Hubbard Woods Update

Hubbard Woods Families,

Welcome to the December! I hope that you had some wonderful family time. Today marks the beginning of our second trimester. Time sure does fly! You will be able to access trimester 1 progress reports on the Powerschool parent portal on December 13. For this year, they will also be mailed home on December 20.

December brings chilly weather with it! A group of Washburne students are running a coat drive and we will be participating! Please bring any gently used or new coats to support those in need. This will run until December 20th.

There is a Winnetka Parent Institute on Wednesday on the topic of Literacy. Please join us! See below for details.

The Hubbard Woods School Winter Showcase will be on Wednesday, December 20. Families, please plan to attend during the following times:

Last name beginning with:

N-Z: 9:00AM performance

H-M: 10:30AM performance

A-G: 1:00PM performance

ALL adults attending the event will need to be screened by presenting a valid ID. The performance will start promptly, so it is strongly suggested to get your ID screened in advance of the performance.

In partnership,

Beth Carmody

December recognizes National Human Rights Month. This month is a reminder that the United Nations General Assembly codified the basic human rights of every person. Everyone in the United States is encouraged to come together and stand up for equality, justice, and the dignity of all humans. December is a time to honor the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an international document stating the fundamental rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled. These rights include freedom from discrimination, the right to equality, and the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty. Spread the word about the importance of treating everyone around us with respect, dignity, and kindness no matter their gender, age, race, political views, or social status. National Human Rights Month is about acknowledging that people are people, plain and simple. If we take the time to learn about other cultures, we will begin to see things from their perspective and be able to better understand them as real people.

Our staff bring this to life in our classrooms in developmentally appropriate ways. As an example, a first grade classroom read a book titled, Waiting for the Biblioburro, by Monica Brown. It this story, a child is anxious for the traveling library to reach her village. The children had an inspiring discussion about the right to literacy and education.

Winter Benchmarking

Benchmark assessments are valuable tools that provide a snapshot of student progress at a point in time. These assessments help teachers to identify areas where students are excelling and where they may need additional support. They can also inform instructional decisions by providing data that can be used to tailor teaching to meet each student's unique needs and strengths. Benchmark assessments are an important component of progressive education, which recognizes that students learn in different ways and at different rates. By using benchmark assessments to inform instruction, teachers can provide a more individualized approach to learning that supports each student's academic growth and personal development.

Academic benchmark assessments for literacy and math will occur three times this year for students in grades K-8. The Winter Benchmark Assessments start on January 8th and conclude on January 19th. There are three platforms the district utilizes to gather student learning information; aimswebPlus, mCLASS, and NWEA MAP. Benchmarking reports will be mailed home on Wednesday, January 31st.

Preschool/Kindergarten Family Information Night

Tuesday, January 10 at 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Greeley School

275 Fairview Avenue

Winnetka

This informational session is intended for Winnetka parents of preschool students who will be attending The Winnetka Public Schools. Parents will learn more about the support and services that the District provides to current preschool students attending local preschool programming as well as what is available within our schools once a student enters kindergarten. Families will receive a preview of:

• The transition-to-Kindergarten process by Crow Island, Greeley and Hubbard Woods Principals,

• The resources available to families of current preschool students from the Department of Student Services, Equity and Inclusion

• Details on “Kindergarten Connection” which will take place in Summer 2024

• Highlights of a typical kindergarten day in The Winnetka Public Schools

We look forward to meeting new families at this event!

Stay & Play Registration

Kindergarten students who are not currently enrolled in Stay & Play will have the opportunity to register for the 2nd half of the year after 8:00 am January 8th through this link. Please note that the registration period ends January 31, 2024 and will remain closed for the remainder of the year. The rates are prorated below. If you attempt to register before the 9th, you will receive an Item Unavailable message. After purchasing Kindergarten Stay & Play registration, your child will be able to begin their attendance in the program the following Monday so the schools can plan accordingly.

Online Pre-Registration for Incoming Kindergarteners & New Students for the 2024/2025 School Year has begun.

Registration for incoming kindergarteners and students new to The Winnetka Public Schools in 2024/2025 is now open. Children who will be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2024, are eligible to enroll. Questions related to School Admissions and age requirements are addressed in School Board Policy 7:50 School Admissions and student Transfers to and from Non-District Schools.

Please note: There are two steps to completing new student registration. We ask that parent(s)/guardian(s) complete BOTH steps of pre-registration BEFORE January 12, 2024. As an added incentive new students that have completed the two step pre-registration process by January 12, 2024, will receive a credit of $40.00 toward student fees for the 2024/2025 school year.

Step 1: Complete the online pre-registration form; Step 2: Visit the District Office (1235 Oak Street) to provide the following:

1. 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.

2. Original or certified copy of your child(ren)'s birth certificate and a parent photo ID.

Completing both steps (online and in-person) is required for your child(ren) to be enrolled as new students. Click here to begin the online segment.

Winnetka Parents Institute

The District offers regular sessions for families to learn more about a variety of topics. The Winter/Spring schedule will be shared soon. In the meantime, videos of the Fall 2023 sessions are available here:

• The Winnetka Experience: Portrait of a Graduate, Portrait of an Educator, and Progressive Education

• District 36: Benchmark Assessments

• The Middle School Experience, AKA “Why is my child acting like this?” Please help.

• Literacy Pilot: How District 36 Educators are Testing Literacy Programs and Practices

Save-the-Date for the Winnetka Public Schools Foundation Carlson Event

January 30, 2024

6:30-8:30 P.M.

Location: Skokie School

Join WPSF at their free annual event to learn about findings from the literacy pilot and to see a showcase of recently funded grants in D36. Teachers will be participating in a panel discussion on reading education. Don't miss this opportunity to learn firsthand from faculty and district leaders and to see #grantsinaction.

2023/2024 Calendar

To view the calendar for the 2023/2024 school year, please click here.

Follow us on Social Media!

Please follow the District via the following social media platforms in order to see day-to-day happenings and more.

Facebook and Twitter: @Winnetka36

Instagram: @WinnetkaPublicSchools

Wednesday, December 13- Progress reports available in Powerschool

Wednesday, December 20- Winter Sing

Wednesday, December 20- Progress reports mailed home.

Monday, December 25-Friday, January 5- No School Winter Break

Monday, January 8 - School resumes

8:30am | Doors open

8:37am | School promptly begins

11:30am-12:20pm | Lunch

2:10pm | Kindergarten dismissal

2:45pm | Early Release (MONDAYS ONLY)- Kindergarten Stay and Play/Bridge Care and all 1st-4th students

3:15pm | Tuesdays through Fridays Grades 1-4 & Stay and Play/Bridge Care Dismissal

Email: jenniferhartlett@winnetka36.org
Website: https://www.winnetka36.org/hubbardwoods
Location: 1110 Chatfield Road, Winnetka, IL, USA
Phone: (847) 446-0920