November Newsletter

Wednesday, November 5:

• PLC Dismissal at 2:15

Tuesday, November 11:

• Veterans Day

Wednesday, November 12:

• PLC Dismissal at 2:15

Thursday, November 13:

• 4th and 5th Grade Music Program

Friday, November 14:

• SIP Day, Dismissal at 11:15

Wednesday, November 19:

• PLC Dismissal at 2:15

Wednesday, November 26 - Friday, November 28:

• No School, Thanksgiving Break

We are excited for you to join us on Thursday, November 13 for our 4th and 5th Grade music program. Detailed information is included in the attachment below, but here are a few highlights.

4th Grade Performance: 6:00-6:30

• Students should arrive at 5:45. The classrooms will open at this time.
• Parents, please take your child's belongings. They will NOT be going back to the classroom.

5th Grade Performance: 7:00-7:30

• Students should arrive at 6:45. The classrooms will open at this time.
• Parents, please take your child's belongings. They will NOT be going back to the classroom.

Teachers recognize each child's birthday within the classroom, so treats from home for birthdays are not permitted. Thank you for understanding!

Please do not send balloons or flowers to school on your child's birthday. The office will call you and ask you to pick up the items.

We are happy to announce that we are partnering with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive on Wednesday, December 3, from 1:00-6:00.

You may use the link below to sign up for a time to donate blood.

https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/drive-results?zipSponsor=DunlapBanner

The state of Illinois recently changed their policy on background checks. In the past, once you completed a background check, you were fine for the rest of your time. The new state law requires everyone to go through a background check once every five years.

Please see the handbook to learn which volunteers are required to complete background checks.

Inside the guide you’ll find information on:

• Counseling & Mental Health Services – Local providers, online supports, crisis hotlines, and
  bereavement groups.

• Substance Abuse and Recovery Resources – Treatment centers, support groups, and helplines.

• Special Education Resources – Agencies and programs supporting children and adults with disabilities.

• Healthcare Services – Medical, dental, vision, and hearing care, including clinics accepting Medicaid.

• Housing & Food Assistance – Rental aid, emergency shelters, food pantries, and prepared meal services.

• Clothing, Household, and Financial Support – Locations for clothing, school supplies, utility assistance, and more.

• Tutoring, Childcare, and Camps – Academic supports, preschool and childcare options, and summer programs.

The guide is designed to connect families with trusted resources quickly and conveniently. While the district does not endorse any specific agency, this directory serves as a valuable starting point for finding help when needed.

You can access the updated Dunlap Community Resource Guide here

Whereas we tried to be as comprehensive as possible, if you know of a resource that should be included in future editions, or if you notice information that needs updating, please contact me at mellis@dunlapcusd.net.

Please scan the QR code in the photo or you may access the online store by clicking here.

Every student has the opportunity to ride the bus to and from school. As a parent, if you choose to drive your child to school, please follow the map below that outlines the process for morning drop-off. Cars are NOT ALLOWED to drop off in the front of the building using the bus lanes. NO CHILD CAN BE DROPPED OFF AT SCHOOL BEFORE 7:25 AM (we do not have staff to supervise).

See the picture below for all the items we recycle at Banner. Save these items over the summer and we can collect them when school begins in August!

In an effort to maintain the safest environment possible for our children, security measures have been implemented in all buildings throughout the district. All school doors, including the front entrance, will be locked during school hours. Visitors to the school will need to press the buzzer located to the right of the main entrance and wait to be let in by office staff (you will hear a "clicking" sound to signify the door is unlocked). A drop area will be located in the foyer outside the main office for items that need to be dropped off or picked up. If you have an item to drop off and be sure to clearly label the item with your child's name and teacher. Upon entering the building, visitors will be asked to present a US government issued ID such as a Driver’s License, which can either be scanned or manually entered into our electronic sign in system. Once entry is approved, a badge will be issued that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of the visit. Upon exiting the school, visitors will be asked to give their visitors badge to the office staff when checking out. Meetings with teachers should be pre-arranged with the classroom teacher ahead of time. We hope our families understand and appreciate our efforts in maintaining a safe school environment.

School volunteers are important to the success of our school district. If you are interested in volunteering for our school and working with the students, please complete the volunteer approval process. This process involves completing the online application, being fingerprinted, and providing fingerprinting confirmation. While the process from start to finish does take some time, volunteers will only need to complete this process once.

• Step 1: Complete the online application. After application completion, an email will be sent regarding the fingerprinting process. This email comes from Dunlap District office staff, not Banner office staff.

• Step 2: Get fingerprinted. Follow instructions found in the previously mentioned email.

• Step 3: Provide fingerprinting confirmation to either the Dunlap District office staff or the Banner office staff.

Please either call the office (309-243-7774) OR email Mrs. Barber at lbarber@dunlapcusd.net by 8:15 AM if your child is going to be absent. This eliminates the need for a phone call to your family checking on the child. Thank you for your help with this.

A district goal for the coming school year will be to improve student attendance. Our attendance practices and policies have been aligned to the Illinois State Board of Education requirements and Illinois School Law. In doing so, we understand that some absences are unavoidable. Students will be allowed up to 7 days per semester as excused for illness, mental health, etc... Absences for travel or other reasons not excused by a doctor beyond the 7 days will be considered unexcused. Make-up work and credit for unexcused absences will not be provided. Please make every effort to avoid extended absences due to travel outside of the scheduled breaks from school. A missed school day is a missed opportunity for student learning. Additional information on the attendance policy is available in the student handbook.

Looking to show some appreciation for the staff who work with your students each day? You can find a list of staff's favorite things on the PTO page of the Banner website. The pages are listed alphabetically by the staff member's last name.

Banner Facebook Page

Student Handbook

Elementary Lunch Menu