The Wilmot Word

Mark your calendars! Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, March 21 from 1:00-4:00 pm & 5:00-8:00 pm and on Friday, March 22 from 8:30-11:30 am. All DPS109 schools will hold in-person parent-teacher conferences this year with an option to Zoom for parents/guardians who are not available for an in-person conference. Parents will sign up for a conference using Sign-Up Genius. I will share links for all teacher sign-up forms on Thursday, February 22, at 7:00pm.

It is best practice to hold one parent conference per child, to ensure that both parents receive the same information regarding their child’s strengths and needs. Therefore, I ask that parents sign up for one joint conference per student. If this is a concern, please reach out to me directly. We look forward to seeing all of our parents during conferences. Conferences are a discussion between parents and teachers. At this time elementary conferences do not include students and therefore we ask that children not attend the parent-teacher conference.

This week we enjoyed Valentine's Day celebrations and our annual all-school Valentine's Day philanthropy project. Our students supported Fill a Heart 4 Kids, by making Spring Break Food Boxes with their buddy class, to provide at-risk, homeless, and foster children with food over spring break. Our students enjoyed giving back to the community and supporting other children.

Thanks to the many volunteers who haloed make this a great day for everyone!

Our staff and students have been very busy planning and supporting special events and activities. We recognize that there is a lot happening at one time (Readathon, Fire Truck Raffle, Valentine’s Day Activities, Kids Hear Challenge). In the future we will move some of these events to every other year cycle. As always, thank you for your support.

Each year our student council raises funds to support all Wilmot students by hosting a raffle where one student (with a few friends or family members) will win a ride ti school on a fire truck. This year we are combining this event with our Family Reading Night. Click below to learn more about this raffle and to see a copy if the order form.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Again this year, parents across Illinois have an opportunity to participate in the annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school. As a parent, it allows you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness. Your responses also help guide district improvement.

The Illinois 5Essentials Survey is administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education. The survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. These five indicators that affect and predict school success are:

• Effective Leaders

• Collaborative Teachers

• Involved Families

• Supportive Environments

• Ambitious Instruction

To take the Parent Survey, please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and select the appropriate survey to begin. Your identity and responses will be kept completely confidential and will not be connected to you or your child. The survey should take no more than 5 minutes to complete.

Every other year Wilmot students are invited to participate in the Kids Heart Challenge to support children with "special" hearts while we promote the mental and physical well-being for our students.

• Start by downloading the Kids Heart Challenge APP or click this link [HERE] to sign up
• Complete Finn’s Missions: learn TWO lifesaving skills as a family TONIGHT!
• Become a Heart Hero: Send emails/e-cards on the website or texts via the app to invite friends and family asking for support.

Watch the official kick-off video Here to get to know our heart heroes!

PLUS, this Online Envelope will show you all the thank you gifts your student can earn (optional).

If you missed our in-person kindergarten registration, don’t worry! It’s not too late to register your kiddo for Kindergarten! Our online form is available on our registration page. Please reach out to our front office at 847-945-1075, if you have any questions.

If you have an incoming kindergartener (or a new to Wilmot 1st-5th grader) for the 2023-2024 school year it is important that you complete the registration process as soon as possible. Please note that only those students who are fully registered will receive an invitation for our spring Kindergarten Round-Up. Please spread the word. Kindergarten staffing decisions are based on the number of FULLY enrolled students.

Active K-5 students currently enrolled are NOT required to re-register annually. Early Learners Pre-K students ARE required to register for Kindergarten.

• 2/14 - Valentine’s Day (Red, Pink and White/Hearts)
• 2/21 - Dress as a book character (e.g. Dress like Waldo or Harry Potter)
• 3/20 - March Madness Day (Wear a college basketball team shirt or colors)
• 4/17 - Crazy Hair Day (e.g. 4 ponytails, or a slicked-back hair)
• 5/15 - Beach Day (Beachwear -No bathing suits)

As we did last year, we will combine our grade level in-person music concert with an art share. Below are the dates for all music concerts and art share events. The Art Share will begin at 5:45 pm and the music concert will begin at 6:00 pm.

• 3rd grade - Wednesday, February 28
• 4th grade - Tuesday, March 19
• 1st grade - Thursday, April 4
• Kindergarten - THIS DATE HAS BEEN CHANGED- to Wednesday, May 1.

Click the link below to see our New PTO Newsletter. Learn about:

• Marla's Lunch
• Ordering a yearbook
• Next PTO meeting -Tuesday, February 20

• Friday, February 16

• Teacher institute - no school for students

• Monday, February 19

• No School - Legal Holiday

• Tuesday, February 20

• Team Give - 3rd lunch recess in the LMC and 5th lunch recess in the GMA

• PTO meeting at 1:30

• Wednesday, February 21

• Team Give - 4th lunch recess in the GMA

• Wednesday, Feb. 28

• 3rd grade Music Concert and Art Share

• 5:45 pm - Art Share

• 6:00 - Evening show for parents