“Taste of Nerge” thanks

Hello, Nerge Community,

Thank you to all of the families who attended the “Taste of Nerge” event last night.  There were well over 500 people here and everyone has shared many positive comments with me today about the event.  The words of one of our very dedicated and involved Nerge parents says it all:   “ I have been here at Nerge for over 12 years and this was the BEST event Nerge has ever had.”  Another parent shared, “I wish every child could experience something magnificent like this.”   It goes without saying that I am a very proud principal today.  The dedication and passion of our staff and students working so hard this past week by researching and learning about each country (Nerge facts in Early Childhood), USA, India, Poland, Japan, Italy, Ireland, China, Mexico), creating a final written product to share as part of our “Celebrate Reading and Writing” event, and the performances, food, and artifacts that were shared from our own Nerge families about their culture is what makes our building so special.  A special thank you goes out to the PTA who sponsored $1000 to support this event.  We will be posting photos of the event on our webpage in the future.

Thank you, everyone, for celebrating the diversity with us at this very special event!!!!

There is no newsletter edition attached here this week, but please be watching for next weeks’ email that will contain many important upcoming dates.

Have a great weekend!!!!

Amanda Clark, Principal

Nerge Updates

Dear Nerge Community,

Last Night’s Musical Production, “Broadway Beat”  was amazing. The talent of our students is incredible! They have worked very hard and are excited to perform for an audience again tonight. We hope you will be able to join us here in the Nerge Gym. The show starts at 7:00 PM, but the parents will be asked to wait outside until the “theater” doors open at 6:45 PM.  We ask that you bring a canned good donation for your entry.

MAP testing will begin the week of April 23 and last two weeks.  Make-up testing will occur throughout the testing window.  Thank you ahead of time for encouraging your child to do their best to demonstrate what they have learned this year.  Please inquire with your son/daughter about their MAP goals, their class MAP goals, etc.  They are working to demonstrate to themselves, you, and their teacher, the terrific gains they made this year. We are so proud of them.

The Hoffman Estates High School Community Literacy Outreach Barnes & Noble Book Fair is scheduled for April 14th.  All proceeds will benefit District 54 literacy programs.  To maximize the fundraiser potential they have also coordinated with Fuddruckers for a Books and Burgers fundraiser on the same day.  If you are unable to make it, the Barnes & Noble Book Fair is good for online purchases, just put in the Book Fair ID when checking out.  Here is the website with more information:  http://www.hehs.d211.org/ .  Please consider supporting our schools by attending this very worthy event. 

We are already beginning to make plans for next year and are starting our process for placing students for the 2012/13 school year.  If you would like to give specific information about the needs of your child, please feel free to stop by the office and pick up a Student Profile Sheet and return it to the school office by April 27. 

There is no edition of the “Nerge Knightly News” newsletter this week.  Hope to see you tonight for the “Broadway Beat!”

Have a great weekend!

Amanda Clark, Principal

Nerge Notes

Top o’ the morning to ya, fabulous Nerge Community, and Happy St. Patrick’s Day!!!

There is no newsletter attached today, but we just wanted to touch base with you about a few things.

The younger students today arrived at school to see if their Leprechaun traps worked and were surprised to see their classrooms were in shambles with a trail of glitter and gold-wrapped coins left on their desks.  Not one student was able to catch those naughty rascals, but we’ll keep our eyes open and our traps set just in case.  Thank you, parents, for helping your children finish their amazing creations and putting a little bit of “magic” in their hearts this week.  Life is too short to be serious all the time, so I’m glad you support us having some fun here at Nerge once in a while.

•  The ISAT process is complete and we are so proud of how serious our students took the tests and worked so hard each day to show how smart they are.  The results usually are returned to us in raw form sometime in June but the formal results will be mailed home to you next fall.  Thank you for making sure your children had plenty of sleep, a good breakfast to start the day, and were encouraged to do their best before they left home.  Re-scheduling appointments is always tricky and we appreciate all of your efforts to keep kids in school the entire past 2 weeks.  We also wanted to thank our amazing PTA for the snacks they provided kids during testing.  The fruit chews, granola bars, and cheese sticks were an added healthy boost to keep their minds on the tests and not on their rumbling stomachs.   
• District 54 is once again proud to sponsor a recycling event.  This is your chance to clean out the garage or basement and get rid of items in an environmentally responsible way.  Please take a look at the flyer to see how we can help you with your spring cleaning.
• Did you know that District 54 has a special summer camp for students.  See the 2012 Tech Camp School Flyer for more information.

