Terrace Families,

Please read the following updates and information:

5Essentials Survey: Families, you are rocking it with your completion of the 5Essentials survey! We currently have 64 surveys completed, and we need to get to at least 110 to get credit on next year's school report card. At conferences next week, we will have a couple tables set up and will be asking each parent to take the survey before they leave (if you haven't already). Remember, each parent in a household can take the survey. It will take no more than five minutes. To begin, click here: bit.ly/625EssentialsParent. You DO NOT need an email address to complete the survey. Make sure you choose "Cook" for the county. THANK YOU!!!
​
Family-Teacher Conferences:

• Conferences begin Monday from 2:00 - 8:00 and will continue on Tuesday from 8:00 - 2:00.
• If you have not already signed up for a conference time, please go to https://terrace62.youcanbook.me/ to register for one 20-minute conference time with your child's teacher on either Nov. 19 or Nov. 20. The conference sing-up will close this Sunday at 12:00 p.m.

​
Report Cards:
Report cards are coming home today. Please remember that they are standards-based report cards. Your child's teacher will go over these with you next week at conferences. Parents of students in grades 3-5, there will also be a letter explaining a change in how the grading system looks. Please read that letter, and if you have any questions, the teachers can explain that to you next week, as well.

Cultural Arts Assembly:
Thank you to the D62 Foundation and the Terrace PTC for bring in a science assembly for he students. It was a wonderful way to our your children how important, interesting, and fun science can be!

Railroad Safety:
This week I brought in Joel Kirchner from Union Pacific to do an Operation Lifesaver presentation for all Terrace students. He discussed railroad safety and what to look for when they are ever near railroad crossings. It was was an important presentation, and the students all walked away with some great information and some cool gifts.

Early Learning Center Toy Drive:
If you have any new, unwrapped toys that you wish to donate to district families in need, we are collecting in our lobby through December 14. Toys to be donated should be appropriate for 3 & 4 year-old children. Thank you!

Reward Day:
This afternoon our students earned a reward for earning nearly 1500 cardinal cards to date. Students earn cardinal cards when they are safe, respectful, and responsible. Students in grades K-2 and students in grades 3-5 got together in their pjs and watched a movie. We are so proud of all of our students!
​
​Chronic Absenteeism:
You may have received a letter from me if your child has reached 6 absences or more already this school year. This is due to the federal Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA (formerly known as No Child Left Behind), and it calls for schools and school districts to pay closer attention to student attendance data as one of many indicators that create and impact designations of a school’s success. I will be sending letters at the 6, 12, and 18 days absent marks to all families if their student reaches those marks.

If you recall, students who are absent 10% or more of school days during the current academic year, including absences with and without valid cause as well as out of school suspensions, will be considered “chronic absentees”. Terrace and all District 62 schools will collect and review absence data regularly and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage daily attendance and promote success.

If you take your child out of school on a vacation and they start to amass absences at a rate that will put them on pace of missing 10% of the school year (18 days), you will get a letter from me regardless of the reason. These absences can actually impact our school designation negatively, so I ask that you please try not to schedule your vacations when school is in session. Thank you. 

Be Prepared for Cold Weather:
Families, please take note of the changing weather. The temperature is now much cooler, so please dress your children appropriately. If your children attend early SPARK, they will sometimes play outside. Please make sure you are sending them with something warm to wear also.

​School Volunteer Info:
Attention Volunteers! Please fill out the online volunteer application if you do not currently have one on file. In order to volunteer at school during the day or at any school function (field trips, popcorn day, etc), you must have an application on file. If you are not sure if you have completed one, please email Mrs. Lopatka at lopatkak@d62.org, and she can check for you. You may also apply online at the following website by clicking here.
​

​Congratulations to these terrific Terrace students for setting a positive example of what it means to be safe, to be respectful, and to be responsible! Also, congratulations to Mrs. Nielsen’s class for earning the Courageous Cardinal!

Please read the following reminders:
​​
Arrival Parking Lot Safety: Families should drive through the front circle to drop off students. The parking lot IS NOT a place to drop off students. If you feel you need to park and walk your child to his or her line, please park on Westgate to do so. The safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority above all else.

Dismissal Parking Lot Safety: Please remember that the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our #1 priority. After school you are welcome park your car in a designated spot in our lot and walk to the front to pick up your child. Or, you may drive through the front circle and pick up your child in the pickup line. DO NOT double park your car in the lot and ask your child to run over to your car. I have personally seen students do this and nearly get hit by a car in the lot. Please listen to and work with our traffic supervisors. We need you working together with us to ensure students and staff are safe. Thank you so much.

WeatherBug:
Please download the WeatherBug app and set Terrace as your home page. Here are the directions to download:

1. Open the app, and tap the WeatherBug icon in the upper left corner to expose the main app menu.
2. Select “Sign in”
3. At the bottom of the login screen, tap “Sign up” and either login using your Facebook account or by creating a WeatherBug account.
4. Then go back into the main app menu and select “Communities”
5. Tap “Terrace Elementary School” – the plus sign should turn into a check mark – hit “Close”
6. You should see the Terrace Elementary School Community card.

Internet Safety:
Families, as your children are getting older and are having more exposure online, a host of questions can arise about Internet safety. If you would like to learn more about what your children may be doing or what you can do as a parent/caregiver to protect them, please click here to read more.

Additional Notes:​

• If you are on Facebook and would like to see what is going on at Terrace, be sure to check out the Terrace Facebook page. Pictures are regularly posted to better give you an insight into all the great things that go on at school each and every day. Remember to click the "like" button so our updates appear regularly on your feed. Or, under the school address near the top left of this page, you can click Facebook, and it will direct you straight to the page.
• It is important for us to have a current email address and phone number for you at all times. If you want to ensure that you receive emails and notifications from Terrace and D62, please make sure our office has your most current email and phone numbers on file. If you send us your contact information, I ask that you please write very neatly so we can make sure we are entering the correct information in our student information system.

​Have a great weekend and holiday next week!

Terrace Families,

Please read the following updates and information:

5Essentials Survey: Families, the 5Essentials survey is a school climate survey that gives you a voice in how you feel our schools are doing and in what areas we can improve moving forward. In addition, parent completion of the survey will factor into the school report card beginning next year. So, I am asking that you please take a few minutes to complete the survey. If you have children at other schools like the middle schools, you will need to also complete a survey for that school separately, since your completed survey counts for those schools, also. Your voice truly matters! To begin, click here: bit.ly/625EssentialsParent. You DO NOT need an email address to complete the survey. Make sure you choose "Cook" for the county.
​
Online Family-Teacher Conference Sign-Up:

• If you have not already, please go to https://terrace62.youcanbook.me/ to register for one 20-minute conference time with your child's teacher on either Nov. 19 or Nov. 20. You will find the teacher's name, see the available time slots, and then you will be able to choose the time you want. Just fill out the information that is asked of you, and you should be good-to-go. An email will follow confirming your time. If you have any problems or do not have access to a device or the Internet, please contact the main office on Monday, and Mrs. Manna will be able to schedule you in for an available time slot.
• Kinder parents please note, Mrs. Nielsen did not schedule her conferences online. She has reached out to you separately to schedule her conferences.

