Parents of current Skinner students, please mark your calendars for this year's Curriculum Night/Open House. On this date, you will meet your child's teacher and learn valuable information about the upcoming school year and classroom expectations. Also, a brief general presentation with Principal Clark will be included on each night. Purple slips will be written for students whose parents attend the general session in the gym.

Grades 1-2 5:00-6:00 Thursday, September 19th

Grades 6-8 5:30-7:00 Tuesday, September 24th

Grades 3-5 5:00-6:00 Wednesday, September 25th

*This is a parent-only event.

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Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Last week we communicated updated morning drop-off times in our newsletter. We have received incredible feedback from you requesting that we revisit this decision.

To give you some context, there are a growing number of children waiting to enter the building at 8:00 am. With that growing number, we no longer have the staff:student ratio between 8:00 A.M.- 8:15 A.M. required to safely supervise our Superstars. We must work within CPS staff schedules and union guidelines. During our tenure, we have worked hard to accommodate parent schedules to allow students to enter 35 minutes early (at 8:15 A.M.).

We welcome additional ideas to work with you. Please join us at our next Local School Council (LSC) meeting on 9/17 at 6 P.M. During the meeting, I plan to present possible solutions to opening the building earlier which will require budgetary approval by the LSC.

We will share any updates via our weekly newsletters.

In the meantime, please see the current pick-up and drop-off procedures below.

The Adams St. door opens at 8:15 A.M. not 8:00 A.M.

The Monroe St door opens at 8:15 A.M. not 8:30 A.M.

Main Building Arrival (KDG - Classical & Neighborhood)

Adams Street doors will open at 8:15 A.M.

Please use the Adams Street door and go directly to the lunchroom, and sit in the designated areas for their class with Ms. Hampton and other Skinner staff.

At 8:40 A.M., neighborhood kindergarten students will line up to board the shuttle bus for the Branch.

If your child misses the shuttle, it is the parent's responsibility to drop-off at the Branch at the Aberdeen St. entrance.

Branch Arrival - 225 S Aberdeen (KDG Neighborhood)

Kindergarten neighborhood students may be dropped off at the Branch at 8:40 A.M.
They will wait in the cafeteria for their teachers.
Ms. Jackie Garner and other staff will supervise students.
Students and parents may not enter classrooms unless the teacher is present or have an appointment with the teacher.

Main Building Arrival - 1st graders (All programs)

1st Graders enter via Monroe Street entrance & proceed to the Multipurpose Room.

Main Building Arrival - Grades 2-8 (All programs)

Use the Adams Street entrance and proceed to the lunchroom or the gym.

Note:

Free breakfast is available to all students in the lunchroom, multipurpose room & Skinner branch (225 S. Aberdeen).

Parents and students may not go to any teacher's classroom without an appointment or without the teacher present.
All parents must stop at the security desk for a visitor's pass to see a teacher.

Thank you for sharing your concerns. We will continue to look for solutions to ensure adequate supervision and safety for our Superstars before school while trying to meet the needs of our working parents. As always, thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Sincerely,

Mrs Clark

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Volunteers Needed for Skinner's Walkathon

Please remember the annual Friends of Skinner West Walkathon will be held on Thursday, September 26th. By now, you should have received the contribution envelopes and informational letter from your homeroom teacher. This is a fun event in which the entire school gets involved to raise money. This is the largest fundraiser of the year (we raised $65,000 last year) and all proceeds will go to purchase technology and other needed equipment for the school.

We hope you can help volunteer to make this event a success! Sign up to volunteer at this link.

Also, volunteers need to be approved as a CPS Level II volunteer. To get approval, start the process here.

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Volunteer Application Process

Calling all Skinner parents ! Do you want to volunteer this school year in your child's classroom, at a class party, at the book fair or as a chaperone for a field trip? Our Skinner West parent volunteers are essential to our school functions. If you are interested in volunteering or are leading any activity or program at Skinner West Elementary, you must complete a CPS volunteer application. Please visit CPS Parent U to become a qualified CPS volunteer. Getting approved takes just 3 simple steps. However, the overall approval proces does take some time so we recommend applying now so you can be approved when events and opportunities start this fall. For an overview of Skinner's volunteer process, see this document.

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Call for Room Parents!

Room Parents are still needed for the following classrooms:

2nd Grade - Ms. Haddad

3rd Grade - Ms. Shaf

5th Grade - Ms. Oluewu

If you are interested or have any questions, please send an email to Sabrina Wing skinnerwestroomparent@gmail.com.