Enjoy the beautiful record breaking weather this weekend and be sure to schedule some fun family activities outside together!!!!

Have a great weekend!

Recycling Event Flyer_2012

2012_Tech_Camp_School_Flyer

Amanda Clark, Principal

Nerge Reminders

Dear Nerge Community,

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!!!!  I hope you have a wonderful day.

Here is a few quick reminders from Nerge School…

• There is NO HOT LUNCH this Friday, Feb. 17!!!!
• There is no school on Monday, February 20^th in honor of President’s Day.
• PTA meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 21 – 6:00 PM in the Teacher’s Lounge.
• Hot Lunch on Friday, Feb. 24.
• End of 2^nd Trimester is Feb. 24 also.
• Pizza Monday on Feb. 27.
• Science Fair Set-up on Feb. 29 from 5:30 – 7:00 and Science Fair on March 1 from 6:00 – 7:00 PM.
• Please check the “Lost and Found” table in the front hallway for any lost gloves, hats, scarves, coats, shoes, etc.  There are lots of items accumulating and we will donate the items to Community Closet right before Spring Break.
• Please remind your child(ren) to dress for the weather. The temperature fluctuates throughout the day.  Make sure that your child comes to school with a winter coat, hat, and gloves.  If students choose to play in the snow, they should wear boots and snow pants. 

Have a wonderful week!!!

Amanda Clark, Principal

Academic Excellence Award

Good afternoon,

This morning Frederick Nerge School was recognized for receiving the Academic Achievement Award from the Illinois State Board of Education. The Illinois Honor Roll celebrates the accomplishments of Illinois public schools that are providing high quality education for all their students.

To achieve this award, schools must meet the following criteria:

·         All schools must have made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2010 and 2011.

·         At preschool through eighth grade schools: 90 percent of students must have met or exceeded state standards in both reading and mathematics for the three most recent school years.

State Superintendent, Chris Koch presented the awards to our school today.  Students, Alexandra D. and AJ C., along with staff and building administration were on hand to accept this award on our behalf.

This is the fourth consecutive year we have received this year. Twelve other District 54 schools were recognized as well. On behalf of Schaumburg School District 54 and the entire Nerge community, thank you to everyone ( students, staff and families) for supporting our students. It is through commitment and hard work that we receive these acknowledgements.

Have a great week!

Amanda Clark, Principal

Welcome Back

Dear Nerge Parent Community,

 Welcome Back!!!!  This morning the staff met our 1^st – 6^th graders outside with a little bit of nervous jitters, loads of excitement and big smiles.  Everyone is in their classrooms and off to a great start this morning.  I know this is a bittersweet time for parents as well.  Some of you are sad to see them go and for some it’s the first day of a brand new school.  It’s also a time of relief that children are back to a routine and your “cruise director” role is over for the summer.

The Nerge staff is ready!  We have been planning and preparing for our students these last two days of inservice, and look forward to welcoming back our returning families and new ones.  Last night during our “Meet the Teacher” event, we were able to meet and greet many families and begin celebrating what will be a fantastic year of learning.  It was so smooth to have kids bring in their supplies and meet their teacher before the first actual day of school started.  It was a flawless beginning this morning, so thank you, parents, for taking time to bring your children in a day early.  Also, a HUGE thank you to all of our wonderful PTA parents that supported our picnic in the gym even with a little rain!  Additionally, the staff would like to publically thank our PTA for a wonderful catered lunch on Monday to celebrate the beginning of the year.  We were very flattered by our PTA’s generosity and kind gesture.    