​
Chronic Absenteeism:
You may have received a letter from me if your child has reached 6 absences or more already this school year. This is due to the federal Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA (formerly known as No Child Left Behind), and it calls for schools and school districts to pay closer attention to student attendance data as one of many indicators that create and impact designations of a school’s success. I will be sending letters at the 6, 12, and 18 days absent marks to all families if their student reaches those marks.

If you recall, students who are absent 10% or more of school days during the current academic year, including absences with and without valid cause as well as out of school suspensions, will be considered “chronic absentees”. Terrace and all District 62 schools will collect and review absence data regularly and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage daily attendance and promote success.

If you take your child out of school on a vacation and they start to amass absences at a rate that will put them on pace of missing 10% of the school year (18 days), you will get a letter from me regardless of the reason. These absences can actually impact our school designation negatively, so I ask that you please try not to schedule your vacations when school is in session. Thank you. 

Be Prepared for Cold Weather:
Families, please take note of the changing weather. The temperature is now much cooler, so please dress your children appropriately. If your children attend early SPARK, they will sometimes play outside. Please make sure you are sending them with something warm to wear also.

​School Volunteer Info:
Attention Volunteers! Please fill out the online volunteer application if you do not currently have one on file. In order to volunteer at school during the day or at any school function (field trips, popcorn day, etc), you must have an application on file. If you are not sure if you have completed one, please email Mrs. Lopatka at lopatkak@d62.org, and she can check for you. You may also apply online at the following website by clicking here.

​Congratulations to these terrific Terrace students for setting a positive example of what it means to be safe, to be respectful, and to be responsible! Also, congratulations to Mrs. Sharko’s class for earning the Courageous Cardinal!

Please read the following reminders:
​​
Arrival Parking Lot Safety: Families should drive through the front circle to drop off students. The parking lot IS NOT a place to drop off students. If you feel you need to park and walk your child to his or her line, please park on Westgate to do so. The safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority above all else.

Dismissal Parking Lot Safety: Please remember that the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our #1 priority. After school you are welcome park your car in a designated spot in our lot and walk to the front to pick up your child. Or, you may drive through the front circle and pick up your child in the pickup line. DO NOT double park your car in the lot and ask your child to run over to your car. I have personally seen students do this and nearly get hit by a car in the lot. Please listen to and work with our traffic supervisors. We need you working together with us to ensure students and staff are safe. Thank you so much.

WeatherBug:
Please download the WeatherBug app and set Terrace as your home page. Here are the directions to download:

1. Open the app, and tap the WeatherBug icon in the upper left corner to expose the main app menu.
2. Select “Sign in”
3. At the bottom of the login screen, tap “Sign up” and either login using your Facebook account or by creating a WeatherBug account.
4. Then go back into the main app menu and select “Communities”
5. Tap “Terrace Elementary School” – the plus sign should turn into a check mark – hit “Close”
6. You should see the Terrace Elementary School Community card.

Internet Safety:
Families, as your children are getting older and are having more exposure online, a host of questions can arise about Internet safety. If you would like to learn more about what your children may be doing or what you can do as a parent/caregiver to protect them, please click here to read more.

Additional Notes:​

• If you are on Facebook and would like to see what is going on at Terrace, be sure to check out the Terrace Facebook page. Pictures are regularly posted to better give you an insight into all the great things that go on at school each and every day. Remember to click the "like" button so our updates appear regularly on your feed. Or, under the school address near the top left of this page, you can click Facebook, and it will direct you straight to the page.
• It is important for us to have a current email address and phone number for you at all times. If you want to ensure that you receive emails and notifications from Terrace and D62, please make sure our office has your most current email and phone numbers on file. If you send us your contact information, I ask that you please write very neatly so we can make sure we are entering the correct information in our student information system.

​Have a great weekend!

Terrace Families,

Please read the following updates and information, and remember there is no school next Tuesday, November 06:

Online Family-Teacher Conference Sign-Up:

• If you have not already, please go to https://terrace62.youcanbook.me/ to register for one 20-minute conference time with your child's teacher on either Nov. 19 or Nov. 20. You will find the teacher's name, see the available time slots, and then you will be able to choose the time you want. Just fill out the information that is asked of you, and you should be good-to-go. An email will follow confirming your time. If you have any problems or do not have access to a device or the Internet, please contact the main office on Monday, and Mrs. Manna will be able to schedule you in for an available time slot.
• Kinder parents please note, Mrs. Nielsen did not schedule her conferences online. She has reached out to you separately to schedule her conferences.

​
Chronic Absenteeism:
You may have received a letter from me if your child has reached 6 absences or more already this school year. This is due to the federal Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA (formerly known as No Child Left Behind), and it calls for schools and school districts to pay closer attention to student attendance data as one of many indicators that create and impact designations of a school’s success. I will be sending letters at the 6, 12, and 18 days absent marks to all families if their student reaches those marks.

If you recall, students who are absent 10% or more of school days during the current academic year, including absences with and without valid cause as well as out of school suspensions, will be considered “chronic absentees”. Terrace and all District 62 schools will collect and review absence data regularly and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage daily attendance and promote success.

If you take your child out of school on a vacation and they start to amass absences at a rate that will put them on pace of missing 10% of the school year (18 days), you will get a letter from me regardless of the reason. These absences can actually impact our school designation negatively, so I ask that you please try not to schedule your vacations when school is in session. Thank you. 
​
PTC News:
The PTC meeting that was scheduled for November 05 has been canceled. The next scheduled meeting will be January 14, 2019.

Picture Retakes:
Retakes will be next Thursday, November 08. If you want your student to retake their school pictures, you need to please remember to send their pictures back to exchange for a new picture. Students who were absent that day can also have their photos taken.

Be Prepared for Cold Weather:
Families, please take note of the changing weather. The temperature is now much cooler, so please dress your children appropriately. If your children attend early SPARK, they will sometimes play outside. Please make sure you are sending them with something warm to wear also.

​School Volunteer Info:
Attention Volunteers! Please fill out the online volunteer application if you do not currently have one on file. In order to volunteer at school during the day or at any school function (field trips, popcorn day, etc), you must have an application on file. If you are not sure if you have completed one, please email Mrs. Lopatka at lopatkak@d62.org, and she can check for you. You may also apply online at the following website by clicking here.

​Congratulations to these terrific Terrace students for setting a positive example of what it means to be safe, to be respectful, and to be responsible! Also, congratulations to Mrs. Turner’s class for earning the Courageous Cardinal!

Please read the following reminders:
​​
Arrival Parking Lot Safety: Families should drive through the front circle to drop off students. The parking lot IS NOT a place to drop off students. If you feel you need to park and walk your child to his or her line, please park on Westgate to do so. The safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority above all else.

