November 2007 Newsletter

AUTHOR TO VISIT LINCOLN
Lincoln School will welcome children’s author, Jim Aylesworth on November 6, 2007. He will present a program for all students during the school day and one for 2nd grade families that night at 6:30PM in the multi-purpose room. The students and staff at Lincoln are looking forward to his visit.

PARKING LOT REMINDER
Between 2:30 -3:10, the parking lot is for the parent pick-up line, teachers, tutors, and after-school staff only. No other vehicles are to enter or park in the parking lot from 2:30-3:10. We have many meetings at the end of the school day and parking is reserved for faculty and staff.

LUNCH ACCOUNT INFO
Macomb School District #185 uses family accounts in their Food Service Department. This means each family has one single account. Every child in your family will use this same account. You can send one payment and it goes onto the family account for all of your children to use. We also have family access available to any family with a child in the Macomb School District. You can get onto any computer with Internet access and see what your child/children have charged on the account. Access and log-in information may be obtained from the Lincoln School office .

ARRIVING LATE
We are still experiencing several children arriving after 8AM. If your child arrives after this time they are considered tardy and must report to the office. Students should be in their rooms at 7:50AM. Excessive tardiness results in loss of privileges or disciplinary action and will be reported to our truant officer.

RECESS
Please help your child to dress for cold weather (hat, gloves, and winter coat). Students will be going outside for recess when the temperature/wind chill is above 20 degrees.

LOST AND FOUND
We have many items in our lost and found. Please label your child’s items (backpack, lunch box, coat). All unclaimed items will be donated to the Salvation Army the week of Thanksgiving.

NOTE FROM THE LIBRARY
Lincoln School will celebrate Family Reading Night during the day on Thursday, November 15. We will have a variety of activities with everyone enjoying reading: favorite stories read aloud; children reading to themselves; visiting parents and leaders in the community reading to classes; and drawings for prizes. (Books, of course!) We’ll also distribute bookmarks to everyone provided by the State of Illinois.

The Macomb Public Library will also be celebrating on Thursday, November 15. For more information, call the library at 833-2714.

PAYMENT REMINDER
If you are making payments on your registration fees, the next payment is due January 11, 2008.

MACOMB EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION
It is not too late to purchase your MEF Coupon Sheets! They are available for purchase at County Market, Farm King, HyVee, Sears of Macomb, Walgreen’s, and Wal-Mart. They are also available for purchase in all the schools.

GENERAL MILLS BOX TOPS
Please keep sending in those box tops! At the end of the school year the PTO will redeem the General Mills box tops to purchase learning supplies.

COUNSELOR’S CORNER WITH
MRS. IVERSON
Are You Helping Them Grow?

Are you helping your child to grow? I’m sure you are feeding your child nourishing food which is helping them grow taller and stronger. But are you helping your child to grow emotionally and socially? By allowing your child to do things on their own, having them help around the house, or having “chores or jobs” to do encourages a sense of accomplishment and self esteem. This is what all of the staff here at Lincoln are working toward with all of the students.
Of course, expectations for kindergarteners are very different from 3rd graders. The first few days of school each year we expect that some kindergarteners will want to be walked to their classroom by a parent. But after the first month, most kindergarteners know their way around the building and can make it to the classroom all on their own. They also know the early morning routine in their classroom and they feel proud of themselves because of it.
Is separation from mom or dad in the morning still difficult in October? Start encouraging them to say goodbye at the front door of the building. By first grade the students are learning to tie their shoes and ride a bigger bike. It takes lots of practice to learn to do those things. By second and third grade being responsible to have homework completed and turned in on time is important.
All of these things take practice and encouragement from all the adults in their life. Are you, as a parent, encouraging independence and building your child’s self esteem? Are you helping them grow?
If you have questions about how to help your child grow emotionally and socially and improve their self esteem, Mrs. Iversen, our counselor, is more than willing to talk with you.