 The Winnetka Wire Monthly News from The Winnetka Public Schools |
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Dear Parents, Staff, and Community Members,
As the school year has progressed, our primary focus has been on  planning, adapting, and upholding our commitment to meeting our students' academic and social and emotional needs in the midst of the pandemic. Almost exactly a year after we swiftly shifted to remote learning, we hae been grateful for the support, creativity, and resolve of our school community. Since much of our communications have focused on topics related to COVID-19 planning and guidelines, we would like to provide a brief update on other key initiatives that are underway.
Advancing the District's Educational Master Facility Plan (EMFP) Since Summer 2020, the District has addressed critical facility projects as part of a 3-year plan totaling $14.2M in projects. District funds have been utilized to address urgent needs such as... -
Updating water fountains and bottle filling stations with filtration systems in all schools to provide lead filtration.
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Replacing lead in piping at Skokie, Crow Island (completed summer 2020) and scheduled to occur at Greeley and Hubbard Woods this summer, and Carleton Washburne in 2022.
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Installing a new roof at Skokie (summer 2020) and Hubbard Woods (slated for this summer)
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Replacing electrical panels at Skokie
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Completing ongoing ADA accessibility work at Crow Island (by summer 2021)
Developing the Next Strategic Plan After a hiatus due to the pandemic, the District restarted Strategic Planning work with a group of ~45 stakeholders (including students, educators, parents, and community partners) in order to develop the District's next 3-5 year Strategic Plan. In April, the District will send a survey to our entire school community on priority areas. For an overview of the process, visit the webpage dedicated to the Strategic Plan.
Reimagining Adventures in Learning (AIL) With great excitement, the District will be reintroducing in-person AIL this summer. Registration begins March 25 for Winnetka residents (see details below). We look forward to having students back on campus for these engaging courses.
Roadmap to Fall 2021 Washburne successfully shifted to its Extended Day schedule on Monday, March 15 with some students seeing each other for the first time in nearly a year! Our students in grades 1-6 who choose on-site learning will move to their Modified Full-Day schedule on Monday, April 19. We look forward to learning from our spring experiences to ensure a successful fall 2021 plan.
The past year has kept all of us constantly on our toes. In true Winnetka fashion, I am proud that we have worked together to find solutions to complex issues, while growing in our resilience and pressing onward. I continue to have confidence that there will be better days ahead.
Dr. Trisha Kocanda
Superintendent
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Board Meeting Announcement
The Regular School Board meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 23 at 7:15 p.m., limited in person and via Zoom. The Regular Meeting includes the following presentations on the agenda:
- Preliminary Staffing Plan 2021-2022 School Year
- Fees and Services 2021-2022 School Year
Public comment for the meeting will occur by email and in person. Those joining in person should go to the Carleton Washburne School Resource Center. Please note: space is limited to 8 attendees, masks and social distancing requirements will be required. Those joining remotely should email board@winnetka36.org prior to 7:00 p.m. on March 23 and note if they want the email message read at the meeting. Please note, the Board will be following policy and limit public comment to three minutes.
To participate via Zoom:
Please use the link below to join the open portion of the meetings:
https://winnetka36.zoom.us/j/88090707037?pwd=NG5odzg5ejhac3Frb05HK0lYQmZTUT09Passcode: 353337
Or Telephone:
1 312 626 6799
Webinar ID: 880 9070 7037
Passcode: 353337
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Per updated health department guidance, children under the age of 18 are NO LONGER exempt if they traveled with adults who have received a negative COVID-19 test. Children who travel to an orange state must provide a negative test result or quarantine for 10 days; we no longer accept/need adult testing results. Please refer to this link to access the full travel guidance.
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We are pleased to share that approximately 95% of our staff have reported that they have received at least the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. We continue to notify our staff of opportunities to register for the vaccine as part of their 1B designation. District leadership continues to work with our Township school districts and village officials toward securing access to the vaccine for all of our staff.
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Registration Open for Township
COVID-19 PCR Testing Clinic
April 2, 3, 4 & 10
New Trier Township School Districts are partnering with NorthShore Clinical Labs to host free COVID-19 PCR testing for students, families, staff, and community members. Test results are expected within 24-48 hours from time of testing. Per the most current travel guidance, children under the age of 18 are not exempt from the travel order and must follow PCR testing or quarantine requirements if they travel.
LOCATION Marie Murphy School Gymnasium 2921 Illinois Road, Wilmette
Those interested in receiving a test must register in advance and complete a laboratory requisition form.
Please contact Northshore Clinical Labs at (773) 570-6510 with any questions.
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Adventures in Learning Registration
Opens March 25
We are excited to welcome students back to in-person Adventures in Learning! This summer, the structure of the program has been modified as we continue to navigate the impact of COVID--19 and prioritize the health and safety of our campers, families and staff. The in-person program options being offered adhere to the District's current mitigation plan and successful student cohort and pod framework.
The Primary Program, for children Pre-K (4 years old by June 1st, 2021) and K - 1st Grade (5 years old by September 1st, 2021) will be housed at Crow Island School. The program is held Monday - Friday, beginning at 8:35 a.m. and ending at 11:30 a.m.
The General Program, for grades 2-8, will be held at the Carleton Washburne School. To protect the health and safety of our students and staff and minimize the need for cohort quarantines, up to 4 distinct courses will be grouped together to create a "pod." This is a change from our typical program structure where students select individual 40 minute classes. Implementing this change allows for cohorts of students to remain intact and thus limits COVID-19 exposure while minimizing the need for and impact of exposure creating large-scale quarantines that would significantly impede a successful AIL experience. The 5-week program will be offered as a 3-week and 2-week session, to ensure campers all have the opportunity to enjoy their favorite classes. When registering parents will be asked to select two pods from the options provided.
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Click here to access recent Parent Education sessions:
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Registration for 2021-2022
Registration for Kindergarten and students new to The Winnetka Public Schools in 2021-2022 is now open and can be accessed from the District website. Children who will be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2021, are eligible to enroll.
The New Student Registration includes the following:
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Complete the following new student registration forms online.
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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.
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Provide the original or certified copy of your child(ren)'s birth certificate and a parent photo ID. Scanned copies or snapshots of these documents may be uploaded during online registration or can be submitted in-person at the District Office by appointment. Please contact the District Registrar at (847) 446-9400 or via email carolinhuh@winnetka36.org for more information.
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Next spring you will receive an email from the District with a link to your child's registration. You will be asked to review the information provided in the past, answer additional questions, pay student fees, and sign up for transportation and before/after-school care at that time. Registration information will be sent to the student's primary email and home address.
Please note: children will not be considered enrolled until both the online registration and all supporting documents (steps 1-3) have been completed. We look forward to welcoming you to The Winnetka Public Schools.
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In the District...
Kindergarten students
at play.
Washburne students engaged in a science activity.
Hubbard Woods students learning about properties
of water.
Skokie students working collaboratively.
Hubbard Woods students working on a story problem.
Students got into the St. Patrick's Day spirit!
Washburne students (top) as well as Kindergarten students (bottom) created beautiful self-portraits.
From the Archives:
A photo of Greeley students from 1913.
We would like to share photos of our remote learners' experiences, too! Please submit photos with
a short caption to katehughes@winnetka36.org.
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 Family Action Network features an annual series of free events with renowned speakers, authors, and leaders.
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 Connect with The Winnetka Public Schools on social media by clicking on the icons at the bottom of this message.
We use the hashtag #WE36, which stands for "Winnetka Experience."
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