Grove Student Newspaper Club - March 2024 Edition 

Please check out the March publication of our Grove 4th & 5th Grade Newspaper!! The mission of the Grove Newspaper Club is to strive to nurture a passion for writing, promote creativity and collaboration, and foster a sense of belonging. Most of all, it seeks to hear the voices of our students. We continue to share publications with our students, staff, and parents each month! Enjoy!

Illinois Assessment for Readiness (IAR) 

Starting our first week back to school in April, our 3rd – 5th grade students will be participating in the Illinois Assessment for Readiness (IAR). The IAR is the required standardized state testing.

 

Our students will take two English Language Arts Tests (one per day) this coming week on Tuesday and Friday, April 5th & 8th. The following week, students will complete three Math tests (one per day) on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, April 11th-13th. Make-up assessments will be conducted when possible throughout the assessment window and through April 19th. It is extremely important that students are in attendance for these assessments and prepared to do their best, as the assessments are used to rate our school on the Illinois School Report Card.

 

Parents can help ensure that their children are prepared to do their best as well! Please be sure that your child:

• Gets a good night sleep on the evenings before the tests

• Eats a healthy breakfast on the morning of the assessments

• Arrives to school on time, as some testing will begin immediately in the morning

• Brings their iPad updated and fully charged

• Brings their school issued headphones or earphones

Please be sure to read the official letter regarding IAR with additional suggestions as to how parents can support students with the testing and more details regarding the assessments. You may also contact me directly with any questions.

Family Reading Program Concludes & BIG Event Announced!!! 

Friday marked the conclusion of our 2023-2024 Family reading Program! We hope that all of our students and families enjoyed the book Solimar as much as our staff did! Our students did a great job of participating in each of our weekly celebrations! They certainly seemed to enjoy learning about Mexican Culture and enjoying some new games, treats, the STEM challenge, and trying out a new type of folk art! They especially enjoyed the pancakes and pajamas this past Friday! The BIG Event, our culminating celebration of the Family Reading Program, was announced to students on Friday. Please be sure to complete the permission form for your child to attend the Peggy Notebaert Field Trip. A link to the Google Form to provide permission was provided in the email notification for the Grizzly! 

PUNS Presentation and Enrollment Night Presentation 

District 220 staff is excited to share two upcoming opportunities for Barrington 220 families regarding the Illinois PUNS List (Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services). PUNS is a statewide waiting list for individuals with developmental disabilities who may need funding for services either now or in the future. Children as young as 2.5 years old, teens and adults can enroll in PUNS when they have been diagnosed with a developmental disability. There can be a long wait before someone is selected for funding so we encourage you not to wait! 

• Virtual Event: PUNS Informational Session with Stephen Joseph of CAU

• Date: April 10, 2024

• Time: 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

• What: Join us for a virtual session where you can better understand PUNS and explore whether enrollment could benefit your child.

• Zoon Link: PUNS Informational Session

• Zoom Meeting ID: 853 9766 2960

• Passcode: 984281

• In-Person Event: PUNS Enrollment Night

• Date: May 1, 2024

• Time: 3:00 PM - 7:00 PM (half-hour appointments available)

• Where: 220 District Administrative Center, 515 W. Main Street, Barrington, IL 60010

• What: This event offers families of students with developmental disabilities an easy opportunity to enroll in PUNS. Secure your spot for our upcoming Enrollment Night by filling out this form. 

For any questions regarding these events, please feel free to contact Alyssa Grewe at 224-500-0507 or via email at agrewe@barrington220.org. We look forward to your participation!

2nd Grade Music Informances for Parents!! 

Mrs. Boyer, Grove Music Teacher, is offering a unique opportunity to our 2nd grade families to attend an “informance” in the music room this May (please see the information below for

the dates). 

Our 2nd graders have been busy in the music room this year with singing, instruments, movement, and games, and they want to share their learning with their families! As a result, the 2nd grade families are invited to the music room during music classes to hear the students sing some songs. Students will also invite visitors to join in on some games and activities! Family members such as parents, younger siblings, and grandparents are all invited to join in! 

Please click below for dates and other important details regarding these events! 

