Message from Principal Duffy Good morning Audubon Community, Thank you for a great first week at Audubon for both Mr. James and I. The kids and families have been welcoming, supportive and enthusiastic to be back. As we visited classrooms, much of what we have seen these first four days are educators setting up students for a positive year of learning. From explaining why we are reading a variety of genres to exploring different ways to show your thinking with technology-we are off to a running start. In the week ahead we have two main events for you to consider attending. We have our Local School Council meeting Wednesday evening. The focus of this meeting will be a "State of the School" articulating what our progress has been the past few years and where our focus is the next two years. On Thursday night, Roscoe Books is opening up their space for a Book Club discussion I will facilitate on UnSelfie. Roscoe Books is offering a 10% discount on books during this time and will be providing light beverages. We have space for 30 attendees, click here to RSVP. Yesterday we held our first Principals Conversation and approximately 30 parents attended. Based on this dialogue, here are some frequently asked questions and responses: Q: My child is coming home saying they are practicing how to line up in the hallway and at recess. I want to ensure they have time to play and engage. Can you share why? A: The first two weeks of school is a time where educators set up students for success long term. By practicing routines now, we can ensure the rest of the year transitions are smooth and students can maximize their eating and recess time. Q: My child's grade level does not see each other at recess, why is this? A: We accommodate six classrooms per recess/lunch period. Some blocks include three different grades with two classrooms each based on our staffing model. This means that one grade level is split to make it the three classrooms at lunch and three at recess, similar to in the past. This semester grade levels impacted include 1st, 4th and 7th; this will rotate at the semester change. Q: What can we talk to our child about to support them at the start this year? A: Please discuss with your child two topics: (1) Help your child to understand why it is important to practice routines while ensuring they know this practice will not be the whole year; (2) Ask your child about Morning Meeting and what the focus was for the day. Our educators have been invested and learning about how to launch each day in a positive way with explicit culture building activities. Our next Principals Conversation is Friday, October 7th. I invite parents interested in dialogue that helps our school to come join. If you are unable to join, please reach out to me with schoolwide topics you would like to have discussed. I found yesterday to be a productive use of time and conversation to help continue our collaborative work of supporting our great school.

Have a wonderful weekend together and I look forward to our second week. If you have not had an opportunity, please share your information for our school directory. Ms. Duffy

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Upcoming Events Dates written in blue are new additions from the last newsletter: 9/12: NWEA Testing Window Opens 9/14: Local School Council Meeting, 6:30pm 9/15: UnSelfie Book Discussion at Roscoe Books (RSVP Here) 9/24: Eat Out for Audubon at Meatheads 9/26: Friends of Audubon, 7pm 9/30: Hawk Walk & Hawk Walk Games 4pm-6:30pm 10/4: Curriculum Night, Pre-K-4th grade, Specials 10/5: Curriculum Night, 5th-8th grade Please click here for the new CPS Calendar for Next Year

State Representative Ann Williams welcoming our staff the first day of school and showing her gratitude for their hard work.

Our 8th graders in Science problem solving and working as a team.

Our 3rd graders in morning meeting making a web to help greet and get to know one another. Morning Meetings are the time and space for our students each day to connect, build their social skills, and be set up for a great day ahead.

Audubon News Join Girls on the Run! We are still recruiting for our fall Girls on the Run team. The team will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays starting September 13, and the season ends with a 5K on November 19. Please contact the site coordinator, Cara Glass at [email protected], with any questions

or register your runner here.

Mission Propelle is back at Audubon! Mission Propelle is an empowerment program for first through fifth grade girls featuring yoga and reading. It will start September 20th. For more information please see the flier.

Summer Reading Challenge Update Thank you to all our readers who put in great effort this summer to read and get excited about books! All Summer Reading Challenge online and PDF book logs were due Friday, September 9. We will celebrate those students that met the Challenge requirements with t-shirts and Meatheads parties the first week in October. Please look for more information about Meatheads party volunteer opportunities after September 9th. Thank you for your continued support.

Extracurricular Activities The Chicago Moving Company Youth Training Program The Chicago Moving Company offers dance classes for 3 to 8 year olds at the Hamlin Park Theater. Visit www.chicagomovingcompany.org or email [email protected] for more information.

Cub Scouting Wants You! September 15 at Hamilton Elementary School Attention families! Cub Scouting wants you! Make friends, earn badges, visit museums, launch rockets, build character, gain confidence, explore science, play games, hit targets, work together, help people! Cub Scouts does all of these things and you can join by going to Hamilton Elementary School on September 15th right after school. Call Shari Rogers for more information: (312) 718-9866.

The after-school program down the street and small on purpose. The Wishcraft Workshop program serving Audubon since 2008 thrives with a focus on selfawareness, builds creative confidence, develops self-regulation and strengthens communication and problem-solving skills. Classes for students in grades K-8 from 2:30 - 6:30pm Monday Friday. For more information, please visit their website.

Coding Classes at Power Up Tech Academy Power Up Tech Academy is offering after school and weekend computer coding classes for grades K-8, starting September 19. Kids can learn to make their own video games, animations, Minecraft mods and more. We are located just 1 mile south of Audubon at 2867 N. Clybourn. Visit www.powerupta.com or call (773) 382-0778 for more information.

Community News Backpack Blessing & Teacher Appreciation at All Saints' Episcopal Church: September 25 Everyone in the Audubon community is invited to attend the Backpack Blessing and Teacher Appreciation events at All Saints' Episcopal Church on Sunday, September 25. Amundsen High School principal Anna Pavichevich will be preaching, and special blessings will be offered for all students, teachers, administrators, parents, and backpacks. Services are at 9:00am and 11:00am, and there will be coffee and conversation with local journalists and CPS supporters Dana Kozlov and Patty Wetli at 10:00am. For more information, please see the flier.

Next Kidical Mass Ride: October 7 Roscoe Village Kidical Mass is a fun, free bike ride for kids, kids at heart, and their families, The next ride is October 7, and will start at 10:00am at the Audubon School playground. The ride departs at 10:30. For more information visit www.chicagokidicalmass.org.

Newsletter Update As we launch 2016-2017 we are continuing to refine and improve our communication. For announcements from organizations outside Audubon, we will include them, pending principal approval, for one newsletter cycle. If you would like to submit an item for the twice-monthly Audubon newsletter, please send your submissions to Sarah Shields at [email protected] (don't forget the middle initial "a"!). Please take note of the following newsletter guidelines: All submissions are limited to 300 characters and should be in Word documents sent as email attachments. If submissions exceed this limit, we can link the remainder of the submission to the appropriate page on the Audubon website. If you have a logo or photo, please include it in JPEG format. Student accolades must be limited to school-related activities, e.g., sports and clubs, and citywide, state or national competitions or awards. Submissions received by 5pm on Thursday will be included in the following bi-weekly newsletter.

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