Hometown Families:

As the weather is changing, please make sure your children are dressed to go outside. We will be going out for recess until the weather is below 32 degrees.

Please remember that there is a late start tomorrow, Wednesday, October 5th. Students will start at 9:30am. Buses are an hour later from when the pick up time would be.

We are looking forward to our Family Conferences next week. Please make sure you have signed up for a conference.

Students in grades fourth and fifth will be receiving a copy of their IAR results from last spring. There is a cover letter explaining what you will be receiving. If your family has any questions, please reach out.

Please remind your older children if they are picking up a younger sibling they should walk straight to get them and not stop off anywhere. We do not want our younger grades waiting for their older siblings. Students should not be stopping at the park after school without an adult. At the end of the day, students need to go home to check in with family and then may return to play in the park.

Parents will be able sign up for conferences starting on Thursday, September 29th at 10am, Parents are able to sign up for three conferences. We encourage families to sign up for homeroom teachers, encore teachers such as PE, library, art, or music as well as interventionists. Parents are able to sign up for conferences until October 10th.

10/10- NO SCHOOL

10-13- Half Day- Dismissal at 11:30am PT Conferences 5pm-8pm

10/14- NO SCHOOL PT Conferences 11:30am-6:30pm

Please make sure you turn in the cheesecake orders by next week Tuesday. All orders are due October 11th.

Please make sure students are not walking through the parking lot when arriving at school. Students should be using the pathway as to stay safe. Vehicles are pulling into the lot and we want everyone safe. Also, as you are standing with your child please remember we have little ears listening. Profanity is frowned upon.

Please make sure your health exam and immunizations are filed with the nurse. Exclusions start on October 15th.

Looking forward to seeing all of the families for game night on Thursday starting at 6pm. Come shop at the book fair during family game night.

Every week I will be spotlighting a staff member or a team. Meet our new Occupational Therapist, Mrs. Colleen Coughlin

How long and what grades have you taught?

This is my 7th year as an occupational therapist. I worked in an outpatient pediatric clinic for 4 years with ages 6 months - 12 years, and then I worked at a different school district in Illinois for two years, where I worked with students from preschool to high school.

If you could travel anywhere, where would you go and why?

If I could travel anywhere, it would be to Greece. I would love to hang out on their beautiful beaches with a good book!

What are you most excited for this year?

This year, I am most excited to get to know the students and staff at Hometown. I am also really excited to be working with my favorite aunt, Mrs. Coughlan!

What is your favorite food?

My favorite food is ice cream!

Who is someone you admire and why?

I really admire my mom and dad. They have taught me to work hard, always focus on the positives, and never take yourself too seriously!

If you see Mrs. Coughlin around Hometown, please welcome her and say hello!

Students will be able to participate in a talent show this school year. A flyer went home today explaining the event. Auditions will be October 12th. Please encourage your students to sign up to showcase their talents.

What can you do at home?

Number and number relationships that seem obvious to adults may not seem so for children. Children must have personal experiences to learn and relate various forms of number.

Mathematics at home does not need to be formal pencil/paper instruction. You can support the instruction taking place in the classroom through playing games and talking about mathematics every day. Find opportunities for counting, reading numbers, comparing numbers, comparing quantities, adding and subtracting, while at home, driving in the car, shopping, taking a walk...just about everywhere.

Questions to ask your student about homework problems:

• “Your solution is really interesting. Explain to me what you did.”(If your student says “I don’t know,” say “Well, tell me what you do know.”)
• “Can you explain this part more specifically?”
• “How did you decide what strategy to use?”
• “Is there another way to solve the problem?”
• If your student is stuck, ask questions like:
• “What is the problem about?”
• “Can you draw a picture to represent this problem?”
• “What is the problem asking you to find?”
• “What have you tried? What steps did you take?”
• “How is this related to the problems you have been working on in class?”
• “What could you try next?”
• “What information is important? Why?”

Resources

https://www.mathrecovery.org/resources

A few additional resources:

https://talkingmathwithkids.com/

https://www.amazon.com/s?rh=n%3A20658457011&brr=1&rd=1&ref=dp_bc_aui_C_4

https://mathbeforebed.com/

We will have a week for Unity to stand up to bullying. Please see the flyer with all of the days for different dress down days.

Students will be able to come in costumes for our half day on Halloween. We will have a parade for students and parents to view outside weather permitting. If we have bad weather, we will have the parade in the gym. After the parade, teachers will have Halloween activities for their classrooms. If you child would like to bring non-eatable items to pass to the class they may do so. We will not have parents running activities this year.

Please remember you may NOT park in the back lot when picking up students. You must park on the side streets and walk to the child's door. Please be mindful during the dismissal time. Police will be monitoring the area.

We are happy to partner with the Arab American Services for the school year. Please see the attached flyer. We are looking for parent mentors to start the new year. If you are interested please reach out to the school. We will have a table at the Open house with more information.

Website: d123.org/hometown
Location: 8870 S Duffy Ave, Hometown, IL, USA
Phone: 708-423-7360
Twitter: @d123hometown

Email: abencik@d123.org
Phone: 708-423-7360
Twitter: @AmandaBencik