We will be sending home a letter today with friendly reminders about pick-up and drop-off procedures.  The front drive will have cones set up to allow BUSSES ONLY to enter the front Nerge Parking lot.  If you need to enter the parking lot, please plan to arrive BEFORE 8:00 AM or AFTER 3:10 PM each day.  There has also been a new safety measure put in place.  You will see a white crosswalk painted along Woodfield Trail across from the front entrance to Nerge.  Please note, however, that there is not a stop sign there and an official “Crossing Guard” has not been hired at this time by the Village of Roselle so please use extra caution when crossing your own children back and forth from school.  We do have patrols and staff members located at the 4-way stop farther to the west on Woodfield Trail where we encourage students to cross.  Please remember that students will be dismissed TODAY at 2:30 because it is Wednesday. As you plan for transportation for your child please note this message from District 54 regarding student safety:

 “It is the District’s long standing practice that a student must have consistent pick up and drop off points to ensure student safety. In the past some student’s pick up/drop off location have changed weekly and sometimes daily which the District will not agree to. As you can certainly appreciate, the bus driver and other District personnel attend to multiple children in the bus pick up and drop off environment. A rotating pick up/drop off location is unsafe because it creates a situation where a mistake can easily be involved involving the route that your student is placed on. Please know that as a District we are totally committed to your student’s safety.”

Our first PBIS Celebration will take place this Friday with a student-staff only picnic outside.  Please send your child’s typical lunch to school and we will provide an extra special treat.  A note will go home with students tomorrow as a reminder of this fun event.  If you still have your child’s PBIS colored T-shirt at home from last year, please return it.  We will be ordering new shirts for all new students as soon as possible.  Thank you to our generous PTA for supporting the purchase of our PTA shirts.  

Mark your calendars now for our Curriculum Night next Wednesday, August 31.  A PTA meeting will take place at 6:15 and the Curriculum Night grade level sessions will be staggered throughout the evening from 6:30 – 8:00 PM.  A detailed schedule will be coming home this Friday in your child’s backpacks.  As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us via email or by phone here in the office at 847-357-5777.

Welcome back to what is sure to be our best year yet!

Amanda Clark, Principal

Welcome Back 2011

Hello, Nerge Community,

Welcome Back to the 2011 – 2012 school year.  I hope you have all enjoyed a relaxing and fun summer spent creating many unforgettable memories with your families.  The first day of school will be here before you know it and I wanted to reach out to you with some updates and invite you to join us tomorrow (Thursday, Aug. 11) in the Nerge gym for one of the Information Day sessions:  9:00 – 11:00 AM, 1:00 – 2:30 PM, or 6:00 – 8:00 PM.  This is the time where you will come in and get your child’s class placement for the new school year.  You will also be able to order spirit wear, join our PTA and sign-up to be a room parent. We will post class lists in the gym and the PTA will have plenty of stations set up for you to pick up your district calendar, visit with other parents, and receive a family packet filled with plenty of important information to start off your year on the right foot.  If you know you have paperwork to drop off, our main office will be open for you to come in and drop off your documents.  Our office will be open from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.    

We encourage you to attend the “Meet the Teacher” event on Tuesday, August 23 from 2:00 – 3:00 PM.  This event is for you and your child to come and meet the classroom teacher and drop off his/her supplies.  You are welcome to come in at anytime between 2:00 – 3:00 PM. There will be no formal presentation at this event.  It is really just to provide an opportunity to ease the first day jitters with the comfort of mom or dad while you both check out the classroom and meet this year’s teacher.  The PTA “Welcome Back Picnic” will also take place from 2:00 – 4:00 PM.  Chips, hot dogs, and a drink will be available for purchase on the playground side of the building.

As you begin to prepare for the next school year please read the important message below from District 54 regarding transportation for this school year. When planning childcare for this school year, please plan accordingly.

 “It is the District’s long standing practice that a student must have consistent pick up and drop off points to ensure student safety. In the past some student’s pick up/drop off location have changed weekly and sometimes daily which the District will not agree to. As you can certainly appreciate, the bus driver and other District personnel attend to multiple children in the bus pick up and drop off environment. A rotating pick up/drop off location is unsafe because it creates a situation where a mistake can easily be involved involving the route that your student is placed on. Please know that as a District we are totally committed to your student’s safety.”

