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

Dear Steele Families,

I am writing to let you know that I will be away from Steele beginning Thursday, August 27, for approximately seven weeks while I undergo and recover from a surgical procedure.

During my absence, Mrs. Ellen Spittell will serve as the building principal. Before her retirement, she served as the Bright Futures Principal. She will work closely with our administrative team and staff to ensure that school operations continue smoothly and that our students, families, and staff are fully supported.

I have great confidence in Mrs. Spittell and the entire Steele team. I know they will continue providing the safe, welcoming, and engaging learning environment our Steele Stars deserve.

Thank you for your understanding and support. I look forward to returning to Steele after my recovery.

Sincerely,

Keri Coate
Principal

Our PTO was handing out these refrigerator magnets to all families free of charge. If you need one, contact the office and we will send one home with your child. You can email Ms. Fones at kfones@galesburg205.org or Ms. Howerter at hhowerter@galesburg205.org.

Our next PTO meeting will be on September 1st from 5:30 - 6:30 PM. You can join us in person or virtually. We meet in the Steele library.

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#

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

Beginning Monday, August 17, Steele students will participate in AIMSweb Benchmarking Assessments in reading and math. Benchmarking will take place over approximately three weeks and provides our teachers with valuable information about each student’s current skills, strengths, and areas for growth. We encourage students to take their time and do their very best so the results accurately reflect what they know and can do. Teachers will use this information to help tailor instruction, provide appropriate support, and ensure each student receives what they need to continue learning and growing. Thank you for encouraging your Steele Star to give their best effort!

Keisha Cares has been serving our District since 2020. The purpose of Keisha Cares is to continue the legacy of the late, long-time Lombard Middle School secretary Keisha Harris. Keisha was well known for her extensive support for students in need. By offering Keisha Cares, we aim to meet the needs of students and families by providing food, tutoring assistance, referrals to other services, hygiene items, and clothing as needed. Through Keisha Cares, District staff travel via our dedicated van showing Keisha’s likeness. The service has a set schedule for serving families at designated locations. Additionally, home visits/family check-ins are available upon request from any CUSD #205 staff members or families in our community.

Keisha Cares will begin for this school year on September 1st. The van will run on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Please check the district's Website, Facebook, and/or Instagram page weekly for the schedule of planned stops.

Requests for this mobile service can be made by completing the brief Google form linked here:

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.