DREAMS COME TRUE, BUT HOW LONG DO THEY LAST

Once Upon a Time.....

We've all heard these words growing up and have dreams based upon them. I have learned this year that dreams do come true, but we never know how long they are going to last.

Yesterday I put my horse up for sale. Dream in Black and White (McDreamy) was my lifelong dream and the two and a half years I've owned him have been wonderful. Unfortunately this dream has come to an end. I will always be grateful for having this experience and knowing what it's like to fulfill a dream.

Life is a ride - not always fun - but always eventful. Enjoy each dream you achieve to the fullest and treasure it while you have it. This holiday season although I don't feel as Christmasy as usual, I am trying to focus on the dreams of the people around me - Marc, friends and family. I hope you all do the same and are able to fulfill as many of your dreams as possible.

SHOPPING FOR STUDENTS

With Black Friday just around the corner, don’t forgot to log in your receipts at the mall office when you shop at The Promenade Bolingbrook.

We earn triple points on each and every purchase and quadruple points at Just Ducky, Janie & Jack, J. Rae Boutique, Mago Cantina Grill and iPic Theatres through December 31st. Promenade gift card purchases also earn triple points and 1,000 bonus points for each card! Please keep logging or turning in receipts (only originals please – no copies – if you want your original receipt back, write your student’s name and teacher on the back). Receipts can be logged in at the mall office by Gymboree. It only takes a few minutes to log in!

Do you have a few minutes and want to earn 1,000 points for us right away! Just register at http://www.shoppingpartnership.com/points/bolingbrook.htm. We receive 1,000 points for every registration – just think how quickly that can add up for us! To date, only 22 shoppers have signed up for Prairieview School. Let’s get that number into the hundreds and cement our lead in this program!

And, if you “like” The Promenade Bolingbrook on Facebook and include “Prairieview” in a comment, that’s another 1,000 points!

So many ways to earn points for our schools by doing your everyday shopping! Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Shopping!

Veteran's Day

Veterans' Day

Veterans' Day is an annual United States holiday honoring military veterans. It is a federal holiday that is observed on November 11. It is also celebrated as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day in other parts of the world and falls on November 11, the anniversary of the signing of the Armistice that ended World War I. (Major hostilities of World War I were formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice.) Please take a few moments on Friday to remember all of the veterans who have fought to keep our country and freedoms safe.

I will be out of the office from Wednesday, November 9th - Monday, November 14th. Marc has his follow up cat scan at Children's Memorial on Wednesday to make sure everything is still healing well (his energy level tells me it probably is)!! If you need to reach me or have any questions please call my office staff at 630-783-5200. I hope you all have a wonderful extended weekend!

SHOP TIL YOU DROP

Bolingbrook Promenade Fundraiser

Don’t forget to support the “Shopping 4 Students” program at The Promenade Bolingbrook mall. Our schools are vying for a share of $10,000 and it’s tied to shopping/dining you already do! Log your receipts at the Mall Office (next to Gymboree) under Prairieview School or turn them in to the office and we will get them logged for you. Receipts will be returned to you if you would like them back – just include your student’s name and teacher. Please help support this important fundraiser!

IDF HAPPENINGS

A BIG THANK YOU

A big thank you goes out to Mrs. Cindy Stewart and her crew for throwing a fabulous Halloween party Friday night. The Ide Spooky Halloween party was a huge success enjoyed by everyone who attended. All of the students looked fabulous in their costumes.

SQUIRM

Tonight is the 2nd grade students night to shine!!! Their musical "Squirm" led by Miss Jeannie Wyse will be held tonight at Lakeview Jr. High. All students need to report to the new gym at 6:45 and the show will begin promptly at 7:00. Hope to see you all there.

EARLY DISMISSAL

Thursday, October 27th is an early dismissal day. AM Kindergarten does not attend - PM Kindergarten attends in the morning. Buses begin their pick-up routes in the morning at 8:25. All students are dismissed at noon - pickups are dismissed after buses leave about 12:10.

