Where's Walden
10-14-16
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STEM Opportunities - a message from our STEM volunteers (1st and 2nd Grade Girls Only)
The STEM Lunch N Learn program is planning on running several sessions this school year. The sessions will provide girls hands on opportunities to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. Our first session this year is open to 1st and 2nd grade girls and we will be learning about robots using Ozobots. Since the 3rd, 4th and 5th grades have dedicated instruction time in the new STEM lab, this first session is focused on 1st and 2nd grade. If your second grader participated in this class last year and would like to participate again, we will modify the hands on portion to engage her in new challenges. Forms and payment are due October 26th at 2:25 pm. The class is provided during one lunch hour from 11:25 to 12:20. Please see this flyer for more information about this session only. The registration form is embedded in the flyer.
We hope that you can join us!
Educating our children in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) has become an important topic among educators, parents and leaders, including President Obama, as STEM touches more and more aspects as our lives. A large gender gap exists between men and women in STEM careers, and research shows this decline in interest by girls begins during the elementary school years. “While many girls show enthusiasm for STEM subjects … there is a marked drop-off in interest in STEM that begins as early as grade 4 or 5 and continues to taper off through middle and high school.” (http://www.sciencebuddies.org/blog/2013/11/exciting-girls-about-science-and-engineering.php) This class will give girls an opportunity to both see that STEM can be fun and to understand some of the practical applications to solve real world problems.
Strategic Planning Survey Reminder
The District's strategic planning process is underway. Earlier this week, you should have received an email from the district's research partner, The ECRA Group, who developed the surveys based on information they heard during a series of focus groups they held with stakeholders in September. We want every parent to participate! Please check your email inbox for an email from ECRA (survey@ecragroup.com) and take a few minutes to give your input. The survey closes on October 23.
DPS109 App
I sent a "welcome" alert yesterday that you should have received if you downloaded the app by that point. You may have also noticed a blank email from me - that was sent in error when I sent that alert. I know what I did wrong and promise not to send superfluous, blank emails again. Here are the contents of the email you received earlier this week:
District 109 offers a great way to stay connected with our schools, right in the palm of your hand! Download the new District 109 mobile app from the AppStore or Google Play, and you'll be able to browse news, view the calendar, connect with the web tools you regularly use as part of the District 109 community, and receive instant notifications on your device.
View more details here, or simply click the icon below to download the app for your device. When you set up the app, choose the schools where you want to be connected, and select "yes" to receive push notifications with the latest news and updates.
Please contact me if you have any questions, or comments on how we can improve the app to make it more useful to you!
Halloween Festivities - 2nd Posting
Here is the schedule for the Walden School Halloween Parade and Celebration for Monday, October 31st:
- 8:40 – 1:45 – School/lunch as normal
- 1:45 – 2:00 - Students get dressed (sending an easy-to-put-on costume is encouraged. Face paints, hair sprays, etc become difficult to apply in a quick and clean fashion).
- 2:00-2:25- School-wide parade around the outside of the building (we will be making one lap)
- 2:25-2:40 – All School Recess – supervision is being provided by multiple staff members.
- 2:40 -3:25 – In class parties, games, clean up, etc.
Here is some additional information:
- You are welcome to position yourself anywhere around the perimeter of the building for the parade, but I ask you to leave a pathway for the kids to walk wherever you end up standing and that you leave the premises as soon as the parade is over and the students begin their recess.
- All students should bring their costumes to school on Halloween morning so that leaving mid-day is not necessary. I strongly encourage all parents to keep their children in the building for the day, as teachers will conduct school as usual until 1:45 PM.
- Help us keep everyone safe by not allowing your child to bring rollerblades, skateboards, scooters, or gym shoes with rollers attached.
- There should be no toy weapons, candy cigarettes/cigars, and/or anything with bloody guts and gore.
- Our parking lot will fill up quickly. Please simply use the city streets (not our bus circle) if there are no spots available, or walk if possible.
- All families should leave the premises directly after the parade. Only the pre-determined party volunteers will be allowed in the classrooms. Party volunteers should sign in at the front office and will be allowed in the classrooms at 2:15. Please remember our new sign in procedures require you to provide a driver's license or a state ID and it will take some time to sign in all party volunteers. Please plan accordingly.
- The parade will be cancelled in inclement weather. I will email on the morning of if this becomes a reality.
Monday, Oct 31, 2016, 02:00 PM
Walden School, Essex Court, Deerfield, IL, United States
Upcoming Dates
10/20 - Great Shakeout Earthquake Drill
10/21 - Skate Night - 6:00 - 8:00 PM - Centennial Park
10/26 - Halloween Band Concert/SMS - 7:00 pm
10/28 - Quarter 1 ends
11/10 - Picture Retakes
11/11 - No School
11/16 - Walden Way Assembly - 1:30 - 2:15
11/21 - Parent/Teacher Conferences - PM
11/22 - Parent Teacher Conferences
11/23 - 11/25 - No School
10/31 - Halloween Festivities
Connect with Walden!
Email: sschwartz@dps109.org
Website: http://walden.dps109.org/
Location: 630 Essex Court, Deerfield, IL, United States
Phone: 847-945-9660
Facebook: facebook.com/waldenelementaryschool
Twitter: @109walden