PGJH Game Night

Prairie Grove students and staff found a fun escape from the cold weather last night, at the inaugural PGJH Game Night. Over 100 students came out to play board games and sports. It was all made possible with contributions from the PTO, and with the efforts of Mrs. Rosner, Mrs. O'Leary, Mrs Nelson, Mrs. Cahir, and Mr. May in organizing and facilitating the event. The kids (and the adults) had a blast!! We look forward to making Game Night a new and exciting part of the PGJH student experience.

PGJH Game Night

PGJH and the PTO invite you to drop off your junior high student for a night of fun!
We will be hosting a fun event with games galore!

When: Tuesday, December 14th 5:00-7:00 P.M.

Where: Prairie Grove Junior High

Why: Parents need a night for holiday preparation!!!
Drop & Shop!

Hosts: Mr. May, Mrs.O’Leary, Mrs. Nelson, & Mrs. Rosner

Cost: FREE!!!

~ A toy for TOTS FOR TOTS or CANNED FOOD
DONATION would be greatly appreciated! ~

A concession stand will be set-up for student convenience.
Proceeds go to Toys for Tots & Canned Foods!

A BIG Thank you to the PTO for sponsoring this event!!

Cyberbullying Webinar

The Ophelia Project is hosting a free online webinar on cyber-bullying, this Monday, November 22. If you are interested, you can find more details by visiting http://www.opheliaproject.org/main/calendar.htm.

Principal's Coffee

Please come and join me in the Junior High Conference Room this Friday, at 9AM, for coffee, pastries, and conversation about the Prairie Grove Learning Community. I hope to see you there!

Report Cards Coming Home

Just a reminder that you can all expect to see final grades for the 1st quarter on Tuesday, November 9. Please take time to talk with your children about their performance, and help them develop some goals for the current quarter. We are off to a great start this year, and we hope that your child has had a great experience thus far. Should you ever feel it necessary to speak with your child's teachers, you can make an appointment at any time. Just contact your child's team leader to schedule a time. For 6th grade contact Mr. Piech, in 7th contact Ms. Meier, and in 8th grade contact Mrs. Salazar.

Picture Retake Day

Just a reminder that the photographers will be back on November 2nd. If you are interested in sitting for another school photo, you will need to bring your original proof with you. Students will be called down by grade level on Tuesday morning.

Student Council Halloween Dance

The Halloween Dance will be held on Friday, October 29th in the Junior High Gym. All 7th and 8th grade students are encouraged to attend. The dance will be held directly after school and begin at 3:00p.m., ending at 5:00p.m. Anyone interested in attending must stay after school. Costumes can be brought to school and changed into once the day is through. We look forward to seeing witches, zombies, ghosts, and all of your other creative ideas. The cost of the dance is $6.00. There will be a charitable donation made to the Crystal Lake Animal Shelter. The chaperones look forward to seeing you there!

PG Band Shines at IMEA!!

On Saturday, Oct. 2nd, six of our Advanced and Jazz Band members chose to challenge themselves by auditioning for the Illinois Music Educators’ Association All-District Concert Band and/or Jazz Band. Over 500 students from more than 50 different Chicago-area junior high schools auditioned for the band. We are pleased to announce that two of our students were selected for the Concert Band and three were selected for the Jazz Band. Eighth graders Samuel Click (French horn) and Peter Sokalski (trombone) earned positions in the Concert Band, while eighth graders Aaron Payauys (alto saxophone), Peter Sokalski (trombone), and Raymond Waterson (electric guitar) earned positions in the Jazz Band. Of special noteworthiness is Peter Sokalski being selected for both the Concert Band and the Jazz Band, and Aaron Payauys being selected as the best alto saxophone player that auditioned for the Jazz Band!

All of the students that were selected were sent the music in the mail and will rehearse together all day one Saturday, and then perform a concert in the late afternoon. The Concert Band will rehearse and perform on Saturday, November 6th at Wauconda High School, and the Jazz Band will rehearse and perform on Saturday, November 20th at Lake Zurich High School.

Odyssey of the Mind

Dear Parents –

Does your child like to create, perform, build, invent or want to expand these skills? If YES, the Odyssey of the Mind program is the place for them.

In this venue, your child works with a team of other junior high students to come up with cool, innovative solutions that allow them to stretch their imagination, expand their skills and have a ton of fun.

Teams usually consist of 5-7 students who are interested in working on the same problem. The teams meet about once per week (as needed) to work on their problem and practice spontaneous problem solving, usually at the coach’s house or school. Some problems are more theatrical others technical, but all require creativity and have components of performance, design and construction.

