Principal's Message

Dear Greenbriar families,

We are so excited for our big day today! We welcome our whole community to visit our Book Fair and PTO Cookie Walk throughout the day--open from 8:45am-11am and 12:30pm-3pm. As well, we can't wait to see our 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade families for our performances and to view students' art on display.

I'm so proud of how hard our students have worked preparing for the day's performances. This is the first time our 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders have performed on our stage and only the second time for our 4th graders who last had a winter sing in 2019 when they were in first grade! I know you'll all enjoy the shows!

Tune in to the Greenbriar YouTube Channel to see the performances again or share the channel with family members who are unable to attend.

Next week we look forward to our December Greyhound pack meetings, pizza and spirit wear day on Thursday and an all-school assembly sing-a-long and all-school pajama day on Friday. I'll be sending the Gazette again next Friday morning and then we'll break from updates until January 6th.

Have a great weekend!

Ginny

KEEP KIDS READING OVER BREAK WITH THE HOT CHOCOLATE CHALLENGE!

We're excited to share that Mrs. Sanchez is coordinating our annual Hot Chocolate Challenge to help motivate students to read over winter break. See more details here.

JANUARY NWEA MAP ASSESSMENTS

Students in 2nd through 5th grades will be taking the NWEA MAP Math and Reading assessments between January 5th and 24th. These are the same online, adaptive assessments that students took in the fall. Teachers will communicate specific dates/times for when each class will be completing these assessments.

GREENBRIAR HEALTH OFFICE UPDATE *repeat*

I'm excited to share that we have hired a new School Nurse, Rachel Baron! Rachel comes to us with a wealth of nursing experience including several years serving as a School Nurse in Waukegan. We are excited that she has joined our staff. Rachel has been at Greenbriar all week getting up to speed and will be here next week on Monday and Tuesday before starting full-time on January 3rd. We will continue to have interim nursing support for the coming weeks to support Rachel's transition. Until January 3rd, please continue to contact your child's teacher or our front office with any questions or concerns about your child's health. Rachel will also be reaching out to families as she transitions.

COLD WEATHER AND SNOW GEAR *repeat*

Now that the weather is much colder, we would like to remind students and families about the district weather procedures. Students go outside for recess every day as long as the "feels like" temperature is 10 degrees or above. Please send your student daily with the items they will need to be comfortable outside. Once we have snow on the ground students must have boots, snow pants, and gloves to play in the snow. If your child wears boots to school, please be sure to send him or her with a pair of shoes appropriate for P.E. as well.

GREENBRIAR WILL BE CLOSED OVER WINTER BREAK *repeat*

The Greenbriar office will be closed from December 19th through January 2nd. Should you need assistance, the District 28 offices will be open from December 19th through December 23rd from 8:00am to 1:30pm.

February Special Treat Day!

Order a delicious cookie today! Each cookie is $3.75. Families can order cookies for students to bring home, eat during lunch, and to treat a teacher. Treat day will be Thursday February 2nd (Orders will close January 16th at 8pm). Order on the Greenbriar PTO website. All cookies are individually wrapped… Shookies Cookies and Gluten-Free options available.

Shookies Cookies Choices:

Chocolate Chip M&M: Flour, Pure Cane Sugar, Brown Sugar, Butter, Chocolate Chips (sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), Eggs, Salt, Baking Soda, Baking powder, Oats, Pure Vanilla (M&M’s-if applicable)

Funfetti: Flour, Pure Cane Sugar, Butter, Eggs, Salt, Baking Soda, Baking Powder, corn starch, Pure Vanilla, confetti sprinkles ( sugar, hydrogenated oil, corn syrup, corn starch, soy lecithin)

S’Mores: Flour, Pure Cane Sugar, Brown Sugar, Butter, Chocolate Chips (sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), Eggs, Salt, Baking Soda, Baking powder, Pure Vanilla, graham cracker crumbs, miniature marshmallows (“corn syrup, sugar, modified cornstarch, dextrose water, less than 2% gelatin, tetrasodium pyrophosphate(whipping aid).

Chocolate Chip: Flour, Pure Cane Sugar, Brown Sugar, Butter, Chocolate Chips (sugar, unsweetened chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin, vanilla), Eggs, Salt, Baking Soda, Baking powder, Oats, Pure Vanilla 

Defloured Gluten Free (ordered from Sunset) 

Chocolate Chip: Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (Unsweetened Chocolate, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk Fat, Soy Lecithin, Vanilla), Brown Rice Flour, Vegetable Shortening, Sugar, Dark Brown Sugar, Potato Starch, Egg, Tapioca Flour, Pure Vanilla Extract, Baking Soda, Xanthan Gum, Salt

M & M Cookie: (Sugar, chocolate, skim milk, coca butter, lactose, milk fat, sou lecithin, salt, cornstarch), brown rice flour, vegetable shortening, sugar, dark brown sugar, potato starch, egg, tapioca flour, pure vanilla extract, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt 

To order visit https://www.greenbriarpto.com/

Willow Hill Lights Drive-Through *repeat *

Drive through 1.6 miles of Holiday Lights, see the Abominable Snowman, Rudolph, and maybe catch a glimpse of Santa! Find Frosty the Snowman to enter to win a trip to Great Wolf Lodge.  Open at 5 p.m. nightly Nov. 19- Jan 1st.  

