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Hello Students and Families,

We had so much fun this week kicking off our Prairie Dog Dash Fundraiser! We had some help from the Neuqua cheerleaders who visited lunches on Monday for a little Lunch Pep Rally! The students loved it! Thank you to the PTA and all of you for supporting Patterson! The students are loving checking the leaderboard each morning as they come in to school!

Miss Lottich and I can't wait to dress up and race in the obstacle course when we meet our goal; we are 39% of the way there. Lap 1 locks in this weekend, check your email from Friday morning with all the details! On Monday, I can't wait to announce which classes have earned their checkpoint rewards. Click HERE to donate and checkout the leaderboard. Thanks for your continued support!

Upcoming Events for the week of 9/28:

Week of 9/28: Keep sharing with friends and family about the Patterson fundraiser! Let's work together to meet our goal!

We will also be celebrating our August and September Prairie Dogs of the week at our monthly celebration this week. Thank you to the PTA for funding our snacks and activities for these celebrations! This is another example of how the funds raised from our fundraiser go directly back to the students. If your child got nominated, look for more information coming home via backpack mail on Monday 9/28.

Enjoy the weekend!

Michelle Hebenstreit, Principal

michelle_hebenstreit@ipsd.org

#630-428-6503

Happenings Around the Burrow

4th Grade Place Value Party!

4th & 5th Graders learning all about student council!

Students checking out the leaderboard!

Prairie Dog Dash Pep Rally!

Important Patterson Dates

Important Dates

Week of 9/28- Prairie Dog Dash Fundraiser

September 29- Prairie Dog of the Week August/September Celebration

October 7 - Walk To School Day; Last day to donate to the Patterson Prairie Dog Dash Fundraiser

October 9- Prairie Dog Dash- more info. to come

October 12 - No School - Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples' Day

October 16 - Quarter 1 Ends

October 19 - PTA General Meeting at 9:30 at Patterson or join virtually

October 22 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 4:30PM- 8:00PM

October 23 - No School - Institute Day

October 28 - Picture Retake Day

October 30 - Fall Costume Parade & Fall Parties- more info. to come

LMC News

Bookfair

WOW! We are still thinking about our amazing Fall Bookfair and I'm SO thankful for your participation by shopping in person and online. We are so excited to grow the library collection and support our growing readers thanks to your generous purchases! We reached the top tier of benefits back to our school and have already selected 20 new books to add to the library (and this is just the beginning)!

Pumpkin Decorating Contest

It's officially fall and we are starting to think about pumpkins!

The pumpkin decorating contest will take place again this year at Patterson. It's a good time to start thinking about a favorite book / book character and the supplies needed to decorate a pumpkin. More details will come home soon!

Patterson Parent Family Feedback Survey

It's "The Patterson Way" to celebrate all students, families, cultures, and abilities. Please share your input by clicking the link below to complete the family survey! Your input will help the PTA and school work together to continue to create a strong sense of community in our school!

2026-27 Patterson Family Feedback Survey

District Attendance Updates

On August 11, District 204 staff updated the School Board about several changes to Student Attendance Procedures for the 2026-27 school year.

What’s New with ParentVUE?

When a student has missed 5 days and then again at 9 days, an automatic message is sent to parents. The messages are sent to make families aware of the total number of school days their student has missed and remind families of absence requirements.

Starting on the 10th day absent, valid documentation is required for the absence to be considered excused. The most common types of absence documentation are doctors’ notes and medical appointment confirmations.

Did You Know?

Once your student has missed 9 days of school, we will send you a link to a quick survey. The information you share will automatically be sent to the school staff who are listed on the survey.

We encourage parents to complete this survey. Why? To provide your child’s school with the information needed to help support consistent attendance.

*Attendance notifications are automatically sent by our system. If you would like to follow up, please reach out to your school's office staff.

CogAT Information

Beginning this school year, the district is streamlining the assessment information used to support student recommendations for district programming. As part of this work, the Cognitive Abilities Assessment will no longer be administered universally to 5th grade students. This does not impact CogAT testing in 2nd grade, where it will continue to be administered to all students. This change reflects our ongoing effort to limit the collection of redundant information when meaningful data is already available through classroom assessments and i-Ready. Additionally, reducing unnecessary testing minimizes classroom disruptions and preserves valuable instructional time. Our philosophy and criteria for identifying and supporting students in district programs, like Project Arrow and Accelerated Math, have not changed. School teams will continue to use multiple sources of student data to make thoughtful placement and programming recommendations for students.

Parent/Teacher Conference Information

Parent-Teacher Conferences for preschool, elementary, middle and high school will take place on Thursday, October 22, 2026 from 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm. On Monday, November 2, 2026 the conferences will be offered from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm and 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm.

Elementary, middle, and high school parents can begin scheduling conferences through ParentVUE on October 6, 2026 starting at 6:00 am. Preschool families will receive directions for how to register for conferences from your child’s classroom teacher.

To schedule your conference for elementary, middle, and high school students, log in to ParentVUE and select "Conference" from the menu on the left side to see the times available. Once you have scheduled your conference, you can click "Email Schedule" to have the details emailed to you. You can also go back to ParentVUE at any time to view the information. Conference scheduling will remain open through October 13, 2026 at 6:00 pm.

