Dear MacArthur Community,

It has been another excellent week at MacArthur! It is great to walk around our learning spaces and see students engaged in meaningful learning activities. As the weather changes, we would like to ask for your help in ensuring our students are dressed for the weather. I cannot quite believe it is time to pull out the sweaters, jackets and scarves! Another sign of fall is that we are planning for our Halloween classroom parties! In choosing an appropriate costume for your child to wear at school, please adhere to the following guidelines:

•          No fake blood, gore, scary costumes or costumes depicting violence

•          No weapons or “look-alikes” of any kind (squirt guns, chains, whips, plastic swords, etc.)

•          Ensure that costumes are appropriate and inoffensive to all ages at our school

•          Keep make-up to a minimum (there is only a short time given to students to change into costume)

•          No one may wear make-up or costumes to school in the morning

•          Be certain that your child can see through any mask or head covering

We hope you all have a wonderful weekend! See you on Monday!

Halloween Classroom Parties

Our Halloween classroom parties will take place on Wednesday, October 31^. We are grateful for our PTA volunteers who help plan and lead out such fun activities for our students. As a reminder, no food of any kind will be served or distributed to students as part of their classroom parties.

AAPPL Testing

We will be administering the ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) to all students in grades 3^rd– 6^th between October 29 and November 9. AAPPL assesses reading, writing, speaking and listening proficiency through an online interactive format.  The AAPPL Assessment measures target language proficiency and scores will be reported using the proficiency benchmarks related to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) levels – Novice through Advanced.

District 54 Education Foundation – Upcoming Support Opportunity

The Windy City Bulls will host a District 54 takeover night on Friday, December 14 at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, and a portion of the proceeds from each ticket purchased will be donated back to the District 54 Education Foundation.

Click here for more information or to purchase tickets!

The District 54 take-over night will feature District 54 students participating in performances and other on-court experiences before and throughout the game, and a District 54 Special Olympics basketball match at halftime. The Windy City Bulls will host an assembly at the school that sells the most tickets.

Schaumburg Parent University – October classes

Schaumburg Parent University (SPU) is designed to involve more parents in the life of the school, to strengthen family relationships, and to improve parenting skills that will ultimately result in improved student success academically, socially and emotionally. There are two evening programs scheduled for October. Please note that childcare is always available.

• Math Night: Escape Room – October 24
  • Parents, guardians and students in kindergarten through sixth grade will use math, collaboration and creative thinking to unlock clues and solve problems. This event will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on October 24, 2018, at the District 54 Professional Learning Center, 522 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Math Night Flyer

To register or for more information, contact Meg Kwak at 847-357-6586 or spu@nullsd54.org. Leave your name, contact information, the number of children needing childcare (free) and your child’s school.​​​​​​​

Upcoming Events:

• October 29- Nov. 9- AAPPL Testing
• October 31- Classroom Parties
• November 6- Nonattendance Day
• November 7- Picture Re-takes
• November 7- PTA Movie Night
• November 9 – End of First Trimester

Follow us on Twitter

MacArthur is on Twitter! If you haven’t already, give us a follow @MacToros54

Sincerely,

Sonia Esquivel and Debbie Ancona

Good afternoon! As you are making dinner plans for Friday, 10/19, consider stopping by Potbelly at 100 W. Higgins Rd betwen 5-8 pm. Bring this flyer or show it on your smartphone and Potbelly will donate 25% of proceeds to the MacArthur PTA.

¡Buenas tardes! Cuando esté haciendo planes para la cena es el viernes, 10/19, considere pasar por Potbelly en 100 W. Higgins Rd. Traiga este volante o muéstrelo en su teléfono y Potbelly donará el 25% de los ingresos al PTA de MacArthur.

Gracias!

Dear MacArthur Community,

We hope you enjoyed the crisp fall weather with your families this weekend! This weather is perfect for enjoying a book together as a family and the Orange Frog Family Reading Guide that was given out at Back to School night might be just the perfect one! We are excited to share that we have received Spanish copies of the book that will be sent home to families that have selected Spanish as their preferred language for school communications. Please be on the lookout for the book (1 book per family) this week! Please read on for more important announcements and reminders.

Halloween Classroom Parties

Our Halloween classroom parties will take place on Wednesday, October 31^st. We are grateful for our PTA volunteers who help plan and lead out such fun activities for our students. As a reminder, no food of any kind will be served or distributed to students as part of their classroom parties.

AAPPL Testing

We will be administering the ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages (AAPPL) to all students in grades 3^rd– 6^th between October 29 and November 9. AAPPL assesses reading, writing, speaking and listening proficiency through an online interactive format.  The AAPPL Assessment measures target language proficiency and scores will be reported using the proficiency benchmarks related to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) levels – Novice through Advanced.