Dismissal Parking Lot Safety: Please remember that the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our #1 priority. After school you are welcome park your car in a designated spot in our lot and walk to the front to pick up your child. Or, you may drive through the front circle and pick up your child in the pickup line. DO NOT double park your car in the lot and ask your child to run over to your car. I have personally seen students do this and nearly get hit by a car in the lot. Please listen to and work with our traffic supervisors. We need you working together with us to ensure students and staff are safe. Thank you so much.

WeatherBug:
Please download the WeatherBug app and set Terrace as your home page. Here are the directions to download:

1. Open the app, and tap the WeatherBug icon in the upper left corner to expose the main app menu.
2. Select “Sign in”
3. At the bottom of the login screen, tap “Sign up” and either login using your Facebook account or by creating a WeatherBug account.
4. Then go back into the main app menu and select “Communities”
5. Tap “Terrace Elementary School” – the plus sign should turn into a check mark – hit “Close”
6. You should see the Terrace Elementary School Community card.

Internet Safety:
Families, as your children are getting older and are having more exposure online, a host of questions can arise about Internet safety. If you would like to learn more about what your children may be doing or what you can do as a parent/caregiver to protect them, please click here to read more.

Additional Notes:​

• If you are on Facebook and would like to see what is going on at Terrace, be sure to check out the Terrace Facebook page. Pictures are regularly posted to better give you an insight into all the great things that go on at school each and every day. Remember to click the "like" button so our updates appear regularly on your feed. Or, under the school address near the top left of this page, you can click Facebook, and it will direct you straight to the page.
• It is important for us to have a current email address and phone number for you at all times. If you want to ensure that you receive emails and notifications from Terrace and D62, please make sure our office has your most current email and phone numbers on file. If you send us your contact information, I ask that you please write very neatly so we can make sure we are entering the correct information in our student information system.

​Have a great weekend!

Terrace Families,

Please read the following updates and information:

Online Family-Teacher Conference Sign-Up:

• Today your children brought home a letter outlining the conference sign-up process. Beginning tomorrow morning, Oct. 27, you will be able to go to https://terrace62.youcanbook.me/ to register for one 20-minute conference time with your child's teacher on either Nov. 19 or Nov. 20. You will find the teacher's name, see the available time slots, and then you will be able to choose the time you want. Just fill out the information that is asked of you, and you should be good-to-go. An email will follow confirming your time. If you have any problems or do not have access to a device or the Internet, please contact the main office on Monday, and Mrs. Manna will be able to schedule you in for an available time slot.
• Kinder parents please note, Mrs. Nielsen will not be scheduling conferences online. She will be reaching out to you separately to schedule your conferences.

Halloween:

• As Halloween is approaching, I wanted to remind you how the school day will proceed on Wednesday, October 31, 2018:
  • Please remember that it is a half-day institute day, and dismissal will be at 12:00. There will be NO SCHOOL for any kindergarten students on Oct. 31.
  • The school-wide parade for grades 1-5 will begin promptly at 10:15 in the gymnasium, and if weather permits, we will also parade outside after all of our students go on the stage. This year we will begin our festivities with a brief Halloween sing-along, led by Mrs. Prost! Parents, please do not arrive earlier than 10:10.
  • Kindergarteners (both a.m. and p.m.) will have their parades on Tuesday, Oct. 30. Morning kindergarteners will parade at 10:15, and afternoon students will parade at 1:15. Please look for information to come home from Mrs. Nielsen about your classroom celebrations.
  • Costumes may not contain: weapons of any sort, blood, cigars or cigarettes, and we should not be able to see any student’s bare stomach. In addition, please ensure that costumes are age-appropriate for school and are not overly scary. Masks may be worn only during the parade, but they may not be worn during the school day.
  • Classroom parties for grades 1-5 will begin roughly at 11:00. Parents and volunteers, it is important that you follow the guidelines communicated in the Terrace handbook (and D62 BOE policy) as it relates to food items. Candy, sweets, or any other food items ARE NOT permitted for Halloween or any other celebrations during the school day. Your child is welcome to bring in pencils, erasers, and any little non-food items to share with their classmates. However, should you send food to school, it will not be distributed and will be returned to you. Your child’s teacher will give you more information about this.

PTC News:
The PTC meeting that was scheduled for November 05 has been canceled. The next scheduled meeting will be January 14, 2019.

Be Prepared for Cold Weather:
Families, please take note of the changing weather. If the temperature seems to be cooler, please send a sweatshirt or light jacket with your children. If your children attend early SPARK, they will sometimes play outside. Please make sure you are sending them with something warm to wear also.

Chronic Absenteeism:
At the end of last school year, I included an attachment in a May 31 email to you with information about D62 BOE policy changes for the 2018-2019 school year. One of those changes was regarding chronic absenteeism. Last night at Curriculum Night, I discussed this in more detail.

Essentially, students who are absent 10% or more of school days during the current academic year, including absences with and without valid cause as well as out of school suspensions, will be considered “chronic absentees”. District 62 will collect and review its absence data regularly and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage daily attendance and promote success.

As an example: District 62 has a total of 174 student attendance days in a school year. If a student is absent for 17.4 days (10% of 174 days) during the 2018-2019 school year, they would be considered “chronically absent”. Again, this is for excused and unexcused absences and would include a student who is sick, on vacation, out of the country, has  a doctor or dentist appointment, misses school due to a death in the family, parent has car troubles and cannot get to school, etc.

This will impact all schools in the state of Illinois, and it is important for you to know that all schools are all in the same situation. A new federal program called the Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA (and formerly known as No Child Left Behind) is calling for schools and school districts to pay closer attention to student attendance data as one of many indicators that create and impact designations of a school’s success.  

In summary, all D62 schools are encouraging and expecting families to do all that they can to see that our students attend school every day that they are well enough to attend. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
​
​School Volunteer Info:
Attention Volunteers! Please fill out the online volunteer application if you do not currently have one on file. In order to volunteer at school during the day or at any school function (field trips, popcorn day, etc), you must have an application on file. If you are not sure if you have completed one, please email Mrs. Lopatka at lopatkak@d62.org, and she can check for you. You may also apply online at the following website by clicking here.

Congratulations to these terrific Terrace students for setting a positive example of what it means to be safe, to be respectful, and to be responsible! Also, congratulations to Mrs. O'Brien’s class for earning the Courageous Cardinal!

Please read the following reminders:
​​
Arrival Parking Lot Safety: Families should drive through the front circle to drop off students. The parking lot IS NOT a place to drop off students. If you feel you need to park and walk your child to his or her line, please park on Westgate to do so. The safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority above all else.

Dismissal Parking Lot Safety: Please remember that the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our #1 priority. After school you are welcome park your car in a designated spot in our lot and walk to the front to pick up your child. Or, you may drive through the front circle and pick up your child in the pickup line. DO NOT double park your car in the lot and ask your child to run over to your car. I have personally seen students do this and nearly get hit by a car in the lot. Please listen to and work with our traffic supervisors. We need you working together with us to ensure students and staff are safe. Thank you so much.

