The Student/Parent Handbook is now available on the Nettelhorst website. To read it-and all Nettelhorst families need to read the handbook-please  type the following address in your browser:

 Nettelhorst.org/dreams/ncg/?page_id=5

It’s very important that all families read the entire handbook and sign the pages at the back of the handbook that require signatures. These pages include various permission slips for students and provide the school with important information. Because we’re late posting this on the website, please disregard the September return date and return the necessary pages to your child’s teacher no later than October 3. Please do be sure that you turn in all of the pages that need your signature.

We’ve posted the handbook to the website in an effort to save trees as well as money, so we ask that you send in only those pages requiring signatures. I hope this handbook provides information that will help your family understand procedures and policies followed at Nettelhorst School. All of our policies and procedures are based on Chicago Public Schools policies.

If you do not have Internet access or cannot print off the necessary pages, please see the office for a handbook request form. We will send the handbook home with your child. We appreciate you helping us to wisely use our resources.

It’s important that we discuss our procedures for dismissal after school. Please refrain from taking your child as the rest of the students in the class are still coming out of the school door. I have asked that teachers, from kindergarten through third grade, check off students’ names when they have been picked up by an authorized adult. We are doing this for the safety and security of all children. When parents attempt to pick up children as they walk out the door, it makes it difficult for the teachers to complete the check-out procedure. It also slows down the process of exiting students from the building. Please wait until all of the students form a line (where they line up every morning). Please also always make sure that you have made eye contact with your child’s teacher. I thank you for your cooperation with this important procedure.

Parents should be and are advocates for children. We appreciate all of our parents and all you do to make Nettelhorst a wonderful place to learn. Nettelhorst has a Parent Advisory Team that I encourage all to join. The Parent Advisory Team is a group of parents interested in making Nettelhorst as great as it can be. Last year, this team helped construct our school improvement plan or what we call the SIPAAA. They also explored important issues, such as standards-based instruction, curriculum goal setting, and character development. Their input has been invaluable in charting the course for this school. Please join the Parent Advisory Team as the team sets the agenda for topics for this school year.  The first meeting will take place in room 204 on October 7 at 5:45 p.m. New team members are always welcome.

Finally, because Caribou Coffee has always been such a kind and generous neighbor to Nettelhorst, I would like to encourage families to support Caribou in its efforts to raise money for efforts that fight breast cancer. Between September 29 and November 2, Caribou will donate 10% of its sales of Amy’s Blend coffee and select merchandise to The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation. Please help Caribou be part of the cure and help support our neighbor!

Quick News 

• If you really want to learn what happened at school on any given day, ask your child about it close to bed-time.  Children are usually more willing to share information closer to bed-time.
• To keep our playground a safe place to play, it’s important to refrain from skateboarding or using any equipment with wheels. In addition to being a safety concern, the wheels will wear off the paint over time. Please respect these guidelines, both before and after school.
• Due to the short week, ISAT results will be sent home on Monday.
• Bank Day has started for the 2008-2009 school year. Students can make deposits every Thursday during their lunch time.

Volunteer Opportunities and Safety

I want to thank all the parents who have offered to volunteer in various capacities, including helping with the supervision of our students on the playground. As you know, the safety and security of our students and staff come first. In light of recent events, it’s necessary that we remain vigilant concerning safety issues. I’m requesting that parents not open doors for others and that all parents check in at the security desk or the main office when coming in to volunteer. It’s important for everyone to wear name tags while in the building. We do keep all doors locked during the day, and I have instructed staff to not prop doors open while their classes are outside using the play equipment. I would ask parents to follow these same guidelines. All staff members have been reminded to view monitors before opening doors.  In addition, custodians have been reminded to check all rooms upon entering the building in the morning. These are normal procedures that help to keep all children and staff members safe. In the mornings, I have assigned staff members to all of the doors that are open for students to enter the school. All other doors are locked. 

I’m also asking for your understanding that we may need to ask you to leave the playground while our students are outside playing. While classes are in session the playgrounds are for Nettelhorst students, and our preschool program is still in session and often using the equipment at 4:00 in the afternoon. It is difficult for staff to supervise our children if the play area is crowded. If you are asked to leave the play area, please understand that we are asking you to leave so that our assistants can safely supervise children. 