District 54 Education Foundation – Upcoming Support Opportunity

The Windy City Bulls will host a District 54 takeover night on Friday, December 14 at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, and a portion of the proceeds from each ticket purchased will be donated back to the District 54 Education Foundation.

Click here for more information or to purchase tickets!

The District 54 take-over night will feature District 54 students participating in performances and other on-court experiences before and throughout the game, and a District 54 Special Olympics basketball match at halftime. The Windy City Bulls will host an assembly at the school that sells the most tickets.

Schaumburg Parent University – October classes

Schaumburg Parent University (SPU) is designed to involve more parents in the life of the school, to strengthen family relationships, and to improve parenting skills that will ultimately result in improved student success academically, socially and emotionally. There are two evening programs scheduled for October. Please note that childcare is always available.

• Math Night: Escape Room – October 24
  • Parents, guardians and students in kindergarten through sixth grade will use math, collaboration and creative thinking to unlock clues and solve problems. This event will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on October 24, 2018, at the District 54 Professional Learning Center, 522 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Math Night Flyer

To register or for more information, contact Meg Kwak at 847-357-6586 or spu@nullsd54.org. Leave your name, contact information, the number of children needing childcare (free) and your child’s school.

Upcoming Events:

• October 29- Nov. 9- AAPPL Testing
• October 31- Classroom Parties
• November 6- Nonattendance Day
• November 7- Picture Re-takes
• November 7- PTA Movie Night

Follow us on Twitter

MacArthur is on Twitter! If you haven’t already, give us a follow @MacToros54

Sincerely,

Sonia Esquivel and Debbie Ancona

Dear MacArthur Community,

Thank you to for joining us for student-led conferences over the last two days. We are very grateful for the wonderful collaborative relationships we have with our MacArthur families. Your support is instrumental to the whole-child success of our students. We hope you have a restful weekend and that you enjoy the extra day off on Monday. We look forward to seeing everyone back on Tuesday!

Follow us on Twitter

MacArthur is on Twitter! If you haven’t already, give us a follow @MacToros54

Anti-Bullying Presentation for Parents – Oct. 9

• As you know, District 54 is committed to ensuring the academic success and social-emotional well-being of all students. This fall we introduced a new social-emotional learning curriculum at all grade levels focused on the belief that each child deserves to be Healthy, Safe, Engaged, Supported and Challenged.
• We value our relationships with our students’ parents as we work together to support the children in this community. Therefore, District 54 will host a presentation for parents and other adults in our community about the negative effects of bullying and what we can do as a community to create a culture of kindness and respect.
• Humanity Rising is partnering with Kirk Smalley of Stand for the Silent to deliver this powerful message in October, National Bullying Prevention Month. Mr. Smalley will talk about how his own son committed suicide after being bullied.
• The presentation will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 9, at our Professional Learning Center, 522 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Click here to access the flyer for the event.
• We hope you will make plans to join us. And please reach out to us if there is ever anything we can do to better support your child.

Schaumburg Parent University – October classes

Schaumburg Parent University (SPU) is designed to involve more parents in the life of the school, to strengthen family relationships, and to improve parenting skills that will ultimately result in improved student success academically, socially and emotionally. There are two evening programs scheduled for October. Please note that child care is always available.

• How to Raise Resilient Children – October 11
  • Jacqueline Rhew, the co-author of Successful Parenting, will talk about creating a custom plan for raising independent children into adulthood, with strategies for increasing motivation, healthy goal setting and active school engagement. This presentation is intended for adults only and is presented in cooperation with the Schaumburg Township Council of PTAs . This event will take place at 6:30 p.m. on October 11, 2018, in the District 54 Board Room, 524 E. Schaumburg Road, 2nd floor, Schaumburg. How to Raise Resilient Children Flyer
• Math Night: Escape Room – October 24
  • Parents, guardians and students in kindergarten through sixth grade will use math, collaboration and creative thinking to unlock clues and solve problems. This event will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on October 24, 2018, at the District 54 Professional Learning Center, 522 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Math Night Flyer

To register or for more information, contact Meg Kwak at 847-357-6586 or spu@nullsd54.org. Leave your name, contact information, the number of children needing childcare (free) and your child’s school.

Upcoming Events:

• October 8- Columbus Day/No School
• October 31- Classroom Parties

We hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Sonia Esquivel and Debbie Ancona

Dear MacArthur Community,

Muffins with Moms has been our most attended event at MacArthur for several years and this year was no exception! Thank you to everyone who helped make this event a huge success. On Thursday, October 4, you will receive an email containing your child’s most recent MAP testing results. Please be sure to review this prior to attending your child’s conference. Our staff is looking forward to meeting with you to discuss your child’s academic and social emotional progress thus far. We hope you all have a wonderful weekend. See you on Monday!

