Tuesday, February 9, 2010
    

No School Friday and Monday
School will be closed Friday, February 12 for Parent/Teacher Conference Day and Monday, February 15 for Presidents' Day. School will resume on Tuesday, February 16.     

PTO Lunches
This will be Week B, and the menu is as follows:

Monday: chicken fingers or a green salad
Tuesday: pasta or caesar salad
Wednesday: bagel with cream cheese
Thursday: macaroni and cheese or Asian chicken salad
Friday: No School     

Parent Teacher Conferences
Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for Friday, February 12th. These mid-year conferences may be scheduled at teacher or parent request. Please take time to review the conference form which was included in the progress report that came home and return it to your child's teacher to confirm a conference. We look forward to sharing a more personal look at your child's progress with you during these conferences.     

West School Welcomes Author Phil Bildner!
Author Phil Bildner will be visiting West School on Tuesday, February 16, 2010. Phil is the co-creator (with illustrator Loren Long ) of The New York Times bestselling chapter book series, Sluggers! This winter, the fifth book in the series has hit the shelves. In addition Phil writes picture books Shoeless Joe & Black Betsy , The Shot Heard ‘Round the World, Twenty One Elephants, The Greatest Game Ever Played, Turkey Bowl, The Hallelujah Flight and teen novels too including Playing the Field and Busted. Some of you may know Bildner’s books by another name! In 2009, Barnstormers, the chapter book series was given an extreme makeover and was renamed Sluggers! We're looking forward to Phil Bildner's interactive, upbeat and engaging personality and style. It will be an fantastic visit! Mr. Bildner will be happy to sign your books! Bring in your Bildner books for signing from your personal collection. If you are looking to purchase books written by Phil Bildner, stop in at Books on Vernon to check out their selection as well as other local book sellers. Mrs. Feldman has been placing Mr. Bildner's books out in the LLC for students to check out. Feel free to check Phil Bildner out on-line www.philbildner.com

Download Book Signing Form

    

Sibling Support Group
West School Social Work Intern, Jen Winter, and Talia Nathan, the long-term substitute for Jennifer Paxhia, will be offering a support group for students who have siblings with specials needs. It will be held during school for one half-hour a week for 8 weeks. If you would like your child to participate, please complete the attached permission slip and return it to Miss Winter by February 5th. The group will begin once there are enough participants. Please call Miss Winter at 835-6633 if you have any questions or would like more information about the group. Download Permission Slip

    

West School Happenings
Please take the time to check out the West Happenings, which can be found on the West School website.

    

Big Thinker Alert
Dr. William Damon, Stanford University Cultivating Our Children’s Moral Compass: Empathy, Ethics and the Path to Purpose Tuesday, Feb. 23, 7 p.m. in Misner Aud.

Don’t miss one of our nation’s big thinkers when Stanford education professor William Damon discusses children’s innate morality and their need for purpose in their lives – and what parents can do to foster them on Feb. 23.

Dr. Damon, author of “The Moral Child” and “The Path to Purpose,” is the nation’s foremost expert on moral development of children and is a longtime collaborator of Dr. Howard Gardner, who wowed more than 1,000 parents and teachers at New Trier last fall. This discussion is presented by Glencoe PTO and Family Awareness Network (FAN).

MAKE IT REAL Join fellow parents during a follow-up discussion group the next morning, moderated by local professionals. Space is limited to 30. To RSVP, please go to www.glencoepto.org.

For more info, please visit the PTO website at www.glencoepto.org and click on the Parent Education tab or contact Helene Stelian at hstelian@comcast.net.
    

Netiquette and Online Ethics
Keeping Children Safe Crossing the street, fastening seat belts, bus evacuation and other safety drills are just some of the ways that we teach your children to be safe. During the next few weeks, we will be teaching your children how to be safe while using the technology of today. Our library classes each week will be focused on the critical thinking and decision-making skills that will help your child make good choices while using the internet. After each lesson you will receive an e-mail from your child's teacher giving you information on what was covered and how you can help support this important safety lesson from home. Download Internet Safety Lesson Information for West School     

Student Information to Update?
If you have changes in your street or email addresses, telephone numbers, emergency contact information, etc., please notify Denyse Cannon at the Board Office at 847-835-7812 or cannond@glencoeschools.org . She will enter the changes into the databases maintained for the school district. We appreciate your assistance in keeping this important information up to date.
    

