Early Learning Center

Hello ELC Families,

We had a wonderful week at the ELC! Students enjoyed engaging lessons and some classes even took a “winter wonderland walk” to admire our festive bulletin boards.

With one week left before break, we’ll maintain our routines while adding in lots of winter fun.

We look forward to a great final week before Winter Break begins!

Warmly,
Jenny Clark & Laura Kopstain

Additionally, please note the following important dates:

Monday December 23-January 5 – No School (Winter Break)
Monday, January 6 – School Resumes
Tuesday, January 14 – Save the Date: ELC Family Literacy Night
Monday, January 20 – No School (Martin Luther King, Jr. Day)

School News:

Spirit Week

We hope your child will join us in a fun Spirit Week the week leading into Winter Break Monday, December 16-Friday, December 20. Monday, December 16th your child can show their school spirit by wearing red or green. Tuesday, December 17th your child can cozy up with a sweatshirt or sweater. On Winter Wednesday, December 18th we encourage your child to wear a hat or white. Thursday, December 19th is Twinkle Toes Thursday and students can wear fuzzy, cozy, or festive socks. On our last day before winter break, Friday December 20th we encourage all sprouts to get festive with a comfy pajama day!

Reminder: Dress for the Weather

Just a friendly reminder to please dress your child appropriately for the weather for outdoor gross motor/play! Layering clothes and sending them with hats, gloves, or jackets when needed will help ensure they stay comfortable while playing outside. If you are in need of outdoor gear for your child, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us or your child’s classroom social worker.

A Message from Nurse Lisa:

We ask that you keep your child home if they have any of the following:

Vomiting or a fever (100°F or greater). They will be sent home, and parents should keep them home for at least 24 hours after vomiting stops or they are fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication (such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen).
Diarrhea. Keep your child home until they are symptom-free for 24 hours and able to tolerate solid foods.
A frequent cough, continuous nasal drainage, or any difficulty breathing.
A rash that is spreading. Please have a doctor evaluate the rash before sending your child to school, and provide a medical clearance note.
Any symptoms that interfere with their ability to learn (e.g., fatigue, discomfort, or pain).

Keeping a sick child at home helps minimize the spread of infections and viruses in the classroom. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping this school year as healthy as possible.

Please reach out to the Nurse Lisa at 847-230-1741 with any questions.

ELC Family Literacy Night- Save the Date

Save the date! Join us for Family Reading Night on Tuesday, January 14, from 5:30-6:30pm. We look forward to seeing you there!

New ELC Families

If your child is new to the ELC, we want to extend a warm welcome to your entire family! We are honored to be part of your child’s educational experience and are grateful for the opportunity to partner with you. For important information for families new to the ELC, please check out the “New Families” section of our website.

PTA NEWS

PTA Meeting

Please save the date for our next PTA meeting on November 12 at 6:00 pm on Zoom. We look forward to seeing everyone at Fall Fest on October 8!

Join Our PTA

We encourage you to consider joining our PTA, which plays a vital role in supporting our school community. To learn more about how you can get involved, please visit our PTA website here. Your participation and support help us create a vibrant and engaging environment for all our students.

Art to Remember
Have you heard about Art to Remember? This amazing program gives families the option to create keepsakes of their student’s artwork, allowing you to cherish these memories for a lifetime. Not only do these items make delightful year round gifts, the Art to Remember program also doubles as a fundraiser for the ELC PTA, which gives us the opportunity to bring more joy to our Sprouts throughout the year! To learn more about Art to Remember, please watch this short video, and thank you for always supporting our Sprouts!

Parent Drop Off and Pick Up

If you are transporting your child to school each day, please follow the procedures below to ensure everyone’s safety:

When you pull into campus, make a left into the parking lot at the first opportunity (follow the signs for “ELC Parent Drop-Off & Pick Up Parking”).
Park your car in a parking space in the designated parking lot (see maps here).
Your child will line up by color team, and a staff member will bring your child to their classroom. We can assist if you do not know your child’s color team.

Drop Off and Pick Up Times:

AM Session: 7:40–7:45 AM
PM Session: 11:25–11:30 AM, Wednesday 11:10-11:15 AM

If you arrive after 7:45 AM for our AM session or after 11:30 AM for our PM session, please head to the second parking lot off Schaumburg Road, park in a parking space, and report to the front office (Door #1) to sign your child in. They will be marked tardy.

At dismissal, please follow the signs shared above, park in a parking space, and stand near the orange cones. Staff will bring your child out to you.

We ask every adult who is picking up a student to always have a valid ID on hand. This is important if your child has a substitute teacher or if you are sending another authorized adult to pick up your child. Only those family members and friends listed in Infinite Campus as emergency contacts will be allowed to pick up your child.

What our Sprouts are Learning

Curriculum
We have moved on to a new unit: Signs! Our students are exploring how signs communicate important messages in our world, where they can be found, the shapes they make, the letters/images they have on them, and how they can help us! As you travel/walk around please consider pointing out signs to your child(ren) – they’ll love the connection to what they’re learning at school!

PBIS
We have been focusing on our school expectations which include being a Super Sprout! Being a Super Sprout means being safe and kind. Our Sprouts have various versions of how we can be safe and kind while at school. We encourage you to use the below visual to support safe and kind behavior at home. Check out more about PBIS here.

Our 2024-2025 Teachers and Teams:

dISTRICT NEWS

McKinney-Vento Assistance Act

The U.S. McKinney-Vento Assistance Act defines homeless children as those who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime abode. In general, children or youth living in motels, transitional housing, shelters, the street, cars, parks, bus or train stations, abandoned buildings and other inadequate accommodations may be considered eligible for McKinney-Vento services. Please visit our website for more information.

Schools