The owner, Kari Knebelkamp, worked at Greenbriar for five years & would like to give back to the Greenbriar community. 

Each ticket sold will give $10 back to our PTO. Click for tickets!

Be sure to select Greenbriar School under the "how did you hear about us" tab at checkout! The fundraiser ends on Nov. 30. Please share with grandparents, friends, etc. as there is no limit! 

Not sure if you ordered pizza or a treat? *repeat*

To double check your orders, click on this link, log into the PTO website, and look under "my account" and then "my orders."

IMPORTANT LINK

Greenbriar PTO: https://www.greenbriarpto.com/

As always, please reach out to Lori or Shelly should you need anything at [email protected].

Dear Parents and/or Guardians of 4th-Grade Students, 

If your child is not currently placed in advanced math and you wish to request a math placement review, a parent nomination form must be completed and returned to the building GT services coordinator by January 13, 2023.

Please visit our website for additional information on the district’s Gifted and Talented Services and District assessments.

Please note, all students are reviewed for math placement in the winter and spring of their 5th-grade year. This process determines placement for 6th grade into one of three math courses: Grade 6, Accelerated 6 or Pre-Algebra 6. 

Band Directors Keri Stone, left, and Jamie Zimniok lead the concert and junior bands at the Dec. 7 Winter Concert. Ms. Zimniok once performed under Ms. Stone's direction as an NBJH flute player.

Winter Concert Marks Milestone for Directors

When Band Directors Jamie Zimniok and Keri Stone conducted side by side for the Winter Concert Wednesday night at Northbrook Junior High, it represented a homecoming and a milestone.

Ms. Zimniok was leading her students for the first time in the same gym she had performed in as a junior high student flute player under Ms. Stone’s direction.

Ms. Zimniok said Ms. Stone has always been her role model, following her footsteps and attending the same colleges as her and maintaining contact during her 13 years teaching in Park Ridge. “There has always been emails going back and forth on band stuff and sharing resources,” she said. So when a position opened up due to retirement, she decided to apply.

“This has always been a dream job in my mind. I think Northbrook is a great place to raise a family and I feel lucky to have my own kids in District 28 now,” Ms. Zimniok said.

It was a proud moment for Ms. Stone, too, who announced their connection to the families attending the concert.

“I’ve loved staying in touch with Jamie over the years,” Ms. Stone said.

 “As I approach the end of my career, it’s heartwarming and deeply meaningful to come full circle and work and partner with Jamie. Jamie is a wonderfully joyful spirit and adds energy to our department and for our students. I’m privileged to have taught her, to have known her, and to now work beside her and call her a friend.”  

Did You Catch the Podcast

on Greyhound Packs Yet?

Students meeting in ‘Packs’ and flashing hand signs in the hallways? It’s all part of Greenbriar School’s efforts to build community and belonging.

In the second episode of "Insight 28," our new podcast, listen in as Superintendent Dr. Jason Pearson discusses the program with Principal Dr. Ginny Hiltz, School Psychologist Greta Montagano and Social Worker Meghan Dames.

During once-a-month meetings, the whole school is divided into small groups comprised of students from every grade alongside teachers and support staff. Data shows the program has been a key component in building student-teacher trust and enhancing the building culture at the school.

The podcast is available through our website, Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google and many other podcast services.

Do you have a suggestion for an Insight 28 Podcast episode? Email Terry Ryan, Communications Director.

COVID Dashboard

The district is maintaining a COVID Dashboard to report average cases per day by school and weekly averages districtwide. This information is updated weekly. 

Greenbriar 5th-graders spent a morning this week on the ice at Chicago Curling Club in Northbrook learning the techniques and rules of curling. The field trip’s goal is to expose students to new recreational opportunities to help develop healthful, active lifestyles.

Three-generation Chicago Curling Club member Karrie Gottschild helped coordinate volunteers from the club to help the students learn the game. “The greatest thing about curling is that it’s a super-equalizing sport… you can be competitive against somebody of a completely different size, gender and age. It’s about balance, thinking through and problem-solving as a team. A curling team is one big athlete – four people working as one,"she said.

See event in Virtual Backpack below for a family outing to the Curling Club.

Greenbriar School | Dr. Ginny Hiltz, Principal | 847-498-7950 | [email protected] | Website