PV Newsletter!

Posted Date: 09/01/26 (04:09 PM)

September 2026

Prairie View Elementary

Principal's Desk

Happy Fair Fall!

School is in full swing and students are crushing it!

We started the year with an assembly from Mr. Janisch about our Growth Mindset. We may not be able to do it YET, but with practice and determination, we can learn! We also kicked off the year with practicing all our school safety drills. This day was a huge success both in planning the safest routes for students and expectations for all.

This past weekend our PPA hosted 'Movie in the Park'. The first of many events to come this year. We are so excited to partner with the PPA to help connect families and school. Thank you to all who came and a special thank you to those who volunteered to help. We cannot run these events without community help. Be on the look out for their next event ~ Star 34 Cafe this Friday!

There is a lot happening in September! Please note, changes to student attendance this month!

Friday, Sept. 4th: Students dismissed at 11:10 am.

Monday, Sept 7th: NO SCHOOL for Labor Day.

Friday, Sept. 11th: NO SCHOOL Fair Friday!

I hope everyone enjoys their time at the fair. We know that comes with some early releases and absences, please notify the office as early as possible. Enjoy the fair!

Following the fair, Prairie View will begin our ONLY school fundraiser for the year!

Prairie View's, first ever, WALK-A-THON will take place Friday, September 25th in the morning. Students will raise money during the month of September to enhance our school. We will be upgrading furniture, flexible seating for students, indoor recess carts, and outdoor recess equipment. I will send more information through Parent Square in the coming days.

DONATE HERE

We're excited to try something new and hoping to raise $20,000, which equates to $88 per student.

Thank you for your support in making PV a great learning space for students!

One last note - PV is looking for some evening help with cleaning our building. Hours are 2:00-10:30 PM, but can be flexible if needed. Please reach out to me if you are interested in this position,

abauer@sandwich430.org

Mrs. Amy Bauer, Principal

Prairie View Elementary

News from the Nurse

Lindsay Brummel

Sandwich District 430 has partnered with Orland Park Dental Services for dental services for eligible children.

These services may include an exam, cleaning, fluoride treatment and sealants (a protective coating on the chewing surfaces of back teeth).

Licensed dentists, hygienists and assistants will come to your child’s school with portable equipment.

In order for your child to receive these services, you must provide all the information requested in the electronic form below. Please reach out to the school nurse at your child's building with any questions.

Online Registration Link:

https://opdsdentalservices.formstack.com/forms/sandwich430

Lunch at Prairie View

Cafeteria

This year we welcome two new kitchen ladies, Kara Moss and Anna Ranson.

We kindly ask that parents refrain from bringing in fast food lunches to students during the school day.

Student learn best when their tummies are full and healthy. A healthy breakfast and lunch supports students throughout their school day.

Free and Reduced Breakfast/Lunch

The carryover period for students who were receiving free/reduced lunch for the 2025-2026 school year will end on September 24, 2026. If a new 2026-2027 application has not been submitted by that date, your child will automatically be put on paid breakfast and lunch beginning September 25, 2026.

If you would like to fill out an application, please log in to your Infinite Campus parent portal account and click on “More”, then “Meal Benefits”. Once your application has been submitted and reviewed, you will receive an approval/denial letter in the mail via USPS.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability. To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, and Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 or (202) 720-6382 (TTY). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Meal Rates for the 26-27 school year are as follows:

Breakfast (K-12) $2.15

Elementary/Middle School Lunch (K-8) $3.90

High School Lunch (9-12) $4.05

If you have any questions, please reach out to Jody Kruswicki, Administrative Assistant, 815-786-2187 or jkruswicki@sandwich430.org

Prairie View Parent Association

PPA News

Thank you to all who came out to our first event - 'Movie in the Park'!

We are so excited to bring events to PV and connect families and school.

Star 34 Cafe in Sandwich!

Prairie View PPA Fundraiser at Star 34 Cafe

Friday, September 4th

6:30 AM–2:00 PM

Prairie View dismissal: 11:10 AM

Larry at Star 34 Cafe is generously giving a portion of the day’s sales back to the Prairie View Elementary PPA!

Grab breakfast before school, stop in for coffee, or — even better — bring the kids over for lunch after that 11:10 dismissal. It’s an easy way to enjoy a meal together while helping us raise money that goes right back toward our Prairie View students, families, and school activities.

We would LOVE to see a big Prairie View crowd at Star 34 after dismissal!

Thank you so much for continuing to support Prairie View PPA and our local businesses. Every meal helps!

Transportation

Changes in Transportation

When there is a change in your student's transportation, please send an email to your student(s) teacher and kpetrak@sandwich430.org so the office is aware as well. In an emergency, please get in touch with the school office no later than 2:00 pm so we can notify our staff and ensure your child's safe dismissal. If the school does not have notice of a change in transportation, a student will be sent home in their typical fashion.

NEW School times -

*School supervision of students begins at 7:45. They will be let in the building at 7:55.

CLASS BEGINS AT 8:05

*If your student arrives after the 8:05 bell, you must accompany your student to the front doors of the school and ring the bell. You will be required to sign your student in at the front office.

*If your student needs to leave school before the end of the day, please call the office and email your child's teacher. When picking them up, please come to the front doors, and someone in the office will assist you in signing your student out for the day. Your child will be called to the office when you arrive.

District Attendance Policy

Attendance makes a difference

The district worked closely with the Regional Office of Education to create an attendance policy that is more aligned with the rest of the county. Our goal is to reduce the number of Chronic Absentee students within the district.

CHRONIC ABSENTEEISM- a student who misses 10 percent of school days (18) within an academic year with or without a valid excuse. According to school research, these students are at greater risk of educational loss. Students within this category are reported to the state and monitored on the district/school report card.

To achieve this goal, we updated our attendance policy to create systems of support to monitor attendance and support families. The biggest changes are outlined below for families. Additional details can be found in the student handbook for each school.

All excused absences count toward a student's total of 10 days of absence.
After 10 absences, the district will ask for a doctor's note for future absences.
All absences must be reported daily by 10:00 AM
If a student is not reported absent by 10:00 AM the district will begin to identify the student’s location and reason for the absence.
Parents/Guardians will be contacted first.
If no one can be reached, we will contact emergency contacts.
If no one can still be reached, we will contact the district SRO to do a safety check at the student’s home.
Support for student absences will begin at the seventh absence of the school year.

Please help us achieve a positive school outcome through consistent student attendance. This is a significant predictor of student and school success. If someone in your family is unable to attend school for the day, it will be important that you report the absence by 10:00 AM.

Building Safety

Our district follows a security protocol for guests and volunteers entering the buildings. This system requires identification from visitors (i.e. state ID, driver’s license, etc.), and all visitors will be photographed. A quick background check will be performed by searching US sex offender databases (with the option to expand this to criminal databases.). The system also links with our student database to provide an extra layer of protection for students with no contact orders.

To help make the start of the school year as smooth as possible, families who plan to volunteer in classrooms, attend classroom celebrations, or chaperone field trips are encouraged to complete this visitor screening during Stop N' Drop or Curriculum Night. Completing the process early will help ensure quick and easy entry into the building for future school events throughout the year.

2026-2027 Calendar

Student Handbook

Supply List

Lunch/ Breakfast Menus

PV Facebook

District Newsletter