Picture Day Updates/ Ordering Information

It was great to see all the students dressed up and wearing big smiles for Picture Day! Thank you PTA and Pete the Prairie Dog for helping to make this day run smoothly!

If your child was absent on picture day, retakes will take place on Wednesday, October 28th.

To view and order photos from Picture Day, you’ll receive an email when your images are ready to view online. Or, you can search for them at vipis.com shortly after photos are taken. If you need further assistance, contact VIP at support@vipis.com.

Join the Project Arrow PTA

Monthly Specials Update

Music:

Hello Patterson Families~

Your children are having a great start to the school year in music class at Patterson! We are dancing, singing, reading rhythms and playing instruments! Please check out our websites for more grade level specific information. Thanks!

-Mrs. Rothmeyer: Website

-Mr. Duym (Website coming soon)

PE:

PE has been going great! Classes are doing a really good job of following class expectations and working very hard on their fitness while in class. We have been focusing on throwing with opposition and doing all kinds of fun activities that require them to step using their opposite foot,

All grades also participated in a fun game called Jurassic Park Tag. We played for two days and classes had to problem solve on how to survive the dinosaurs and the dinosaurs had to problem solve how to "hunt" other players. Lots of discussion and outside the box thinking was being had!

K-2 classes have been reviewing their locomotor movements which include hopping, galloping, and skipping. All students are doing a great job and in the coming months 2nd grade will be assessed on all three.

Lastly, one game we played that is easy to play at home was FITNESS UNO! Kids loved this version and had some great exercise. I told all classes to challenge their parents and sibling to a game!

Mr. Folley

Art:

Artsonia is back! Students will be sharing their artwork in a digital portfolio throughout the year. Artsonia allows families to connect with their child and see what they are making in art class. Parents and guardians will receive information about signing up if you haven’t already.

We’re kicking off the year with collaborative murals, line and shape, personal art making, and sketchbook-making. We cannot wait to show you what we are up to in the art room!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Logsdon and Miss Schloderback

PTA Information

🏁 Prairie Dog Dash! Lap 1 Sprint Ends Saturday 🏁

Patterson’s ONE big fundraiser — the Prairie Dog Dash! — is off and running!

Students are racing toward class Checkpoints, and the first Checkpoint closes Saturday, 9/26 at midnight. Reaching a Checkpoint unlocks a fun reward for the entire class — but they need your help to get there in time!

💚 Every donation helps — but the most powerful way to grow support is by sharing the fundraiser link with friends and family:

📍 Visit donate.pattersonpta.com to:

Find out what the Prairie Dog Dash! is all about
Track class progress on the Class Leaderboard
Explore prizes, race details, key dates, and FAQs

Help your student’s class unlock their first Checkpoint Reward and keep the momentum going! 🏆

Cash and checks are also accepted — visit the fundraiser site FAQs for details.

“Lace Up. Step Up. Lift Up. The Patterson Way.”

Donate Today!

Class party volunteer sign up is now open

There are a few spots still remaining!

Visit pattersonpta.com/special-events/class-parties for details and to sign up.

Class Party Sign Up + Details

Walk & Roll to School Day

When: Wednesday, October 7th

Where: The Ashbury Clubhouse Parking Lot (3403 Lawrence Dr.)

Join us in celebrating healthy habits by walking to school! Walk to school day is Wednesday, October 7th. Meet in the Ashbury Clubhouse parking lot between 8:30 and 8:50. We will leave to walk to Patterson by 8:55 following Pete’s paws along the way.

This is not a supervised event, so please make sure your child is with a trusted adult. Hope to see you there!

Support Patterson and Join the PTA!

Join the Patterson PTA today!

PTA memberships are valid for one school year. Renew now and check it off the list!

Membership is required to volunteer for class parties, Field Day, and other PTA-sponsored activities. You are not obligated to attend meetings, events, or volunteer.

Basic membership is $20, and additional donation options are available for those who'd like to contribute a little extra. Every dollar directly supports our students, teachers, and school programs.

Purchase your 2026-2027 PTA Membership

If your family is currently facing financial hardship but would still like to be a PTA member, please contact our principal confidentially for assistance. Every family is welcome and included.

What is the Patterson PTA?

The Patterson PTA supports our students, teachers, and school through fundraising, enrichment programs, classroom support, and community events.

What does the PTA do?

📸 Yearbook

👕 Kindergarten T-shirts

🦫 Pete the Prairie Dog

🎒 School Supply Kits

📚 LMC, Art, Music, & PE supplies

🏆 Student Prizes

🥰 Teacher Appreciation Week

🎉 Class Parties

🧪 Science Fair

🌏 Multicultural Night

🔴 Bingo Night

…and much more!

Submissions Can Now Be Made for Reflections!

The National PTA Reflections program encourages students of all ages and abilities to explore and be involved in the arts. Students are asked to create and submit original works of art in the medium of their choice— dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography and visual arts — reflecting on a specific theme. There is also a special artist division option for students with disabilities, to ensure that all students have the opportunity to participate in the program.

