13 Fun Lunch Orders DUE (please note the date change) 14 District Spelling Bee 5:30pm @ KHS (note a change in time) 20 No school - MLK Jr. Day 21 Fun Lunch Orders DUE
22 Fun lunch - Reams Hot Dogs (please note the date change) 23 PTN meeting 6pm
February 5 Fun Lunch 7 Kindergarten concert
8 Kindergarten Registration (25’-26’) 12 Family Knight Out 14 Valentines Classroom Parties
14 End of Trimester 2 17 No school - Presidents Day
19 Fun lunch 20 PTN meeting 6pm
28 No school - Kane County Teacher Institue Day
Upcoming Five Schools, One Book 24-25 Top 10 Facts...
1. What is Five Schools, One Book? The goal of Five Schools, One Book is to build a community of lifelong readers and we know families play an essential role. To support this goal, EVERY EC-5 learner in Kaneland will receive their very own book. Families will be encouraged to set aside time and develop a special reading routine so they can read and discuss the book together.
2. There will be a Kickoff Assembly on Thursday, January 9th to launch the 5 Schools, One Book program.
3. At the Kickoff Assembly, every EC-5 learner in Kaneland will get their very own book to take home and keep FOREVER!
4. The program starts on January 9th and ends on January 31st. Raffle opportunities will be held on January 17th, 24th, and 31st.
5. 1st-5th grader learners can earn raffle tickets by completing various activities that go along with each chapter. They simply read the chapter, complete the activity, fill out the back of the raffle ticket, and return it to school before that week’s drawing. Raffle tickets will be sent home with their new books on January 9th!
6. Early Childhood and Kindergartener learners can earn raffle tickets by completing three activities in a row on their choice board and returning them to school. Their Choice Board can be folded and put directly in the drawing basket to be entered in the weekly Friday raffle.
7. Everyone will receive a calendar with important information and due dates. (There will be a Grand Prize Culminating Activity announcement the week of January 13th.)
8. In December, weekly videos were released revealing clues that are hidden around each building. Classes worked together to try to solve the puzzle to learn more about the book.
9. Did you know students can visit the Escape Room at KMAC which is centered around the book. It is a fun and engaging way to dive deeper into the book and work collaboratively with others.
10. Teachers will be our actors in the kickoff assembly to introduce the book to our students. We are looking forward to reading together!
Expectation Walks
It's time for our annual mid-year expectation walks to remind students of the expectations throughout our school. Students will participate in these walks when we return from break on Thursday and Friday.
Stations will include:
Bathroom
Exiting the Building
Hallway
Lunch/Recess
Whole Body Listening
These stations will be facilitated by 5th-grade students and staff members. Feel free to ask your child the expectations for each of these areas as another review opportunity.
Final Data Collection for SIP Goal
We are in the final stretch of our School Improvement Goal focused onwritten responses to instructional-level texts, ensuring students answer questions by supporting their responses with text evidence and making connections. Based on the mid-point data our SIP Team has decided to modify our goal to 50% growth or 85% proficiency by February. We will aim to meet our original 60% goal by May with continued practice and another check-in assessment. We are proud of the students and teachers for all their hard work and dedication to this goal.
Ways to support your child at home:
Read passages together, ask open-ended questions about the text, encourage them to identify key details, use visual aids if needed, practice different question types ("who," "what," "when," "where," "why"), and provide positive feedback while helping them to find answers within the text
E-Learning Information and Reminders
This school year, should an Emergency Day be called due to inclement weather, Kaneland School district will be using e-Learning days in lieu of non-attendance days (snow days, cold days, or extreme heat days). The following are the guidelines for how learning will continue on the e-Learning Days in order to keep the learning progression continuing for all students.
The District will provide a regularly scheduled school day on emergency days via a e-Learning platform if the inclement weather is called prior to 8:00 pm the evening before. Students should access the Google Meets link for each class using the Canvas system. Classes will be held according to the regular school day schedule with all Google Meet links posted at least 30 mins prior to the class session.
