Message from your Irving PTO Communications Team!!
Email and Website updates for YOU! 
Attention Irving Family;
We want to help get your word out to everyone so we have created a simple system for you to follow so we can be sure your message, event, activity or notice is posted for all of Irving to see in time. Please follow the following process when submitting your notice/request and we will be sure to get it on both the website and our update email, by your deadline date.
Thanks everyone for your continued help and cooperation. 
Steps to submit a notice or announcement for both Irving PTO lis serve and PTO Website:
1. Prepare email to communications@irvingpto.com
2. Include- Who, What, Where and When (and a little background if you like) of what you want/need posted. Please be sure to include a DEADLINE DATE you would like for posting to go on website and be sent via our update email.
3. You may create the wording of your posting or we can help you with that so be sure your message is clear when you create the above info.
4. Send your message to communications@irvingpto.com
5. Look for your message to pop up by the deadline you’ve indicated.
That’s IT! 
We hope this helps keep everything organized (for you as well as us) and prevents messages from going out too late or too early.
Bear in mind we will have 2 email updates that go out weekly (and also update the website at the same time) with your messages and any other important info/news for you so please try your best to adhere to our deadlines so everyone’s messages can be sent out in a timely manner.
Deadlines for posting to website and update email: 
Sunday evenings no later than 5 p.m. – If your note is received by this time, it will go out or be posted on website the next day (Monday) during the afternoon/evening.
Tuesday evening no later than 5 p.m. – if your note is received by this time, it will go out or be posted on website the next day (Wednesday) during the afternoon/evening.
We do understand sometimes things come up and emergencies arise so rest assure we can certainly make exceptions as nothing is laid out in stone but this process will help keep us and your notices in order. It also helps that we don’t spam you while we’re just trying to keep everyone informed.
Should you ever have any questions or concerns about anything on the website or sent to your mailbox, please feel free to communicate with any one of our board members, (emails here), send an email to communications@irvingpto.com or show up to a meeting. We welcome everyone to attend and we are always happy to hear suggestions or questions should they arise.
Thanks again for your support of the Irving PTO and have a great day!
Irving PTO Communications

Fun Run Fundraiser!

FunRunKidsSignSmallerThe Irving PTO is excited for another amazing Fun Run! This healthy event is one of the PTO’s biggest fundraisers of the year and we need your help to make it happen! The Fun Run is on October 22 during the school day.

Help your child raise donations of money through small or large flat pledges. We’re teaching students how to be active for a cause, while achieving our budget goals together! The PTO needs your support to achieve the goals for this big fundraiser. Over the last two years we’ve raised $20,000 in profit for school activities and our overall goal this year is $13,000.

Look for the pledge envelope coming home in the Tuesday Packet this week.

The pledge envelope has instructions on how to collect donations with cash, checks or online.

  • Your child can start asking friends and family for donations today!
  • Once you’re done collecting donations, please return the envelope and money to your child’s teacher or put it in the locked PTO mailbox in the school’s front office.
  • Your child can collect a combination of donations online and with cash or checks.
  • (Please note that the PTO keeps more money with cash and checks due to online processing fees, but we’re thrilled to offer an online option to make it easier to donate.)
  • Checks should be made payable to “Irving PTO.” Please make sure your child’s name is noted so the student and their classroom receive credit for funds raised.
  • Donations are due on the day of the Fun Run, October 22.

On October 22, all students will run in the Fun Run, regardless of how much they pledged. There are prizes for the top earners in the school and in classrooms. All students have a starting goal of $30, but many choose a higher amount for themselves. Prizes include:

  • Students that raise $30 or more receive a School Spirit Store certificate!
  • The top pledging student in the school will receive a Fitness Pack with cool things in it!
  • The top 5 pledging students in the school will get a gift certificate for a free lunch!
  • The top pledging student in each classroom will get to be the gym teacher for their class one day!
  • The classroom that raises the most will get a Recess Pack with super fun stuff!

To register your child for online donations, go to: thegetmovincrew.com and look for “Washington Irving School.”

If you have questions about the Fun Run or the online registration system or if you want to help volunteer, please contact Hilary Klein (hilaryklein04@gmail.com) or Laura Crawford (lauracrawford47@gmail.com).

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

Help One, Help ALL- We need water balloon fillers!!
The Math Committee needs your help to fill water balloons on Tuesday, Sept 9th right after dismissal. Every year the Math Committee rewards the students who completed our summer math incentive with a splash party after school. We usually have a really fun water balloon fight!
Our splash party is on Sept 10th so the balloons need to be ready the day  before. We need 10-12 volunteers to fill about 50 balloons each. After a summer of block parties we should all be experts at tying water balloons so hopefully this will go quickly!
Email Hilary Klein or carroyo.org if you can volunteer or have any questions.

Irving Volunteers needed

Volunteering is a great way to meet other Irving families, get to know your child’s friends and teachers, and help out the school! Whether you have a lot of time to spare or just a little, there is certainly a project or two that will work with your schedule.

This coming Tuesday, your child’s packet will contain a volunteer form, for the 2014-15 school year. Please take time to  look over the list of opportunities on the form and if you’re interested in helping out in any way, or if you might be available for occasional projects during the school year, email Hilary Klein  and we’ll contact you when volunteers are needed and you can step up if the timing is right.

Simply, fill out the paper form and put in the PTO mailbox or return to your teacher. There is also an online form for easier access right here:

Thanks so much for your help and commitment to making it a great year for our students at Irving!

Information from Nurse Jamie
Announcement from Nurse Jamie
I will be available in my health office on August  21, and 22nd from 3pm to 5pm for parents to drop off health office paper work, medications and action plans for the 2014-2015 school year. I would be happy to set up a private appointment with parents who need to discuss medical concerns before the start of the school year. You can email me at jstrokosch@op97.org with requests.
Reminder!! All medications (This includes prescription and over the counter medications)  need to have a physician order and all medications need to be labeled with the prescribing information printed on the label. A physician’s order form can be printed from this link:
http://www.op97.org/hr/documents/Lic_Pres_AuthorizationForm.pdf
Actions plans for Food Allergy, Asthma, and Seizures are required 
Links for action plans are as follows:
Health Forms that need to be submitted preferably by the first day of school or by  October 15 are as follows
-Certificate of Child Health and Proof of Immunizations for all Kindergarten students and all students transferring from out of the district. A letter of Religious Exemption can be turned in for those declining vaccinations. Proof of a lead screening result from the age of 6 months to 6 years is required for Oak Park which is a high risk area for lead. If your kindergarten student has never been screened for lead, it will need to be done.
You can review District 97 Health Requirements at this link:
http://www.op97.org/hr/documents/HealthRequirementsforSchoolEnrolement-1.pdf
Vision Exam is required by October 15, 2014 for all Kindergarten and students transferring into the Illinois school system for the first time.

Dental Exam is required by May 15, 2015 for all Kindergarten and 2nd Grade

Here is a link to the D97 website where health forms can be found: http://www.op97.org/hr/Forms.cfm

Please contact Nurse Jamie for any issues or questions related to the required forms. If exams cannot be scheduled until after October 15th, proof of appointment can be turned in to Nurse Jamie to maintain compliance with state requirements.

—

Jamie Peterson,RN,BSN,CSN-IL
School Nurse for Washington Irving Elementary School
Oak Park School District 97