3:00ish ~ visitors begin leaving to have lot cleared for dismissal
Any parent/guardian who plans to enter the building to help with classroom parties needs to let their child’s teacher know by October 26th. We will then compile this information for all classrooms to ensure the safety of the students. Only parents who are on this list will be allowed in the building for parties. Also, please be aware that no siblings or other children will be allowed at the parties.
Head room parents – please be on the lookout for the Party Planning Form to come home from your child’s teacher or download the form HERE.
Costume Information:
Students do not wear their costumes to school. They should bring the costumes to school and change into them before the parade.
Items representing weapons are not allowed. Anything even resembling a weapon will be confiscated and parents will need to pick up the item after school.
No one should wear costumes which appear bloody or promote gore (if in doubt, check with the school office).
No face cover (masks, bandanas, etc.) can be worn to ensure proper identification of all (including adults).
Any hair or make-up preparations need to be completed at home. Students will not be allowed to color their own hair at school.
Date posted: October 11, 2018 | Author: ctwebprincipal | Comments Off on Halloween Information
During the month of September each Early Childhood Class explored APPLES and our favorite Pete the Cat stories. We explored the many different types of apples, we learned about the different parts of an apple, counted seeds, painted with apples and even tasted apples. We then graphed our favorite kind of apple, green, red or yellow. Ask your child which apple won for their class. Our favorite apple activity was apple rolling, where we painted apples and rolled them onto paper! We read so many Pete the Cat stories! Our favorite was I Love My White Shoes! In Mrs. Steinmeier’s class we made a class book about whose shoes and we guess our friends shoes. In Miss Graf’s class we stomped our feet in berries and dirt! What an exciting month. Next month, PUMPKINS and fire safety!
Kindergarten
Kindergarten is such an exciting place to be. We are working hard on mastering our upper and lowercase letters as well as our numbers. This month we are investigating the exciting world of apples. We are learning how to graph, pattern and sort using apples as well as all about Johnny Appleseed. We will be describing the look, smell and taste of a variety of apples as we discuss the importance of our 5 senses. So much fun and learning happening in K!!
First Grade
First graders have been learning about community helpers. They were excited to collaborate with classmates and create a life size community helper. Then they labeled the important tools their helper uses to do their job.
Second Grade
Second Grade is off to a great start. To help build community within our classrooms, each class has picked an animal as a class mascot. We are proud to introduce the 2B Dingoes, 2S Tigers, 2Da Wombats, 2P Platypuses, and 2De Huskies. We will be studying these animals throughout the year as we learn about different biomes in science.
Reading/ELL Resource
Students have been busy with the start of the school year. Some of the literacy skills they have been working on include asking and answering questions regarding the setting, characters, sequence of events, problem and solution of the story to demonstrate understanding in literature. There are various opportunities to instill a passion for literacy throughout the year by listening to your child read, reading with your child and asking your child about the books they are reading. In addition, Country Trail’s Family Literacy Night will be on October 18th from 6:00–7:30 p.m. with the Book Fair being open 5:30 – 8:00 p.m. Step into the Enchanted Forest of Literacy for an evening of family fun!
Date posted: October 2, 2018 | Author: ctwebprincipal | Comments Off on CURRICULUM CORNER
Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, the Central 301 Early Childhood Program will be offered at Howard B. Thomas Grade School, Prairie View Grade School, and Country Trails Elementary School. We are currently accepting applications for enrollment and openings are filling up fast. Please note, enrollment will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. If needed, a wait list system will be implemented. If your child is eligible to enter kindergarten, they will not be eligible to enter this program.
The 18-19 Early Childhood Program begins on August 27th and ends in May, similar to the district calendar. An Early Childhood calendar for the 18-19 school year will be available soon. The morning session is for 3-year-olds and is from 8:30 – 11:00 a.m. The afternoon session is for 4-year-olds and is from 12:30 – 3:00 p.m. Classes are held 5 days per week, Monday through Friday. Each blended classroom will be composed of up to 15 students: 5 students with IEP’s (Individual Education Plans) and 10 non-IEP students. Non-IEP students must be toilet trained by the start of school in order to participate in the program.
There is an annual tuition fee of $2,000.00 per student, which will be spread out over 8 monthly payments of $250.00. There is also an annual registration fee of $60.00. Families will need to provide transportation as bus transportation is not available.
Federal law requires us to screen all early childhood students prior to enrollment. Children will be screened in the following areas:
pre-academic skill development
motor development
language development
social emotional development
If the screening indicates there may be a developmental delay, we may ask for parent permission to do a full evaluation. Regardless of the screening findings, you will be able to register your child for our early childhood program once the screening is complete if space is available.
If you are interested in enrolling your child in the Central 301 early childhood program or have additional questions, please contact Michelle Vaughn, Assistant Director of Support Services, Coordinator of Early Childhood and K-5, at michelle.vaughn@central301.net or 847-464-5863, or you can visit https://central301.net/early-childhood/ to print an application.
Date posted: September 19, 2018 | Author: ctwebprincipal | Comments Off on D301 EARLY CHILDHOOD PROGRAM
We are accepting registration paperwork for new students enrolling in District 301 for the 2018-2019 school year. Please visit the registration information page on the district website for forms and general information.
