We had an incredible turn out for Open House last night. Thank you to all our Wildcat families for spending the evening with us! We hope you enjoyed meeting all the grown ups who work with your child and seeing all the displays of your child's work throughout throughout the building. You can tell everyone has been hard at work! Big thanks to the staff, too, who worked hard to make our first in-person open house in a few years so wonderful!

If you missed getting caramel apples last night, we have some for sale in the Willow Office. Sunday, the 24th is the last day you can order Willow Wear. There's a link a little farther down the page. If you missed joining PTA last night, please do that, too! They support us in a ton of different ways. https://homewoodpta.memberhub.com/w/membership

There is no school on Monday! (Sept. 25th).

Don't forget that your child needs his/her/their physical and up to date immunizations on file with our nurse before October 1st to avoid being excluded from class.

Please keep your child at home if they have:

• Fever (100.4°F or higher),

• Vomiting or diarrhea,

• Undiagnosed rash,

• Communicable diseases (such as strep throat, influenza, chicken pox, measles, COVID, etc.),

• Pink eye (conjunctivitis),

• Flu-like/COVID-like symptoms:

  • • Fever (100.4°F or higher)

    • New onset of moderate to severe headache

    • Shortness of breath

    • New cough

    • Sore throat

    • Vomiting

    • Diarrhea

    • New loss of sense of taste or smell

    • Fatigue from unknown cause

    • Muscle or body aches from unknown cause not attributed to allergies or a pre-existing condition

Before a student may return to school, they must be free of fever, vomiting or diarrhea (without medication) for 24 hours, according to Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH).

If you are dropping your child off for breakfast, please make sure he/she/they are here at 7:45 AM. When he/she/they come in laste, they miss the beginning of the school day with their classmates.

The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) announced the Illinois Homeowner Assistance Fund (ILHAF) will no longer accept applications beginning at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023. ILHAF supports qualified homeowners with grants of up to $60,000 for past-due mortgage payments, property taxes, property insurance and homeowner and/or condo association fees. Any application submitted prior to closing will be reviewed to determine eligibility and a submitted application is not a guarantee of approval. Eligible Illinois homeowners can apply online at www.illinoishousinghelp.org.

Our Willow Wear items can now be ordered online! Use the link below to choose the style of shirt that displays or tenets: Be Safe, Be Caring, Be Ready. Your order will come to the school and be sent home in your Wildcat's backpack. Willow Wear can also be ordered during Open House in the big gym.

Use password: UG2WZ

October 2, 2023, seniors (age 60 and older), People with Disabilities, and Households with children under the age of 6 years old can start applying for LIHEAP assistance.

November 1, 2023, households that are disconnected from their utilities/energy vendors, have a disconnection notice or have less than 25% in their propane tank can start applying for LIHEAP assistance.

December 1, 2023, All other income eligible households can start applying for LIHEAP assistance.

Each year our Tech expert, Mrs. Gardner, creates and incredible yearbook for our school. Through October 31, the price is 10% off. You also get 2 pages in the book to personally customize.

If you've noticed anyone at Willow going above and beyond, please use the link to recognize him/her/them! 💖 I share your kind words with them in my staff bulletin.

https://forms.office.com/r/L4vYqd7NpN

Sept 22: PreK Fun Friday- no classes for PreK

Sept 25: Yom Kippur- no school

Sept 28: PTA meeting 6PM at Hart

Oct: Bullying Prevention month

Oct 2: School Custodian Appreciation Day

Oct 6: no school

Oct 9: Indigenous Peoples Day- no school

Oct 9-13: Fire Prevention Week

Oct 16-20: School Bus Safety Week

Oct 19: Picture Day

Oct 20: Institute Day- no school

Oct 27: PreK Fun Friday (no PreK classes) /World OT Day

Oct 31: Halloween- parade at 8:30- 11:40AM early dismissal

Nov: American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month

Nov 5: Daylight Savings time ends

Nov 10: Veteran’s Day observed- 11:40 AM early dismissal

Nov 12: Diwali

Nov 11-18: Hunger & Homeless Awareness Week

Nov 13: World Kindness Day

Nov 13-17: School Psychologist Appreciation Week and American Education Week

Nov 16: Picture retakes

Nov 17: End of Trimester 1

Nov 15: Education Support Professionals Day

Nov 20-21: Parent/Teacher Conferences

Nov 22: no school

Nov 23-24: Thanksgiving/ Black Friday- no school

Dec 3: Day of People with Disabilities

Dec 7-15: Hanukkah begins at sundown

Dec 15: PreK Fun Friday (no PreK classes)

Dec 22: 11:40 AM early dismissal

Dec 23-Jan 7: Winter break