• 2nd Grade Music “Informance” details 23-24 in English 

• 2nd Grade Music “Informance” details 23-24 in Spanish 

Summer School Course Registration is Open 

Summer school in Barrington begins on Monday, June 3, 2023 for all grade levels. Course catalogs are available on our summer school webpage and registration for all levels is open and can be completed by visiting the summer school webpage! Please note that summer school will not be held at Grove. I have included the information below regarding programs for Grove Students: 

• The elementary summer school program that is traditionally held at Barbara B. Rose Elementary will be returning to Rose this summer, as construction will be completed. This program serves students from Countryside, Grove, Sunny Hill and Rose. 

• The Jump Start and Dual Language programs traditionally held at Sunny Hill Elementary will be held at Hough Street School.

5 Essentials Survey 

Please click on the links below to a letter regarding an important survey for the parents of Grove Avenue School. The results of this survey will be included as a portion of our official School Report Card and school ranking next fall. As a result, your participation and input is important, as we need at least 20% of our parent population to participate. Students in grades four and five, as well as, the Grove Avenue Staff will be participating in the survey.

 

The survey will be open until the beginning of April, but please take a few minutes to complete the survey as soon as possible. It takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. 

 

Letter in English

Letter in Spanish

 

Due to the fact that our district office is located in Lake County, parents will need to choose Lake County at the login page in order to then access the Grove link. Links to the survey site are included in the letter or you can click the link here to access directly! Please feel free to contact Mrs. Matthews directly with any questions regarding the survey.

Reminders

• Grove Cold Weather Procedures 

• Barrington 220 Inclement Weather Protocols 

• Summer School Course Catalogs - Registration is open!! 

• Kindergarten Pre-Registration is open until March 31st

Upcoming Dates

Tuesday, March 19th - March PTO Meeting, 9:15 a.m. in the MPR 

Wednesday, March 20th - Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4-8 p.m. 

Thursday, March 21st - All School Spirit Day!! Wear Grove Colors!!!

Thursday, March 21st - Parent/Teacher Conferences, 3-7 p.m. 

Friday, March 22nd - NO SCHOOL, Spring Break Begins 

March 22nd - March 29th - NO SCHOOL, Spring Break

Sunday, March 31st - Deadline for Kindergarten Pre-Registration for the fall 

Monday, April 1st - School Resumes 

Monday, April 1st - BIG Event Field Trip for 3rd-5th Grades 

Thursday, April 4th - IAR Testing for 3rd-5th Grades 

Friday, April 5th - IAR Testing for 3rd - 5th Grades 

Monday, April 8th - IAR Testing for 3rd-5th Grades 

Tuesday, April 9th - IAR Testing for 3rd-5th Grades

Wednesday, April 10th - IAR Testing for 3rd-5th Grades 

Wednesday, April 10th - BIG Event Field Trip for K-2nd Grades

Grove Warrior Dash

Our Grizzlies are off and running toward our fundraising goal - students have raised almost $6k toward our $20k goal! Please continue to create your fundraising pages and reach out to family and friends for support. We would love to reach our goal and be able to give these funds to the upcoming playground project and a brand new large projector system for the gym!

The classroom that raises the most funds by April 19th will win a special ice cream truck from the PTO! The current class standings are:

- 1st Place - Mrs. Scanlan's Kindergarten

- 2nd Place - Mrs. Bosch's 2nd Grade

- 3rd Place - Mrs. Carlstrom's Kindergarten

Our Warrior Dash team has decorated the school this week with a fun showcase and race track to show class standings! They have also added posters of the raffle prizes outside of the front office for students to get excited! 

How does your student earn raffle tickets?

1. Every single student will earn 1 raffle ticket for just participating.

2. Students who set up fundraising pages (even if they don't raise any money) will earn 5 more raffle tickets.

3. For every $10 raised, students will earn 1 additional raffle ticket.

Click on the flyer for information on how to create your fundraising page or submit a paper donation form.

Updated Information from Specials Classes

Click on the link to the updated newsletter from our special teachers and take a few minutes to see what children are doing in each of our special areas!! 

