CJHS Indian Letter

24917 W. Sioux Drive, Channahon, IL 60410 Absence hotline: 815/521-3031 815/467-4314 www.csd17.org

August 22, 2013

Important Dates
Mon., 9/2 No School Labor Day School Improvement DayEarly Dismiss 11am Picture Day Teachers Institute NO SCHOOL Washington DC Trip Washington DC Trip NO SCHOOL Columbus Day Music Booster Forte 5K End of 1st Qtr. School Improvement Day - Early Dismiss 11am

Mon., 9/16

Welcome back for the 2013 2014 school year!

The staff of Channahon Junior High is happy to welcome you and your students back for the 20132014 school year. Just a few reminders: The school day begins 7:53am. Students who arrive after 7:53am are marked Tardy. Dismissal is at 2:32/2:39. Walkers and car-riders are 2nd dismissal. Students succeed when they attend school and are on time. If you know in advance that your child is going to be absent, please contact the school office explaining the absence. If an unexpected absence occurs, parents/guardians are required to contact the school and provide a reason for the absence. Please call the school at 815/467-4314 or the attendance line (815/521-3031) by 9am if your child is going to be absent or late. Please note that your child will be marked Unexcused until we hear from you. If you change your phone number, please contact the office. It is important of us to have upto-date phone numbers file. At the Junior High a good amount of information is sent via e-mail. Please make sure that you provide the office with any changes in your e-mail address.

Wed., 9/18 Fri., 10/11

Sat., 10/12 & Sun., 10/13 Mon., 10/14

Sat., 10/19

Fri., 10/25 Thurs., 10/31

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Upcoming Tryouts
7th and 8th grade girls basketball tryouts will begin the week after Labor Day.
7th grade Tues. 9/37-830pm Wed. 9/47830pm Fri. 9/67830pm 8th grade Tues. 9/357pm Wed. 9/457pm Thurs. 9/557pm

Upcoming Events
Thursday, 8/22 8bb ; 7bb ; ASB & BSB GAMES CANCELLED SOC v Minooka4:15 Saturday, 8/24 8BB @ Troy Round Robin Noon & 2:15pm ASB @ Troy Round Robin 8am; 1:15pm; 3pm XC @ Beecher Bobcat Breakout @ Kankakee Community College9am Monday, 8/26 8bb v Wilmington4:15pm; 7bb v Wilmington4:15pm @ Pioneer Path; ASB @ JJL4:15pm; BSB v JJL 4:15pm Tuesday 8/27 8bb v Minooka4:15; 7BB @ Minooka4:15; SOC @ Richland4:15 Thursday, 8/29 XC @ Martino Invite 4:15; 8BB @ BUG4:15; 7BB v BUG4:15; ASB IVCs @ CJHS4:15

Please note that you will need an athletic physical on file. Students need to stop in the CJHS office for a green participation form prior to tryouts.

Early Fall Sports

Our early fall sports are now underway. A softball began play on August 10th against Bourbonnais. The A team has 2 conference wins against ReedCuster and Wilmington. They head to the Troy Round Robin tournament this weekend with IVC play beginning next Thursday at Channahon against Wilmington The B softball started the season with a 30 record. They suffered a minor setback against Wilmington, but bounced back with against Minooka with an impressive 115 win. Both the 7th and 8th grade baseball teams began play on Monday, 8/19. 8th grade lost against both Reed-Custer and Shabbona. 7th grade boys beat Reed-Custer by a score of 41, giving up only 2 hits. Soccer begins play this afternoon against Minooka. Cross country has their first meet on Saturday at Kankakee Community College.

Channahon Athletic Boosters

The Channahon Athletic Boosters is a parent sponsor organization that works with the CSD17 School Board to provide the best athletic experience possible. The boosters provide many of the extras which add to our childrens athletic experience, such as: Concessions; new uniforms and warm-ups; new technology, specialized equipment, Spirit Wear, and vehicle decals. Parent involvement and participation is essential to help ensure our children have a rewarding and memorable school athletic experience. The next Athletic Boosters meeting will be on Monday, 9/9 at 7pm in the CJHS Library.

One man practicing sportsmanship is far better than 50 preaching it. Knute Rockne
CJHS

INDIAN

LETTER

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Welcome back!! In the coming weeks we will be putting little ideas to inspire you the parent help make your childs time here at school healthy and enjoyable. We will begin next week with bus safety. Heres to a great and healthy year for you and your child. Julie and Karen, your district nurses

CJH Library News

The first week of school has been a busy one in the library. By the end of Thursday, all 7 th graders have had a chance to visit and learn more about the library. 8 th graders will be coming in during study hall for a refresher course. There are 41 new books waiting to be read thanks to an Exxon Mobile grant and the PTO.

PTO News
We are looking forward to a great year in the PTO and we want you to join the fun! Find out how to earn a FREE school supply kit. Give your student(s) the best year possible just by volunteering a couple of hours to the Parent Teacher Organization for Channahon Schools. First meetingThursday, Sept. 127pm @ Galloway

A NOTE FROM THE NURSE Parents: Throughout the course of the year your student may be tested for vision and or hearing. The Illinois Department of Public Health mandates certain grade levels to be tested. Vision screenings: Preschool, kindergarten, second grade, eighth grade, teacher referral, special education and children new to the district. Hearing screenings: Preschool, kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, teacher referral, special education, and children new to the district. Your district nurses will be conducting these screenings. Vision screenings in the school setting are basic screenings and do not replace a complete eye and vision evaluation by an eye doctor. If your child has been examined by an M.D. specializing in diseases of the eye or a licensed optometrist within the previous 12 months this screening may be waived. We need to have a record of this completed and signed report form in their student file from the eye doctor that an eye exam was done. Children wearing glasses are not screened, referral letters will be sent if they have not had an eye exam in two years or glasses are lost or damaged. Students with hearing aids are not screened. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact your district nurses.