We welcome the following new staff members to our building this year:

• Quinn Wulbecker – Assistant Principal
• Johanna Chen – Art Teacher
• Courtney Troiani – Early Childhood Teacher
• Katie Ehas – Early Childhood Teacher
• Elise Jerzyk – Kindergarten Teacher
• Katie Bullon – 4^th Grade Teacher
• Sarah Kearns – 6^th Grade Teacher
• Sara Macejik – PE Teacher
• Elise Jerzyk – Kindergarten Teacher
• Ellen Jakubicek – SST for Grades 3 and 5
• Emily Turner – LDI Teacher for Grades 5/6
• Mindy O’Brien – Social Worker (part-time, Mon., Tues., Thurs.)
• Patti McGinn – Social Worker (part-time, Wed., Thurs., Fri.)
• Colleen Awbry – Gifted Education Resource Teacher
• Tracy Dalton – Special Education Instructional Assistant
• Cate Taylor – Special Education Instructional Assistant
• Lorraine Lacursia – Special Education Instructional Assistant

We will also have the following staff changes in our building this year:

•  Amie Edmunds – leave of absence
•   Bridget Neuhaus – leave of absence
•   Colette Bell – District Instructional Mentor
•   Kristin Bauer – ESL Teacher
•   Jennifer Houle – 4^th Grade Teacher
•   Michelle Rhodes – Cognitive Disabilities Coach

We’ve certainly been busy with many construction projects as well.  The office has been completely remodeled, the front steps have been replaced, as well as drinking fountains, new projectors have been installed in Grades 3 – 6, two new interactive Whiteboards are on their way to be installed, and teachers have been busy with many professional development trainings.  We are ready for your children to arrive!!!!!

You should have received the calendar of “Important Dates for Nerge” in your Back to School mailing.  If you did not receive it, feel free to pick up another one in the office or in the gym at the Information Day.  Please mark your calendar now with all of the dates that we have planned.  Curriculum Night will take place on Wed., Aug. 31.  A detailed schedule will be sent home the first week of school.

It is going to be another GREAT year full of many exciting learning opportunities at Nerge!  If you have any questions, please feel free to call us at 847-357-5777 with any questions that we can help you with.  Enjoy the last few days of summer with your family!

Warm regards,

Amanda Clark, Principal

Quinn Wulbecker, Assistant Principal

Thanks for a Great Year

Dear Nerge families,

I can’t believe the first day of summer vacation has started and the halls are so empty and quiet.  I miss the kids and teachers already!!! I want to thank all of you for your support and dedication to Nerge.  Thank you, also, for making my first year as the Nerge principal absolutely unforgettable!!!!!  I have been welcomed with open arms and nothing but positive feedback and support from the Nerge community at many times throughout the year.  There is something magical here at Nerge that makes it a great place to work with others, share ideas openly, build a creative spirit, and maintain extremely high academic achievement.  We appreciate all that you do at home and have done here within the Nerge school throughout the year.  We have much to be proud of as a community.

The students at Nerge have made tremendous gains in and out of the classroom.  Many of these gains can be seen in our students’ MAP results and ISAT performances.  Gains are also evident in the participation of the students in the many extracurricular activities we offer at Nerge.

Thank you to all of the 6^th Grade parents who joined us yesterday for the Brunch and Celebration.  It was a great way to send off our 6^th graders to Junior High and their other future adventures.  The “My Wish” and “Firework” songs brought tears to my eyes.  There was a slight problem in the copying of the 6^th grade DVD.  If yours was blank and you would like them re-copied please drop them off in the front office of Nerge no later than 3 PM on Friday June 10 with your name and contact information, address, email and phone.  You will be contacted by one of our PTA members when the DVD’s have been corrected.

Some important dates to remember for the 2011-2012 school year are:

August 11^th (9:00-11:00 AM, 1 – 2:30 PM, and 6:00-8:00 PM) Information Day

August 24^th First Day of School for Grades 1 – 6

August 26^th First PBIS Celebration:  All School Picnic for Staff and Students only during lunch

August 29^th First Day for Early Childhood and Kindergarten

August 31^st Curriculum Night 6:30 – 8:00 PM

Sept. 19^th Picture Day

Over the summer it is very important to maintain the progress we have made this year.  To ensure your student maintains the progress he or she made throughout this year and is prepared for the beginning of the next school year, it is imperative to have your student read daily.  Go on walks around the neighborhood and ask your child questions, visit a museum, take pictures at a zoo and have your child keep a journal of the types of animals they see, take some time to visit your local library, write a letter to a relative that lives far away, or take some time and gaze at the stars on a hot summer night.  Wherever your summer adventures take you, treasure every minute you have with your child.