When can I learn more about volunteering at Nettelhorst?

Parents and community members interested in volunteering in the classroom, on the playground during recess, or for any of the other opportunities that involve supervision of children are invited to attend an informational meeting on September 29, 2008. We will meet in the community kitchen, around 9:05 a.m., after parents drop off children for the school day. We hope to clarify the roles of our volunteers and how volunteers interact with students. It’s important that everyone who wishes to volunteer attend this important meeting. All parents who wish to volunteer must fill out a CPS volunteer form, and all volunteers who work with children for five or more hours must have proof of a T.B. test. We’ll discuss all of these procedures during the meeting. 

Other Questions

What will the new Dominick’s store mean for Nettelhorst?

Now that Dominick’s is rebuilding at 3030 North Broadway, the supermarket has labeled Nettelhorst its school of choice. This means that we may receive donations because of our association with the store. On Wednesday morning,  at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new store, we received a promise for our first donation of $1,500.00 from Dominick’s. Thank you, Dominick’s, for supporting education at Nettelhorst! We look forward to the new store on north Broadway.

How do children know where to line up?

Mr. Combs has painted various sports-related logos on the back playground. Students will line up behind their assigned logo. This should help reduce confusion during our morning line-up procedures. 

Are you going to be visiting classrooms this year?

I have begun the process of visiting all classrooms. I enjoy talking with the children and observing the activities taking place in classes. Classroom visits are a very enjoyable part of my job as they allow me to get acquainted with students and to discuss instructional strategies with teachers. I really look forward to talking with all the students and teachers during these visits.

When will we be receiving last year’s ISAT results?

The school has received the ISAT results, and these will be sent home next week. If you would like an explanation of the results, please call the office to make an appointment with Ms. Gardner or Ms. Wulbert.  The ISAT results were delayed this year due to a state-wide rescoring process. 

I enjoyed talking with all of you during open house on Wednesday evening. I hope you gained an understanding of your child’s classroom routines and practices. Please remember that communication is key in creating and maintaining an excellent learning environment; I encourage all parents to keep in touch with their child’s teacher. If you were not able to attend open house, I encourage you to obtain the written materials teachers handed out Wednesday evening. The questions below go over some more school procedures and routines. I ask everyone to become familiar with them and put them into practice. 

Inclement Weather:

If inclement weather occurs during dismissal time, where should I enter the building?

Please enter the building through the auditorium doors.  This will reduce the congestion around the doors allowing students to enter the auditorium.

How will I find my child in the auditorium?

Diagrams along the wall will show where the children are sitting.  Please remember to allow all the children from a class to be seated before taking your child home.

Student Arrival

Why does the Nettelhorst staff encourage students to walk into the building by themselves?

It’s important to encourage children to become independent. Children should be walking into the building with their class, without their parents. 

What can I do to encourage my child to walk in the building with the class, without me?

Please discuss this expectation with your child at home. Children should be prepared to walk into the building with the class. Say goodbye when your child lines up. Do not walk with your child to the door while they are with the rest of the class. Your child can do this, and will become more independent and confident.

Parent Volunteers

Are parents welcome to help in the classroom?

Parents have always been an important part of the educational process at Nettelhorst. Please talk with your child’s teacher to see how you can help. Volunteer opportunities are always available. Please see Janet Peterson to find out how you can help at Nettelhorst.

Why am I requested to wear a name tag?

The security and safety of our students, staff, and parents working in the building are a prime concern. Please do not proceed to your destination without signing in and receiving a name tag.

Family Nights

What type of family nights are planned this year?

In addition to the regular fine arts programming there will be a family literacy night and a family science night. The family literacy night will take place on November 5^th at 6:00p.m. Parents and students will be able to engage in literacy activities, and parents will find out how to help their children at home. The science night will take place in January.  Children will lead parents through an activity during the family science night.

When will families know when events will take place?

A school calendar will be published in late September. This calendar will include all fine arts programs as well as family nights. We’re providing this calendar so that families will be able to plan around important school events.

Medical Compliance

What does it mean to be compliant and how do I know if my child is?