This year’s theme is “What My Culture Means to Me.”

📅 Entries are due October 9 2026.

Reflections Information

Volunteers Needed!

Looking to get involved at Patterson?

There are many great volunteer opportunities available through the Patterson PTA-whether you have an hour or a few, there's a way to help!

Please fill out the Google Form or contact us with any questions at info@pattersonpta.com.

All PTA Volunteers must be current PTA members.

Join a Committee!

Connect with the PTA

💻 pattersonpta.com

👍 facebook.com/groups/pattersonpta

✉️ info@pattersonpta.com

Previous Information

School Hours

Office Hours beginning on Monday, Aug. 3rd:

8:00am-4:15pm

School Hours:

Monday,Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday:

School Start Times

First Bell- 8:50am
Last Bell 9:05am, Students are expected to be in their seats by this time

School End Times:

Dismissal Bell 3:35pm

Wednesday (Late Start, Staff engage in Professional Development before school):

School Start Times

First Bell- 9:05am
Last Bell 9:15am, Students are expected to be in their seats by this time

School End Times:

Dismissal Bell 3:35pm

Early Release Days:

September 24th, December 15th, February 4th
Students are dismissed at 1:00pm; please make sure you have arranged an alternate dismissal plan for your child. Buses will run as usual. You may "Drop-In" at the YMCA on these days- see more info. in this below.

If your child arrives after the last bell, please park in the circle drive and walk your child to Door 1. You will need to come in and sign your child in at the front office.

Breakfast and Lunch Information

Students can eat breakfast before school or can purchase breakfast at school. Students may bring a lunch from home or can buy lunch from school. White milk or chocolate milk are also available for purchase. To purchase breakfast, lunch, or milk, you will need to fund your child's pushcoin wallet. Cash/checks are not accepted. For information on funding wallets through Pushcoin, please click here: https://www.ipsd.org/Page/2623

Recess and Lunch Times:

2nd Grade 10:55-11:30

4th Grade 11:20-11:55

5th Grade 11:45-12:20

3rd Grade: 12:10-12:45

1st Grade 12:35-1:10

Kindergarten 1:05-1:40

Each grade level will also have a snack time. Information regarding snack time will be provided by your child's classroom teacher.

Menus can be found on the district website under Departments- Food Service. You will need to select Patterson as the school or August menus are below.

August Breakfast Menu

August Lunch Menu

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

The safety of our Patterson students, staff, and families is an upmost priority to our team. During meet and greet, each teacher will have a form for parents/guardians to notify your child's teacher and our office team how your child will be dismissed each day. Please make sure to complete this form when visiting your child's classroom.

Staff will be present at all entrances being used for arrival and dismissal to supervise students.

Bus routes will be visible in Parentvue. If your child is a bus rider, I would recommend using the Mystop app. More information regarding bus transportation can be found on the district website HERE: https://www.ipsd.org/Page/183

Similar to last school year:

On the first day of school, your child will receive a backpack tag that is color coded by bus, car rider, walker, biker, or YMCA. Pleaase leave this tag on your child's backpack for the duration of the school year.
Door 11 will be used for the dismissal of Kindergarten students only. Siblings that wish to "pick up" their kindergarten sibling will meet them outside Door 11.

Arrival Procedures:

Students may enter the building through Doors 1,2,11 or by the back rike in the back of school at Door 9 and should NOT arrive before 8:50am or 9:00am on late start day.
Car Riders will pull into the front circle drive. Please remember there are no cell phones while driving on school property. Please do not let your child leave the car until you see a staff member outside. Parents should remain in the car. Students should be able to independently unbuckle and open the car door.
Big Bus Riders will be dropped off at the bus pad and a staff member will walk the students inside the building through door 2.
Small bus riders will be dropped off in the side lot and will be met by a staff member and walked inside.

Dismissal Procedures:

Dismissal will begin at 3:35pm.
Kindergarten walkers or car riders will exit the building through Door 11 and will be escorted by a staff member. Students will not be released unless they see an older sibling or parent.
All other students will be dismissed from Door 1, 2, or out Door 9 by the bike rack.
Car Riders will all have car numbers which you will receive at Meet and Greet or the first day of school. You will receive 2 copies of your car number in case you have more than one vehicle that will be picking up your child or in case you lose one. If you have a Kindergarten student in your family, your car number will have a K next to it to indicate to staff and safety patrol that those students may need extra assistance. Please have your car number visible in your window. Car Riders will use the front circle drive. Students will be dismissed to the gym where they will watch for the car number to appear on the screen. Students will exit through Door 1 or 2. Parents/Guardians, please be respectful and patient of staff directing the carline. Kindergarten students will be escorted to the carline by our 5th grade safety patrol, their older sibling, or an adult.
Big bus riders will be dismissed to the gym and will be walked by a staff member to the bus pad out through the gym door.
Small bus riders will be dimissed through the gym door, Door 4, in the side lot and will be escorted by a staff member to the bus.

For more detailed information and to view our arrival/dismissal map, please click HERE.

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Happenings Around the Burrow Happenings Around the Burrow