August 29, 2011
From the Principal’s Desk
Dear Longfellow Families,
Welcome to an exciting new year at Longfellow School! I would like to extend a special welcome to our new families joining us this year as well as our
many returning families. Our school community works hand and hand together to ensure the best educational opportunities for each and every one of our
children. Educationally, Longfellow School has been recognized at a state level for its excellence and at a national level as a Blue Ribbon School, but of
equal importance is the focus we put on the development of strong character. We began this school year with an assembly reviewing our school rules and
overall behavior expectations and talked about “shared responsibility”.
We have just begun on this great journey together, please feel free to contact the office staff, PTA board members, or me with any questions you may have
throughout the year. There are also many opportunities to learn more about the school such as PTA meetings, Ice Cream Social, Curriculum Night, and
Parent/Teacher Conferences. You are also encouraged to visit the Longfellow School website available from the district website at www.cusd200.org.
Safety
We continue to have our fifth grade safety patrol members to help us with our kindergartners and with safely crossing students at Union and Wheaton
Avenues. Student patrols will only stop our walkers at the corner until the traffic is clear for the walkers to safely cross the street. Students are not allowed to
step into the street to stop traffic. Our patrols will begin on Monday, August 29th. Please feel free to accompany your child to school if you would like to see
the system in place. It remains our focus to make sure that students arrive at school safely. The district has contacted the Wheaton Police and the corner of
Union and Wheaton does not qualify for a paid city crossing guard because it is a four way stop intersection. The paid city crossing guards will remain at our
West Street and Main Street crossings.
District 200 and Longfellow School continue to be committed to the safety and security of our students. Please make sure that you follow the safety
procedures in place at our school. These are outlined in the Parent/Student Handbook that you will receive on Curriculum Night. Please remember to sign
the statement page in the back of the handbook indicating that you have read the handbook and discussed its contents with your child and return it to your
child’s teacher promptly.



All visitors and parents must enter Door #1 and sign in at the office to obtain a visitor’s badge. The badge should be worn at all times in the
building. Students and staff are continually reminded not to let anyone in any of our doors other than Door #1.
We have Safety Patrols that will be assigned duties at our Wheaton and Union intersection to help student’s cross. Patrols are only out as
temperature allows. They will not be present during extreme cold. Please make sure that you exercise extreme caution at this intersection and
around the school when you are dropping off or picking up children. All east side crossing should occur at this intersection where the crossing
guards are stationed. We also have a city of Wheaton sponsored adult crossing guard at the West and Union intersection.
There are no scooters, bicycles, and roller blades allowed on the playground. This is especially important to remember before and after school
when you bring younger siblings with you to pick up children. Also, we ask that any student younger than 3 rd grade age have a note from a parent
sent to the office if they will be riding their bike to school. This note can be for the entire year. Thank you for your continued support of these
important procedures.
The Longfellow Connection will be bi-monthly this year and sent home on Mondays. Remember that you may also access the newsletter on our website.
I look forward to seeing you at our Curriculum Night on Thursday, September 1 st! Look for more information on Curriculum Night in this newsletter!
“Who you are inside is what helps you make and do everything in life.”
-Mister Rogers
Fondly,
Mrs. Dianne Thornburg
Save the Date
September 2011
1 Curriculum Night
8 Ice Cream Social
13 PTA Meeting @ 7 p.m.
14 Room Parent Meeting 2:45 p.m.
15 PACE Curriculum Night 7:00 p.m.
23 Market Day Pick-Up
26 NO SCHOOL Institute Day
29 Cook's Night Off -- Chick-fil-A
October 2011
5 National Walk to School Day
6 Exercise US Day
11 PTA Meeting @ 7 p.m.
17 School Pictures
20 ELL Curriculum Night 7:00 p.m.
21 Market Day Pick-Up
31 Halloween Parade & Parties
November 2011
4 Report Cards go home
10 Parent/Teacher Conferences
11 Veterans Day Assembly
15 Parent/Teacher Conferences
15 Book Fair (through Nov. 18)
18 Market Day Pick-Up
21-25 NO SCHOOL
29 Fall Orchestra Concert at Longfellow
December 2011
7 Holiday Concert
9 4th/5th grade brunch/play
13 Holiday Story Time 3:30 p.m.
16 Holiday Parties
16 Market Day Pick-Up
Staff Spotlight
P.T.A. Happenings
President’s Message
The PTA numbers are rising and that's a great
thing!!! Many thanks to all who have registered as
Longfellow PTA members for the 2011/12 school
year. To those who have not yet signed up, please
consider doing so soon. The cost to join is just
$6/individual, or $12/couple, yet the benefits are
HUGE!!! Longfellow is strongly impacted by the
PTA. Most of our clubs could not take place without
the leadership of PTA. By joining, you are giving
yourself a stronger insight into the school's
operations. You are meeting new families. You are
getting to know our staff on a more personal
level. But, most importantly, you are becoming a
stronger role model for your child by showing him/her
the importance you place on education.
