Steele Family Newsletter

Mrs. Grice, Dean of Students

Mr. Orellana, Dean of Students

Mrs. Knuth, Nurse

Mrs. Hickey, School Counselor

Ms. Fones and Ms. Howerter, Front Office Assistants

Email: kcoate@galesburg205.org
Website: https://steele.galesburg205.org/
Location: 1480 West Main Street, Galesburg, IL, USA
Phone: (309)973-2016
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/steele205/
X: @wearesteele

Instagram: @205steelestars

Whether this is your first year at Steele or you have been here for multiple years, we want to welcome you all to the 26-27 school year. We are the "STARS" and we shine bright!

Galesburg 205 Vision Statement: Empowering students to realize their potential to Thrive.

Steele Vision Statement: Creating learners who make wise choices, embrace challenges, and own their future.

Galesburg 205 Mission Statement: Through collaboration with families and our community, our schools will develop the potential of students in a safe, equitable, and engaging learning environment, which advances high performance and excellence for all.

Steele Mission Statement: Diversity is who we are. Equity is what we strive to provide. Inclusion is how we achieve our goals. Together we inspire dreams, celebrate learning and embrace the future.

Our PTO was handing out these refrigerator magnets to all families free of charge. If you need one, contact the office and we will send one home with your child. You can email Ms. Fones at kfones@galesburg205.org or Ms. Howerter at hhowerter@galesburg205.org.

2026-2027 District Transportation Updates

Galesburg CUSD #205

There are several updates to student transportation for the upcoming school year. Some key points include:

• Your student’s transportation stops and bus assignment will be available on Friday, August 7th at 4 p.m.

• Alternate Transportation Requests can now be found in Skyward Family Access.

• Only one alternate pick-up/drop-off location is permitted per quarter.

• The alternate address must be within the attendance boundary of the school your student attends.

• Alternate schedules must remain the same. No changes from the approved schedule are permitted.

For the complete transportation guidelines, click here.

Our next PTO meeting will be on September 1st from 5:30 - 6:30 PM. You can join us in person or virtually. We meet in the Steele library.

All meetings are held at Steele in the library. Meetings run from 5:30 - 6:30 PM and are on the first Tuesday of the month.

A Google Meet will be set up for those of you that want to attend but cannot be in person.

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/jms-yjdu-agj

Or dial: ‪(US) +1 678-487-9512‬ PIN: ‪356 280 867‬#

Beginning Monday, August 17, Steele students will participate in AIMSweb Benchmarking Assessments in reading and math. Benchmarking will take place over approximately three weeks and provides our teachers with valuable information about each student’s current skills, strengths, and areas for growth. We encourage students to take their time and do their very best so the results accurately reflect what they know and can do. Teachers will use this information to help tailor instruction, provide appropriate support, and ensure each student receives what they need to continue learning and growing. Thank you for encouraging your Steele Star to give their best effort!

Kiss-N-Go Car Riders: Students may be dropped off after 8:50 AM am using the single-file car lane next to the playground. Students should exit the vehicle on the passenger's side for their safety. This may only be used if the student can get in/out of the car on their own. Adults may not get out of the car to assist in any way.

Parent Park: If your child cannot enter/leave the car without your assistance, you must use the parent parking lot. When entering the lot, you MUST park your car in an open slot, exit your car and walk up to the cafe doors (side of the building) to drop off/meet your child.

Bus Riders: Buses use the front circular driveway to load and unload students. Parents are not to use the circular drive to load/unload students before/after school. If a student wishes to ride home with a friend on the bus, a note must be given to the office for the principal’ signature regarding this prior to dismissal. Bus information (bus stop locations, pick up and drop off times) will be in Skyward.

After the 3:45 p.m. bell, all students are dismissed from school to:

• the kiss-n-go car line through door 7 (K-2 graders) and door 8 (3-4 graders)
• the parent park through the cafeteria doors. Parents must park, exit the car and come up to the cafe doors to meet your child.
• PALS which is held in the cafeteria
• to buses in the front circle

Please download the Class Dojo App. This will be our primary mode of communication with families this year. More information will come from your teacher.

Charlie is the new mascot of Carl Sandburg College and we hope to be the first school to meet him!

As we prepare for the start of the new school year, we'd like to remind families about FIRSTview, our school bus tracking app.

FIRSTview allows parents and guardians to track their student's school bus in real time, receive notifications, and stay informed about their child's transportation throughout the school year.

Whether you're returning to FIRSTview or using the app for the first time, please review the attached letter for information on downloading the app, setting up your account, and connecting to your student's bus route.
We encourage all families who utilize district transportation to take advantage of this free tool to stay informed and connected.

For summer birthdays, we will celebrate your child's half birthday. For instance - if your birthday is August 1st, we will celebrate it on February 1st.

Our district takes student attendance very seriously and we are committed to seeing that every child is at school unless there is an excused reason for absence or tardiness. Studies have shown that when students are consistently at school they are more likely to achieve their dreams.

What Parents and Students Can Do:

• Ensure children arrive to school on time.

• When absent, be sure to make up missed work.

• Communicate with school and seek support when needed.

• Call when your child is absent from school or unavoidably late ASAP at 309-973-2016.

• Know attendance is required on early dismissal days.

• Return to school after appointments.

• Plan appointments outside of school day.

• Call within one hour of the start of school or send a note within 48 hours of the return to school.

• For minor health issues—come to school.

CHAMPS is a proactive approach to classroom management.

Origins of CHAMPS Classroom Management

CHAMPS is part of Randy Sprick’s Safe and Civil Schools and is a research-based program with over thirty years of classroom research.

The CHAMPS acronym stands for:

• Conversation: Can students talk to each other during this activity?
• Help: How do students get the teacher’s attention and their questions answered?
• Activity: What is the task/objective? What is the end product?
• Movement: Can students move about during this activity?
• Participation: How do students show they are fully participating? What does work behavior look/sound like?
• Success: When students meet CHAMPS expectations, they will be successful!

Benefits of CHAMPS Classroom Management

According to Safe and Civil Schools, CHAMPS strategies are easy to implement and will:

• Reduce classroom disruptions and office referrals
• Improve classroom climate
• Increase student on-task behavior
• Establish respectful and civil interactions

Each month students will focus on monthly themes . Teachers will provide explicit, direct skill instruction in these areas so that our school community as a whole becomes stronger. The month of August is our Kindness Kick off!

View more: htpp://schools.mealviewer.com/school/SteeleElementarySchool