Mustang Memo

December 12: PTO Meeting

December 14: Choir Concert

December 14: School Board Meeting

December 15: Band/Orchestra/Choir Assembly @9AM

December 16: SL PTO Wolves Game

December 20: Early Release @ 12:50pm

December 21: Institute Day - No School

December 22-January 7: Winter Break

January 8: Institute Day - No School

During November, students in grades three through five had the chance to apply for various leadership roles at our school. These roles include both yearlong positions and rotating positions. Yesterday, we notified the first group of 43 students who have been chosen as leaders for the month of December. Congratulations to these outstanding students! For those whose children were not selected this month, there will be opportunities in the upcoming months. The rotating leadership positions will occur during the regular school day, and there is no requirement for selected students to come early or stay late.

The selection process for yearlong leadership opportunities is still ongoing. Enthusiastic students have expressed their interest, and classroom teachers have provided background information and recommendations for consideration. As the final step, a brief application task will be sent home next week to certain students. This task will assist us in determining who will assume these yearlong roles. Once decisions are made, permission forms containing details about responsibilities and commitments will be sent home to families to ensure their support for their child's participation.

We are so excited for this new opportunity for our students!

With the weather changing, I want to take this opportunity to share outdoor recess procedures. As was started last year, building leaders will use thirteen degrees (13°F - with windchill factored in) as the cutoff temperature for outdoor recess. If it is below thirteen degrees with the windchill, students will participate in recess indoors.

Please note that other factors (such as ice on the path to the playground) unique to individual buildings may also impact the decision for outdoor recess. We look forward to a safe and healthy winter!

Now that we are into the coldest months of the school year, our school drop off has increased in popularity. If you drive to school and drop off your student(s):

• Morning Arrival: 8:05-8:15am
• Pull as far forward as possible to allow multiple cars in the circular drive (to Mrs Suppes).
• Parents, please do not exit your vehicle as this slows down the arrival process. If you do want to assist your child in exiting the vehicle, please pull into one of the marked parking spaces.
• Please make sure students are ready to exit the vehicle quickly upon arrival.
• Make sure your child exits the vehicle on the school side as opposed to the driveway side of the car. It is much safer to exit onto the sidewalk!
• Once your child exits the vehicle, you are free to go. Please do so quickly as we will keep the line moving. **We have many car drop offs, and will do our best to get through cars quickly!**

Please be sure to have your student check the Lost and Found prior to winter break. After break, any items that are left in the Lost and Found will be donated to Joanie's Closet.

Calling all District 95 students! The school district is holding a contest for student-created original artwork, and poems or verses for a New Year's card which will be sent to district employees as well as some community partners at the beginning of January.

All submissions must be digital (JPG or PNG formats only) so if the artwork is on paper, please take a clear photo to submit. The winner(s) will be gifted a small token of appreciation.

Click here to submit your entry by December 6th, 2023!

The Lake Zurich Police Department (as well as Hawthorn Woods and Kildeer departments) have prescription drug drop boxes for anyone who wishes to safely dispose of their unused/expired prescriptions. These drop locations are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; please keep these resources in mind as you do any end-of-year cleaning!

Parents can access Health Office visit information through ParentVUE. Once logged in (either on the web portal or using the app), select “Health” and “Nurse Visits” to see a log of when your student visited the Health Office. For more serious illnesses or situations, parents can expect to receive a phone call from a Health Office staff member or building administrator. Please reach out to the school nurse with any questions you might have regarding office visits.

We want to inform you of a significant update that will come into effect on January 1, 2024, regarding overdue fee balances and their impact on student participation in fee-based activities within our school community.

Effective January 1, 2024:

Students with overdue fee balances will be excluded from participating in fee-based activities. Families that have a payment plan in place – and are current in their payments - are not considered to have an overdue balance and are exempt from this exclusion.

Any fee-based activities are subject to exclusion including the following:

• Athletic participation

• Non-curricular fine arts/performing arts events

• Extracurricular clubs

• Participation in social events such as Homecoming, Prom, and all other dances

• Participation in the high school graduation ceremony

Additionally, please note that the following fees are not eligible for any waiver or reduction:

• Yearbooks (except for 12th grade)

• Parking permits

• Replacement ID fees

• Replacement planner fees

• Summer enrichment classes/camps

• Summer athletic camps

• Non-district summer school classes

• Little Bears preschool

• Little Leader's tuition-based preschool

• Any fines/fees levied against the student for the destruction of District property, including but not limited to books, devices, or other school-owned materials or school property

We understand that participation in these activities is important for the student’s overall school experience. To ensure uninterrupted participation, we urge all families to address any outstanding fee balances as soon as possible.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your fee balance, apply for fee waivers, or wish to set up a payment plan, please contact the District 95 Business Office at 847-540-4943 or email the Business Office at businessoffice@lz95.org.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter.

