2013-2014 School Calendar (Click Here)

News & Updates

June 14, 2013

NEXT YEAR - SCHOOL CALENDAR

As you may already know, the Chicago Board of Education approved the 2013-2014 school calendar a few weeks ago. Although I’m attaching a copy of the new calendar, I would like to remind you of important dates to keep in mind for next year:
First and Last Days of School: The first day of school for all students will be August 26, 2013 and the last day of school will be June 10, 2014.
Holidays: Schools will be closed to observe Labor Day, September 2, 2013; Columbus Day, October 14, 2013; Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2013; Thanksgiving, November 27-29, 2013; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 20, 2014; Lincoln’s Birthday, February 12, 2014 and Memorial Day, May 26, 2014.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: Formerly known as Report Card Pick-Up, Parent Teacher Conferences will occur on the same day for elementary and high school students and will occur on November 12, 2013 and April 7, 2014. Parent-Teacher Conferences are days of non-student attendance.
Winter Break: December 23, 2013 to January 3, 2014.
Spring Break: Schools will be closed for Spring Break from April 14 to April 18, 2014.

Our school is not changing our bell schedule for next year. Therefore, our school hours will be from 7:45 am to 2:45 pm.

LSC PARENT VACANCIES

Unfortunately, two of our current LSC members will not be able to finish their two year term, since their children are graduating from Healy this year. Mr. Martin Perez and Mr. Chun Bun Lau have served our community for several years and we are sad to see them leave. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for their invaluable work, contribution, and dedication to our school. Due to the fact that they are unable to complete their term, we are looking for candidates to fill their vacancies. The candidates must be a parent of a child enrolled at Healy for the 2013 – 2014 school year. Board employees are not eligible to serve as a parent member of the LSC. If you are interested in applying for these vacancies, please submit a letter of intent to Mr. Carmona by July 5, 2013. The LSC will appoint two eligible candidates during the July LSC meeting. The appointed people will serve on the LSC for the 2013 -2014 school year.

SPIRIT WEEK
We will be having spirit week next week from June 17th to June 21st. I am asking parents to help us monitor that our students dress appropriately. The following is the dress code for next week:
Monday – Chicago Sports Day
Tuesday – Red, White, and Blue Day
Wednesday – Pajama Day (K – 2)
Mismatch Day (3rd – 8th)
Thursday – Twin Day
Friday – Healy Colors (green and white)

Students that do not dress according to the theme of the day are required to wear their uniforms.  NO HATS ALLOWED.

April 18, 2013

It is with great pleasure that I would like to inform our community that Robert Healy Elementary School has been awarded the Silver Award of the HealthierUS School Challenge. This acknowledgment will be indicated on our School Progress Report symbolizing recognition for meeting rigorous criteria in school celebrations, classroom rewards, participation in meal programs, opportunities for physical activity, healthy fundraisers and nutrition education. All of these are key components to supporting health and wellness within our school environment. Our school will be recognized for this achievement and in the coming months we will receive:

• Letter of congratulations from First Lady Michelle Obama (see letter here).
• Plaque signed by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack.
• HealthierUS School Challenge banner for display and celebrations at your school.
• Financial honorarium in the amount of $1,000.
• National recognition in communications about schools receiving this honor, including http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/HealthierUS/Illinois.html.

April 10, 2013 (click here for Spanish and Chinese versions of this letter)

Dear Parents:

We are happy to announce that Healy School was approved to host a preschool program for the 2013 – 2014 school year. The application process is different this year. Although applications are available in the Annex office, all applications must be turned in to an application representative of Chicago: Ready to Learn! Healy staff is no longer allowed to accept PreK applications. The representatives will be accepting applications at Healy on April 19th from 8am – 11am. This is the only day they will be at Healy. If you do not bring your application to Healy on April 19th, you will have to bring your application in to Burroughs Elementary located at 3542 S. Washtenaw, Monday through Friday between 8:30am and 3:30pm. All applications must be turned in by Friday, May 3rd. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the office at 773-534-9190, the Chicago: Ready to Learn! Hotline at 312-229-1690, or visiting their website at www.cps.edu/readytolearn.

Thanks,

Alfonso Carmona
Principal

Pick Up Time Options (March 15, 2013)

Starting on Monday, March 18th, the Chicago Police Department will start monitoring cars that are double parked along Wallace and Parnell, as well as those that park in the alleys around the school. If you double park and/or park in the alley you are subject to a ticket of up to $150. There are also issues with people leaving their cars in restricted areas around the school. I want to remind you that you could be subject to a ticket of up to $100 if you abandon your car in a no parking area. I spoke to the 9th District Police Commander to find solutions to alleviate the congestion and avoid people getting tickets, while keeping our students’ safety as our first priority.

