Panther Press of Wild Rose

Dear Wild Rose Families,

My name is Alicia Nohe-Dirk, and I’m thrilled to join the Wild Rose family as your assistant principal. I have been an educator for 15 years and come to you with a variety of educational experiences, including English teacher, media specialist, dean, and assistant principal.

As your assistant principal, my core values include a commitment to school and student safety, continuous academic growth, and positive school culture. It is important to me that your child is eager to come to school, and once they are here, they are poised to thrive. Creating a welcome, friendly, and vibrant environment through partnerships with you, the community, and the Wild Rose staff is my top priority. To this endeavor, I invite you to reach out to me to say hello, and contact me if you have questions throughout the tenure of your child’s time at Wild Rose.

Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family: My husband, three daughters and three sons-in-law, two (very new) grandchildren, two dogs, and two horses. I do have a competitive streak on the tennis court, but also enjoy more relaxed activities like hiking and traveling. Over the upcoming year, I look forward to learning more about each Wild Rose family!

As we all prepare for the beginning of an exciting and promising year, please enjoy the rest of the summer with your family. I am most happy to meet you soon!

Regards,

Dr. Alicia Nohe-Dirk

Picture Day

Welcome Back Day

Classroom Assignments

New Information System

1st Day of School Arrival Information

Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

Backpack Tags

Birthday Celebrations

Big Hearts Back-to-School Program

Free Summer Meals

Other Information & Important Dates

August 10 - Picture Day 9:00 am to 6:00 pm Community Room

August 10 - Welcome Back Day 4:00 - 6:00 pm

August 12 - First Day of School 9:05 - 3:25

August 26 - Early Release Day 9:05 - 2:35

Picture Day for Wild Rose Elementary School is scheduled for
Monday, Aug 10th from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM

in the Community Room

This event's Order Code is 0497BDF.

All students and families are invited to drop off school supplies and to meet classroom teachers on Monday, August 10th from 4:00 to 6:00 pm.

We encourage you to follow the schedule below. This will assist us in meeting your needs in a timely manner and should cut down on the crowds in classrooms, as well as congestion in our parking lot and around the building. However, please understand you are welcome to come anytime between 4:00 and 6:00 pm if you have a scheduling conflict.

For our families that are new to Wild Rose, staff members will be available for guided tours of the building, where they can answer any questions you may have. If this is something you need please come to the main office.

Suggested welcome back times:

* 4:00 - 5:00 pm - Last names beginning with A - I

* 4:30 - 5:30 pm - Last names beginning with J - Q

* 5:00 - 6:00 pm - Last names beginning with R - Z

Dear Wild Rose Families,

We are excited to share that we are ahead of schedule with our back-to-school preparations, allowing elementary families to access homeroom teacher assignments via ParentVUE sooner than originally anticipated. Assignments will be visible in ParentVUE beginning July 31 at 1:00 p.m.

Instead of receiving your student’s classroom assignment through a separate school communication, families will now access this information directly through ParentVUE.

To view your student’s homeroom teacher in ParentVUE, please follow these instructions:

From a web browser

1. Log in to ParentVUE.

2. Select your student (if you have more than one student).

3. Click the Student Information tile. Look for the homeroom teacher as seen in the screenshot below.

From the ParentVUE mobile app

1. Open the ParentVUE app and log in.

2. Select your student (if you have more than one student).

3. Tap Student Information. Scroll down a bit, looking for the Homeroom Teacher line, which will show the teacher.

If you have not yet activated your ParentVUE account, please check your inbox (including spam) for an email from sis@d303.org from July 16. This email contains a unique activation link. If you have challenges with this process, please reach out to the main office at your student’s school for assistance.

Thank you for adjusting with us as we transition to our new student information system. We're pleased to provide families with earlier access to this information and look forward to welcoming everyone to Backpack Night on Monday, August 10, from 4:00-6:00 p.m. We hope you'll join us to meet your student’s teacher, connect with our staff, tour the school, and drop off school supplies before the first day of school.

