The Bulldog Briefs

How is October almost over! It is a busy time of year at Walker elementary. Please read below for all the family event details for this upcoming week. We hope to see everyone at the Halloween parade and all the families that signed up for the annual Walker Family Pumpkin night on Tuesday the 27th at 5:30. Please see below for more details regarding these events. Please make sure to visit Graves/HMS for the district Dia de los Muertos event on the 23rd.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Go Bulldogs! 🐾

Mr. Jeff Moore, Principal

27: Family Pumpkin Night (Details Soon)

30: Walker Fall Fest and Classroom Parties

NOVEMBER

6: Picture Retakes

9: PBIS Celebration: Earth Rangers Assembly

12: 4th Grade Ag in the Classroom

13: End of Trimester 1

Walker's Annual Family Pumpkin Night is set for October 27th at 5:30 PM.
Each family that registered will receive a admittance ticket for 1 pumpkin per student. We will provide paint and carving supplies. When arriving please pick out a pumpkin from our "patch" and enter through door 3 (gym).

Walker PTO will be selling Affy Tapples and we will provide light refreshments.

Should be a fun night!

Walker will celebrate Halloween and the Fall season on October 30th.

Costume should be worn to school. School parade will begin at 12:30. Parents should stand along the sidewalk in front and on the side of our building.

Costume reminders:

• Full face paint is not allowed. ¨
• Costume props of any kind, such as weapons, swords, etc. will not be allowed. ¨
• Costumes that represent violence, depict blood and gore are not appropriate for school and will not be permitted. ¨
• Although inflatable costumes are allowed, we are not responsible for replacing batteries if the batteries die. ¨
• Costume face masks are not permitted to be worn during the day, but will be allowed to be worn during the parade only.

Walker School averaged at 94.9% attendance rate for September! Our goal every day is to strive for 95%. On average, students can miss 1-2 days per month.

We had 48 students with perfect attendance for the month of September. Ms. Pisano's 3rd grade class won the monthly contest. Students were treated to an extra recess and a popsicle.

Walker perfect attendance pictured below.

We celebrated students on September 25th that demonstrated Excellence in Citizenship.

We also celebrated our Lexia Superstars!

Great job Bulldogs!

Every month, students have the opportunity to earn a PBIS Celebration. Students will work towards a universal goal. Our goal for the month of September is "Excellence in Following Directions." If students exhibit positive behavior with this expectation, students will participate.

Students will not participate when they receive:

3 minor referrals or 1 major referral from September 11th through October 2nd.

We are Popping Into a Successful School Year with a Bubble Assembly!

All students will be working on part of a collaborative pixel poster project. This project explores the life cycle of a pumpkin for K-1, basic coding for 2nd-3rd and the use of pixels in digital displays for 4th-5th.

Each student will create his/her own unique piece to add to the collaborative poster. Students may choose to complete their piece using art supplies or Google paint tools.

Kindergarten: We are still doing rhythm practice and movement, but our main focus is our songs for our Holiday show in December.

1st: We are still doing rhythm practice and movement, but our main focus is our songs for our Holiday show in December.

2nd: We are still doing rhythm practice and movement, but our main focus is our songs for our Holiday show in December.

3rd: We are still doing rhythm practice, musical staff notation, and movement, but our main focus is our songs for our Holiday show in December.

4th: We are still doing rhythm practice and movement, but our main focus is our songs for our Holiday show in December.

5th: We are still doing rhythm practice and movement, but our main focus is our songs for our Holiday show in December.

Barban K-1: We are continuing to explore music through movement and listening, including our songs for our Holiday show in December.

Garcia 1-5: We are continuing to explore music through movement and listening, including our songs for our Holiday show in December.

Kindergarten

Continuing to practice routines and procedures of being safe by keeping hands to selves and using listening ears. Review safe movement skills in gym and introduce how to kick a ball to a target.

1st Grade

2nd Grade

Continue to practice routines and procedures of PE class and introduce the soccer unit and how to safely kick a ball to a target and a partner while also participating in group fitness activities.

3rd Grade

4th Grade

Continue routines and procedures of class and introduce the soccer unit to develop kicking skills while incorporating fitness and teamwork activities..

5th Grade

Continue routines and procedures of class and introduce the soccer unit to develop kicking skills while incorporating fitness and teamwork activities.

