Silas Family Newsletter 25-26 #12

Mrs. Keever, Principal

Ms. Cooper, Dean of Students

Mrs. Miller, Secretary

Mrs. Prater, Secretary

Mrs. Bernardi, Outreach

Mrs. DeJaynes, Nurse

Mrs. Stinson, Counselor

Email: jkeever@galesburg205.org

Website: https://silas.galesburg205.org/o/swes

Location: 460 Fifer St, Galesburg, IL 61401

Phone: (309) 973-2015

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/silaswillardelemschool

Instagram: @205SilasWildcats

#silaswildcats

#thisis205

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

Silas Willard Vision Statement:

Silas Willard Elementary School will set the standard for excellence in providing a rigorous, caring and equitable school experience.

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.

Silas Willard Mission Statement:

Silas Willard welcomes everyone in an inclusive, diverse learning community that values equality while recognizing and respecting the strengths and needs of all learners-without exception.

Our fall parties on Friday went very well. Thank you so much to the PTO for providing goodie bags for each classroom. The students loved having an extra treat.

A reminder that Veterans are invited on November 5th to our Wildcat Wednesday celebration. Please email jkeever@galesburg205.org or call 309-973-2015 if you would like to attend our assembly.

Students who received no behavior referrals for the month of October participated in grade level glow parties this week. We will have a new zero behavior referral challenge for the month of November. Thank you for your support at home in reminding your child to follow the Wildcat Way each day at school.

Thank you,

Jodi Keever

Everyday in kindergarten, students practice phonemic awareness skills like rhyming and identifying sounds.

We captured a spider to investigate!

Our School Improvement Plan team has helped create a "Portrait of a Silas Student." The three categories of the Portrait of a Graduate for Galesburg High School are that students graduate well-rounded, model good citizenship, and have a good sense of self. At Silas Willard we are preparing students for the future, and below is how we are achieving those goals. Each week we are talking about the traits below.

At Silas we are starting to recognize both positive behavior and academic growth with office referrals. Below are the positive referrals that students can earn!

At Silas we love to recognize students who make great choices with a phone call home!

Students with zero behavior referrals attended glow parties this week! Thank you to our custodian, Dave Olin, and our Dean of Students Casey Cooper for making these parties a success. Students who did not attend received restorative lessons with our Dean of Students and Outreach Coordinator.

Student Council members come down each morning to say the pledge on our morning announcements!

Thank you for following "The Wildcat Way"!

This week the Galesburg Street Department came to talk to students about what they do and how students can prepare if they would like this kind of career.

Keisha Cares has been serving our District since 2020. The purpose of Keisha Cares is to

continue the legacy of late, long-time Lombard Middle School secretary Keisha Harris. Keisha

was well-known for her extensive support of students in need. By offering Keisha Cares, we aim

to meet the needs of students and families by providing food, tutoring assistance, referrals to

other services, hygiene items, and clothing as needed. Through Keisha Cares, District staff

travel via our dedicated van showing Keisha’s likeness. The service has a set schedule for

serving families at designated locations. Still, home visits/ family check-ins are also available

upon request by any CUSD #205 staff members or families in our community.

1. Read together every day. You can read the morning news at breakfast, share a story after supper, or cuddle up for a book at bedtime. A daily reading routine is something everyone can look forward to.
2. Talk and build vocabulary. Interesting conversations build vocabulary, language skills, and knowledge about the world. Talk is a child’s best source of exposure to new words and ideas.
3. Model reading. Kids want to do what the grownups do. Make sure your kids get to see you reading and hear you talk about it.
4. Point out print. Read and talk about the words you see in the world around you. There’s lots to read—signs, recipes, cereal boxes, instruction manuals, bus schedules, news, maps, and menus.

Practicing math facts is a great way to practice math at home!

This is the same as the 24-25 school year.

Window cards were sent home with students for pick up. This will help to make pick up go quickly. Please place these cards in the passenger window of the vehicle picking up. If you need more cards, please let your child's teacher know, and we can print more for you.

If you are getting out of your car at pick up, please meet your child on the playground. This is to ensure student safety.

