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Dear Kindergarten Center Families,

I am excited to meet all of our kindergarten students during our upcoming student screenings at the end of the month, and again at our Meet the Teacher event on Friday, August 29th.

Meet the Teacher will be held at the K Center from 1:00-3:00pm. To alleviate congestion in the building we ask families with last names beginning with A-L attend from 1:00-1:45 and M-Z plan to come between 2:00-2:45. if the opposite time works better for your family, you are welcome to attend when you can. We know older siblings will be in school, but younger siblings can certainly attend this event!

During Meet the Teacher, you and your Kindergartner are welcome to:

• Drop off any medications with the nurse

• Submit any outstanding paperwork to the school office
  

• Bring school supplies (if you ordered through the PTA, they will be waiting in your child’s classroom)

• Walk around the new building and check out the amazing learning spaces

If this is your first child starting school, or even if you’re a returning D41 parent, having a kindergartner in a brand-new building can feel like a new adventure. Please know I am always available for questions, even while I am not yet working from the center. Our district teams and contractors are working hard to ensure everything is ready for an exceptional school year!

This is a lengthy document filled with useful updates and reminders, if you're reading this in a web browser, you can click the Table of Contents to jump to a specific section!

As bus routes and arrival/dismissal procedures are finalized, I’ll continue to add and update this “One-Stop Kindergarten Center Guide” that you can reference all year long.

Lastly, don’t forget the D41 Kindergarten Center PTA invites all incoming full-day kindergarten families to Popsicles in the Park on Wednesday, August 20 from 4–6 PM at the Lake Ellyn Boathouse & Park (645 Lenox Rd.) Come enjoy crafts, yard games, mascot naming, and of course—a cool treat! It’s a great way for our students and families to meet and play before the school year begins.

I cannot wait to welcome you and your children to the Kindergarten Center!

Warmly,
Sarah Rodriguez
Principal, D41 Kindergarten Center

D41 Kindergarten Center Spirit Wear Available NOW!

We are excited to be able to offer our first K Center Spirit Wear collection. Please visit this LINK to view the products. The shop will be open through August 10th for delivery to the building prior to the first day of school. We will open the store again in September for delivery late fall.

$2 from each item purchased will go to the D41 Kindergarten Center to benefit our students with different programs and activities!

Kindergarten students will enjoy a one-hour lunch and recess block from 11:15 AM–12:15 PM each day.

• Half of the students will eat first, while the other half will have recess first, and then they will switch.
  

• Students may bring lunch from home or order a school lunch through the D41 Quest pre-order system.
  
  

We know that a full school day is a big adjustment for our youngest learners, so each classroom will also have a designated snack time. Teachers will share snack details before the first day of school.

For assistance with the Quest lunch pre-order system, please see the information below or call the District 41 office at 630-790-6400.

To make sure we have enough lunches for everyone, please keep these tips in mind:

• Plan ahead: Determine which days your child will be ordering school lunch and remind them each morning.
  
  

• Stick to the plan: Students should only purchase a lunch if it was ordered in advance. Sometimes children change their minds in the lunchroom, which can lead to a shortage of meals for those who pre-ordered.
  
  

• Milk is available: Students may purchase milk a la carte for a small fee.
  
  

Thank you for helping us keep lunch service smooth and ensure every student gets the meal they ordered!

District 41’s food service partner Quest requires preorders for all school lunches. The preordering process allows Quest to better provide the accurate number of lunches to each school building. This process is required for all FDK & elementary students including families who have approved fee waivers.

Preorders need to be completed by midnight the Thursday before the following week.

Preordering will be through an app/website called MyMealOrder.com (MMO). In order to get started with MMO you must complete the following steps:

Step 1: Go to mymealorder.com to login Click here
Step 2: Click here for instructions on how to locate your student’s ID. You will need your child’s school ID number to set up myMealOrder.
Step 3: Place your order by midnight on Thursday night for the following week.

Click Here for step by step instructions and screenshots of the process to preorder.

Students are REQUIRED to have the following:

• School Physical with Required Immunizations on State of Illinois Form

• Physical must be dated on or after August 27, 2024

• DUE BY AUGUST 1, 2025 in order to meet first day exclusion deadline. These forms are now past due, please bring to the district office or email to Nurse Slowinski (information below).

• Dental Exam on State of Illinois Form

• Required for students entering kindergarten

• Exam must be dated on or after November 15, 2024

• DUE BY MAY 15, 2026

• Eye Exam on State of Illinois Form

• Required for first enrollment in Illinois school

• Exam must be dated on or after August 27, 2024

• DUE BY OCTOBER 15, 2025

If your child requires medication at school (prescribed or over-the-counter), needs an asthma or food allergy action plan, you can find more forms and additional information on the D41 Health Services website for more information and forms.

All health forms can be emailed, faxed, or dropped off in person to the district office.

• Email to Amy Slowinski, Kindergarten Center Nurse: aslowinski@d41.org

• Fax to D41 Central Services Office: 630-790-1867

• Drop off at Central Services Office or any of the D41 schools:

• Central Services Office: 790 N. Main St. Glen Ellyn, IL 60137

All incoming kindergarten students will participate in a 30-minute screening before the school year begins. This helps teachers gather valuable information about each child’s academic and social development and gives students time to explore the kindergarten classroom and start to feel comfortable at school.