Each team takes its solution to the State Competition held every Spring. If a team places 1^st or 2^nd at State, they receive a bid to the World Competition where teams from around the world (over 25 countries) come to the US to compete.

We started the program at the Elementary School two years ago, and have had teams place first at State and travel to the World competition each year. The experience of the World competition gives our students the added opportunity to not only present their solutions to a larger audience, but also interact with other students from around the world, see their solutions and participate in a variety of activities/events on a college campus.

Odyssey of the Mind or “OM” is a world-wide competitive program sponsored by NASA and Microsoft to help students develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Under the guidance of a coach (volunteer parent) students learn to work with each other as a team and take their creativity to new levels. This is an after school program at Prairie Grove.

Does this sound like something your child may enjoy? Then have them attend our Open Meeting on Monday, October 25^th immediately after school in the Junior High Art Room. We will be talking about this year’s problems and executing several Spontaneous Problems to let the kids get a feel for the program.

Please RSVP to Heidi @847.814.7856 or heidi@heidijessup.com by Friday, October 22^nd if you child will attend the Open Meeting on the 25^th so that we can make sure we have enough supplies and space.

Chess Gurus

Beginning on October 14, there will be an independent Chess Coach, working with students in grades K-8, on Thursdays, from October 14-December 16. These sessions will be held in the Junior High Art Room. The cost of this program is $90. Sessions will begin at 3:30, so Jr. High Students will need to leave school and get a ride back for the session. If students are not able to arrange this transportation, please call, or email me, and we can try to work out some supervision here at the school. Please contact Sadhir Guru (630-384-9829) with any other questions.

Upgrades in the Junior High Technology Lab

We are pleased to share with you the improvements we have made in our Technology Lab. This year we have installed 30 new 21'' iMac computers. These computers are a wonderful upgrade and feature much improved processing speed and integrated cameras and microphones for use in interactive multimedia projects.

You can also CLICK HERE to listen to podcasts created right here in our Technology Lab!

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Don't miss out on the chance to meet with all of your child's teachers, on October 7th and 8th. We will be hosting conferences from 10:00-8:00 on Thursday the 7th, and again from 7:30-12:30 on the 8th. We hope to see you all there! In the event that you are unable to attend, you can contact the grade level Team Leader, to make an appointment at another time. There is no need to call in for an appointment; just stop in. 6th and 8th grade teachers will be meeting in the Gymnasium. 7th Grade will be in the library.

How Much Reading Time is Enough?

According to the PG 46 Reading Committee, your child should be following the guidelines below. We know that time can be tight, with the busy schedules that kids keep these days, but be sure to make time for reading every day!

K – one book read to them

1^st – 10-15 minutes (split between reading and being read to)

2^nd – 10-15 minutes

3^rd – 15-20 minutes

4^th – 15- 20 minutes

5^th – 20 -25 minutes

6^th – 30 minutes

7^th – 30 minutes

8^th – 30 minutes

Community Information Night

On behalf of Superintendent, Dr. Lynette Zimmer, I would like to cordially invite the Prairie Grove, Oakwood Hills, Crystal Lake, and McHenry Communities to our Community Information Night. The event will take place on October 25th, at 7PM. We will be introducing key members of our team, talking about school programs, and answering any other questions that you may have. There is no need to be a PG 46 parent to attend this event; all residents of our service area are welcome to attend. We all hope to see you there!

Midterm

Believe it or not, today marks the middle of the first quarter. For many of us it feels like summer break has only just passed. Hopefully all students are back in the swing of things at this point. The Junior High students will be finishing their fall MAP testing next week, and reports should be coming along soon. We also have ISAT results from the 2009-10 school year. When we have all of the reports together, we will send them home. We are very proud of how well the students are doing on these assessments. Recently we were pleased to find out that Chicago Magazine, ranks our school as the "Best" Junior High/Middle School in the area. That has a lot to do with the efforts at home, in the classrooms, and around the school community.

Principal's Coffee

Please come in and join me this Friday for coffee and conversation regarding all things PGJH! I hope to see you all there!

Boys Basketball Tryouts

Boys Basketball tryouts will be taking place for all grades next week (9/21 - 9/24). A current Sports Physical is required on file in order to tryout. The tryout times and dates are as follows:

6th Grade:

Tuesday (9/21) and Thursday (9/23) - 6:30 - 7:45 AM

7th Grade:

Tuesday (9/21) and Wednesday (9/22) - 6:30 - 7:45 AM

8th Grade:

Thursday (9/23) and Friday (9/24) - 6:30 - 7:45 AM

If you have any questions please see Mr. Krabbe, Mr. Bohne, or Mr. Martin for more information!

JH Office FAQ

How do I go about picking up my child early?

