Norton Creek Elementary

January

1/24/2024- Early Release Day/Dismissal at 2:10

1/29/2024- Policy Committee Meeting/Haines 4:45pm

1/29/2024- Business Services Meeting/Haines 5:30pm

1/29/2024- School Board Meeting/Haines 6:30pm

Please mark these dates on your calendars-

Early Release Days for Elementary school this year(dismissal is at 2:10) are January 24th, February 21st, March 20th, and April 24th.

Kindergarten thru 5th Grades-

8:00am-3:00pm

Students can be dropped off at 7:45am for the school day. If you arrive before that time please keep your child with you until 7:45 as there is no supervision outside until then.

The School Day ends at 3pm on all days except early release days which is 2:10pm. If you pick your children up by car please plan to be here at 3pm daily.

If you are arriving after 8:00am for safety and security you must walk your student into the main office and sign them in.

Our school office is open from 7:30am until 4:00pm on school days.

"It doesn't look like it does in the book."

"It doesn't. But, it looks pretty good for a seven-year-old."

If you are as singularly obsessed with "Bluey" as my family and I are, you recognized this is an exchange from one of the latest batches of episodes that landed on Disney+ on last Friday's snow day, "Dragon." In it, Bluey struggles to draw a dragon which causes her mom, Chili, to remember when she was seven and learning to draw horses. She would meticulously draw horses as shown in an art book, and lamented to her mom that her horses don't look like the ones she's trying to draw from the book.

There are two ideas I want to focus on from this beautiful scene - the compassionate yet honest feedback Chili's mom gave her and the idea of (to close out our series on the D303 Strategic Plan's Core Values) achievement not being one-size-fits-all.

Often times, we worry that if we tell a child that what they have done is not the most amazing thing that we will hurt their feelings, crush their dreams, and knock them off the path to success. Our Eagles need to hear four things when we give them feedback - what the target is, how close their performance is to the target, three things they did well, and one concrete action they can take to improve their performance and get close to the target. If they think everything they do is "great," their worlds will be rocked when someone gives them honest yet critical feedback telling them otherwise.

In terms of achievement not being one-size-fits-all, we would never expect a kindergartner to master a fifth grade standard. However, we should expect all kindergartners to master kindergarten standards. We should not expect a seven-year-old to achieve at the same level as a seventeen-year-old, but we should be able to celebrate the growth of that amazing, little seven-year-old from their six-year-old self.

Tonight is the Tropical Luau Family Dance presented by our fabulous PTO right here at beautiful Norton Creek! It's winter outside, but Hawaii inside! You can only attend tonight if you already signed up on the PTO website, but I hope you did and that I'll see you in our tropical community room tonight! Big thank you to our PTO for putting together this awesome, fun experience for our Eagles and Norton Creek community!

Enjoy the weekend making memories with your favorite people! It won't be a five day "mini winter break", but it's always nice to get a moment to catch your breath with everyone who brightens up your day!

Please remember to send your student with snacks to school. Healthy snacks help manage kids' hunger and boost nutrition. Snacks can keep them from getting so hungry that they get cranky. And for picky eaters of all ages, snacks are a chance to add more nutrients to their diets.

The weather has officially changed. Please ensure that you send your student(s) to school with a coat, hat, gloves, snow pants and boots in order to be outside in the snow at recess. Any students that do not have those required items for recess will be limited to the blacktop for recess.

The aftercare program is available for students before the school day starts and after school ends. Please reach out to West Chicago Park District if your child needs daycare prior to 8am or after 3pm. You can reach them at 630-231-9474 or www.we-goparks.org.

If you are planning on volunteering this year at Norton Creek please complete the following forms. We are asking that forms be turned in by September 15th. Please fill out the form completely and indicate what you will be volunteering for this school year. If fingerprinting is required we will reach out to you. Once completed please turn them into the office. When you come in the building to volunteer a driver's license will be required every time in order to enter.

