The Skokie Home Scoop
May 1, 2023
May 1, 2023
Dear Families:
It is hard to believe that today is the first day of May; our last full month of school for the 2022-23 school year. We are looking forward to concerts, celebrations, field trips and opportunities to showcase student learning in the coming weeks. We are also looking forward to celebrating our amazing educators this week for Teacher Appreciation Week. Thank you for joining us in celebrating the wonderful team at Skokie!
Important Dates:
May 2: 5th-8th Orchestra Concert at 7:00 pm in the Skokie Auditorium
May 4: 6th-8th Band Concert at 7:30 pm in the Washburne Gym
May 5: 6th grade Weekend Warm-Up; 3:30-4:30 pm
May 17: 4th grade Parent Night at Skokie
May 26: 4th grade Shadow Day at Skokie; half day for students
Health and Wellness Day Appreciation:
We want to extend a huge thank you to our KW team and to our educators, families and community members who supported and led the efforts for the 2023 Health and Wellness Day. The level of engagement and enthusiasm was palpable throughout the day.
Current 6th grade Family Input:
Now is the time for 6th grade families to submit feedback about your child's team placement for next year and make elective requests. Please click HERE to access information for all 6th grade families.
School Supply Orders:
Skokie School has again partnered with 1st Day School Supplies so that families have the option of ordering a school supply kit for the next school year. The supplies included in the kit have been chosen by Skokie teachers and administration for each grade and should provide your student with everything they need for the upcoming year. The final deadline for ordering school supplies through 1st Day is July 1st. Supply kits will be sent to your home and teachers will let students when to bring supplies into school at the start of the new school year. Please click here to order your school supplies through 1st Day.
http://1stdayschoolsupplies.com/kits.php?sid=35479
Families are very welcome to purchase school supplies on their own. A list will be posted to the Skokie School website soon.
PTO: Order New Spirit Wear
Head into summer and prep in advance for Fall Skokie / Washburne Spirit Days with some fun, new Skokie and Washburne gear.
Deadline: Tuesday, May 9th
Exploring Skokie
Spanish: In fifth grade we continued reading our Isabela captura un congo book, and have progressed quite a bit. Students engaged in a mock defense of the characters after some bad choices made by the protagonists. We played some games to review the content and the vocabulary. Students love the Crocodile Dentist game!
Sixth graders continued reading a class novel called Brandon Brown versus Yucatán, and demonstrated a good grasp of the content. We have now covered several chapters, and a favorite game for review is Crocodile Dentist. Students have also covered a story about a mysterious piece of paper that had a “black hole” in it, and it was fun to listen to what they would do if they had one of these. We watched a clip that accompanied this story, and have worked on some extension activities as well.
Spring 2023 Superintendent Parent Sessions
Learn about the results of the Winnetka Parent Communication Survey and how the District plans to be responsive to the feedback.
Hubbard Woods: May 3, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Greeley: May 8, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Crow Island: May 17, 9:15-10:15 a.m.
Skokie/Washburne (Hosted at Washburne): May 17, 11:00 - 12:00 p.m.
New Winnetka Voices Episode
Episode #6: Cultivating a Culture of Belonging
Dr. Kelly Tess speaks to Denise Matthews, Director of Student Services, Equity and Inclusion and Erick Taft, District alum, parent, and a leader of a community organization “Winnetka for Belonging.” The episode centers on how fostering an environment where high-quality teaching and learning is accessible to all starts with supporting the fundamental need for belonging. A few Washburne students also share their thoughts on belonging. As Ms. Matthews shares, “We can all play a part in making sure that our peers and our colleagues feel like they belong.”
Listen here:
Winnetka Voices is a podcast hosted by The Winnetka Public Schools, featuring candid conversations on issues relevant to education and shared resources to support our students and families.
SPRING MAP 2023 TESTING
We are approaching our final testing window for the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test, which will take place between May 8 - 19, 2023. Your child’s school or teacher will inform you of his or her specific testing dates.
Similar to the winter, all students in Grades 3 - 8 will take one reading test and one math test. The MAP Assessment is designed to measure a student’s achievement level at different times of the school year and compute growth over time. MAP is a computer-adaptive test, which means every student receives a unique set of test questions based on responses to previous questions. This provides a personalized assessment experience by adapting to each student’s learning level.
The purpose of the third testing session is to provide an overview of a student’s growth and achievement for the school year. Spring Student Progress Reports will be mailed home on Friday, June 2nd with fall to spring growth measures. Additional information on the MAP Assessment may be found on our district website in the Assessment Section of ITL. If you need further information on your child’s testing session please contact your building principal.
Adventures in Learning 2023
Adventures in Learning 2023 runs from June 14th-July 19th, 2023.
No camp on June 19th or July 4th.
A decades-long tradition, this summer program includes classes as varied as Athlete's Club, Razzle Dazzle Science Magic, Recyclable Art, Basket Weaving, Camping Adventures, Make Your Own Music Video, Adventures in STEAM, Archery, Computer Animation, Greek Mythology Drama, Coding, Yoga for Kids, AIL Action News (New for 2023), Animal Care, and Spa-Liscious to name a few!
Students in grades 2-8 may choose up to four classes from over 60 options. Younger children (pre-Kindergarten through grade 1) will explore our progressive educational concepts through guided play and outdoor activities.
This year's program will again be held at Washburne for the 2nd-8th graders and Crow Island for the Pre-K (4 years old by June 1st, 2023) and K Primary program (5 years old by September 1st, 2023).
2023 Fees
General (base cost*) and Primary Program
$675 Winnetka residents
$725 Non-residents
*Some General Program classes have an additional supply fee (will be noted in the catalog).
Registration is now open for Winnetka residents.
From The Winnetka Police Department: Please Walk Your Bike in Town
The Winnetka Police Department is increasing efforts to encourage bike riders to walk their bikes while riding in the business districts. As such, residents can expect a focus on educational and enforcement shifts by Community Service Officers and Police Officers in the business districts for random periods throughout the day, on a daily basis, as the weather gets warmer and bike/pedestrian traffic increases. This initiative is underway and will continue through the summer months. Signs have already been placed throughout business districts, indicating the need to walk bicycles. In partnership with local businesses, we will continue the opportunities for Community Service Officers and Police Officers to recognize children who are complying with the ordinance and are observed walking their bikes and following the rules with a small reward. This same message is being shared in schools and principal newsletters this spring, as it will take everyone’s cooperation to make this a safer summer.
Sincerely,
Michelle Cooney and Larry Joynt
Principal and Assistant Principal
The Skokie School