Dear Collins Community,

We have had another wonderful start to our week! It was great to see all of the 1st – 3rd grade students tonight at the PTA sponsored Magic Show. A lot of budding magicians left the gym tonight with smiles on their faces.

Spring Fling Classroom Parties – Friday, March 22^nd 1:30-2:40 PM
Spring is finally in the air!  PTA Room Reps, please provide names of all volunteers to Collins office or classroom teacher no later than Friday, March 15.  Volunteer names not provided in advance cannot be permitted to participate in any classroom parties.

Volunteer Check In will be between 1:15 -1:30 in the GYM.

Questions, please email Shawna Lochner at shawnalochner@nullgmail.com

Parking Lot Drop-Off Procedure Reminders
Just a few things we would like to ask everyone using our parking lot drop-off in the morning to remember.  Our drop off procedures detailed below are designed with student safety being the priority. For the past two years we have worked with transportation to help ensure that no buses arrive prior to 8:25 to allow us to have the 10 minute parking lot drop-off window for your convenience. However, when the first bus arrives, we will close the lot at that time. Please do not pull into the lot behind a yellow bus.

• The front loop of the parking lot will be open for car traffic/parent drop off from 8:15-8:25 each morning. Adult supervision in the front loop begins at 8:15.  At 8:25, barricades will go up at the entrance closing the lot to car traffic.
• We ask that all traffic pull as far up to the end of the front loop, past the curve, to drop off students. Staff members will be posted along the front lane to assist with drop off and keep traffic moving.  Please be mindful of their requests to pull up as far as possible before allowing students out of your vehicle.  By pulling forward, this allow more cars into the loop and we will decrease the back-up on Summit.
• Parents should stay in the car and the student(s) must exit through the passenger side of the car only with all of their belongings. Please note, in order to successfully keep the traffic moving, students should be ready to hop out quickly.
• All vehicular traffic in the drop off lane needs to be in single file. Cars should not attempt to go around any stopped daycare busses and/or cars.

Collins Fun Fair – Friday, April 12^th
Collins Annual Family Fun Night will be Friday, April 12 from 6:00-9:00 pm at the school.  There will be many games, prizes, face painting, a cake walk, and a food court to purchase dinner and snacks.  Collins students and younger siblings are all welcome to play games and win prizes!   Many parent and family volunteers are needed to make this a successful event.  Please consider volunteering for a 2 hour shift to help with games, face painting, prizes, food court, or ticket sales.  A Volunteer flyer will be coming home soon, or you can email Carolyn Taylor,schrammc@nullgmail.com , to let me know your availability to help.  Any time that you can volunteer to help is greatly appreciated!

Pennies for Patients 
Collins has signed up to raise funds in the fight against blood cancer with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Student Series. We will be collecting coins from Monday, March 18th to Friday, March 22nd. Thank you in advance for helping us understand how we are saving lives just by turning in spare change.

By collecting donations, LLS is able to fund more effective therapies. In the 1960’s the survival rate for the most common form of childhood leukemia was 3%. Today it’s approximately 90% thanks to many research advances funded by programs like Student Series.

Registration for 2019/2020 School Year
Registration for the 2019/2020 year will be available through the parent portal starting Monday, April 1, 2019.

If you do not have a parent portal account, you should receive an email on March 15 with instructions and a link to do so.

Beginning this year, the district is contracting with a third-party vendor to automatically verify student address information. If your residency is verified electronically, you will not need to submit any additional paperwork to certify that you live within the district’s boundaries. To verify residency, the vendor will use a parent’s name and address to crosscheck the information against electronic databases from other organizations, such as utility companies.

We anticipate most addresses will be verified electronically. If we cannot verify your address electronically, we will send you a letter detailing what

Families invited to Multicultural Event March 16
Schaumburg School District 54’s Department of Language and Culture is excited to be hosting our annual Multicultural Event in collaboration with the Schaumburg Park District on Saturday, March 16, 2019, at the Community Recreation Center (CRC). The purpose of the Multicultural Event is to celebrate the diverse cultures in District 54 and the surrounding communities. Students and their families have the opportunity to experience and showcase their cultures through performances, crafts, games, and food.

The event will take place at the Community Recreation Center from 11:30-2:30 p.m. The Community Recreation Center (CRC) is located at 505 Springinsguth Road, Schaumburg, IL 60194. Parking is available at the Schaumburg Park District and Hoover Elementary School. During this free event, students and families can participate in games, crafts, and activities that represent countries around the world. There will also be food available to purchase. Food vendors will accept cash.

For more information, please see the Multicultural Event Flyer 2019.

We look forward to seeing you at the Multicultural Event on March 16th!