Our solutions during dismissal time are as follows:

1. You will be allowed to stand on the east side of Wallace Street (going north) in a single line to pick up your child between 2:35pm and 2:55pm. You cannot leave your car alone and/or double park on Wallace Street.
2. You will also be allowed to stand on the west side of Parnell Street (going south) in a single line to pick up your child between 2:20pm and 2:35pm. After 2:35pm, or when the line is full (about 12 cars fit on Parnell Street), we will close Parnell Street for the safety of our students. You can only access Parnell Street from 30th Street. You cannot leave your car alone and/or double park on Parnell Street. If you choose to park on Parnell Street you will not be allowed to move your car until 3:00pm. (No exceptions)

These two options only allow you to stand, not park, on Wallace and Parnell. Therefore, you may not leave your car unattended to pick up your child.

This is a verbal agreement between Healy School and the Chicago Police Department; however, the Department of Streets and Sanitation can still issue a ticket for parking in a restricted area. This is why you should not leave your car alone on Wallace or Parnell at any time. The school and/or the Chicago Police Department will not be responsible if you receive a ticket while standing on Wallace or Parnell. Remember that per City of Chicago Ordinance cars may not be parked on the west side of Parnell or the east side of Wallace during the hours of 7:00am and 4:30pm (see posted signs around the school). With these solutions we are trying to find a safe way to dismiss our 1,378 students.

Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.

NEW ISAT EXPECTATIONS (Friday, February 22, 2013)

As your child’s educators, we strive to give your student the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to go on to college and succeed in a career. All Illinois schools, including our building, have begun implementing the Common Core State Standards, which outline the skills and content our students must master at each grade level to continue on the path to college and career readiness. At the beginning of January, the State Board of Education  determined that the current expectations for our students in grades 3-8 were too low and do not give an accurate picture of a student’s ability to succeed in college and the workforce. Therefore, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) is raising the bar this year on the ISAT performance expectations in Math and Reading for elementary and middle school students to bring them into line with the Common Core’s more rigorous standards. These higher expectations will cause a number of students who meet and exceed standards to drop significantly. Some students who previously met or exceeded standards will be classified as needing improvement. However, these new expectations do not mean that our students know less than they did before or are less capable than they were in previous years. Instead, ISBE is simply expecting more of students going forward to show their progress toward college and career-readiness benchmarks. The new performance expectations for the ISAT will provide a more accurate reflection of whether a student is on track for college and the workforce.
Our staff will be able to provide the appropriate support and interventions for your student based on the new learning standards at an earlier point in their academic career and thus boost their chances for success beyond high school.

When comparing our 2012 scores with what is expected under the new performance levels, we realized that only 70% of our students are meeting the new expectations (90% of our students met last year’s standards). However, this is something that will be affecting all CPS and Illinois schools and we are confident that our students will rise to the occasion.

Please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or a member of the administrative staff if you have any questions and concerns regarding the new ISAT expectations.

NEXT YEAR - SCHOOL CALENDAR
As you may already know, the Chicago Board of Education approved the 2013-2014 school calendar a few weeks ago. Although I’m attaching a copy of the new calendar, I would like to remind you of important dates to keep in mind for next year:

First and Last Days of School: The first day of school for all students will be August 26, 2013 and the last day of school will be June 10, 2014.
Holidays: Schools will be closed to observe Labor Day, September 2, 2013; Columbus Day, October 14, 2013; Veteran’s Day, November 11, 2013; Thanksgiving, November 27-29, 2013; Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 20, 2014; Lincoln’s Birthday, February 12, 2014 and Memorial Day, May 26, 2014.
Parent-Teacher Conferences: Formerly known as Report Card Pick-Up, Parent Teacher Conferences will occur on the same day for elementary and high school students and will occur on November 12, 2013 and April 7, 2014. Parent-Teacher Conferences are days of non-student attendance.
Winter Break: December 23, 2013 to January 3, 2014.
Spring Break: Schools will be closed for Spring Break from April 14 to April 18, 2014.

========================================================================================

SCHOOL SAFETY
As we learn more about the tragic events in the school in Connecticut, we should all take the opportunity to reflect on the things that we cherish most in times like this. I encourage parents to spend time with their children and show them how much they love and care about them. I also encourage parents to talk to their children about how important it is to follow the directions given by the adults in the building, as well as to take every one of our emergency drills seriously. This should serve as a critical reminder that we must ensure we are constantly vigilant and prepared.  Although we have a well-developed plan in place to prevent this type of situation, we need the help of parents and community members in order to maintain our school as a safe place for our children. If you have any questions and/or suggestions about our school’s safety plan, don’t hesitate to contact the school.

TIPS TO DEAL WITH HOLIDAY STRESS
(From the American Psychological Association)

overwhelming yourself with goals that are too far reaching for a busy time.

Keep things in perspective – Try to consider stressful situations in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. Avoid blowing events out of proportion and teach your kids how to keep things in perspective, including what type and the number of gifts they receive.

