have some fun in store for our families while we fundraise to reach our goal, but you must be registered on MyBooster.com to qualify. Plus, just for receiving their first donation, students can earn their very own Wolf Ears!

Sign Up online at MyBooster.com – TODAY!

Fundraiser Kickoff in school – 09/09/2026

Event Day – 09/18/2026

Save the date and stay tuned for the exciting adventure to come!

Click here to watch the Principal/Assistant Principal kickoff video!!!

Our staff has been acknowledging our students with golden tickets for demonstrating the Ferson Way. We met our first school wide goal and will celebrate next week with extra recess and chalk time. Way to go Ferson Foxes!

The St. Charles Community Unit School District 303 Board of Education voted on August 10, 2026, to place a ballot initiative on the November 3 ballot asking the community whether the District should issue bonds to fund maintenance needs and educational facility improvements.

La Junta Educativa del Distrito Escolar de la Unidad Comunitaria 303 de St. Charles votó el 10 de agosto de 2026 a favor de incluir una iniciativa en la papeleta electoral del 3 de noviembre en la que se pregunta a la comunidad si el distrito debería emitir bonos para financiar las necesidades de mantenimiento y las mejoras de las instalaciones educativas.

We are wrapping up our fall i-Ready inform assessments this week. Makeup assessments are scheduled for next week. Please click the links below to learn how to access your student's results via the i-Ready dashboard.

To make sure all students get equal learning time throughout the year, there are times we adjust the schedule when there's a day off (like a Monday holiday). Instead of skipping that day, we ‘move’ the missed day to another day that week. This way, classes like PE, STEM, Art, and Music stay balanced for everyone!

How It Works

• If there’s no school on a Monday, we might follow a Monday schedule on Tuesday or Thursday instead.

• This helps all students get a fair number of learning days.

Schedule Change Dates

• No school on Monday, Sept 7 → We run a Monday schedule on Thursday, Sept 10

• No school on Monday, Jan 18 → We run a Monday schedule on Wednesday, Jan 20

• No school on Tuesday, Jan 19 → We run a Tuesday schedule on Thursday, Jan 21

Why Adjust the Schedule?

Some days (like Mondays) are missed more often due to holidays. See the photo below to see how the schedule gets more balanced.

This plan helps keep learning fair and consistent for all students. Thank you for your support!

Lunch and Recess

Parent volunteer positions for lunch and recess are currently on pause.

Birthday Lunches

Parent(s)/guardian(s) are welcome to join their child for lunch on their birthday (or an alternate day for summer birthdays).

• Check-in Required: All visitors must check in at the main office to receive a visitor tag before entering the lunchroom.
• Pre-Registration/RSVP Google Form: Please fill out the RSVP Google Form below at least 24 hours in advance so the office and lunchroom staff can plan for extra seating. We are limiting attendance to 2 adult guests per student. Click here to complete the birthday lunch RSVP Google Form.
• Guidelines and Rules: Food may only be shared with your own student. For student privacy, no photos may be taken during lunch. When lunch is over, you must return to the office to sign out.
• Grade-Level Lunch Times

Kindergarten 12:35-12:55

1st Grade 11:05-11:25

2nd Grade 11:25-11:45

3rd Grade 12:55-1:15

4th Grade 11:50-12:10

5th Grade 12:10-12:30

School Start Time - 9:05 am

Earliest Drop-Off Time - 8:50 am

School End Time - 3:25 pm

Early Release End Time - 2:35 pm

There are three easy ways to report your child's absence:

📱 Synergy Parent Portal/App: Click "Report Absence" on the home screen or in the attendance section

📞 Call: 331-228-2300, press option "1"
📧 Email: cheryl.wiley@d303.org

Phone/email details:

• Messages can be left 24 hours a day
• Please include: your name, your child's name, your phone number, reason for absence, and symptoms (if ill)
• Already emailed the teacher about the absence? Please copy cheryl.wiley@d303.org on that email as well — this helps you avoid a daily attendance verification call

Using Synergy ParentVue?

1. Click the Report Absence button on the home screen or in the attendance section
2. Select the Start and End Date for the absence
3. Choose a Reason from the drop-down menu
4. Enter a Note explaining the absence
5. Upload documentation (e.g., doctor's note) if required, then click Save

Please refer to Chapter 2 of the 2026-2027 Student Handbook for detailed district attendance policies and procedures. Click button below for handbook!

In D303, we value the opportunity to provide a community of care and support for our families, especially those facing financial hardship.

If your family is currently experiencing a significant financial need, our community partnerships offer several supports, including school clothes/shoes, winter coats/accessories, school supplies, toiletries, holiday meals, and/or holiday gifts. If you would like to be considered for any of these supports, please complete the Family Resource Form by September 11, 2026.

En D303, valoramos la oportunidad de proveer una comunidad de cuidado y apoyo a nuestras familias, especialmente a aquellas que enfrentan dificultades financieras.

Si su familia está experimentando actualmente una necesidad financiera significativa, nuestras asociaciones comunitarias tienen varios apoyos disponibles para las familias, incluyendo: ropa/calzado para la escuela, abrigos/accesorios de invierno, materiales escolares, artículos de aseo personal, comidas para los días festivos, y/o regalos para navidad. Si desea que se le tenga en cuenta para cualquiera de estas ayudas, por favor, rellene este formulario. Para ser considerado, es fundamental que complete esta encuesta a más tardar el viernes 11 de septiembre.

All schools in St. Charles CUSD 303 have moved to Synergy SIS as the district’s new student information system, replacing HAC (Home Access Center). ParentVUE is the secure parent/guardian portal where you will be able to view your student's information, such as grades, report cards, attendance, and online registration.

Please activate your ParentVUE account by following the steps below.

Activate Your Account

Click here to begin: ParentVUE Account Activation

1. Review the Privacy Statement.

2. Click I Accept at the bottom of the page.

3. Create your username and password, and enter your email address.

4. Click Complete Account Activation.

You will then be logged into ParentVUE!

Important Notes

• Initially, you will see one tile: Student Information.

• Student Information: We kindly ask that you click into Student Information and verify that your student’s information is accurate. If edits are necessary, click Edit Information.

• On August 10 in the afternoon, you will see additional information and tiles in the portal.

• Each parent/guardian should create their own account. Do not share accounts.

• You only need one account, even if you have multiple children enrolled in the district.

• You must activate your web portal account before using the mobile app.

• Students in middle and high school will receive their own StudentVUE accounts, which provide similar information. Please do not give your student(s) your ParentVUE login credentials.

Using the ParentVUE Mobile App

1. Download the free ParentVUE app by Edupoint from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

2. Open the app and either allow location services or type your zip code, then tap the district name.

3. Log in using the username and password you created during activation.

If you need assistance, please contact your student's school.

Thank you for completing your ParentVUE activation!

The District 303 Parent/Guardian Attendance Resource Guide is officially launching on the D303 website. This comprehensive resource is organized into three sections: D303-specific attendance resources, community-based attendance resources, and general attendance information, providing families with a clear, accessible starting point for navigating attendance concerns.

Gianna Pigoni, Assistant Principal

Website: https://fersoncreek.d303.org/
Location: 38W160 Bolcum Road, St. Charles, IL, USA
Phone: 331-228-2300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ferson-Creek-Elementary-1492773537612187/