LONG WEEKEND - BEAUTIFUL WEATHER

It is hard to believe that a long weekend and beautiful weather are actually going hand in hand. I hope you all have time to relax and spend time with family and friends.

COLUMBUS DAY FACTS

Columbus Day is a U.S. holiday that commemorates the landing of Christopher Columbus in the New World on October 12, 1492. It was unofficially celebrated in a number of cities and states as early as the 18th century but did not become a federal holiday until the 1937. For many, the holiday is a way of both honoring Columbus' achievements and celebrating Italian-American heritage. Throughout its history, Columbus Day and the man who inspired it have generated controversy, and many alternatives to the holiday have appeared in recent years.

EARLY DISMISSAL

Next Friday, September 30th will be an early dismissal day. We have a total of six of these days this year to allow for the professional development of our staff. Teachers engage in activities that will benefit all of our students.

Only AM Kindergarten will attend on the 30th (we alternate the days between am and pm). PM Kindergartners DO NOT attend. All students will be dismissed at NOON. Pickups will take place after the buses leave at 12:10.

Please feel free to call me with any questions or concerns at 630-783-5201. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

REMEMBERANCE

September 11, 2011

Sunday will be the 10th anniversary of the 09/11 attacks on New York and Washington. It's hard to believe 10 years have gone by since that frightening day. This is a good time to reflect on the good things we have in our lives and remember those we have lost.

I will never forget being at school that day and worrying about what was going to happen next and how I would keep my students safe if something happened here. I couldn't wait to get home when the day was done and just be with my family, at that time Gary and the dogs. We watched and cried as we saw the days events unfold over and over again. I couldn't imagine how the people who lost their loved ones felt and was overcome with an immense feeling of sorrow and loss of security.

Then one day Mrs. Olsen and I had recess duty and we saw a plane fly overhead. Seeing that simple object somehow brought us hope. We knew that normalcy would return to our world and we would be able to go on. It is that kind of hope that we have to hang unto during difficult times. As we struggle through a trying economy, loss of loved ones and life's curve balls hang on to hope - turn to the people who love and care about you. And be grateful everyday for the positive people and things in your lives.

AND WE'RE OFF

The school year has begun. I enjoyed seeing so many students and parents today at our Open House. I am looking forward to having another wonderful school year with all of you.

I just want to say THANK YOU again to everyone for your kind words, support and gifts during this difficult summer. Losing Gary was very hard and having Marc go through such a major surgery was difficult. However, all of you have helped in so many ways and I truly appreciate everything! Marc is doing great and is back to being 100%!

There are many exciting events coming up in September and I have listed those below. Please feel free to call the office or me if you have any questions and WELCOME BACK!

September Events

Monday, September 5th - NO SCHOOL - Labor Day

Thursday, September 8th - Curriculum Night - 1st Grade 6:30 / 2nd Grade 7:00

Thursday, September 15th - Ide Book Fair / Ice Cream Social - 6:30 - 8:00

Thursday, September 29th - Picture Day

Friday, September 30th - Early Dismissal @ Noon

UPDATE

I hope you are all having a good summer despite the hot, stormy weather. I just wanted to let you know that my son Marc will be having surgery this Friday, July 29th at Children's Memorial Hospital. This summer doctors discovered that Cerebral Spinal fluid has been dripping out of his nose since he moved in last year. We have taken him to pediatricians, allergists and ENTs since he moved in to find out why his nose constantly runs and have finally gotten our answer.

The surgery is pretty intense and will last 3 - 5 hours and we will be in the hospital 3 - 7 days depending on how the surgery goes. I will be out of the office from July 29th - August 5th and will try to return part time the week of August 8th. I will update these dates if anything changes. Thank you again for all of your support and concern these past few months I truly appreciate it and hope to be able to blog some happy events soon.

If no one is available at Ide to answer any questions or address any concerns you may have about the upcoming school year please call the district office at 630-783-5000.