1. Send them with a signed note stating the time you will be picking them up.
2. Have your child bring the note to the office at the beginning of the day.
3. Come into the office and sign your child out.

Also, please remember if your child is leaving for a doctor/dentist/orthodontist appointment, they should bring a note back from that physician in order for their absence to be considered excused.

What do I do, when I need to drop something off for my child?

1. Make sure the item is labeled with your child's first and last name (Sticker labels are available if needed).
2. Place the item on the cart in the office on the appropriate grade level shelf.
3. Take the yardstick with the marker attached and write your child's first and last name on the white board located in the hallway by the locker rooms. (Students have been advised to check the board each time they pass it.)

How does my child get a bus pass?

Students need WRITTEN permission from a parent or guardian in order to ride a different bus home, or to get off at a different stop. Please include your child's name, the date, the name of the friend they will be getting off with, and the bus number if known. Students should bring the note to the front office BEFORE 3:20 in order to get a pass.

FitKids

We had a great start to our FitKids program last Thursday. 20 kids, 2 Teachers, and one Dad! We got in a moderately challenging workout and had 20 minutes left for Dart Tag War! We will be meeting twice this week, on Tuesday and Thursday, from 2:50-3:30. We have a workout planned and games as well. If you want more information on FitKids, or would like to follow the workouts at home, visit http://superfitpg.blogspot.com/. We hope to see you there!

Picture Day

Just a reminder that our annual Picture Day will be on Tuesday, September 14th. Students will be called down by classes to the gymnasium, where they will have pictures taken in two poses. Proofs of these pictures will be coming home that day for your review. If you choose to purchase these pictures, payments will be due to homeroom teachers, no later than Tuesday, September 21st. There is also a Picture Retake date set for November 2nd. Please call if you have any questions.

Grade 7/8 Curriculum Night

We want to take a moment to remind all 7th and 8th Grade Parents, and Students, that you are invited to join us at our 2010-11 Curriculum Night, on September 2nd. We will begin with a group presentation in the gym, and then break off into grade level teams to discuss this year's courses of curricula. We hope to see you there!

A copy of the PowerPoint presentation is now available on the Junior High page of the District 46 website.

Welcome Reception Planned by PTO!

Dear Parents and Teachers,

This Tuesday, August 31^st, the PTO will be hosting a Welcome Reception for our new superintendent, Dr. Lynette Zimmer, at 7:00pm in the elementary library. Refreshments will be served.

Immediately following the Welcome Reception, we will be holding our first PTO meeting of the new school year. Our regularly scheduled meetings will be the first Tuesday of the month at 7:30pm…but since school will not be in session on September 7^th, the “September” meeting will be held on Tuesday, August 31^st.

Please stop by to meet Dr. Zimmer and say ‘hello’ – and then stay for the PTO meeting. We plan to review the PTO budget; hear from each of the principals about what’s happening; and talk about the PTO events and programs that will occur next month.

Hope to see you Tuesday!

Many thanks,

Margaret Ponga

Robin Mayher

Mary Salvo

Joanni Larson

Prairie Grove Soccer

The 2010 PGJH Co-ed Soccer team has started practices that are covering all the basics, dribbling, cutting and shooting. The 18 member team has been practicing great foot skills. 10 minute 3 v 3 and 1 v 1 games are played along with a full field scrimmage. We are still trying to select a goalie, but several have stepped up to try.

The 8th graders include: Elaine, Sam, Larissa, Mitch, Lucas, Sydney, Alex, Arielis, and Tyler.

The 7th graders include: Garrett, Victoria, Andrew, Nick, Austin, Sean, Josh, Jacob, and Megan.

The soccer team has had great success the past two years being undefeated in league as well as tournament play. The team goal is to try their best and good things will happen!

Welcome Back!!!!

On behalf of all the staff here at PGJH, we want to extend a warm and excited "Welcome Back" to all of you panthers out there. We hope that your summer break was relaxing and wonderful. This year is going to be a great year at PGJH. We have been working hard all summer to create a new programs and review our traditions of excellence in preparation for your arrival. We will be opening the doors to our new parents and students in 6th grade on August 23rd at 6pm, for our annual orientation/curriculum night. Curriculum night for 7/8th graders is scheduled for September 2, also at 6pm. We look forward to seeing all of you there. In the mean time, enjoy your last few days of vacation, and start searching your hearts and minds for your goals as the academic year begins. Remember that everyone starts with a fresh slate on the 24th. What you have or have not done in the past, certainly affects your present, but it does not determine your future. Think of what you wish to achieve and make this the year that get there. 2010 promises to be an odyssey for you. As you prepare for your journey, remember that you will not venture alone. Remember that you have many guides.

