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Dear Winnetka Families,
We sincerely hope your family had an opportunity to relax, recharge, and reflect on the past year during Winter Break. The holiday season is always an exciting time for children and adults alike. While it is fun to have extra time to spend with friends and families, possibly travel, and certainly let the diets go, it's also good to get back into a routine. After all, children crave routine just as much, if not more, than adults.
We are proud of our teachers' ability to focus on the whole child and children's social-emotional needs as we transition students back from extended periods of time away from the classroom. It is common for teachers to have students reflect on their break or set goals for the New Year and thoughtfully plan lessons that will get students back into the habits of school.
Please accept our warmest welcome back to our schools as we kick off 2020 as a community of learners.
Sincerely,
Beth Carmody, Hubbard Woods
Julie Pfeffer, Crow Island
Joshua Swanner, Greeley
GREELEY NEWS
Dear Greeley Families,
2020 is here. The excitement for a new year is joined by excitement for a new decade. A lot can happen in the course of ten years: unforeseen blessings and struggles, physical, emotional, and cognitive growth, and the blossoming of the seeds of plans planted over time. I first came to the Winnetka Public Schools in 2010 as a middle school teacher. It is amazing to now see former students become active members of the workforce, leaders in their communities and, in some cases,starting families of their own. The occasional updates I receive from former students or their parents remind me that change appears massive from an outside perspective, but it is really made of continual work and effort over the course of time for the individual experiencing the change: the daily work.
As Greeley reopens our doors for students in 2020, I encourage each of you to ask your child:
What is one small goal you have for the short-term (today, tomorrow, this week)?
While definitely important, sometime
s discussing large goals can be overwhelming, particularly for children. Having discussions on small, attainable goals on a regular basis helps students get into the habit of planning, executing the plan, and reflecting on their effort. Ultimately, this will help with greater, more complex planning in the future.
Happy New Year.
Sincerely,
Joshua Swanner
Principal
Online Pre-Registration Open for Kindergarten & New Students for the 2020-2021 School Year
Pre-registration for Kindergarten and students new to The Winnetka Public Schools in 2020-2021 is now open on the District website and by clicking here
. Children who will be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2020, are eligible to enroll.
The new student registration process is completed in three steps:
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Complete new student pre-registration forms online beginning December 6, 2019.
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Provide proof of residency.
Click here
to view the list of documents that will meet these requirements. For your convenience residency documents may be uploaded during online registration or brought to the District Office.
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Visit the District Office to provide a certified copy of your child(ren)'s birth certificate and a parent photo ID and complete the paper portion of registration.
Children will not be considered enrolled until both the online and paper portion of registration has been completed and residency documentation is verified. If you have any questions, please contact the District Office at 847-446-9400.
Winter MAP Testing
We are approaching our second testing window for the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test, which will take place between
January 13 - 24, 2020
. Your child's school or teacher will inform you of his or her specific testing dates.
Similar to the fall, all students in Grades 3 - 8 will take one Reading Test and one Math test. MAP is a computer-adaptive test, which means every student receives a unique set of test questions based on responses to previous questions. This provides a personalized assessment experience by adapting to each student's learning level. The purpose of the second testing session is to provide teachers with midyear progress data that will help inform their instruction as they move forward into the school year. Student Reports are sent home at the end of the school year with fall to spring growth measures. Additional information on the MAP assessment may be found on our district website at
www.winnetka36.org/itl/assessments
.
Recommendation Form Protocol
Throughout the school year, our teachers and administrators may be asked to complete a
commendation form for families considering private schools or summer programs. As each institution's forms vary in the nature of information requested, we have moved to a common form that our Winnetka teachers and administrators will complete for submission to any authorized outside educational institution. Upon request for a feedback form, Winnetka staff will respond within ten business days. In the interest of maintaining appropriate confidentiality and consistency, our District employees will only complete this form, which may be attached to a student's application to any outside educational institution. You may find the form by
clicking here.
Family Action Network
Family Action Network (FAN) is a 501(c)(3) organization that curates a high-quality speaker series each academic year. All FAN programs are free and open to the public. To view a calendar of upcoming events, visit the FAN website:
https://www.familyactionnetwork.net/
From The Alliance for Early Childhood:
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Dates to Remember
EARLY DISMISSAL EVERY MONDAY
2:45
(GRADES 1 - 4, KINDER EXTENDED PLAY)
monday, jan. 6, 2020
back to school
Friday, jan. 10
Greeley spirit day
Friday, Jan. 17
no school
teacher institute day
monday, jan. 20
no school
martin luther king, jr. day
friday, jan. 24
greeley parent party
thursday, jan. 30
july birthday lunch
with mr. swanner
(grades 1 - 4)
friday, jan. 31
january birthday lunch
with mr. swanner
(grades 1 - 4)
thursday, feb. 6
half day
dismissal 11:25
conferences in pm
friday, feb. 7
no school
conference day
friday, feb. 14
greeley spirit day
monday, feb. 17
no school
presidents' day
friday, feb. 21
young composer concert - 4th graders
thursday, feb. 27
august birthday lunch
with mr. swanner
(grades 1 - 4)
friday, feb. 28
february birthday lunch
with mr. swanner
(grades 1 - 4)
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The Winnetka Public Schools community empowers every student to flourish in an innovative, experiential environment. We support and challenge all learners to actively engage in continual growth and achievement to make a meaningful difference in the world.
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