If inclement weather is called after 8:00 pm or the morning of the day, the district will have a traditional snow or extreme heat day with no classes and the session will be made up at the end of the school year.
Please use this link for resources for Google Meets
Please read the following document to understand more about E-Learning expectations for each grade span.
Delta Dental Assembly (K-2nd Grade)
The Delta Dental Assembly is scheduled for February 4th for our Kindergarten - 2nd Grade students. This assembly is an educational program called "Land of Smiles," which is a free, interactive presentation put on by the Delta Dental of Illinois Foundation that teaches young students about the importance of good oral hygiene habits through fun characters and activities, aiming to promote regular dental checkups and proper teeth cleaning techniques.
A.C.E - After Class Enrichment A.C.E is a FREE after-school program for John Stewart students! It is open to all students from Kindergarten to 5th grade (half-day kinders are welcome to come back at the end of the school day). Students will have the opportunity to choose 2 different A.C.E. classes for the four weeks it is held! One class is for the first two weeks, and the other is for the final two weeks. Mark your calendar for the upcoming A.C.E Dates: (Correction) Wednesday - 2/5, 2/12, 2/19, 2/26
Wednesday, December 4 Sterling & Me PTN Shop Night 4:00 -7:00
Friday, December 6 KHS Madrigal Assembly 1:30 - 2:00
Saturday, December 7 PTN Holiday Shop 10:00 - 2:00
Friday, December 13 1st Grade Holiday Concert 9:00 - 9:30
Friday, December 13 Storm Science Assembly 9:30 - 11:00
Tuesday, December 17 KST Spelling Bee 1:30 - 3:30
Wednesday, December 18 Fun Lunch - Culvers
Wednesday, December 18 KHMS Knightshift/Jazz Band Concert 10:00 - 10:30
Thursday, December 19 1Hr Early Dismissal Thursday, December 19 PTN Mtg 6:00 - 7:00
Friday, December 20 1 Hr Early Dismissals Friday, December 20 Holiday Parties Kinder: 10:30-11:20 / 1st - 5th Grade: 1:30 - 2:20
December 20 - January 5 WINTER BREAK Monday, January 6 School Resumes
School Improvement Data Chats
On Thursday and Friday before the break, ALL classes participated in a mid-point data chat with Mrs. Aversa and Mrs. Sears (MTSS Coordinator). We discussed our mid-point data from the most recent SIP assessment and planned how much more we needed to grow to meet our school's goal, as well as, reviewed our Rigby (reading) and iReady Math & Reading scores to prepare for the upcoming Diagnostic 2.
Students took time to review all grade level data in pie chart form. They were asked, what do you notice? What do you wonder? What are some celebrations or areas for growth that you see? Here is an image of our Data Board and a video from a 1st-grade chat and a 5th-grade chat. It was so powerful hearing all the students able to talk about data and use that data to drive their learning and next steps. What a celebration! Ask your students about it!
iReady Testing
1st-3rd Grades- Week of 12/2
4th and 5th Grades- Week of 12/9
Students will take the Diagnostic 2. The data/information we get from this assessment is a data point that we use to know where the students are at and what skills still need to be worked on. This is a long test but will be broken up into small portions throughout the week.
How to Prepare and Support iReady Testing at Home:
Get a good night's sleep
Eat a healthy breakfast
Bring a bottle of water for the day
Give Positive Affirmations and Support at Home
Charge Chromebook each night
Here are the supports we have shared with the students when they are taking the test:
Winter Gear for Winter Weather
Please know that all students will go outside for their daily lunchtime recess when the wind chill is above 5 degrees. It is important to dress your children for the weather. Warm coats, hats, gloves, and boots, labeled with your child's name, are recommended. You can put the items in a reusable bag labeled with their name.