Spring Parent/Teacher Conferences 

At Grove Avenue Elementary School we encourage communications on behalf of our students. One of the hallmarks of an excellent school and a strong school culture is a high degree of positive interaction and mutual support between home and the classroom. Twice each year, once in October and once in March, time is provided for parent teacher conferences. During these conferences we seek to accomplish three objectives: (1) discussing your child’s progress, (2) providing parents the opportunity to share their observations of their child’s progress, and (3) providing the opportunity to share information and discuss plans between teacher and parent and make plans on behalf of your child. Discussions at the spring conferences should be focused on progress and plans for this school year. 

Spring conferences are scheduled for Wednesday, March 20th from 4-8 p.m. and Thursday, March 21st from 3-7 p.m. (As a reminder, there is no school for students on Friday, March 22nd.) We ask that you plan accordingly in order to schedule conferences during the conference days designated by the District. 

The allotment of time designated for spring conferences and the number of spaces available is more limited than the fall window. We value your support and will try our best to connect with parents who would like to communicate regarding their child, however, a conference may not be needed for every student. In addition to classroom teachers, other certified personnel and staff are available for a conference.  

Once again, we are using the system “Meet the Teacher” for parents to sign-up for conferences. The sign-up will close this Sunday, March 10th at 11:59 p.m. When signing up, parents will need to indicate whether they plan to attend the conference in person or would prefer a conference via Zoom. Please click on the link below for directions to use “Meet the Teacher” in order to sign-up. When parents log on, they will be able to sign-up for conferences for multiple children and for any staff member that works with their child including our art, gym, music, and library teachers. Conferences with specials teachers are not required, but are an option we are offering to parents. In addition, all related services staff members will be available to meet with parents separately from the conferences with classroom teachers. As a result, parents can also schedule conference times with our Social Worker, Speech and Language Pathologist, Reading Resource Teachers, Multilingual Learner Teacher, Special Education Resource Teachers, and the Extended Teacher. It is highly recommended that parents meet with any related service staff member that works with their child. 

  

Grove “Meet the Teacher” Parent Guide in English

Grove “Meet the Teacher” Parent Guide in Spanish

Summer School Course Registration is Open 

Summer school in Barrington begins on Monday, June 3, 2023 for all grade levels. Course catalogs are available on our summer school webpage and registration for all levels is open and can be completed by visiting the summer school webpage! Please note that summer school will not be held at Grove. I have included the information below regarding programs for Grove Students: 

• The elementary summer school program that is traditionally held at Barbara B. Rose Elementary will be returning to Rose this summer, as construction will be completed. This program serves students from Countryside, Grove, Sunny Hill and Rose. 

• The Jump Start and Dual Language programs traditionally held at Sunny Hill Elementary will be held at Hough Street School.

District 220 “Music is for Everyone” Sensory Friendly Concert

Camille Saint-Saëns' The Carnival of the Animals will be performed by BHS Chamber Orchestra on March 12 from 5:00 p.m. - 5:40 p.m. in the BHS auditorium. All are welcome at the concert, and it is a perfect experience for any audience member, especially for younger families.

The concert will be produced in a manner which is inclusive for neurodiverse audiences, for guests with sensory sensitivity, as well as anyone who would enjoy a less formal concert environment.  The music will be brought to life through acting, dance, and pre-concert experiences beginning at 4:30 p.m. with the concert starting at 5:00 p.m.

The audience size will be reduced, there will be a quiet room for those who need it, and there will be pre-show experiences for audience members. BHS Fine Arts will share a social story with all ticket holders closer to the event to familiarize everyone with the logistics of the event. There is no cost to attend, but we ask that you reserve a ticket ahead of time using the ticket link HERE. 

5 Essentials Survey 

Please click on the links below to a letter regarding an important survey for the parents of Grove Avenue School. The results of this survey will be included as a portion of our official School Report Card and school ranking next fall. As a result, your participation and input is important, as we need at least 20% of our parent population to participate. Students in grades four and five, as well as, the Grove Avenue Staff will be participating in the survey.

 

The survey will be open until the beginning of April, but please take a few minutes to complete the survey as soon as possible. It takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. 

 

Letter in English

Letter in Spanish

 

Due to the fact that our district office is located in Lake County, parents will need to choose Lake County at the login page in order to then access the Grove link. Links to the survey site are included in the letter or you can click the link here to access directly! Please feel free to contact Mrs. Matthews directly with any questions regarding the survey.

