Apollo School Bulldog Newsletter

We have so enjoyed having students back at Apollo School! Bulldogs are busy working in their classrooms building strong, positive communities and embracing learning by engaging in academic activities.

LET'S CELEBRATE OUR AMAZING STAFF:

• Our first Bulldog Pride Assembly was a success! Thank you to one of our wonderful teachers, Ms. Menner, for proudly representing our bulldog mascot!
• Our dedicated Kindergarten Team (Mrs. Darland, Mrs. Carter, Ms. Franco, Ms, Huynh, and Ms. Usyak) for all the additional and continued support and care as our youngest learners transitioned to Apollo.
• Our Multilingual Team (Ms. Cotromanes, Mrs. Nizamuddin, Mrs. Nowicki, and Mrs. Salazar) for providing support to our students who are new to the country in transitioning to Apollo.
• Our lunch and recess supervisors (Ms. Franco, Mrs. K Smith, Mrs. Qureshi, Ms. Montoya, Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Montesinos, Ms. Sharp, Ms. Gusek, Ms. Holsebosch, and Mrs. Beiza) for maintaining a safe and welcoming environment with high expectations in the lunchroom and outside at recess.

We look forward to another amazing school year of learning and growing for all students. Thank you for your partnership, and please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or needs.

Your proud bulldogs,

Liz Russell, Principal

Brian Gariti, Assistant Principal

The safety of our students and staff is a top priority at Apollo and throughout District 63. Our school works closely with the Cook County Sheriff Department to assess, evaluate, and develop safety and security measures.

Procedures are in place that limit access to all schools in District 63. All visitors must be buzzed in and go through a security screening before gaining access to the rest of the school. Other safety measures include:

• Security cameras at all buildings.
• Law enforcement, emergency preparedness, and lockdown drills.
• Emergency notification systems in each school that enable a quick notification of first responders, staff, and administrators.
• A technology filtering system that flags student content on school devices that might be of concern.
• Social emotional safeguards.

On September 13, 2023, we will be practicing a Lockdown Drill with students and staff - a routine part of every school year. The classroom teachers will lead the students through the drill and everyone will remain in their classrooms during the drill. Apollo administrators and the Cook County Sheriff's Department will announce the drill to the school and monitor safety protocols. The drill will last between 3-5 minutes to limit classroom disruption. If you have any questions regarding the Lockdown Drill or would like to exclude your student from participating please contact the Apollo Main Office to speak with the building administrators.

Thank you for your partnership in helping keep all of our students and staff members safe. If you have any questions or would like additional information, please don't hesitate to reach out to the main office at 847-827-6231 or email apollo411@emsd63.org.