Family Reading Program

Our Annual Family Reading Program will launch this Thursday, March 4th!!! We are excited to hold our kick-off with all students during the school day on Thursday. At that time, students will view a special pre-recorded performance by our Grove staff and then the fun activities and expectations for the program will be explained to students. I will be sending out an official letter with details for parents about the program on Thursday as well!!


Materials for the Family Reading Program will be distributed to in-person learners while they are in school. As of right now, we have two scheduled materials pick-ups planned for distance learners. The first pick-up for materials will be this coming week. Parents can pick-up materials for students starting Thursday, March 4th and families will want to have the materials by the end of the day on Friday, March 5th. This will include our all-school book, student reading logs for the duration of the program, and a chart to keep track of when they meet their weekly reading goals. The second pick-up is scheduled for Friday, March 12th. This pick-up will include the materials for the weekly rewards. There will be several opportunities for distance learners to come into Grove to participate in activities should they opt to do so, however, they will be able to participate in everything via distance if they opt not to come in at all. We will also be including our students who are assigned a teacher from another building in all activities.

CogAT Assessments for 2nd and 5th Grades

The CogAt Testing window for our 2nd – 5th Grade students is opening on Monday. Parents with students in those two grades should access the official CogAT Assessment Letter (English and Spanish) for an explanation of the assessment and additional details about the testing. Details regarding assessments for both in-person and distance learners are included in the letter.

Grove students will review the practice tests with their classroom teachers this week in order to become familiar with the format of the test and the types of questions that they would be presented with during the assessment. Students will then participate in the actual testing the week of March 8th. I encourage parents to ensure that their child(ren) get a good night's sleep and have a healthy breakfast during the week while the assessments are taking place.

SAVE THE DATES – Parent/Teacher Conferences

We will be holding out spring parent/teacher conferences on Wednesday, March 17th from 4-8 p.m. and Thursday, March 18th from 3-7 p.m. I will be sending an official letter with details regarding conferences to parents this coming week but wanted to make sure that parents are able to plan accordingly in order to schedule conferences during the conference days designated by the District.

5 Essentials Parent Survey

The 5 Essentials Survey is parents’ opportunity to evaluate Grove Avenue School according to five “essential” areas critical for school success, including but not limited to ambitious instruction, supportive environment, and leadership. The online survey is open now through April 15th and is accessed by clicking here. PLEASE NOTE: Because Barrington 220 is based in Lake County, choose "Lake" from the county drop down menu, then select our school.

Illinois public schools are required by the State of Illinois to take the 5Essentials survey once every two years. The survey data becomes part of each school’s Illinois School Report Card listing, which is a public website provided by the Illinois State Board of Education. Barrington 220 will receive results from the survey in the spring of 2021, and they will be publicly posted on our Illinois School Report Card the following fall.

Thank you for your participation in this important survey. We appreciate and value your feedback.


Official 5 Essentials Letter in English

Official 5 Essentials Letter in Spanish

Week 5: Resources for Parents to Help Support Reading and Writing at Home

The Teachers’ College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP), creators of our reading and writing programs, have developed numerous videos for families and caregivers to bring more joy into literacy learning. They draw on numerous years of experience and research in providing ideas for supporting reading and writing at home. We will highlight a few videos each week in upcoming newsletters, and encourage parents and caregivers to listen to or watch these short videos. In addition, we will be launching our annual Grove Family Reading Program this week in hopes to also bring some excitement, joy, and motivation to reading! To access all videos created by TCRWP and additional resources, please refer to this link.


All Grades Levels: 6 Ways to Help Your Child Find Success with At-Home Learning and Establish Executive Functioning Skills That Will Last a Lifetime: Shanna offers parents six simple ways to help their child plan, organize and take charge of their remote learning, from having a quick morning meeting to orient to the day’s work to reflecting on work habits and time spent on each task. These tips for improving work habits are useful across grades.


All Grade Levels: Ways to Help Your Child Build a Strong Vocabulary: Hareem shares simple steps parents can use to help a child “own” a vocab word, using belligerent as an example. The steps are quick and doable, like “clap out the syllables” and “scrawl it on the back of an envelope.”