A fun-filled and memorable evening awaits you and your special little someone on Saturday, February 10, 2024. This “dressed-up” affair is sure to be the talk of the town! Don’t miss this popular family event which features dancing, a craft, photo keepsake, raffle baskets, and more!!

Tickets go on sale January 8th!!!

The event will be held at May Whitney Elementary School from 6pm–8pm and is open to grades pre-k through 8th. Children must be accompanied and supervised by a parent!

Joanie’s Closet is a committee under the District 95 Educational Foundation that serves under-resourced District 95 students and their families, in collaboration with the community, by providing basic needs to help students achieve their full potential.

Can't make it to the dance but still want to donate? Joanie's Closet is always looking for financial assistance and is greatly appreciative of monetary donations! Click here to make an online donation.

Each month, District 95 asks every building to select a student who represents our District Values of collaboration, continuous improvement, equity, high expectations, integrity, perseverance, and respect. For the month of November, Spencer Loomis chose Fourth Grader, Joe A.

Joe is an exceptional student in so many ways. He's a hard worker who never gives up, no matter how tough the challenge. Not only that, but he's a good friend, always ready to lend a helping hand or offer a kind word. Joe's positive attitude is contagious; he encourages others to do their best. He's not just a good friend; he's also a great role model for his peers. What sets Joe apart is how he shows appreciation to others. He's quick to say thank you and show gratitude, making everyone around him feel valued and special. Joe truly embodies the qualities of a Spencer Loomis Mustang!

Made by Me Market is tomorrow, Saturday Dec. 2nd from 10am to noon, in the SL/MSN Cafetorium. Come out and support over 70+ student vendors while getting a little holiday shopping done!

During this busy time of year, please treat yourself with a night off from cooking!

Join us for a restaurant night to help raise money for the Spencer Loomis PTO!

Visit the Panera in Lake Zurich (430 S. Rand Road) ALL DAY on December 7th and 20% of the proceeds will benefit fun events at Spencer Loomis.

Please make sure to show an electronic or printed version of the flyer. If you order online, don’t forget to use the promo code FUND4U.

Thanks for your continued support!

Come out to our Spencer Loomis Family Night with the Chicago Wolves. Game is Saturday, December 16th. All families will receive a Wolves knit hat for attending! A percentage of the ticket proceeds go back to the PTO.

All attendees will be seated together. Bring your friends and family!

Deadline to purchase tickets is Friday December 15th at NOON.

https://fevo-enterprise.com/spencerloomiswolves

Calling all Spencer Loomis Elementary students! Back by popular demand, this year’s yearbook will be featuring artwork from the best artists we know — you! The theme will be “Make Your Mark.” We are requesting students draw a picture showcasing what makes them special. Examples include playing sports, singing, being a good friend, being helpful, love of reading, etc. Feel free to get as creative as you’d like. Then, just label it Spencer Loomis 2023-24, and you’re ready to submit your work!

A winner from each grade will be selected. Winners will receive a $15 gift card to Learning Express. Please turn in all submissions to the front desk or email them to spencerloomisyearbook@gmail.com by Dec. 21. We can’t wait to see your art!

What a better way to kick off Winter Break than to grab your friends and head on over to SKY ZONE!!!

20% of the net proceeds will go back to the PTO.

Be sure to sign a waiver beforehand to avoid the wait. Click on the link below.

Waivers (roller.app)

Be sure to print out the flyer or show it on your phone so they know you're with Spencer Loomis.

We want to continue to improve our ability to communicate with parents about upcoming events and have all of our information in one easy to access place. We know it can be hard to sift through e-mails, newsletters, and social media posts so we wanted to have a spot where parents can find calendars, sign ups, and other information from your phone or computer. Create an account now so you are able to access sign ups as they come out as well as the Buzz Book once it is complete!

https://spencerloomis.ptboard.com/

Sign Up Code: GPHSQ8

App: PTBoard

Please mark your calendars. Our next PTO meeting is Tuesday, December 12th from 7-8:30pm in the Spencer Loomis Learning Innovation Hub. All are welcome!

Zoom option available.