Volleyball Tryouts

7th and 8th Grade Girls Volleyball Tryouts

8th Grade

Monday - Aug. 16, 2010 12:00 - 1:30

Tuesday - Aug. 17, 2010 12:00 - 1:30

7th Grade

Monday - Aug. 16, 2010 1:30 - 3:00

Tuesday - Aug. 17, 2010 1:30 - 3:00

Tryouts will be held in the Jr. High gym. Please enter through the events door.

All athletes must complete a new sports physical form which can be found on the district web site or in the JH office. Physical exams are required to tryout.

For more tryout information, contact Coach Cotton at ccotton@dist46.org.

Handbook Changes

We have a few minor changes to the student handbook, that will be proposed at the July School Board meeting. Leading up to that, I would like to, first, get your feedback. Please take a look below, and then send in some comments.

Proposed Changes:

Prairie Grove Junior High School
Handbook Revisions

1. Athletic Eligibility: (Addition) "During the first week of each quarter the reported grades will be the final grades from the previous quarter, so that quarterly grades may be appropriately established."

2. Cell Phone Use: (Addition) "Cell phone usage is not permitted during the school day in any way (phone calls, text messages, pictures) unless given explicit permission from faculty members."

3. Grading/Reports: (Addition) "As of 2010-11, we will no longer send home paper reports for midterm. Grade reports can be requested from the office at any time."

4. Bus Behavior: (Title Addition) BUS BEHAVIOR: (ALL PRAIRIE GROVE BUSES ARE VIDEO MONITORED FOR SAFETY)

5. After School Activities: (Omission) "At school events, it needs to be noted that only current Prairie Grove students who are eligible to attend the event are allowed to attend."

6. After School Activities: (Addition) "Students may leave school and return for games, or choose to remain at the school under the supervision of event supervisors in a designated classroom."

Midterm Reports

In 2010-11, we are planning to change our grade reporting. Currently parents have ongoing access to grades, via "Powerschool for Parents". An overwhelming majority of our parents use this web portal to get real time grades as teachers enter them. The new technology is, in our opinion, making midterm grade reports obsolete. We are finding that by the time parents recieve paper reports more current grade data is already available on the web, making the report less accurate. We realize that there are parents out there who do not have access to the internet. For these families we will be happy to offer mid-term reports, on paper, upon request. As we move forward, we would like to hear your opinions, so please leave us a comment, to share your thoughts on this matter. As always, we appreciate the partnership between PGJH and PG Families.

8th Grade End of Year Reminders

Graduation is Thursday, June 3rd starting at 7:00 p.m. All 8th graders need to be here by 6:15 p.m. for the graduation group photo and should enter through the elementary doors. Students need to remember their LifeTouch envelope and payment, if interested in purchasing a photo. Gowns and tickets will be distributed on Tuesday, June 1st. Although graduating students do not need a ticket, all guests do, including infants. If there are guests needing special seating, please contact the jr. high office by Wednesday, June 2nd. Guests requiring special seating may enter through the event doors; all other guests may enter through the jr. high doors starting at 6:15 p.m. Doors to the gym will open at 6:30 p.m. 8th graders final day of school will be Thursday, June 3rd and they will be dismissed at 10:00 a.m. after their graduation practice.

Save the Date

SAVE THE DATE!! BBQ FAMILY NIGHT to benefit JANNA’s JOURNEY

When: Tuesday, June 1^st

Time: 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Where: Prairie Grove School

Join us for a family BBQ dinner, wonderful raffles and silent auction and family fun to wrap up the school year and all the proceeds will go to Janna’s Journey.

We are having The Texan pulled pork sandwiches and coleslaw/beans and includes one beverage per person.

Price is $7 per person or $30 per family

Additional beverages and dessert will be available for purchase. Cash or checks made payable to “Janna’s Journey”.

Seating will be available inside or bring a chair/blanket to seat outdoors if weather permits.More information will be sent home in the backpacks!Anyone wishing to make donations to the raffle or silent auctionor for more information contact Joan Kriete 815/245-4058 or Heidi Jessup at 847/814-7856.

PGJH Open House

Parents, students, and community members are all welcome to come out for the Open House this Thursday, April 29, from 6:30-8:00. We will be hoping for a great turnout as we open the school doors to the community. Please take time to come in, ask questions, and let us know how we are doing! We will also be running a raffle to benefit Janna's Journey, and offering a book fair from Usbourne Books. We hope to see you there!

S.H.O.E.S. Walkathon

The “S.H.O.E.S.” Walk-a-thon is Thursday, April 29, 2010.

