A Little Time Now, A Stronger Year Ahead 🧩
As we begin this new school year, I encourage everyone to take a few minutes to read through this newsletter. The information and reminders inside are designed to help us start the year feeling prepared, connected, and confident.
Each of us is an essential piece of our Stenson community. When we take the time to understand the big picture, stay informed, and support one another, our individual pieces come together to create something stronger than any one of us could create alone.
Thank you for taking the time to read, prepare, and be an important piece of our team. Here’s to a wonderful year together!
Warm Regards,
Dr. Huemmer
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Our Set for Success event will be held on Friday, August 21st. All students, along with their parents/guardians, are invited to find their classrooms and meet their teachers from 2:00-2:30 p.m.
Please enter through your grade level entrance:
- Kindergarten: Door 2
- 1st/2nd Grade: Door 3
- 3rd Grade: Door 4
- 4th/5th Grade: Door 5 (on Latrobe)
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FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: Our first day of school is Monday, August 24th.
SCHOOL HOURS: Students are escorted into the building at 8:37 a.m. daily. School on Mondays runs 8:40 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and Tuesdays-Fridays are 8:40 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
BREAKFAST: Breakfast will be available starting on the first day of school. Breakfast will be served daily from 8:25 a.m. - 8:35 a.m. Students may enter the main entrance for breakfast. If a student arrives after 8:35 a.m. they will need to enter their grade level’s entrance to start the school day. Parents must pay for breakfast through their Infinite Campus account unless they qualify for free breakfast. Breakfast menus can be found on our website.
LUNCH: Students may choose to bring lunch from home or receive a school lunch. We will provide hot lunches through our provider, Organic Life. Students who bring lunch from home, may purchase milk only. Parents must pay for lunch through their Infinite Campus account unless they qualify for free lunch. Lunch menus can be found on our website.
SNACKS: Your child may bring one snack to school. Candy is not allowed. We encourage families to avoid junk food, when possible. Your child’s teacher may communicate more specific information about snacks in the classroom.
MEDICAL FORMS: Please send your child’s medical forms with your child for the first day of school. Click Here for specific information about medical forms.
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ENTRANCE ASSIGNMENTS: Entrance numbers are posted on the doors. Parents are not permitted to enter the school with their child through these doors. Supervisors will be outdoors beginning at 8:30 a.m. Children will be brought in by staff beginning at the 8:37 a.m. bell. Check below for the appropriate entrance.
- Kindergarten, Door 2
- 1st/2nd Grade, Door 3
- 3rd Grade, Door 4
- 4th/5th Grade, Line up by basketball courts, then enter Door 5
Students line up at the entrance doors, in their assigned line, in the morning when they arrive.
The playground, fields and basketball courts are closed before school starts in the mornings.
BICYCLES: Only fourth and fifth grade students are allowed to ride their bikes to school. Students must wear helmets when riding their bikes. Bikes are to be locked up in the bike rack near the main front entrance. Should you permit your child to ride a bike to school, please discuss bicycle safety. No skateboards, scooters, or roller blades should be brought to school.
WALKING ROUTES: Students are to cross Church Street, Skokie Blvd. or Gross Point Road at the intersections with the crossing guard.
Please watch this video to review our arrival and dismissal procedures to ensure the safety of our students.
DROP-OFF AT SCHOOL:
Students should be dropped off between 8:30-8:37 a.m. If you arrive after 8:40 a.m., please park and bring your child to the main entrance. Please note that if the weather is bad (below 15 degrees with windchill, rain, or wet/blowing snow), students will come into the school building beginning at 8:30 a.m.
K-2 dropoff:
- Parents will drop off in circle drive near the playground swing set
- Pull all the way up to the cone and let your child out on the curb side
- There is absolutely no parking- the circle drive is only for drop off
- If you need to walk your child to their entrance, you must park in a legal parking spot
- We encourage parents to say goodbye and let their child line up on their own
- Students will stand in the line labeled with their room number when they arrive
- Parents are free to leave as supervision is available at 8:30 a.m.
3-5 dropoff:
- Parents will drop off on the school side of Latrobe
- Pull all the way up to the cone and let your student out on the curb side
- There is absolutely no parking- the yellow part of Latrobe is only for drop off
- Do not drop your student off on the East side of Latrobe and cross the street
- If you need to walk your child to their entrance, you must park in a legal parking spot
- We encourage parents to say goodbye and let their child line up on their own
- Students will stand in the line labeled with their room number when they arrive
- Parents are free to leave as supervision is available at 8:30 a.m.
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PICK UP FROM SCHOOL:
Parents should arrive by 3:30 (2:30 on Mondays) at the latest. Make sure your child’s teacher sees you when you pick up your child. If you arrive after 3:30 (2:30 on Mondays), please pick up your child from the main office.
