Virtue of the Month: Righteousness

Fruit of the Month: Jicama

• Monday, January 11, 2010 is the Woodlawn Science Fair.  Science Fair projects will be on display from 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

• Monday, January 18, 2010 all Chicago Public Schools will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

• Wednesday, January 20, 2010 is the 1^st-6^th grade Spelling Bee.  Students in grades 1-3 will compete at 9:30 a.m. and students in grades 4-6 will compete at 1:00 p.m.   Parents are welcome to attend!

• Students who did not have discipline referrals from November 1, 2009 -December 18, 2009 will be eligible to attend a UIC Flames Basketball Game the evening of January 21, 2009.  You will receive further information (regarding parent participation, bus departure times and eligible students) by Monday, January 11, 2009.  We hope that all our students will be eligible to attend!

• Our Local School Council Meeting will be held on Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.  Please plan to attend!

• Friday, January 29, 2010 is Professional Development Day.  There is no school for students!  Also, this is the end of the second quarter.

• Please continue to be attentive to your child’s progress as the academic year evolves.  If necessary, schedule a time to meet with your child’s teacher.  If you have not received your parent portal password (Grades 1-6) please come into the office and sign for it.  Through the parent portal program you have access to your child’s grades and attendance.

• If your child is not in an after school program their day ends at 2:45 p.m.  Please make sure your child is picked up promptly.  There is no one on duty after 3:00 p.m. to supervise your child.  Also, if your child has been tardy more than 10 times this school year you will be receiving a notice during the month of January regarding intervention assessment and transfer information.

If your child does not love himself, he doesn’t love anything else!

Virtue of the Month:  Justice

Vegetable of the Month:       Carrots

• Friday, December 4, 2009 is Staff Development Day.  There is no school for students!

• Monday, December 7, 2009 - Field Trip for 5^th & 6^th grade students to Malcolm X College at 9:30 a.m.

• Friday, December 11, 2009 - Field Trip for 5^th & 6^th grade students to Bronzeville Park Living Center at 9:30 a.m.

• Monday, December 14, 2009 - Field Trip for 6^th grade students to Canter Middle School for Shadow Day at 8:00 a.m.

• Tuesday, December 15, 2009 - All School Field Trip to Museum of Science and Industry at 9:30 a.m.

• Thursday, December 17, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. is Family Kwanzaa Night. We hope that you can find time in your busy schedules to be with us!  Our own Baba Kweku Embil will be the host!

• Friday, December 18, 2009 is Woodlawn’s Kwanzaa Assembly.  The assembly will begin at 1:00 p.m. and parents are invited!

• Winter Vacation begins on Monday, December 21, 2009 and students return on Monday, January 4, 2010.

The winner in life says, “It may be difficult, but it’s possible.”

The loser says, “It may be possible, but it’s too difficult.”

Virtue of the Month: Harmony

Vegetable of the Month: Cucumber

• All student Hearing and Vision Testing will begin on Wednesday, November 4, 2009 and end on Thursday, November 5, 2009.  Please make sure that your child is present and on time so that they can be tested!

• Friday, November 6, 2009 is Professional Development Day.  There is no school for students!  Also, this is the end of the first quarter.

• Wednesday, November 11, 2009 all Chicago Public Schools will be closed in observance of Veterans’ Day.

• Woodlawn’s Local School Council Meeting will be held on Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.  Please plan to attend!

• Wednesday, November 18, 2009 is Parent Report Card Pickup Day. There is no school for students.   Teachers are available for report card pick up from 12:00 noon - 6:15 p.m.  Teachers are on lunch break from 3:00 - 3:45 p.m. and will not be available for conferences.

• Family Reading Night is Thursday, November 19, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.  We hope that you can find time in your busy schedules to be with us!  Light refreshments will be served!

• Friday, November 20, 2009 - there will be a Seventh Grade Expo and Rites of Passage Meeting for our sixth grade students and their parents at 9:30 a.m.

• There is no school for students on Thursday, November 26, 2009 and Friday, November 27, 2009 in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday!

This year’s Principal for a Day event was held on Thursday, October 29, 2009.  The Principal for a Day Program allows businesses and organizations the opportunity to visit a school and shadow the principal to increase public awareness of the accomplishments and challenges at CPS.  The goal of Principal for a Day is that all PFADs will continue to engage themselves, their companies, organizations or associations in continued involvement and support throughout the year at their school.  The four Principals for a Day that visited Woodlawn Community School were Mr. John Fish of University Church, Julie Parente of the Museum of Science & Industry, Dr. Henry Wiggins of St. Bernard Hospital, and Mr. Abdul Rasheed Akbar of Akbar Enterprises.

Virtue of the Month - Balance

Fruit of the Month - Persimmon

October 6 - On Tuesdays and Thursdays, starting October 6, 2009, students will receive a snack to be eaten at school.  This is due to a grant Woodlawn Community School received from fresh Foods.

October 6- Woodlawn Community School’s Extended Day program will begin for grades three through six.  The program will run Tuesdays through Thursdays from 2:45 until 4:00 pm.

October 7 - Fourth and sixth graders will take a Pilot ISAT Test.

