Hello,
I’m Mrs. Sharon Shute and this is my 18th year here at St. Joseph School! I am thrilled to be your child’s teacher this year and so excited to be leading them on their journey of wonder and wisdom. A bit of background about myself- I have been an early childhood educator for 37 years beginning as a preschool teacher in Chicago. My love of children grew and so did my education! I began teaching Montessori preschool and then went to school and earned an Early Childhood Degree from Kendall College (then in Evanston)with a minor in Psychology. I have been very fortunate to teach in two Catholic schools in Chicago before coming to St. Joe's. I have brought the spirit of my Chicago experiences to this vibrant, thriving, and flourishing school and I am eternally grateful for the opportunity of working at such a wonderful school. I have been nominated for The Golden Apple Award from my work here at St. Joe's and at St. Stanislaus in Chicago.
Though this is my 18th year at St. Joe's, I taught first grade for 14 of those years and journeyed to third grade for three years and wanted to return "home" back to Room 2 in first grade. SO very much to love and learn this school year beginning with fun read alouds such as The Wild Robot to January's Harry Potter book. I am thrilled to into First Grade with such caring and kind parents and students. Thank you for letting your child be a part of our school family.
Please feel free to email me through the website or at
[email protected]. Also, feel free to contact me regarding any questions or concerns that arise throughout the school year. We are so fortunate to have Mrs. Carlen Medina as a full time aide in the classroom! She is so creative and eager to help each and every student in our school family.
This school year, our class will consist of: Reading, Phonics, Language Arts, Religion, Social Studies, and Science. IPads are an exciting part of this school year, too. Students will be engaging in various activities such as educational lessons on SeeSaw and more.
I feel so honored and blessed to be a part of your child's journey this year! We are a family- working together, for the betterment of our school community building friendships and relationships we'll hold in our hearts for a very long time.
Most Sincerely,
Mrs. Sharon Shute
PS: Never expected but always welcomed- Amazon Wish List link below:
We are going peanut free in the classroom. Please read for snack: Thanks!
Our aim is to provide a safe learning environment for all people in our school Community. To support this, SJCS is designating your child’s classroom as “nut-free”. This policy aims to increase our community awareness in order to minimize the risk for children with documented allergies to nut products. Our school has developed and will maintain a whole-school action and implementation plan when dealing with students who have critically life-threatening allergies.
WHY? Anaphylaxis is a severe form of allergic reaction which is potentially life-threatening. It can be fatal within minutes; either through swelling that shuts off airways or through a dramatic drop in blood pressure. There are many causative agents for anaphylaxis with nuts often being the precipitative factor. Anaphylaxis is preventable. Avoidance of specific triggers is by far the best option. Management is via immediate injection of epinephrine and emergency transport to the hospital.
Allergy to peanuts appears to be on the rise in children. According to a FARE-funded study, the number of children in the U.S. with peanut allergy more than tripled between 1997 and 2008. Studies in the United Kingdom and Canada also showed a high prevalence of peanut allergy in school children.
Based on recent studies, an estimated 25-40 percent of people who have peanut allergy are also allergic to tree nuts. In addition, peanuts and tree nuts often come into contact with one another during manufacturing and serving processes. For these reasons, allergists usually tell their patients with peanut allergy to avoid tree nuts as well.
Trace amounts of peanut can cause an allergic reaction. Casual contact with peanuts, such as touching peanuts or peanut butter residue, is less likely to trigger a severe reaction. Casual contact becomes a concern if the area that comes into contact with peanuts then comes into contact with the eyes, nose or mouth (for example, a child with peanut allergy gets peanut butter on her fingers, and then rubs her eyes).
What does this mean for me?
- Your child’s classroom will remain a “peanut/nut-free zone.” Please do not send in any food items to be consumed in the classroom that contains peanuts, nuts, peanut butter, nut butters, or peanut products.
- This includes almonds, filberts, Brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nut, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, and walnuts.
- Read labels carefully to make sure the products are nut free.
- This includes labels that read “May contain traces of peanuts/nuts” or “processed in a facility that processes products that contain peanuts/nuts.” Food labels and ingredients change over time, so always read the label each time before purchasing snacks.
- NO HOMEMADE TREATS MAY BE BROUGHT INTO THE CLASSROOM. All treats/snacks brought to the classroom must have an ingredient label.
- A peanut free table will be designated in the lunch room for all students with peanut/nut allergies.
- Peanut butter and peanut/nut products may be packed in your child’s lunch, but CANNOT be eaten in the classroom, or at the peanut/nut free lunch table.
Thank you for your continued support with keeping our students safe.
Mrs. Blake
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Mrs. Sharon Shute
First Grade Teacher
St. Joseph Catholic School
2009 and 2017 National Blue Ribbon Recipient
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