WeatherBug:
Please download the WeatherBug app and set Terrace as your home page. Here are the directions to download:

1. Open the app, and tap the WeatherBug icon in the upper left corner to expose the main app menu.
2. Select “Sign in”
3. At the bottom of the login screen, tap “Sign up” and either login using your Facebook account or by creating a WeatherBug account.
4. Then go back into the main app menu and select “Communities”
5. Tap “Terrace Elementary School” – the plus sign should turn into a check mark – hit “Close”
6. You should see the Terrace Elementary School Community card.

Internet Safety:
Families, as your children are getting older and are having more exposure online, a host of questions can arise about Internet safety. If you would like to learn more about what your children may be doing or what you can do as a parent/caregiver to protect them, please click here to read more.

Additional Notes:​

• If you are on Facebook and would like to see what is going on at Terrace, be sure to check out the Terrace Facebook page. Pictures are regularly posted to better give you an insight into all the great things that go on at school each and every day. Remember to click the "like" button so our updates appear regularly on your feed. Or, under the school address near the top left of this page, you can click Facebook, and it will direct you straight to the page.
• It is important for us to have a current email address and phone number for you at all times. If you want to ensure that you receive emails and notifications from Terrace and D62, please make sure our office has your most current email and phone numbers on file. If you send us your contact information, I ask that you please write very neatly so we can make sure we are entering the correct information in our student information system.

​Have a great weekend!

Terrace Families,

Please read the following updates and information:

Literacy Night:

• This past Wednesday Mrs. Siguenza, Mrs. Fuentes, and Ms. Frintner hosted a literacy night, where several first grade parents attended. Parents learned what the first grade teachers do to teach literacy to their children here at school, and they gave parents the strategies we use here so that they could use those same strategies at home. There were also snacks, and we raffled off some fun prizes! The teachers did a fabulous job, and we appreciate all the parents who were able to attend. We will be having more of these types of parent events this school year, so please stay tuned for more info in the future.

Halloween:

• As Halloween is approaching, I wanted to remind you how the school day will proceed on Wednesday, October 31, 2018:
  • Please remember that it is a half-day institute day, and dismissal will be at 12:00. There will be NO SCHOOL for any kindergarten students on Oct. 31.
  • The school-wide parade for grades 1-5 will begin promptly at 10:15 in the gymnasium, and if weather permits, we will also parade outside after all of our students go on the stage. This year we will begin our festivities with a brief Halloween sing-along, led by Mrs. Prost! Parents, please do not arrive earlier than 10:10.
  • Kindergarteners (both a.m. and p.m.) will have their parades on Tuesday, Oct. 30. Morning kindergarteners will parade at 10:15, and afternoon students will parade at 1:15. Please look for information to come home from Mrs. Nielsen about your classroom celebrations.
  • Costumes may not contain: weapons of any sort, blood, cigars or cigarettes, and we should not be able to see any student’s bare stomach. In addition, please ensure that costumes are age-appropriate for school and are not overly scary. Masks may be worn only during the parade, but they may not be worn during the school day.
  • Classroom parties for grades 1-5 will begin roughly at 11:00. Parents and volunteers, it is important that you follow the guidelines communicated in the Terrace handbook (and D62 BOE policy) as it relates to food items. Candy, sweets, or any other food items ARE NOT permitted for Halloween or any other celebrations during the school day. Your child is welcome to bring in pencils, erasers, and any little non-food items to share with their classmates. However, should you send food to school, it will not be distributed and will be returned to you. Your child’s teacher will give you more information about this.

Call for student entries: 2018 District 62 Winter Greeting Card design contest!

• All District 62 students are invited to enter the 2018 Winter Greeting Card design contest. 
• The first place winner's design will be featured on a greeting card sent to community leaders and will be proudly displayed on the district's website and shared via social media. All design entries will be displayed at the Des Plaines Public Library. 
• The first, second and third place winners will be honored at the Monday, November 19 Board of Education meeting. All students will receive participation certificates. 
• Deadline: October 17, 2018 to your school secretary
• Please visit our website for additional information and the parent release form: 
  • English
  • Spanish
  • Polish

Be Prepared for Cold Weather:
Families, please take note of the changing weather. If the temperature seems to be cooler, please send a sweatshirt or light jacket with your children. If your children attend early SPARK, they will sometimes play outside. Please make sure you are sending them with something warm to wear also.

Chronic Absenteeism:
At the end of last school year, I included an attachment in a May 31 email to you with information about D62 BOE policy changes for the 2018-2019 school year. One of those changes was regarding chronic absenteeism. Last night at Curriculum Night, I discussed this in more detail.

Essentially, students who are absent 10% or more of school days during the current academic year, including absences with and without valid cause as well as out of school suspensions, will be considered “chronic absentees”. District 62 will collect and review its absence data regularly and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage daily attendance and promote success.

As an example: District 62 has a total of 174 student attendance days in a school year. If a student is absent for 17.4 days (10% of 174 days) during the 2018-2019 school year, they would be considered “chronically absent”. Again, this is for excused and unexcused absences and would include a student who is sick, on vacation, out of the country, has  a doctor or dentist appointment, misses school due to a death in the family, parent has car troubles and cannot get to school, etc.

This will impact all schools in the state of Illinois, and it is important for you to know that all schools are all in the same situation. A new federal program called the Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA (and formerly known as No Child Left Behind) is calling for schools and school districts to pay closer attention to student attendance data as one of many indicators that create and impact designations of a school’s success.  

In summary, all D62 schools are encouraging and expecting families to do all that they can to see that our students attend school every day that they are well enough to attend. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
​
​School Volunteer Info:
Attention Volunteers! Please fill out the online volunteer application if you do not currently have one on file. In order to volunteer at school during the day or at any school function (field trips, popcorn day, etc), you must have an application on file. If you are not sure if you have completed one, please email Mrs. Lopatka at lopatkak@d62.org, and she can check for you. You may also apply online at the following website by clicking here.

Congratulations to these terrific Terrace students for setting a positive example of what it means to be safe, to be respectful, and to be responsible! Also, congratulations to Mrs. Hanstad’s class for earning the Courageous Cardinal!

Please read the following reminders:
​​
Arrival Parking Lot Safety: Families should drive through the front circle to drop off students. The parking lot IS NOT a place to drop off students. If you feel you need to park and walk your child to his or her line, please park on Westgate to do so. The safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority above all else.

Dismissal Parking Lot Safety: Please remember that the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our #1 priority. After school you are welcome park your car in a designated spot in our lot and walk to the front to pick up your child. Or, you may drive through the front circle and pick up your child in the pickup line. DO NOT double park your car in the lot and ask your child to run over to your car. I have personally seen students do this and nearly get hit by a car in the lot. Please listen to and work with our traffic supervisors. We need you working together with us to ensure students and staff are safe. Thank you so much.

