Wescott Word

Wednesday, January 15

PTO Meeting - 6 p.m.

Friday, January 17

Brian Wismer Show - all grades

Friday, January 17

Half day of school - dismissal at 11:45 a.m.

Monday, January 20

No school - district holiday

Thursday, January 23

5th Grade Show at 6:00 p.m.

Friday, January 31

Multicultural Night at Maple at 5:30 p.m. - hosted by the Wescott & Willowbrook PTOs

Get ready to embark on a global journey right here in District 30! The District 30 PTOs are thrilled to invite you to our Multicultural Night on January 31 from 5:30 -7:30 p.m. at Maple School!

Here is how you can celebrate with us:

HOST A TABLE: Hosting a table provides a platform to share the wonders of your culture. Set up your space with engaging activities, and treat attendees to delicious ethnic snacks that represent the essence of your heritage. Consider creating eye-catching posters or trifold displays filled with fun facts about your country. Sign up before winter break to secure your exclusive table location. Sign up now by clicking below.

CHILDREN'S PARADE: Festivities begin at 5:30 with a fashion show parade. We encourage any child to participate in the parade that begins at 5:30 p.m. by dressing in their choice of ethnic attire. To participate, students meet in the athletic room, left of the gymnasium at 5:15 p.m.

STUDENT PERFORMANCE: Want to share your family’s culture through a student performance? Sign up your student to perform at Multicultural Night and share cultural traditions through: traditional and modern dance performances, musical presentations (vocal or instrumental), cultural demonstrations and more! Register your performance today! Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.

For any questions or assistance, feel free to contact the committee chair at amandadae@gmail.com. Let's come together, celebrate diversity, and make Multicultural Night an unforgettable experience for our District 30 family!

STEM Challenges for kindergarten and 1st grade are a fun way for children to explore how the world works. It helps them learn while having fun and encourages young minds to think outside the box. Children use basic supplies such as wood craft sticks, pipe cleaners, blocks, LEGOs and Play-Doh to build and create while learning problem solving skills and getting hands-on experience with physics, engineering and more.

There are a limited number of spots available and registration will close once full capacity is met. Please, note that students who have not yet had a chance to participate in a club this year, will get priority.

The club will meet on Wednesdays after school from 3:20-4:20 p.m.. Please choose only one session when signing up.

• Session 1: Jan 22 - Mar 12
• Session 2: Mar 19 - May 14

Wescott is offering an after school Young Composers Club for 4th- and 5th-grade students. The club will be on Tuesdays (4th grade) and Thursdays (5th grade) from 3:20 to 4:20 p.m. January 28 through March 18th.

Participation is on a first come/first served basis, with priority given to students who have not participated in an after school club this year.

Parents will be required to arrange transportation of their children from school grounds. Since crossing guards are not on duty. Any student who walks home needs parental permission.

Sign ups will open at 8:00am on Thursday January 16.

This month, we in our RULER program, we are learning about emotional regulation and personal values through the best self and meta-moment.

• Our best self is our personal ideal and desired reputation.
• The meta-moment is a tool to pause during emotional situations and adjust to respond as one’s best self.

For example, during difficult morning routines, we might pause to recognize the feeling of frustration and consider how our best self would respond. The meta-moment aims to shift from automatic, unhelpful reactions to strategic, helpful responses.

NEXT WEEK - Learn the four steps of the meta-moment that your students are learning, plus strategies to try at home!

All who live in District 30 boundaries are invited to meet Superintendent Dr. Tammaru and a member of our Board of Education to ask questions and share what is important to you in our schools.

You can pick from either the 12 p.m. or 6 p.m. session on Wednesday, February 12 at our District 30 Offices, 2374 Shermer Road, Northbrook. RSVP is optional so we can plan for space and send a reminder to participants close to the event date.

Please share with neighbors, as this event is for everyone in our boundaries – even if they do not have children in our schools. Click below to join us!

The Maple World Language Teachers are excited to be visiting the 5th grade classrooms on the following dates:

• Wescott on Tuesday, January 14 from 10:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.
• Willowbrook on Thursday, January 16 from 10:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

Mini-lessons and presentations will be given about the French and Mandarin classes offered at Maple. Promo videos of Spanish, French and Mandarin will be presented and program questions will also be answered during this time.

The World Language Choice Form will be pushed out to parents electronically via email on Friday, January 17 for both elementary schools. The deadline for the language selection is Friday, January 24.

