About

Introduction to South School

Kindergarten, First and Second Grades
South School is known for its warm, welcoming environment.  The children walk through hallways cheerfully decorated with brightly painted murals and displays of their work.  Beautifully maintained courtyards and large exterior windows provide an abundance of natural light to all classrooms.  South School is located adjacent to the Everly Wildflower Sanctuary, Park District playing fields, and Watts Ice Skating Rink.  Each of these areas afford learning and activity opportunities.

Schedule and Lunch
The morning bell for all students rings at 8:40 AM.  Classes begin at 8:50 AM and end at 3:00 PM, with a 45-minute lunch/recess break.  Bus service is available to District students, including one-way and/or two-way service.  All students eat lunch at school; the PTO sponsors a daily lunch program.

Curriculum and Instruction
Reflecting the child-centered philosophy of the District, South is concerned with the whole child – academic, social, physical, and emotional. The broad-based curriculum includes balanced literacy (word study, reading and writing), mathematics, social studies, science, music, art, Spanish, physical education, and regularly scheduled time in the Crawford Learning Center.  Throughout the program, social and emotional learning is emphasized with subject materials and varied experiences.  Productive study skills and work habits are also encouraged and learned.  Progress reports are issued four times during the school year.  Using a non-graded system, these reports measure a child’s progress in relation to a set of objectives in each area.

Each member of the staff creates his or her own unique approach to implementing the curricular objectives.  Much care is taken each year to place children in classrooms with teachers who provide the best possible educational experiences.

Panda Pride
South School reminds students to Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe.  These school rules help students understand school expectations across settings (classroom, hallways, bus).  Throughout the school year, teachers review the Panda Pride expectations and rules with students. 

Highlights
Through field trips, students are able to take advantage of the many resources throughout Glencoe and the greater Chicago area.  In conjunction with specific units of study, students visit such places as the Wildlife Sanctuary, the Peggy Notebaert Museum, and the Chicago Botanic Garden.  The Cultural Arts Program, sponsored by the PTO, brings additional resources, such as singers, storytellers, and performance groups to the school for grade level or all-school performances. Many memorable events highlight the academic year, including the annual Halloween Sing, Family Nights, Spring Sings, and the students’ favorite time to show all they have accomplished, the Spring Open House.  

Parent involvement is welcomed and encouraged at every level of the educational process.  The school year opens with individual student conferences allowing parents the opportunity to meet their child’s teachers and learn about the coming year.  Parent-Teacher Conferences are held annually in November and February, and ongoing communication is encouraged. Classroom newsletters inform parents of the activities taking place in the classroom, and the South School news arrives by email every Monday.