Frequently Asked Questions

Target Audience: Parents of newly enrolled / first-time students at South Loop Elementary.

1. When is the first day of school?
   A: Tuesday, September 8 2009 at 8:45 AM (Kindergartners) and 9:00 AM (grades 1-8). Parents are encouraged to escort their child to school and to their classroom on the first day of school.
   
2. What is the school’s website?
   A:  https://southloopschool.net/
   
3. What is the CPS website?
   A: http://www.cps.edu
   
4. When is the Welcome Back Open House?
   A: Thursday, September 17, 2009
   • 5:30 – 6:00 pm PBIS induction for new families
   • 6:00 – 7:00 pm Open House – Meet your child’s teacher(s)
   • 7:00 – 7:30 pm Open House with Principal – 7th-8th grade only
   
   
5. On what days is there no school?
   A:  Go to this link to access the 2009-2010 CPS calendar: http://www.cps.edu/Calendar/Student_days_off/Pages/StudentDaysOff.aspx
   Please be aware there are numerous days off during the year (holiday and non-holiday related) so you can arrange for childcare accordingly. There are professional development days, staff development days, report card pickup / parent – teacher conference days, and teacher institute days.
   
6. What is the Extended Day Program?
   A:  An after-school program providing enrichment programs in academics and the arts from 2:45 PM to 6:00 PM. Please go to this link to obtain more detailed information and links to the applications: southloopschool.net/extending_the_day.html
   **Note: Kindergarten students participating in the Extended Day Program will be bused over to the main building each day. Parents will pick up their child(ren) from the main building. There are several programs and activities available to students not enrolled in the Extending the Day Program. Visit the main office for more information.
   
7. What are the health requirements?
   A:   Here is the link to the CPS website with health requirement information
   • Physical examination form – any student entering kindergarten, 6th grade, 9th grade, or entering a CPS school for the first time. Due Oct. 15, 2009.
   • Immunization record - any student entering kindergarten, 6th grade, 9th grade, or entering a CPS school for the first time. Due Oct. 15, 2009.
   • Dental exam – any student entering kindergarten, 2nd, and 6th grade. Due May 15, 2010.
   • Vision exam – any student entering kindergarten or entering a CPS school for the first time. Due Oct. 15, 2009.
   Forms may be accessed through the link above. Waivers based on religious or medical reasons must be submitted in writing as described in the Board of Education policy (http://policy.cps.k12.il.us/Default.aspx - Policy 704.1)
   
8. What happens if I miss the deadline for Health requirement forms?
   A:  Your child may not attend school until the requirements are met. These days of missed school do not count as an excused absence.
   
9. What is the uniform policy?
   A:  Summarized below:
   • Navy blue pants, shorts, skirts, or dresses to the knee. No jeans allowed.
   • White shirts – with or without a collar. No logos or prints allowed except the South Loop School logo or motto.
   • Sweaters in white or navy blue. Sweatshirts in white or navy blue.
   • Outwear (coats / jackets), stockings and shoes are at your own discretion, however, no Heelys or skate shoes are allowed.
   • Gym shoes / sneakers are required for Gym days or the student will not be allowed to participate.
   • Uniforms are sold online or at stores such as Target, Sears (Land’s End brand), and Children’s Place.
   -->Land’s End (a school fundraiser) order form is located in the main office.
   
   
10. Are there exceptions to the uniform policy?
    A:   There are several opportunities throughout the year for this:
    • Picture day – School pictures are taken in the Fall and Spring. Students do not have to wear their uniform on these days – they may dress up for their school pictures if they choose. The Fall picture goes in the yearbook.
    • Fridays – South Loop Way T-shirts may be worn on Fridays. Students may also purchase and wear Spirit Wear on Fridays. These can be ordered in the main office.
    • Sports Days – Throughout the school year, South Loop celebrates Chicago’s sports teams by allowing students to wear the colors or shirts/jerseys of our winning sports teams (i.e. Bears, Bulls, Blackhawks, White Sox, Cubs). These dates are announced via the email blasts.
    -->Order forms for spirit wear are located in the main office.
    