Summer in District 30 means learning, laughter, and loads of fun! Our program has been a longstanding tradition, offering unique and exciting courses for students in pre-K through 8th grade. Whether your child is exploring new interests or diving into creative activities, there’s something for everyone in our vibrant community. District 30 is a wonderful place to grow and connect, and our summer school program is the perfect way to make the most of the season. We hope you will consider joining in the fun!

• 2025 Summer School Dates: Wednesday, June 11 to Friday, July 11 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:25 p.m. (No school June 19 & July 4.)
• Registration opens: February 5 at 10 a.m.
• Details coming soon: More information about registration and course offerings will be coming soon to district30.org/summer-school.
• Questions? Email summerschool@district30.org.

Sincerely,

Ms. Anna Davis, Summer School Principal

Mrs. Sarah Arends, Summer School Assistant Principal

• New, more accurate timing results
• Easier packet pickup
• A more customized race experience!
• Prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd-place finishers, plus a medal for all who finish the race!

Additionally, you can still enjoy lower prices through March 31. No discount code needed at checkout. Visit lewbondrun.org to register for a single race or price bundles.

We use the chart below to help guide our decisions to be inside or outside for recess. To find out more about weather related decisions, please click the image below.

Wescott fully embraces our motto that we are a part of one big family and we are proud of every person who is a part of it. Help us show school pride and support our District 30 Strategic Plan values of inclusivity & belonging and community collaboration by sharing your culture!

With over 30 world languages spoken in our students' homes, we seek your help in translating our motto – "One big family" – into your native language for display on our blank entryway wall.

Throughout the school year, you will find updates on the project here in the Wescott Word, featuring images of students with their language submissions, as well as a list of languages already added to the wall and remaining languages needed.

We imagine this to be a lasting, visual celebration of our amazing Wescott community and can't wait for you to be a part of it!

How you can contribute:

• Please, submit your translation of our motto – "One big family" by clicking the button below. We ask that you follow the same format: first word is uppercase, followed by lowercase words (unless your language has a different set of grammatical rules for this statement).
  
• The translations will be added to the wall once they are processed by the printer. We aim for adding them once a month, unless no additional translations have been submitted. if you have questions regarding your submission, please contact pcoletta@district30.org.

The PTO will be hosting its second meeting of the school year on January 15 at 6:00 pm in the Wescott school library. We will hear special presentations from Dr. Brown, Ms. Keller and Dr. Tammaru. We will review highlights from the Fall fundraisers and activities and give an overview of the Spring calendar. Free childcare will be provided!

The nomination form is OPEN for Wescott PTO Executive Board positions! Nominate a friend, yourself, or whoever you think would be the best to serve on our 2025 - 2026 PTO Executive Board! Open positions include:

• One Co-President (to serve with current Co-President Maria Millicevic)

• One Co-Treasurer (to serve with current Co-Treasurer Jenna Min)

• One Co-Secretary (to serve with current Co-Secretary Halley Winer)

• Two Co-VPs of Fundraising

Please note, ALL nominations are anonymous. The nomination form will remain open until February 28.

We can’t wait to see who YOU think would be best to lead the PTO!

As in the past, we are asking parents to host parties, both for kids and fellow Wescott parents, as part of our fundraising efforts. It’s a great way to support the school while creating fun experiences for the kids! How it works:

• You can host a party for a group of kids (or even adults) with a fun theme.

• You decide the venue, date, time and size of the party.

• Parents will purchase a spot for the party through ChedderUp, and all proceeds will go to support Wescott. (Please note, party fees for the children of the hosts will be waived.)

Some party ideas to get you started:

• Video game truck party

• Painting party at the Painted Penguin

• Ninja Party at the Ultimate Ninja Gym

• Swimming party at Splash Landing or Goldfish Swim School

• T-shirt designing party at BFriends

• Movie party at Cinergy

• Bunco night for parents at a home

We're looking for creative ideas and enthusiastic hosts. The more parties, the better! If you’re interested in hosting a party and want more details, email Connie Park at connie.j.park@gmail.com and/or Patty Metropoulos at Pmetropoulos@hotmail.com.

Thank you so much for considering being a part of this exciting event! Your involvement will make a huge difference for our students.

Volunteering to serve lunch at school is a unique opportunity to get a peek into the school day and meet other parents.

