McDole Messenger
April 12th, 2024
Important Upcoming Dates
- April 13th - PTO Spring Dance
- April 18th - 3rd Grade Concert 2:45 pm
- April 26th - PTO Fun Lunch
- May 6th - 10th - Teacher Appreciation Week
PTO Hawaiian Bash - This Saturday!
McDole students and their special someone are invited! Put on your favorite island dress or Hawaiian shirt and join us for an exciting evening of dancing, refreshments, basket raffles, and souvenir photos! The bash will take place this Saturday, August 13th in our school gym from 6:00-8:00 pm. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door cash/card. The price at the door is $40 + $20 for each additional students.
We will also be raffling off over 25 awesome baskets/prizes: XBOX, American Girl Doll, Hoverboard, Lego sets, and so much more!
Solar Eclipse
This past Monday students had the opportunity to go outside to observe the Solar Eclipse. After the total solar eclipse on Monday, the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States will be on Aug. 23, 2044. Thank you to our PTO for helping to fund the purchase of the solar eclipse glasses for all students and staff!
PTO Spring Assembly - Chris Fascione
On Friday, April 5th all students at McDole had the opportunity to participate in our PTO Spring Assembly, put on by Chris Fascione. His unique combination of storytelling, mime, juggling and comedy created colorful characters from literature who tell their stories with plenty of laughter as well. A special thanks to our PTO for funding the assembly!
Summer School, Engagement Camps, and Day Camp Registration
Just a reminder that summer school, engagement camps, and day camp registration is now open and will close on April 30th, 2024 (firm registration deadline).Registration for credit recovery for high school will remain open until June 28, 2024. Jumpstart to Middle School registration will remain open through July 24th, 2024. Please view the Course Guide (English ; Spanish ) to learn more about the courses, dates/times, and fees.
Please also keep in mind that engagement camps differ from summer school core content courses and include sessions such as STEM, theater, crafts, and more! Be sure to explore these sessions in the catalog above. We are looking forward to a great summer and can't wait to see how many Kaneland students will join in on the fun!
Monthly SEL Connection
We are excited to share with you a collection of videos aimed at supporting your child's social-emotional learning and development. These videos cover essential topics such as anxiety, setting boundaries, executive functioning skills, and managing emotions.
By watching these videos together, you can gain valuable insights and practical strategies to help your child navigate challenges, build resilience, and thrive both academically and emotionally.
We encourage you to explore these resources as a family and open up discussions on these important subjects. Together, we can create a supportive environment for your child to grow and succeed.
Teacher Appreciation Week Donations and Door Decorating
Teacher Appreciation Week Donations - We are very excited to spend May 6th - 10th celebrating all of the amazing McDole staff members! Our TAW committee is hard at work planning all sorts of fun for the week. The staff members work so hard all year and we love having this opportunity to show our appreciation.
We would like to provide lunch and a few other things, but we need your help. McDole PTO funds raised throughout the year are used only for things that benefit students. When we do things for staff we ask for donations which are earmarked for that specific activity. If you would like to help us provide lunch to the staff, please use this form to make a donation. All donations, of any size, are greatly appreciated!
Teacher Appreciation Door Decorating - Sign up here! There are still a lot of slots open for door decorating. There are 3 pages to the SignUp Genius, so don't miss pages 2 & 3. Decorating will be done on Friday, May 3rd 3:30-5:00 pm. If you're unable to attend that day, you can drop off decorations to be hung up. I have a limited amount of time, so easy decor if you choose this option. Example pic of posterboards made by students is attached so you can see that 2-3 poster boards would work well for a drop-off decor.
Decorating Tips:
- A roll of Dollar Tree Wrapping paper is the perfect width to cover a door.- Table Cloth coverings are more likely to fall down over the weekend.
- The window in the middle of the door can be covered as long as the side windows remain clear.
- The doors are 35.5” x 82” or roughly 3x6 ft (don't forget to factor in the handle)
- You can decorate with a couple poster boards or go all out. It's totally up to you!
