Clow School News

• Important Upcoming Dates
• School Picture Day
• IPPC Winter Coat Drive
• LMC Birthday Book Club
• School Safety Procedures & Safety Drills Notification Letter
• School Hours
• Elementary School Early Release Days (1:00 PM Dismissal)
• Reporting Student Absences & Late Arrival Procedures
• School Grounds Safety Reminders
• District 204 Visitor Procedures
• Secure Vestibule Procedures
• Clow Quick Links

Friday, September 4th - Spirit Day (wear green/gold or school spirit wear today!)

Monday, September 7th - No School (Labor Day)

Monday, September 14th - School Picture Day

Friday, September 18th - PTA Movie Night (details shared via PTA Communication)

Thursday, September 24th - Elementary School Early Release Day - 1:00 PM Dismissal

Thursday, October 1st - PTA Multi Cultural Night (details will be shared via PTA Communication)

Friday, October 2nd - Spirit Day (wear green/gold or school spirit wear today!)

Tuesday, October 6th - PTA Meeting (9:30 am, Room 113)

Monday, October 12th - No School (Columbus/Indigenous Peoples' Day)

Tuesday, October 13th - Picture Retake Day

Friday, October 16th - End of Quarter One

Thursday, October 22nd - Parent/Teacher Conferences (4:30 - 8:00 pm)

Friday, October 23rd - No School (Institute Day)

School Picture Day will take place on Monday, September 14th. All Clow students will be photographed on this day and families may choose whether or not to purchase pictures. Please be on the lookout for more details shared by our photographer, Visual Image Photography. You may also visit their website, using the link to VIP at the bottom of this School News update.

Should your child be absent on September 14th, we will have a Picture Retake Day on Tuesday, October 13th.

If you care to donate any new or gently used & clean winter coats, hats, boots, or gloves, please drop them off in the collection bin in our secure vestibule. Thank you for your consideration.

Looking for a special way to celebrate your child’s birthday at school? Also interested in helping grow our school library? We invite you to consider our LMC's Birthday Book Program!

There are two ways to participate:

1) View our wishlist on Amazon: https://a.co/3hgh2n9. You will find books that we are eager to add to our library. Your choice will be sent directly to Clow School. You can do this any time of year, and we will hold the chosen book until your student’s birthday week. (Please include your student’s name in the notes so that we can identify the donor.)

2) Send an email to nicole_fader@ipsd.org, indicating that your child has permission to come to the LMC during their birthday month to choose a NEW book from the birthday book cart in our library. After a book is chosen, you will receive a link to pay $15 in Pushcoin. (June/July birthdays will be celebrated at the end of the school year.)

Each donated book will include a special birthday bookplate recognizing the student who donated it. Your student will be the first to check out their birthday book and have their donation on our wall of fame in the LMC. Your book donation will help provide new and exciting books for our students for years to come!

Thank you for your consideration,

Nicole Fader

Library Media Specialist

The safety of our students while they are entrusted in our care is always our highest priority. Over the course of the next several weeks, students and staff will practice implementing procedures that would be used during emergency situations. Students will learn and practice our safety procedures for fire, severe weather, and other crisis situations in order to assist them in understanding the proper procedures should they be needed at school. Thank you for reinforcing these procedures when you talk to your child about school safety drills.

Please use the link below to review the letter regarding the School Safety Drill Act and notification of the law enforcement drill, tentatively scheduled for September 18th.

• Regular school hours are 9:05 am – 3:35 pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. Students may begin arriving each of these days at 8:50 am.

• Wednesday school hours are 9:15 am – 3:35 pm. This late start allows time for staff to engage in professional development opportunities. All arrival procedures, student supervision, and bus service will be delayed by 10 minutes every Wednesday of the school year.

For the 2026–2027 school year, there will be three Elementary School Early Release Days. On these dates, outlined below, elementary students will be dismissed early at 1:00 PM. Students will have lunch and transportation will be provided. This early dismissal only applies to elementary students and will not impact middle or high school dismissal times.

