July Newsletter

 

Happy Summer, Stewart Families!

I hope you and your family are enjoying a wonderful summer filled with time to relax, recharge, and make lasting memories. While there's still plenty of summer left to enjoy, our team is busy preparing for another fantastic school year! We can't wait to welcome our Stewart Knights back in August.

Below are a few important updates and reminders to help you prepare for the start of the school year. Please watch for another email on August 1 with additional back-to-school information, including arrival and dismissal procedures, transportation information, and other important details to help ensure a smooth start to the school year.

📅 Important Dates

Monday, August 3
Normal Office Hours Resume  🕢 7:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Thursday, August 6
Kindergarten Supply Drop-Off & Curriculum Night  🕓 4:00–6:00 p.m.

Monday, August 10
Grades 1–5 Supply Drop-Off  🕓 4:00–6:00 p.m.

Wednesday, August 12
🎉 First Day of School! We can't wait to welcome our Stewart Knights back!

Friday, August 21
🏈 First Kaneland High School Home Football Game
Come out and cheer on the Knights!

Monday, September 7
No School – Labor Day

🛝 Playground Update

We are so excited about our brand-new playground equipment! While the equipment has been installed, the project is not quite complete. Turf installation and the final safety inspection still need to take place before the playground can open.

Please obey all posted signs and refrain from using the playground area until further notice. We appreciate your patience and can't wait for our students to enjoy this amazing new space!

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🏫 Summer Office Hours

The school office is open Monday–Thursday from 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

If you plan to stop by, please call ahead at 630-365-8170. Ashley may be assisting elsewhere in the building, and we'd hate to miss you!

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📚 Summer School

Stewart is excited to host Summer School this year!

Dates: Monday, July 6 – Thursday, July 30

Please note that you may see additional activity around the building during these weeks.

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👩‍🏫 Classroom Teacher Assignments

Your child's classroom teacher for the 2026–2027 school year will be available in Infinite Campus on Thursday, July 30.

We know this is an exciting day for students and families!

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✏️ School Supply Lists

School supply lists are linked below for each grade level.

1st - 5th Grade Supply List Kindergarten Supply List

For added convenience, families may also purchase supplies through School Tool Box if they choose. 

https://schooltoolbox.com/school-supplies/school/list-boxes/?schoolId=32532

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🎒 Save the Date: Supply Drop-Off

Mark your calendars!

Monday, August 10    4:00–6:00 p.m.

Students and families are invited to drop off school supplies before the first day of school. Additional details will be shared as the date approaches.

We hope you continue to enjoy the rest of your summer. We are looking forward to seeing our Stewart Knights very soon!

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⏰ Before & After School Care

The Sugar Grove Park District offers before and after-school care for John Stewart Elementary students, conveniently located right here at our school. This program provides a safe, engaging environment for students before and after the school day.

If you have questions about the program or would like to register your child, please contact the Sugar Grove Park District office directly for more information.  https://www.sgparks.org/care-program/

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🌐 Helpful Websites & Ways to Stay Connected

We want to make sure families have easy access to important information throughout the school year. Please use the resources below to stay connected with John Stewart Elementary!

Helpful Website

Visit www.Kaneland.org for district and school information, important updates, calendars, and resources.

Stay Connected

📱 Facebook
Please like and follow our school Facebook page for exciting news, pictures, videos, and celebrations happening at John Stewart Elementary.

📰 Stewart Scoop Newsletter
Be sure to bookmark the Stewart Scoop blog! This is where you will find the monthly newsletters with important updates, reminders, and school highlights.

💙 Parent Teacher Network (PTN) Emails
Stay connected with our Stewart PTN by joining their email list. To receive PTN updates, please email stewartptn@gmail.com and ask to be added to the list.  Here is a link to their website, too!

Welcome Incoming Kindergarten Families!

Dear Kindergarten Parent(s) and Guardians,

Welcome to Kaneland John Stewart Elementary! What an exciting time for you and your child! The staff and I look forward to working with you throughout this school year to ensure that your child has a positive and rewarding school experience.
Front Office Staff
Mrs. Samantha Aversa - Principal
Ms. Ashley Jeager - Principal Secretary
Mrs. Jessica Bottorff - Attendance Secretary

For the upcoming school year, Kaneland John Stewart will run four extended-day kindergarten classrooms, with half-day students throughout all four classrooms. Mrs. Lori Doll, Mrs. Lisa Druwe, Mrs. Alicia Hardy, and Mrs. Stacey Gacek are our fabulous kindergarten teachers this year. The core and half-day classes will run in the AM from 8:45 - 11:30 am. Extension and enrichment activities for extended-day students will take place in the afternoon.

Specific classroom assignments are made based on the desire to keep classroom characteristics equitable, current enrollment information, specific needs of individual students, and registration in extended-day programming. You can find out who your child's teacher is on August 1st in the Infinite Campus App


Infinite Campus
If you have not downloaded the Infinite Campus app, please do, but you can also access the IC system at www.Kaneland.org. This is an extremely important tool for parents to see all of their child’s school information, payments, fees, emergency contact information, etc.


