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| Dear Skokie Families, Happy Belated Valentine's Day to you all! There was a lot of excitement in the building this week! Ask your fifth or sixth grader about this afternoon's one minute dance party, broadcast over our PA system--we are building excitement for the month of March, and our first event jointly hosted with Washburne: Dance Marathon "Too Legit To Sit," on Friday, March 1 from 6-8pm in the Washburne Gymnasiums. (All of our March events are listed below so that our families can register) Dance Marathon is intended for students only, while our 5k is for all Winnetka families, and St. Baldrick's is an open audience event that we welcome our families to witness as our students participate. We want to particularly highlight this year's Dance Marathon, and encourage all of our 5th-8th graders to register for this fun-filled two hour event. $20 Student registration includes pizza, a raffle ticket (see incredible prizes on our flyer below), a DJ and access to a variety of games. While the night is meant to be an opportunity for our middle school community to come together, it is also a way for us to raise money for Lurie's Children's Hospital. This incredible hospital has supported so many of our Winnetka staff and student families, and we are happy to return the love by hosting a great event! We look forward to seeing our students there! Scan the QR code below with your device to register. If you are interested in supporting this event by serving as a parent volunteer on March 1, CLICK HERE to provide us with your contact information. We are looking for help with on-site registration, pizza service, raffle ticket sales and supervision. We would greatly appreciate your help! 
Stay warm this weekend as the cold weather has returned. Enjoy the added day off, and we'll look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Tuesday. Most Sincerely, Kelly Tess FOLLOW US ON TWITTER @skokie36 #beatree #everybodyin |
St. Baldrick's and Wigs for Kids Event
Dear Skokie / Washburne Students, Parents, and Staff -
Save the date of March 11, 2019, for the 16th annual St. Baldrick's, 7th annual Wigs for Kids, and 2nd annual Hair Extensions for a Cause event! Skokie and Washburne will be coming together to support pediatric cancer awareness. For more information on these organizations, please watch the short videos below:
There are lots of ways you can get involved!
- Shave your head for St. Baldrick's. If you are interested in participating, sign up here .
- Donate your hair to Wigs for Kids. If you are interested in participating, please grab a form from the front lobby.
- Receive a temporary green hair extension. If you are interested in participating, please grab a form from the front lobby.
- Cheer on participants on Monday, March 11th!
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Winnetka D36--
JUNGLE JOG--5k, Run/Walk:
Saturday, March 16
ALL WINNETKA FAMILIES WELCOME!
The Skokie School and Carleton Washburne School are thrilled to co-host this year's Jungle Jog on Saturday, March 16 at 8am. This is the 5th year that Skokie has helped to organize this race, and now we look forward to expanding our invite to the Winnetka Public Schools Community at large. The race begins at the Winnetka Train Station and runs a 5k loop along the Green Bay Trail.
Click here
to register, and start planning your race costume!
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A Note from Science Olympiad
Science Olympiad - Session 2
The Skokie School is excited to offer the opportunity for both 5th and 6th graders to join a Division A Science Olympiad Team. This is a non-competitive format of the Science and Engineering based program. Skokie students participating in the program are then primed to participate in the competitive level at Washburne, should they continue to be interested. Registration is limited to the first 30 students to submit the online form.
Thursdays: FEB 14 - MAY 2 - 7:30 - 8:15 am
NO SESSION: MAR 28
Meets in the Maker Space
Open to 5th and 6th Grade
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Adventures in Learning 2019 runs from June 17th-July 19th, 2019
No camp on July 4th.
A decades-long tradition, this summer program includes classes as varied as Rock Guitar Band, Life Around the World, Zany Art Explosions, Drone Flight School, Camping Adventures, Make Your Own Music Video, Adventures in STEAM, Archery, The Wacky World of Water, Kitchen Magicians, Programming and Robotics, Tennis, Computer Animation, Improvisation, Yoga for Kids, Animal Care, Purposeful Repurposing and Spa-Liscious to name a few!
Students in grades 2-8 may choose up to four classes from over 100 options. Younger children (pre-Kindergarten through grade 1) will explore educational concepts through guided play and outdoor activities.
This years program will be held at Washburne for the 2nd-8th graders and Hubbard Woods for the Pre-K (4 years old by June 1st, 2019)and K Primary program (5 years old by September 1st, 2019).
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AP Corner
Happy Valentine's Day from Your Assistant Principal
It was heartwarming to make my way around the building on Thursday and witness the many acts from the heart that were taking place at Skokie. I happened into a classroom of students who were creating valentines for their families. As I made my way through the room, the students excitedly told me about who would be the recipients of their handmade valentines. They took such pleasure in spreading love to their family members.
In some of our teacher team weekly meetings, we kicked off the agenda by distributing conversation hearts and asking teachers to share a highlight from their conferences that connected to one of the words or phrases on the hearts. We heard many lovely stories of how proud teachers were of their students, how appreciative parents were of the conversations, and how powerful it was to celebrate the growth that the students have made.
Our staff also spent some time spreading the love this week. Teachers took time to write each other "love notes" focusing on qualities they love about each other. It was so touching to see the kind, genuine words staff had to share with each other.
One of the most important ingredients in a successful school is love, and Skokie has it is spades. There is a genuine love that exists amongst the staff that stems from a deep respect of each other's teaching. This love is extended to our students, who we figuratively wrap our arms around to support through their efforts as learners, friends, and individuals. And we feel this love in the relationships we cultivate with parents, as we share a deep care for your child and partner with you to watch him/her grow. Thank you for putting your trust in us as educators and helping us to create such a beautiful community for our students. We are grateful for you!