Days become shorter in October. Leaves fall. Temperatures drop. Pumpkins and scarecrows are everywhere. Halloween and the Day of the Dead are celebrated. For Art, students in grades two through five will continue to work in their sketchbooks, expressing themselves freely with media of their own choice (Teaching for Artistic Behavior) and writing/saying artist statements. Students will learn about value (light and dark), also. For Pre K through first grade, students will continue exploring clay, Play Doh, and crayons to build fine motor control. We will be mixing primary colors to make secondary colors. Across all grades, we will be learning about Mexican artist/muralist Diego Rivera by examining several of his works and using Visual Thinking Skills.

For all art lessons the Illinois Visual Arts Standards (isbe.net/Documents/Visual-Arts-Standards.pdf) are used.

Here are the standards for the first trimester Pre-K through 5th Grade:

VA:Cr1.1.PK Engage in self-directed play with materials.

VA:Cr1.1.K Engage in exploration and imaginative play with materials.

VA:Cr1.1.1 Engage collaboratively in exploration and imaginative play with materials.

VA:Cr1.1.2 Brainstorm collaboratively multiple approaches to an art or design problem.

VA:Cr1.1.3 Elaborate on an imaginative idea.

VA:Cr1.1.4 Brainstorm multiple approaches to a creative art or design problem.

VA:Cr1.1.5 Combine ideas to generate an innovative idea for art making.

Transitional K-5th: Students are working on developing their ability to listen, attend, and follow directions through structured social work activities. We begin by listening to a story together, encouraging students to focus and engage with the group. Students then practice following directions by completing a tracing sentence and a related cut-and-paste sequencing activity. These activities help students strengthen listening skills, attention, task completion, and their ability to follow directions in the correct order. Positive reinforcement and support are provided throughout the lesson to encourage participation, independence, and success.

K-2nd: Students are working on developing their ability to listen, attend, and follow directions through structured social work activities. We begin by listening to a story together, encouraging students to focus and engage with the group. Students then practice following directions by completing a tracing sentence and a related cut-and-paste sequencing activity. These activities help students strengthen listening skills, attention, task completion, and their ability to follow directions in the correct order. Positive reinforcement and support are provided throughout the lesson to encourage participation, independence, and success.

3rd-5th: Students are working on identifying and understanding different emotions and recognizing that all feelings are okay to experience. The focus is on helping students understand that while we cannot always control how we feel, we can control how we choose to react to those feelings. Students will practice naming their emotions, recognizing what their bodies may feel like when experiencing different emotions, and identifying safe and appropriate ways to respond. Through discussion, modeling, and practice, students will learn that our reactions and choices are what count, and that using coping strategies can help us make positive choices even when we are experiencing big or uncomfortable feelings.

Hello Walker Families!

🩺 Healthy Students, Ready to Learn!

A Message From Nurse Bianca

This month’s edition of 🩺 Healthy Students, Ready to Learn will focus on the importance of hearing and vision screenings. Good hearing and vision are essential for students to learn and succeed in school. Hearing or vision difficulties can affect a child’s ability to follow directions, communicate, read, participate in class, and develop academically and socially.

Children may not always realize they are having difficulty seeing or hearing. School screenings help identify concerns early, so families can seek appropriate follow-up care. Early detection and treatment can help prevent or reduce the impact these concerns may have on learning, communication, behavior, and emotional well-being.

🧠 Did You Know?

Hearing and vision impairments in children are common and if uncorrected can alter child development, lead to behavior and academic problems in the classrooms as well as lead to further damage if not evaluated by a physician.

Community Resources: Health, Dental & Vision Care

Attached are community resources to use for your family’s health needs.

https://illinois-doit-prod-idph.amsadobe.com/topics-services/prevention-wellness/vision-hearing.html

https://www.nasn.org/nasn-resources/resources-by-topic/vision-health

Bianca Vazquez, MSN, RN, PEL-CSN
Walker School Nurse

This month, our PBIS focus is Following Directions, and we have been incorporating this important skill into our Social Emotional Learning (SEL) lessons. We are practicing what it means to listen carefully, understand what is being asked of us, and follow directions successfully.

During SEL, we are taking this skill a step further by talking about the importance of follow-through. Following directions is not only about listening—it is also about completing our work and following through with our actions. Students are learning that their choices and actions help them become more responsible, independent, and successful at school.

We are also spending time learning about feelings and emotions. Students are practicing how to identify and understand different emotions while learning that all feelings are okay. We may not always be able to control how we feel, but we can work on controlling how we react and respond to those feelings.

One of our important messages this month is:

“Our reactions and choices are what count!”

