We appreciate our families' help in maintaining Barnard's uniform policy. At the beginning of the year, all families were asked to read the policy and sign the agreement attached to the handbook (in grades 2-8 handbook was included in the student planner, K and 1 was sent home in the first day packet). We also posted the policy on the website over the summer to give families advance notice.

We'd like to issue a few reminders, as we have encountered a need for clarification in the past few weeks. We have tried to give our families plenty of time to adjust prior to enforcing our uniform policy as noted in our handbook, well beyond the CPS deadline for uniform compliance. We feel this is only fair to give or families time to adjust, although our Uniform Policy has had no major changes in the past several years.

Please help us monitor your children as they prepare for school. Some things to keep in mind (guidelines are not limited to these but the following are some issues encountered over the past few weeks):

• Purses - Please remind your young ladies that girls need to store their purses in their lockers.  They will be allowed to access them in an emergency.
• Colored shoes and socks - These are not allowed. Shoes must be black or white ONLY - every day - even gym day.  Socks can be plain black or white only.
• Boots, hightops, Uggs - These are not allowed. Only black or white gym shoes (or dress shoes).  Boots are allowed on snowy days to wear into school, but students must change into regular plain black or white school shoes upon arrival.
• GYM DAYS - No black, multi colored or other clothing is allowed for gym. Students are asked to be in either in their school uniform with black or white gym shoes OR they are in PLAIN NAVY gym clothing OR Barnard School gym clothing.  Eventually, they will need to be in their gym clothing, but we are allowing families some time to adjust prior to losing points in gym for being out of uniform. Orders are currently being placed. You can place your order for your gym uniforms by clicking here.
• Sweaters or jackets that are worn in school - Need to be navy or white only. Sweaters or jackets worn inside school cannot be grey, black, or any other colors. Any coats or jackets stored in lockers have no color or style limitations.
• Hair bows, ties, scarves and headbands - Please avoid large  bows, multi-colored bows, multi colored hair scarves or other scarves that are not navy or white.

Beginning the week of September 30th, our uniform policy will be enforced, with some latitude with our gym uniforms (see selected guidelines above). We thank you for you assistance with this. Guideline reminders will go home with your student if he/she is in need of a reminder prior to receiving checks toward a detention. We appreciate your cooperation and want to make sure all families are well informed. Please click here to access our handbook, which includes our uniform policy. This policy is also available in your student's planner (grades 2-8), and a family copy was sent home with students in grades K and 1.

Barnard has managed to secure several supplemental instructional software licenses to help enhance your child's learning. All students are able to access this software from home, and are also using these valuable programming during the day at school. Login information for this software is being sent home by your child's homeroom teacher. Several teachers are including assignments on this software as part of your child's homework assignments. Please make sure you watch for this login information and contact your child's teacher if you do not receive it. Stride Academy and Math IXL are currently licensed for grades K-8 while Raz-Kids is licensed for Pre-K through 5th (with some supplements for upper grade diverse learners as well).

Congratulations to our parent winner Marcillette Guy, who won the drawing for the school fee raffle. Ms. Guy is the parent of kindergartener Peyton Guy.

School fees are still being taken and are a necessary portion of your student's classroom budget this year. Please be aware that materials for your child's classroom may be delayed if classroom fees are not able to be collected. We do appreciate your willingness to support your child's education during these lean financial times.

Thank you to all of the families that have taken the initiative to pay their fees in a timely manner, or to contact our office regarding payment plans. We want to continue to work with you to bring resources to your students so that we can provide them with books, materials and resources - items that normally would be covered by previous CPS budgeting. We truly appreciate your help in assuring that we have adequate funds for your child's classroom.

We wanted to assure parents that we continue to monitor the safety and security of your students as they arrive in the morning. The previous practice of entering eastbound on the west side of 104th St. (driving in the opposing direction of one way traffic) during arrival hours has been adjusted to follow the existing traffic directions. Please adhere to one way signs indicating the legal traffic direction.  We have patrols at the corner of 104th and Church as well as the corner of 104th and Charles to ensure that your student is monitored on his/her way into school if they are dropped off on the corner.

In addition to our concerns for your safety, the community has been extremely helpful in offering feedback and suggestions to ensure that all of your children remain safe as they arrive to Barnard in the morning. Thank you!

If your teacher has asked you to sign up for Remind 101, please do so soon so that you can receive important reminders about assignments, events and news from your child's class.

Ms. Hosman (Pre-K):
To receive messages via text, text @barnardpr to (773) 295-6788
Or to receive messages via email, send an email to barnardpr@mail.remind101.com

Ms. Carroll (Kindergarten):
To receive messages via text, text @1c23b to (224) 900-2931
or to receive messages via email, send an email to 1c23b@mail.remind101.com

Ms. Lee (3rd Grade):
To receive messages via text, text @104-3 to (830) 549-4574
To receive messages via email, send an email to 104-3@mail.remind101.com

Mrs. LaFaye (4th Grade):
To receive messages via text, text:
@mrslafaye to 773-980-6977
To receive messages via email, send an email to: mrslafaye@mail.remind101.com

Beginning this week, teachers will nominate one selected student for our new Student of the Month award. Students will be recognized for exhibiting the qualities of respect, responsibility and safety. A parent/student breakfast to present our honorees will also be a part of the award. Your child will be given an invitation if he/she is the awardee from their classroom.

Don't miss an opportunity for this wonderful family outing this weekend at Mt. Greenwood Park! Since 2007 Midnight Circus has toured Chicago amazing audiences and raising funds for neighborhood parks. The Big Top played host to over 16,000 people last year alone and has raised nearly $450,000 to date. Voted Best Annual Family Event by Time Out Chicago kids in 2012, Midnight Circus in the Parks is not to be missed. 

Midnight Circus                                                                            Mt. Greenwood Park                                                                  3724 W. 111th Street, Chicago, IL                                                  Saturday, September 28th 2:00pm & 5:00pm                                Sunday, September 29th 1:00pm & 4:00pm

Click here for a link to more information on this Chicago Park District event.

Tuesday, September 24th will be the first day with the  Cook County Sheriff's department as we institute a new Bullying Prevention program in grades 1-8. This curriculum will be aligned with our new school wide PBIS program and will focus on positive ways to deal with bullying.

This two-session violence prevention program teaches students how to identify and understand the problem of bullying and harassment.  Students learn the cause of, effects of, and non-violent solutions to bullying through age appropriate activities and discussions.

Monday - Blue Day 

Tuesday - Green Day - Sheriff's Bullying Prevention Program

Wednesday - Red Day

Thursday - Blue Day - Chicago Children's Choir begins

Friday - Red Day

Looking forward to next week: Monday September 30th - St. Bernard Medical Van