MARK T. SKINNER WEST SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
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2018-2019 School Year 
Week #1: Sept 7th - Sept 13th

 


Dates to Remember
Open House: Grades 3-5 Wednesday, Sept. 12th 5:30-6:30
Open House : Grades 1-2 Monday, Sept 17th 4:30 -6:00
Open House : Grades 6-8  Thursday, Sept. 20th 5:30-7:00
LSC Meeting: Tuesday, 9/18  @ 6pm - Gym
PTO Meeting: Tuesday, 9/18 @ 6pm - Library
Communications Meeting: 9/17 @ 6pm - Library
Walkathon: Thursday, Sept.27th

CPS 2018- 2019 Calendar: here
 
New Articles
 
 
 
Dear Superstar Parents,

I hope that the first week of school has been as exciting for you as it has been for us. We are delighted to see all of our returning students as well as some new faces!  We are lucky to have such wonderful parents who are so involved in their children's education. Our Superstar parents are one of the main reasons why Skinner West is a top ranking school in Chicago! We would like to thank our Skinner Forum/PTO for providing refreshments during our first day of school.

First off, we'd like to welcome our new teachers :
                           Ms. Amanda Shaf, First Grade
                           Ms. Lauren McKenna, Fifth Grade
                           Mr. Jason Mink, Seventh Grade
Congratulations to our new brides :
                          Mrs Sarah Lohman DeJulio - 3rd Grade
                          Mrs Stephanie Travis Brown - 4th Grade
                          Ms Bianca Martin Hogans - Pre School
Farewell and best wishes to our former teachers:
                         Ms. Kelsey Every to Rogers School in CPS
                         Ms. Vickie Mellos to Las Vegas, Nevada
Welcome Back:  Mrs Yamini Irvin, 6th Grade from Maternity Leave
                             Mrs Ashley Wyper, 2nd Grade from Maternity Leave
 
You may have noticed the progress of our four-story addition to the north of the main building.  We are looking forward to the January 2019 completion of our new annex which will accommodate our growing Skinner family with 22 more classrooms!  We have so much to look forward to during this school year with our Superstars .

I wish you a wonderful new school year full of Skinner spirit!

Sincerely,
Mrs. Clark
  Branch
Branch Dismissal Schedule
 
Monday/Wednesday/Friday
KDG: 3:10pm @ Branch or 3:45 @main building cafeteria
First Grade: 3:15pm @ Branch or 3:45 @Main Building cafeteria

Tuesday/Thursday
All KDG & First Grade students will dismiss at 3:45 @ the Main Building cafeteria
 
DonorsChoose
Support Our Teachers on DonorsChoose.org
  
Several of our Skinner West Teachers have projects listed on DonorsChoose.org website, including Ms. Dalal, Ms. Jogmen, Mrs. Milroy, Ms. Mansour and Mrs. Sittner.  

Please browse this favorites pages to support our teachers today - 
 
PTOFall
PTO Fall Fundraiser
  
The PTO fall fundraiser Believe in Magic Gift Catalog is in full swing.

Orders Due with Payment by:  September 24, 2018
Make Checks Payable to:  Skinner PTO
 
Our School Keeps up to 40% of Every Sale!
 Thank you for supporting our school.
 
Joey Lynn Pinaglia / Joeylynn76@gmail.com
PTO Fundraising Contact
Repeat Articles  
 
FeePay Your School Fees Now!
 
New!!  School fees will remain the same as 2017/18.  Find your grade level fees and pay using the PayPal link (found at the bottom of Skinner's homepage) or send in a check made out to 'Skinner West Elementary School'

Don't forget to purchase grade level supplies AND Ancillary supplies, Art and Science supplies

Drop off Ancillary supplies in the library of the main building.
roster2018 19 Classroom Roster
Hot off the press!  Please see this year's classroom roster here!
CPSGO 
GoCPS High School Application Account Activation Available Now!
For families that will be applying to a CPS high school for the 2019-20 school year, it's time to take the next step in the high school application process and activate your account.   
 
Visit https://go.cps.edu/apply/activate to start the activation process.
   
Contact the Office of Access and Enrollment at 773-551-2060 or gocps@cps.edu for assistance.
Walk
FOSW Walk-a-Thon - Save the Date!
 
The annual Friends of Skinner West Walkathon will be held September 27th (rain date September 28th). Last year, we raised $55,000 that was used for many, many school purchases such as the 1:1 chromebook inititative, laminating machines, playground toys, Fire tablets, teacher libraries, new Promethean boards and repair as well as many other items.

This year, we will be focusing on raising funds to help outfit the new annex. Our goal is to raise at least $55,000 to help purchase the technology needed for the new classrooms.  
 