The purpose of the Walk-A-Thon is to raise funds for Janna’s Journey and the S.H.O.E.S program. Half of the pledges will go to Janna’s Journey (see below) and the other half will be put towards maintaining the new walking path and SHOES projects.

All Prairie Grove students will walk during their Physical Education classes and/or at lunch. Staff members are encouraged to join the fun.

The “S.H.O.E.S.” (Staying Healthy with Ongoing Exercise Safely) Walking Program is being sponsored by Heidi Jessup, Realtor – Baird & Warner; Dalzell & Co. – Fine and Antique Jewelry; and The Todd Group – Insurance and Financial Services as well as our PTO. The SHOES Walking Program has also encouraged our school community to be more aware of daily exercise and general wellness.

All students will receive a free walk-a-thon t-shirt and wristband!

If you would like to donate to Janna’s Journey and the S.H.O.E.S program, please complete and print this page and return it to the school’s office by April 30, 2010. The “SHOES” team will not ask the students to raise pledges.

Late donations will be accepted.
Questions? Call - Margaret Ponga at 815-477-3877, Jennifer Kryger at 815-356-9547


Name: _______________________________________________________

Donation: __________ (checks payable to District 46 PTO)



Janna’s Journey
Now that we’ve become aware of our own teacher’s journey back to health, we’ve decided to raise funds and offer Janna some financial support during this difficult time in her life.
Janna Asp teaches Jr. High Physical Education and Health. She has Wegener’s Granulomatosis, with renal failure, and MDS (Myelodysplastic Syndrome). Her illness does not currently affect her ability to teach Health, Physical Education or to coach your student. MDS is a disease that affects the bone marrow and blood. This form of MDS has corrupted her bone marrow from making enough normal functioning blood cells. In order to correct this problem, Janna will need a bone marrow transplant. After this has been corrected, the doctors feel that she will need a kidney transplant.
If you or your family would like to make a donation to support Janna’s Journey (our Jr. High teacher) and the “SHOES” program, please do so by completing and printing the information above and returning it to the school’s office by April 30, 2010.

Junior High Announces Young Authors Winners

The Young Author's Contest for 2009-2010 has finished another successful year in the junior high. For the contest, students enter stories, poems, plays and other works of fiction. The writings are judged in three rounds by parents, teachers, and administrators. This year's grade level winners for the junior high are listed in order from third place to first place.

6th Grade: Robin Kim, Allison Ledder, Reilly Branson

7th Grade: Shannon Patinella, Gabby Hart, Niko Mendes

8th Grade: Juli Thomason, Maddie Drain, Paul Sindberg

Special congratulations goes to 7th grader, Niko Mendes, who won first place overall in the district. Niko will have the opportunity to attend a special writing conference in Bloomington this spring. Also, congratulations to Dana Rockford(5th grade) and Juli Thomason(8th grade), who were the district's 3rd and 2nd place overall winners.

Usbourne Books to Visit JH Open House

Usborne Books “Reading Is A Gift” Book Fair

is coming to Prairie Grove

WHEN: Thursday April 29^th, 2010

Jr. High Open House

TIME: 5:30pm – 9:00pm

Usborne Books specialize in educational, fun books for children and feature lavish illustrations and unsurpassed quality .... they even carry a guarantee! We encourage all parents and family members to drop by and look at the beautiful Usborne book display during our “Reading Is A Gift” book fair. Starting today and going through Sunday May 2^nd, you can also view and order books online at our Active E-Fair at www.UsborneTeacher.com. Click on Prairie Grove PTO so our school will receive credit. Please forward the online website to out of town family and friends. Our school will receive credit for ALL purchases made. To make it easy, books can be shipped directly to out of town shoppers. This website gives you access to all 1,500 titles! Give the gift that lasts a lifetime!

USBORNE BOOKS MAKE BOTH READING AND LEARNING FUN

You have a unique opportunity to give the gift of reading to family and friends at the Usborne “Reading Is A Gift” book fair. Checks payable to Usborne Books, cash and credit cards are accepted. If you have any questions, please contact Dana Cole, Usborne Books & More Educational Consultant at Dana@UsborneTeacher.com

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

Honors Breakfast

Parents:

The PTO is proud of your honor student and will be having a breakfast for parents and their student on April 20^th for 6^th graders, 21^st for 7^th graders, and 22^nd for 8^th graders. Each breakfast will be at 7:15 through 7:45 in the Jr. High cafeteria. Please return this form to your teacher as soon as possible with the number that will be attending. If you have any questions, please call Tammy at 815/477-0667.

