ATTENDANCE: It is of the utmost importance that children arrive at school on time and as frequently as possible. Please allow us to support you in maintaining a strong attendance record for your child.

1. ABSENCES: The school must receive a note or a phone call (please call the school nurse 847-446-1048) as soon as possible, but no later than 9:00 a.m. on the day of a child's absence from school for any reason (there is voice mail). Children who are ill in the morning should not return to school in the afternoon unless their morning absence and permission to return has been discussed with Mrs. Zaleski, the school nurse, at 847-446 1048. Because it is frequently very difficult for the school to reach a parent, reporting your child's absence assures you and the school that your child is in safe hands. If a child has been in school in the morning and does not return in the afternoon, please be sure to call the office. Any child who is running a fever should remain at home until the temperature has been normal without the use of fever-reducing medications for 24 hours. This gives the child an opportunity to recover completely and avoids exposing other youngsters to your child's illness. A child who is absent from school needs to bring a note from home when he/she returns explaining the reason for the absence.
2. UNEXCUSED ABSENCES: While we understand exceptional circumstances do occur, we generally discourage family vacations and other unexcused absences. Children miss valuable class time and discussions when they are absent. This missed class time cannot be recovered through make-up homework. Homework will not be given prior to vacations, but will be distributed following vacations.
3. TARDINESS: Students in grades 1-4 are expected to be in their classrooms and ready to start the day at 8:37a.m. and at 12:27p.m (T-F) and 12:12p.m.(M). Afternoon Kindergarten students are expected in class at 12:27pm (T-F) and 12:12p.m.(M). If your child accumulates three tardies, you will receive a call from your child's teacher. After five tardies, you will receive a letter from the principal. Please contact the school if you have any questions concerning this policy. Even a few minutes of class time can cost your child a connection with his/her class. It is so important for your child to be ready and organized when they start their day- not rushed.

ALLERGIES: More and more children are being diagnosed with severe food allergies. For many of the children, eating, touching or even breathing a tiny amount of the food they are allergic to can result in anaphylaxis and even death. (1) If your child is diagnosed with a food allergy, please meet with our school nurse, Mrs. Jane Zaleski. (2) Provide only commercially packaged foods with preprinted labels OR fresh fruits and vegetables OR non-food items (such as stickers or books) for classroom snacks or parties. Please do not send nut or peanut products to school for classroom treats. No nut or peanut products are allowed on any fieldtrip. Check the ingredients to make sure there are no nut or peanut products in the snack. (3) Have conversations with your child, whether s/he has an allergy or not, about the seriousness of allergies.

BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL "CROW CARE" PROGRAM: Crow Island School offers a fee-based morning (7:00 - 8:25 a.m.) and afternoon (3:15 - 6:15 p.m.) (Mondays 2:45 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.) program housed in the school's 4th grade wing. The program provides opportunities for children to play outside on the playground, relax and enjoy fun activities with other children, and complete their homework. The children are supervised by a core staff of Crow Island Teacher Associates and experienced childcare professionals. Information and registration materials are available at the school. In addition, general information is available through Voice Mail at 604-1928. For reservations and schedule changes call the C.I. Entrance Monitor (446-0353) during school hours. For emergencies only, during program hours, the staff can be reached at 847-767-2270.

BICYCLES: Children in Grades 3 and 4 ONLY may ride bicycles and all other 'wheels' to school. Please provide locks and helmets. Bikes must be walked on school grounds. Roller blades and razors must be carried on school grounds. All bicycles should be registered with the Winnetka Police Department. Second grade students will be able to take a bicycle safety test as part of our Bike Safety Check late spring. They will then be able to cycle to school for the remainder of the year.

BIRTHDAY LUNCHES: Children in Grades 1-4 will be invited to have lunch with peers from their grade and the principal during their birthday months. Parents, if conflicts with schedules arise we can reschedule lunches. Parents should remember to pack lunches without tree nuts or peanuts as some students have food allergies. This is a favorite activity for the principal.

BULLETIN/NEWSLETTER: The Crow Island Bulletin, the school newsletter, is emailed to each family every Tuesday. The deadline for notices to go into The Bulletin is the prior Friday at 12 p.m. Please email articles to cibulletin@comcast.net.

REPORTING & CONFERENCES: Reporting to parents is done primarily through conferences and written reports. Kindergarten teachers will conference with parents in the Fall & Spring. Conferences for students in grades 1-4 are held two times a year. Additional conversations may be initiated by either the teacher or the parent. The November conference will be a goal-setting conference. You will receive written documentation during the March Conference period and a final reporting document toward the end of the school year.