Barrington 220 Board of Education Wants Your Feedback! 

Thanks to the community’s support for Barrington 220's referendum in 2020, the district's Build 220 initiative has made tremendous progress in renovating our aging school buildings and transforming learning spaces for students. However, much work is still needed to ensure our students learn in schools that meet our community’s high expectations.

Barrington 220 is holding four community engagement meetings in March to gain stakeholder feedback about projects that should be included in a potential referendum question on the November 2024 election ballot. Together, we will develop a community-driven plan so all Barrington 220 students have access to the quality education they deserve. These meetings are open to the public. Each meeting will feature a presentation, along with an opportunity for stakeholders to ask questions. Please note that each meeting will have the same agenda. Click here to learn more!

• Monday, March 11: 6pm @ Arnett C. Lines Elementary 

• Thursday, March 14: 6pm via Zoom (Click here to register for the Zoom)

¡La Junta de Educación de Barrington 220 quiere su opinión! 

Gracias al apoyo de la comunidad para el referéndum de Barrington 220 en 2020, la iniciativa "Build 220" del distrito ha hecho un enorme progreso en la renovación de nuestros edificios escolares envejecidos y la transformación de los espacios de aprendizaje para los estudiantes. Sin embargo, aún se necesita hacer mucho para garantizar que nuestros estudiantes aprendan en escuelas que cumplan con las altas expectativas de nuestra comunidad.

Barrington 220 está celebrando cuatro reuniones de participación de la comunidad en marzo para obtener comentarios de las partes interesadas sobre los proyectos que deberían incluirse en una posible pregunta/cuestión de referéndum en la boleta electoral de las elecciones de noviembre de 2024. Juntos, desarrollaremos un plan impulsado por la comunidad para que todos los estudiantes de Barrington 220 tengan acceso a la educación de calidad que merecen. Estas reuniones están abiertas al público. Cada reunión contará con una presentación, junto con una oportunidad para que las partes interesadas hagan preguntas. Tenga en cuenta que cada reunión tendrá la misma agenda. Si planea asistir a una de las tres reuniones en persona y necesita traducción al español, por favor complete este formulario.

• Lunes, 11 de marzo: 6pm @ Primaria de Arnett C. Lines

• Jueves, 14 de marzo: 6pm via Zoom (Haga clic aquí para inscribirse en el Zoom)

Reminders

• Grove Cold Weather Procedures 

• Barrington 220 Inclement Weather Protocols 

• Summer School Course Catalogs - Registration is open!! 

• Kindergarten Pre-Registration is open until March 31st

Upcoming Dates

Sunday, March 10th - Sign-Up for Parent/Teacher Conferences closes

Monday, March 11th - Community Engagement Referendum Meeting, 6-7 p.m. @ Lines 

Thursday, March 14th - FRP Week #5 Choice Boards Due 

Thursday, March 14th - Virtual Community Engagement Meeting, 6-7 p.m. 

Friday, March 15th - FRP Week #5 Celebration 

Saturday, March 16th - Orchestra Solo and Ensemble Concert @ BHS, a.m. 

Tuesday, March 19th - March PTO Meeting, 9:15 a.m. in the MPR 

Wednesday, March 20th - Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4-8 p.m. 

Thursday, March 21st - All School Spirit Day!! Wear Grove Colors!!!

Thursday, March 21st - Parent/Teacher Conferences, 3-7 p.m. 

Friday, March 22nd - NO SCHOOL, Spring Break Begins 

March 22nd - March 29th - NO SCHOOL, Spring Break

Grove Warrior Dash

We are so excited to bring back the Grove Warrior Dash! A HUGE thank you to all of our very generous sponsors and local businesses for contributing to make this event a success for our school! Click on the flyer below to get more information about this fundraiser and how your student can get involved.

All of the funds raised from this event will be used to contribute to the upcoming new Intermediate Playground that will be completed over the summer! In addition, we will be starting to raise funds for a large projector for the Gym, which will be used for assemblies, meetings, and other events that the school hosts for our students and families!

Thank you so much for your help and let's get our Grizzlies pumped!!