Thank you, Mrs. Hansen

10 Years

Please appreciate every moment you have with your family.

Today Gary and I would have been married 10 years. In those 1o years, we navigated our way through the roller coaster called "Life". I became a principal, Gary took over his family business, we lost beloved family members and cried together, we bought a boat (Gary's dream) and a horse (my dream) and began the process of adopting our wonderful son Marc, but nothing prepared me for May 25th. Losing Gary is the hardest thing I have ever been through. Our wedding day was filled with love and wonderful memories (along with a fun fishing theme). Those memories are rushing back today and I am so glad I have them.

Please enjoy this long holiday weekend and make forever memories with your families.

SUMMER IS HERE

Summer is here (well at least today it feels like it). I hope you are all enjoying your time together.

I cannot thank all of you, along with the PTO, for your generosity and support. The lawn service and donations are so appreciated. I am taking next week off to try and get my head around what is happening and take care of a lot of paperwork. If you need to speak to someone about school matters and no one is in the Ide office please call the district office at 630-783-5000. Thank you for your understanding.

Appreciation

First and foremost, I want to thank everyone for their support during this extremely difficult time. Your cards, gifts, hugs, etc mean so much to Marc and I. There are no words to describe how I feel right now, but I can tell you how much I appreciate all of you.

I feel like I have written so many blogs about enjoying time with family and appreciating every moment and once again I have been taught that lesson. I don't understand why this happened and probably never will but I am grateful for the 16 years Gary and I had together. They were full of ups and downs but always full of love.

Please appreciate everyday you have with your loved ones; good and bad. Please enjoy the summer and smile often. Please say I love you when you have the chance.

WELCOME TO MAY

WOW! May has arrived and it seems like spring has come with it. The sun has been out and the flowers are blooming after all that April dreariness.

This week the teacher's enjoyed theTeacher Appreciation gifts and luncheons from all of you! Thank you for taking the time to appreciate the talented and caring staff of Elizabeth Ide!

Unfortunately, I had a family emergency this week that kept me out of the festivities. Marc was hospitalized but things are looking up and I can't wait to return next week;at least I didn't put on the traditional 5 pounds that comes with those fabulous lunches!

I hope all moms have a wonderful Mother's Day on Sunday! Take time to celebrate being a mom and enjoy each and every moment. My first Mother's Day is not what I expected but I am so happy to be having one I don't care where we celebrate!

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

Spring is here - which means we can fluctuate 30 degrees from day to day!!! We will be going out for recess most days so please dress your students according to the weather. Don't pack those winter clothes away yet!

Thursday, April 21st is an early dismissal day. All students are released at 12:00. Pick-ups are at 12:10. ONLY PM Kindergarten students are to attend - AM students do not have school that day!

Thursday, April 28th will be our Spring Open House and Book Fair from 6:30 - 8:00. Please come and see all of the projects your students have been working on. They are so proud to show it off!

IDE STUDENTS LEND A HELPING HAND

COLLECTION FOR JAPAN

The response to the Helping Japan coin donation was tremendous! While collecting the coins over a 2-week period, WE RAISED $1,141.93. The students, parents, and teachers at Elizabeth Ide really contributed to raising the awareness about the importance of helping the people of Japan. Thank you to Mrs. Tran for organizing this terrific project. Our donation will be donated directly to the Red Cross organization.

All of our students were so concerned and demonstrated great generosity. One of our first grade students emptied her piggy bank of $90.00 in gold dollars to help people who were really in need! She earned a very special PAW!

Thank you for supporting our Character Counts program mission to help the people of Japan!! I hope you all have a wonderful spring break and enjoy your time together!

