Blue Jay Buzz

In this issue you will find:

New Info

• Unstructured Play - Mixtape!
• Thank you! Anxious Generation follow-up
• Fall Parent Teacher Conferences
• Deerfield Parent Network Event
• Yearbook -Last Day to Order 10/10 (reminder)
• Spirit Theme Days!
• Wrestling is Coming!
• Upcoming Dates

Old News:

• CALENDAR ALERT: Day of school added on Monday, March 3, 2025
• Spirit Wear
• Traffic Flow
• Cellphones
• Medication
• Attendance
• Tardiness to school
• PTO Information (Marla's lunch)

9/20/2024 Newsletter

9/13/2024 Newsletter

9/6/2024 Newsletter

Mark T. Schwarz - Principal - mschwarz@dps109.org

Donnie Castans - Associate Principal - dcastans@dps109.org

Marcia Klita - Director for Student Services - mklita@dps109.org

Lately, there's been a growing conversation around the importance of unstructured play, especially as more research highlights its benefits for children's development. In Jonathan Haidt's book Anxious Generation, he emphasizes this in his fourth principle, which stresses how crucial unstructured play is for building creativity, resilience, and problem-solving skills.

This week, I had the joy of observing some of our students when they were handed an object that many of us remember well—a mixtape! Some of the kids had never seen one before and were understandably perplexed. Yet, what unfolded was remarkable. Their curiosity sparked, and you could see the wheels turning as they worked together to figure out what to do with it. It was a refreshing moment—a group of kids stepping away from their screens, engaging with something new, and using their problem-solving skills in real-time.

As parents, I encourage all of us to seek out small opportunities for our kids to engage in more unstructured play, especially away from screens. Even just a few minutes a day can have a big impact. Our kids never cease to amaze us with their creativity and the new ideas they come up with when given the freedom to explore.

Click here to watch the full video.

I want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who participated in our Anxious Generation event on Wednesday. I feel truly fortunate to be part of such a dedicated and dynamic community, committed to doing what’s best for our kids. We’re excited to continue this important conversation, so stay tuned for more details—we’re already planning our next event! If you couldn’t make it but are still interested in learning more, please feel free to reach out!

Sign ups for parent-teacher conferences are live Please click here for more information on how to sign-up. Thank you for your grace and flexibility with this process. We are looking into a more smoother process in the future. Please reach out directly to your child's teacher with any questions.

Thursday, October 3rd

• No School

Tuesday, October 15th

• Picture Retake

Thursday, October 17th 9-9:40AM

• Coffee @ Caruso

Thursday, October 24th and Friday, October 25th

• Parent Teacher Conferences (sign-up here)

Due to the unexpected cancellation of school following the recent storms on August 28, 2024, DPS 109 will have to make up that day of school on Monday, March 3rd, 2025. The Board of Education just approved the calendar change last night and it has been updated on our website today. Please plan accordingly.

Parking and Traffic Guidelines

Please be mindful of the surrounding residences when parking. This includes:

• Avoiding blocking driveways or fire hydrants.
• Parking close to the curb to ensure that school buses and emergency vehicles, such as ambulances, can easily pass through.

Additionally, U-turns at the end of Montgomery Dr. are not permitted to avoid entering the Caruso Circle around the school. This area experiences heavy foot traffic, especially during dismissal times, so please proceed with caution and be considerate.

Please note that school buses are on a tight schedule, so your cooperation is greatly appreciated.

Cell phones will be off and away in lockers from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm every day (8:00 am - 2:00 pm on early release Wednesdays). Here's the why: This will help our students focus on their learning, build relationships with those around them, and hopefully disconnect from the anxiety that comes from even just having a phone in the pocket, wondering what notifications they are missing.

If students are using their phones during the school day, they will be instructed to bring their phone to the main office. There will be a progressive response when this occurs that resets each semester:

First and Second Occurrence: Email home and student picks up phone at the end of the school day.

Third Occurrence: Parent/guardian must come pick the phone up from school. Student will serve a lunch reflection.

Fourth Occurrence +: Parent/guardian must come pick the phone up from school. Student will also drop phone off at office each morning. Student will serve an after-school reflection.

MUST be wired and are not used during passing periods.

A student who fails to meet the expectations will be asked to comply with them and may be subject to a verbal warning or behavior check in.

Backpacks must be kept in students’ lockers throughout the school day unless it is a documented accommodation. They will not be traveling from class to class. Here's the why: We do not have room in our classrooms to safely store backpacks without having a tripping/fire hazard, and—by keeping backpacks in lockers—we have a wonderful opportunity to teach and reinforce important executive functioning skills with material organization, case-its, and other organizational tools.