Spanish: Utilizar las listas de la compra, ir de compras y cocinar como oportunidades para aprender / Turning Grocery Lists, Shopping and Cooking into Learning Opportunities: En este video, Jody muestra cómo los padres pueden utilizar las tareas cotidianas como crear listas de la compra, ir al mercado para comprar comida y cocinar la cena como oportunidades de aprendizaje. / In this video, Jody shares how parents can take everyday tasks such as creating grocery lists, going shopping for groceries, and cooking dinner into learning opportunities.

Social Emotional Support for Students

As our students continue to navigate our consistently changing landscape due to COVID 19, we are continuously considering how our children are coping and their overall mental health. Please know that our school and district are here to support our students who are struggling and may benefit from additional resources. Please see the attached letter regarding this and view the short video explaining how families can access the online META app that is also available to connect students with counselors while at home. Please also keep in mind that parents can contact our school based support directly by emailing our Social Worker, Mr. Walcott, at cwalcott@barrington220.org or our School Psychologist, Tonya Tompkins-Wisz, at ttompkins@barrington220.org.

Upcoming Dates

Monday, March 1st - CogAT Assessment Window Opens for Grades 2 & 5 

Monday, March 1st - 5th grade boys basketball game at home vs. Rose

Tuesday, March 2nd - 5th grade girls basketball game at home vs. Rose 

Tuesday, March 2nd - Luxe Warehouse PTO Fundraiser, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m. and online!  

Wednesday, March 3rd - School Board Candidate Forum, 9-11 a.m. via Zoom 

Monday, March 4th - Family Reading Program Kick-Off 

Thursday, March 4th - 5th grade boys basketball game at home vs. Hough 

Thursday, March 4th - Virtual Parent University, Cultivating Resilience During COVID-19 @ 7 p.m. 

Friday, March 5th - 5th grade girls basketball game at home vs. Hough 

Monday, March 8th - Speech Tournament, 4:00-6:15 p.m. 

Tuesday, March 9th - CogAT Assessment Day 

Tuesday, March 9th  - Speech Tournament, 4:00-6:15 p.m. 

Thursday, March 11th - CogAT Assessment Day 

Thursday, March 11th - 5th grade girls basketball game at home vs. Countryside 

Friday, March 12th - CogAT Assessment Day 

Friday, March 12th - Family Reading Program, Week #1 Reward 

Friday, March 12th - 5th grade boys basketball game at home vs. Countryside 

Wednesday, March 17th - Spring Parent Teacher Conferences, 4-8 p.m. 

Thursday, March 18th - Family Reading Program, Week #2 Reward 

Thursday, March 18th - Spring Parent Teacher Conferences, 3-7 p.m. 

Friday, March 19th - Friday, March 26th - No School, Spring Vacation 

Monday, March 29th - School Resumes 

Parent/Teacher Conference Dinners for Teachers 

The Grove staff will be working long hours during their Spring conferences. The PTO customarily provides them with dinner to enjoy during these late evenings. Normally we would reach out to parents for donations of different food items but because of the continuing safety concerns, we are asking if parents could make a monetary donation to sponsor a meal for a teacher. Donations will also fund snacks and beverages for staff to enjoy on both days. For more details, please go to:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044DAEAE28A2F58-spring

Thank you for helping us show how much we appreciate our Grove teachers and staff!

Ready for some spring shopping?! Enjoy a shopping day at LUXE Wearhouse. 

Tuesday, March 2nd, in stores or online

Kildeer hours are 10am - 7pm 

Vernon Hills hours are 10am - 5pm. 

15% of sales will support our PTO.

Be sure to mention GROVE at checkout or in online order comments. 

Thank you for your continued support!

 

 

5 Essentials Parent Survey 

The 5 Essentials Survey is parents’ opportunity to evaluate Grove Avenue School according to five “essential” areas critical for school success, including but not limited to ambitious instruction, supportive environment, and leadership. The online survey is open now through April 15th and is accessed by clicking here. PLEASE NOTE: Because Barrington 220 is based in Lake County, choose "Lake" from the county drop down menu, then select our school.