K-3rd Grade All Snow Gear (Pants/Boots/Coat) is required to play or walk in the snow.
4th & 5th Grade Students can walk in the snow if they have snow boots on but cannot play in the snow unless they have snow pants.
**Students without the proper clothing or boots will have to stay on the sidewalks.**
Teacher Favorite Things List
As you prepare for the holiday season, here is a helpful list of your child's teacher's favorite things. Thank you for all the love and kindness that you always show our teachers!
Children’s book author Yatiksha Rao to meet YOU on Monday, Feb 3rd 2025
Yatiksha Rao, from Sowtastic LLC, is one of the authors of Chasing Rainbows: Discovering Your Dreams, a heartwarming story that inspires children to embrace their goals, support one another, and find joy in their journey. During her visit, Yatiksha will read from her book, share the inspiration behind it, and lead an exciting interactive session that encourages kids to dream big and believe in themselves!
To order an autographed copy of the book in time for the visit and kickstart
New Year’s goals with your kids, please return this form by Wed, Dec 18th.
Books will arrive the first week of January after winter break.
Returning From Winter Break As we return to school after an extended break- we understand that many students may be struggling with getting back into the school routine. They may be refusing to get on the bus or leave for school. Please know that we have a school social worker, school psychologist, and other staff here to help support you and your child each morning. If you are experiencing this at home, please call the office at 630-365-8170 for extra help!
Friday, November 1 - Fire Drill 2-2:30 Tuesday, November 5 - No School - Election Day Wednesday, November 6 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 4-8pm Thursday, November 7 - No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences 10am-8pm Friday, November 8 - No School Monday, November 11 - Butterbraid Fundraiser Ends Monday, November 11 - 4th Grade Veteran's Day Concert 2:45-3:15pm Wednesday, November 13 - Fun Lunch - Buona Beef Friday, November 15 - Penny Wars Award Assembly 2:30-3:00pm
Monday, November 18 - Alice Drill 2pm
Thursday, November 21 - Maple Park Library Night 6-7pm
Friday, November 22 - 4th Grade Field Trip to the Escape Room
Monday, November 25 - Friday, November 29th - NO SCHOOL - Thanksgiving Break
Teacher Favorite Things List
As you prepare for the holiday season, here is a helpful list of your child's teacher's favorite things. Thank you for all the love and kindness that you always show our teachers!
We’re excited to announce that this fall the Literati Book Fair will be in the library coinciding with Stewart’s Parent Teacher Conferences!
PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO FOR HELPFUL TIPS AND INFORMATION
Wednesday and Thursday, November 6th & 7th
From 4pm-8pm on Wednesday and from 10am-8pm on Thursday
■ The fair will begin on Friday, October 25th and it will run through Thursday, November 7th. (Online shopping is available now through Friday, November 8th as well!)
■ Student’s will be able to make purchases during designated school hours if they have a Literati Gift Card or bring funds to make purchases starting on Wednesday, October 30th through Wednesday, November 6th.
■ Every dollar you spend will benefit our school directly!
Alice Drill - Parent Information
On Monday, November 18, our school will participate in its first Lockdown drill of the school year. The drill will be coordinated with the ElburnPolice 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 to prepare them 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 get in touch with Mr. Keith Tankersley, Assistant Principal, at 92967@kaneland.org. Please read the following document for more information
John Stewart Elementary Veterans Day Celebration
On Monday, November 11th, 2024, Kaneland John Stewart Elementary School will be holding a Veterans Day celebration. Please have your child wear red, white, and/or blue clothes.
Veterans will be honored with a morning breakfast which will take place at 8:10 a.m. in the LRC. Our flag raising ceremony will immediately follow in the front of the school at 8:50.
We are inviting Legion members and KST parents or family members who are veterans to join us for both the breakfast and morning flag ceremony. We are hoping to have many veterans in attendance.
The 4th graders will also be presenting an afternoon choral concert that honors veterans in the gym at 2:45 p.m.