WeatherBug:
Please download the WeatherBug app and set Terrace as your home page. Here are the directions to download:

1. Open the app, and tap the WeatherBug icon in the upper left corner to expose the main app menu.
2. Select “Sign in”
3. At the bottom of the login screen, tap “Sign up” and either login using your Facebook account or by creating a WeatherBug account.
4. Then go back into the main app menu and select “Communities”
5. Tap “Terrace Elementary School” – the plus sign should turn into a check mark – hit “Close”
6. You should see the Terrace Elementary School Community card.

Internet Safety:
Families, as your children are getting older and are having more exposure online, a host of questions can arise about Internet safety. If you would like to learn more about what your children may be doing or what you can do as a parent/caregiver to protect them, please click here to read more.

Additional Notes:​

• If you are on Facebook and would like to see what is going on at Terrace, be sure to check out the Terrace Facebook page. Pictures are regularly posted to better give you an insight into all the great things that go on at school each and every day. Remember to click the "like" button so our updates appear regularly on your feed. Or, under the school address near the top left of this page, you can click Facebook, and it will direct you straight to the page.
• It is important for us to have a current email address and phone number for you at all times. If you want to ensure that you receive emails and notifications from Terrace and D62, please make sure our office has your most current email and phone numbers on file. If you send us your contact information, I ask that you please write very neatly so we can make sure we are entering the correct information in our student information system.

​Have a great weekend!

Terrace Families,

Please read the following updates and information:

Halloween:

• As Halloween is approaching, I wanted to remind you how the school day will proceed on Wednesday, October 31, 2018:
  • Please remember that it is a half-day institute day, and dismissal will be at 12:00. There will be NO SCHOOL for any kindergarten students on Oct. 31.
  • The school-wide parade for grades 1-5 will begin promptly at 10:15 in the gymnasium, and if weather permits, we will also parade outside after all of our students go on the stage. This year we will begin our festivities with a brief Halloween sing-along, led by Mrs. Prost! Parents, please do not arrive earlier than 10:10.
  • Kindergarteners (both a.m. and p.m.) will have their parades on Tuesday, Oct. 30. Morning kindergarteners will parade at 10:15, and afternoon students will parade at 1:15. Please look for information to come home from Mrs. Nielsen about your classroom celebrations.
  • Costumes may not contain: weapons of any sort, blood, cigars or cigarettes, and we should not be able to see any student’s bare stomach. In addition, please ensure that costumes are age-appropriate for school and are not overly scary. Masks may be worn only during the parade, but they may not be worn during the school day.
  • Classroom parties for grades 1-5 will begin roughly at 11:00. Parents and volunteers, it is important that you follow the guidelines communicated in the Terrace handbook (and D62 BOE policy) as it relates to food items. Candy, sweets, or any other food items ARE NOT permitted for Halloween or any other celebrations during the school day. Your child is welcome to bring in pencils, erasers, and any little non-food items to share with their classmates. However, should you send food to school, it will not be distributed and will be returned to you. Your child’s teacher will give you more information about this.

Call for student entries: 2018 District 62 Winter Greeting Card design contest!

• All District 62 students are invited to enter the 2018 Winter Greeting Card design contest. 
• The first place winner's design will be featured on a greeting card sent to community leaders and will be proudly displayed on the district's website and shared via social media. All design entries will be displayed at the Des Plaines Public Library. 
• The first, second and third place winners will be honored at the Monday, November 19 Board of Education meeting. All students will receive participation certificates. 
• Deadline: October 17, 2018 to your school secretary
• Please visit our website for additional information and the parent release form: 
  • English
  • Spanish
  • Polish

Be Prepared for Cold Weather:
Families, please take note of the changing weather. If the temperature seems to be cooler, please send a sweatshirt or light jacket with your children. If your children attend early SPARK, they will sometimes play outside. Please make sure you are sending them with something warm to wear also.

Chronic Absenteeism:
At the end of last school year, I included an attachment in a May 31 email to you with information about D62 BOE policy changes for the 2018-2019 school year. One of those changes was regarding chronic absenteeism. Last night at Curriculum Night, I discussed this in more detail.

Essentially, students who are absent 10% or more of school days during the current academic year, including absences with and without valid cause as well as out of school suspensions, will be considered “chronic absentees”. District 62 will collect and review its absence data regularly and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage daily attendance and promote success.

As an example: District 62 has a total of 174 student attendance days in a school year. If a student is absent for 17.4 days (10% of 174 days) during the 2018-2019 school year, they would be considered “chronically absent”. Again, this is for excused and unexcused absences and would include a student who is sick, on vacation, out of the country, has  a doctor or dentist appointment, misses school due to a death in the family, parent has car troubles and cannot get to school, etc.

This will impact all schools in the state of Illinois, and it is important for you to know that all schools are all in the same situation. A new federal program called the Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA (and formerly known as No Child Left Behind) is calling for schools and school districts to pay closer attention to student attendance data as one of many indicators that create and impact designations of a school’s success.  

In summary, all D62 schools are encouraging and expecting families to do all that they can to see that our students attend school every day that they are well enough to attend. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
​
​School Volunteer Info:
Attention Volunteers! Please fill out the online volunteer application if you do not currently have one on file. In order to volunteer at school during the day or at any school function (field trips, popcorn day, etc), you must have an application on file. If you are not sure if you have completed one, please email Mrs. Lopatka at lopatkak@d62.org, and she can check for you. You may also apply online at the following website by clicking here.

Congratulations to these terrific Terrace students for setting a positive example of what it means to be safe, to be respectful, and to be responsible! Also, congratulations to Mrs. Lopatka’s class for earning the Courageous Cardinal!

Please read the following reminders:
​​
Arrival Parking Lot Safety: Families should drive through the front circle to drop off students. The parking lot IS NOT a place to drop off students. If you feel you need to park and walk your child to his or her line, please park on Westgate to do so. The safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority above all else.

Dismissal Parking Lot Safety: Please remember that the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our #1 priority. After school you are welcome park your car in a designated spot in our lot and walk to the front to pick up your child. Or, you may drive through the front circle and pick up your child in the pickup line. DO NOT double park your car in the lot and ask your child to run over to your car. I have personally seen students do this and nearly get hit by a car in the lot. Please listen to and work with our traffic supervisors. We need you working together with us to ensure students and staff are safe. Thank you so much.

WeatherBug:
Please download the WeatherBug app and set Terrace as your home page. Here are the directions to download:

1. Open the app, and tap the WeatherBug icon in the upper left corner to expose the main app menu.
2. Select “Sign in”
3. At the bottom of the login screen, tap “Sign up” and either login using your Facebook account or by creating a WeatherBug account.
4. Then go back into the main app menu and select “Communities”
5. Tap “Terrace Elementary School” – the plus sign should turn into a check mark – hit “Close”
6. You should see the Terrace Elementary School Community card.