    
11. Is there a school fee?
    A:  Yes. This $50 fee covers the cost of consumable instructional supplies and resource materials and/or classroom supplies. This fee is collected by classroom teachers the first week of school. Payment can be made in the form of cash, money orders, credit card or checks made payable to Friends and Family of South Loop.
     
    
12. What are arrival and dismissal protocols?
    A:  School begins at 9:00 AM (8:45-2:30 PM for Kindergarten only) and ends at 2:45 PM. Students should not arrive prior to 8:45 AM unless arriving for 8:30 AM breakfast or registered in the 8:00AM drop-off program. **Morning playground supervision begins at 8:45 AM. If driving, please proceed north bound on Federal, drop off on the west side of the school, drive through the parking lot, and exit south bound on Plymouth. Students should exit at curbside only. There is a safety-patrol staffed by parent volunteers to assist students getting out of their cars in the morning only. When picking up your child, stop on the park sides of Federal, Plymouth, or 13th with flashers on to wait for your child. BRANCH protocol:Students should be dropped off and picked on Archer Ave. (at end of the driveway-where the sidewalk begins). Please do not use the driveway. Kindergarten students participating in the Extended Day program will be bused over to the main building each day. Parents must go to the main building for Extended Day to pick up.
    
13. What are the meal options?
    A:  There are three options for lunch:
    • Your child may bring a lunch. Please note: South Loop is a gum, candy, and peanut free school so please do not send any of these items to school with your child. If your child brings a “Lunchable,” please remove the candy before sending it with your child to school.
    • Hot lunch for K-8 is available every day. A menu is sent home with the student each month. Lunch costs $1.85. Breakfast costs $1.50. Reduced breakfast and lunch are $0.30 and $0.40, respectively. Students may purchase milk only for $0.35. Please send cash only (exact change) in an envelope (weekly or monthly) labeled with your child’s name and room number. Your child will receive breakfast/lunch punch cards that will indicate meals eaten. You can purchase a weekly or monthly lunch card. Each time your child eats the card will be punched based on your number of purchases. Meals not eaten will be carried over into next week or next month.
    • South Loop has partnered with Gourmet Gorilla available for Pre-K thru 8 grades, is a local Organic brown bag lunch and snack program. Each lunch cost $4.75 and includes a main course with one or two sides. Drinks and snacks are available at an additional cost. Visit www.gorillakids.com for information. This program can be utilized for the Extended Day Program snack ordering also.
    
    
14. What is the typical day for a kindergartener?
    A:  Daily activities include reading, social studies, math, writing, and recess. Students have gym, library, music, art, Spanish and Mandarin (tentative) class each once a week. Note: the lunch period is 20 minutes, so please prepare your child accordingly.
    
15. Is there recess during the school day? Parent Volunteers are needed!
    A:  Yes, the recess schedule will be developed during summer planning. If the weather is below 40 F, indoor recess will take place in the gymnasium, dance room, music room, or library. If the weather is over 40 F and not raining, recess will be outdoors on the playground and in Mary Richardson Jones Park. Parents interested in volunteering for Recess supervision please refer to your volunteer manual for this and other volunteer opportunities.
    
16. Is there any morning or afternoon snack during the academic school day?
    A:  Food is not permitted in the classroom to prevent sanitation risks so food consumption is strictly limited to the cafeteria during lunchtime.
    
17. How do I contact my child’s teacher?
    A:  The ideal way to contact a teacher is via email so as not to disrupt the school day. Every teacher provides an email address for communication. Please note that teachers will not be able to accept any phone calls during the school day. If you prefer to call, a message will be left for the teacher at the front office. Your phone call should be returned within 24 hours. You may also arrange a conference with the teacher. All conferences are by appointment, must be made at least 24 hours in advance, and may be requested at any time during the year. Teachers may also request conferences with parents. Please be aware that the parent-teacher conference at report card / progress report pick-up time is limited to 10 minutes and strictly adhered to. If you would like to have a longer discussion, contact the teacher to arrange a separate time.
    
