From the Desk of Mr. Carter

Read the Blackwell Banner; click here Feb 6 2012

*Wednesday, February 8 – 1/2 Day Teacher In-service
- 11:40 Dismissal for Grades 1-6
- NO SCHOOL EC and KDG

*Thursday, February 9 – Hot Lunch

*Tuesday, February 14 – District 54 Blood Drive

*Wednesday, February 15 – Early Dismissal @ 2:30PM

*Thursday, February 16 – Birthday Books

*Friday, February 17 – Ice Cream Day
-Talent Show Permission Slips Due
-Schaumburg Foundation Mardi Gras @ Stonegate in Hoffman Estates

Have a marvelous week!

Regards,

Brad

Brad Carter
Principal
Blackwell School

From the Desk of Mr. Carter

Blackwell Families and Friends,

I wanted to thank all of our parents and students for attending the Barnes and Noble event this past Saturday.
Thank you to Mrs. Buzek for creating a wonderful opportunity for our teachers, parents and students to come together and share in their favorite stories.
Additionally, thank you to Mr. Banas for prepping your band and orchestra students to play for the packed house.
All of our students did a phenomenal job with their reading and performing!

On Tuesday, January 31st, Peter Cook will be her for a family night at 6:30pm. Peter is an internationally reputed Deaf performing artist whose work incorporates American Sign Language, pantomime, storytelling, acting and movement.
This event will be very well attended, so please get here early for seats!

Mark your calendars for Friday, February 3rd at 6:00pm for the Hoffman Hawks basketball game at Hoffman Estates High School!
Our 1st-6th graders have been working hard to complete their reading logs to receive a family pass to the game. Right before winter break,students from Hoffman Estates High School introduced “Booking with the Hawks” to our 1st – 6th grade students. Members from theband, basketball players, cheerleaders, and even the school mascot put on a pep-rally to encourage our students to read every day over break and into the New Year.

Reading logs should be turned into classroom teachers and family passes will be given out prior to the game. Go Hawks!

Truly,

Brad Carter

Principal

Visit Blackwell School

Blackwell School will explain how it offers sign language lessons and a full
production lab as a mode to communicate with the school’s hearing-impaired
student population.

click here for an application to enroll at Blackwell
Blackwell School Open Enrollment Application

Blackwell School
345 N. Walnut Ln.
Schaumburg, IL 60194
847-357-5555

From the Desk of Mr. Carter

From the Desk of Mr. Carter

Read the Blackwell Banner Jan 16 2012

Dear Amazing Blackwell Community,
It was wonderful to see so many of our parents last week for
Student-Led Conferences.  If you were unable to attend conferences, our teachers
will make arrangements to find a time that works for you.

Last Thursday, our students had the wonderful opportunity to
listen to young-adult novelist, Blue Balliett, speak about her numerous,
award-winning books.  We were very fortunate to have been given this opportunity
by the Schaumburg Public Library to hear Mrs. Balliett discuss her writing
process.  Blackwell School would like to thank Schaumburg Public Library for
allowing us the time to share Mrs. Balliett’s love of writing.   Also, thank you
to Board Member, Mary Kay Prusnick, for attending this event.  We have such a
supportive Board that tries to attend many of the events occurring at all 27
SD54 schools!

Below you will also find some important information/reminders.

• Open Enrollment Fair: District 54 invites parents to
  its annual Open Enrollment Fair from 6-7:30 p.m. Jan. 25, 2012. The fair will
  provide parents with information on nine schools in our district: Blackwell,
  Campanelli, Dooley, Enders-Salk, Hanover Highlands, Hoover, Lincoln Prairie,
  Link and MacArthur. Each of these schools houses a unique program and we
  anticipate a few openings at each site next year. Please know that you do not
  need to arrive early to get a spot at one of the schools. While applications are
  available on Jan. 25, names will not be chosen that evening. In addition, people
  who cannot attend the event can still apply for their children to attend one of
  our open enrollment schools. The application deadline is March 1, 2012, and
  schools will begin notifying parents if their children were selected on March
  23, 2012. The fair will take place at Addams Junior High School, 700 S.
  Springinsguth Road in Schaumburg. Overflow parking can be found one block south
  at St. Marcelline’s Church. A short, formal presentation by Superintendent Ed
  Rafferty will be followed by opportunities for parents to visit each school’s
  booth and learn about each program in greater detail.

• Busing: For the safety of our bused students we do
  not allow students that are scheduled to ride the bus to ride the bus some days
  of the week and not other days.  Students who ride the bus need to have the same
  riding arrangement every morning or every afternoon.

In the interest of keeping our students safe, District 54
would like to reinforce a few laws and policies concerning smoking, cell phone
use and school buses.