October 12 - School closed in observance of Columbus Day.

October 14 - Progress Report distribution.

October 15 - Family Science Night at 6:00 pm.

October 20 - All students will be taking Fall pictures.

October 22 - Woodlawn community School Local School Council and  Parent Advisory Committee.

October 23 - Staff Development Day - no school for students.

October 30 - Career Day - Please send your child dressed in the career attire of their choice.  Please do not send students in Halloween costumes because they will be asked to remove them.

Dear Parent(s):

WELCOME BACK to Woodlawn Community School!  We are anticipating another exciting year.  We have special “welcome back” activities planned for the first week of school that I am sure your child(ren) will enjoy.

A few reminders:

• SCHOOL HOURS are 8:55 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
• When ABSENCES OR TARDIES occur, parents should notify the school office by phone and send a note upon the students’ return.
• Assist our SWINE FLU prevention efforts by monitoring any unusual patterns of illness and keeping your child home from school if he/she has flu-like symptoms.  (Enclosed please find a letter regarding the swine flu).
• The SCHOOL UNIFORM consists of a burgundy/maroon shirt with a collar, a khaki bottom with a belt and brown/black hard bottom shoes.  NO GYM SHOES!
• The EMERGENCY FORM AND LUNCH APPLICATION were enclosed in this envelope. Please send the completed form and application back as soon as possible.  We must have completed forms for EVERY child in attendance at our school.  To expedite this process we hold a contest every year.  The first class that has all of the forms in wins a pizza party!
• If you did not attend either orientation session, you have not received a PARENT-STUDENT HANDBOOK.  It is imperative that you come to the school, as soon as possible, to sign for this handbook.  Make sure you and your child read all items carefully.  Students are responsible for knowing the contents of the handbook.
• The Local School Council and Parent Advisory Committee have implemented a STUDENT FEE for the 2009-2010 school year, which is $40/child.  Student fees can be paid in the office on Tuesday - Friday from 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
• We will hold our annual OPEN HOUSE on Thursday, September 17, 2009 from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.  Please take time out of your busy schedule to be with us and learn more about your child’s learning environment.

If you have any questions and/or concerns, please feel free to contact the office.

Sincerely

F. Kweku Embil,

Principal

A child’s attitude is the most distinguishing mark of self.  Help each one to keep it positive.

Parents/Guardians:

• Wednesday, April 1. 2009 is Report Card Pick-Up Day. This is an non-attendance day for elementary school students. Parents can puck up report cards from 12:00 noon-3:00 p.m. and again from 3:45pm - 6:15p.m.  Please limit your conferences to 15 minutes.  If you need additional conference time please schedule another appointment with your child’s  teacher.  Teachers will be on lunch break from 3:00 - 3:45pm and will not be available for report card distribution. Students may accompany their parents for report card distribution but they must remain with their parents in the building at all times.

• Also there will a PTO table available in the foyer during report card pick up.  There will be important material there for all of our parents!

• The all school field trip to Dance Chicago is Thursday, April 2, 2009.  Students will leave at 11:00 a.m. and return at 2:00 p.m.

• Spring Break will begin on Monday, April 6, 2009. Student should return to school on Monday, April 13, 2009.

• Spring Picture will be taken on Wednesday, April 15, 2009.  Please send your child in their best outfit and brightest smile!

• Woodlawn’s Local School Council Meeting will be held on Thursday, April 23, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.

• Our all school field trip to Black Ensemble Theater (”The Boy Who Became Invisible”) on Friday, February 6, 2009 was rescheduled due to problems with the venue.  If you paid for the trip it has been rescheduled for Friday, April 24, 2009.  Also, the theater has offered all students that paid an additional free trip in May.

• The school day ends at 2:45 p.m. Please make sure your child is picked up promptly.  There is no one on duty after 3:00 p.m. to supervise your child.  If your child has excessive (more than 10) late arrivals or late pickups they will be given a transfer to their neighborhood school at the end of the school year.

A student’s attitude is the most distinguishing mark of self.  Help each one to keep it positive!

Please note the following March dates:

• All Chicago Public Schools will be closed on Monday, March 2, 2009 in observance of Casimir Pulaski Birthday.
• ISAT Testing is Wednesday, March 4, 2009 through Thursday March 12, 2009.  ISAT Testing is only for third through sixth grade students.  Please make sure that your child is on time and present everyday for testing.
• Daylight Savings begins on Sunday, March 8, 2009.  Don’t forget to set your clock forward one hour.
• Our Local School Council Meeting will be held on Thursday, March 26, 2009 at 6:00 p.m.  Please plan to attend!
• All Chicago Public Schools will be closed on Friday, March 27, 2009 for Professional Development Day.
• There will be a free field trip the first week in April for students without any discipline referrals in the month of March.

AN INVESTMENT IN KNOWLEDGE ALWAYS PAYS THE BEST INTEREST!

Real Men Read is a simple program that has a huge impact. Men read to a classroom of kindergarten, 2nd, 5th, or 7th graders for one hour each month. On February 19, 2009, several men came to Woodlawn School to read to the kindergarten, 2nd, and 5th grade students.