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MARK T. SKINNER WEST SCHOOL NEWSLETTER
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2019-2020 School Year
Week #1: Sept 6 - Sept 13
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New Articles
Morning Drop-Off Procedures-Clarification/Update
Repeat Articles
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Dates to Remember
Dance Tryouts (Grades 6-8): 9/6 @ 4:15-6:00pm
PTO Catalog Fundraiser: 9/6 - 9/20
PTO Meeting: 9/10 @ 6:00pm
Star Theater Program Auditions, 9/10 and 9/12 @ 4:00
Friends of Skinner West Volunteer Mtg: 9/11 @ 9:00am
Glee Auditions (Grades 5-8): 9/11 @ 4-5:30pm
LSC Meeting: 9/17 @ 6:00pm
Skinner Walkathon 9/26
CPS 2019- 2020 Calendar: here
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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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Glee Club Auditions
Wednesday Sept. 11th 4:00 to 5:30 PM*
- The Skinner West Glee Club is open to students in grades 5-8.
- Glee Club membership is by audition only, and is limited to 32 members.
- Glee Club rehearses on Wednesdays, 4:00 to 5:30PM in the music room.
- Rehearsal attendance is mandatory. Rehearsals begin on Sept. 18.
♪ SING A SELECTION FROM A SONG OF YOUR CHOICE USING THE MICROPHONE, AND BE PREPARED TO SHOW YOUR VOCAL RANGE.
You must bring a signed permission slip in order to have an audition. Permission slips are located in the music room. Bring the permission slip to audition!
*If time runs out, auditions will continue Fri. Sept. 13th.
Important Information:
- The Glee Club is a chorus, and all members are expected to take the music learning seriously, follow the rules of conduct, and work as a team.
- The Skinner West Glee Club is an after-school class. The class fee is $100 for the 2019-2020 school year, payable in 2 installments.
Limited scholarships are available.
- If your child is already registered in the STAR after school program, there is no class fee for the Skinner West Glee Club.
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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.
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Join the Skinner West PTO
First Meeting - Tuesday, Sept. 10 @ 6 pm
Please join us for the first PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 6 p.m. in room 132. All parents and teachers are welcome. At this meeting, you'll learn what PTO does and how you can get involved. 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 meeting on Sept. 10 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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PTO Catalog Fundraiser
Help support Skinner West by selling items from the "Believe in Magic" catalog to your family and friends. Catalogs will be sent home with your students this Friday, and extra catalogs are available in the school office. All forms must be turned in by Sept. 20. 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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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. -
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Enclose $25 cash or check to 'Skinner West'
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Turn the form into Room 332 - Mr. Bathchelor's room (Note: this is a different room than last year)
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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.
How Can I Help Skinner West?-
Download the free Box Tops for Education App and create a Box Tops account.
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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.
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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? |
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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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Morning Drop-Off Procedures-Clarification/Upate
Branch Arrival-Kindergarten students may be dropped off at the Branch at 8:40 A.M. and wait in the cafeteria for their teachers. Ms. Jackie Garner and other staff will be on hand to supervise students. Students and parents are not allowed in the classrooms unless the teacher is present or have an appointment with the teacher.
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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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Friends of Skinner West Walkathon
The annual Friends of Skinner West Walkathon takes place Thursday, September 26th (rain date 9/27). This is the largest fundraiser of the year and all proceeds will go to purchase technology and other needed equipment for the school.
We raised $65,000 in 2018. Funds from the Walkathon were used to update technology at Skinner West Elementary School such as new projectors in the annex, new laser printers and purchasing or fixing additional Chromebooks for the 1 Chromebook per student (1:1) initiative. Your donations this year will go to fund the remainder of the projectors in the annex, refresh older Chromebooks and supply other technology or classroom needs.
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DROP OFF PROCEDURES - Main Building
8:00am-8:45am
Neighborhood KDG students: 8:00am-8:30am
- Drop off on Monroe Street & proceed to the multipurpose room
- After 8:30am, neighborhood KDG students must be dropped at the Branch (225 S. Aberdeen)
- Breakfast is available until 8:30am
Classical KDG students & 1st grade students: 8:00am-8:45am
- Drop off on Monroe Street & proceed to the multipurpose room
- Breakfast is available until 8:30am
Grades 2 - 8: 8:00am-8:45am
- Drop off on Adams Street
- Exercise patience and caution when dropping your child off on Adams Street
- Please pull up to the curb to let your child out of the car
- Do not double park or block the crosswalks
- Students entering Adams Street must report directly to the lunchroom or gym
- Breakfast is available until 8:30am
Please Note:
- Parents and students may not go to any teacher's classroom without an appointment.
- All parents must stop at the security desk for a visitor's pass.
DISMISSAL PROCEDURES-Main Building
3:45pm
All KDG & 1st grade parents:
- Enter the building & proceed to the gym for pick up
- Students in Star and Skinner Park after-school programs will go directly to their designated areas
Grades 2-8:
- 2nd-6th grade students are dismissed on Adams Street
- 7th & 8th grade students are dismissed on Monroe Street
Please note:
- Due to space and congestion issues, please leave all strollers outside
- Please keep the corridors and lobby clear so that students can safely exit the building or get to their after school programs
- Do not park in the bus area on Adams Street during drop off and pick up. This creates a safety issue for our superstars who need to get on/off a bus
- Once a student exits the building, they may not re-enter except in an emergency
- Parents must pick up their child by 3:45pm
SCHOOL PARKING LOT
We understand parking is challenging in the West Loop!
- Please do not to park in the staff parking lot
- Do not to block resident driveways
- We have been warned that parents who block driveways will be towed
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Music House After School Programming
Please find the flyer for 2019-2020 after-school programming by Music House. You are are welcome to register online for Violin, Ukulele, Rock Band and more! More information on Music House programming can be found here.
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 Skinner Spirit Store
As a proud Skinner West superstar family, we are excited about the upcoming school year and serving our Skinner West community. Stay tuned for information about new spirit items, pop ups, sales and new arrivals.
Be sure to sign up for the rewards program to earn cash towards future purchases. And, as a token of appreciation, we're offering a Welcome Back Sale - and the entire shop is 10% off!
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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!
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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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!
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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
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Share interesting information with your members, such as recent achievements, underutilized member benefits, answers to common questions, or commentary on relevant current events.
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