We ask that you try to limit student deliveries during the school day. We will not be allowing and/or accepting any DoorDash or similar delivery options for any student under any circumstances. All deliveries will be refused. Families are welcome to drop off lunches themselves. We have extra Chromebooks, chargers, and copies of books here at Caruso, so it is not necessary to drop what you're doing and run these items to school. If something is truly needed during the day, we ask that you bring it in to the front entrance, label it with your student's name and grade, and leave it on the Drop Off table in the vestibule. We will then bring it into the office for your student to pick it up. Please note, students are not permitted to order their own lunches during the school day. If you order/bring lunch for your student, please do not provide food for other students.

If arriving between 7:30 and 7:45, students should enter at the north side of the building at the Athletics Entrance. Students will wait until 7:45 to head to class. If a student needs to see a teacher before school, they will need to present a pass/note/email from the teacher to do so.

After 7:45, students should utilize the following entrances:

All students riding the bus: Athletics Entrance (north side of building)

6th Grade - Front Door (south side of building)

7th Grade - 7th Grade Door, north side of building (walk down sidewalk towards building)

8th Grade - 8th Grade Door, west side of building

Students should enter and exit vehicles only on the passenger side and on to the sidewalk or grass, and once you drop off, please keep moving.

Respect the staff working and please follow their directions. They are doing all they can to keep all students and staff safe.

When the weather is beautiful, we have many students who walk or ride their bikes to school. When the weather is less than ideal, many more students are driven. Please ensure that you leave home early enough to account for the increased volume of traffic. It is expected that students are in class at 8:00 AM ready to learn.

Students entering after 8:00 AM must do so through the main office and will receive a tardy pass.

If you are picking up your student during the school day, please buzz the front door and we will call your student down for dismissal.

Please help us be good neighbors, and do not turn around in driveways in the neighborhood.

Please do not send any medication, over-the-counter pain pills (Tylenol/Advil/aspirin), or cough drops with your students. State law prohibits students from taking medication at school outside of the nurse's office with a doctors' note on file. We will confiscate any meds found outside of the nurse's office. Contact our school nurse Ms. Gwen Dowell gdowell@dps109.org

Attendance:

If your student will not be in school, please report the absence to the health office by phone ((847) 945-8430 x6103) or email (carusoattendance@dps109.org) before 8:00 am. If you do not contact our school nurse by this time, she will contact you at home or at work to ascertain your child’s whereabouts. Children must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school. Students will only be dismissed to a parent or legal guardian, or to emergency contacts designated in Family Access.

Student Tardiness to School:

Students who arrive late are greatly disadvantaged because they miss starting the day with their peers and miss out on the instruction given at the beginning of class. This means that they are often unsettled and confused about tasks, resulting in reduced achievement, regardless of academic ability. It is also very important that students establish good routines and habits in preparation for the rest of their lives. Punctuality is a life skill that is important to develop.

Tardiness to school will be unexcused even if a family member brings the student(s) to school. Oversleeping, missing the bus, car/traffic problems, etc. are all unexcused. Tardies are excusable under the following circumstances: personal illness of student, serious illness or death in the family, a doctor/dentist/professional appointment (a note or phone call from a parent or a professional), family emergencies, and religious holidays.

School begins promptly at 8:00 am. Students are expected to be in class ready to learn by 8:00 am. If students are not in the classroom, they will be sent to the office for a pass. The consequences for tardiness are as follows:

• Tardy #1: No consequence

• Tardy #2: Warning and a phone call home

• Tardy #3 & 4: Student will be assigned to the after school Reflection Room.

• Tardy #5: Return with a family member. A family member must meet with a member of the administrative team and the student to discuss intervention measures going forward.

• Please note: at the beginning of each quarter, students’ tardies will be reset to zero.

Student Tardies to Class:

Students are expected to be in class, in their seats, ready to learn at the start of class. Students who who don't abide by this will receive a check-in.

PTO Facebook Page

Join us for coffee @ Caruso; a way for the adults in our students' lives to build stronger connections with us at Caruso. Space is limited to 25 people per event, please RSVP by calling the Caruso Main Office at 847-945-8430. Thanks to the PTO for Sponsoring Coffee.

Email: cmsoffice@dps109.org
Website: https://www.dps109.org/Page/9
Location: 1801 Montgomery Road, Deerfield, IL, USA