Make connections – Good relationships with family and friends are important. So, view the holidays as a time to reconnect with people. Additionally, accepting help and support from those who care about you can help alleviate stress.

Take care of yourself – Pay attention to your own needs and feelings during the holiday season. Engage in activities that you and your family enjoy and find relaxing. Taking care of yourself helps keep your mind and body healthy and primed to deal with stressful situations. Consider cutting back television viewing for kids and instead, get the family out together for a winter walk. It promotes activity and takes kids away from sedentary time and possible influence from advertisements.

I hope these tips help you and your families enjoy a stress-free winter vacation!

The Healy staff extends warm wishes to all for a joyous holiday season. I hope to see everyone back on January 3rd (Mr. Carmona).

=======================================================================================

NEW PRESCHOOL APPLICATION

CPS is launching a new program for PreK called Chicago Ready to Learn. ALL CPS SCHOOLS are required to apply if they want to have a PreK program in their buildings for the 2013-2014 school year. If an application is denied, the school cannot have Pre-K classes. As you can imagine, we were surprised by this news. We know that our PreK program is not only helping our students get ready for kindergarten, but also providing them the social and emotional skills they need to be productive students in a school setting.
The PreK team has been working hard in putting this application together. We are very hopeful that CPS will recognize the importance of this program in our community, as well as the value that our PreK program adds to our school-wide success. An extra thank-you to Ms. Puente, Ms Paruta, Ms. Whitehouse, and Ms. Young for putting in the extra time and effort to complete this application.

ATTENTION: COATS REQUIRED!

Please be advised that students are at recess for 15 to 20 minutes every day.   It is essential that your student is ALWAYS wearing a warm coat and appropriate attire during recess time.  
We need your help to make sure our students are bringing a coat/jacket every day, so that they can enjoy their recess time without worrying about the outside temperature. 
Thank you for your support. 

REPORT CARD PICK-UP DAY
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2012

Staff members will have their lunch break between 3:00 and 3:45 pm. The last conference must be schedule by 6:00 pm. Letters will be sent home with conference times by Friday, November 2nd. 

Half Day Notice 

Please note that Friday, November 9th, is a half-day for students.   Student must be in the building by 7:45 am. They will be dismissed at 11:15 am. Please be advised that we need you to pick up your child on-time during the half day schedule.   

September/October

Welcome Our New Staff Members
With the start of a new school year, not only do we have new student faces, we also have new staff members. Ten of our faculty members retired last year. Combined with adding two additional Special Education positions and two additional Bilingual positions, Healy has welcomed a total of 14 new faculty members.  If you see a new face, please be sure to welcome them to the Healy community.

(Staff Directory - Click Here) 

ATTENTION: New School Day Hours
The school day begins at 7:45 a.m. with breakfast in the classroom until 8:00 a.m.  The school day ends at 2:45 p.m.  The school building will not be open until 7:30 a.m.; therefore, please do not bring your child to school prior to this time. We don’t have any staff available to supervise your child if you send him/her to school before 7:30 a.m.  Students will line up in the Annex gym or Main Building auditorium between 7:30 a.m. and 7:45 a.m.  Student entrance for the Main Building and the Annex Building is through the doors on Parnell Street.  Parents are not to accompany children to their rooms.  Children should be in their classrooms by 7:45 for breakfast in the classroom.  First period will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. 

Recess Time
Recess is a new activity for Healy Elementary this school year.  We appreciate your support as we adjust to our new schedule.  Your student will either be having lunch first and then recess or recess first and then lunch.  This will rotate quarterly so students will have an opportunity to have both schedules.  Additionally, we have both new playground equipment and a designated play area.  This will rotate on a monthly basis according to grade level.  In other words, if your student currently is assigned the play area for recess during the month of September, they will have access to the playground equipment during the month of October.  Additionally, if you are a parent who would like to volunteer to help monitor recess, please visit our website at www.healy.cps.k12.il.us . Click on the “forms” tab for volunteer paperwork.  Our clerks are also available for you to pick up the paperwork packets. 

Playground Hours
The playground is only open for Healy students during the school day.  It is not available to any community members until 3:00 p.m.  Please be advised this is for our students’ safety.  Adults, parents or other children will not be allowed to cut across or utilize the playground during school hours.  Additionally, please help us in preserving our beautiful new structures by reporting any suspicious behavior or damages you notice to any of our staff members.

Attendance
Please be advised…

If your student has excess absences or tardies, you will be contacted promptly.
3 tardies = parent contact
5 tardies = detention
3 absences = parent contact
Also, please note students who leave school before 11:15 a.m. will be marked as a full day of absence.  Students leaving before 2:30 p.m. will be marked as ½ day absent. 

Resident Principal

Please welcome Justine Gonzalez to the Healy Elementary administrative team.  She will be serving the Healy community this school year as a Resident Principal (principal in training).