Phone: (815) 469-3176

Dear Parents and Families,

As we enter the month of October, I want to take a

moment to thank you for your continuous support of

Frankfort Square School. I am proud of what we

have accomplished in just a few short weeks since

the start of the school year. Our students have

adjusted well to ‘school life’ and demonstrate on a

daily basis what it means to be respectful,

responsible, and safe at Frankfort Square School.

As you know, we are now in the fall season. As such,

we will see the leaves begin to change colors and

the outside temperature begin to get a bit chillier

on a daily basis. Please make sure that your child

comes to school properly dressed for outside

recess. The opportunity to go outside and play

with friends is important for children, not only

physically and socially, but academically, as well.

For some students, movement and play helps them

to focus and concentrate on their school work and

instructional tasks. Please send a jacket or

sweatshirt to school with your child. If the

temperature gets warm enough that it is not

needed, your child can keep it in their backpack or

on their coat rack.

Recently, first quarter progress reports were

posted. Please take a moment to check your child’s

grades and progress on a weekly basis via

PowerSchool. Additionally, please take the time to

work with your child, offer your assistance, and

make sure that all of your child’s work is completed

and turned in on time. As always, should you have

any questions, please feel free to contact your

child’s teacher.

Mr. Isdonas

Principal’s Corner:

FRANKFORT SQUARE SCHOOL

Important Dates October

2: Bookmobile

3: Market Day Pick-up (3:00-4:00)

4: Cook’s Night Out

5: FSSCO Meeting (9:30 A.M.)

5: Institute Day-Half Day Attendance

8: No School-Columbus Day

9-12: Fall Book Fair

10: First Quarter SCO Popcorn Party

10: Board of Education Meeting (7:00 P.M.)

12: Lunch with a Loved One

16: Bookmobile

17: Fire Prevention Assemblies

18: Picture Retake Day

19: FSSCO Treat Day

19: Spirit Day-Team/Sports Wear Day

22: First Quarter Ends

24: Board of Education Meeting @ HW (7:00 P.M.)

26: FSSCO Hot Lunch Day

31: Halloween Parade @ 1:15 followed by grade-level parties

Mr. J. Isdonas, Principal jisdonas@summithill.org

Each month two students are selected

from each class to be recognized for effort and

improvement. These are students who have really

tried to improve in an area, whether it is socially,

academically, or personally. I would like to

congratulate the following students for their

effort and improvement during the month of

September.

Mrs. Jendersak

Jayden Brand

Alegria Michel

Mrs. Reyes

Janie Clifton

Riley Meehan

Mrs. Sobczak

Sean Kroll

Grace Palmer

Mrs. Bailey

Dylan Mroz

Addison Richardson

Mrs. Jastrzab

Andrew Rascop

Allison Surdel

Mrs. Murphy

Jacob Coulson

Esther Spreadbury

Mrs. Hartl

Jamie Dagenais

Owen Frickenstein

Mr. Jeffrey

David Kubik

Emma Sarkan

Mrs. Muller

Dilan Boumaraf

Lily Hass

Mrs. Howard

Olivia Scudieri

Kyle Wolszon

Mrs. Rodgers

Jacquelyn Furlong

Alexander Stepinski

FRANKFORT SQUARE SCHOOL General Information School Office Hours: 8:25 – 3:55

Student Attendance Hours: 9:00 – 3:30

ATTENDANCE

Regular attendance is important to success in school. Please ensure that your children are at

school early enough to be in their classroom by

9:00 when school begins.

Student Attendance:

Arrive between 9:01-9:30 = AM. Tardy

Arrive after 9:30 = Half Day Attendance

Leave prior to 2:50 = Half Day Attendance

Leave between 2:50 – 3:30 = PM Tardy

Also, taking your child out of school for

vacation will be considered an unexcused absence.