Spring Play

Be sure to come out to the show, as we kick off the 2010 Spring Play, "Ain't She Sweet!". The kids have been working hard to put on a stellar show. Tickets can be purchased for $5 through the Junior High office, or at the gate. Show times are at 7PM, Friday, April 16th, and again at 7pm on Saturday, April 17th. We hope to see you there!

Lunchroom Visits

I just wanted to take a quick moment to remind you all that you are welcome to join your children for lunch here any day of the week. We always welcome parents into the school community. We are also happy to host siblings who may want to surprise their younger brothers or sisters. I ask that any siblings under the age of 18 be accompanied by a parent as well. If you do decide to bring a special lunch or treat for your child, please understand that the items can only be given to your own child. For reasons pertaining to general health and wellness, we cannot allow group treats to be distributed. If you have any questions, I would welcome your calls! Thanks, as always, for your cooperation and support.

PAC

You are all invited to come on out to the Parent Advisory Committee meeting tomorrow at 5:30. We will be talking about the Handbook for the 2010-11 school year! We hope to see you there!

8th Grade Parent Graduation Meeting - March 18th

8th Grade Parents:

Please attend the Graduation Meeting on Thursday, March 18th at 7:00PM in the JH Cafeteria.

A lot of information will be distributed regarding graduation, the 8th grade dinner dance, Great America, picnic, t-shirts, and the 8th grade DVD. Tables will be set up prior to the meeting to pre-pay for all of the activities (Activity Fee is $10.00 and Great America is $35.00).

Prairie Grove celebrates Fine Arts Week: March 15-19th

For more information on Fine Arts Week 2010 and the activities taking place at Prairie Grove please click the link below:

FINE ARTS WEEK 2010

World Math Day 2010

Students in Mrs. Sosnowski's 6th grade math classes participated in World Math Day on March 3, 2010. The students had the opportunity to compete live with students all around the globe! By the end of the competition period, the 6th grade answered 49,946 questions correctly. WAY TO GO!!

Student-Faculty Basketball Game

The 2010 Student-Faculty Basketball Game will be played on Tuesday, March 16, at 4:00 p.m. This annual event features 8th grade students playing against a team of faculty and staff members from both the elementary and junior high schools. The game is great entertainment for the entire family. This year's half-time show, a dodgeball game, is sure to be a hit! Tickets for the game are $1.00 each and are available at the Junior High office and from Student Council members during lunch hours. Come show your school spirit!

8th Grade Fermilab Field Trip

In association with the study of the atom in chemistry, the 8th Grade Class took its annual field trip to Fermilab National Accelerator Laboratory in Batavia, February 12. Prior to the field trip, students worked on various lab activities and computer simulations for approximately three weeks. Part of the field trip includes the Lederman Education Center, which provides students with hands on experiences connected to indirect observations, detectors, accelerators and new ideas. A tour of the LINAC (the linear accelerator), the control room, and a view from the 15th floor allows students to see a working laboratory. The docents, guides, perform a nitrogen show for the students, which is followed by the opportunity to meet with one of the scientists at the lab. This year Alvin Harms, a physics engineer, spoke with students. He explained his job and answered a variety of questions from the students ranging from black holes to the mass of neutrinos. Thank you to the parents who volunteered to chaperone, helping to make the trip possible.

ISAT Week

As most of you know, Prairie Grove Schools have been recognized in recent years, for posting the highest composite average among schools in McHenry County. While ISAT tests don't summarize all of the great things about Prairie Grove, they do indicate a solid curriculum backed up with innovative classroom practices. This high academic achievement also indicates that Prairie Grove families care deeply about the education of their children.

As most of you also know, March 1st marks the beginning of the 2010 ISAT testing series. Students grade 3-8 will be tested in the areas of Math, Reading, Writing, and Science. In an effort to continue our tradition of excellence, we would like to ask families to pay close attention to the following aspects of student life that can greatly impact our scores.

-Be sure that your child gets plenty of sleep for the week ahead.
-Make time for a healthy breakfast each morning.
-Do your best not to miss any days of school during testing.
-Talk with your child about the importance of state assessments.
-Encourage your child to be confident in their abilities, and to always do their very best!!

2010 Winter Olympics

Feb. 12-28, 2010
Winter Olympics
Vancouver, British Columbia

2010 Winter Olympics Information

Snow Cancellations

Due to the inclement weather, we are canceling all after school events (even detentions!!) for today, February 9, 2010. The school board meeting and the basketball games have been re-scheduled for February 23. Please mark your calendars.

February issue of 'The Roarin' Times' now available!

The February edition of The Roarin' Times is now available online.

The Roarin' Times is the official student newspaper at Prairie Grove Junior High.

Click Here to check it out!