Yours in PTA,
Michelle Rollins
PTA Meeting Reminder!!!
The first PTA meeting of the year is set for Tuesday,
September 13 at 7 p.m. in the Library Learning
Center (LLC). Spend an hour with Mrs. Thornburg,
PTA officers, Longfellow staff members and
committee chairs talking about the start of the school
year. Homemade refreshments will be provided
(courtesy of our resident baker, Cara Whiting) and a
door prize will be given out at the end of the
meeting. ALL are invited to attend!!!
Help Wanted:
Battle of the Books chair(s) -- Please contact
Katherine Anderson (katand@sbcglobal.net) for more
info about co-chairing this exciting team of 4th/5th
grade readers!
Reflections chair(s) -- Please contact Michelle
Rollins (michelle.rollins@speakeasy.net) for more
info! This year's theme is "Diversity Means . . ."
(We should note that, without PTA committee
leadership, these activities may not take
place. Please consider volunteering if you have some
time!)
Thanks a Bunch!
~ Pam Ferrara, Mary Tiberi and their dedicated team
of volunteers for scooping away at a very successful
Ice Cream Social!
~ Todd and Stacey Bredehoeft for implementing a
new landscaping plan to clean up the weeds and help
beautify Longfellow's main entrance!
COOK'S NIGHT OUT
Just a few more weeks, so plan ahead
and come to the first CNO of the year on
Thursday, September 29th from 5-8pm at
CHIK-FIL-A restaurant in Wheaton.
Get a sampling at our ice cream social on
September 8th, and then head out on the 29th
for the full meal deal!! Remember it is a great
way to support our school and area restaurants!
Hope to see you all there!!
Cub Scout Pack 163 welcomes
boys 1 through 5th grades to find out
more about scouting. Information and
applications will be available at the PTA
Ice Cream Social as well as our first
meeting, Thursday, September 15th at 7
pm in the Longfellow Gym.
st
The Pack meets once a month throughout
the school year and is a family-friendly
event. Past events have included a
bonfire and scavenger hunt at Northside
Park, Christmas caroling, YMCA family
night with rock climbing and swimming,
Blue & Gold Dinner, and the Pinewood
Derby. Grade Level Den meetings
usually take place once or twice a month
after school.
Scouting helps to encourage spiritual
growth, good citizenship, sportsmanship
and personal responsibility. If these
goals interest you and your son, consider
joining Cub Scouts!
Question? Feel free to contact:
Cubmaster David Aguiar
630-752-0737
daguiar@sbcglobal.net
Schedule your hair cut appointments!
The Longfellow Picture Day will be Monday,
October 17th. If you would like to volunteer for
an hour shift or you have any questions, please
email Eve Wimpffen at eve@wimpffen.us.
2011 / 12 PTA Board
Please welcome your new PTA Board to their
positions:
President: Michelle Rollins
michelle.rollins@speakeasy.net
Vice President: Stacey Schmitt
saschmitt@hotmail.com
Secretary: Kellee Feeney
kfeeney826@gmail.com
Treasurer: Karie Ceci
kariephil@att.net
Please contact them at any time re: PTA committees,
volunteering, school info, or just about anything
related to Longfellow!
Help Wanted:
Playground supervisors – Needed during recess hours
(12-1 p.m. M-F). Please contact Jean Mallory re:
details and availabilities 630-682-2080. These are
PAID positions!
Battle of the Books chair(s) – Please contact Michelle
Rollins (michelle.rollins@speakeasy.net) for more info!
Reflections chair(s) – Please contact Michelle Rollins
(michelle.rollins@speakeasy.net) for more info.
(We should note that, without PTA committee
leadership,
these
activities
may
not
take
place. Please consider volunteering if you have some
time!)
Thanks a Bunch!
Cathy Holland and Ann Wakeman for coordinating
this
year's
School
Supply
Pick-up!
Chris Austin and Andrea Quinn for a successful
Newcomers Lunch!
Kristen Shikany for coordinating the Newcomer
Ambassadors and Julie Fuller for editing Newcomer
publicity pieces.
Join The PTA for
2011-2012 School Year!