VISITORS

For the safety or our students and staff, all visitors must sign in at the main office. Please

have a picture ID available when you check in. We

encourage parent participation, volunteering, and

welcome your assistance

READING IMPROVEMENT FOR ALL As a part of our Reading Improvement

Program this year, all students will receive reading

improvement strategies. No matter what their level

of reading ability, all students can gain useful

strategies to further their reading level. All

teachers at Frankfort Square School will be part of

this program for all students to benefit. Strategies

will be taught both in the classroom and in small

groups. Again, these reading strategies are to help

meet all students’ needs and create a better

understanding in the areas of reading and writing.

SUMMIT HILL DISTRICT 161 VIRTUAL BACKPACK

Summit Hill District 161 is doing its part to

"go green" by changing the way flyers are

distributed to students. In the past, paper copies

were sent home. With the launch of our Virtual

Backpack, District 161 is introducing an eco-friendly

online distribution system that saves resources and

time required to sort and handle materials. Please

visit the link, summithill.org, often to ensure you

remain aware of opportunities and activities for

students

APPEARANCE CODE

Students’ dress for school and all school

activities (including SCO events) must be

appropriate. Please review the Student Dress Code

information found on our District’s website

(summithill.org).

It’s The Law!

No Cell Phones in School Zones Drivers, please be aware that it is now

illegal to talk on cell phones while driving

through a school speed zone or a construction

zone, unless using a hands free device or

speakerphone is enabled, except in cases of

emergency to contact law enforcement, health

care providers, fire department and other

emergency response personnel.

It is also now illegal to compose, send or

read text messages, read or compose e-mail,

look at the Internet or otherwise compose or

send any type of electronic message while

driving.

For more information on the new laws,

visit http://www.drivinglaws.org/ill.php.

In an effort to “Go Green”, all newsletters and district information is now being sent home

electronically. If you have not yet signed up to

be on the district email list or if you want to

give us more than one email address, please

contact the school office. We are trying to

teach our children the importance of being

“green”.

Please continue to collect and turn in your Box

Tops.. Throughout the school year, our SCO will

sponsor several Box Top collection and reward

programs for the students. Each Box Top

collected and turned in will generate money that

will be used for various SCO sponsored events,

activities, incentives, and celebrations.

We will continue to collect used ink cartridges, plastic bags, and pop tabs. The

empty ink cartridges can be brought to the

school office, while the pop tabs can be placed

on the small table inside the front doors. Plastic

grocery bags may be placed in the white

cardboard containers found in our school’s

foyer. We are working hard to “Reduce, Reuse,

and Renew.

http://www.drivinglaws.org/ill.php

The flu season is from November to April,

with most cases occurring between late

December and early March, but the vaccine

is usually offered between September and

mid-November (and may be given at other

times of the year).

Getting the shot before the flu season is in

full force gives the body a chance to build up

immunity to, or protection from, the virus.

Although you can get a flu shot well into flu

season, it's best to try to get it earlier rather

than later. However, even when there are

only 2 or 3 months left in the flu season, it's

still a good idea to get protection if the

vaccine is available in your area. In times

when the vaccine is in short supply, certain

people need it more than others. The

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) often will recommend that certain

high-risk groups be given priority when flu

shot supplies are limited. Call your doctor or

local public health department about vaccine

availability in your area. A non-shot option,

the nasal mist vaccine, is now available, but

because it contains weakened live flu viruses

it is not for people with weakened immune

systems or certain health conditions. The

nasal mist vaccine is only for healthy, non-

pregnant people between the ages of 2 and

49 years. Check with your doctor to see if

your child can — or should — get this type of

flu vaccine.

Who Should Get the Flu Shot?

Federal health officials now urge flu

vaccination for all kids 6 months of age and

older (instead of just the youngest, as

before). Although young tots (from 6 months

to 5 years old) are still considered the group

of kids who need the flu vaccine the most,

updated guidelines from the CDC now

recommend that all older kids and teens get

it, too (as long as enough is available).