• No Smoking at Schools: District 54 policy prohibits
  smoking or the use of tobacco products on district property and in district
  facilities, regardless of whether students are present or school is in session.
  Individuals or groups using or renting facilities are also banned from smoking
  or using tobacco products in District 54 facilities or on District 54
  properties.
• School Bus Stop Arm Violations: It is unlawful for
  a driver to pass a school bus that has stopped to load or unload children when
  its stop signal arm is extended. Any driver traveling in the same direction as
  the bus is required to stop his vehicle when the driver is on a road fewer than
  four lanes of traffic.
• Cell Phone Use in School
  Zones: It is unlawful for any person, regardless of age, to use a cell phone
  at any time while operating a motor vehicle on a roadway in a school speed
  zone.

Have a spectacular week!
Truly,
Brad Carter, Principal
Blackwell School

Blue Balliett at Blackwell

Hannah and Edson present Blue Balliett with a poster signed by the students

Blue Balliett is an award winning author of Chasing Vermeer,The Wright 3, and many more.  She combines art history and secret codes to create mysteries that children enjoy reading all over the world.   Blue Balliett came to Blackwell to talk to 3rd,4th,5th and 6th graders.  She shared her writing and brainstorming techniques.  She wanted the children to remember this…”Many of us have passions that started in childhood – sometimes I think we are who we are right from the beginning.  I was a watcher.  I loved disappearing into books. I wanted to be a writer by the time I was eight; as a kid, I played with words in my head, turning them this way and that as if they had color and sparkle. The puzzle was always to allow words to shine singly yet also fit together in combinations that felt just right.  I’m still working on it.”

From the Desk of Mr. Carter

Dear Wonderful Blackwell Friends and Families,

Our students are excited to share their progress with you
during conferences on Thursday, January 12^th and Friday,
January 13^th.  By now, parents should have received a
confirmation time.  If by chance you have not, please contact your child’s
teacher to confirm a time.  Thanks in advance for your continued support at
home!

Last week, we started some redecorating in the lobby area
and main office.  The walls might look somewhat plain, but we will be looking to
add some beautiful art pieces to make this empty canvas look like an exquisite
piece of work.  If you have any creative ideas, please share.

Here are a couple of reminders of important events for the next two weeks:

·  TUESDAY,JAN. 10 - Market Day pick up from 3-4pm in the gym.

o   PTA Meeting in the lounge!  The PTA meeting will begin at 7pm.

WEDNESDAY, JAN. 11 – Early dismissal at 2:30pm

THURSDAY, JAN. 12 – Children’s author,
Blue Balliett will be sharing her love of writing and reading with the
3-6 graders at 10:15am in the gym.

o   Parent/Teacher
Conferences (Student Led) – No School Early Childhood and Kindergarten

o   Dismissal for 1^st -6^th at 11:40am

·  FRIDAY,  JAN. 13 – Parent/Teacher Conferences (Student Led) in AM/No School

*****************************************************************************************

· MONDAY, JAN. 16 – NO SCHOOL Martin Luther King Day

WEDNESDAY, JAN 18 – Early dismissal at 2:30pm

THURSDAY, JAN 19 – Birthday books!

o   Dist. 211 Music Assembly at 8:50am

o   DHH Field Trip

· FRIDAY, JAN 20 – Ice Cream Day!

Have a spectacular week!

Truly,

Brad Carter

Principal

Blackwell School

From the Desk of Mr. Carter

Hello and Happy New Year Blackwell Community!

Welcome back everyone! Prior to break, students completed their MAP testing in Reading and Math. Students individual MAP scores will be reviewed with you during Student-Led Conferences which be held on Thursday, January 12th in the PM and Friday, January 13th in the AM. Information about conferences will be coming home early this week. If you do not get this information, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher.

The return of school begins our weekly countdown to ISAT tests beginning March 5th through March 16th. In just 9 weeks, students will be taking the ISAT in Reading and Mathematics. Starting the week of January 9th, our English Language Learners will take the ACCESS test. This assessment is mandated by the state of Illinois and is an adaptive test that measures Speaking, Listening, Writing and Reading skills. Needless to say, we are very busy this new year!

2012 is going to continue to be an outstanding year at Blackwell. Thank you for your continued support and communication.

Regards,

Brad Carter

See you in 2012!

We wish all the Blackwell families a safe and enjoyable winter break.

The first day back to school will be Tuesday, January 3, 2012.

From the Desk of Mr. Carter

Hello Wonderful Blackwell Families and Friends,

We are full of cheer here at Blackwell! The third and fourth grade concert/art show left all that attended in a gleeful mood. Thank you to Mr. Banas, Ms. Wolfe, and our 3/4 team for organizing such an outstanding event. Additionally, thank you to our fabulous PTA for planning a “Family Night” this past Monday. The gym was packed with families laughing and spending quality time together.

I also wanted to remind you that our parent/teacher conferences will be held much earlier this year. When we return to school on January 3^rd , you will be receiving your invite for student-led conferences. Conferences will be held on January 12^th and 13^th, and we know our students will do an amazing job sharing out what they have learned so far this year.

From all of us at Blackwell School, we wish you a blessed holiday season!

Warm regards,

Brad Carter

Principal

Blackwell School