Screening Dates: August 27 & 28

• Screenings are individually administered by a kindergarten team member (not always your child’s assigned teacher).
  

• Sign up by August 8, 2025.
  

• Need help? Contact Alejandra Ponce at aponce@d41.org or 630-790-6400.
  
  

If you cannot attend on these dates, please reach out to Alejandra to arrange an alternate time.

School Board Policy and State law requires all student absences to be verified to ensure the safety and well-being of your child. It is essential for parents and guardians to inform the school whenever a student will be absent or late. Our primary concern when a child is absent is their safety, which is why it is crucial that the school office is aware of your child’s whereabouts.

• Report absences to the 24-hour attendance line: (630) 790-6495.
  

• Include the reason for the absence so we can track illnesses.
  

• Students must be fever-free for 24 hours before returning.
  

• Vacations/family trips are considered unexcused absences, and classwork will not be provided in advance.

• Students out sick may pick up work in the office or complete it after returning.
  
  

Excessive Absences and Tardies

Attendance is critical to student success, therefore students in good health need to be in school to learn.

• Schools must report excessive absences or tardies to the Regional Office of Education (ROE).
  

• A “chronic or habitual truant” is defined as missing 5% of school days (9 days) without valid cause.

Absences are considered valid for the following reasons:

• Illness

• Death in the immediate family

• Family emergency

• Religious holidays

• Mental or behavioral health reasons

• Situations beyond the student’s control

• Safety or health concerns

More details and visuals coming soon!

Please inform your child’s classroom teacher of your family’s transportation plans. Let them know if your child will:

• Ride the bus

• Attend Childtime or Adventure Time

• Be picked up in the carline

If your pick-up plans change during the day, email both the classroom teacher and Ms. Yanez in the office at lyanez@d41.org.

Carline Procedures:

• The outermost driveway off Bloomingdale Road is the designated carline.
  

• Students must exit and enter vehicles only in the drop-off/pick-up zone directly in front of the Main Entrance.
  

• For safety, children must use the back passenger-side door to exit/enter the vehicle.
  

• Staff will be present to assist during arrival and dismissal.
  

• Do not allow your child to exit the vehicle in any other area.
  
  

Bus Zone:

• The inner drive is for buses only. Parents may not drop off or pick up students in this area.
  

• Parking in the school lot is not permitted during arrival and dismissal times.
  
  

Carline Pick-Up Signs:

• Families using the carline must display a teal pick-up sign in the passenger-side visor or window.
  

• Pick-up signs will be distributed at screenings and Meet the Teacher, and are also available in the office.
  

• Please use a black permanent marker to write your child’s name and teacher in large, bold letters so it is clearly visible to staff.
  
  

• Bus routes and times will be available in Skyward Family Access on Monday, August 25th. In the case routes are finalized sooner, the district will release this information when it is available.

• Due to enrollment changes routes can change slightly, check Skyward the day before school to confirm your child's route.

• Please see the Skyward Family Access Guide for help with Skyward, you will need to sign into your Skyward account to access this information.

• Posted in Skyward Family Access on August 28th at the end of day.
  

• Students will not receive assignments if fees are unpaid without an arrangement or waiver.
  

• Need help? Contact Lesly Yanez at lyanez@d41.org or call the office.

• Please see the Skyward Family Access Guide for help with Skyward.
  
  

There will be a location in the office where parents can drop off items their child needs for the school day, but forgot at home. Students will be able to pick up their item at a time designated by their teacher. We will have a post it and a pen ready for you!

The D41 Board of Education Administrative Procedure on School Wellness supports the health and safety of all students during the school day. Here are some of the highlights of 6.50AP :

• Schools will support and promote sound nutrition for students.

• Classroom parties must be celebrated at school without food (such as fall parties, Valentine's and winter celebrations). Alternative non-food classroom celebrations are allowable.

• Birthdays are to be celebrated at school without student-provided food. Alternative non-food birthday celebrations may be used, parents should contact classroom teachers regarding specific procedures.

• Any curricular activities involving food within the school buildings shall require an exemption procedure form which must be submitted and approved by the building principals prior to the planned activity.

• The use of food as a classroom/school reward is prohibited.

All visitors must enter through the Main Entrance during school hours. For safety and security:

• A valid driver’s license or state-issued photo ID is required for all visitors.
  
  

• Your ID will be scanned at the front office, and a visitor badge with your photo will be printed for you to wear while in the building.
  
  

• Your ID will be held in the office and returned to you when you turn in your visitor badge.
  
  

⚠️ Please note: This process is required for every visit.
Visitors will not be allowed beyond the office without presenting a valid photo ID. This ensures that in the event of an emergency, we have a record and photo identification of everyone in the building.

We love and appreciate our volunteers!
There will be many opportunities for families to support the Kindergarten Center throughout the year.

• Look for communications from the PTA, library, and classroom teachers about how you can help.
  

• Opportunities may include assisting in the classroom, helping with events, or supporting school-wide activities.