Other high-risk kids who should get the flu vaccine include those who:

o were born prematurely and are at

increased risk of developing lung

problems if they get influenza

o have chronic heart or lung disorders,

including asthma

o have chronic diseases such as diabetes

mellitus, kidney disease, severe anemia,

or immune deficiency (including

HIV/AIDS and immunosuppression

caused by drugs)

o are on long-term aspirin therapy and may

be at risk for Reye syndrome if they catch

the flu

o live with someone in any of the high-risk

groups above

http://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/lung/flu.htmlhttp://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/late_flu_shot.htmlhttp://kidshealth.org/parent/centers/asthma_center.htmlhttp://kidshealth.org/parent/infections/bacterial_viral/reye.html

High-risk adults who should get the

flu vaccine include: o those who have chronic lung or heart

disorders

o those who have chronic diseases such as

diabetes mellitus, kidney disease, severe

anemia, or immune deficiency (including

HIV/AIDS and immunosuppression

caused by drugs)

o pregnant women

o residents of nursing homes and other

facilities that care for people with chronic

medical conditions

o health care workers and other employees

of hospitals, nursing homes, and chronic

care and other outpatient facilities who

care for patients

o police, firefighters, and other public

safety workers

o those planning to travel to the tropics at

any time or to the Southern Hemisphere

from April through September who did

not receive a flu vaccine the previous

year

o everyone 50 years of age or older

o out-of-home caregivers and household

contacts of anyone in any of the high-risk

groups

If you want to get the flu shot and aren't in

the high-risk groups listed above, talk to

your doctor about vaccine availability.

People who should not get a flu shot

include: o anyone who's severely allergic to eggs

and egg products (ingredients for flu

shots are grown inside eggs, so tell your

doctor if your child is allergic to eggs or

egg products before he or she gets a flu

shot)

o infants under 6 months old

o anyone who's ever had a severe reaction

to a flu vaccination (although most

people do not experience any side effects

from the flu shot)

o anyone with Guillain-Barré syndrome

(GBS), a rare condition that affects the

immune system and nerves

o anyone with a fever

Kids under 9 who get a flu shot for the first

time will receive two separate shots a month

apart. It can take about 1 or 2 weeks after

the shot for the body to build up protection

to the flu.

How the Flu Vaccine Works

Flu vaccines are available as a shot or nasal

mist. Given as an injection, the flu shot

contains killed flu viruses that will not cause

the flu, but will prepare the body to fight off

infection by the live flu virus. Getting a shot

of the killed virus means a person is

protected against that particular type of live

flu virus if he or she comes into contact with

it. The nasal mist vaccine contains weakened

live flu viruses. Because it contains live

viruses, the mist is not for people with

weakened immune systems or certain health

conditions.

Even if you or your child may have gotten

the vaccine last year, that won't protect you

from getting the flu this year because the

protection wears off and flu viruses constantly

http://kidshealth.org/parent/diabetes_center/words_know/diabetes_mellitus.htmlhttp://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_center/your_pregnancy/preg_health.htmlhttp://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/allergies/egg_allergy.html

change. That's why the vaccine is updated each

year to include the most current strains of the virus.

The flu vaccine reduces the average person's

chances of catching the flu by up to 80% during the

season. Because the vaccine prevents infection

with only a few of the viruses that can cause flu-like

symptoms, it isn't a guarantee against getting sick.

But even if someone who's gotten the shot gets the

flu, symptoms usually will be fewer and milder.

Side Effects

Again, most people do not experience any side

effects from the flu shot. According to the CDC, the

flu shot rarely causes serious harm. Some of those

vaccinated may have soreness or swelling at the

site of the injection or mild side effects, such as

headache or low-grade fever.

Although these side effects may last for a day, the

flu can knock you off your feet for 2 to 3 weeks and

can cause complications such as pneumonia, ear

infections, sinus infections, and other respiratory

problems.

If your child does have symptoms after getting the

flu shot, put a warm compress on the injection site

to ease soreness or swelling, and give

acetaminophen or ibuprofen for headache or low-

grade fever. Do not give your child aspirin unless

your doctor instructs you to do so.