Internet Safety:
Families, as your children are getting older and are having more exposure online, a host of questions can arise about Internet safety. If you would like to learn more about what your children may be doing or what you can do as a parent/caregiver to protect them, please click here to read more.

Additional Notes:​

• If you are on Facebook and would like to see what is going on at Terrace, be sure to check out the Terrace Facebook page. Pictures are regularly posted to better give you an insight into all the great things that go on at school each and every day. Remember to click the "like" button so our updates appear regularly on your feed. Or, under the school address near the top left of this page, you can click Facebook, and it will direct you straight to the page.
• It is important for us to have a current email address and phone number for you at all times. If you want to ensure that you receive emails and notifications from Terrace and D62, please make sure our office has your most current email and phone numbers on file. If you send us your contact information, I ask that you please write very neatly so we can make sure we are entering the correct information in our student information system.

​Have a great weekend!

Terrace Families,

Thanks to everyone who were able to come out last week and support our PTC at the book fair and pancake breakfast. The money raised goes straight back to supporting our teachers and students, so thank you.

Call for student entries: 2018 District 62 Winter Greeting Card design contest!

• All District 62 students are invited to enter the 2018 Winter Greeting Card design contest. 
• The first place winner's design will be featured on a greeting card sent to community leaders and will be proudly displayed on the district's website and shared via social media. All design entries will be displayed at the Des Plaines Public Library. 
• The first, second and third place winners will be honored at the Monday, November 19 Board of Education meeting. All students will receive participation certificates. 
• Deadline: October 17, 2018 to your school secretary
• Please visit our website for additional information and the parent release form: 
  • English
  • Spanish
  • Polish

Families, please take note of the changing weather. If the temperature seems to be cooler, please send a sweatshirt or light jacket with your children. If your children attend early SPARK, they will sometimes play outside. Please make sure you are sending them with something warm to wear also.

Don't forget there is no school on Monday! The new September Terrace Times is linked above. Please give it a read.

Please read the following updates and information:

Chronic Absenteeism:
At the end of last school year, I included an attachment in a May 31 email to you with information about D62 BOE policy changes for the 2018-2019 school year. One of those changes was regarding chronic absenteeism. Last night at Curriculum Night, I discussed this in more detail.

Essentially, students who are absent 10% or more of school days during the current academic year, including absences with and without valid cause as well as out of school suspensions, will be considered “chronic absentees”. District 62 will collect and review its absence data regularly and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage daily attendance and promote success.

As an example: District 62 has a total of 174 student attendance days in a school year. If a student is absent for 17.4 days (10% of 174 days) during the 2018-2019 school year, they would be considered “chronically absent”. Again, this is for excused and unexcused absences and would include a student who is sick, on vacation, out of the country, has  a doctor or dentist appointment, misses school due to a death in the family, parent has car troubles and cannot get to school, etc.

This will impact all schools in the state of Illinois, and it is important for you to know that all schools are all in the same situation. A new federal program called the Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA (and formerly known as No Child Left Behind) is calling for schools and school districts to pay closer attention to student attendance data as one of many indicators that create and impact designations of a school’s success.  

In summary, all D62 schools are encouraging and expecting families to do all that they can to see that our students attend school every day that they are well enough to attend. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
​
​School Volunteer Info:
Attention Volunteers! Please fill out the online volunteer application if you do not currently have one on file. In order to volunteer at school during the day or at any school function (field trips, popcorn day, etc), you must have an application on file. If you are not sure if you have completed one, please email Mrs. Lopatka at lopatkak@d62.org, and she can check for you. You may also apply online at the following website by clicking here.

Congratulations to these terrific Terrace students for setting a positive example of what it means to be safe, to be respectful, and to be responsible! Also, congratulations to Mrs. Staffel’s class for earning the Courageous Cardinal!

Please read the following reminders:
​​
Arrival Parking Lot Safety: Families should drive through the front circle to drop off students. The parking lot IS NOT a place to drop off students. If you feel you need to park and walk your child to his or her line, please park on Westgate to do so. The safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority above all else.

Dismissal Parking Lot Safety: Please remember that the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our #1 priority. After school you are welcome park your car in a designated spot in our lot and walk to the front to pick up your child. Or, you may drive through the front circle and pick up your child in the pickup line. DO NOT double park your car in the lot and ask your child to run over to your car. I have personally seen students do this and nearly get hit by a car in the lot. Please listen to and work with our traffic supervisors. We need you working together with us to ensure students and staff are safe. Thank you so much.

WeatherBug:
Please download the WeatherBug app and set Terrace as your home page. Here are the directions to download:

1. Open the app, and tap the WeatherBug icon in the upper left corner to expose the main app menu.
2. Select “Sign in”
3. At the bottom of the login screen, tap “Sign up” and either login using your Facebook account or by creating a WeatherBug account.
4. Then go back into the main app menu and select “Communities”
5. Tap “Terrace Elementary School” – the plus sign should turn into a check mark – hit “Close”
6. You should see the Terrace Elementary School Community card.

Internet Safety:
Families, as your children are getting older and are having more exposure online, a host of questions can arise about Internet safety. If you would like to learn more about what your children may be doing or what you can do as a parent/caregiver to protect them, please click here to read more.

Additional Notes:​

• If you are on Facebook and would like to see what is going on at Terrace, be sure to check out the Terrace Facebook page. Pictures are regularly posted to better give you an insight into all the great things that go on at school each and every day. Remember to click the "like" button so our updates appear regularly on your feed. Or, under the school address near the top left of this page, you can click Facebook, and it will direct you straight to the page.
• It is important for us to have a current email address and phone number for you at all times. If you want to ensure that you receive emails and notifications from Terrace and D62, please make sure our office has your most current email and phone numbers on file. If you send us your contact information, I ask that you please write very neatly so we can make sure we are entering the correct information in our student information system.

​Have a great weekend!

Terrace Families,

Today the MAP reports for grades 3-5 will be coming home with your children. Please remember that students in grades K-2 did not take MAP this year, and instead took the FastBridge assessment. You should have received a district communication yesterday stating that no reports will be coming home for FastBridge. As a district, we are still investigating alternative assessments for grades K-2 that will provide us with rich data that can help teachers instruct your children. If you have any questions about the MAP reports, you may always contact your child's teacher.

For the last three years our fifth graders have taken the IL Science Assessment (pretty much right after PARCC in the spring). I wanted to share the 2018 IL Science Assessment data with all of you…80.6% of our 5th graders tested met or exceeded on the assessment! 52.6 is the state average! This is wonderful news, and teachers at all grade levels contribute to our students' success! Just for your reference, in 2017 our %age was 71.1 and in 2016 it was 62.5. So I hope you will please join me in celebrating this accomplishment.

Families, please take note of the changing weather. If the temperature seems to be cooler, please send a sweatshirt or light jacket with your children. If your children attend early SPARK, they will sometimes play outside. Please make sure you are sending them with something warm to wear also.