Follow us on Twitter

MacArthur is on Twitter! If you haven’t already, give us a follow @MacToros54

Student Led Conferences

• Student-led conferences will be on October 4^th and 5^th.  If you did not sign up for conferences at the Information day or Back to School Night, please contact your child’s teacher to set up a time for your conference

Anti-Bullying Presentation for Parents – Oct. 9

• As you know, District 54 is committed to ensuring the academic success and social-emotional well-being of all students. This fall we introduced a new social-emotional learning curriculum at all grade levels focused on the belief that each child deserves to be Healthy, Safe, Engaged, Supported and Challenged.
• We value our relationships with our students’ parents as we work together to support the children in this community. Therefore, District 54 will host a presentation for parents and other adults in our community about the negative effects of bullying and what we can do as a community to create a culture of kindness and respect.
• Humanity Rising is partnering with Kirk Smalley of Stand for the Silent to deliver this powerful message in October, National Bullying Prevention Month. Mr. Smalley will talk about how his own son committed suicide after being bullied.
• The presentation will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 9, at our Professional Learning Center, 522 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Click here to access the flyer for the event.
• We hope you will make plans to join us. And please reach out to us if there is ever anything we can do to better support your child.

Schaumburg Parent University – October classes

Schaumburg Parent University (SPU) is designed to involve more parents in the life of the school, to strengthen family relationships, and to improve parenting skills that will ultimately result in improved student success academically, socially and emotionally. There are two evening programs scheduled for October. Please note that child care is always available.

• How to Raise Resilient Children – October 11
  • Jacqueline Rhew, the co-author of Successful Parenting, will talk about creating a custom plan for raising independent children into adulthood, with strategies for increasing motivation, healthy goal setting and active school engagement. This presentation is intended for adults only and is presented in cooperation with the Schaumburg Township Council of PTAs . This event will take place at 6:30 p.m. on October 11, 2018, in the District 54 Board Room, 524 E. Schaumburg Road, 2nd floor, Schaumburg. How to Raise Resilient Children Flyer
• Math Night: Escape Room – October 24
  • Parents, guardians and students in kindergarten through sixth grade will use math, collaboration and creative thinking to unlock clues and solve problems. This event will take place from 6:30 to 8 p.m. on October 24, 2018, at the District 54 Professional Learning Center, 522 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Math Night Flyer​​​​​​​

To register or for more information, contact Meg Kwak at 847-357-6586 or spu@nullsd54.org. Leave your name, contact information, the number of children needing childcare (free) and your child’s school.

Upcoming Events:

• October 3- Book Fair Preview
• October 4 – Parent Conferences and Book Fair 11:40 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
• October 5- Parent Conferences and Book Fair 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
• October 8- Columbus Day/No School
• October 31- Classroom Parties

We hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Sonia Esquivel and Debbie Ancona

Dear MacArthur community,

It looks like we can look forward to some great weather this weekend during the District 54 Run to Read Event! We hope you can join us for this great family-friendly event. It has been another great week at MacArthur. One of the Peak Moments for us this week was student picture day this past Tuesday. It was great to see our students showing their best smiles for the camera. If your child missed picture day this week we will have a re-take opportunity in November. Have a wonderful weekend. We look forward to seeing everyone back on Monday!

Student Led Conferences

• Student-led conferences will be on October 4^th and 5^th.  If you did not sign up for conferences at the Information day or Back to School Night, please contact your child’s teacher to set up a time for your conference
• Please call our main office at 847-357-6650 with any questions.

Run to Read

• It is almost time for the School District 54 Run to Read.  This fun family event will take place on Sunday, September 23rd. You can register online by going to https://sd54.org/resources/runtoread/ We hope to see you there!

Schaumburg Parent University – Happiness Advantage Class Sept. 27

• Happiness is not something that happens to you but rather a choice you can make to lead a more fulfilling and enriching life.  Research shows that choosing happiness has an advantage beyond simply feeling good. Come learn about the benefits of positive psychology and experience it firsthand through fun and interactive activities. Parents, guardians and students in kindergarten through eighth grade are invited to attend at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 27, 2018, at the District 54 Professional Learning Center, 522 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. To register or for more information, contact Meg Kwak at (847) 357-6586 or spu@nullsd54.org. Leave your name, contact information, the number of children requiring free childcare and the name of your child’s school.
• Schaumburg Parent University (SPU) is designed to involve more parents in the life of the school, to strengthen family relationships, and to improve parenting skills that will ultimately result in improved student success academically, socially and emotionally.

