The Winnetka Wire
Monthly News from The Winnetka Public Schools
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Dear Parents, Staff, and Community Members,
I'd like to thank you for your continued interest and engagement in Future Ready D36, our Educational Master Facility Plan. Since the fall, we
have welcomed over 750 parents and community members to sessions
intended
to
inform, create a dialogue, and gather your feed
back.
In March, a continuum of three potential concepts were revealed at a Special Board Meeting. Here is an overview of the continuum of concepts. This presentation was the product of hundreds of hours of research, analysis, and dialogue. The concepts were purposefully differentiated to elicit targeted feedback to guide the iterative process.
The
Future Ready D36
Core Team will continue to refine these con
cepts and ultimately recommend a solution that addresses our variable enrollment, aging facilities, and vision for teaching and learning. Concepts under review includes the following elements:
- Security enhancements that address best-practices in school safety and security, in consultation with the Winnetka Police and Fire Departments.
- Americans with Disability Act (ADA) improvements, both inside and outside school buildings, to ensure that students, staff, and visitors with disabilities have equitable access to facilities.
- HVAC improvements to provide year-round temperature control of the instructional environment and save on energy efficiencies.
- Modernized (Future Ready) learning spaces to align with curricular outcomes, enhance collaboration, adapt to evolving instructional demands, leverage instructional technology for personalized learning, and promote experiential, hands-on learning--a hallmark of the Winnetka experience.
- Flexible cafeteria and gym space for multipurpose use.
It is anticipated that the Board will approve an Educational Master Facility Plan in June 2018. At that time, no immediate change will occur in our District in 2018-2019. Once the plan is approved, it will undergo further refinement and financial analysis, and community engagement will continue throughout the course of the summer and fall.
As we engage in discussions surrounding our long-term planning, I'd like to encourage us to continue to model the civility and collaborative mindset we would be proud to instill in our children. In Winnetka, our expectation is excellence. It is our charge to best prepare our children for success in high school and beyond based on available research and expertise. Your involvement in Future Ready D36 will benefit our Village's children for years to come. Let us explore possible solutions to the complex issues we face with an open mind and a democratic spirit.
Sinc
erely,
Dr. Trisha Kocanda
Superintendent
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The next School Board Regular Meeting will be held at Hubbard Woods S
chool (please note location change).
The annual Organization meeting (School Board officer elections, 2018-2019 School Board committee assignments, and dates) will begin at 7:00 p.m.
The Regular Meeting begins at 7:15 p.m. The following presentation will be first on the agenda:
- Educational Master Facility Plan: Future Ready D36
The Board welcomes public comment at meetings. Each speaker is given three minutes to speak. The speaker will be notified when the time limit is reached. Please note, the Board uses this time to listen to community questions and concerns, but will not respond immediately to individual requests and cannot take formal action on non-agenda items.
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Please see the letter from Superintendent Kocanda above for an update on the
Future Ready D36
process.
To continue to share your input with the Core Team, please email futureready@winnetka36.org. Documents and meeting materials regarding
Future Ready D36
are available at
www.winnetka36.org
.
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Supporting Your Child's Success: Demystifying your Child's IEP
Monday, May 7 at 7:00 p.m.
Carleton Washburne School Resource Center
Join us for an evening designed to provide a basic understanding of special education, student support services, and the process of developing an Individual Education Plan. This introductory program is appropriate for all parents who may have interest in this topic. Presentation hosts include Sue Hans, Parent Mentor with NSSED and Beth Martin, Director of Student Services with District 36. RSVP here.
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To pre-register your child for the 2018-2019 school year, please contact the District office at 847-446-9400 to begin the process. This early pre-registration process helps ensure we have proper staffing and most accurate school assignments. Children who will be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2018, are eligible to enroll.
Registration packets are available at the District Office (1235 Oak St.). Children will not be considered enrolled until residency documentation is verified and all forms are submitted. If you have any questions, please contact the District Office at 847-446-9400.
Check out this video for a glimpse into Kindergarten in District 36:
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Apple has added a new "Families" section to its website that outlines parental control tools and information for parents. The site is broken into several sections that highlight a range of kid-friendly features that Apple has put into place like app recommendations, in-app purchase controls, restrictions on apps that can be downloaded, internet limiting tools, Find My Friends, and more.
