Village of Riverside Eliminates Crossing Guards

The PTA/ PTO’s of District 96 would like you to be aware the Village of Riverside has not funded crossing guards in next year’s Village budget.  District 96 has sought legal counsel regarding the implications of reimbursing the Village for the cost of the guards.

For information regarding the elimination of the crossing guards, please read the landmark article: Who will foot the bill for the crossing guards?

If you have an opinion about this issue, we would encourage you to speak with or e-mail our District 96 and Village elected officials.

The e-mail address for the District 96 elected officials is the following:  Boardofed@district96.org.

The members who share the above e-mail address are as follows:
President, Nancy Jenson
Giles McCarthy
Jennifer Leimberer
Mary Ellen Meindl
James Schraidt
Mary Stimming
Hareena Wakely

The next District 96 Board of Education meeting is Tuesday, May 18th at 7:30 P.M. at Hauser Jr. High School.  The agenda has allocated time for public comment.  The issue was tabled at the April meeting for discussion and action at the May meeting.

The Village Trustees may be contacted at the following e-mail address:

President, Mike Gorman, at mgorman@riverside.il.us

James D. Reynolds, jreynolds@riverside.il.us
Lonnie R. Sacchi, lsacchi@riverside.il.us
John E. Scully, jscully@riverside.il.us
Benjamin Sells,bsells@riverside.il.us
Mark D. Shevitz, mdshevitz@riverside.il.us
Jean Sussman, jsussman@riverside.il.us

The next Village meetings are scheduled for May 3rd and May 17th at the Village Hall.  As of this publication, the May schedule and agenda were not on the Village web site.

To speak at a Village meeting, please follow the directions on the Village web site:  Village of Riverside

Thanks for your attention in this matter.  Your voiced opinion can make a difference!

The District 96 PTA/ PTO Presidents

Ames:  Jen Kaiser, Stephanie Schulte
Blythe:  Lisa Gaynor
Central:  Allyn Pilewski
Hauser: Fran Sitkiewicz, Lisa Aulerich-Marciniak
Hollywood: Kierith Kurth, Denise Notz

St. Louise de Marillac School is hosting a chess tournament on March 27th.

Details in the flyer: Chess Tournament 2010

The people of Haiti have been devastated by the recent earthquake.  They are in need of so many basic things that we take for granted.

Central School is collecting money to send to the Haitian Community.  Our relief efforts are outlined in the flyer:  Help Haiti.

We are also collecting any loose change your children may want to donate from their piggy banks.  Have them drop their change off at the office.  All is appreciated.

The Hauser PTA would like to invite you to their Annual Soup’s On Family Dinner will be held on Thursday, January 21, 5-7 p.m., in the Hauser Jr. High Cafeteria, 65 Woodside Road.

Please join the Hauser community for a fun and delicious dinner of homemade soups, breads, and desserts. The cost of the dinner is $5.00 by advance purchase, or $7.00 at the door. Please make checks payable to “Hauser PTA”, drop your check off to PTO mailbox in the Central school office in an envelope marked Hauser PTA.  Advance purchase tickets reserved in your name may be picked up at the door on the night of the event.

Central School’s KidsCare program was organized to help promote the importance and impact of charity. This year, KidsCare has the opportunity to have more of an impact with 30 families, more than ever before, but we need your help. While the number of Riverside families in need has risen this year, donations have dropped. We need your assistance so we can help our Riverside community.

If you can find it in your heart this holiday season to make a donation, of any size, please put it in an envelope marked KidsCare and put it into your child’s backpack OR drop it off at the Central School office, attention KidsCare by Thursday 3:00, December 17th. If you have any questions about how this money will be used, please contact Cheryl Dowling.

Thank you very much for your generosity.

Invitation to Visit Santa at the Amazing Hauser Food Drive.

Who: Every Child
When: December 16
Where: Hauser Junior High
65 Woodside Road, Riverside
Time: 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.

Photo with Santa will cost $2.00, with proceeds going to the Salvation Army.

Did you know Hauser Junior High is the largest food collector for the Salvation Army in the state of Illinois? Over the past 38 years, Hauser has collected nearly 1.4 million cans and boxes of food. You can support this time-honored tradition by donating food or money to the school’s 39^th Annual Food Drive, between now and the morning of Wednesday, Dec. 16.

In this year of tremendous need, Hauser aims to collect an all-time high of 80,000 food items, to surpass last year’s 70,000 cans and boxes. Students who collect either 200 items or $50 will be able to help set up the display in the Hauser Auditorium – a truly awesome site to behold – on Wednesday, Dec. 16.

Everyone is invited to support Hauser’s Annual Food Drive. You can donate food items or make monetary donations (checks payable to Riverside Public Schools) to Hauser students or directly to the school.

For more information, contact one of the Hauser staff organizing the Food Drive: Renee Blondin, blondinr@district96.org; Joy Brabec, brabecj@district96.org; or Katie Kempe, kempek@district96.org.

Tonight, Monday, November 16 at 7:30 pm. in Room 4 of the Riverside Village Hall, there will be a public forum on the Village’s budget. The Village of Riverside has proposed cutting funding for crossing guards beginning in fiscal year 2010.

Obviously this is a decision that could have an impact on the safety of all children walking to school in Riverside, including those who need to cross 1st Avenue. If you have an opinion, suggestion, or concern to raise regarding this issue, please attend the meeting tonight and share it with the board.

There has been a confirmed case of H1N1 at Hollywood School.  Hollywood School is working with the Cook County Public Health Department to monitor the situation.  At this time, the school will remain open and operate normally. Please click on the letter below for more information.

Hollywood H1N1 Health Letter

Information about H1N1 and seasonal flu viruses can be found at the Center for Disease Control.