March 15, 2024

Dear Families, Staff, and Community Members,

Many of us remember the first book we were able to read on our own, or a story that has stuck with us into adulthood. Chances are that our parents may have saved an early piece of our writing as a treasured reminder of the first time we were able to express ourselves through the written word. Literacy impacts all areas of study and is vital to long-term student success.

That said, I am eager to share that we will soon reach an important milestone in our Annual Plan Goal surrounding literacy. At the April 23 School Board meeting, the Board will be presented with a recommendation for updated literacy materials for use in Grades K-8. To inform a recommendation for the Board, more than 60 educators are engaging in a literacy pilot while applying these materials in our classrooms. Our Literacy Leadership Committee has devoted hundreds of hours worth of work in order to ensure that the materials we select will align with what we know about the science of reading and current best practices, as well as meet the needs of our students and reflect our District’s values. The March 19 Board Meeting will include a work session centered on the literacy pilot, prior to the approval of literacy materials in April.

I would like to express how much the District administration appreciates the colossal efforts of the team of educators serving on the Literacy Leadership Committee, led by Dr. Becky Mathison, Assistant Superintendent of Innovation, Teaching and Learning. Additionally, we are grateful for the generosity of the Winnetka Public Schools Foundation, which funded additional professional learning surrounding the District's Literacy Pilot. We look forward to sharing more details next month as well as ongoing parent education as new materials are implemented.

As literacy is a key area focus in the District, at this month’s “Coffee with Kelly” we will discuss Reading Aloud with Your Child at Any Age. Crow Island second grade teacher, Missy Parks, and Washburne Special Education teacher, Chris Joob, will help me lead a conversation on how to help foster a love for reading. More details are below. I hope you will join us for this conversation on Wednesday, March 20 at 4:00 p.m. in The Skokie School Community Room. Please RSVP by Monday, March 18.

Wishing you a restful weekend!

Most Sincerely,

Dr. Kelly Tess

Superintendent of Schools

Dr. Kelly Tess, Superintendent of Schools, invites you to our second “Coffee with Kelly,” a community conversation hosted at our schools! Staff, families and community members are welcome to join Dr. Tess and a special guest for co-facilitated discussions on topics of interest, providing an opportunity to gather together, listen to each other’s perspectives and reflect on enhancing our partnership to educate the students of Winnetka.

This “Coffee with Kelly” will center on the topic of Reading Aloud with Your Child at Any Age. Dr. Tess will be joined by Crow Island second grade teacher Missy Parks and Washburne Special Education teacher, Chris Joob for a conversation on:

• The value of listening to a story out loud and the neural connections this helps to build,

• The opportunities that are opened up for conversation and connection by sharing a story together,

• learning about how staff and families feel linked or out of synch with each other and their schools through literature,

• and reflecting on how developing a love for reading doesn't have to happen independently.

This is an opportunity to converse, connect, learn, and grow together!

Guests are invited to:

• Read either of these two articles on the benefits of reading aloud:

• Why Reading Aloud to Kids Helps Them Thrive

• 5 Benefits of Reading Aloud

• and/or come as you are, excited to engage with your childrens’ teachers, your neighbors, and your school leaders!

Wednesday, March 20 from 4:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m.

The Skokie School Community Room,

520 Glendale Ave., Winnetka

Please RSVP by Monday, March 18.

All staff, caregivers, and parents (including grandparents!) are welcome. You do not need to be a Skokie family or staff member to attend. Coffee will be served!

The next School Board meeting will be held at Carleton Washburne School on March 19, 2024. The Regular Meeting is at 7:15 p.m.

The following presentations are on the agenda:

1. 2024/2025 Staffing Plan

In-person seating for the public is on a first-come, first-served basis.

To observe via Zoom:

https://winnetka36.zoom.us/j/88090707037?pwd=NG5odzg5ejhac3Frb05HK0lYQmZTUT09

Meeting ID: 880 9070 7037

Passcode: 353337

The meeting will include an opportunity for in-person public comment. Please note, the Board will be following policy 2:230 and limit public comment to three minutes - however, if there is a high volume of public comment, the Board may need to limit the amount of time dedicated to public comment in order to efficiently conduct business. Community members can send communications to board members at board@winnetka36.org which will be individually reviewed by each board member prior to the meeting.

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.

Season 2, Episode #5: Women in Leadership

March is Women’s History Month! Dr. Kelly Tess, Superintendent, is joined by three impactful women in our school community: Denise Dubravec, Winnetka Campus Principal/Assistant Superintendent at New Trier High School; Winnetka Public Schools alum Norah; and Marena Rudy, a Winnetka Public Schools Board Member. The women reflect on how they have been inspired and encouraged in order to lead with confidence. As Norah recognizes, “We have a lot of forward momentum.” We hope this episode serves as a glimpse into how we can support women and girls in their leadership ventures by modeling self-advocacy, curiosity and empathy.

Listen here:

Apple Podcast

Amazon

Spotify

iHeart Radio

Google

You are invited to complete the Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey. On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey is administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago. The survey gathers data related to five indicators that can inform school improvement efforts. The District does not receive results from the survey unless at least 20 percent of parents/guardians respond. The more responses parents/guardians provide, the more we will know how to focus our efforts. Please help us to improve by completing the survey.

• Go to: the 5Essentials Survey website to take the survey

• Select “Parent Survey.”

• You may enter your email address if you would like to receive confirmation of your submission, but it is not required.

• Then enter “COOK” into the county field and type in your student’s school.

The parent survey closes on March 29, so please submit your responses soon.

Winnetka Public Schools Foundation reached 80% of the fundraising goal during the annual Phone-A-Thon! Thank you to the loyal donors and the new donors. We're looking to close the gap and want to fund the amazing grant requests coming in from teachers across District 36. The grants in the pipeline affect each and every student at all five schools. They involve funding for robotics, audio/visual equipment, small group learning resources, SEL, targeted literacy and math resources and so much more. Every dollar donated makes a difference to bring these grants to life! Help us meet the goal here:

Please follow the District via the following social media platforms in order to see day-to-day happenings and more.

Facebook and Twitter: @Winnetka36

Instagram: @WinnetkaPublicSchools

LinkedIn: @TheWinnetkaPublicSchools

For upcoming events (& videos of past events) with an array of highly-regarded authors, educators, and more, access FAN’s website here.

For those community members who were not able to attend the open house, we are providing an opportunity to provide their input on the streetscape concept plans through an on-line survey, which can be found at this link.