Two volunteers will be needed per day to help with setting up lunch line, serving lunch to students, and doing some minimal cleaning up. Time slots are approximately from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Please sign up ONLY for yourself.

Here is a guide to answer any questions you might have about volunteering. Questions? Please contact wescottpto@district30.org.

One of the PTO Board's goals for the 2024-25 school year is to make sure our teachers and staff know just how appreciated they are by the Wescott community. So starting this fall, we're excited to announce a new program at Wescott... "Staff Gold Stars."

"Staff Gold Stars" puts the ball in your court by giving YOU the opportunity to share how any Wescott teacher or staff member has had a positive impact on your child or family.

Simply fill out the form below. Once monthly, the PTO Board will hang up the "Staff Gold Stars" in the Teacher's Lounge for all to see!

Click below to submit your "Staff Gold Star!"

Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 continues its partnership with Quest Food Management Services to provide quality food services to your student. We are happy to offer a preorder system via myMealOrder! Click the button below to order lunch for your student.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Ashley Jenkins, Food Service Director for Quest at ajenkins@questfms.com.

Wescott has a “no food or drink” birthday celebration practice. We want our students to know other ways to celebrate birthdays besides treats.

If you want your child to bring something in for their birthday, we encourage you to donate a book to our library through the PTO Birthday Book Club. You can also send school supplies such as pencils, erasers, stickers, bookmarks, etc.

Please do not send paper birthday invitations to school. The use of electronic invitations through our PTO directory is suggested.

Please call the front office to let us know of any changes in pick up practices for your student. As a reminder the tot lot is not a part of Wescott grounds and is not supervised during arrival and dismissal times.

In our Wescott and District 30 community, we value open communication and community collaboration. We have best success when partnering with parents on student concerns.

We are noticing a concerning trend of inappropriate language use among our students. Much of this language appears to be influenced by content on social media platforms, particularly TikTok. We know that our community, parents and faculty, believe that maintaining a respectful and positive school environment is crucial for all children's well-being and academic success.

While we understand the popularity of these platforms among young people, it's important to guide our children in using appropriate language, regardless of what they may encounter online. We kindly ask for your support in reinforcing appropriate language use at home. Please:

1. Discuss with your child the importance of using respectful words and the potential impact of inappropriate language on others.

2. Monitor your child's social media use, particularly on platforms like TikTok.

3. Encourage critical thinking about the content they consume online and how it might influence their behavior.

Our staff will continue to address this issue at school. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter and continued partnership with Wescott.

Want to know what's going on around the community? District 30 uses a "Virtual Backpack" to share community information while saving paper, costs, and lightening the loads our students bring home. Please click the button below to view upcoming Community Events.

Any time a student feels unsafe, any adult in their school can help!

But sometimes, students or parents wish to reach out for help in a different way or after school hours. Safe2Help Illinois offers students a safe way to share information 24/7 that might help prevent any threat to school safety, including bullying, self-harm or other serious concerns.

The goal of this program is to get students to “seek help before harm;" it is not intended to suspend, expel, or punish. Safe2Help Illinois also offers a Mental Health Toolkit that provides resources for parents and educators reinforce the components of this program.

Safe2Help Illinois offers around-the-clock help via:

• Hotline: 844-4-SAFEIL
• Text line: 72332
• Email HELP@Safe2HelpIL.com
• Plus a website full of resources for young people seeking help for themselves or a friend. Its Ways To Get Help page is a directory of specialized hotlines, and other sections of its website provide practical steps for dealing with depression or helping a distraught friend. The checklist called "20 Questions To Ask Yourself If You Feel Like Giving Up" can help older children overcome a bout of anxiety or depression.

Wescott School is part of Northbrook/Glenview District 30, which exists to create an inclusive community that inspires learning, fosters resiliency, and cares deeply for every child. We honor childhood and foster intellectual, physical and social-emotional growth. District 30 serves more than 1,200 students in pre-K through 8th grade across Willowbrook, Wescott and Maple Schools.

We prohibit harassment and discrimination of all forms within our district and follows all policies and procedures to ensure a safe environment for all.

Main office: 847-272-4660

Health/Attendance Office: 847-400-8760

Location: 1820 Western Avenue, Northbrook, IL 60062, USA

Website: district30.org/wescott
Facebook: facebook.com/ngsd30
Twitter: @district30