Some Assembly Required
Staff presents “Some Assembly Required: Grassroots Efforts to Create Social and Recreational Opportunities for Students with Special Needs” on Tuesday, February 16, 2010 from 9:30–11:30 a.m. at the New Trier Northfield Campus in Building C, Board Room C234, on the second floor, 7 Happ Road, Northfield, Illinois. Please park in the lot on the west side of Happ Road only.

Space is limited. To ensure a seat, please RSVP to mades@nssed.org with your name, home telephone number and school district by February 12, 2010. Direct questions to Karen Noonan at 847-831-5100, extension 210. Download February 16th Workshop Flyer Now!     

No Cell Phone Use While Driving in a School Zone
As a reminder:
"On August 6, 2009, Governor Quinn signed into law House Bill 71 and House Bill 72. The new laws ban motorists from sending text messages while driving in Illinois, and make it illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving through a highway construction zone or school zone. In addition, it is illegal to compose, send or read text messages, instant messages and e-mail on a cell phone or surf the internet while driving. The ban also includes personal digital assistants and portable or mobile computers, but does not include global positioning systems (GPS) or navigation systems."
    

Ellin Keene Presentation, February 17th
District parents and staff members are invited to a presentation by Mrs. Ellin Oliver Keene on February 17, 2010, from 7:00-8:00 p.m. at the Joseph Sears School in the Nygaard Auditorium.
Mrs. Keene, author of the book, To Understand: New Horizons in Reading Comprehension, and co-author of Mosaic of Thought, explores the nature of comprehension and what’s essential in K-12 literacy learning. The attached flyer provides additional information.
Download Ellin Keene Presentation Flyer!
    

Thoughts from Siblings of Children with Special Needs
Northern Suburban Special Education District’s Association of Parents and Staff presents “Thoughts from Siblings of Children with Special Needs” on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 from 7:30 – 9:30 p.m. at the New Trier Northfield Campus in Building C, Board Room C234, on the second floor, 7 Happ Road, Northfield, Illinois. Please park in the lot on the west side of Happ Road only.

Space is limited. To ensure a seat, please RSVP to mades@nssed.org with your name, home telephone number and school district by March 12, 2010. Direct questions to Karen Noonan at 847-831-5100, extension 210. Download March 16th Workshop Flyer Now!     

Solar Link Live
Solar Panels We now have a "live" link on our home page that will show data on the electricity production of our eight, newly installed, solar panels. Simply click on the "yellow sun" at the top of the West School home page and link up to our up-to-the-hour solar panel data. This information will be used by our fourth grade students as they study science units on ecology, electricity and the solar system this year.     

After School Homework
A Quiet Place The West School Library is open after school on Thursdays, from 3:15 - 4:00 pm for students to have a quiet place to read, work on homework or class projects. Transportation home should be provided for by a parent or guardian. If you child will participate in this after school program, please inform your classroom teacher.

This is another program that has been made available through the Glencoe PTO.

    

Morning Computer Lab
Monday, Wednesday and Friday The Morning computer Lab is open for students to use before school on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. Students should arrive no earlier than 8:00. Students may work on projects, practice keyboarding, or visit our school website with guidance from a computer lab supervisor. KidsView Club will be using the lab on Tuesday and Thursday for the next six weeks.     

2010-2011 Calendar
The Board of Education has approved the calendar for school year 2010-2011. This one page sheet highlights many of the important dates.

Download Calendar Now!
    

Green Tip for the Week
RECYCLING
Recycling 1 aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV set for 3 hours or light a 100 watt bulb for 20 hours. Recycle your cans, glass, plastic and paper!     

Important Information
Information Downloads
Attendance Regulations
Medication Information     

Glencoe Educational Foundation
Visit the GEF website to see what's new, order your commemorative school brick, or get the latest info on GEF Summerfest. Click here for the GEF Website.     

PTO Website
Enjoy weekly updates and information through the Glencoe PTO website! Click here for the online version of the PTO Website.     

Glencoe Junior High Project
To learn more about how your child can participate in Social Service activities, attend social events or participate in the play, please visit our website at:www.gjhp.org.

    

The Glencoe Public Library
Enjoy updates and information on special programs through the Glencoe Public Library! Click here for the Glencoe Public Library website.     

Glencoe Park District
Check out all the fun and engaging programs and special events this season for all ages in Glencoe at glencoeparkdistrict.com.