The Porcupine Post

We had a great week learning! The students have been working on problem solving social situations, counting, and the letter C. We have several classes learning about pets, Mrs. Jones’ class had an art drawing session with their class pet, Carl! They did such a great job! With Halloween fast approaching, please see more information below about the plan for October 30th. Have a great 3-day weekend!

Sincerely,

Dr. Sheryl Pauwels

October 12th - No School Columbus Day

October 14th - Dine and Share at Chick-fil-A

October 20th - ECC Family Fall Night

October 23rd - No School ECC ONLY Parent Education Day

October 27th - Picture Retake Day

Conferences will be held on the following dates below. More information will come out on October 9th.

• November 23 from 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.
• November 24 from 7:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Please keep your child at home during an illness to decrease the number of students who are exposed to the illness. Students who have been running a fever (100.4° F or greater) should be kept home fever-free for 24 hours before they return to school unless guidelines from the CDC or IDPH increase this timeframe. Students should also remain at home for 24 hours after vomiting has stopped and the student can tolerate a solid diet, and/or until diarrhea-free for 24 hours. If your child has a rash that you cannot identify, it is recommended that you consult with your healthcare provider. The student should not return to school until the rash has been diagnosed and deemed not contagious.

As the seasons change, please be sure to send in an extra set of weather appropriate clothes (shirt, pants, underwear & socks). Whenever this bag is sent home, please replace the clothing inside and send it back to school ASAP.

We are looking for 10 families to decorate a pumpkin for our Pumpkin Decorating Contest.

Pumpkins will be provided by ECC and and available for pick up on October 13th

The pumpkins will be displayed and voted on at our Family Fall Night October 20th

Pumpkins will be turned in to school on the 19th

Prizes will be awarded for the top 3 pumpkins!

Sign up to decorate a pumpkin!

Sign up here

October 20th

5-6:30pm

Bring your family, wear your favorite school-friendly

costume, and get ready for a fun night at ECC!

Glow Party

Games

Crafts

Science Experiments

Register here

Huntley D158 Early Childhood Center

9:00 am - 10:00 am

Strengthening Communication & Parent-Child Relationships Join our team of teachers and therapists as we explore simple ways to build communication skills and memories with your child(ren) during daily activities. From snack to story time, you’ll learn tricks for turning daily activities and play into teachable moments

10:30 am

Cody's Pumpkin Farm 19502 River Road, Marengo

Let's celebrate fall and have fun at Cody's Farm! Fun at Cody's includes: wagon ride, a pumpkin, a petting zoo, and a play area. ECC will cover the cost of our enrolled students. Siblings are $7.50, and this will be paid at the door. Parents are FREE. Upon arrival at the farm, please check in with an ECC staff member. This is a voluntary activity that all families and siblings are welcome to attend, but need to provide their own transportation. Families can bring lunch and stay for the afternoon.

Please arrive and check in before 11:00, as the staff needs to return to school at this time.

RSVP here

Students and staff can dress up on October 30th in costumes. All Fall Parties will take place on this day as well. Your child’s teacher will provide more information if any items or volunteers are needed for this day. The teachers and students will be walking around to different offices in the building to collect fun non-edible items.

We are also having our Costume Parade again! The parade is very short and outside, so parents are invited to come watch.

• Please be mindful that for everyone’s safety, we need the students to remain in line with their class during the parade.

• Please line up in the designated areas to watch the parade. (Please do not block any entrances or exits.)

• The students will walk out of door 5 (into our bus lot) and walk through the bus lot, then walk on the sidewalk in front of ECC and enter the building at Door 3 (car rider door).

• This parade will only be about 10 minutes long.

• Session 1 parade is at 9:45 and Session 2 parade is at 1:00.

• Parking is limited as Chesak and Martin may also have fall celebrations, etc.

All dismissal routines will remain the same. If your child is a car rider, please get into the car rider line after the parade. If your child is a bus rider, we will put them on the bus. If your child does not have a car rider number but you want to take them home with you, please let the teacher know and you will need to park in the lot and then sign them out in the office at dismissal (10:15 or 1:30).

Costume Guidelines:

• Costumes should be worn over clothes, so that students can pull them on/off easily for using the restroom.

• Costumes should be appropriate, should not be violent in nature, and should not include weapons (fake or plastic) or masks that cover the entire face.

• Hair dye, make-up, and minimal face paint must be applied at home (i.e. whiskers and a nose).

Please contact your child’s teacher if you would like to have your child opt out of any of the celebrations and other arrangements will be made.

We look forward to having a fun, safe, and respectful day with your children!

Check out the CMPTA Website to join or check out the upcoming events.

Let's stand together to create a safe and supportive school community. Recognize the signs, speak up, and report bullying. Together, we can make a difference.

If you or someone you know is being bullied, there are resources available to help:

The National Bullying Prevention Center
The Trevor Project
StopBullying.gov

In addition, Care Solace is available 24/7/365 to connect individuals to care. Call 888-515-0595 or visit caresolace.com/huntley.

When: Tuesday, October 13
Time: 6 PM - 8 PM
Where: Heineman Middle School
Register HERE

Grab a blanket and get comfy for Huntley 158’s first sensory-friendly movie night open to all ages! The featured movie, Out of My Mind (rated PG), is an inspiring story about a young girl with cerebral palsy who finds her voice and challenges others to see what she is capable of. With powerful themes of friendship, inclusion and perseverance, it’s the perfect film to bring our community together.

Doors open at 6 p.m., and the movie begins at 6:15 p.m. Come dressed for comfort and bring a blanket for floor seating; an accessible seating area will also be available. We’ll provide snacks and water, or feel free to bring your own. Stop by our “selfie station” and enter for a chance to win a prize!

The evening will wrap up at approximately 8 p.m. Students under age 13 must attend with a parent or guardian.

Questions? Contact Ina Hall, Huntley 158 Family Engagement Liaison, at ihall@district158.org.

Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Time: 6:30–7:30 PM (45-minute presentation with 15 minutes for Q & A)
Location: District Office, Room 180, 650 Dr. John Burkey Dr., Algonquin
Cost: Free; light snacks will be served
Guest Speaker: Jen Rowzee, Services Inc.

During this session, Huntley 158 families who have a student with an IEP will learn about the timeline to follow when applying for disability-related benefits for their child. The presentation will highlight PUNS (Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services), providing an overview of the potential benefits available when families plan early.

As a follow-up to this, families can make a 30-minute appointment on Monday, October 19 to meet one-on-one with a Services Inc. representative who will walk them through the PUNS registration process, answer questions, and provide guidance on what information is needed to complete the application. Visit the website for more information about both events.

Join us on Monday, November 2 at Martin Elementary for an evening of learning, connection, and family fun! From 6:00–6:30 p.m., our MPAC (Multilingual Parent Advisory Committee) meeting will focus on an overview and discussion of District data. Pizza will be served, and childcare will be provided during the meeting.

Following MPAC, stay for our MPAC-sponsored Family Reading Night from 6:30–7:30 p.m. Families will have an opportunity to enjoy reading activities, explore resources, and learn strategies to support literacy at home.

📍 Martin Elementary, 10920 Reed Road

We hope to see you there!

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