Please do not forget to stop by the Book Fair and PTC Pancake Breakfast tomorrow, on Saturday the 29th. We hope you can join us for a fun time.

Please read the following updates and information:

Chronic Absenteeism:
At the end of last school year, I included an attachment in a May 31 email to you with information about D62 BOE policy changes for the 2018-2019 school year. One of those changes was regarding chronic absenteeism. Last night at Curriculum Night, I discussed this in more detail.

Essentially, students who are absent 10% or more of school days during the current academic year, including absences with and without valid cause as well as out of school suspensions, will be considered “chronic absentees”. District 62 will collect and review its absence data regularly and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage daily attendance and promote success.

As an example: District 62 has a total of 174 student attendance days in a school year. If a student is absent for 17.4 days (10% of 174 days) during the 2018-2019 school year, they would be considered “chronically absent”. Again, this is for excused and unexcused absences and would include a student who is sick, on vacation, out of the country, has  a doctor or dentist appointment, misses school due to a death in the family, parent has car troubles and cannot get to school, etc.

This will impact all schools in the state of Illinois, and it is important for you to know that all schools are all in the same situation. A new federal program called the Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA (and formerly known as No Child Left Behind) is calling for schools and school districts to pay closer attention to student attendance data as one of many indicators that create and impact designations of a school’s success.  

In summary, all D62 schools are encouraging and expecting families to do all that they can to see that our students attend school every day that they are well enough to attend. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
​
​School Volunteer Info:
Attention Volunteers! Please fill out the online volunteer application if you do not currently have one on file. In order to volunteer at school during the day or at any school function (field trips, popcorn day, etc), you must have an application on file. If you are not sure if you have completed one, please email Mrs. Lopatka at lopatkak@d62.org, and she can check for you. You may also apply online at the following website by clicking here.

Congratulations to these terrific Terrace students for setting a positive example of what it means to be safe, to be respectful, and to be responsible! Also, congratulations to Mr. Becker’s class for earning the Courageous Cardinal!

Please read the following reminders:
​
Arrival Parking Lot Safety: Families should drive through the front circle to drop off students. The parking lot IS NOT a place to drop off students. If you feel you need to park and walk your child to his or her line, please park on Westgate to do so. The safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority above all else.

Dismissal Parking Lot Safety: Please remember that the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our #1 priority. After school you are welcome park your car in a designated spot in our lot and walk to the front to pick up your child. Or, you may drive through the front circle and pick up your child in the pickup line. DO NOT double park your car in the lot and ask your child to run over to your car. I have personally seen students do this and nearly get hit by a car in the lot. Please listen to and work with our traffic supervisors. We need you working together with us to ensure students and staff are safe. Thank you so much.

WeatherBug:
Please download the WeatherBug app and set Terrace as your home page. Here are the directions to download:

1. Open the app, and tap the WeatherBug icon in the upper left corner to expose the main app menu.
2. Select “Sign in”
3. At the bottom of the login screen, tap “Sign up” and either login using your Facebook account or by creating a WeatherBug account.
4. Then go back into the main app menu and select “Communities”
5. Tap “Terrace Elementary School” – the plus sign should turn into a check mark – hit “Close”
6. You should see the Terrace Elementary School Community card.

Internet Safety:
Families, as your children are getting older and are having more exposure online, a host of questions can arise about Internet safety. If you would like to learn more about what your children may be doing or what you can do as a parent/caregiver to protect them, please click here to read more.

Additional Notes:​

• If you are on Facebook and would like to see what is going on at Terrace, be sure to check out the Terrace Facebook page. Pictures are regularly posted to better give you an insight into all the great things that go on at school each and every day. Remember to click the "like" button so our updates appear regularly on your feed. Or, under the school address near the top left of this page, you can click Facebook, and it will direct you straight to the page.
• It is important for us to have a current email address and phone number for you at all times. If you want to ensure that you receive emails and notifications from Terrace and D62, please make sure our office has your most current email and phone numbers on file. If you send us your contact information, I ask that you please write very neatly so we can make sure we are entering the correct information in our student information system.

​Have a great weekend!

Terrace Families,

I have been meaning to introduce to you our new art teacher this year, Mrs. Stiebris. She has been here for a couple of weeks getting to know our students, and if you attended curriculum night, you may have met here then. She comes with a rich background teaching art in many different settings. She is very excited to be here at Terrace!

Next week we have several PTC activities going on that we hope you participate in. Monday evening at 6:30 is PTC's first meeting of the school year. Immediately before that at 6:00, PTC will be hosting a Kindergarten Mixer for our new kindergarten families. This is a great way for the am/pm families to get to know one another! In addition, the Book Fair begins on Thursday the 27th and will run through Pancake Breakfast on Saturday the 29th. We hope you can join our community for these special events.

Finally, a special kudos go out to some of our Terrace families who participated in painting a mural under the viaduct for the Cumberland Train Station. Several Terrace (and Chippewa) families lent a hand, and we are certainly proud of their efforts in giving something back to beautify our community. Next time you are around there, please give it a look. Some pictures can be found on our Facebook page.

Please read the following updates and information:

Chronic Absenteeism:
At the end of last school year, I included an attachment in a May 31 email to you with information about D62 BOE policy changes for the 2018-2019 school year. One of those changes was regarding chronic absenteeism. Last night at Curriculum Night, I discussed this in more detail.

Essentially, students who are absent 10% or more of school days during the current academic year, including absences with and without valid cause as well as out of school suspensions, will be considered “chronic absentees”. District 62 will collect and review its absence data regularly and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage daily attendance and promote success.

As an example: District 62 has a total of 174 student attendance days in a school year. If a student is absent for 17.4 days (10% of 174 days) during the 2018-2019 school year, they would be considered “chronically absent”. Again, this is for excused and unexcused absences and would include a student who is sick, on vacation, out of the country, has  a doctor or dentist appointment, misses school due to a death in the family, parent has car troubles and cannot get to school, etc.

This will impact all schools in the state of Illinois, and it is important for you to know that all schools are all in the same situation. A new federal program called the Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA (and formerly known as No Child Left Behind) is calling for schools and school districts to pay closer attention to student attendance data as one of many indicators that create and impact designations of a school’s success.  

In summary, all D62 schools are encouraging and expecting families to do all that they can to see that our students attend school every day that they are well enough to attend. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
​
​School Volunteer Info:
Attention Volunteers! Please fill out the online volunteer application if you do not currently have one on file. In order to volunteer at school during the day or at any school function (field trips, popcorn day, etc), you must have an application on file. If you are not sure if you have completed one, please email Mrs. Lopatka at lopatkak@d62.org, and she can check for you. You may also apply online at the following website by clicking here.
​

Congratulations to these terrific Terrace students for setting a positive example of what it means to be safe, to be respectful, and to be responsible! Also, congratulations to Mrs. Schaefer’s class for earning the Courageous Cardinal!