Lockdown Drill - May 1
On Wednesday, May 1, our school will participate in our second lockdown drill of the school year. The drill will be coordinated with the Montgomery Police Department and school personnel, including school mental health professionals. During this drill, teachers will lock their doors, turn off all lights, barricade their classroom doors, and move all individuals within the classroom out of eyesight from classroom doors. The drill will not include simulations that mimic an actual school shooting or active shooter event. Before the drill, teachers will review the procedures with their students so that they are prepared for what the drill will entail. Following the drill, teachers will debrief with their students. If you have any questions about the drill or wish to exempt your child from participating, please contact Mr. Keith Tankersley, Assistant Principal at 92967@kaneland.org
Please see the attached parent letter for additional information and resources.
Congressional Readers Program
Congresswoman Underwood invites K-5 students who live or attend school in the 14th District of Illinois to participate in her Congressional Readers program.
Congresswoman Underwood's Office will send the student’s parent or guardian a book log sheet and additional information including deadlines and information on how to submit the student's finished book log for submission. Students will have until July 14 to read at least 10 books. You and your students can find books at schools, libraries, early childhood centers and community centers.
All participants will be invited to a special celebration with the Congresswoman in August. The student in each grade who reads the most books will receive a special recognition from the Congresswoman. Students must have a parent or guardian complete a permission form to participate. If you prefer a physical copy to sign up for the program, please share your address with us and we would be happy to mail one to you.
Sign Up Here.
Hear more from Congresswoman Underwood: WATCH
If you have any questions, please reach out to our office at (630) 549-2190.
Happy Reading!
Previously Shared
Learning Requests for Next School Year
As we approach the end of the current school year, we are already looking ahead to ensure the best learning environments for our students in the upcoming school year. Your child's placement in classes for the next academic year is a decision of great importance to us, and we want to involve you in this process.
Specifically, we ask that parents DO NOT request a specific teacher. The most beneficial information you can share is related to the type of learning environment that best supports your child as a learner. If you have information about your child and the kind of learning environment in which he/she seems to function best (i.e., highly structured classroom, nurturing), please share this by email to Mr. Zerfas at 41216@kaneland.org before Friday, April 19, 2024. Requests made after the April 19th date may not be considered. Please do not feel you MUST submit information. Our staff is excellent at identifying students' strengths and areas for support.
In compiling class assignments for next year, the teachers at your child's present grade level, other resource personnel, and administrators will consider various factors, including:
- Student's social and emotional growth
- Heterogeneous and rigorous academic grouping
- Balanced gender ratio
- Class composition, in general
- Any other relevant information
By taking all these factors into account, our aim is to create learning environments that cater to the individual needs of each child and foster their academic and personal growth. Thank you for your cooperation and support in this process.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Training Videos for Parents
Kaneland School District is excited to offer Social Emotional Learning (SEL) training videos for parents covering setting boundaries, executive functioning, managing emotions, and anxiety. By watching the training videos and reviewing the PDF of the video presentation, parents can gain valuable insights and practical strategies for supporting their child's emotional well-being. We encourage all parents to take advantage of these resources.
Plus, you can enter a raffle for prizes. Raffles will be drawn every two weeks; the final draw will be on May 20, 2024.
Help Wanted!
We have immediate openings for a Lunch/Recess Monitor! If you are interested or would like to gain more information, please get in touch with our Assistant Principal, Mr. Tankersley, at 92967@kaneland.org or via phone at (630) 897-1961 extension 76105. You can also complete an online application via the link below.
Merch Mart Items Wanted!
We are always looking to add new items to our Merch Mart! If you would like to donate items to be sold, please visit the Amazon Wishlist below! Items will be shipped directly to McDole. McDole Merch Mart Amazon Wishlist
Also, if you have items in your home that you want to donate, we would love to have them. Leftover party favors, pencils, trinkets, and sensory toys are all big sellers!
McDole PTO
Welcome back from McDole PTO! ALL families are members of the PTO. Please join us on our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/108962719205299 and check out our website: www.mcdolepto.org.
We're looking forward to a fun-filled school year!
2023-2024 School Calendar
Access the links below to subscribe to our district calendars that include all events throughout the school year.
District Wide: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/j91ohlcdk2i3me1nhuje8jhecc%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
Kaneland Cares Closet
Here is the Amazon link if you'd rather have items directly sent
Kaneland McDole Elementary School
Website: https://kme.kaneland.org/
Location: Montgomery, IL, USA
Phone: 630 - 897 - 1961
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/McDoleElementary/
Twitter: @KanelandMcDole