St. Charles Community eNews

February, 2011

St. Charles Community Web Site
www.st-charles.il.us

St. Charles Web News is coordinated and administered by the St. Charles Community Internet Cooperative (City of St. Charles, St. Charles Public Library, St. Charles Park District and Community Unit School District 303).

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Get the word - City News Resources

Winter Notes: Winter Street Parking & Snow Route Parking
Help us keep streets clear! Please note the City has Snow Route Parking restrictions on streets throughout the City when 2" of snow has fallen, and a citywide parking ban may be put into effect with 3” or more of snow has accumulated and full plowing operations are underway. Visit the City's website for snow routes and details.

Restaurant Week Comes to St. Charles
Feb. 23-27, 2011
This February 23-27, 2011, restaurants adored throughout St. Charles make room at their tables for an extraordinary price. Bring your discount card to any of the 30+ participating restaurants, bistros, eateries and grills that make St. Charles a culinary delight, and save 25% off your total bill.* Visit www.stcharlesil.gov for details, to get your card, and to view the list of participating restaurants. (*Restrictions apply. See our website or participating restaurants for details.)

New Businesses in St. Charles

To see an updated list of new business in St. Charles, visit the Community Website's Business area: st-charles.il.us/business.htm.

The St. Charles Park District is celebrating one hundred years of service this year! What do you see? What do you know? All ages are welcome to participate in the District’s online photo and trivia contests. Winners will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. Prizes vary depending upon the age of the winner and the availability of items. For more information, visit us online at www.stcparks.org.

All little girls can spend a memorable evening with their dad at the annual Daddy & Daughter Dances. Get dressed up in your formal wear to enjoy spectacular entertainment, dancing and refreshments. Register today for March 12 or 19. The fee per person is only $11,50 for residents and $17 for non-residents.

For all you busy bees out there, get THE BUZZ desktop widget to personalize with your park and recreation interests. Receive up-to-date Park District information, alerts, important dates, special event notices and program reminders that are the most valuable to you and your family. With this free and easy, downloadable interface on your desktop, you will have a direct connection to Park District information that most interests you! For more information, visit us online at www.stcparks.org.

Looking for a special place to hold your child’s birthday party? Choose from a variety of themed birthday party packages for ages three to twelve. New themes include cupcakes and more, mold and model fun, and a superheroes party. All parties include hosts, souvenirs, games, balloons, tableware and much more! Fees are very reasonable, too. For more details and to reserve your party today, call Cheryl at 630-513-4331.

Discover Your Library, St. Charles Public Library’s News and Events Publication, contains information for all ages. You will find it online at www.stcharleslibrary.org.

We Are Looking for Old Photos
We are looking for photos taken in the original Carnegie Library Building prior to 1964. From 1908-1964, many events were held on all three levels of the building. So if you are cleaning out some old photos and find one of the building, inside or out, please consider donating it, or we will make a copy of it. If you have such a photo, please call Merilee Curtis at 630-584-0076, ext. 240.

For Adults:
50+ AARP Driver Safety Program: Thursday, Feb. 3 and Friday, Feb. 4 from 1-5 p.m. A fee of $12 for AARP members and $14 for non-members includes a workbook. Attendees pay the instructor directly. Registration is required. Sign up in person at the Information Services Desk or by calling 630-584-0076, ext. 1.

High school students: Take a practice SAT exam on Sunday, Feb. 6 from 12:30-4:30 p.m. Kaplan instructors will return your personalized results. Enroll today at the Information Services Desk.

The Friends of the Library will host a chili and soup supper on Monday, Feb. 7 at 6 p.m. Anyone interested in learning more about the group is welcome to attend.

Sunday Afternoon Concerts at 2 p.m. On Feb. 13, That’s Amore, featuring love songs from musical theater performed by Heather Braoudakis and on Feb. 17, Rob Murphy on horn and Mark Baldin on trumpet.

Great Decisions will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 16. The Series, sponsored by the Tri-City Libraries, is intended to stimulate a discussion of foreign policy issues. The topic for discussion will be “Rebuilding Haiti” and will be held in the Library’s Carnegie Community room.

Other programs for adults include the St. Charles Writers Group, designed for both fledgling and experienced writers age 18 or older, that meets at 9:15 a.m. on Feb. 12 & 26; two Book Discussion Groups that meet at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 8; and Lyric Opera Lectures at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays, Feb. 1 & 15.

For Youth:
The Family Read-Aloud Book Club encourages lifelong literacy and motivates families to share reading aloud as a daily activity. Record time spent reading aloud as a family and receive rewards. Join the book club NOW through February 16 and have fun reading aloud every day. Details at registration.

On Saturday, February 26 at 10:00 a.m., the Karen G. Russell Memorial Student Lecture, will be A Book is a Book…Or Is It? Join us for book talks and an interactive exploration of websites about authors, books, audiobooks, eBooks, and more. There will be lots of hands-on fun using our laptop computer lab. Registration is required.

Looking for other fun events? Enjoy a variety of events like Book Magic and Kids Corner, monthly family gaming on February 15, weekly gaming on Fridays from 4-5 p.m., Movie Nights for grades 4-8, Family Story Time, and much more. Most of the Youth Services events require registration, so visit the ASK ME Desk or call 630-584-9390 for more information.

