Falcon Flyer

September is here, and we are off to a great start at Millennium! It has been wonderful seeing our students settle into routines, reconnect with friends, and bring so much energy back into our classrooms. Thank you to our families for your support as we kick off another school year together. We have a busy and exciting month ahead, and I’m looking forward to all the learning, laughter, and special moments September will bring!

9/9- PTO meeting @7pm in the media center- Use the back doors to enter

9/11- Patriot Day- Wear Red, White and Blue

9/15- Lockdown Drill @ 9:15am

9/25- Picture Day

As we begin the school year, D140 is launching You Matter. We All Belong., a yearlong effort to strengthen the sense of belonging across our schools.

Throughout the year, you'll receive short monthly messages that focus on simple ways we can work together to help every child feel connected, valued, and supported.

Research consistently shows that students thrive when they know they belong. We appreciate your partnership in creating welcoming school communities where every student can succeed.

Together, we can make sure every child knows: You Matter. We All Belong.

Students and staff are encouraged to wear red, white, and blue on Friday, September 11, in observance of Patriot Day.

D140 families are encouraged to walk or bike to school together on Wednesday, October 7, in celebration of National Walk & Roll to School Day.

Fifth Grade Beginning Band Registration will be held on Wednesday, September 16 and Thursday, September 17, at Grissom Middle School. The schedule is as follows:

Fifth Grade Beginning Band registration schedule for Wednesday, September 16:

• Fernway Park Elementary from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.

• Bannes Elementary from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

• Millennium Elementary from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Fifth Grade Beginning Band registration schedule for Thursday, September 17:

• Helen Keller Elementary from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.

• McAulffe Elementary from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m.

• Make-up time from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m.

If you cannot attend at your school's suggested time, you may attend any of the other schools’ times listed above or the make-up time on Thursday evening. Please arrive at the scheduled start time for these sessions. All sessions take place at Grissom Middle School. If you have any questions regarding Beginning Band Registration, please email your child's band director. Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you there!

KSD 140 uses the ParentSquare messaging platform to keep parents and guardians informed and engaged with our schools and the District.

• Receive messages from the school via email, text, or app notification

• Choose to receive information as it comes or all at once with a daily digest at 6 pm

• Communicate in your preferred language

• Direct message teachers and staff

• Sign up for parent-teacher conferences

• Sign forms & permission slips, sign up to volunteer, and more, all from your desktop or mobile device

We encourage parents to access their accounts by visiting parentsquare.com/signin and REGISTERING using the email or phone number listed in Infinite Campus.

For even greater convenience, please download the ParentSquare app (available free for iOS and Android devices).

Dear Millennium Parents and Guardians,

As required by Illinois State Statute, our schools participate in fire, severe weather, bus evacuation, and emergency response drills during the school year. We plan and practice several drills throughout the year to ensure our students and staff understand what to do in an emergency.

We wanted you to be aware of the various drills so you can discuss them with your child if the topic arises at home. Please review the list below.

• Three (3) fire drills to address and prepare students and school personnel for fire incidents. One of these three drills requires the participation of the local fire department or district.

• One (1) bus evacuation drill for all students

• One (1) severe weather and shelter-in-place drill to address and prepare students and school personnel for possible tornado incidents

• One (1) lockdown drill addresses active threat incidents and evaluates the preparedness of school personnel and students. There are no simulations with this drill.

On September 15th, our school will participate in a lockdown drill. Our experience in conducting drills has shown us that most students can participate with the understanding that it is just a drill. If you feel this situation would be too traumatic for your child, or if you want more information about the drills, please contact me at 708-532-3150. Under state law, schools must still provide alternative safety education about an active threat to students who do not participate in the lockdown drill.

The entire District 140 staff is trained each year on our crisis prevention and response plan. These plans are developed in coordination with our local police and fire departments and reviewed annually. After each drill, we reflect as a staff and with local emergency responders to determine if there are any procedures we need to review with the staff and students.

We also focus on prevention by building relationships with our students to provide support when they need it and to help them feel comfortable reporting to us when they hear or see concerning behaviors. Please reinforce this with your children at home. Let them know they can also come to you when they feel unsafe and remind them to report any suspicions and concerns about school safety.

In a real emergency, not a drill, every emergency contact phone number associated with your child’s Infinite Campus record will be called using our notification system. We will also email parents/guardians and provide information on our website. We appreciate your cooperation and promise to communicate with you as soon as possible. Please be patient, as our first priority will be the safety of our students and staff.

Safe classrooms and work environments depend on our commitment to prioritizing emergency preparedness. We encourage you to engage in discussions with your child about school and community safety in an effort to be prepared to act in the event of an emergency. If you have any questions about any of our safety drills, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,
Juli Cosentino
Principal