August 2008

 

Dear KLH Families:

As summer draws to a close and you’re busy buying school supplies and new clothes, the KLH staff has been preparing the building for the 2008-2009 school year.

Over the summer several staff members have decided to move on to other adventures in their careers.  Dr. Jones-Redmond accepted a position as an administrator at Chicago State University.  This August finds her settling in to her new office and getting to know a new staff.  Ms. McIntyre has transferred to Humphrey Middle School to serve as their PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports) Intervention Specialist.  Ms. Bukovsky will teach at McGee Elementary School this fall as their new Reading Improvement Teacher.  Ms. Hartsfield will serve as a High School Dean in the East Aurora School District.  Ms. Sider will continue her graduate studies and teach at Joseph’s Academy.  We wish them all the best of luck in their new jobs!

Many new staff members have joined the KLH team this summer:

        Ms. Jacqueline Mitchem – Assistant Principal

        Ms. Kathy Walsh – Structured Teaching & Learning Room (STLR) Teacher

        TBD – STLR Speech/Language Pathologist

        Ms. Amy Croce – STLR Paraprofessional

        Ms. LaTisha Baskin – STLR Paraprofessional

        TBD – Kindergarten Teacher

        Ms. Krista Makarowski – First Grade Teacher

        Ms. Katie Alberts – Third Grade Teacher

        TBD – Third Grade Teacher

        TBD – PE Teacher

        TBD – Primary Reading Room Paraprofessional

        TBD – Resource Teacher

        TBD – Supported Education Paraprofessional

        TBD – Lunchroom/Recess Aide

 

We have added a new program for this coming school year.  The Structured Teaching & Learning Room (Star Learners) for VVSD will be located at KLH.  The room & program were designed to address the needs of students with autism.  Dr. Nasiah Circincione-Ulezi joined the district staff this summer to help plan for this new program.  We look forward to working with the new students to KLH and welcoming their families to ours.

This year academically we are looking to refine our reading and math instruction.  As we continue in our implementation of the Response to Intervention model of addressing the needs of our students, we will refine our processes and interventions.  At Husky University (for Parents) and Open Houses we will be sharing updates on our progress.  Socially, we will continue to offer chess club, homework helpers, Young Rembrandts, Good News Club, and other clubs.  Mr. Fogt will be starting S.O.L.A.A.R. club as part of a $10,000 BP Grant that he received this summer.  Other clubs and activities will be announced as they are developed.

As school approaches there are several important dates to keep in mind:

        August 18 – Registration Day (8-12 & 3-7)

                         Kindergarten ISEL Test Scheduling

                         New Parent/Student Tours at 11 & 6

        August 19-20  ISEL Testing

        August 25 – First Day of School for First through Fifth Grades (10:45 dismissal)

                         Kindergarten Open House & Ice Cream Social (6:30-7:30)

        August 26 – First Full Day of School

                         First Day for Kindergarten

        September 1 –   No School (Labor Day)  

        September 10 – First & Second Grade Open House & Ice Cream Social

                               (6:30-7:30)

        September 11 – Third through Fifth Grade Open House & Ice Cream Social

                               (6:30-7:30)

 

One last note to all kindergarten parents:   Your child has been scheduled to participate in Illinois Snapshot of Early Literacy (ISEL) Testing.  This test is a requirement of all kindergarten students entering the Valley View School District.  The ISEL is designed to quickly inventory significant aspects of beginning reading so that the teacher’s work with your child can be more meaningful as he/she learns to read.  There are four snapshots assessed as your child begins kindergarten:  letter recognition, story listening, phonetic awareness, and one to one matching.  The entire test should take no more than 15 minutes to administer. 

Testing is August 19th & 20th.  You will schedule your appointments at registration on August 18th

 

We look forward to an awesome year at KLH!

Dr. Rentfro & Ms. Mitchem