Thank you for your continued partnership. We look forward to a wonderful 2026-2027 school year!

Sincerely,

Theresa Solomon

Kindergarten:

Cindy Gibson

Claudia Najera

Kathrine Thompson

First Grade:

Stacey Brolsma

Suzie Lemen

Isabelle Townsend

Second Grade:

Rachel Gilmore

Abby McFadden

Lauren Retka

Cristine Webbe

Third Grade:

Neal Hancock

Becky Holstien

Sarah Sipes

Dr. Brian Tucker

Fourth Grade:

Kerri Johnson

Kim Klyczek

Leah Lynam

Diane Roggemann

Fifth Grade:

Dr. Karen Biggs-Tucker

Dr. Jen Katrein

Valarie Sammons

Matt Sturgeon

Dear Parent/Guardian,

All schools in St. Charles CUSD 303 have moved to Synergy SIS as the district’s new student information system, replacing HAC (Home Access Center). ParentVUE is the secure parent/guardian portal where you will be able to view your student's information, such as grades, report cards, attendance, and online registration.

Please activate your ParentVUE account by following the steps below.

Activate Your Account

Click here to begin: ParentVUE Account Activation

1. Review the Privacy Statement.

2. Click I Accept at the bottom of the page.

3. Create your username and password, and enter your email address.

4. Click Complete Account Activation.

You will then be logged into ParentVUE!

Important Notes

• Initially, you will see one tile: Student Information.

• Student Information: We kindly ask that you click into Student Information and verify that your student’s information is accurate. If edits are necessary, click Edit Information.

• On August 10 in the afternoon, you will see additional information and tiles in the portal.

• Each parent/guardian should create their own account. Do not share accounts.

• You only need one account, even if you have multiple children enrolled in the district.

• You must activate your web portal account before using the mobile app.

• Students in middle and high school will receive their own StudentVUE accounts, which provide similar information. Please do not give your student(s) your ParentVUE login credentials.

Using the ParentVUE Mobile App

1. Download the free ParentVUE app by Edupoint from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

2. Open the app and either allow location services or type your zip code, then tap the district name.

3. Log in using the username and password you created during activation.

If you need assistance, please contact your student's school.

Thank you for completing your ParentVUE activation!

Sincerely,
St Charles Community Unit School District 303

Wild Rose community on the first day of school, students in first through fifth grade come into the building as they would on any normal school day. Students on buses will enter the front door, car riders will enter on the west side of the building and walkers will enter either one of those locations. Our KINDERGARTEN students will meet in the front of the building by door 23 on the first day of school. If your kindergarten child is riding the bus, or coming by car we will get them to where they need to be, parents do not need to be present.

Just a reminder, NO BLACKTOP on the first day of school. So take your pictures with your teacher at Welcome Back Night!! It is equally as special as the first day!

Supervision for drop off begins at 8:50 each school day, so please do not arrive before that time. Parents should wait with their child if walking or driving until 8:50 and supervision is available.

Daily Arrival: Students will be able to enter the building through 2 locations. These locations are the front door (#1) and the door on the west side (#15). Students will be allowed to enter the building at 8:50 and will head to their classrooms at that point. There will be adult assistance for the first few weeks for students who need help finding their way. Supervision will begin at 8:50, so please do not drop off your child before that time.

• Students coming off of the buses will arrive at the front of the school and enter the front door, door #1.
• Students being dropped off by a car will be dropped off in the west side parking lot and pull all the way through. Car riders will enter the west side door #15. Parents please remain in your car. Students can exit the car in the areas that have a yellow painted curb. There will be staff members present each day to help move traffic along.
• Parking: Parents are allowed to park in the front lot or on street on the west side and walk their child to the building. There is no drive up lane to drop and go, as this causes unsafe conditions. There are NO sidewalks around the building. Parents CANNOT park in the front bus lane. Please participate in the car line if driving to school it really helps everyone stay safe and it all moves very quickly.
• Students who are walking to school can enter the front door #1 or the side door #15 with busing and car riding students.