Please read the following reminders:
​
Arrival Parking Lot Safety: Families should drive through the front circle to drop off students. The parking lot IS NOT a place to drop off students. If you feel you need to park and walk your child to his or her line, please park on Westgate to do so. The safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority above all else.

Dismissal Parking Lot Safety: Please remember that the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our #1 priority. After school you are welcome park your car in a designated spot in our lot and walk to the front to pick up your child. Or, you may drive through the front circle and pick up your child in the pickup line. DO NOT double park your car in the lot and ask your child to run over to your car. I have personally seen students do this and nearly get hit by a car in the lot. Please listen to and work with our traffic supervisors. We need you working together with us to ensure students and staff are safe. Thank you so much.

WeatherBug:
Please download the WeatherBug app and set Terrace as your home page. Here are the directions to download:

1. Open the app, and tap the WeatherBug icon in the upper left corner to expose the main app menu.
2. Select “Sign in”
3. At the bottom of the login screen, tap “Sign up” and either login using your Facebook account or by creating a WeatherBug account.
4. Then go back into the main app menu and select “Communities”
5. Tap “Terrace Elementary School” – the plus sign should turn into a check mark – hit “Close”
6. You should see the Terrace Elementary School Community card.

Internet Safety:
Families, as your children are getting older and are having more exposure online, a host of questions can arise about Internet safety. If you would like to learn more about what your children may be doing or what you can do as a parent/caregiver to protect them, please click here to read more.

Additional Notes:​

• If you are on Facebook and would like to see what is going on at Terrace, be sure to check out the Terrace Facebook page. Pictures are regularly posted to better give you an insight into all the great things that go on at school each and every day. Remember to click the "like" button so our updates appear regularly on your feed. Or, under the school address near the top left of this page, you can click Facebook, and it will direct you straight to the page.
• It is important for us to have a current email address and phone number for you at all times. If you want to ensure that you receive emails and notifications from Terrace and D62, please make sure our office has your most current email and phone numbers on file. If you send us your contact information, I ask that you please write very neatly so we can make sure we are entering the correct information in our student information system.

​Have a great weekend!

​Terrace Families,

We had a wonderful week with beautiful weather! We are extremely fortunate to be able to go outside and utilize or playground area and green space so our students can burn off some energy. If you checked out our Facebook Page, you may have even seen that we had a fine feathered friend join us at recess this week!

Many of you who came to Curriculum Night last week really enjoyed to video I showed you made by some of our fifth grade students along with Mrs. Raczkowski. If you would like to view it again, please click here. To take our technology even further into the future, next week Mrs. Raczkowski and Mrs. Lopatka will be rolling out our new video morning announcements. Each week they will film our morning announcements with our students, which can then be shown daily in each classroom at the most appropriate time when teachers have their students' attention. I am excited to see how it turns out!

Families, don't forget you have one more week to order your Terrace spirit wear. For more information, please contact Lindsay Garcia at Linds90774@aol.com.

Please read the following updates and information:

Chronic Absenteeism:
At the end of last school year, I included an attachment in a May 31 email to you with information about D62 BOE policy changes for the 2018-2019 school year. One of those changes was regarding chronic absenteeism. Last night at Curriculum Night, I discussed this in more detail.

Essentially, students who are absent 10% or more of school days during the current academic year, including absences with and without valid cause as well as out of school suspensions, will be considered “chronic absentees”. District 62 will collect and review its absence data regularly and determine what systems of support and resources are needed to engage chronically absent students and their families to encourage daily attendance and promote success.

As an example: District 62 has a total of 174 student attendance days in a school year. If a student is absent for 17.4 days (10% of 174 days) during the 2018-2019 school year, they would be considered “chronically absent”. Again, this is for excused and unexcused absences and would include a student who is sick, on vacation, out of the country, has  a doctor or dentist appointment, misses school due to a death in the family, parent has car troubles and cannot get to school, etc.

This will impact all schools in the state of Illinois, and it is important for you to know that all schools are all in the same situation. A new federal program called the Every Student Succeeds Act or ESSA (and formerly known as No Child Left Behind) is calling for schools and school districts to pay closer attention to student attendance data as one of many indicators that create and impact designations of a school’s success.  

In summary, all D62 schools are encouraging and expecting families to do all that they can to see that our students attend school every day that they are well enough to attend. If you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.
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​School Volunteer Info:
Attention Volunteers! Please fill out the online volunteer application if you do not currently have one on file. In order to volunteer at school during the day or at any school function (field trips, popcorn day, etc), you must have an application on file. If you are not sure if you have completed one, please email Mrs. Lopatka at lopatkak@d62.org, and she can check for you. You may also apply online at the following website by clicking here.

Congratulations to these terrific Terrace students for setting a positive example of what it means to be safe, to be respectful, and to be responsible! Also, congratulations to Mrs. Djurdjevic’s class for earning the Courageous Cardinal!

Please read the following reminders:
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Arrival Parking Lot Safety: Families should drive through the front circle to drop off students. The parking lot IS NOT a place to drop off students. If you feel you need to park and walk your child to his or her line, please park on Westgate to do so. The safety and well-being of our students is our number one priority above all else.

Dismissal Parking Lot Safety: Please remember that the safety and well-being of our students and staff are our #1 priority. After school you are welcome park your car in a designated spot in our lot and walk to the front to pick up your child. Or, you may drive through the front circle and pick up your child in the pickup line. DO NOT double park your car in the lot and ask your child to run over to your car. I have personally seen students do this and nearly get hit by a car in the lot. Please listen to and work with our traffic supervisors. We need you working together with us to ensure students and staff are safe. Thank you so much.

WeatherBug:
Please download the WeatherBug app and set Terrace as your home page. Here are the directions to download:

1. Open the app, and tap the WeatherBug icon in the upper left corner to expose the main app menu.
2. Select “Sign in”
3. At the bottom of the login screen, tap “Sign up” and either login using your Facebook account or by creating a WeatherBug account.
4. Then go back into the main app menu and select “Communities”
5. Tap “Terrace Elementary School” – the plus sign should turn into a check mark – hit “Close”
6. You should see the Terrace Elementary School Community card.

Internet Safety:
Families, as your children are getting older and are having more exposure online, a host of questions can arise about Internet safety. If you would like to learn more about what your children may be doing or what you can do as a parent/caregiver to protect them, please click here to read more.

Additional Notes:​

• If you are on Facebook and would like to see what is going on at Terrace, be sure to check out the Terrace Facebook page. Pictures are regularly posted to better give you an insight into all the great things that go on at school each and every day. Remember to click the "like" button so our updates appear regularly on your feed. Or, under the school address near the top left of this page, you can click Facebook, and it will direct you straight to the page.
• It is important for us to have a current email address and phone number for you at all times. If you want to ensure that you receive emails and notifications from Terrace and D62, please make sure our office has your most current email and phone numbers on file. If you send us your contact information, I ask that you please write very neatly so we can make sure we are entering the correct information in our student information system.

​Have a great weekend!