18. What are the venues of communication from the school?
    A:  These are the main communication sources:
    • The school website: southloopschool.net
    • Email blasts: weekly email blasts titled “Week-at-a-Glance” and other emails with information / updates sent out by administration. To sign up to receive these emails, complete the form and turn in to the office. Access this form @ southloopschool.net/forms. Please add “[email protected]” to your contact list to avoid having messages sent to your spam folder.
    • Room Parent: Each classroom has a room parent designated at the start of the school year who will formulate a classroom email list in order for parents to communicate with each other. The room parent also assists the teacher in communicating with the parents as a group.
    
    
19. How are birthdays celebrated?
    A:  A child’s birthday is celebrated by wearing a crown created by the teacher. In order to decrease emphasis on sweets and disruption to the school day, South Loop has instituted a “no treats” policy for birthdays. If you would like to send something to school with your child to commemorate their birthday, please donate your child’s favorite book to the classroom in lieu of food items.
    
20. How are holidays celebrated?
    A:  South Loop will have academic or craft projects throughout the year associated with certain secular holidays. These curriculum-based projects will be selected for their emphasis on the educational, cultural and creative value of a holiday. Projects are coordinated by the teachers and/or room parents and implemented at the discretion of the individual teachers. In order to preserve the academic environment of the school and decrease the emphasis on treats, South Loop does not have holiday celebrations or parties for standard holidays.
    
21. What are the volunteer opportunities at the school?
    A:  In order to volunteer at the school, please submit a CPS volunteer application: http://www.cps.edu/Pages/CommunityresourcesVolunteeropportunities.aspx
    It takes several weeks for the approval process to be completed by CPS so please submit forms as soon as possible. We encourage you to submit your forms over the summer in order to be approved by the start of the school year. Forms are available on the above website or in the main school office. At South Loop, there are several volunteer opportunities including but not limited to Café Crew, Secret Readers, recess supervision, Scholastic book fair, Family Fun nights, landscaping, Spring Benefit, chaperones, library aide, etc. Parent volunteers are allowed in their child’s classroom when requested by the teacher for a specific event or project. To learn about volunteer opportunities please refer to the Volunteer Handbook.
    
22. What are the organizations available to parents?
    A:  What is the LSC?
    • Local School Council (LSC) – consists of the principal, 6 parents, 2 teachers, and 2 community members. The LSC promotes school development and the implementation of school improvement. Members are elected every 2 years. LSC meetings are held monthly with a schedule posted at the start of the school year. The meetings are open to the public and are an important venue for gaining information about the school. The LSC has 5 committees that welcome parent involvement:
      • By-laws committee
      • Finance committee
      • Communications committee
      • Connections committee – community outreach
      • Family Involvement Group (FIG) – parent group whose mission is to encourage family involvement at South Loop. FIG organizes the Family Fun nights and other social events during the school year. To become involved, please contact Ta’Tanisha Hall at
    
    
23. What is Friends and Family of South Loop Inc.?
    A:  Friends and Family of South Loop is a non-profit fund-raising group for South Loop. Donations made to the school are tax deductible per IRS guidelines.
    
24. When are picture days?
    A:  Picture days typically take place in the Fall and the Spring. The school will do their best to send prior notification home as to when the actual picture day will be. Children can wear their own preferred clothing on this day and uniforms are not required. Pictures that are taken in the Fall are used in the school yearbook. Pictures taken in the Spring are optional. Purchase of these pictures is optional.
    
25. What time does school start?
    A:  8:45 AM for Kindergarteners and 9:00AM for grades 1-8
26. What time does school end?
    A:  Dismissal is at 2:30 PM for Kindergarteners and 2:45 PM for grades 1-8. Children may not loiter in the park unsupervised. For After Care options please refer to our Extending the Day Program.
    
27. What is the protocol for my child if they have a medical condition or medical needs?
    A:  Documentation must be given to the school nurse on the first day of school. Please also inform your child’s classroom teacher.
    
28. Is there a school nurse?
    A:  A school nurse is assigned to the school two days a week. The nurse’s schedule is determined by CPS. If your child is ill on a day the nurse is not present, your child will be sent to the office and you will be contacted.
    
29. When can I get a school supply list?
    A:  ** For New incoming families, there will be a list provided during enrollment and the list will also be posted on the school website by the middle of August. ** School supply lists are sent home at the end of the school year for students who are currently enrolled.