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WJHS Highlights

02/23/24

WJHS Highlights02/23/24

A Message from the Administrative Team

Dear WJHS Families,

On February 12 you should have received a letter from the district with instructions on how to access your child's winter MAP assessment results. All students in District 39 from grades 2 - 8 take both the Reading and Mathematics MAP Growth assessments three times per year. Your child's scores serve as a progress update for the current school year to measure growth. As teachers plan and make instructional decisions, they consider this assessment data along with many other sources of information, including what they have learned about your child personally.


In the past the district has mailed your assessment report home, but we are pleased to share that families will now access NWEA MAP Assessment reports through PowerSchool. PowerSchool is the same platform where report cards are viewed.


If you would like to view your child's most recent NWEA MAP Assessment report, please follow the directions in this guide using a browser: How to Access Assessment Results via PowerSchool


Here are some other tools created to help you understand your child's most recent MAP Growth Assessment results:



Please remember that a single test or experience cannot capture the full story of your child. Their in-class performance, teacher observations, everyday interactions, completed assignments, and other performance tasks help to create a comprehensive picture of your child as a learner. Please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher, assistant principal or principal with questions about your child's overall performance.


Have a great weekend!

Kate, Eric and Nicole

Winter Clubs!

We have updated our WJHS Winter Clubs. We have linked the lists below:


7th grade clubs (period 5)

8th grade clubs (period 6)

*After school clubs are open to students in both grades.

Lost & Found

As you can imagine, lunch boxes that are left behind at school, start to get pretty smelly after a couple of days! We hold off on throwing them away until the end of every month, but they do become pretty disgusting. If you believe your child has left behind a lunch bag/box/container at school, please come to WJHS as soon as possible to look through the lost and found. We cannot keep these after 30 days for the reasons outlined above. Thanks!

Safety Concerns at Drop-Off and Pick-Up

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The safety of students is our top priority and we need your assistance when it comes to dropping off and picking up your children. Morning supervision begins at 7:55 AM and the doors open at 8:15 AM. Students have 10 minutes to get to their lockers and then homeroom once the front doors open. On days when there is inclement weather, students wait in the auditorium until 8:15.


We understand that dropping off or picking up your child from school can be hectic, in particular in the winter months when fewer children walk and ride bikes. The district creates maps and instructions for drop-off and pick-up. I am linking ours here. Families may use the front circle drive for drop-off and pick-up, and may also coordinate a safe place to drop off and pick up that is planned in advance. For example, many families drop off their children at the corner of Wilmette Ave. and Locust Rd. and then students walk the last couple of blocks to school. Whatever you decide, please do not allow your child to run across the middle of Locust Rd. We have a crosswalk directly in front of WJHS and the Mikaelian Education Center and ask that you please remind your child to use this crosswalk if they are dropped off on the west side of Locust, and to not run across the road in front of moving vehicles to try and get to the school. Thank you for your help.

8th Grade Families: Upcoming Events

8th grade students will take the Illinois Science Assessment during 7th and 8th periods on March 4 through March 6.


8th grade graduation will take place on Wednesday, June 5 at 5:30pm in the new Winnetka Main Gym, at the Winnetka Campus of New Trier High School on Wednesday, June 5, 2023. We are excited to offer one graduation ceremony this year for the entire 8th grade class, set to take place at 5:30 pm.

PTO Highlights

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8TH GRADE PARENTS REMINDER: PICK NEXT YEAR’S CLASSES BY 3PM TODAY!

This is a friendly reminder that New Trier freshman course selection for next year is due today in Powerschool by 3pm! You can log into Powerschool HERE and choose your child’s adviser room preference (single gender, mixed gender OR no preference) and freshman courses! There is a helpline for any scheduling questions 847-784-7548.