CROWS ROOST COFFEE: The occasional morning gatherings include members of PTO Executive Board and the principal in dialogue with interested parents. Some are theme-based related to school events or interests generated by parents and others are informal conversations self-guided by the group present. Please see the Bulletin and school calendar for specific times.

APPOINTMENTS: If a student has an appointment during school hours, he/she must bring a note from home if he/she is to be excused from school. When leaving from and returning to school at these times, the adult transporting the child must sign the child out/in at the entrance monitor desk located just inside the front entrance. Students must wait at the front desk for their parents.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURE: A call will be made to the parent at home or at his/her place of business except when the nature of the emergency does not allow sufficient time; then paramedics are called immediately. If neither parent can be reached, the adult designated on the emergency card and the family physician are contacted. If it is necessary to transport the child to a local hospital, the paramedics can go to one of the following hospitals: Evanston (all head injuries), Glenbrook, Highland Park, St. Francis, or Rush North Shore Medical Center. If you have a preference of one hospital, please note this on your child's emergency card. However, in a life or death situation, the paramedics must transport the child to the nearest hospital, which is Evanston.

EMERGENCY SCHOOL CLOSING: Inclement weather or other unanticipated emergencies may result in school being cancelled. The determination to close school will be based upon available information collected from local law enforcement agencies, weather forecast services, and neighboring school district administrators. If this happens, every effort will be made to finalize the decision by 6 A.M. If one or more of our schools closes, the District will communicate with parents and staff as soon as possible in the following ways:

Our Website:
School closing and schedule change information will be posted on our district website www.winnetka36.org, and on each school’s home page.

By Telephone:
Parents and staff who have shared their phone contact information will be contacted through our automated phone messaging system as soon as the decision to close is made. If a parent does not receive a school-closing call, it is because the phone number is not listed properly. Parents should contact the school secretary at their child’s school to on the next valid school day to update their contact information.

By Email:
Parents and staff who have shared their email contact information will be also be contacted via an email alert.


Other Sources:
We will communicate our closing information to local broadcast media, including all local television and radio news stations. Information will also be shared with www.emergencyclosings.com.

EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES:

1. AFTER-SCHOOL SPORTS: This program is offered to 3rd and 4th grade boys and girls. It is an optional fee program coordinated by our Kinetic Wellness (K.W.) Instructor, Bob Sweene. It meets once a week from 3:15 to 4:00 p.m. Parents are responsible for transportation home.
2. CHORUS: As part of the music program, 4th grade children can choose to join the chorus, which is directed by Betsy Gmitro. This group meets during lunch recess once a week to practice. The children have several performances during the year.
3. SUZUKI MUSIC PROGRAM: Suzuki is sponsored by District 36 and funded in part by student fees. It is a parent participation program that offers violin, cello or viola during school hours to children from Kindergarten through 4th grade. For further information, please call Shelley Clark, Business Manager, 847-446-9400.

FIELD TRIPS: Be sure to sign and return the permission slip that your child brings home before each field trip. This is a legal requirement.

KINETIC WELLNESS: If children are physically unable to participate in physical education or recess on a particular day, they are required to bring a note to the school nurse from their parents. A pair of gym shoes should be kept at school for physical education classes. They should be clean and marked clearly with the child's name.

LOST AND FOUND: The lost and found is located outside the Kindergarten classrooms. Be sure to label your child's clothing with his/her name. Clothes not claimed will be donated to charity at winter holiday break and the end of the school year.

STUDENTS & CELL PHONES: Students may NOT use cell phones at school. Student cell phones must be turned off and kept in back packs during school hours. Students may use their cell phones after school hours outside of the school building.

LUNCH ROOM: The lunch program is a fee-based optional program offered on an annual basis with or without milk or juice. Registration forms are available by the C.I. Entrance Monitor's desk.

Volunteer Service - Crow Island Associate staff provides Supervision of our Lunch Program. We do have several occasions during the year when parent volunteers have an opportunity to help with the lunch program. Please contact the PTO representatives with your interest and availability.

Families who elect to have their children eat at home may use the program on an occasional basis and pay the daily fee. If you choose to keep your child home for lunch or send your child home with another student, please ensure that he/she is out for the entire hour during the lunch period. This request is due to safety and accountability reasons. The C.I. Entrance Monitor must be notified either by phone or note for any lunchtime absences of those enrolled in the program and for usage by families not enrolled in the program. Any inquiry regarding the lunch program at Crow Island should be directed to Collin Souter at 847-446-0353.