Important Dates
March 22^nd – Spring Fling Classroom Parties 1:30-2:40 
March 22^nd – Spring Break begins at 3:00 PM
April 1^st – School Resumes
April 2^nd – No School
April 3^rd – PTA Meeting @ 4:30 PM

Sincerely,

Nell Haack   and     Katie Kurtz

Principal                     Assistant Principal

Dear Collins Community,

Happy March first!  Today our staff gathered together before the students arrived to take a minute together to kick off happiness month.  Having us all together in one room sharing gratitude and an orange juice toast was a wonderful way to start our day.  The students were reminded during our morning announcements to smile at as many people as they could and see how many smiles they get in return, as we know smiles are contagious.  Follow us on Facebook and Twitter @CollinsSchool54 to keep up with our happiness movement.  Let’s connect as a community.  While completing the ideas from the calendar tag your post #Collinshappiness. 

STC Summer Scholarships 
Every year, the Schaumburg Township Council of PTA’s offers summer scholarships to elementary students enrolled in grades K through 7 in District 54. Each scholarship is valued up to $125, and covers most summer camps, programs and workshops. We have attached the instruction sheet and application and both are also available in our main office or online by clicking the link below. The Google Docs link will allow you to fill out the information on line, however, you will still need to print everything and submit it to our office.  Scholarship applications are due to our main school office Thursday, March 21^st.  Applications must be in a sealed envelope marked STC Elementary Scholarship application. The Parent/Guardian must be a PTA member as of March 1, 2019.  

https://pta.sd54.org/2019/02/27/elementary-scholarship-applications-available/

STC Summer Scholarship Application 2019.pdf

STC Summer Scholarship Cover Letter 2019.pdf

Our School, Our Story and Scholastic BOGO Book Fair – Monday, March 4^th 6:00-7:30 PM
Don’t forget…the author of The Vanderbeekers of 141^st Street, Karina Yan Glaser, will be visiting our school on Monday. She will be talking to all grade levels during the day about being an author. We hope you will join us on Monday from 6:00-7:30 to have participate in some fun with the Vanderbeekers and Positive Psychology. The Scholastic BOGO Book fair will be held in the gym.  Please be sure to stop by and check it out.  Ms. Yan Glaser will be here too!

Spanish Speech Contest
MacArthur School will host the annual District 54 Spanish Language Speech Contest on May 2. District 54 students in third through eighth grade are eligible to participate in this event. Contestants will be divided into two categories: Native speakers and Spanish as a second language. The application deadline is April 12. Click here to access the online application. If you have questions, contact Lucrecia Temoczuk atLucreciaTemoczuk@nullsd54.org or (847) 357-6666.

La Escuela MacArthur tendrá el Concurso Anual de Oratoria en Español del Distrito 54 el 2 de mayo. Los estudiantes del Distrito 54 en tercero a octavo grado son elegibles para participar en este evento. Los concursantes se dividirán en dos categorías: hispanohablantes  y español como segundo idioma. La fecha límite para la solicitud es el 12 de abril. Haga clic aquí para acceder a la solicitud en línea. Si tiene preguntas, comuníquese con Lucrecia Temoczuk enLucreciaTemoczuk@nullsd54.org  o (847) 357-6666.

Schaumburg Parent University – March 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 March. Please note that child care is always available.

Tantrums: Solutions to Behavior Challenges – March 6
Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor Meghan Reitz will discuss how you, as a parent, can help your children develop skills that will allow them to better regulate their emotions. Learn how to teach your child coping tools and healthier options to use when they become distressed. She will also address how parenting plays a role in tantrums and ways to adjust some of your parenting techniques. This event will take place from 6-7 p.m. Wednesday, March 6 at the District 54 Professional Learning Center, 522 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Tantrums: Solutions to Behavior Challenges flyer

Fit Fam: How to Get the Whole Family Moving Together – March 13
Rethink your idea of what exercise is! A workout doesn’t have to mean running laps or lifting weights. Exercise is leading an active lifestyle, which you can do with your kids, and you’ll be able to fit in more than you think. As a bonus, exercise with family will double as quality time. Let these creative ideas help you turn every day into an opportunity to get fit — and have fun — together. This event will take place from 6-7:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 13, at Lakeview Elementary School, 615 Lakeview Lane, Hoffman Estates. Fit Fam flyer

To register please visit the SPU Online Form 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.

La Universidad Schaumburg para Padres – Clases de marzo
La idea de la Universidad para Padres es envolver más a los padres in la vida escolar, para fortalecer las relaciones familiares, y mejorar los conocimientos de crianza que finalmente resultarán en un mejor éxito académico, social y emocional del estudiante. Hay dos programas nocturnos para marzo. El cuidado de niños está siempre disponible.