If you have any questions about registration, please contact the Country Trails office at 847-717-8000.
Date posted: September 19, 2018 | Author: ctwebprincipal | Comments Off on 2018-2019 REGISTRATION
Just a reminder, retakes are for the new students or students that were absent on the original picture day, or for students that would like a retake. Students that would like a retake DO NEED TO BRING their original picture package in order to receive a new one. If they forgot the original picture package, they can still have their picture retaken; however, Inter-State Studios will not print a new package until they receive their old pictures, so it’s very important for students who are requesting a retake to bring in their original picture packet ON OR BEFORE picture retakeday.
Date posted: September 19, 2018 | Author: ctwebprincipal | Comments Off on Picture Retake Day
This year, third grade is working on building team strategies through STEM challenges on a weekly basis. STEM challenges are an interactive way to work within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics all in one activity. These activities help to develop strong team working skills both in and outside of the classroom. Along with this, they help to build on problem solving strategies that students are able to take and apply to independent work. One of our first challenges of the year was a Breakout Box activity. The groups had to work together to solve clues based on school related topics to break out of their box.
4th Grade
In fourth grade we are currently working on place value and rounding multi digit numbers. This will help students as the year progresses onto more difficult work involving multiplication and division.
ELA – So far this year, we have gone over different types of genre, story elements, and will begin visualizing soon. These aspects of literacy will allow students to better understand texts and immerse themselves within stories – thus building a love of reading.
SS – We are currently working on mapping skills and will begin a mapping project in the coming days! Students have observed and taken note of four different types of maps; physical, political, climate, and resource. Students are going to be making up their own island and create these four types of maps for their own imaginary land.
5th Grade
It’s been a whirlwind start for 5th Grade! In math, we are learning about place-value through the thousandths and addition and subtraction of decimals. For reading and language arts, we completed our mini-unit on figurative language and have started our lessons on main-idea and supporting details. We are working hard on understanding the differences between topic and main idea. For social studies, we have finished our short geography unit and have entered the world of ancient Mesopotamia, where the kids are learning about how civilization grew from early hunter-gatherer societies into powerful empires.
Music Notes
2nd graders worked on rhythm and musical form by playing a hand game to the game from Mexico entitled, “Bate, Bate.” Students created their own 8-beat pattern for the first section of the music, then performed a common pattern for the the other two sections of the song.
Date posted: September 19, 2018 | Author: ctwebprincipal | Comments Off on Curriculum Corner
Registration is open for the 2018 – 2019 School year. Children must be five years of age on or before September 1, 2018. If you have questions regarding Kindergarten enrollment, please contact Graydon Engle at graydon.engle@central301.net.
Kindergarten Screening will be conducted August 20th – 22nd and an appointment is needed. Please click here to sign up for or change your kindergarten screening time.
Important dates:
A parent meeting is scheduled for Thursday, August 23rd at 6:00 pm.
Meet-N-Greet for Kindergarten students only will be Friday, August 24th from 2:00-3:00 pm.
Kindergarten students first day is Monday, August 27th.
Date posted: June 14, 2018 | Author: ctwebprincipal | Comments Off on Kindergarten Information and Screening Sign Up
New Student Registration: If you are registering for the 2018-2019 school year at Country Trails, please contact Teri Schramer at (847) 717-8000.
School Supply List: Please click here for a list of class supplies.
Class & Bus Assignment: Information about class and bus assignments will be available on the Skyward Parent Portal in August. More information will be sent out via E-Blast.
Chromebooks: Students going into:
Kindergarten (18-19) will receive a new device
First Grade (18-19) will receive the current device
Second Grade (18-19) will receive a new device
Third Grade (18-19) will receive a new device
Fourth Grade (18-19) will receive a new device
Fifth Grade (18-19) will bring their current device back with them on the first day of school
IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2018-2019
August 20-22 – Kindergarten Testing
August 21 – Meet and Greet for Grades 1-5 (2:00 pm – 3:00 pm)
August 22 – First Day of School for Grades 1-5 (9:10 am)
August 23 – Early Childhood andKindergarten Parent Night (6:00 pm)
August 24 – Early Childhood andKindergarten Meet and Greet (2:00 – 2:30 pm)
August 27 – First Day of Kindergarten Class (9:00 am)
August 27 – First Day of Early Childhood Classes (AM: 8:30 am – 11:00 am) (PM: 12:30 pm – 3:00 pm)
Date posted: June 14, 2018 | Author: ctwebprincipal | Comments Off on Summer Information
The developmental screenings for the 2017-2018 school year have ended, yet we will have more dates starting in August for the 2018-19 school year. Every month we will have developmental screenings in Central 301 Schools. Starting with the 2018-2019 school year these developmental screenings will be held at multiple schools. When you call to set-up your screening you will be informed of the location for your appointment. The locations will alternate each month. If you are interested in registering your child for the tuition program (general education) they will still need to go through the screening process.
If you have a child between the ages of birth and five years old and would like to have them screened please contact Julie Salamone at (847) 464-6008 or julie.salamone@central301.net. If you are reaching out after July 1st please contact Mike Potsic at (847) 464-6005 or mike.potsic@central301.net
Date posted: June 13, 2018 | Author: ctwebprincipal | Comments Off on Early Childhood