MEDICATION IN SCHOOL: The following procedure must be followed for your child to receive medicine in school:

1. The school must have a written order from your physician stating dose, time, interval, side effects and duration.
2. A signed permission form from parent or guardian (forms available in nurse's office) is necessary.
3. Medication delivered to the nurse should be in the original container - both prescription and non-prescription - NEVER a baggie or envelope.
4. All medication is to be administered by the school nurse or parent.
5. For their own protection, children must never carry or take medicine on their own.

Call the school nurse, Jane Zaleski, if you have any questions (847-446-1048)

NURSE: Mrs. Jane Zaleski is the nurse at Crow Island. She is available each day from 8:00 a.m. until 3:45 p.m. Please feel free to call her with any concerns at 847-446-1048; this is a 24-hour voice mail. Please call the nurse anytime your child has a contagious disease, whether it occurs on the weekend, during vacation or on a school day. Contagious diseases that should be reported are strep throat, scarlet fever, and chicken pox. Head lice should also be reported as soon as they are suspected.

OFFICE: The office is open school days from 8:00 a.m. - 4:15 p.m. Phones will be answered during this time.

PARTIES: Birthday parties or treats at school should be planned in advance by parents and teachers. Simple and easily managed refreshments are best. Some classrooms have children with food allergies. Please check with the classroom teacher or the nurse’s office.

PETS: No dogs are allowed on school grounds during school hours including during drop off and pick up times.

PHONE MESSAGES: Please call the entrance monitor, John Miller (446-0353). Please restrict these calls to emergency situations only. Notes or messages concerning change of plans for pick up or play dates need to be delivered to teachers by parents or caregivers. These messages cannot be delivered by office or Front Desk staff.

PIONEER ROOM: All third graders in the District are served by this life-sized replica of a pioneer cabin complete with hand-made furniture and a fireplace where lunch is cooked. Each child spends one full day in a 'pioneer family' as the culmination of an Early American Study.

PTO MEETINGS: All parents and teachers are welcome to join the Crow Island PTO. Dues are $10 per family, per year.

RESOURCE CENTER: Our award winning Resource Center is an extension of the library facilities. The center offers an array of multimedia learning materials. Included are computers, cooking area, darkroom, and a greenhouse. All children use The Resource Center. Volunteers are always needed. Please contact the Resource Center PTO representative to learn more about how you can help.

TOY WEAPONS: All weapons and their facsimiles are not allowed on school property or on the buses at any time, even as part of costumes.

SNOWY WEATHER/RECESS POLICY: In order to go outside on snowy days, ALL children must have coats, hats, mittens or gloves, and boots. Children in Kindergarten - 2nd grade must also wear snow pants. Students in 3rd and 4th grades must have snow pants to play in the snow.

VISITORS & SECURITY: Parents are welcome to visit at all times. Please arrange in advance a time convenient for you and the teacher. Please respect the integrity of the instructional process - do not 'drop in' the classroom during instructional hours. Visitors must sign in and obtain a nametag at the Entrance Monitor's desk located just inside the front entrance.

BE SMART!

1. Be on time! Arrive in the morning to be ready to start classes by 8:37 and to be ready to start classes by 12:27 (12:12 on Mondays) in the afternoon.
2. Be curious, ask questions, and be imaginative! Show a sense of humor!
3. Know how to share your ideas with others. Encourage your friends to share their ideas too.
4. Do your best work always. Show pride in your work and your school.
5. Listen carefully to others. Speak thoughtfully. Be cooperative.
6. Take a chance. Don't worry about always having the right answer. The way most people learn is by making mistakes.
7. Discover your learning style and feel good about it! No one should make fun of you because of the way you learn.

BE SAFE!

1. Tell an adult immediately if something seems wrong.
2. Never open the school doors for anyone. All guests should enter through the front door.
3. Cross the streets at the crosswalks with the adult crossing guards.
4. Walk bikes & scooters on school property.
5. Keep your hands and feet to yourself. Never hit, kick, push, pinch, threaten, or hurt another person.

BE RESPECTFUL & RESPONSIBLE!

1. Show respectful behavior toward all people and our property.
2. Be friendly. Use good manners. Help other when needed.
3. Be quiet in the hallways.
4. No bullying, no lock-outs. Accept other people the way they are and help them join in your activity.
5. Keep your cubby area, classroom and lunchroom neat and clean. Be dependable and responsible.
6. Be happy! Be true to yourself and your values. Everyone should treat your fairly no matter what. Everyone should be kind to one another. Be honest. Tell the truth.