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Communication Committee Meeting

The Skinner West Communication Committee's mission is to develop an infrastructure that provides timely and informative content to the Skinner community. The Communications Team is seeking volunteers to help author our weekly newsletters and work on our new website. This is an ideal way to get involved if you want to volunteer from home! Committee meetings are open to all parents, school members and community and meet once a month. The first Communication Committee meeting for this school year is on Monday, September 16th at 5:30 in the Skinner West Library. To learn more, please email Melinda Sgariglia.

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Join Us for the First LSC Meeting of the New Year!

Please join us for our first Local School Council meeting of the new year! The LSC is your representation within the school system. The monthly meetings are a great insight into the workings of the school.

Our next meeting is Tuesday, September 17th at 6:00pm in the gym.

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PTO Catalog Fundraiser - Orders Due Next Week

Help support Skinner West by selling items from the "Believe in Magic" catalog to your family and friends. Catalogs were sent home with your students last week. Extra catalogs are available in the school office. All forms with checks must be turned in by Friday, September 20th. Up to 40% of sales will go back to Skinner West, and students are eligible for fun prizes. For questions, contact skinnerwestpto@gmail.com.

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Test Prep Chicago

Test Prep Chicago is conducting a free information session about the Selective Enrollment Admissions Process on Thursday, Sept 19th at Mathnasium of Chicago - West Loop. For more information, see this flyer.

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Neighborhood Cub Scouts

If you have a son or daughter interested in joining a neighborhood Cub Scouts pack, there is an informational meeting on September 19th at 6:30 at Easterseals. For more information,
here is the flyer.

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Tutoring Chicago

Tutoring Chicago is a non-profit organization that provides free, one-to-one evening tutoring sessions for economically disadvanted students each week during the school year. Tutoring Chicago has a Near West Side site on Washington Blvd and Ashland Avenue. For more information about this see these flyers here (English) or here (Spanish).

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Don't Miss the Bus!

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Repeat Articles

Dear Superstar Parents,

We hope that the first week of school has been as wonderful for you as it has been for us. We are delighted to see all of our returning students as well as welcome so many new faces! We would like to thank our Skinner Forum/PTO for providing refreshments during our first day of school to start the new school year. We also want to thank all of our parents who joined us for student orientation and dropped off school supplies a few days before the first day of school. Your generosity is greatly appreciated and will help in both the homeroom and ancillary classes. Supportive Skinner parents truly help make Skinner West a top ranking school.

We are also so grateful for the work of our faculty and staff who made the transition back to school smooth and successful. Special thanks also to our custodians who worked hard this summer to make all three of our buildings sparkle and shine for the opening of school.

We would like to welcome our new faculty and staff:

Ms. Stephanie Battaglia- Special Ed Teacher

Ms. Anna McGowan- Grade 6

Mr. Chase Sheaff- Grade 2

Ms. Jessica Schultz- Grade 1

Mrs. Anya Zamiar- Grade 8

Welcome back Mrs. Oluewu (Grade 5) from Maternity Leave!

Farewell and best wishes to our former teachers:

Ms. McKenna

Ms. Ward

Best wishes to our art teacher, Ms. Bovit, who is on family medical leave.

We all look forward to a fantastic school year. This is the first full school year that we will enjoy the expanded use of our new addition. We are also so proud to officially announce our redesigned school website at https://www.skinnerwest.cps.edu. After months of diligent work by our Communications Committee (a team of dedicated parent volunteers who are always happy to welcome new members), our new and improved website has launched. Our goal with our new website is to provide current and potential families an easy way to learn about school events and access valuable information to assist you with your Superstar education. We will be constantly updating our content with helpful information, listing current event dates, and highlighting school announcements. Keep us bookmarked, and visit us online often!

If you or a family member have not yet subscribed to our newsletter, please click on the star at the bottom our home page and enter your email address(es) or you now can text SKINNERNEWS to 22828 to subscribe (Note: data and messaging rates may apply).

Wishing all of our Superstars another wonderful school year filled with that awesome Skinner spirit!

Deborah M. Clark

Principal

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Physical Education Newsletter - First Quarter

Follow the link below for our 1st Quarter Physical Education Newsletter from Mr. Johnson and and Ms. Westendorf with all pertinent information related to PE. There are links for both physical education teachers, as well as information on PE class curriculum and expectations.