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District News
Referendum Update
On December 18, 2018, the District 36 School Board prioritized the capital improvement projects embedded in our Educational Master Facility Plan. To fund these priorities, the School Board unanimously approved a $90.6 million referendum for community vote on April 2, 2019. This reflects projects totalling $100.6 million, less $10 million of District reserves.
The priorities identified in the referendum are focused on addressing needs, such as providing ADA access, mitigating water pipes with elevated lead levels, enhancing safety and security to align with modern standards, and improving learning environments that have remained untouched for decades. The plan also calls for operational efficiencies by consolidating from five schools to four.
Winnetka community members are invited to attend an upcoming informational session:
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Wednesday, February 20, 8:45-10:15 a.m., Crow Island
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Monday, February 25, 9:15-10:45 a.m., Greeley
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Monday, March 18, 6:30-8:00 p.m., Carleton Washburne
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Thursday, March 21, 6:30-8:00 p.m., Crow Island
To ensure that our community is well-informed on this topic, a
Fact Sheet
was mailed to all residents. This is the first of three informational mailings you can anticipate in the coming weeks. Additionally, the District's
Referendum 2019
webpage will be updated regularly and is dedicated to facts surrounding the referendum
:
https://www.winnetka36.org/ref2019
. On the website you will find FAQs (updated every 7-10 days) as well as Fact Sheets will school-specific details.
WPI Events
From Our Partners at FAN:
Reach for Greatness:Education in the Age of Smart MachinesFeaturing Yong Zhao, Ph.D., Foundations Distinguished Professor, School of Education (with appointment in the School of Business), University of Kansas. Global Chair Professor of Education, East China Normal University. Author of over 30 books, including Reach for Greatness and World Class Learners.Thursday, Feb. 21, 2019, 7:00 p.m.New Trier High School, Northfield Campus, Cornog Auditorium7 Happ Rd., Northfield, IL 60093No pre-registration required.
For Parents: Managing Your Child's School Anxiety & School Refusal
Featuring Jacqueline A. Rhew, CADC, LCPC,
Co-author of Successful Parenting-Create Your Custom Plan for Raising Independent Children into Adulthood and Co-founder of Center for Emotional Wellness
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Skokie School Community Room
Childhood anxiety and school refusal is at an all-time high, and arming kids with healthy coping strategies is more important than ever. Are your children focused on avoiding failure or are they operating from a place of achieving to their greatest ability, based on their individual strengths and weaknesses? This presentation will review specific interventions designed to assist children in managing their anxiety, as well as promoting increased motivation, healthy goal setting and active school engagement. Learn how to better develop parenting strategies to assist children with healthy coping responses and engage them in effective communication and language that promotes self-advocacy and independence. Ms. Rhew will provide essential tools for parents to assist their children in building resilience, navigating stressful situations, and increasing self-advocacy and problem solving abilities, thus leading to greater self-confidence and self-reliance.
Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten pre-registration for 2019-2020 is now open. Children who will be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2019, are eligible to enroll. The District's Kindergarten Committee and Central PTO unanimously approved shifting to an online process versus an on-site process. This shift minimizes the time needed to pre-register and respects the busy schedules of our families.
The Registration process is completed in two steps:
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Complete an online pre-registration form
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Provide proof of residency (documents can be uploaded online): child(ren)'s original birth certificate and a parent photo ID will need to be provided in person. Opportunities to do so will be made available in Spring 2019.
The list of documents that will meet these requirements is here:
https://www.winnetka36.org/parents/prospectivefamilies
If you have any questions, please contact the District Office at
847-446-9400
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Redistricting
PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE ARE TAILORED TO EACH SCHOOL!
Erin's Law
In March, building social workers will implement state-mandated sexual abuse prevention education during one 20-30 minute session in each classroom. Parents have the option to opt their children out of the program as they deem appropriate, and must do so by March 1. For more detailed information about Erin's Law and curriculum content, or to find the opt-out form, please refer to the
Erin's Law page of the District website
or contact your school's social workers, Kelly Anderson and Lori Barsztaitis.
Adventures in Learning 2019 runs from June 17th-July 19th, 2019.
No camp on July 4th.
A decades-long tradition, this summer program includes classes as varied as Rock Guitar Band, Life Around the World, Zany Art Explosions, Drone Flight School, Camping Adventures, Make Your Own Music Video, Adventures in STEAM, Archery, The Wacky World of Water, Kitchen Magicians, Programming and Robotics, Tennis, Computer Animation, Improvisation, Yoga for Kids, Animal Care, Purposeful Repurposing and Spa-Licious to name a few!
Students in grades 2-8 may choose up to four classes from over 100 options. Younger children (pre-Kindergarten through grade 1) will explore educational concepts through guided play and outdoor activities.
This years program will be held at Washburne for the 2nd-8th graders and Hubbard Woods for the Pre-K (4 years old by June 1st, 2019)and K Primary program (5 years old by September 1st, 2019).
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A Note from The Winnetka Public Schools Foundation...
It's time to beat the call!
The Winnetka Public Schools Foundation's Phone-A-Thon is coming up on Sunday, February 24. Beat the call by
donating now! Dollars raised during the Phone-A-Thon fund teacher-driven grants that explore the newest ideas across all subject areas. Your donation helps to bring innovation to our schools. Join us and be a Catalyst of Innovation!
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FAN EVENTS
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Dates to Note
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NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Monday, February 18
Dance Marathon
Friday, March 1
St. Baldrick's/Wigs for Kids
Monday, March 11
Winnetka D36 Jungle Jog (5k)
Saturday, March 16
Spring Break
March 23-31
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