 

Illinois public schools are required by the State of Illinois to take the 5Essentials survey once every two years. The survey data becomes part of each school’s Illinois School Report Card listing, which is a public website provided by the Illinois State Board of Education. Barrington 220 will receive results from the survey in the spring of 2021, and they will be publicly posted on our Illinois School Report Card the following fall.

 

Thank you for your participation in this important survey. We appreciate and value your feedback.

Official 5 Essentials Letter in English 

Official 5 Essentials Letter in Spanish 

Week 4: Resources for Parents to Help Support Reading and Writing at Home 

The Teachers’ College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP), creators of our reading and writing programs, have developed numerous videos for families and caregivers to bring more joy into literacy learning. They draw on numerous years of experience and research in providing ideas for supporting reading and writing at home. We will highlight a few videos each week in upcoming newsletters, and encourage parents and caregivers to listen to or watch these short videos. In addition, we will be launching our annual Grove Family Reading Program in a few weeks in hopes to also bring some excitement, joy, and motivation to reading! To access all videos created by TCRWP and additional resources, please refer to this link. 

All Grade Levels: Incorporating Everyday Talk at Home that Can Lift the Level of Your Child's Thinking Skills:  Hareem helps families support a young person’s ability to talk and think abstractly by pointing out the differences between most of our conversations with kids and those that build higher-level thinking skills.

 

All Grade Levels: The Importance of Productive Struggle: Lucy addresses the importance of letting kids do their own work. She helps parents know that it is important to give kids opportunities to grow their own muscles. 

Spanish: El poder de ser bilingue / The Power of Bilingualism

Social Emotional Support for Students 

As our students continue to navigate our consistently changing landscape due to COVID 19, we are continuously considering how our children are coping and their overall mental health. Please know that our school and district are here to support our students who are struggling and may benefit from additional resources. Please see the attached letter regarding this and view the short video explaining how families can access the online META app that is also available to connect students with counselors while at home. Please also keep in mind that parents can contact our school based support directly by emailing our Social Worker, Mr. Walcott, at cwalcott@barrington220.org or our School Psychologist, Tonya Tompkins-Wisz, at ttompkins@barrington220.org.

Upcoming Dates 

Monday, March 1st - CogAT Assessment Window Opens for Grades 2 & 5 

Monday, March 1st - 5th grade boys basketball game at home vs. Rose

Tuesday, March 2nd - 5th grade girls basketball game at home vs. Rose 

Wednesday, March 3rd - School Board Candidate Forum, 9-11 a.m. via Zoom 

Monday, March 4th - Family Reading Program Kick-Off 

Thursday, March 4th - 5th grade boys basketball game at home vs. Hough 

Thursday, March 4th - Virtual Parent University, Cultivating Resilience During COVID-19 @ 7 p.m. 

Friday, March 5th - 5th grade girls basketball game at home vs. Hough 

Monday, March 8th - Speech Tournament, 4:00-6:15 p.m. 

Tuesday, March 9th  - Speech Tournament, 4:00-6:15 p.m. 

Thursday, March 11th - 5th grade girls basketball game at home vs. Countryside 

Friday, March 12th - Family Reading Program, Week #1 Reward 

Friday, March 12th - 5th grade boys basketball game at home vs. Countryside 

Wednesday, March 17th - Spring Parent Teacher Conferences, 4-8 p.m. 

Thursday, March 18th - Family Reading Program, Week #2 Reward 

Thursday, March 18th - Spring Parent Teacher Conferences, 3-7 p.m. 

