Central PTA News

Summer break is here with swimming, riding bikes, camps, sunshine, relaxing and fun! I hope your summer is off to a great beginning! My belief is the more informed we are as Central School parents, the better!

I had the opportunity to attend the June 17, 2008 D96 Board of Education meeting and thought I would share some agenda items.

• The District 96 Offices will move their offices this summer to Mater Christi in North Riverside to help clear some space for additional classrooms at Hauser.
• Increasing proof of residency checks being considered.
• A temporary class size change for the D96 08/09 Kindergarten class to 23 students has been approved by the BOE to accommodate the large incoming class.

If you want to continue to be informed, I’d encourage you to attend the next 96 Board of Education Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, August 19, 2008, 7:30pm, Hauser Learning Resource Center.

If you have any questions that you think I may be able to answer, please feel free to email me at marrymelon@sbcglobal.net.

Enjoy your summer!
Mary Ellen Meindl, Central PTA/PTO 08/09 President

Do you have an “old” laptop in working condition that is collecting dust in your house?  Are you looking for a good place to make a donation? 

Central PTA and the Book Fair committee is looking for anyone with a working laptop computer to consider donating it to the PTA to use for future Book Fair events.  The Book Fair event requires a lot of coordination and organization that would be more efficient with the use of a laptop. 

Central PTA is a not-for-profit organization and the donation would be considered a charitable expense item for your tax records.  For further information or to make a donation, please contact Linda LaBelle by Friday May 2, 2008 at rllabelle@aol.com or by phone (number in the student directory).

Thank you in advance for your consideration

Linda LaBelle

Central Students and Families, The Book Fair Week is here!

Don’t forget the Kids Care for Literacy - “One for Books” Program. During the Book Fair week students can give three ways to the One for Books program to help children in need:

1. Fill out the $1.00 book slip and bring it to school with a $1.00 donation
2. Bring loose coins to the classroom (class with the most change wins a pizza party)
3. Buy Music! At the Ice Cream Social, Riverside composer Karena Mendoza will be selling her CD “On the Loose Dreams” and will donate $1.00 for each CD sold. To check out the CD go to; www.cdbaby.com (and then go to On the Loose Dreams)

The CD has won many awards:

• 2007 Winner of a Parents’ Choice Gold Award (Parents Choice Foundation)
• 2007 NAPPA Honors Award Winner (National Parenting Publications Award)
• 2007 CMWA Best New Artist for Older Children (Children’s Music Web Awards)

Get ready to take a wonderful Reading Roadtrip and enjoy the Book Fair.

View the original flier.

It’s an evening of babysitting on Friday, April 4 from 5pm-10pm at the Riverside Presbyterian Church, 116 Barrypoint Road. Last year Girl Scout Troop 4590 did this as a service project and it went so well that this year the girls are doing it again; as a fundraiser this this time.

Snacks and dinner will be served and games will be provided.

Contact Cathy Louthen (via email at louthen@sbcglobal.net or see directory for phone number), for more information and to register.

Thanks in advance!

The following community news is being shared in regards to the Riverside Pedestrian Tunnel.

The BNSF has filed its formal petition to close the pedestrian tunnel under the railroad tracks in Riverside.  By going to the ICC website, http://www.icc.illinois.gov/e-docket, and looking under Docket # T08-0051, you can see all the filings.  A hearing date has been set for April 29, 2008 at the State of Illinois Building, 10:00 am, 8th floor, 160 N. LaSalle.  If you wish to post a public comment, either for or against the closing, you can do so by accessing:  http://www.icc.illinois.gov/docket/comment/

District 96 and Central School PTA needs your help for Early Childhood Screening.  Early Childhood Screening is being held at Central School on February 21st and 22nd

• One volunteer is needed for Thursday, February 21st, 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
• Two volunteers are needed for Friday, February 22nd, 8:00 am - 12:30 pm

Responsibilities may include; greeting and welcoming preschoolers as they arrive for assigned appointments, helping them feel comfortable, walking them from station to station to be screened by the District’s Professionals or assisting the D96 screeners.

The day is very rewarding and fun.  The first appointment starts at 8:30am.  Volunteers are needed to arrive between 8:00 - 8:10 am to get your assignment and to become familiar with the layout of the screening stations.

If you are available to help out, please contact Kathy Dudek as dudjk@sbcglobal.net or you can find her phone number in the Central Student Directory.

Sgt. Michael Gray will show appreciation and share experiences

( RIVERSIDE ) …. What began at the near west suburban Central School last year as a Valentine’s Day project has blossomed into a year-long series of activities to support U.S. military troops. It will reach a pinnacle this Thursday, Jan. 31, 2008, when Sgt Michael Gray, cousin of third grader Joseph Dudek, spends the day visiting each classroom in the school. Sgt. Gray recently completed his third tour of duty in Fallujah, Iraq. He will talk to the students about the different countries he visited while in the service.

Central mom Kathy Dudek, Sgt. Gray’s aunt and Joseph’s mother, organized the valentine effort last year. Each student made two cards; one went to Hines VA Hospital and the other to military on active duty overseas.

This inspired faculty members Barbara Margolis, William Howes, and Patricia Gill to make DVDs featuring Central and Hauser Junior High student concerts. Last spring, they sent the DVDs to soldiers who are members of District 96 (staff and student) families.

In November, the students in Mrs. Claudia Miller’s second grade class collected candy to be sent to soldiers overseas – including Sgt. Michael Gray. To express his gratitude for the thoughtfulness of District 96 children and staff, Sgt. Gray presented Central School with two flags that had flown over his unit in Iraq. Both will be on display in the school building.

Sgt. Gray’s Thursday visit does not mark the end of Central School’s good will. The faculty and students will again be making cards for active service people overseas. This year, however, Sgt. Gray will not be receiving one. He is being reassigned to a base in Oklahoma, where he and his family will be moving very soon.

–Kim Grimshaw Bolton