Kindergarten Orientation/Supply Drop Off
Kindergarten orientation/supply drop off for you and your child will take place on Thursday, August 6th from 4-6pm at John Stewart Elementary. Please enter the main doors - door 1

4:00-4:45 pm Principal chat in MPR with guardians to review important information regarding starting school. Kindergarten students play outside on the playground with teacher support

4:45-5:30 pm Supply drop-off in the classroom with guardians and kindergarteners. Teachers will share the curriculum and important classroom information.

5:30-6:00 pm Self-guided school tour of the rest of the building (Optional for families to complete)

*Please do NOT bring other siblings. We want to make this a special event for our kindergarten students

Kindergarten Supply List

At orientation, you will receive an identification tag for your child to wear on his or her backpack to school for the first few weeks. The color and information on the tag will enable staff to guide your child to the appropriate destinations throughout the school, including which bus to board at the end of the day. Transportation information can be found on the Infinite Campus App in early August. If the transportation information is incorrect or needs to be changed, please let your teacher or the front office know. If your child takes a bus, ALL Kindergarten bus stops require an adult when be present at drop-off to release the student. In the event that you will not be able to attend orientation, please contact the school office to arrange the pickup of your child's identification tag. If you have forms to turn in, this is a great night to drop any forms to the office.

The opportunity to sign up for Parent/Teacher Conferences for the upcoming school year will also be available during your visit, so please make sure to bring your calendar.

Our classroom teachers will also be joined by a few other teachers who support our children. Your kindergartener might also talk about Ms. Gacek and Miss Razim who provide interventions and special education supports with our kindergarten team in addition to a few other teachers in the building.

Information from the Health Office
Welcome Incoming Kindergarten Families!

We are already preparing for your child's arrival and looking forward to seeing them in August. Just a reminder to please review these important health requirements for all kindergarten students to ensure a smooth start to the school year.

REQUIRED: PHYSICAL EXAM
● Must be completed within 1 year of school start date
● Due: First Day of School

Physical must include:
● Parent/guardian completed & signed health history
● Allergies/medical conditions
● Diabetes screening & lead assessment
● Exam results + Immunizations

REQUIRED IMMUNIZATIONS
● DPT - 4+ doses (last after age 4)
● Polio - 4 doses (last after age 4)
● MMR - 2 doses
● Varicella - 2 doses OR proof of disease
Hepatitis B recommended (not required)

DEADLINE- Students NOT meeting requirements by October 15 will be excluded from school (per state law).

ALSO REQUIRED
● Dental Exam
● Vision Exam

MEDICATIONS & HEALTH PLANS
● Medication at school requires a signed Medication Authorization form (attached)
● Students with Asthma, Allergies, Diabetes, and/or Seizures should submit an Action Plan from your doctor before the 1st day of school

FORMS & HELP
Submit any paperwork to the school office, by mail, or email to 10827@kaneland.org

Forms are available at www.kaneland.org (Parents → Health Forms), in the health office, or from your doctor

Immunizations are available through Kane County Health Department 630-264-7665. Need help? Call the Health Office 630-365-8170 or email 10827@kaneland.org

Mrs. Von Almen - School Nurse


Exploratory Classes
Each day your kindergartener will go to an exploratory class and your teacher will have a schedule for your information at orientation:

Music - Mrs. Kunstman
Art - Mrs. Gregg
PE - Mr. Biddle & Mr. Schuster
Critical Thinking - Ms. Maz (Mazurkiewicz)
Computer - Ms. Svihlik
Library - Mrs. Steers

I found that asking your child about what exploratory class they went to was a great way to begin talking about their day.


School Hours
First Bell 8:45
Tardy Bell 8:50 - If your child is Tardy, you must walk them into the front office
AM Kindergarten Dismissal 11:30
Walker/Car Rider Dismissal 3:25
Busser Dismissal 3:30

Main Office Hours 7:45 am - 4:00 pm

*Students cannot be dropped off any earlier than 8:40 am, as there is no supervision


Before and After School Child Care Options
We have the CARE program that is run through the Sugar Grove Park District. You can register through their website: https://www.sgparks.org/

This is offered to any student who attends full-day school and for half-day kindergarteners before school starts. SGPD also offers some day off activities during times when there is no school.


Lunch & Milk
If your child is enrolled in Extended Day Kindergarten, they will eat lunch at school. Parents will need to pack a lunch for their child each day. We are a cold lunch school. Milk is available for purchase and can be done by the semester or for the full year. Please go to Infinite Campus to make that purchase.


First Day of School
On the first day of school, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12th, all of our students meet in front of the school (Door 1) with their teacher. We have adults who will help your child find your teacher. All students walk in together. The PTN will have a Card My Yard Sign that you could use to get a picture of your child’s first day. We ask that parents remain in the parent waiting area and not wait at the front of the building.


Ways to Stay Connected
Facebook - Please like and follow for exciting news, pictures, and videos
Stewart Scoop Newsletter - Please bookmark this blog - these are bi-monthly newsletters
PTN Emails - email stewartptn@gmail.com to get on that list

Sincerely,

Samantha Aversa

Principal

Kaneland John Stewart Elementary School