7TH GRADE PARENTS REMINDER: “OPT IN”👍DURING D39 REGISTRATION

When you register your child in PowerSchool for next year, you will be asked if your student/parent information can be included in the PTO family directory and class lists. Please select “YES.” The directory is not distributed to anyone other than student families and D39 staff. This will also opt YOU in so you can get important email notifications about social events, after-school clubs, graduation activities and other student/family news throughout the 2024-2025 school year. The only place a class list will appear is through the PTO Directory.


OPEN WJHS PTO POSITION ALERT ✋

We are in need of a School Supplies (EduKits) Coordinator! Be the PTO’s liaison who coordinates ordering the Edukits boxes (school supplies) and supervises their arrival/distribution using volunteers in mid-August (can be a 7th or incoming 6th grade parent). You don’t have to decide WHAT to order, that is provided by the teachers. You just have to keep track of how many boxes to order, work with the EduKits representative to pass along deadline dates to the PTO Exec Board, and be around a couple of days before school starts next year to accept their arrival. Volunteers are already in place to help distribute when the boxes arrive, you just need to manage. Can you help? Email president-elect@wjhspto.com for more information. Thank you!


LUNCH VOLUNTEERS ALWAYS APPRECIATED!

Can you spare an hour and a half of your day helping to serve lunch at school? You do not need to cook, only assist in serving the food items to the students as they go through the lunch line. Your help is so appreciated! Dates still available for February and March dates have been added! Sign up HERE and thank you in advance!


District News

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Save the Date – Elementary School Parent/Teacher Conferences

Families with children in elementary school, please save the dates of March 21-22 (Thursday-Friday) for spring parent/teacher conferences. As in the fall, we will be using the Meet the Teacher platform for these meetings. You will receive an email on Friday, March 1 with instructions for scheduling your conferences online and registration will open on Monday, March 4. Video conferences are encouraged and set as the default within the registration system; however, requests for in-person conferences will be accommodated.


Registration is Open for D39 Summer Enrichment Program!

Registration is open for our D39 Summer Enrichment Program. This program provides a variety of academic and hobby-based courses for students currently in grades K-7 and runs from July 2-31. This year, K-3 courses will be held at Romona Elementary School with grades 4-7 being offered at Highcrest Middle School. Please reference our SEP Registration Guide for more details on the registration process and visit our D39 Summer Enrichment Program website for more details on this wonderful summer option.


“Socially Acceptable” – A New District 39 Short Video Project

Calling all WJHS students! District 39 is starting a video project by students, for students, called “Socially Acceptable.” This series of short videos will help teach students how to navigate situations on social media. Participants will write scripts and act them out on camera. These instructional videos will then be shared with our D39 learning community. Local theater teachers will assist with both the script-writing and acting, and no experience is necessary! We ask that those interested in participating please view this flyer for more information, including how to sign-up. We are excited to launch this new D39 project in the spring!


Parent Education Event

Please join us for our next Parent Education event, “School Refusal and Encouraging Positive Attendance,” which will take place on Wednesday, March 13 at 11 am. Families can participate in-person at Highcrest Middle School or virtually via Zoom. Registration is currently open for this event. Visit our D39 Parent Education website for our full schedule of events, registration links, and archived recordings.


Board of Education Meeting

The Board of Education will gather on Monday, Feb. 26 at 7 pm at the Mikaelian Education Center for its monthly business meeting. During this meeting, the Board will be presented with a mid-year update of our 2023-24 strategic plan action steps and hear the bid results for the summer 2024 asbestos abatement project at McKenzie. Additionally, the Board is expected to accept the FY23 audit for both District 39 and the Wilmette Community Special Education Agreement (WCSEA) presented to them at the Feb. 12 Committee of the Whole meeting. The Board will also conduct a second and final reading of several Board policies. Agendas and materials for all Board of Education meetings will be posted online the Friday prior to the meeting.

Kate Dominique
Kate is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters

Principal at Wilmette Junior High School; love being an educator and working with young people; value spending time with friends and family