U-46 school news

Here is what's in the news at Elgin Area School District U-46 schools. To learn more, visit the Web site at www.u-46.org.

Spring recess

Spring Recess continues this week. Classes will resume March 31.

In other news

• An ISAFE workshop is offered for parents at 7 p.m. April 1 at Streamwood High School, 701 W. Schaumburg Road, Streamwood. There is agreement that the Internet is a great resource for students. They can contact experts in their areas of study or communicate with a pen pal across the globe in seconds. However, they can also meet people and go places they shouldn't. Parents are reminded to be aware of what their child is doing online, but what should they be looking for? The answer, as well as information on cyber bullying, social networks, and more can be found at a workshop especially for parents. More information on Internet safety is available on the Instructional Technology Web site at www.u-46.org/it/internetsafety.htm.

• Caring about others is one of the lessons students learn at Centennial Elementary School in Bartlett. They recently conducted a four-week coin drive to benefit the Les Turner ALS Foundation. The student council and their leaders Katie Maga and Eileen Trusk organized the event for students in kindergarten through sixth grade. The rules were that pennies would count and any silver coins in the bucket would be subtracted from the classrooms' total. Students would wait to hear the morning announcements to find out what class had the lead and then dump the silver coins in that bucket. Even the school secretaries had a bucket! Mrs. Bucchi's first grade class slid by the others to win in the last hours. They brought in 13,164 coins and celebrated with a pizza lunch. The total amount raised by the students was $2,125.41

• Marcus Cinema-Elgin Fox Theatre has been named Elgin Area Chamber of Commerce's School-Business Partner of the Year for 2007-08. Since 1999, Elgin Fox Theatres has partnered with U-46 by providing student incentives. Each year the Marcus Corporation, through the local theater, donates approximately 6,000 theater passes and discount coupons for soft drinks to the district. The passes are distributed proportionately to all U-46 schools. Over the past nine years, the schools have received 54,000 passes. Principals and teachers use them as incentives to reward students for good behavior, reading improvement, perfect or improved attendance, good citizenship and other recognition.