A common myth about the flu shot is that it can

actually cause the flu. But the flu shot used in the

United States is made from killed influenza viruses,

which means that it's impossible to catch the flu by

receiving it. However, because the nasal spray flu

vaccine is made from live viruses, it may cause

mild flu-like symptoms, including runny nose,

headache, vomiting, muscle aches, and fever.

Where Can My Family Get Flu Shots?

Flu shots are available at:

o many health care settings, including doctors'

offices and public, employee, and university

health clinics

o some pharmacies

o some supermarkets

o some community groups

o If you have an HMO insurance plan, be sure to

check with your primary care doctor before

having your kids vaccinated outside the office,

since most HMOs will pay for shots only if

they're given through their plan. Flu shots are

covered by Medicare for senior citizens and are

generally covered by insurance for people in

other high-risk groups. Otherwise, flu shots may

cost anywhere from $10 to $50. If you opt for

the nasal mist flu vaccine, check to see if your

insurance plan covers it.

Other Preventive Measures

There's no guaranteed way — including being

vaccinated — to prevent anyone from getting the

flu. But precautions that can help protect you and

your family include:

o avoiding large crowds whenever possible

o practicing good hand washing

o never picking up used tissues

o never sharing cups and eating utensils

o staying home from work or school when

someone is sick with the flu

o covering your mouth and nose with a tissue

when you cough or sneeze

http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/body/fact_myth_immunizations.htmlhttp://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sick/hand_washing.html

FSSCO Meeting Thank you to everyone who attended our FSSCO meeting on Friday, September 7th. Please join us at our next FSSCO meeting on October 5th at 9:30 a.m. in the lunchroom at school. Children are welcome. If you have any questions, please send an email to the address below.

Box Tops Our kick off for box top collecting starts this month. Throughout the year there will be opportunities to enter contests by submitting box tops. Our first box top party will be a popsicle party if 200 sheets are turned in during the month of September.

Campbell's Soup Labels Please don’t forget to send in your Campbell’s Soup Labels – we use the points from the labels for playground equipment, etc.

Book Fair Our Fall Book Fair is being held the week of October 9th-12th with the Lunch w/Loved One being held on Friday, October 12th. More information will be sent home soon.

Halloween Party Our Halloween Party is going to be an all school party this year. A volunteer form has been sent home. A note will be coming home soon asking for prize and snack donations for the party.

Cooks Night Off Our first Cook's Night Off was held on Wednesday, September 5th at the Wendy's on 183rd & Harlem. The event raised $264 for the FSSCO. Thank you to everyone who attended. Our next Cook's Night Off is Thursday, October 4th.

One Bag, One Day The One Bag, One Day community service project was a huge success! The kids brought in 181 bags of non-perishable items for the Frankfort Food Panty. Great job kids and parents! Thank you for your continued support of our community service projects.

Market Day Market Day pick-up is October 3rd from 3:00-4:00 p.m.

SchoolStore Please remember to use SchoolStore when making online purchases. Just go to schoolstore.com, search for our school (Frankfort Square Elementary) and start shopping. More information will be coming home soon.

FSSCO Executive Board

2012-2013

Principal Jason Isdonas President Brandi Tanner Vice President Kelly Meister Treasurer Gina Bryant Secretary Debbie Hamilton Ways & Means Erin Richardson Melissa Lucas Email: frankfortsquaresco@gmail.com

FSSCO Calendar

Sept. 21 Oct. 3 Oct. 4 Oct. 5 Oct. 9-12 Oct. 12 Oct. 19 Oct. 22-26 Oct. 26

Hot Lunch – Salina's Pizza Market Day, 3:00-4:00 pm Cook's Night Off, 5:00-8:00 pm SCO Meeting, 9:30-10:00 am Book Fair Lunch w/Loved One & Hot Lunch – McDonald's McDouble Treat Day – Rainbow Pop Red Ribbon/Character Building Week Hot Lunch – Subway

SEPTEMBER 2012