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Dear Skokie Families,
It has been a short week, starting with an unexpected snow storm and ending with April showers. I want to take this week's newsletter to congratulate Ms. Betty Weir, who was announced this week to be the new principal of The Skokie School for the coming school year. Ms. Weir currently serves as the Assistant Principal at Skokie, with a long history in our district, having also served as Teacher on Special Assignment as well as a 6th grade Language Arts and Social Studies teacher. It has been a true honor and privilege to work so closely with her this year, and I am thrilled for her and for the Skokie community to be gaining her lead. We look forward to beginning the search for a new Assistant Principal very soon, and will update you on that process as well.
On Tuesday of this week, we hosted our annual 5th Grade Orientation. We were thrilled to see so many excited students and their families move through our halls on a scavenger hunt before joining us in the auditorium for a short presentation on the transition to 5th grade. We are most excited to welcome the incoming 5th grade class back to Skokie on May 24th, at which time they will participate in Shadow Day. This is a half day event, in which all three elementary schools travel to Skokie and are received, Pep Rally Style, by our current 5th graders with music, banners and lots of cheering! The incoming students will have a chance to meet the buddies who wrote to them already, tour the building, meet our Exploratory teachers, and receive their first piece of Skokie spirit wear! This is always a highlight, and a great way to continue to build familiarity with our building, staff and students.
All incoming 5th or 6th grade families are welcome to complete a parent reflection form as we begin to prepare for the 2019/2020 school year. This form may be filled out if you feel there is information pertinent to class placement for the 2019/2020 school year to be shared with The Skokie School Administration.
This form must be completed by Friday, May 24. Any information shared on this form will only be viewed by Skokie administration, and is considered completely confidential. Information about your child as a learner, social interactions/pairings, strengths, challenges, family background is all incredibly helpful in the placement process. This form is not an opportunity to request a specific teacher. Classroom placement is taken very seriously as a key contributor to student success. As such, Skokie administrators read through each and every form submitted by families and thoughtfully place each and every individual student. Feedback from 4th and 5th grade teachers also contributes to placement decisions. In the interest of giving all students equitable thought and consideration, we ask that you use this form as your means of sharing any reflections on your child. We are unable to schedule meetings related to this. Thank you, in advance, for providing your thoughts on your child as a learner.
CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT FOR INCOMING FIFTH GRADE
Enjoy the long weekend together with your families, and the spring weather. We look forward to seeing you all back on Monday!
Most Sincerely,
Kelly Tess
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A Note From Your Future Principal....
Dear Skokie Parents,
Recently, Kelly and I sent out an invitation for you to share information regarding your child's placement for next year. I wanted to follow up with some additional information that might help provide you with further insight into the placement process.
Every year, we invest a great deal of time in designing the makeup of advisories. As we go through this process, we take into account individual characteristics, learning styles, and collective group dynamics. We also are mindful of the balance of students from each elementary school when designing 5th grade advisories. We note changes in relationships amongst peers, and the fit between teacher style and student learning profile. In the process of making decisions, we try to be as fully informed as we can and to balance many individual needs.
We do not encourage or honor teacher-specific requests from parents, nor do we always place siblings with teachers that their families have had in the past. We recognize that parents may have particular knowledge or insight about children that might be helpful as we look as broadly as possible at class composition. If you feel strongly about any particular concerns regarding next year's placement decisions, please complete the parent reflection form that was shared with you last week by
Friday, May 24
th
. We begin working on placement in the coming weeks, so if you care to share information having it done by the deadline is most important. Please do not feel required or expected to complete the form. The same care regarding placement is given to all students.
You can support your child, who may have questions, opinions or fears of her/his own, by keeping all discussions of your hopes for class placement private. Knowing that you support any class section or peer group will help her/him keep expectations open. Reminders of past successful transitions and new friendships can be very reassuring.
If you are interested in learning more about the placement process, please consider watching a recording of the Winnetka Parent Institute that was given on the placement process last year. You can access it by
clicking here
. Thank you for your partnership in this important process. Please know that all teachers have been asked not to engage in classroom placement discussions with parents but are asked to refer parents to the placement feedback form. Additionally, please note that we are not accepting requests for in person meetings, as time does not allow for us to meet with all families, and it is important for us to provide an equitable experience for all.
Sincerely,
Betty Weir
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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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District News
Winnetka Parents Institute Events
In partnership with the New Trier Township Schools, the Apple Store at Old Orchard is offering an exclusive event for our parents/guardians. Space is limited to 15 per session. Please sign up for only one session.
All sessions are from 10 am to 11 am. If you can't make one of the sessions, the Apple creatives are always willing to help, just schedule a time to meet with them one on one.
RSVP here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdYqM1BuWvu5hYOhfo4b691e1qmmXGQfof5FAlhnpW5X8pb_Q/viewform
Extracurricular Activity
Girls Coding Club starts the week of April 23, 2019. Space is limited, priority will be given to students in grades 3 and 4.
Referendum Outcome
As you are likely aware, the referendum did not pass. Please know we recognize all who have stayed informed, engaged in planning, and provided important feedback to help shape solutions. Information and next steps will be shared in the coming weeks as we maintain our commitment to clear and consistent communication.
Over the past two years during this planning process and referendum outreach, we held firm to our commitment to community engagement, clear and transparent communication, a focus on teaching and learning, and fiscal responsibility.
Although the referendum did not pass, we are dedicated to moving forward in a civil, collaborative manner to determine next steps in how to manage aging facilities and best meet the educational needs of our students.
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
.
Redistricting
Apple Pencil/Logitech Crayon- Available for Purchase
Great news! The Winnetka Public Schools Technology department is now able to offer discounted Apple Pencils and Logitech Crayons for sale via the newly launched web store. Schools and classrooms across the district have Apple Pencils and Logitech Crayons available for sharing, this offer is to purchase a personal pencil or crayon. The pencil is compatible with iPad (6th gen) and iPad Pros (not 3rd gen), the Logitech crayon is only compatible with the iPad (6th gen).
To purchase an Apple pencil or Logitech crayon, visit the
web store
. You will need to set up an account to complete your order. Your account only needs to be created once and can be used for future purchases from the Winnetka Public Schools. Credit cards purchase only.
Webstore (RevTrak) FAQ
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Dates to Note
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NO SCHOOL--Good Friday
Friday, April 19
CLASS PICTURE DAY
Thursday, April 25
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