We are a busy bunch of Bulldogs! Hispanic Heritage Month, Family Curriculum Night, mid-term progress reports, bullying prevention spirit week, fall celebrations, and more - there is much to look forward to. Please take a few moments to review this information so you are prepared to join in the fun.

October brings with it chillier temps, rain, and sometimes even snow. Please make sure your child has what they need to stay warm and dry. As the weather begins to turn, we would like to encourage families to label items with student names. When sweaters, scarfs, boots, etc. go missing, it is a lot easier to reunite them with their owner when they are labeled. Our lost and found is located outside the main office. Students will go outside for recess and PE unless it feels colder than 20 degrees or there is inclement weather.

Our code red and code yellow safety drills are scheduled to take place on Wednesday, October 18th. In advance of those drills, staff and students will review procedures for what to do if there is danger outside or inside the building. Homewood Police Department will be assisting with the completion of our drill.

Get ready to Reach for the Stars on Thursday, October 12th. We hope to see many of our students and families at our upcoming special event. Please see below for some important information and the schedule for each grade level:

• Students and families are to attend TOGETHER (side-by-side).
• Students must bring their devices.
• All families should park in the staff parking lot to the west of the building or along Center Avenue. You may not park on the bike rack blacktop to the east of the building. This is reserved for staff only.
• Enter the front doors - Door B - for this event.
• Please be on time and adhere to the schedule provided (see below). We understand that some families may have to attend only partial schedules due to multiple children in the household attending Churchill. We have done our best to allow for participation at each grade level to the most extent possible.
• Each student will be provided a schedule unique to them that will go home on Wednesday evening as a final reminder. You may bring that schedule with you or a schedule and a map will be provided on Thursday evening. 5th grade families who attend that evening will pick up their schedule/map upon arrival in the front entry way as they do not report immediately to their homeroom.
• Prepare to engage in community building and active learning that will deepen your understanding of Churchill School and your child's learning experience. You should walk away with some ideas on how to partner with our team in helping and supporting your child in meeting their goals this upcoming school year.
• There will be snacks! During snack time families may visit with administration, social work, interventionists, band and orchestra, speech and OT, etc. If your child participates in any of these services, it will be noted on their schedule along with their location.

Mid-term progress notifications will be sent to families on Wednesday, October 11th at 4:30pm. Please log-in to Parent Portal at that time to view your child's current grades in all subjects, including Social Emotional Learning, Specials, and PE. Continue to check-in to monitor their progress. Connect with your child's teacher should you have any questions about the current grades. If you need to update your contact information or are having difficulty in accessing Parent Portal, contact our main office.

Families of students who have been absent or tardy for more then 10% of school days will also be receiving a notification and reminder about the importance of being present and on time for learning. We appreciate your help in making sure our Bulldogs are with us every day ready to learn!

Churchill saw gains in both reading (+8%) and math (+5%) on the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR). Your child's individual IAR score reports will be coming home on Friday, October 13th. Please review the information provided to better understand the report and how to access the IAR parent portal. The portal can provide you with additional resources and access to past/future IAR reports.

• Video Individual Score Reports (Video ISRs) – Video Individual Student Reports (ISRs) are personalized videos created specifically for your student that walk you through the information presented on their student's score report. Video ISRs, which are delivered via the IAR Parent Portal, combine student-specific animation and voiceovers to help you better understand your student’s assessment results and direct you to resources that are tailored to your student's needs. We encourage you to watch these videos with your child and discuss any questions with your child’s teacher.

You will continue to receive paper copies of the ISAs, but an individual claim code unique to your child is a feature that is now included. This code will allow you to securely access your child's test results in the IAR Parent Portal.

Both district and school policy clearly state that bullying of any kind is prohibited. Our Churchill staff understand the seriousness of this issue and seek to partner with families to effectively address issues of bullying. It takes all of us working together! Our school team actively educates students around the topic of bullying all year round in an effort to create a safe and inclusive environment in which all may learn.

Legal update: The school will make every effort to inform parents/guardians of all students involved in an alleged bullying incident within 24 hours after administration becomes aware of the student’s involvement. This includes all instances of bullying and all threats, suggestions, or instances of self-harm determined to be the result of bullying. As part of the notification, we will discuss the availability of social work or counseling services, other interventions, and restorative measures as needed.

Committee for Children/Second Step Resources

https://www.safe2helpil.com/

Halloween is approaching and many of our students and families are excited to celebrate. On Tuesday, October 31st, students may wear a costume to school. The following guidelines must be followed:

• Must wear costume to school. Students will not be allowed to change into a costume.
• Must be able to wear a costume comfortably while conducting daily activities.
• No make-up or masks are allowed.
• Refrain from any costumes that contain blood/gore, weapons.
• No props of any kind.

With the support of our amazing PTA, each class will have the opportunity to engage in some fun activities from 10:45am-11:45am. If you would prefer for your child not to participate in Halloween themed activities, please inform your child's teacher. There will be a fun alternate activity that they may participate in. There will be a snack provided by our food service team for every student. No other outside food is permitted.

Thank you, 4th and 5th grade students and families, for being so responsible with devices. We love seeing laptops being cared for responsibly and being brought to school 100% charged. Keep it up!

3rd grade students will be coming home with devices starting Tuesday, October 10th. Families should complete and turn-in the form that comes with the laptop. Please start now with a routine of placing in a dedicated area and ensuring that it is plugged in and charging for the next school day.

If you would like to lend a helping hand at recess or lunch, please contact our main office. They will confirm your information and provide you next steps. Anyone interested must be prepared to provide their identification, wear their visitor's badge, and help staff care for and supervise students during these time periods.

We care about the safety of our students and families. In order to maintain order and safety, families must follow the arrival and dismissal rules and procedures. Please review them by clicking the link below. Thank you for your attention and cooperation in this matter.

Email: sara.schnoor@hsd153.org
Website: https://churchill.hsd153.org
Location: 1300 190th Street, Homewood, IL, USA
Phone: 708-798-3424
Twitter: @Ch_PrincipalS