Again, I would like to thank the entire community for supporting our staff and students throughout the year.  Our success is a direct result of your hard work and dedication as a parent, ensuring your child has a positive school experience.  Thank you for a great year and have an enjoyable summer.

Sincerely,

Amanda Clark

Important August Dates

•Information Day – August 11th. (9:00-11:00 a.m., 1 – 2:30 p.m., and 6:00-8:00 p.m.)

•August 22nd and August 23rd – Teacher Institute Days – No School

•PTA “Welcome Back” Picnic – August 23rd – 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

•“Meet the Teacher” – August 23rd – 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

•First Day of School for Grades 1st- 6th is August 24th.

•First Day of School for Kindergarten and Early Childhood is August 29th.

•August 31st Curriculum Night – 6:30 – 8:00 p.m.

Message from the Principal

It is with great excitement and pride that I welcome you to the Frederick Nerge Elementary School website.  Our K-6 school is part of the Schaumburg School District 54 and consists of around 580 students that live in the surrounding neighborhood area.  The staff is a combination of veteran and non-tenured teachers that work collaboratively in grade-level teams to provide a rich environment for learning that is driven by data-based decisions to guide their instruction.  Through the years, Nerge School has maintained a reputation of excellence in the Roselle community, reflecting the high quality of instruction, dedicated and professional teachers, strong community support, active parental involvement, academic accomplishment, and dynamic participation of students in enrichments such as band, orchestra, choir, our school-wide musical, athletics, and many other student-focused activities. 

Students begin their school day at 8:45am and are dismissed at 3:00pm daily and have an early release time of 2:30pm on Wednesday of each week.   All students are engaged in a 120 minute literacy block, participate in 60 minutes of PE, Music, Art, and LRC (Learning Resource Center) time each week, as well as a variety of other opportunities.  Our TAG (Targeted Accelerated Growth) intervention meets daily for 30 minutes.  This allows teachers to meet with small groups of students for an intensive instruction targeted for enhancement of specific literacy skills.

It is our mission in Schaumburg School District 54 to “Ensure Student Success.”  Here at Nerge, it is the commitment of our school community to work collaboratively in order to provide a safe learning environment that empowers all students to achieve their expected learning outcomes.  Through our collective efforts, our students will grow to become critical thinkers, informed decision makers, and respectful members of a diverse global community.  Our school community envisions Nerge as an exemplary school where: All students demonstrate high levels of achievement. The learning environment is safe, respectful, and consistent. Staff and community work collaboratively to foster learning. We value and promote open communication within the Nerge community. Student and staff achievements are acknowledged, valued, and celebrated.

We are committed to the PBIS (Positive Behavior and Intervention Supports) school-wide discipline plan.  We have three positive and simple expectations of our students that we revisit across the building frequently:  “Be Safe, Be Respectful, and Be Responsible.”  The staff at Nerge recognizes student accomplishments through ongoing celebrations when students meet expectations and goals that students are involved in setting. 

The Nerge staff has targeted our instructional goals for comprehension strategies, direct vocabulary instruction, and writing as part of our school improvement plan.  These areas of academic achievement will be assessed through the core program’s unit and weekly tests, grade level common assessments, MAP assessments, and a variety of other types to determine each students’ progress and implement individual plans through our Response to Intervention system. 

The PTA at Nerge is an extremely active organization constantly planning events that support the entire school community.  Events such as Science Fairs, SpiritWear, Yearbooks, Triathlon event, Book Fairs, Field Day, Celebrate Reading and Writing Event, Bully Free Zone, weekly Newsletters, Publicity, Scholarship support, and weekly Hot Lunch programs are just a few ways that our generous parents strive to create a cooperative and interactive environment where children have an opportunity to develop their potential in an ever-changing world.

In the constantly evolving world of education, we continually search for ways to better prepare our students for the 21^st century.  There are many outstanding teachers, programs, events, and support already in place within the walls of our school.  With great enthusiasm, I look forward to a positive, educationally rewarding year with the staff, children, and families of Frederick Nerge Elementary School!  We welcome the opportunity to share more with you so please look through our website or you can contact us at 847-357-5777 with any questions or to arrange a tour.

Sincerely,

Amanda Clark

Principal