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In the News
Greeley and Crow Island students are featured in Winnetka Living
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Earth Week News
Sunday, April 22 is Earth Day. Working in partnership with our PTOs and District Green Team, we will be recognizing this holiday in several important ways next week and wanted to give you a heads up so you can work with your child to recognize this important day at home, as well. Please see below for details:
Monday, April 23 - Mother Earth Monday
Education/awareness. All administration, faculty/staff, and students: Wear Green! Have discussions about and increase awareness of ways to be sustainable in our schools and at home every day. Discuss sustainability and Earth Day and what it means.
Tuesday, April 24 - Trash Free Tuesday
If you bring a lunch to school, use a reusable lunch bag or box and reusable containers for everything inside; if you buy your lunch, make sure you recycle all the containers and packaging that you can. Talk about ways to consume less and how to reuse and recycle what you don't consume rather than putting it in landfill.
Wednesday, April 25 - Walk/Bike to School Wednesday
Everyone is encouraged to use active, non-motorized transportation to get to and from school. If bikes, scooters or skates are used, please be sure to wear a helmet. If you need to drive, try to carpool. Discuss the environmental (and safety and health) benefits of fresh air, movement, and fewer vehicles on our roads, and fewer emissions in our air.
Thursday, April 26 - Therm Thursday
Turn off the lights in school and at home and otherwise try to reduce electricity use throughout the day. Discuss therms, energy, and electricity. Discuss turning off lights in general and especially when you leave a room. Use technology less. Unplug - literally and figuratively.
Friday, April 27 - Arbor Day
Think about the trees and what we can do to keep our trees and plants healthy and growing.
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Adventures in Learning 2018 runs from June 18th-July 20th, 2018. (There is no camp on July 4th.) A decades-long tradition, this summer program includes classes as varied as Drone Flight School, Camping Adventures, Make Your Own Music Video, Adventures in STEAM, Archery, The  Wacky World of Water, Kitchen Magicians, Tennis, Lacrosse, Computer Animation, Improvisation, Yoga for Kids, Animal Care, and Spa-Licious.
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 year's program will be held at The Skokie School for the 2nd-8th graders and Hubbard Woods School for the Pre-K (4 years old by June 1, 2018) and K-1 Primary program (5 years old by September 1, 2018).
Registration begins March 1 for Winnetka residents and is open to the general public on March 8 at www.winnetka36.org/adventures.
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For photos, news and more, follow The Winnetka Public Schools on social media. Connect with us by clicking on the icons at the bottom
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Important Dates
Board Meeting
April 24, 2018
7:00 p.m.
Hubbard Woods School*
*LOCATION CHANGE!
Special Board Meeting
May 8, 2018
7:00 p.m.
(Location forthcoming)
Board Meeting
May 22, 2018
7:15 p.m.
(Location forthcoming)
Half Day
PM Teacher Inservice
May 25, 2018
No School
Memorial Day
May 28, 2018
Board Meeting
June 6, 2018
7:15 p.m.
(Location forthcoming)
2017-2018
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Spring in District 36...
Hubbard Woods fourth graders created mono prints using gel plates
in art class.
Crow Island students created themed
Spring Sings--from brainstorming and then voting on themes,
to collaborating
to write scripts,
design the set,
and
choose responsibilities. These photos are from the third graders' Big Moments in History performance.
The Greeley School RC was decorated festively for Read Across
America Day.
Skokie students learn about the related arts at Carleton Washburne School.
Assistant Superintendent Daniel Ryan, Board President Kristen Hertel, and Superintendent Kocanda at the annual Winnetka Northfield Chamber of Commerce Recognition Luncheon.
Students at The
Skokie School built ancient Greek temples...with a
modern theme.
Welcoming families at
the Transition to Kindergarten event,
co-hosted by
The Alliance for Early Childhood.
Greeley Kindergarten students enjoy looking at a book with Ms. Parks.
D36 staff gathered for Institute Day on April 2.
From the Archives...
Experiential learning at The Skokie School is
pictured in this
vintage photo.
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For a glimpse into The Winnetka Experience
and more information on the purpose of the
Future Ready D36
initiative
, please enjoy this video.
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is an opportunity for parents to hear about
how technology is being used throughout the township.
All New Trier Township schools will be participating in this joint mini-conference
taking place
from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
To view sessions,
Registration is not required, but if you select your sessions,
you will be sent
an email reminder the night before.
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For a list of upcoming FAN speaker
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