Berrinches: Soluciones a los Desafíos de Comportamiento – 6 de marzo
¿Cómo lidias con los berrinches? ¿Se pueden disminuir o eliminar? La consejera profesional clínica con licencia Meghan Reitz discutirá cómo usted, como padre, puede ayudar a sus hijos a desarrollar habilidades que les permitirán regular mejor sus emociones. Aprenda cómo enseñar a sus hijos a sobrellevar los problemas, proveyéndoles herramientas y opciones saludables que puedan usar cuando se angustien. También abordará formas para ajustar algunas de sus técnicas de crianza para ayudarle a liderar con los berrinches. Sólo para adultos. Este evento tendrá lugar de 6 a 7 p.m. el 6 de marzo de 2019, en el Centro de Aprendizaje Profesional del Distrito 54, 522 E. Schaumburg Road, Schaumburg. Berrinches: Soluciones

Familia saludable: cómo hacer que toda la familia se mantenga en forma – 13 de marzo
¡Reconsidere su idea de lo que es hacer ejercicio ! Una sesión de ejercicio no necesariamente implica que usted entrenar, correr o levantar pesas. El ejercicio es parte de un estilo de vida activo, que usted puede incluir en la rutina con sus hijos, y podrá adaptarlo a más fácil de lo que cree. En adición, el ejercicio en familia duplicará su tiempo de convivencia. Permita que estas ideas creativas lo ayuden a convertir todos los días en una oportunidad para ponerse en forma y divertirse juntos. Este evento tendrá lugar de 6 a 7:30 p.m. el 13 de marzo de 2019, en el Gimnasio de la escuela primaria Lakeview, 615 Lakeview Lane, Hoffman Estates. Familia saludable 

Regístrese visitando https://goo.gl/TB49x7. Para obtener más información, comuníquese con Barb Velez al 847-357-5074 o spu@nullsd54.org. Por favor, dejar su nombre, información de contacto, número de participantes, número de niños necesitando cuidado de niños (gratis) y la escuela de su hijo/a. Hay interpretes disponibles pero deberá solicitar los mismos al registrarse.

Important Dates
March 4^th – Our School Our Story Evening 6:00 PM
March 4th – Scholastic BOGO Book Fair 
March 6^th – PTA Meeting 6:00 PM
March 13^th – Butter Braid and Cookie Dough Pick up
March 13^th – Magic Show Evening Event 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd grades (more information to come)
March 22^nd – Spring Fling Classroom Parties 1:30-2:40 
March 22^nd – Spring Break begins at 3:00 PM
April 1^st – School Resumes

Sincerely,

Nell Haack   and     Katie Kurtz

Principal                    Assistant Principal

In order to help parents better prepare for the severe cold weather and snow we often get during winters in our community, we wanted to share with you the District 54 Cold Weather Response Plan. Though District 54 makes every effort to keep our schools open and operational, circumstances beyond our control oftentimes dictate school closings.

Dear District 54 community,

Due to the dangerously cold wind chill, District 54 is cancelling all after-school and evening activities today, January 29. This does not include the after-school childcare programs at our schools run by the park districts and YMCA.

In addition, District 54 schools and the Rafferty Center will be closed on Wednesday, January 30 and Thursday, January 31. After-school and evening activities are also cancelled on January 30 and 31, including the Open Enrollment Fair. When schools are closed for a full day, the child care programs are also cancelled at our schools. People interested in open enrollment schools for their children, click here to view the list of school visitation dates and times.

District 54 makes every effort to keep our schools open, but circumstances beyond our control, such as extreme weather, sometimes dictate that we close. Our top concern is whether we believe the more than 15,000 students we serve and our employees can get to school safely whether they walk, take a bus or ride in a car. The National Weather Service has issued a wind chill warning until noon Thursday, which calls for wind chill values as low as -55.

Thank you for your understanding and support. For more information about our notification procedures and a link to our Severe Cold Weather Response Plan, you can visit https://sd54.org/schoolcancellations.

Childcare Options

• The Campanelli YMCA, 300 W. Wise Road, Schaumburg, will offer a drop-in childcare program for students in kindergarten through sixth grade on THURSDAY ONLY. The YMCA will be closed on Wednesday. For Thursday – the cost is $40 per child for YMCA members and $45 for nonmembers. Send your child with a lunch and a drink. Registration occurs at the Y front desk, limited on a first-come/first-served basis. R
• The Hoffman Estates Park District will offer childcare for children in kindergarten through sixth grade from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. The cost is $50 per child. Registration is on a first-come/first-served basis. Register online at [heparks.org]heparks.org and use code 156415-AA for Wednesday or code 156415-AB for Thursday. You can also register at drop-off at the Triphahn Center front desk, 1685 W. Higgins Road.

We are proud to announce two BRAND NEW events coming to Michael Collins Elementary School in the next few months. The Michael Collins Engineering Fair and the Our School, Our Story Literacy Night. Be sure to mark these nights on your calendar as you will not want to miss all the fun!

Please see the attached form if you are interested in purchasing Student Accident Insurance for the 2018-2019 school year.

As always, the safety and health of our students is a top priority. At this time of year, we would like to remind families of the importance of using frequent hand washing, proper nose blowing and covering your cough techniques to prevent the transmissions of germs.  Please click on the following link to view a letter for more information on signs and symptoms of colds and flu .