 

Kindergarten Roundup Coming on February 9
District 303 parents and guardians may register their children for Kindergarten for the 2011-2012 school year on Wed, Feb. 9 at all District 303 elementary schools.  Register at the elementary school where children in your area currently attend.  To register a child for Kindergarten, parents need a birth certificate showing their child will be five years old on or before Sept. 1, 2011.  Families must provide two documents as proof of residency when enrolling children for Kindergarten.  A variety of registration information can be found on the District 303 web site (www.d303.org) under “Family Access” and “General Information”.  Families must also provide their Parcel Identification Number, or PIN, as part of kindergarten registration.  PINs can be obtained from your property tax bill or at http://www.co.kane.il.us/webapps/taxcollector/taxmenu.asp (Kane County) or http://www.waynetownshipassessor.com (DuPage County).
Registration Times on Feb. 9:
9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Bell-Graham, Corron, Davis, Ferson Creek, Fox Ridge, Lincoln,
Munhall, Norton Creek, Wasco, Wild Rose
1:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Anderson and Richmond

Parents have the option of an All Day Kindergarten (ADK) or Half Day Kindergarten program.  All Day Kindergarten is a tuition-based program and requires a $50.00 registration deposit to ensure placement.  Information regarding All Day Kindergarten tuition for the 2011-2012 school year will be available before February 9.  

Anti-Bullying Expert Jodee Blanco To Appear at District 303 Parent University
Jodee Blanco has presented her anti-bullying programs to a combined audience of over half a million students, teachers and parents nationwide at the behest of such entities as The U.S. Department of Interior, The National Catholic Educational Association, The Illinois Association of School Boards and scores of local school districts, who credit this program with having saved student lives. The two books she’s authored about the bullying epidemic, the New York Times bestselling Please Stop Laughing at Me and the newly released, award-winning Please Stop Laughing at Us are required reading in many schools.  Ms. Blanco will present her program as part of District 303’s Parent University series on Thursday, February 10 at 7 p.m. in the Norris Cultural Arts Center.  You can RSVP for this session by clicking here.   There is no charge to attend this event.

Home Access Center News
Home Access Center Now Available to District 303 Parents
How to Set Up a Home Access Center Account
To create an account you must have a current and valid e-mail address on file with your school. 
1. Supply a valid e-mail address to your school (if you haven’t done so already)
2. Set up an ID The HAC can be found on www.d303.org from the Useful Links tab. VERY IMPORTANT - City name must be entered according to the posted instructions
Video tutorials are available online to assist with login and navigation.

 

Looking for something to do during the Big Snow? Plan for the thaw!

Surprise your sweetheart on Valentine's Day.
Plan a dinner in Downtown St. Charles, where you will find restaurants to suit every taste and style. Make reservations now, while you have some time.

Give your Valentine the HeART of St. Charles. This special Valentine's Day package includes a St. Charles snow globe, note cards featuring Downtown St. Charles art, and a "Heart of St. Charles" poster. Now through February 14, you can purchase this at a special price of $50.00 (a $70.00 value when purchased separately). Not only do all proceeds go to fund public art in Downtown St. Charles, but five lucky winners will win the "Heart of St. Charles" print on canvas. Check your poster to see if you have a winning entry after purchasing the package at Francesca's, Townhouse Books & Café, or Harris Bank on Main Street.

Plan a night out with friends ... the snow won't be here forever!
Mark your calendar for Thursday, February 10 and grab some friends for Girl's Night Out with Planit Kane at Rox City Grill (at Hotel Baker) from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

The Downtown St. Charles Partnership - www.dtown.org


The 2011 McNally’s Irish Pub St. Patrick’s Day Parade!
What a GREAT WAY to promote your Business or Organization!

The 2011 St. Patrick’s Day Parade presented by McNally’s Irish Pub is on Saturday, March 12, 2011 at 3 pm in downtown St. Charles on Main Street from 6th Street to 4th Avenue. The St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee would like to give you the FIRST opportunity to be an entry in the 2011 Parade to a captive audience of over 10,000 spectators! St. Charles Chamber Members receive a $100 discount at all sponsor levels. The Entry Form deadline is February 18, 2011 and is limited to the first 90 entries. Two businesses can go in on one Sponsorship and both be listed in the Program and on the Poster. Think about “buddying-up” with another business to Sponsor Parade entertainment or a band!

You will find the 2011 Parade Sponsor-Entry Form on the Chamber’s website at www.stcharleschamber.com where you can print it out and return it to the St. Charles Chamber of Commerce with your payment, or you may fax your form to them at (630) 584-6065 with your credit card information.

We also need Volunteers!! Volunteers, 14 years old and older, can help on the day of the Parade with crowd control, carrying banners, and help with the flow of the Parade, etc. Volunteers Forms are available on the Chamber’s website at www.stcharleschamber.com.

If you have any questions, call the Chamber at (630) 584-8384.

 


For "hot" ideas to warm up your winter - check out www.visitstcharles.com - brought to you proudly by the Greater St. Charles Convention & Visitors Bureau. The site is full of information regarding any number of great things to do, right here in St. Charles!

Be a visitor in your own hometown by booking an overnight at any of our wonderful hotels - overnight package details and specific hotel amenities - as well as the ability to make your reservation online - are a mere click away.

Check for dates and times - then call for tickets! - to several live theater productions being presented throughout the month of February: Fox Valley Repertory at Pheasant Run Resort offers, "Leaving Iowa" and, at Steel Beam Theatre, you can experience "The Au Pair Man " and also delight your children with "The Spell of Sleeping Beauty".

Details of events planned at the DuPage Expo, Kane County Fairgrounds and the Norris Cultural Arts Center also are available on www.visitstcharles.com

Your local visitors bureau also provides free tourism information at two self-serve visitor information centers, located in the north and south lobbies of the 1st Street parking deck. For additional information, call 630-377-6161.