Friday, March 19th - Friday, March 26th - No School, Spring Vacation 

Monday, March 29th - School Resumes 

 Tips for Making Asynchronous Learning Work For Your Child

Tip #1 - Set up clear expectations.  Now is a great time to set up how this time will go.  Explain clearly where your child or children will work, when they can interrupt a caregiver for help, how siblings should (or should not) interact during this time.  You can reinforce your high expectations for their school work while also acknowledging that this is new and challenging, and that you are learning together.  You may also wish to let them know when they can expect to have time with you or a trusted caregiver.  Sometimes asking for help is really asking for attention.  Having a set time for talking and connecting can sometimes alleviate these frequent requests.  Students should also know how they can communicate with their classroom teacher if they need assistance or aren’t sure of what to do.

It’s never too late for a fresh start, and while it can be challenging to establish new systems or routines, it can be done.  If we continue to reinforce our new normal daily, soon students will develop the desired habits and become more independent with their work. This might sound like;

I know you want lots of hugs during the day.  Let’s have lunch together.  I’ll turn off my work stuff/call you at home so we can chat and eat.  I’ll need to be working the rest of the morning though, so if you have a question you can message your teacher okay?  Or we’ll talk about it later.  Just do your best.  

Or I know it’s challenging to be doing all of this learning on your own.  I can check in with you when I get home from work.  Let’s see what tools your teacher has given to help you.  What questions do you have about this schedule/checklist?  What can I do to support you?

Social Emotional Support for Students 

As our students continue to navigate our consistently changing landscape due to COVID 19, we are continuously considering how our children are coping and their overall mental health. Please know that our school and district are here to support our students who are struggling and may benefit from additional resources. Please see the attached letter regarding this and view the short video explaining how families can access the online META app that is also available to connect students with counselors while at home. Please also keep in mind that parents can contact our school based support directly by emailing our Social Worker, Mr. Walcott, at cwalcott@barrington220.org or our School Psychologist, Tonya Tompkins-Wisz, at ttompkins@barrington220.org.

Upcoming Dates 

Monday, February 15th - Presidents’ Day, NO SCHOOL for Students 

Tuesday, February 16th - Grove PTO Meeting via Zoom, 9:00 a.m. 

Monday, March 1st - Family Reading Program Kick-Off 

Monday, March 1st - 5th grade boys basketball game at home vs. Rose

Tuesday, March 2nd - 5th grade girls basketball game at home vs. Rose 

Thursday, March 4th - 5th grade boys basketball game at home vs. Hough 

Thursday, March 4th - Virtual Parent University, Cultivating Resilience During COVID-19 @ 7 p.m. 

Friday, March 5th - 5th grade girls basketball game at home vs. Hough 

Monday, March 8th - Speech Tournament, 4:00-6:15 p.m. 

Tuesday, March 9th  - Speech Tournament, 4:00-6:15 p.m. 

Winter MAP Assessments 

Our MAP assessments will continue into this coming week with both in-person and distance learners. Classroom teachers will communicate the exact schedule for their class with parents. Please see the attached letter for more information regarding our assessments for this window. 

Valentine’s Day Celebrations

Our Valentine’s Day celebrations will be modified this year due to COVID-19. We still will be celebrating the day with our students, however, we will not be holding our traditional parties. Classroom teachers will be facilitating some festive activities and the exchange of cards on Thursday, February 11th. Students who are remote will participate in activities with their class via Zoom and classroom teachers will have a virtual way/alternative for students to participate in a card exchange. In-person students must bring their cards into the building on Monday, February 8th in order for the cards to be quarantined for three days prior to being sent home with students on Thursday, February 11th. Classroom teachers will communicate other guidelines directly with families for the card exchange. Please note, if cards are not brought in by Monday, February 8th, they will not be sent home with students on February 11th. Thank you for your cooperation and support with this mitigation strategy for our card exchange. 

Week 3: Resources for Parents to Help Support Reading and Writing at Home 

The Teachers’ College Reading and Writing Project (TCRWP), creators of our reading and writing programs, have developed numerous videos for families and caregivers to bring more joy into literacy learning. They draw on numerous years of experience and research in providing ideas for supporting reading and writing at home. We will highlight a few videos each week in upcoming newsletters, and encourage parents and caregivers to listen to or watch these short videos. In addition, we will be launching our annual Grove Family Reading Program in a few weeks in hopes to also bring some excitement, joy, and motivation to reading! To access all videos created by TCRWP and additional resources, please refer to this link. 