These annual events help teach our students about the importance of good citizenship. Please email Mary Kunstman, KST music teacher, at 10274@kaneland.org with any additional questions. We hope to see you there!
Parking Lot Reminders
Please use the crosswalk when going from your parked vehicle to the school and back.
Use the crossing guard to cross the street.
Do not walk between the buses, use the sidewalk
No cell phones
Stay in your car unless you are parked in a parking spot
No Left Turns into the Lot
Do not use the Main Lot between 8:30-8:50 or 3:00-3:30 or when busses are present
Use Turn Signals
THANK YOU!!
Dressing for the Weather
Just a friendly reminder to please check the weather before sending your kiddos to school. We have been having warm days and then really cold days. Please overpack or over-dress your child so they have layers to use during the day. Also, please LABEL their clothes just in case they misplace an item. Our Lost & Found has accumulated a lot of clothes. During Parent-Teacher Conferences please take some time to look at the lost items.
Wednesday, October 16 - Fun Lunch - Paisano's Pizza
Thursday, October 17 - PTN Meeting 6-7pm
Friday, October 18 - Alice Drill 9:15am
Tuesday, October 22 - Bus Driver Appreciation Day Friday, October 25 - Picture Retakes Friday, October 25 - Principal / AP Appreciation Day Monday, October 28 - Butter Braid Fundraiser Begins Thursday, October 31 - Halloween Parties and Parade
November Dates: Friday, November 1 - Fire Drill 2-2:30
Tuesday, November 5 - No School - Election Day
Wednesday, November 6 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 4-8pm
Thursday, November 7 - No School - Parent/Teacher Conferences 10am-8pm
Friday, November 8 - No School
Monday, November 11 - Butterbraid Fundraiser Ends
Monday, November 11 - 4th Grade Veteran's Day Concert 2:45-3:15pm
Wednesday, November 13 - Fun Lunch - Buona Beef
Friday, November 15 - Penny Wars Award Assembly 2:30-3:00pm
Attendance/Tardy Information:
Dear Kaneland Families,
Attendance is a critical factor in a student’s academic success. As we look towards supporting all student academic success we will be communicating attendance patterns more consistently throughout the year. In the upcoming week, you may receive a letter from your child's elementary school regarding their current attendance for the current school year.
The letter you will receive will be from your child's school pertaining to attendance and/or tardies if your child has missed 10% or more of the accumulated school days and/or has accumulated an excessive amount of tardies for the school year. The contact information for your school will be on the letter if you have questions regarding attendance and/or tardies.
We appreciate your continued collaboration in promoting your child’s success at Kaneland CUSD 302. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or updates regarding your student’s attendance/tardies.
Thank you,
Kaneland CUSD 302 Administration Team
We are thrilled to announce that this fall Stewart has chosen to partner with Literati Book Fair just in time for Parent-Teacher conferences! Your child has an opportunity to join us for an intergalactic adventure exploring starfields of stories at our upcoming book fair! As always, every book purchased earns rewards and benefits for our school too!
Here’s what you need to know about the Fair, which will take place in our library from Friday, October 25th through Thursday, November 7th . . .
All students will have an opportunity to preview books and make their “Wish List” Friday, October 25th through Tuesday, October 29th.
All students will be able to purchase books during school hours Wednesday, October 30th through Wednesday, November 6th.
The Fair will continue to be open for families on Wednesday, November 6th from 4pm to 8pm and Thursday, November 7th from 10am to 8pm during your conference time.
Literati also offers a digital gift card program – you can purchase a “gift card” for your child before the fair, making shopping cash-free and worry-free too! Also, Literati’s “Online Exclusives” include popular titles that won’t be available on site, so please take a moment to explore!
You can visit our Literati Book Fair homepage to purchase a gift card or begin online shopping: KST Literati Fair homepage
We hope your family will have an opportunity to take advantage of our Literati Fall Book Fair; after all, Books Give You Wings!