PE Newsletter - 1st Quarter

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Join the Skinner West PTO

The first PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) meeting of the school year took place this week, but it's still not too late to join. Joining the PTO doesn't come with any specific obligations. We're always looking for parents to help out with event planning and decorating, soliciting donations from community sponsors, updating our website, designing flyers, etc. If you have a skill, interest, or community connection that might benefit Skinner West PTO, please attend the next meeting on October 8th or tell us at skinnerwestpto@gmail.com.

Mark your calendars - PTO 2019-2020 meeting dates:

Sept. 10, 2019

Oct. 8, 2019

Nov. 12, 2019

Dec. 10, 2019

Jan. 14, 2020

Feb. 11, 2020

March 10, 2020

April 14, 2020

May 12, 2020

June 9, 2020

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Your Child's Name in Lights!

Looking for a unique way to wish your child a "Happy Birthday"? Surprise them with an electronic greeting on the Skinner West marquee for only $25.

In addition, a birthday greeting will be sent to your child via the intercom during morning announcements. All proceeds will help our Skinner 8th graders go to Washington DC.

Complete the announcement request form
Enclose $25 cash or check to 'Skinner West'
Turn the form into Room 332 - Mr. Bathchelor's room (Note: this is a different room than last year)
Forms must be turned in at least one week prior to your requested date

Your child's birthday announcement will run for 24 hours. If your child's birthday falls on a weekend, the announcement will run the Friday before.

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Box Tops for Education Now Digital:

Support Skinner West with your Grocery Shopping

What is Box Tops for Education?

Box Tops for Education will donate at least 10¢ to Skinner West for each qualifying item you purchase, at no additional cost to you. 10¢ sounds like a small amount, but adds up quickly! Over the years, Skinner West has earned over $15,000.

This summer, Box Tops for Education went digital. The program is transitioning from Box Tops you clip off of packaging, to digital Box Tops that are collected from your grocery receipts on the Box Tops App. The switch to digital is better for the environment, reduces the amount of expired Box Tops that go to waste, and encourages more companies to participate in the Box Tops for Education program.

See the Box Tops Flyer here: Box Tops Overview

How Can I Help Skinner West?

Download the free Box Tops for Education App and create a Box Tops account.
Scan your receipts in the Box Tops app once you get your groceries put away, or within 14 days of your purchase. The Box Tops app automatically detects qualified purchases and any Bonus Box Top offers. Your Box Top earnings are immediately deposited in Skinner's Box Top Account. *If you shop online for groceries, you can participate too! Please see details: Online Shopping Receipt
Go Old School. Keep your eyes open for traditional Box Tops during the transition to all-digital Box Tops. Traditional Box Tops can be clipped off packaging and sent to Skinner West Library with your child.
Not Tech Savvy? Tired of Apps? Send your receipts to Skinner West Library within 7 days of purchase and Ms. Ranftl will scan them in for you using the coordinator account.
Ask Friends and Family to help. Anyone can collect Box Tops for Skinner West! Grandparents, Aunts and Uncles, neighbors, high school and college kids can collect traditional Box Tops, use the Box Tops app, or submit receipts to be scanned.

What Products Participate?

See the full list here: Box Tops Eligible Products

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2019 Skinner Park Fall Soccer Registration

KICS is a non-for profit organization that will be running a fall soccer program out of Skinner Park for Skinner West students, K-8. The program starts now and runs until October 26th and costs $160 per student. Practices will be held at Skinner Park Mondays 5:30pm-6:30pm. Games will be played Saturday mornings at Dunbar Park Complex (300 E. 31st). All teams will play in the Chicago Community League powered by Chicago KICS. To register, go to https://form.jotform.com/chicagokics/skinnersoccer.

Contact Carlos Santizo at carlos@chicagokics.com with any questions.

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Reminder to Parents: Pay School Fees

Parents, if you have not done so already, please pay the school fees for our 2019-2020 school year. Find your grade level fees and pay via CPS' payment site- Illinois ePay or via checks made out to 'Skinner West Elementary School.' Fee information can also be found on the site above.

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Raise Money For Skinner With Amazon Smiles!

Skinner West is registered for the Amazon Smile program - Skinner receives a portion of the proceeds on eligible purchases!

1. Go to this link.

2. Designate "Skinner School Forum"

3. Bookmark this page! Every time you shop at Amazon through this website,the top of the page will read: "Supporting: Skinner School Forum."

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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?

Text SKINNERNEWS to 22828 or click here

(Messaging & data rates may apply)

Deborah M. Clark

Principal