Grades K-2 Parents can park in the circle drive as long as they are not double parked
- You may only park in the circle drive after school (before school is drop and go)
Grades 3-5 Students can walk home, walk to a sibling's door, or walk to a parent in a parked car, if they have a signed permission slip. If you choose, you may submit this permission slip to your child’s teacher.
- If you need to get out of the car, you must park in a legal parking spot.
- Parents can park on Latrobe, Lyons, or Church as long as they are not double parked.
- You may not park in the bus lane.
- You may not park in front of the fire hydrant.
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It is very important that students arrive for school on time, everyday, in order for their day to begin smoothly and to avoid the least amount of interruptions for the classroom.
ABSENT FROM SCHOOL: If your child will be absent, you must report the absence including the reason for the absence. If your child has a medical appointment and will come in late or leave early from school, we ask that you report that information as well. Absences or early/late arrivals due to appointments may be communicated through the Parent Portal or you may call the Attendance Line at (847) 676-7396.
TARDY TO SCHOOL: If your child is late to school, you must escort your child into the main entrance and sign them into school for the day. The sign in sheet will also include the reason for the tardiness. Please note that you will be asked to sign your child in late beginning at 8:40 a.m.
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Our Kindergarten Orientation was held at the end of May. If you were not able to join us, please review this presentation. The presentation does include video links to give you a sense of what Kindergarten looks like at Stenson.
All Kindergarten students have been placed in either the Happy Hoppers or the Cuddly Cubs classrooms.
From August 24th-August 27th students will participate in many learning activities as we get to know them. Students will participate in activities with each Kindergarten teacher.
After getting to know all of our Kindergarten students during the first 4 days of school, we will create permanent class lists. Families will receive a communication on August 27th at the end of the day with your child's permanent classroom placement, with either Ms. Laniewski or Ms. Phillippose.
On Friday, August 28th, students will start in their permanent classroom.
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ASSIGNMENT BOOKS (GRADES 3, 4 & 5): Each 3rd, 4th and 5th grader will be issued a Jane Stenson School assignment book. This assignment book will be used each day to record homework assignments in each subject area.
iREADY TESTING: Students in grades 1-5 will be testing in Math and Reading three times a year. Kindergarten will be tested two times a year beginning in December in Math and Reading. Please review this letter for more information about iReady. Your child's teacher will share the testing schedule with you.
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THE 3 R’s: Throughout our school you will see and hear our students talking about being READY, RESPONSIBLE AND RESPECTFUL. These are the pillars of our code of conduct at Jane Stenson School. Feel free to point out examples of how these skills are critical at home as well.
CELL PHONES/SMART WATCHES: The following is prohibited student conduct in Skokie School District 68: using a cellular telephone, smart phone, smart watch, and/or audio/video recording device, or other electronic device in any manner - including during recess - that disrupts the educational environment or violates the rights of others, including using the device to take photographs in locker rooms or bathrooms, cheat, or otherwise violate student conduct rules.
Cell phones may not be used at school. Cell phones must be turned off and stored in students’ lockers before the school day begins through the end of the school day.
A smartwatch may not be used for communicating with others during the school day. If students and parents need to communicate during the school day, they should do so through the Main Office. The school assumes no responsibility for the security of these items.
DOG INFORMATION: Please note that dogs are not allowed, even on a leash, on school property. Dogs are allowed on park district property, however, not during school hours. School hours are considered to be 8:30-2:30 on Mondays and 8:30-3:30 on Tuesdays-Fridays on school days.
BIRTHDAYS: Student birthdays will be acknowledged by the class. Cupcakes or other food items and balloons are not permitted. Party bags are allowed, as long as there is one for each student. Party bags will be distributed at the end of the day and opened at home. If you would like to distribute birthday party invitations, you must include an invitation for each child in the class. The invitations should be given to the teacher and the teacher will distribute.
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- Join the PTA for the 26-27 school year! Click Here for more info.
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August 21st: Join the PTA outside by the playground for cookies & juice following Set for Success, 2:30-3:15 p.m.
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September 14th: PTA Meeting, 6:45 p.m. in the Stenson Library
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- August 21st: Set for Success, 2:00-2:30 p.m.
- August 24th: First Day of School
- September 9th: Open House, 6:00-7:30 p.m.
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If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us.
Main Office Phone: (847) 676-7301
Dr. Huemmer, Principal: rhuemmer@skokie68.org
Ms. Smith, Secretary: msmith@skokie68.org
Ms. O, Health Clerk: ogarriques@skokie68.org
www.stenson.skokie68.org
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