Don’t forget to join the Longfellow PTA for the 20112012 school year! The membership forms are online
at
www.cusd200.org.
Once
online,
select Longfellow School and go to the PTA page
via the Shortcuts section on the left side of the
page. Once Simply print the forms , fill them out and
send them in with your child. There are also
membership forms in the office for your
convenience. We look forward to a new year
supporting our school and teachers!
Any
questions? Call Christine Austin (630) 588-9117
Big Goal for Market Day Fundraising this Year
Market Day is a year-round fundraising program that
allows our school to earn money when families order
groceries through our monthly order drives. Our goal
this year is to raise $3,000. If you haven’t tried Market
Day yet, we hope you’ll try it out this year. You’ll find
everything from prepared meals like lasagna and
casseroles to everyday staples like chicken breasts,
broccoli and string cheese. Order forms go home with
the kids every month and orders can be picked up on
Friday after school. This year, we’ll even deliver to
those families who would like to participate but can’t
make it to school for a Friday pick-up. September
orders are due by Tuesday 9/20 and the pick-up day is
Friday 9/23. If you have any questions about Market
Day or are willing to volunteer on a pick-up day,
please
email
Kathy
Langlois
at
kslanglois@sbcglobal.net.
To check out Market Day offerings, go to
www.marketday.com. Longfellow’s account number
is 1493.
Cook’s Night Off
Start marking the date for the first Cook’s Night Off!
Coming Thursday, September 29 from 5:00 pm to
8:00 pm, Chick-fil-A restaurant will be hosting our first
Cook's Night Off.
This is a new restaurant for us and we are hoping
for a great turn out. This is a great way to start off the
year with a time to mingle with friends, eat dinner, and
support Longfellow school as well as area
restaurants. In the coming weeks there will be more
information but start by marking this date on your
calendar!
Ice Cream Social
Faculty, students and their families are invited to the
PTA’s annual Back to School Ice Cream Social on
Thursday, September 8 from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Bring your family to the playground area for a
refreshing (FREE!) ice cream treat and come meet
other parents and the children in your son’s or
daughter’s class. (In case of inclement weather, we
will move into the gym.) The PTA will also be selling
Longfellow spirit wear, there will be special Market
Day and Cook’s Night Off tastings, Chess Club
challenges, plus numerous PTA committees will be on
hand to seek out new members. If you would like to
help scoop, or have questions about the Social,
please
contact
Pam
Ferrara
(PBradyFerrara@jfreed.com)
or
Mary
Tiberi
(mtiberi@aridtech.com).
Astronomy Club
Astronomy Club is a new club this year that will be
open to up to 20 second and third graders beginning
in m id-September. The club members will learn about
the Moon, Planets, Stars and Galaxies. In the one
classroom session each month, the children will learn
important
Astronomical
concepts
through
demonstrations and activities. There will also be one
or more observing session each month during which
the children will use the club telescopes to view the
Moon, Planets and Deep Sky objects such as stars
and nebulae. For more information, please contact
Dave Basener at dave@basener.org.
Mandarin Chinese Club
Mandarin Chinese Club is a new club this year that is
open to children in grades two through five. The
Mandarin language will be taught by teachers from the
Xinchuan Chinese School in context with cultural
activities. The Club will meet 20 times, once a week
(Thursday aftenoons, beginning September 15),
and the children will learn Mandarin involving such
themes as numbers, colors, family members and
nationality. This club has a registration fee of $200.00.
For more information, please contact Janet Quish at
janet@basener.org.
District 200 Music Program
Dear Fifth Grade Parents and Students:
The instrumental music program in District 200
is regarded as one of the finest music programs in the
State, as well as one of the “100 Best Communities for
Music Education in America”. We would love your son
or daughter to be a part of this tradition of excellence!
Participation in the instrumental ensembles is open to
anyone in fifth grade. Students participate in band or
orchestra lessons during school hours.
Sometime before September 1, 2011; during
school hours
 Your child will be given the opportunity to observe
a demonstration of instruments available in band
and orchestra.
 Your child will have the chance to try some of the
instruments.
 A letter will be sent home listing the recommended
instrument for study.
The 2011-2012 open house for band and
orchestra:
Wednesday, September 7 from 4:00pm-8:00pm
 Hubble Middle School – Commons Area
 Monroe Middle School – Commons Area
or
Thursday, September 8 from
4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
 Edison Middle School – Cafeteria Area
 Franklin Middle School – Band/Orchestra Room
We are excited about the prospect of teaching
your child! If you have any questions, please contact
a member of the Instrumental Music Staff.
Sincerely,
D200 Instrumental Music Staff