It's been an emotional week for us all as we've learned that we will be pausing our in-person learning. Teachers will use November 23, 24 and 30 as planning days, and students will begin the virtual adventure together on December 1. I'm very proud of our staff & students for all the hard work they've shown these past few weeks as we adjusted to the new normal of masks and social distancing.

Our staff have been honing their remote learning skills over the weeks preparing students in the event we needed to pivot to remote learning. Over next week you may see some teachers beginning to send home materials that will be used as we are planning for five weeks of instruction. Remote learning will look very different from last spring in that students will follow their current schedules and have a blend of synchronous and asynchronous learning daily.

We are always in need of substitute teachers in the district. Are you looking to be a substitute in the district? You need a four year degree, to pass a criminal background check, and fill out the district application to be available to help out! I've linked the application form here. If you have additional questions please reach out to Beth Gephardt at [email protected].

Thanks to all our families that could join us today at our PTO meeting. We had a guest speaker- our very own parent Dr. Eve Bloomgarden Pfanzelter who discussed COVID and ways to stop the spread, especially during the holiday season. To learn more please visit www.impact4hc.com.

If you have not completed the survey for your child(ren)'s second semester learning choice, please do so by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17. Families have the option to remain in the learning environment from the first semester or change for the second semester. This change will go into effect on the first day of the second semester, Tuesday, January 19, when we return after the Martin Luther King Holiday and remain in effect through the end of the school year. In-person learning will be offered as permitted under public health protocols. Please note that students may have different teachers and/or schedules next semester depending on the number of changes that take place. Link to Second Semester Survey

Please report any absences to [email protected] along with the classroom teacher by 9am everyday. This is for both in-person students and RLA students. Due to the new health protocols, a reason is needed for a child's absence. Thank you for your help and cooperation with this.

If you are traveling within the United States, District 28 is following the Cook County Department of Public Health Travel guidelines. They can be found here - US Travel Guidance. The Cook County travel guidelines are updated every Tuesday and go into effect on the following Friday. Any students traveling to states that are on the list will need to quarantine for 14 days after returning from travel.

If you plan on traveling out of the country, District 28 is following the CDC travel guidelines found here: Travel Guidance Outside the US. Any students traveling to countries that are considered high risk or prohibited will need to quarantine for 14 days after returning from travel.

We will be closing the RLA Parent Survey today. If you have not yet done so please click here to complete the survey. If you have more than one child participating in RLA, feel free to complete a survey for each child. 

A HUGE Thank You to Julia Mateja and Tracy Snyder for Co-Chairing Spirit Wear! If you have not picked up your Spirit Wear, please contact: Julia Mateja, [email protected]. Face masks are delayed; thank you for your patience.

Back by popular demand! The Westmoor PTO is excited to host the 2^nd Annual Kids Holiday “Virtual” Gift Shop Wednesday, November 18 through Wednesday, November 25^th

To ensure each WM student has a positive experience, please follow these steps:

(1)   Print the “Gift List Planner” here in advance of the 18^th to get an idea of who they’d like to buy for. Kids can shop in “secret” by hiding gifts in the cart (price only). Younger students may need adult/older sibling supervision.

(2)   Shop opens Wednesday, November 18^th. Visit www.funservices.schoolholidayshops.com

Follow the instructions attached in the bottom right hand corner with the code(s) here.  

(3)   Save your lists as it will help you wrap and label your gifts when they come! (TIP:  if you have more than one child participating, have them shop for separate people to avoid duplicate purchases.) These items will ship directly to your house with a flat shipping rate of $5.99 (free for orders above $50).

Please contact Lauren Van Bergen via email: [email protected] with any questions about this event. Thank you in advance for supporting this event and making it a great experience for your student(s).

If you have other questions, feel free to email us at [email protected]. 

for School Board Member Day

There are three ways to shop and give credit to the PTO. Download the flier for details.

District 28 shares local non-profit and community partner flyers here in the District's "Virtual Backpack." This approach allows us to provide information about community programs in a way that is environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Please note that District 28 is making this information available as a courtesy and to provide information about local events and programs in our community. Materials posted on this page are the responsibility of the organizations represented. You can always check the Virtual Backpack webpage as a handy reference!