All students enrolled in a Chicago Public School must have proof of a recent physical and up-to-date immunizations on file at the school. Our nurse is currently working on these records and will notify families whose children are not in compliance. All medical compliance issues must be resolved before October 15. On October 15, all students who have not turned in the necessary medical information will be excluded from school due to Illinois state law. If you know your child might not be in compliance, please do what you can now to avoid having your child excluded from school.

Free and Reduced Lunch Forms

Your family may have received an automated phone call from the school office regarding this important form. We really do need all of our families to fill out the form. If you are not interested, please do still sign your name and write “not interested.” Last year, the school lost $30,000 in funding because the number of families who filled out the form decreased. I realize that many people do not like sharing income and personal information, such as social security numbers. I do share your concern, but I have to encourage everyone to fill out the form. Please help Nettelhorst receive the funds that should be allocated based on your response on this important form.

Student/Parent Handbook

The Student/Parent Handbook is ready to be released and we need your assistance. We would like to release the handbook on the Internet and will notify all parents when it is on our website. Please call the office if you do not have Internet access, and we will send home a copy of the handbook with your student. It is extremely important that all families choosing to access the handbook on the Internet actually do so. There are important consent forms to print out and turn in to your child’s homeroom teacher. If you do not have the ability to do print documents, please notify the office. We will post the due dates for the consent forms when the handbook is available on the website.

Pick-Up and Drop-Off Procedures

How will the school handle drop-off and dismissal during inclement weather?

      1^st - 8^th grade students         Meet in the auditorium

      K                                       Cafeteria

      Pre-K                                 Dismiss from room                   

How will I know whether drop-off or pick-up is outside or inside?

      A notice will be placed on the doors of the school.

What is considered inclement weather?

Extreme cold, heavy rain, thunder, lightning, heavy snow

What is not inclement weather?

Light rain or light snow

How can I help make dismissal orderly?

Please proceed to the areas above and stand in the outer aisle area of the auditorium or by the windows of the cafeteria. Students will come into the auditorium and be seated. When all children from a class are seated you may pick up your child when the teacher knows that you are present. Please allow students to enter the cafeteria and line up before taking your child out of the cafeteria. Parents are asked to sit down in the community kitchen until their children arrive. 

Yesterday dismissal was not orderly due to the fact that signs were left in the window indicating an indoor pick-up, but the indoor pick-up was not announced and teachers were confused as to where to go. Some teachers would have had a difficult time making it to the auditorium because other teachers and parents stopped at various locations for student pick-up, blocking the ability of other classes to move through the area. Classes began to use alternative routes to reach the first floor. This made it difficult to locate classes. In addition, some teachers went outside because no notice was given to them to have pick-up inside.

I apologize for the inconvenience yesterday during pick-up. We always strive to have clear communication regarding procedures. Clearly, this was not the case on Thursday. I hope this provides clarity on where to pick-up or drop-off your children in the future.

Why does Ms. Wulbert ask us to leave the hallways?

We love our parents and do want you in the building, However, I usually ask parents to leave hallway areas because of the noise and classroom disruption. Our teachers have to frequently close their doors to begin instruction due to the noise in the hallways. Parents are welcome to discuss opportunities to assist teachers in the classroom, but please respect the need for a quiet environment in our hallways. Please take advantage of the community kitchen if you would like to stay and chat or discuss school projects.

Should I bring my child to open house?

This is an opportunity for parents to learn about classroom procedures and academics. This is best done in an adult environment. 

How will I be able to see more than one teacher during open house?

There will be two sessions during the evening to accommodate families that need to see more than one teacher.

What time should I come to open house?

The timeline for the evening is as follows:

• 5:30 to 5:40 Introduction of K - 2nd grade teachers and special teachers
• 5:50 to 6:00 Introduction of 3rd - 8th grade teachers and special teachers
• 6:10 to 6:35 First session
• 6:35 to 6:50 Passing time
• 6:50 to 7:25 Second session

Dates to Remember……

Sept. 8                          Local School Council Meeting                           

Sept. 10                        Open House, 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 13 & 14                Fine Arts Festival

Sept. 26                        Professional Development Day

                                    No school for Pre-K for All

                                    K-8

                                    Tuition Based Pre-K has school on this day