Universal Screener

• As a school, we strive to meet the needs of the whole child, including the social-emotional needs of every student.  Our teachers know your child by name and by need and we work hard to build relationships and understand all of our learners.  To better ensure we support every student, this year we will be using a universal screener to help us ensure we have identified every student who may need additional social-emotional support.
• The universal screener is a series of questions that staff members complete for the students they support. Students do not participate in the screener or receive direct feedback about the results. If your child has elevated risk factors identified through this screener, we would contact you directly to discuss how we can work together to intervene and support your student.  This is simply one additional way for our staff to make sure we are helping every student be successful.  If you have any questions about the screener, please feel free to contact me.

District 54 Dual/Immersion Parent Night

• Join us on Wednesday, September 26 from 6:00 – 8:00 at the District 54 Professional Learning Center to learn more about the dual and immersion programs at all levels and how you can support your child’s success in two languages. Whether your child is just starting in kindergarten or will head to junior high or high school, sessions are targeted to your specific needs. Click here for the Dual Language/Immersion Parent Night Flyer in English, Spanish and Japanese for more information and to register.

Erin’s Law

Four years ago, we began implementing a child sexual abuse prevention program in our schools as the result of the passage of Public Act 097-1147, also known as Erin’s Law.  This law expanded upon previous legislation and required child sexual abuse prevention education for child beginning in pre-kindergarten and continuing through all grade levels.  Our students will be participating in lessons led by our school social worker and psychologist in their classrooms in October.  Please contact us at 847-357-6650 with any specific questions.​​​​​​​

Upcoming Events:

• September 23- Run to Read
• September 28- Muffins with Moms
• October 3- Book Fair Preview
• October 4 – Parent Conferences and Book Fair 11:40 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
• October 5- Parent Conferences and Book Fair 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
• October 8- Columbus Day/No School
• October 31- Classroom Parties

Sincerely,

Sonia Esquivel and Debbie Ancona

Dear MacArthur community,

We had perfect weather for our Walk and Bike to School Day today! Thank you to all the students and families who participated. We completed our MAP testing this week and it was wonderful to see students so focused on showing what they know and using good test-taking strategies. As a reminder, students will have a half day on Wednesday, September 19.  Dismissal is at 11:40 a.m. and we will not have lunch in school that day.

We hope you are looking forward to a great weekend with your families. Please read on for some important announcements and reminders below.

Parking lot safety:

Thank you for helping us ensure the safety of our students by only turning right out of our parking lot from 8:15-8:45. We would also like to extend a reminder that it is illegal to use your cell phone while driving in a school zone. We appreciate your cooperation in putting student safety first!

Student Led Conferences

• Student-led conferences will be on October 4^th and 5^th.  If you did not sign up for conferences at the Information day or Back to School Night, please contact your child’s teacher to set up a time for your conference
• Please call our main office at 847-357-6650 with any questions.

Universal Screener

• As a school, we strive to meet the needs of the whole child, including the social-emotional needs of every student.  Our teachers know your child by name and by need and we work hard to build relationships and understand all of our learners.  To better ensure we support every student, this year we will be using a universal screener to help us ensure we have identified every student who may need additional social-emotional support.
• The universal screener is a series of questions that staff members complete for the students they support. Students do not participate in the screener or receive direct feedback about the results. If your child has elevated risk factors identified through this screener, we would contact you directly to discuss how we can work together to intervene and support your student.  This is simply one additional way for our staff to make sure we are helping every student be successful.  If you have any questions about the screener, please feel free to contact me.

District 54 Dual/Immersion Parent Night

• Join us on Wednesday, September 26 from 6:00 – 8:00 at the District 54 Professional Learning Center to learn more about the dual and immersion programs at all levels and how you can support your child’s success in two languages. Whether your child is just starting in kindergarten or will head to junior high or high school, sessions are targeted to your specific needs. Click here for the Dual Language/Immersion Parent Night Flyer in English, Spanish and Japanese for more information and to register.

Erin’s Law

Four years ago, we began implementing a child sexual abuse prevention program in our schools as the result of the passage of Public Act 097-1147, also known as Erin’s Law.  This law expanded upon previous legislation and required child sexual abuse prevention education for child beginning in pre-kindergarten and continuing through all grade levels.  Our students will be participating in lessons led by our school social worker and psychologist in their classrooms in October.  Please contact us at 847-357-6650 with any specific questions.

Run to Read

It is almost time for the School District 54 Run to Read.  This fun family event will take place on Sunday, September 23rd. You can register online by going to https://sd54.org/resources/runtoread/ We hope to see you there!

Upcoming Events:

• September 18- Picture Day
• September 18- 6:30 P.M. Girl Scouts informational meeting
• September 19- Staff In-service Day (11:40 A.M. Dismissal)
• September 20- PTA Restaurant Night (Panda Express)
• September 23- Run to Read
• September 28- Muffins with Moms

We hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Sincerely,

Sonia Esquivel and Debbie Ancona