Powerschool for Students

I wanted to let you all know that as of this quarter, students will also be receiving Powerschool passwords so that they can monitor their own grades. A central component to the R.O.A.R. philosophy, is for students to take ownership of their own learning. It is our belief that the Powerschool software is a powerful tool, that can help all of our students take a vested interest in their grades.

Parent Math Class

The next Parent Math Class is just around the corner. The class is set for Thursday, February 18 from 7-8:30. We are looking for feedback so that we are providing a class that is beneficial. Please take a few minutes to complete the attached survey.

Parent Math Survey

PG Haiti Support Update

Prairie Grove School collected donations to help with the earthquake catastrophe in Haiti. Donations were made to Doctors Without Borders an independent humanitarian organization. This service project was closely tied to our ROAR program at school. We are very proud to have collected as a district $2,338.10! Thank you for your support in helping the people of Haiti. Prairie Grove Consolidated School District 46 prides itself on the outstanding volunteerism and dedication that the people of the community give.

Order 2009-10 PGJHS Yearbooks Now

The Prairie Grove Junior High yearbooks are for sale now. Be sure to purchase your yearbooks by the end of February. You can get an order form from the front office. Yearbooks can be purchased for $18.00 cash or check (made out to Prairie Grove School District). Yearbooks are purchased in advance only, so don't wait another day to order yours.

If you have questions see Mrs. Levy or Mrs. Terrill.

6th Grade Explores Clean Energy

Over the past two weeks the 6th Grade Science class has been discussing "Energy Resources", which includes topics such as fossil fuels, renewable sources of energy, nuclear energy and energy conservation. Attempting to gain the interest of all the students the class employed a variety of hands-on activities, video clips, student-directed research projects and games teach the topics. Mrs. Noel Thelander is a sales representative for a company known as MONARCH Renewable Energy, LLC which sells wind turbines and other energy saving products like the GREEN SWITCH. We discussed my curriculum and she studied Chapter 5 in her daughter's science book in order for her to come up with the lesson plan for Friday January 22nd. She brought a short video clip and a company power point which dealt with alternate energy sources and wind turbines. After her presentation, we moved to the elem. gym where we viewed an actual wind turbine. The turbine was opened on one side so the students could see the simplicity of the working machinery. The three blade turbine stood 12 foot tall as it stood on a short part of its long stand. We also looked at the GREEN SWITCH, and Mrs. Thelander demonstrated how it worked and the great energy savings it could provide to a homeowner. I would have to say that it was a very good learning experience and the students had fun too.

PR Foreign Language Visits

On Tuesday, January 26, 2010, the foreign language club from Prairie Ridge High School will pay a visit to our 8^th grade class. While they are here, the students will give a variety of presentations that highlight the foreign language classes and clubs available at Prairie Ridge. The 8^th graders will be introduced to some common vocabulary and phrases from Spanish, German and Chinese. The high school students do a wonderful job sharing their perspectives and experiences. The 8^th grade students truly appreciate the question and answer portion of this presentation and walk away with a new understanding of the benefits a foreign language may provide.

H1N1 Clinic Set

We are pleased to announce that Centegra Health Systems, in cooperation with the McHenry County Department of Health, will be providing H1N1 vaccination clinics for students who attend District 46 schools. VOLUNTARY H1N1 vaccination clinics are being held after school at the location, day, and times listed below. We are partnering with District 155 and D 47 to provide these clinics at one main central location for students throughout all districts. Please note that Hannah Beardsley has been designated as the District 46 H1N1 site for our students.

February 1^st – 4-7 PM at

Hannah Beardsley MS

Prairie Grove Junior High

Prairie Grove Elementary

Prairie Ridge High School

Please see the flyer in the link below, for additional information regarding registration.

H1N1 Registration

PGJH Supports Haiti

In an effort to provide aide to organizations assisting the people of Haiti, Prairie Grove students will be collecting money this week at school. By the end of this week, we will be donating all proceeds to Doctors Without Borders, one of many organizations working diligently to provide emergency health services to the devastated nation. If you are interested in learning more about this organization, you can visit them at their website. Please take time tonight to talk to your children about the challenges in Haiti, and the importance of helping out when you can. As in the past, we are certain that the Prairie Grove community will come forth with great generosity!

PAC

Attention Parents,

I would like to invite you to our next scheduled meeting on January 16th from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. The topic will be technology and we will be combining with the Elementary Parent Advisory Council. Please join us in the Elementary Computer Lab and you are more than welcome to join the PTO Meeting at 6:30.

The tentative agenda for Tuesday is the following:

1. Review Technology in Strategic Plan
2. Our New Technology Mission
3. Current Prairie Grove Technology
4. Parent Feedback

Have a great weekend and hope to see you on Tuesday!