A few reminders to keep the school year going.....

How do I contact the nurse?

Please email the nurse at karen.lombardo@d303.org or call 331-228-2704.

How do I contact the office or nurse via email?

Please email the office at nor-office@d303.org

What time can my student arrive to school?

We open the doors at 7:45am for student arrival every morning. Students should not be dropped off before that time as there is no supervision for students. If you arrive before drop off time please keep your child in your car until the appropriate time.

Arriving Late To School-

If your child is arriving after 8:00am please walk them into the school and sign them in. Please also notify the attendance line if you plan to arrive to school after 8:30am.

How do I report an absence?.

Absences should be called in by 7:45 AM if your child will be absent for any portion of the day. The number is 331-228-2700 and has voicemail. You can call during the evening or overnight and leave a message. Please leave your child’s name and the reason why your child is out. If they are ill, please indicate their symptoms.

Even if you notify your child's teacher of an absence via email, we ask that you please still notify the office at nor-office@d303.org for attendance purposes. Please note that if your child is sick, they should be fever free and have no vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours before returning to school. Of course, you can always email the teacher as well, but you need to formally notify the school of any student absence.

Is your child leaving school early?

Also, if you will be picking up your child early or taking your child out for an appointment, please let our front office know as early in the day as possible by calling the main number at 331-228-2700 or email at nor-office@d303.org. This can be very helpful should a pick-up time be when the child is in specials or at lunch. Kids can be indoors as well as outdoors depending on their schedule and it can take a few extra minutes to locate and get the child down to the office for an early pickup if they are not in their classroom.

Does your child need a prearranged absence?

Students must apply for the privilege of using prearranged absence days through the principal’s office.

This completed form must be turned in at least (2) school days prior to the requested absence to the main office.

The building principal or designee has the authority to grant up to (5) days of excused absence per year

for the following types of absences:

 Participation in regional and/or national contests or awards

 Family vacation—qualified by the phrase “accompanied by parent”

 Special religious events

Please see attached form below or visit the district website at www.d303.org under the FORMS section.

What if my child has a change in dismissal/transportation?

Please let the school know as early as possible if there is a occasional change to your child dismissal by emailing nor-office@d303.org and your child's teacher or call the office directly at 331-228-2701. If it is after 2pm please call the office directly so that we can ensure your child gets the notification of changes. Dismissal time can be very hectic and to help ensure a smooth dismissal, getting any transportation changes for students early is very helpful. Simply call the school office or email at nor-office@d303.org and let them know.

What if my child forgot an item at home?

If your child has forgotten an item at home and it is needed for that day please email the classroom teacher to notify them that you will be dropping an item off. Bring the item labeled with the name and teacher to the office and place the item in the bookcase by the front window.

What is my child lost/misplaced an item at school?

Please ask your child to check the lost and found table. You can also email the classroom teacher to let her know that your student is looking for an item. They will allow time for them to check the table in the Community Room.

Note: Save our school number in your contacts. Norton Creek Elementary: (331) 228-2700.

LUNCH SCHEDULES:

1st Grade: 11:00-11:20

4th Grade: 11:20-11:40

RISE Students: 11:40-12:00

Kindergarten: 11:40-12:00

2nd Grade: 12:00-12:20

3rd Grade: 12:20-12:40

5th Grade: 12:40-1:00

If your student forgets their lunch please email the classroom teacher and drop off at the main office. Please label with the students full name.

Please remember to add money to your child(s) Pushcoin account in order to be able to purchase a lunch or a breakfast. Breakfast and lunch will not be free this year and will incur a fee daily. Norton Creek will be open at 7:45am on school days for breakfast. Please call the office with any questions.

Website: https://nortoncreek.d303.org/
Location: Norton Creek Elementary School, Smith Road, West Chicago, IL, USA
Phone: 331-228-2700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Norton-Creek-Elementary-1439295139641887/