MAP CAN BE FOUND BY CLICKING THE BUTTON BELOW THIS MESSAGE

Daily Pick Up: Students on buses will exit the front door. Car Riders and walkers will exit door #15 on the west side. We call students for their cars and walkers, please have your placard in the window of your vehicle. Walking students will exit door 15. Parents picking up walkers should be at door 15 for pick up.

For our K-2 students, please let your child’s teacher know how your child will be getting home and/or who will be picking them up. For ALL STUDENTS, if you need to change your child’s plans for dismissal, please email the teacher, the office and call the office so we can ensure that we know about the change. We will not allow for students to go home differently than normal without written information or a phone call.

Students that are allowed to walk home are "independent walkers," parents need to fill out a permission slip and a tag will be given to the student for visual notification for staff. We will include this form in the next Panther Press on August 7th.

Pick up is at 3:25 - there is no after-school supervision provided once dismissal ends.

There are no dogs allowed on school property during drop-off or pick up. We have our school certified and insured comfort dog, Piper, that is on property at times.

If a student is late to school a parent will need to park at the front of the building, walk their child into school, and sign them in.

Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns between now and the start of school!

Theresa Solomon or Alicia Nohe-Dirk

theresa.solomon@d303.org

alicia.nohe-dirk@d303.org

Transportation is implementing a new system for elementary students called Backpack Tags. This is a color-coded card system that attaches to a student’s backpack with a clear luggage tag and should remain on their backpack for the school year.

Transportation is also introducing a Bus Tracker app for students, parents and families to use called Zonar MyView. MyView is a new mobile app available for parents and students to use to track their school bus using a smartphone or tablet. They will be able to see the bus’s location whenever they need and set alerts for when the bus is nearby. They will be able to get the bus info they need when they need it. This feature will not need school support. It will be supported by Zonar, the bus tracking app company, and the Transportation office. (Flyers attached)

Bus route information will be available in the app no later than Monday, August 10th.

We love to celebrate birthdays at Wild Rose. Your child’s birthday will be announced on our morning announcements or, Panther TV, when it is up and running. We have a Panther Paw Book VENDING MACHINE!!! Every student will receive a special token to choose a book for their birthday!

We do not allow food or other items to be brought in for birthday celebrations, so please do not send anything to school with your child.

Some of our classrooms have a tradition of inviting parents or other special guests on the day of the birthday to read a book. Classroom teachers will be sharing that information in their class newsletters.

We do allow a parent(s) or special adult in a student's life to come and have lunch with them. We do not allow other siblings to attend, and do limit visitors to a maximum of 2 adults. You are welcome to bring your student a special lunch. Please let the office know if you will be coming in to have a birthday lunch with your child.

Attention parents of incoming Kindergarten, 6th and 9th grade students! Per Illinois school code, your student will need a school physical and a complete record of immunizations prior to the first day of school next year, which is August 12, 2026. Make your appointments today. These appointments fill up quickly! Please contact your school nurse prior to May 27, 2026 if you need a copy of your child's immunizations. Please note - a sport physical is not the same as a school physical! You may turn the required forms into your school nurse anytime. Please remember to make a copy for your own records!

Families who wish to learn more about Free and Reduced-Price Meals or fee waivers can find information and application links on the District 303 website under Parents & Community.

• For Free and Reduced-Price Meals, visit: district.d303.org/foodservices
• For Fee Waivers, visit: district.d303.org/fee-waivers

Applications are available year-round for families whose household circumstances may have changed.

District 303 is proud to partner with the Glenbard Parent Series (GPS) to offer our families broader access to information sessions and resources that support their child’s development.

For decades, GPS has been offering free programs that aim to empower and strengthen families, individuals and communities. As a partner organization, District 303 will support promoting upcoming programs and their importance to our local community.

Email: Theresa.solomon@d303.org
Website: wildrose.d303.org
Location: 36W730 Red Haw Lane, St. Charles, IL 60174
Phone: (331)228-3000