Norton Creek Elementary

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.

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.

October-

10/02/2023- Learning and Teaching Committee Meeting 5:30pm

10/02/2023- Picture Retake Day

10/05/2023- Parent Teacher Conferences/No School

10/06/2023- Parent Teacher Conferences/No School

10/09/2023- Columbus Day/No School

10/10/2023- School Board Meeting 6pm at Haines

10/11/2023- Parent Education 7pm at Haines

10/16/2023- Learning and Teaching Committee Meeting/Haines 5:30pm

10/18/2023- Parent Education 7pm at Haines

10/20/2023- School Improvement Day/ No students/No School

10/25/2023- Early Release Day at 2:10pm

Please mark these dates on your calendars-

Early Release Days for Elementary school this year(dismissal is at 2:10) are September 27th, October 25th, November 29th, January 24th, February 21st, March 20th, and April 24th.

It’s a newsletter takeover!!!! I, Kim Rich, got the absolute pleasure of sitting down with our school librarian Mrs. Lorenz and got to learn about her childhood, her future dreams, and her potato preferences. Please read on to learn more about everyone’s favorite published author, (Yes! I said PUBLISHED AUTHOR!!!), and to get an adult book recommendation for the cozy months ahead :)

What is your name?

Lindy Lorenz

What is your job at Norton Creek?

School librarian and funmaker!

What was your dream gift when you were a child?

Was to stay in one home. I moved a lot as a child and always wished I could stay in one place for a longer period of time.

If you were stranded in the rainforest which staff member would you want to have with you and why?

Obviously Tina Evans - she does not bring many skills, (direct quote-sorry Tina!), but she would keep things lighthearted, (While I gather food and water), but I would have companionship and we would laugh non-stop!!!

What is one of your major lifetime accomplishments?

I wrote a children’s book: Wish Upon a Lantern. I LOVE writing but the publishing process is tedious.

(You can find her book in our school library or on Amazon!)

What is your favorite thing to do when you have alone time?

Workout or read a book.

What is something that you haven't done yet but you hope to do in this lifetime?

Go to Tibet! I would love to hike Mount Everest, at least hike to basecamp.

What is your favorite way to eat a potato? (mashed, baked, fried, chipped, au gratin…)

I prefer a baked potato - plain.

What is one book that you would recommend I, (Kim Rich), read this winter?

The House in the Cerulean Sea

If you could go on one vacation all over again which vacation would it be?

I will always go to the mountains - preferably the west.

Thank you Lindy!! It was great getting to know a little bit more about you!

Our scheduled day for picture retakes will be on October 2nd this year. If your child is plans on having retakes done and you ordered a picture package please send them in with the pictures to turn in that day. If your students was absent the day of our original pictures please have them plan on attending the retake day. Please call the office with any questions.

Please visit colorportraits.com to place an order. The Norton Creek ticket code is 10050202.

Please sign up for conferences until October 2nd!

You will have all the way up until 11:59 PM on Monday, October 2, to sign up for a conference.

Conferences are 20 minutes in length and will be offered October 5 from 8:00 AM until 8:00 PM and October 6 from 8:00 AM until 12:00 noon. Similar to last year, conferences will have a degree of student participation. Your Eagle's teacher will have more information for you on precisely what that will entail.

In the interest of the clearest communication, I respectfully ask that each family sign up for one conference with your Eagle's teacher. If you have extenuating circumstances that necessitate parents requesting two conferences with a teacher, please, reach out to me at anthony.white@d303.org.

Please see the attachment with instructions below.

The annual St. Charles Community Kick-A-Thon, which is a collaborative fundraising event between the Dance Teams from St. Charles East and St. Charles North High Schools, unites our community with a fun and impactful event that promotes wellness, camaraderie, and charitable giving.

Over the last 30 years, this event has united the St. Charles community through the art of dance while making a positive difference in the lives of those in need by raising over $1.5 Million for local charities. By combining our collective strengths, resilience, and compassion, we continue to create a lasting impact that fosters a stronger and more connected St. Charles.

90% of all donations will go to our selected charitable organizations and the remaining 10% will be shared amongst our two schools' Dance Teams. The following organizations have been selected as the beneficiaries for Kick-A-Thon 2023, and you can click on their names below for more information:

The Colette A. Miles Foundation "Colette's Crew" (link)

Fox Valley Food for Health (link)

Thank you so much for your support, as we continue our tradition of coming together as a community to benefit these wonderful local organizations.

Come out and watch us "Kick Cancer" at the STCE vs. SCN football game at St. Charles East HS on Friday, September 29th!

Please visit stckicks.com for more information.

If you would like to be listed as a Corporate Sponsor for Kick-A-Thon 2023, please review the information below and submit the RSVP Form after making your donation.

Corporate Sponsor Letter (link)

Corporate Sponsor RSVP Form (link)

Corporate Sponsorship Tiers

• Gold Sponsor: $250-$999
• Platinum Sponsor: $1,000+

Email KAT2023sponsors@gmail.com with any questions or concerns. Or reach out to Dena in the main office at Norton Creek.

District 303 is pleased to present its lineup of Parent Education sessions for the 2023-2024 school year.

The Parent Education series (formerly Parent University) includes informational meetings and workshops intended to empower parents and guardians to support their children’s academic, social and emotional needs. Become informed on specialized topics, engage in two-way dialogue with speakers and fellow parents, and become a support resource for others.

Sessions for this school year will focus on bullying prevention, addressing anxiety, and include film screenings and discussions about the impact of screen time and cultural awareness. The schedule also includes college preparation workshops hosted by our high schools. Sessions were selected based in part on feedback from District 303 parents.

Explore the full lineup of sessions here. Signup forms for each session will be made available closer to the session dates. New this year, you can also register for Parent Education notifications and receive alerts as new information and session recaps become available.

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.

Illinois State Code requires that all Kindergarten and students new to Illinois submit a vision exam by October 15, 2023. If you have not already submitted your student's eye exam, please send the completed form to school with your student (in an envelope, labeled "Attn: Nurse") or forms can be submitted via email to karen.lombardo@d303.org. Blank vision forms can be accessed on the district website under the Health Services tab. If you have any questions, please reach out to our nurse, Karen Lombardo at 331-228-2704 or karen.lombardo@d303.org.

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/