Parkside Newsletter 1/24/2025

NOTEWORTHY ITEMS

New stories are added often!  Please check regularly!   Parkside Stories Link

Cold and Flu Season is Here – Let’s Help Stop the Spread!
To keep everyone healthy, please remember:

• Keep your kiddos home until they’ve been fever-free, vomit-free, and diarrhea-free for at least 24 hours without medication.
• Giving your child an extra day of rest can make a big difference in helping them recover fully and fight off the "icks."

Important Reminder:  All medications brought to school—including cough drops—require a doctor’s authorization. Thank you for helping us keep our school community safe and healthy!

Concert DVD's:  Please send in $10 (cash or check written out to RHS-TV studio) for your concert DVD! We have plenty available!

Seeking playground volunteers: Are you interested in making a difference while enjoying the outdoors? We are seeking adult volunteers to assist on the playground. If you’re willing to help supervise and support students during their playtime, please contact the office to schedule a time to volunteer. Your time and support are greatly appreciated!

Valentines Day:  Parties are on 2/13.  Please reach out to your students teacher if you are willing to help plan, donate, or set up for the party!  Please be mindful of any dietary restrictions in the classroom when planning food!  

Conferences:  Mark your calendars conferences are 2/25 and 2/27.  A sign up will be sent via email in the upcoming weeks.  

Get your 2024-25 Parkside Elementary Yearbook! 
Click the link below to order your yearbook: https://ybpay.lifetouch.comYearbook ID Code: 14563125

March is Reading month

We can’t wait to "grow" a love of reading in every student! We've planned an exciting lineup of activities to engage and inspire a passion for reading. This year’s highlights include One Book, One School, where our entire school community will unite around a shared story, along with themed dress-up days, read-alouds, book exchanges, and plenty of fun reading surprises sprinkled throughout the month.  Get ready to turn the page on an unforgettable adventure in reading!  

We need your help to make this month extra amazing!  If you are interested in helping please reach out to  aneumann@rockfordschools.org or your child's teacher.  

• Volunteers to decorate doors/common areas/library.
• Guest readers and mystery readers
• Donations of gently used books for the book exchange

Green Tip of the Week

Why Does Parkside Include a Green Tip in the Newsletter?  

At Parkside, we’re proud to be an Evergreen School, committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship. Including a Green Tip in our newsletter is just one way we encourage our community to adopt eco-friendly habits both at school and at home.

By sharing simple, actionable ideas each week, we aim to inspire our families to work together to protect our planet for future generations. From reducing waste to conserving energy, every small step makes a big difference! Thank you for joining us in our mission to create a greener world!  

Character Trait of the month - Gratitude

"Gratitude turns what we have into enough." – Anonymous

Conversation Starter:   At dinner or bedtime, ask your children: "What’s one thing that made you smile today, and why are you thankful for it?" Sharing these moments can help your family reflect on the positives in your day.

Tip:  Encourage your kids to keep a "Gratitude Journal." Each day, they can write or draw three things they’re thankful for. This simple habit can boost their mood, foster resilience, and teach them to focus on life’s blessings, big or small.

parkside shoutouts

Thank You!

A heartfelt thank-you to Emily, Kelvin, Cythenanne, Kelsey, and Lindsay for often helping out in 1st grade—your support is greatly appreciated!

Thank you, Allison, Tabytha, and Emily, for frequently lending a hand in the classrooms. Your efforts make such a difference!

Kindergarten families had fun at Games with Grownups before the break—thank you, Shayne, Becky, Tabytha, Allison D., Allison T., Heather, and Dana, for playing games with the kiddos! Play is an essential part of learning for school-age children, developing social skills, problem-solving abilities, and creativity while building connections!

To the second-grade parents who helped celebrate Mrs. King's ½ birthday—you truly shared smiles and filled her bucket! Your thoughtfulness did not go unnoticed.

A big thank-you to all the grownups who popped in to prep popcorn this month! This fun snack and activity brings so much joy to the students.

Important Dates

• February 5- Early Release (1:30)
• February 7- Dress Fancy Day
• February 13 - Valentines Parties
• February 14-17- No School Mid-Winter Break
• February 21 - Bring a Stuffie to School Day  
• February 25, 27 Conferences
• March - Reading Month
• Wednesdays in March- Wear Your Words
• April 3-11- No School Spring Break                                                                                                
• See full list of PKS Events on the calendar link:  Parkside Calendar 

PTO Corner

Help plan the 2025 School Carnival! 
We are looking for volunteers to provide a taco bar to feed our teachers during parent-teacher conferences on Thursday, February 27. We are planning to serve 20-25 people. Please label any dishes with your last name so they can be returned to you. Everything should be delivered by the end of the school day so teachers can eat as soon as students are released. THANK YOU!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080B4FAFA62BA2FE3-54505764-parkside

Our PTO Staff Appreciation Committee is asking for a few more volunteers to sign up for stocking the lounge. Help us stock the staff lounge!
https://m.signupgenius.com/?#!/showSignUp/10C0A4DAAAA23A1F5CE9-51246850-stock

With the snow day, we have to reschedule the carnival meeting to Feb 6 at 6:15 pm at Parkside. 

Coming soon... a new Parkside Elementary Facebook page! We will continue to update the parent group because then we can do fun staff surprises, but we want to make sure you have the up-to-date school information on your social media feeds too. Look for that in the next newsletter. 

Enrollment opens 2/13/25

Enrollment for the 2025/2026 school year opens February 13th.  Children who turn five years old on or before December 1, 2025, are eligible to enroll for the 2025/2026 school year.  Please enroll your DK or K child before 6/1/25 to schedule an early placement screening. 

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