Through stories, discussions, SEL activities, modeling, and practice, students are learning to pause, recognize how they are feeling, and make a positive choice about what to do next. We are also practicing coping strategies that can help when feelings become big or uncomfortable.

By connecting following directions, follow-through, emotional awareness, and positive choices, we are helping students build skills they can use not only in the classroom, but throughout their school day and beyond.

Skills We’re Building:

• Listening and following directions

• Following through with tasks and actions

• Identifying and naming emotions

• Understanding that all feelings are okay

• Choosing safe and appropriate reactions

• Using coping strategies when emotions feel big

• Taking responsibility for our choices and actions

Also please remember that attendance is key to overall academic as well as social emotional success and strength. Please help your students to get to school each day and on time, and if you are ever experiencing any challenges with it do not hesitate to reach out to me so I can help you in any way that I can. If we all work together we will continue to make this a very successful school year!

The Board of Education has adopted a mandatory school uniform policy for all students in grades Kindergarten through 8th grade. Please note that any article of clothing or accessory considered to be disruptive to the educational environment or that poses a danger to any student may be disallowed at the discretion of the building principal. Students may wear any approved spirit wear attire or school athletic uniforms on any day.

SHIRTS/TOPS

Plain maroon collared polo or dress shirt with long or short sleeves is required. Plain black or white undershirts may be worn under the maroon collared shirt. Shirts must extend to waistline. Plain black or maroon sweaters, sweatshirts, or hooded sweatshirts may be worn over a collared maroon polo or dress shirt or a plain white or black undershirt. Hooded sweatshirts must be worn with the hood down.

PANTS

Pants must be black or khaki and worn at the waist. Solid leggings may be worn, but only when a shirt extending to mid-thigh is worn as well. -

SHORTS/CAPRI PANTS/SKIRTS

Plain black or khaki, knee length shorts, Capri pants, skirts or jumpers may be worn.

Students are expected to wear appropriate clothing while on school property and/or in attendance at school sponsored activities. Students are to use discretion in their dress and are not permitted to wear apparel that causes a substantial disruption in the school environment.

Uniform shirts can be purchased at the main office for $12

A copy of the permission slip is below.

Just a reminder that students should be taking care of their technology devices, especially when they take them home.

The district will assume the cost of parts and labor associated with all repairs deemed due to natural failure. If the technical department determines a failure due to damage, the student will be responsible for any hardware costs needed to return the device to a functional state. The district will assume all labor costs associated with damage repairs. Cosmetic damage will not be charged or repaired.

• Sleeve/Cover Replacement ($10)
• Charger Replacement ($25)
• Keyboard Replacement ($25)
• Touch Screen Replacement ($115)
• iPad Replacement: ($300)
• Chromebook Replacement:

- $250 for a new device, Year 1

- $200 for a device that is 2 years old

- $150 for a device that is 3 years old

- $100 for a device that is 4 years old

In an effort to increase safety at Walker Elementary School, with cooperation with the Bedford Park Police Department and the Village of Bedford Park, we will be implementing a student drop-off line for all families traveling by vehicles. This drop-off line will be monitored by school personnel, and supported by the Bedford Park Police Department. This line will be available from 7:25 AM to 7:50 AM and is located at 66th place, adjacent to Walker Elementary School. When dropping off students, please proceed to marked area. Drivers will remain in their vehicle, and students will exit out the passenger side of the vehicle. Students will be assisted by school personnel. All families wishing to walk their students to the school, please park your vehicle in the public parking area located on 67h Street in front of the Swanson Center.. Parking on residential streets is prohibited and will be strictly enforced by the Bedford Park Police Department. Please see below for detailed map and instructions. We thank you for your cooperation and support.

Arrival Procedures

• Please utilize student drop of line if dropping off by vehicle. Breakfast begins at 7:30 am. Please enter through door 1.
• Students Walking to school can enter through door 4.
• Parking is only available in the parking stalls on 67th street in front of the Swanson Center
• No parking on 66th Place

Dismissal Procedures

• Students will be dismissed at 2:50 each day.
• Door 1 (MAIN OFFICE): SPED Transitional Classroom K-5
• Door 4 (FRONT of SCHOOL): Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd
• Door 5 (BACK of SCHOOL): 2nd, 4th, and 5th
• No Parking on 78th Ave

Transportation registration was completed when you registered your child for school. If you did not select transportation during the registration process a link will be provided. Please visit the transportation link below for all questions. Bus times and routes are below.