John Stewart Elementary Veterans Day Celebration On Monday, November 11th, 2024, Kaneland John Stewart Elementary School will be holding a Veterans Day celebration. Please have your child wear red, white, and/or blue clothes.
Veterans will be honored with a morning breakfast which will take place at 8:10 a.m. in the LRC. Our flag raising ceremony will immediately follow in the front of the school at 8:50.
We are inviting Legion members and KST parents or family members who are veterans to join us for both the breakfast and morning flag ceremony. We are hoping to have many veterans in attendance.
The 4th graders will also be presenting an afternoon choral concert that honors veterans in the gym at 2:45 p.m.
These annual events help teach our students about the importance of good citizenship. Please email Mary Kunstman, KST music teacher, at 10274@kaneland.org with any additional questions. We hope to see you there!
Friday, October 11 - PTN Hosted Family Movie Night
Monday, October 14 - No School
Wednesday, October 16 - Fun Lunch - Paisano's Pizza
Thursday, October 17 - PTN Meeting 6-7pm
Friday, October 18 - Alice Drill 9:15am
Tuesday, October 22 - Bus Driver Appreciation Day
Friday, October 25 - Picture Retakes
Friday, October 25 - Principal / AP Appreciation Day
Monday, October 28 - Butter Braid Fundraiser Begins
Thursday, October 31 - Halloween Parties and Parade
Homecoming Week Festivities
High School Theme: A Night In New Orleans
Tuesday, 10/1 - Sports Day ⚾
Wednesday, 10/2 - Camo Day
PARADE ROUTE: The Kaneland Homecoming parade is on October 2 at 5:30 p.m. in Elburn. Parts of First, Laverne, Third, and Prairie Valley Streets will be closed starting at 5:00 p.m. See the route below.
Freshman Game Begins at 5pm. Varsity Game Begins at 7:30pm.
School Improvement Plan Data Chats
On Monday and Wednesday, ALL classrooms will visit the data boards in the main hallway, to discuss our District and John Stewart SIP Goals. We reviewed the pre-data together, discussed the focus and goal, and began to think about our opportunities to focus on these goals throughout our school day.
District SIP Goal Focus: FEEDBACK
By the end of February 2025, the district will move 25% in student self-reported feedback to a higher level within the feedback typology as compared to the pre-data from the April 2024 survey. (Commitment Connection PBP, and Personalized Learning Tenet G).
John Stewart SIP Goal Focus: WRITTEN RESPONSES TO OUR READING
By February 2025, John Stewart Elementary aims for K-5 students to achieve a 60% increase or reach 85% proficiency in written responses to instructional-level texts, ensuring students answer questions by supporting their responses with text evidence and making connections.
Kindergarten and 1st Grade will heavily focus on ANSWERING A PROMPT/QUESTION
2nd and 3rd Grade will heavily focus on FINDING EVIDENCE WITHIN THE TEXT
4th and 5th Grade will heavily focus on CONNECTION/REASONING
*ALL students will practice each part of the goal but data will only be collected on their identified focus area for this goal specifically. Students will receive feedback from their teachers throughout the day-to-day practice within the class on each component of the goal.
Upcoming Parent/Teacher Conferences
Mark your calendar for the upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences. We enjoy connecting with our families and strengthening the relationship between home and school; this is a great opportunity to build that community. This year parent-teacher conferences are on Wednesday, November 6th from 4-8pm and on Thursday, November 7th from 10am-8pm. Please reach out to your classroom teacher if you have not signed up yet. Conferences are 20 minutes in length. Reminder No School on Thursday or Friday for Students!
Upcoming Lockdown Drill
On Friday, October 18th, our school will participate in its first Lockdown drill of the school year. The drill will be coordinated with the Elburn 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 door, 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.
Prior to 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 Mrs. Aversa at 10017@kaneland.org