Mini-Drama or Speech Club is set to start on Tuesday, August 27, 2013. Are you interested in performing a solo, duet or small group? If you like acting, this is the club for you. Mrs. Michalak will be holding the first speech club meeting on Tuesday, August 27 in room 200 from 2:45 to 3:15. It is important to attend this meeting so that you can choose partners or groups. If you are unable to attend this meeting, please see Mrs. Michalak for all the information.
OUR DRUG-FREE PLEDGE

The faculty and staff at CJHS are committed to promoting the safety and well -being of our students through our ongoing anti-drug efforts. We believe that we are blessed with some great students and an outstanding community, however, the impact of drug abuse can be felt in all areas. Students are aware that the possession, distribution, or use of drugs at school or any school related function is absolutely prohibited. The school reserves the right to search school property and equipment owned or controlled by the school (such as lockers, desks and parking lots). Although we believe that our students make good choices in regards to drug usage, we also believe in being diligent in the deterrence of any and all drug abuse. We also intend to allow local law enforcement to conduct drug -dog searches to help ensure a safe and drug -free environment at least once every school year.

Illinois State Board of Education

100 North First Street Springfield, Illinois 62777-0001 www.isbe.net Gery J. Chico Chairman Christopher A. Koch, Ed.D. State Superintendent of Education

August 2013

Dear Parents, I hope that you enjoyed summer with your families and that you are excited to begin a new school year. I am writing to update you on several initiatives that we believe will better prepare our more than 2 million Illinois public school students to succeed today and ultimately become contributing citizens in the 21st century global economy. A few years ago, a group of governors and state school chiefs, including myself, began a grassroots effort to develop a common set of more rigorous learning standards for students in grades K-12, whether they lived in Illinois or Idaho. These new Common Core Learning Standards have been adopted by more than 40 states and set clear expectations for what we want our students to know and be able to do in math and English language arts. Since the State Board of Education adopted these standards in June 2010, our nearly 4,000 schools in Illinois have been developing and revising curriculum and preparing lessons and instructional materials to meet these higher, internationally benchmarked standards. Instruction will go deeper into the core foundational concepts, and students must show not only acquired knowledge but the application of that knowledge in real-world situations. With these higher standards also comes the need to ensure students are performing at a higher level. Just as we raised the bar in 2010 by adopting more rigorous learning standards, we also raised the bar on the states annual standardized achievement tests (also known as ISATs) for students in grades 3-8 by increasing the performance expectations on the 2013 test. By raising performance expectations on the ISATs, we are seeing a drop in the 2013 test scores for elementary students and schools. This does not mean that students know less or that teachers dont provide good instruction, but it does give us an earlier indication of where students perform in terms of college and career readiness. Before this adjustment, the ISAT was not a good measure of college and career readiness; that important information wasnt generated until students took a test in 11th grade called the Prairie State Achievement Exam (also known as the PSAE), which includes the ACT. This is far too late to know that a student will not be prepared for success after high school. We have observed this disconnect when comparing ISAT scores, which showed 82 percent of elementary students met or exceeded standards in 2012, with our PSAE scores, which showed only 51 percent of 11th graders met or exceeded standards that same year. Students did not fall behind when they left grade school, but they faced a higher bar. This year, all students, in grades 3-12, are being measured against the same bar. We know that its not easy to suddenly see a drop in your students or schools scores but we also know our state has great teachers and leaders who are working hard every day to prepare your children for these new, higher expectations for learning. Several other states are taking similar measures, given the implementation of new learning standards.

Parents Welcome Back Letter August 2013 Page Two

In the spring of 2014, elementary students will once again take the ISATs, with questions written to the Common Core. Then, in 2014-15, Illinois is preparing to distribute new online assessments that are being specifically developed to align with the Common Core. The new tests will demand students show more critical thinking, problem-solving and excellent writing skills. Students will be assessed at least twice within a years time span in order to better gauge progress and help their teachers identify specific areas of need and provide appropriate interventions to support student success. As we change the way we assess students, we are also improving the way we report those results to you. This year, Illinois will debut a simplified, more consumer-friendly 2013 school and district report card that offers facts such as extracurricular activities and school honors to showcase the unique qualities of our schools. We hope that the redesigned report card for schools, districts and the state will better inform and support community-wide discussions about educational opportunities in your local schools. Finally, as part of our efforts to offer more comprehensive school information, we will release the results this fall from our first statewide survey of school climate and learning conditions, called the Illinois 5Essentials. Sixth through twelfth grade students and all teachers in the state were invited to take this survey last spring. I am pleased that 93 percent of Illinois districts participated, with 87 percent receiving enough responses to generate a report based on students, teachers or both. A summary of the survey findings will also be included on the 2013 school report card. If you have any questions about any of these initiatives, we encourage you to talk with your local teachers and school leaders. Thank you for all you do to support your child(ren) and their educational journey. Have a great school year! Sincerely,

Christopher A. Koch, Ed.D. State Superintendent of Education