Early Release Dates:

• September 24, 2026 (1:00 PM dismissal)




• December 15, 2026 (1:00 PM dismissal)




• February 4, 2027 (1:00 PM dismissal)

When students arrive to school on time, they are able to follow their classroom routine and get the day off to a great start. We do understand that situations may arise that can impact a child arriving to school on time. If you know your child will be arriving to school late on any given day, due to an appointment or other obligation, we encourage you to make the classroom teacher aware of the expected late arrival as well as ask that you contact our school office. Students arriving late to school should come to the front, main entrance doors. A parent/guardian must sign their student into the office and share the reason for late arrival. Students should not be dropped off without an adult. Thank you for your assistance in getting your child(ren) to school on time each day!

As an important reminder, staff supervision of the playground and Gaga Ball Pit is NOT available before or after school. Students will always be supervised by teachers and staff when they use the playground during school hours. Students will be expected to follow all safety rules while they play. Students should NOT arrive to school earlier than 8:50 am (9:00 am on Wednesdays) nor should they stay at school after the 3:35 pm bell. Only those students with a supervising parent/guardian may be on school grounds before or after school and it is the responsibility of the parent/guardian to monitor students' play.

Please be reminded of these other important safety practices while on school grounds:

• Students (and accompanying parents) are asked to walk their bikes while on school property, including on the sidewalks around the school. Please talk with your students about this important safety reminder.
• Arrival and dismissal is a busy time on school property. While we understand that our furry family members may enjoy walks this time of year, it is best if pets do not accompany your student for drop off or pick up. If they do, leashed pets should be kept away from school sidewalk areas, entry/exit doors, congested areas, and the playground.

Thank you, in advance, for helping us maintain a safe environment for all students.

In an effort to maintain a safe environment for staff and students, District 204 adheres to the following practices during arrival and dismissal.

Arrival Procedures:

• During the period of time when children are arriving in the morning, no adults, without an appointment, will be allowed into the schools. Children will be allowed in through normal procedures.

• Any adult, without an appointment, who wishes to go into the school to talk with the administration or drop something off at the school will need to wait until arrival procedures are completed for the students or call the office for assistance.

For all elementary schools, adults without an appointment will not be allowed into the school between 8:50 am - 9:05 am on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday. On Wednesday, that time is 9:00 am - 9:15 am.

Dismissal Procedures:

• At dismissal time, no adult will be allowed into the school during the time that students are being dismissed.
• Parents who need to speak with the office staff will need to wait until the dismissal process is completed for all students.

Any changes to dismissal plans need to be communicated to the school staff before 3:00 pm. Any students being picked up for early dismissal should be picked up before 3:15 pm.

For all elementary schools, adults without an appointment will not be allowed into the school between 3:35 pm - 3:50 pm every school day during dismissal.

Thank you, in advance, for adhering to these important safety procedures.

When you come to Clow Elementary School, you will utilize our buzzer and camera system to share your name and reason for visit. Our office staff will greet you and provide you with access to the secure vestibule area. Once inside the vestibule, our office staff will greet you via a window. If you are dropping off something for your student, there will be an area where you may place the item(s). Please note the following:

• Items will be delivered to students at 9:30 am and then again at 10:50 am. After that time, deliveries will not be made to classrooms (aside from items that may be medically necessary), so as not to disrupt the classroom learning environment for our students. We kindly ask that you follow these timelines if you are needing to drop off an item.
• If you are choosing to drop off a "special" lunch for your student (birthday lunch), it should be dropped off five minutes before your child's scheduled lunch time. Those lunches will be delivered directly to the lunchroom by our lunchroom staff.

If you are dropping off your student for a late arrival or picking up your student for early dismissal, our office staff will guide you through the process of signing them in/out and then will assist the student in the arrival/dismissal.

If you are coming to the school to volunteer or attend a meeting, you will need to provide your driver's license (to be scanned) and then you will be provided access to our waiting area and/or directed to your next location.

Thank you, in advance, for your cooperation with adhering to these procedures so that we may maintain a safe environment for all.