Franzen Falcon

Can you believe it's already October?

Dear Franzen Parents,

We hope this monthly newsletter will give you a glimpse into the goings on at Franzen Intermediate School.

The format of this newsletter will include the following:

• upcoming calendar events
• pictures from around the school community
• any IPTO (parent teacher organization updates)
• and much more!!

A LOT OF INFORMATION THIS MONTH

!! Please scroll all the way to the bottom !!

• Week of October 6 - District 10 Safety Week

• October 8 - Early Release @1:10

• October 13 - No School - Holiday

• October 15 - Picture Retakes - Panoramic Picture taken (order here)

• October 22 - Unity Day - Wear Orange

• October 22 - Third Grade field trip to the Brookfield Zoo

• October 24 - No School Teacher's Institute Day

• October 29 - Early Release @1:10

• October 31 - Halloween Parties and Parade (information linked below)

Information about retakes and how to order will be sent home soon!!

October 31, 2025

** PLEASE NOTE NO FOOD OR GIFTS ARE TO BE SENT TO SCHOOL**

Please remember:

• Costumes may be worn to school, however any costume props, masks, etc. must be stored in student's lockers or in the hallway until just before the parade.

• Please be mindful of any costumes that could be a distraction to learning.

• Students will be given time prior to the parade to get ready if they would like to change at school.

• Outdoor costume parade will occur, weather permitting (flyer with details to follow)

No weapons may be brought with costumes. We discourage costumes at school that are scary, violent or bloody.

Update - Franzen's Average Daily Attendance currently stands at 96.7% AMAZING!! Our school goal is to always be above 95%. PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE REACH OUR GOAL!! Thank you :)

Students must be in school at least half of a school day in order to participate in after school events.

In order to attend school, students must be in compliance with all DuPage County Health regulations. See the Health section for more information related to deciding when your child is too ill to be in school.

Attendance patterns are monitored regularly by school staff. If the number of days missed to school is equal to 5% of the total days that school has been in session, a referral will be made to the DuPage County Truancy Office. This means that the truancy officer will contact you for problem solving in order to improve the child’s school attendance. A student who misses 5% or more of school every year will lose ONE FULL ACADEMIC YEAR of learning before reaching high school graduation.

If your child has a medical condition that is contributing to missed school days, contact the school nurse.

This school year, students will continue to learn even more about the 8 Keys to Excellence through activities that include reflection and application. We encourage all students to go beyond being "respectful, responsible, and safe" to embody the characteristics of the 8 Keys. More information about each key and it's meaning can be found here.

We are excited to share that all Franzen students will continue have access to individual and personalized math and reading lessons through iReady. Through this platform, students will follow an individual learning path that provides interactive lessons on specific academic skills. Grade level teachers Have taught students how to use this program. Students are welcomed and encouraged to complete these lessons outside of school as well!

Students can login with their school username and password at https://login.i-ready.com/. More information on how you can support the learning process is linked below.

Please remember to talk with your children about the ill effects of bullying and how they can stand up to bullies in a variety of ways. A student-friendly definition of bullying is - when you keep picking on someone because you think you’re cooler, smarter, stronger or better than them. At Franzen, we are making efforts to help educate our students about bullying and what to do when confronted with a bully or when seeing someone else being bullied. As an example we ask students to STOP, WALK, TALK: Ask them to stop, Walk away with a friend, and talk to a trusted adult. On Wednesday, October 22nd we will be participating with other schools around the country in a “UNITY” day taking a stand against bullying. On that day students will be invited to wear orange in a show of support. As an added support, Franzen School’s website includes a ‘bully report’ online. By completing this form students and parents can submit anonymous reports on bullying or other harassing behavior. We appreciate your support

Children need consistency. In order for the office to effectively communicate these changes, we need parents to plan ahead and do the following:

1. In the morning, write a note to the school, tell your child about the change, and have your child give the note to their classroom teacher stating the needed change.

Written notes are to be sent whether a child does or does not take a bus and will be going home to another student’s house. Notes are needed from both sets of parents, the sending and the receiving parent, so that neither parent gets a “surprise visitor” or gets worried thinking that their child is lost.

2. If a phone call must be made by a parent regarding a change in dismissal,the office must be contacted before 1:30 in the afternoon. Since the office gets very busy, especially near the end of the day, a message called after that time may not reach your child in time for dismissal.

Upcoming important dates

September 25 - IPTO meeting at Franzen

October 31- Halloween class parties

IPTO October 2025 Newsletter

IPTO September 2025 Newsletter

IPTO August 2025 Newsletter

IPTO Website

Marla's Lunch - Hot Lunch information

If you are interested in volunteering at Hot Lunch, please attend the first PTO meeting on August 25th for further information.

Questions or comments, reach out to denisedicianni@hotmail.com

If you would like to buy insurance for your child’s Chromebook, please use the information linked here. Registration for insurance is opened at the beginning of each month.

En Espanol

Attached below is additional information on childcare providers in our community.

Before/After School Childcare & Tutor List

The IPTO is proud to announce online clothing store that will also be linked on their website. Here are some details

• Store never closes
• Items ship directly to your house
• Shop from several school stores and all items will be placed in one shopping cart
  

Below are links to our school stores:

• Benson Primary School
• Franzen Intermediate School
  
• Peacock Middle School

Checking the lost and found is a helpful way to retrieve misplaced items. Parents and students should regularly visit the designated lost and found area. Commonly found items include jackets, lunchboxes, and water bottles. It's beneficial to label belongings with the student's name to increase the chances of recovering lost items. Regularly checking the lost and found helps reduce clutter and ensures students have their necessary belongings.

As the year begins please know it is normal for your child's bus route to be delayed as students become familiar with their bus route. We have a service to help you be notified if there is a delay.

Please click the link below to sign up for BUS BULLETIN notifications.

Interested in a career with us? We are currently looking for substitute teaching staff. Building principals would be happy to answer any of your questions on potential employment opportunities. See this link for additional information & how to apply.