Please save the date and consider volunteering for our event as well  If you are new to Skinner and would like to get involved in our fundraising, please email us at friendsofskinnerwest2011@gmail.com .  More information regarding the Walk-a-thon details and how you can participate will be distributed during the first week of school.

mhouseMusic House After School Registration Now Open
 
The flyer for programming for the 2018-19 school year can be found here.  Parents are welcome to begin to register online for Violin, Ukulele and Rock Band as well.  Scroll down toward the bottom of the page to find Skinner West.

scienceMad Science After School Registration Now Open

Please see attached the amazing registration fliers for Mad Science and Crayola Imagine Arts for Fall 2018 after school programming at Skinner West.

 

amazon 
Skinner West is registered for the Amazon Smile program - Skinner receives a portion of the proceeds on eligible purchases!
 
2. Designate "Skinner School Forum."  Or go directly to  http://smile.amazon.com/ch/36-3490221 
3. Bookmark this page!  Every time you shop at Amazon through the smile.amazon.com website,the top of the page will read: "Supporting: Skinner School Forum."    
dropoffmain
 
                         Avoid a Ticket & Keep our Students Safe!  Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures - MAIN BUILDING
               
Due to the ongoing construction of our new annex, there will be no morning drop off or afternoon pick up for our students on Monroe Street. ALL drop off and pick up will take place ONLY on Adams Street.
  • Once students enter on Adams Street, they must report directly to the lunchroom or gym. Parents and students cannot go to any teacher's classroom without an appointment, and without stopping by the main office first to get a visitor's pass.
  • Kindergarten and First Grade parents will pick their child/children up from the lunchroom at 3:45 P.M.
  • 2nd - 5th grade students will be dismissed at 3:45 P.M.  Parents please receive your child/children on the Adams Street side of the building.
  • 6th - 8th grade students will be dismissed via the back staircase by their teachers, walk along the side of the building near the school's parking lot to Adams Street.
  • Due to the lack of space and congestion in the main lobby, we are asking parents to leave all strollers outside the building.      
  • During dismissal time, please keep the corridors and lobby clear so that students can safely exit the building or get to their after school programs.
  • Please do not park in the bus area on Adams Street during drop off and pick up. It makes it extremely difficult for students to safely get on and off buses when cars are parked in the bus area.
  • We understand parking is challenging in the West Loop, however, we are asking parents not to park in the staff parking lot, and not to block the drive ways of the West Loop residents. We have been warned that parents who block drive ways will be towed.
Please be patient with our new morning drop off and pick up procedures on Adams Street while we await the completion of our much needed Annex. Thank you kindly for your cooperation.   
 
aberdeen 
 Drop off & Pick Up Procedures: Kindergarten and 1st Grade Neighborhood - 225 S. Aberdeen 
 
 
Arrival Procedures: Main Building
  • Students may be dropped off as early as 8:15 at the main bldg for breakfast. KDG students will sit in the designated areas for their class. Ms. Hampton, Ms Rivera, or Ms Wensley will be there to supervise
  • @8:45-8:50am Students line up to board the shuttle bus
  • @8:50am Shuttle to the branch departs; If the child misses the shuttle, it is the parent's responsibility to dropoff at the Branch at the Aberdeen entrance
- OR -
Arrival Procedures: Branch
  • @8:40am, dropoff at arrival begins; Students may eat breakfast at the branch. Students must wait in the cafeteria for their teachers and are not allowed in the classroom unless the teacher is present.
Dismissal Procedures - Pick up at Branch OR Main Bldg
  • You may pick up your child from the branch by 3:35pm
-OR-
  • @ 3:35pm Students board the shuttle bus to the main building on Monday/Wednesday/Friday.  If a parent has not arrived by 3:35pm at the Branch, they MUST pick up at the main bldg
  • @3 :45pm, Parent pick up in the cafeteria of the main bldg
  • Students reporting the STAR Aftercare or Skinner Park aftercare program will report to designated areas
In cases of early dismissals before 3:35pm, the child must be picked up at the branch
    
rp
 
Looking for Room Parent and Auxiliary Room Parent Volunteers for the 2018-2019 School Year
Stay Connected

 Visit our website at http://www.skinnerwest.cps.edu/ for more information about what's happening in school.
All comments, suggestions or requests to submit information to this newsletter should be emailed to skinnerwest@gmail.com.
Communications Volunteers are welcome. Donate your time to help increase communications and contact us!
Would you like to add another parent, guardian or caregiver? 
Sign up for this newsletter here.
 
Deborah M. Clark
Principal
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