ARRIVAL:

There is NO DROP OFF on Fremont in the morning. You need to park and walk your child through the playground gate if you use this entrance to the playground. Please drop off in the circle drive on Fifer, and your child can walk to the playground. You may not leave your car parked on Fremont to bring your child to the playground. At the end of the day, please do not have your child cross Fremont to be picked up. This is very dangerous for both students and parents.

If you have a dog, please drop your child off at the gate so that the dog is not on the playground with other students.

Please do not park until 3:30 or after in the car lane on the west side of the building. This is where 3rd and 4th grade and siblings are picked up. We have deliveries scheduled for before this time, and our staff who travels needs to leave before 3:30.

3/4 Pick Up Lane: Students will exit door 10 and load from the grass in order of the cars in line. This is to ensure that all students are safely in their vehicles and that no one pulls around cars to get out of the line.

A reminder that the playground is CLOSED until 4:00 p.m. so that we can make sure that all students are picked up.

If you want to change your child's regular way home, please contact the office before 2:30 p.m.. We will make sure that your child's teacher receives the note. Office Phone: 309-973-2015.

Please do not message the teacher since we can't ensure that they will see the message before dismissal.

Please download the Galesburg App. When you receive your invitation email, then you can sign up for messaging. All staff will use this for communication this school year. Once you have the app downloaded, you will see your child's teacher and information in the app.

We’re excited to announce that #Shinein205 is making its return! We're looking for your nominations of the incredible staff members who truly made a difference during those pivotal first moments of the school year and beyond! Whether it was helping a student adjust to a new environment, providing support, or reaching out with thoughtful insights for success, let us know about the remarkable efforts of our dedicated staff. Nominate today and help us recognize their hard work and dedication!

Quarter 1: August 11 - October 10, 2025

Quarter 2: October 20 - December 19, 2025

Quarter 3: January 6 - March 13, 2026

Quarter 4: March 23 - May 21, 2026*

*unless emergency days are needed

How do we grade at the elementary level? We use a standards-based report card instead of a report card with letter grades. Elementary report cards are issued at the end of each grading period. They are intended to give an evaluation of the scholastic achievement and work habits of each child. Parents should examine all cards carefully since each child is rated not only on academic progress, but also progress in development of social attitudes and work habits.

We use a 4,3,2,1 system to assess a student's mastery of standards.

4 = Exceeding State and District Standards

3 = Meeting State and District Standards

2 = Approaching State and District Standards

1 = Not Meeting State and District Standards

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.

Please call the Silas Willard Front Office to let us know of any absences. 309-973-2015

Steps taken if you do not make contact with the school:

1. Automated Call: Parents/Guardians will receive an automated call stating your child is not in attendance.

2. School Call: The school secretary or outreach worker will follow up with the family IF the family does not call the school after the automated call.

3. Unexcused Absence: The absence will be recorded as "unexcused" if no contact can be made with the family.

Examples of Unexcused Absences:

• No phone call/email to explain a student's absence
• Returning to school after 3 consecutive days of absence with no doctor's note.
• Oversleeping
• Transportation issues

Examples of Excused Absences:

• Illness
• Medical appointment
• Observation of a religious holiday
• Death in the family/funeral service
• Family Emergency

Student are required to come to school each day unless there is an emergency outlined above. Please click the link below for more information about attendance and truancy through the Regional Office of Education.

Truancy Procedures from the Regional Office of Education:

Truancy staff identify students through system of referrals by the participating school district, which then initiates steps that lead to the following:

• Step 1: Upon the student receiving 3 unexcused absences the Parent/Guardian will be sent Letter 1.
• Step 2: Upon the student receiving 6 unexcused absences the Parent/Guardian will be sent Letter 2.
• Step 3: Upon the student receiving 9 unexcused absences a citation for truancy will be written. ​​
• Step 4: Upon the student receiving 12 unexcused absences the Parent/Guardian will be sent Letter 3.
• Step 5: Upon the 15th unexcused absence the Student, Parent/Guardian will be sent a Legal Notice to Appear before the Truancy Review Board in the County they reside.
• Step 6: Upon any additional unexcused absences after the Truancy Review Board a petition to the State Attorney of the County resided in will be filed.

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 the monthly themes above. Teachers will provide explicit, direct skill instruction in these areas so that our school community as a whole becomes stronger.

Click the headline above to visit our virtual backpack to learn about opportunities and activities available in the area for children.