PreKindergarten - Second Grade: How to Help Your Young Writer Make a Plan for their Writing:

In this video, Brittany shares ways caregivers can help their child make a plan before they begin putting pen to paper to write a story. 

 

Third - Fifth Grade (and beyond): Three Tips for Helping Your Kids Write Essays: Mary shares ways parents can help their young writers create clear and concise essays. 

 

Spanish: Buscar vídeos de lectura en voz alta en español o inglés / Searching for Video Read Alouds in Spanish or English: Stephanie invita a los familiares encontrar videos de los autores leyendo sus propios libros en voz alta, en español o en inglés, porque mirarlos puede ser una experiencia maravillosa con un cuento y enseña a los niños sobre las personas quienes escribieron las historias que les encantan.  (Stephanie invites parents to find videos of authors reading their own picture books aloud, as watching them can be a wonderful storytime experience and can teach children about the humans behind the stories they come to love.)

Update Information - Virtual Family STEM Night - Thursday, February 11th, 6:00-7:30 p.m.

We are excited that once again, a STEM Family Event is happening this year! Families can participate in one of two ways - either join us virtually on February 11th from 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. while completing the STEM activities at home OR complete the activities with your family at home at any time. 

This year’s STEM activities include “Snowball Launcher”, “ Tallest Tower”, and “Make It Move.” Each Barrington 220 K-5 family will receive one baggie of materials, which will be sent home with your youngest child by the end of the week. If your youngest child is learning remotely and you would like to participate, please pick up your family’s materials baggie that is waiting for you in the lobby at Grove. Please be sure to see the flyers included in Mrs. Matthews email for more information!!!

Evento Familiar de STEM - Virtualmente el 11 de febrero de 6:00 pm a 7:30 pm

¡Nos complace anunciar que nuestro evento familiar de STEM (ciencias, tecnología, ingeniería y matemáticas) se llevará a cabo este año! Las familias pueden participar de dos formas. Únase a nosotros virtualmente el 11 de febrero de 6:00 pm a 7:30 pm mientras completa las actividades de STEM en casa O complete las actividades con su familia en casa en cualquier momento.  

Las actividades de STEM de este año incluyen "lanzador de bolas de nieve", "torre más alta" y "haz que se mueva". Cada familia de Barrington 220 en grados K-5 recibirá una bolsita de materiales, que se enviará a casa con su hijo/a menor al final de la semana. Si su hijo/a menor está aprendiendo a distancia y le gustaría participar, por favor recoja la bolsa de materiales de su familia en el vestíbulo o afuera de la puerta principal de su escuela. Consulte estos enlaces para obtener más información. 

Social Emotional Support for Students 

As our students continue to navigate our consistently changing landscape due to COVID 19, we are continuously considering how our children are coping and their overall mental health. Please know that our school and district are here to support our students who are struggling and may benefit from additional resources. Please see the attached letter regarding this and view the short video explaining how families can access the online META app that is also available to connect students with counselors while at home. Please also keep in mind that parents can contact our school based support directly by emailing our Social Worker, Mr. Walcott, at cwalcott@barrington220.org or our School Psychologist, Tonya Tompkins-Wisz, at ttompkins@barrington220.org.

Upcoming Dates 

Monday, February 8th - Valentine’s Day Cards brought into building for in-person learners to be quarantined for 3 days  

Tuesday, February 9th - Spanish Dual Language Kindergarten Info. Mtg. in Spanish, 6:30 p.m. via Zoom 

Thursday, February 11th - Valentine’s Day Celebrations 

Thursday, February 11th - Virtual Family STEM Night, 6:00-7:30 p.m. 

Thursday, February 11th - Parent University @ 7 p.m. - Youth Mental Health and Suicide: Know the Warning Signs and How to Help 

Friday, February 12th - Institute Day, NO SCHOOL for Students 

Monday, February 15th - Presidents’ Day, NO SCHOOL for Students