IMPORTANT PARENT NIGHT

MAP Testing Information Nights

Ide 2nd Grade Parents

Prior to conference week, 2nd grade parents received their students MAP test scores along with an explanatory letter. On March 15th, we have a parent session scheduled to help you better understand the student report and allow time for questions. BRING YOUR CHILD’S REPORT TO THE MEETING SO YOU CAN REFER TO THE DOCUMENT DURING THE PRESENTATION. Parents who want more information on MAP testing only need to attend ONE of the following scheduled meetings:

Elizabeth Ide/Prairieview - Tuesday, March 15th @ 6:30 at Prairieview
Lakeview - Thursday, March 17th @ 6:30 at Lakeview

I hope that you found the report informative. If you are unable to attend the parent information meeting, you may log into the NWEA parent toolkit at www.nwea.org and then click on the link for parent support. Your child’s teacher and the school principal are also available as a resource to you.

MARCH HAS ARRIVED - IS SPRING GETTING CLOSER?

The Snowflake Ball

Saturday was a beautiful night for a ball!!! The Snowflake Ball was a huge success and fun was had by all who attended. The gym was transformed into a winter wonderland thanks to Mrs. Huang and her many volunteers (including her husband and Mr. Singh our picture takers).

MARCH EVENTS

Tuesday, March 1st - Report Cards / Conference Week

Friday, March 4th - NO SCHOOL - Conferences

Saturday, March 5th - Market Day @ LV 9:30 - 10:30

Monday, March 7th - NO SCHOOL - Casmir Pulaski Day

Thursday, March 17th - PTO Meeting @ 3:45

Friday, March 18th - Movie Night @ PV - 6:45

Saturday, March 19th - District Fundraiser @ Cabana Charley's

Wednesday, March 23rd - 1st Grade Music Concert

Monday, March 28th - SPRING BREAK :)

IDE Happenings

What's going on?........

First and foremost, thank you to all of the moms who helped with our Valentine Day parties. They were a huge success and enjoyed by all!!!!

Second, I will be out of the office Thursday the 17th, Friday the 18th and Tuesday the 22nd. My foster son (hopefully soon I can just write son) is having his tonsils and adnoids out so he will be home recuperating with mom. I will be calling in and checking emails so please leave messages if you need me.

Third, there is NO SCHOOL, Monday, February 21st due to President's Day. I hope you all have a wonderful extended weekend - find some time for some FAMILY FUN!!!

PBIS KICK-OFF WAS A SUCCESS

Go Ide!!!

This week our students were introduced to our PBIS expectations:

BE RESPECTFUL

BE RESPONSIBLE

BE SAFE

The staff took the students through 12 stations to explain how to meet these expectations in different settings such as the classroom, hallway, bus, and bathroom. The staff and students role played different activities at each station and had a wonderful time. To culminate the week our PTO provided us with a fabulous juggling assembly that was enjoyed by all!!!!

PBIS BEGINS TODAY AT ELIZABETH IDE

PBIS IS HERE

Elizabeth Ide will be implementing an approach to discipline called PBIS. This is a proactive systems approach to establishing the behavioral supports and social culture needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional, and academic success.We will begin by establishing clear expectations for behavior that will be taught, modeled, and reinforced across all settings and by all staff. Our week will culminate with a juggling celebration assembly provided by our wonderful PTO.

Make sure to ask your children about PBIS and what they learn this week!

WELCOME BACK

WELCOME BACK

I hope you all had a wonderful and relaxing holiday break. School is back in full swing with many upcoming events! I thought January was supposed to slow down - eeeek!

Friday, January 7th - Ide Movie Night @ PV - 6:30

Saturday, January 8th - Market Day @ LV - 9:30 - 10:30

Tuesday, January 11th - Board Meeting @ PV - 7:00

Thursday, January 13th - Vision and Hearing Screening

Monday, January 17th - NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Friday, January 21st - Progress Reports

Monday, January 24th - 28th - PBIS Rollout with a Celebratory Assembly the 28th

Tuesday, January 25th - Board Meeting @ LV - 7:00

Thursday, January 27th - Vision and Hearing Rescreening

Friday, January 28th - Gym Night