A Message for Parents Regarding Class Placement: Setting Your Child Up for Success

Class Placement:

Setting Your Child Up for Success

Dear Parents,

As you anticipate receiving your child's placement for this upcoming school year, we wanted to provide you with some helpful strategies to support setting your child up for success. One of the ways we can support our children in entering the school year with an open mind is by speaking positively about their opportunities in the coming year. Children may be very excited or feel anxious about entering a new school year. To support them with these feelings, consider the following ways in which you can help launch a successful school year for your child:

Focus on the opportunities to form relationships with new teachers and students.

Encourage your child to be open to or to initiate new friendships with students they have not yet met.

Show your children your enthusiasm in regards to the class placement, as they are in tune with your response.

Plan to attend the walk-through at Skokie on August 27th from 2:30-3:30 p.m. so your child can meet his or her teacher, his or her classmates, and see the classroom prior to the first day of school.

Additionally, we wanted to touch on the way Mrs. Weir approached class placement. In 5th grade especially, it was important that the students have an opportunity to meet children from all three elementary schools. Given the enrollment from the different schools, each classroom will have more Crow Island students than Greeley and Hubbard Woods students because we are receiving many more children from Crow Island. For this reason, it was challenging to honor friend requests that were made in some of the parent placement letters. Please know Mrs. Weir enjoyed reading your letters and used the information during the placement process. Additionally, she considered what your children's fourth grade teacher shared and placed the children with students from other schools with whom she thinks they would form a connection.

As we enter into the school year, our school-wide theme for the first weeks is "Establishing A Sense of Belonging." The work our teachers do in classrooms in the opening weeks of school is largely focused on community building and establishing a sense of belonging and trust in the classroom. This work will give the students a chance to learn about and connect with one another as their unique classroom communities are established. The more we can do to encourage our children to be open to meeting new peers and making new friends, the better we can partner together between home and school.

Student placements can be found by logging into your PowerSchool Parent Portal account starting August 15 at 12:00 p.m. (Click Here) If you have forgotten your password, please use the forgot password link and allow at least one hour for a reset link to be sent. If you are new to the district, you should have received an email outlining the required steps to create your Parent Portal account. Please note, the Winnetka Public School Parent Portal is separate from the New Trier Parent Portal.

Fifth grade families : The 5th grade advisors invite you to complete this input form to provide them with information about your child. Once you complete the form, please bring it in during the Meet and Greet or send with your child during the first week of school.

6th grade families: We have been notified that Marian Michael, the store in Winnetka which provided KW uniforms in the past, has closed. Parents still may order KW uniforms through this vendor this year. Parents may place an order in two ways. A representative from Marian Michael will be at Skokie School from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 20 for those parents who would like to place an order in person or would like to try on uniforms for sizes. For parents who wish to order on-line, please use the following link: KW uniforms

Please order by August 21. If ordering on-line, you will have the option for home delivery or school delivery. Uniforms delivered to school will be disbursed to students on Tuesday, September 3.

We are very happy to welcome a new baby to The Skokie School family. Harrison Weir was born on July 31. Baby and family are doing well. While Betty spends a few weeks at home with her family, Larry Joynt, Assistant Principal, and Acting Principal Pat Kritzman will work with staff to provide a smooth start to the school year. Please feel free to contact either Larry or Pat with any concerns or questions.

Thank you for all you do to support your children. Your commitment to providing them with rich experiences over the summer is amazing. We look forward to hearing their summer stories upon their return at the end of the month! We hope to continue a strong partnership between home and school as we enter into this year.

Warm regards,

Betty Weir Pat Kritzman Larry Joynt

Principal Acting Principal Assistant Principal

What's coming up?

Skokie School Tour: If you would like to tour the school with your child prior to the start of the school year, we will be hosting a tour on Friday, August 16 at 1 p.m. and Tuesday, August 20 at 10 a.m. Please meet us in the front lobby.
Meet and Greet with New Skokie and Washburne Administrators: Tuesday, August 20, 4:00-5:15 p.m., Skokie School Lobby
New Family Ice Cream Social: Wednesday, August 21 at 6:30 p.m. (Skokie Cafeteria- for families new to the District)
Teacher Meet and Greet: Tuesday, August 27 from 2:30-3:30 p.m., followed by Popsicles on the Playground
First Day of School: Wednesday, August 28, Half Day- 8:25-11:50 a.m.
Go to School Night: Thursday, September 5 at 6:30 p.m.-7:30 p.m. (doors will open at 6:15...the night will begin in your child's advisor's classroom promptly at 6:30)