Spelling Bee Qualifiers!

Congratulations and best of luck to all of our grade level spelling bee winners! If you happen to see Anita, Paul, Jessica, Emily, Aaditya, Shelby, Ashtynn, Ray, Julia, Robin, Jake, or Jenna, be sure to give them a pat of the back for a job well-done! We are all very proud of how well you all did in the grade level competitions, and we are looking forward to the All-School Bee, taking place tomorrow afternoon in the Multi-Purpose Room. Parents are welcome to join us! Just sign in at the JH Office and we will send you in the right direction. The event is scheduled to begin at 1:20. We hope to see you there.

Girls on the Run/Girls on Track Registration Opens Jan. 28

Girls on the Run (Grades 3-5) and Girls on Track (Grades 6-8) are after-school curriculum-based programs for girls that focus on building positive body image and self-esteem while training to run a 5K race. We are pleased to offer these programs here at Prairie Grove for the third year. The after-school lessons and workouts begin during the week of March 22. We meet twice a week for 10 weeks, then run in the New Balance Girls on the Run 5K on June 6, 2010. Online registration begins January 28 and will close on February 27. Please watch for more details in the next few weeks, or visit www.mchenrycountygotr.org for more information. We are also looking for one or two adult women to volunteer as coaches for the Girls on Track program on the Junior High side. If you are interested in coaching, please contact Carol Hamlin Fauré at cfaure@dist46.org. We look forward to another exciting season of friendship, fun, and fitness!

PTO/PAC

I want to remind all of the parents out there that we value your participation in many of our decision making processes. In that spirit, I want to invite all of you to attend our Parent Advisory Council. This group meets and discusses a variety of issues that arise here at the school. On Tuesday, January 19 we will be combining the Elementary and Junior High parent councils as we discuss Technology and how it is impacting the learning of our students. We hope to see you in the Elementary Computer Lab at 5:30. Anyone who can stay for the PTO meeting at 6:30 is welcome as well.

Prairie Grove District Project Pennies for Peace a Big Success

Be sure to check out the district web page for the NW Herald articles about our successful Pennies for Peace district project.

The Prairie Grove community was very generous and supportive of the project. The students contributed $1990.21 to the Pennies for Peace organization which builds schools for children in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The teachers read the Young Readers version of the book Three Cups of Tea and Listen to the Wind by Greg Mortenson, the founder of the Pennies for Peace project.

A big thanks goes to our PTO who very generously donated the money to purchase the books so that each classroom was actively involved in the project through read-alouds and discussions and other curriculum related activities.

D 46 Strategic Plan

I want to remind everyone in the Prairie Grove JH community that we have a number of district and school-based improvements efforts guiding us into the next decade. While we are very proud of "where" we are, we are always looking forward toward "what's next". If you would like to see a summary of our progress in these areas, please visit www.dist46.org and click on the "Strategic Plan" link on the right.

New Cell Phone Laws in Illinois

As of January 1st, 2010, the state of Illinois is banning the use of cell phones by drivers in school zones. This may affect Prairie Grove families as they pick up and drop off their students. Please be aware of the new law and be sure to understand that this law means we are not allowed to use our cell phones while operating vehicles in the school zone. This zone includes our parking lot as well. For more information visit http://www.drivinglaws.org/ill.php.

Spelling Bee

PGJH is proud to announce the 2010 Scripps Spelling Bee. We are looking for "a few good spellers"! Over the next two weeks, students will be participating in a number of rounds of the 2010 Bee. At the grade levels each student will take an entrance test. The top 10-15 students from this test will advance to the grade level bee. In this second round, there will be an oral competition leading to the advancement of the top 4-5 spellers from each grade level, to the school-wide bee. This school-wide bee is scheduled to take place during the afternoon of January 14th. At this competition, we will determine the school champion, who will represent Prairie Grove Jr. High at the Regional Bee in February. Good luck spellers!!

Welcome Back!!!

I just wanted to take this opportunity to welcome all students back to school after the long winter holiday. The staff here at PGJH is excited to have you all back here at school! As the new year gets off to a start, we want to encourage all of you to reflect upon your academic successes and failures in 2009. What plans to you have for 2010, in order to continue your successes and work upon your failures? Life and maturity is about self awareness. Don't forget to take time to plan out some short and long-term goals to serve as your compass for 2010. Share your goals with your parents, teachers, and friends. Often they can help in ways we never imagined. Verbalizing your goals makes them more real, and keeps us accountable for pursuing them as the year moves on. With a little focus and drive, I am sure that you will all have a great deal of success in the new year.