Washington Wildcat Chat
December 17, 2023
Arrival and Dismissal Reminders
With winter weather now upon us, snow will surely be on the way soon! We would like to share a few reminders about arrival and dismissal procedures to ensure that our students, staff and parents stay safe. Please see below for more information and thank you for your support!
Student Illnesses
Cold and Flu Season is here! Please do not send your student to school if they have a fever of 100 or above, vomiting and/or diarrhea, or if they feel too sick with a sore throat, cough, runny nose, etc. to participate in class. Keep them home, give them time to rest and do not send them back to school until they are 24 hours free of vomiting, fever, and diarrhea without the use of medication AND feeling well enough to participate in the school day. Please read this illness letter that was sent home earlier this year about the common illnesses we’re seeing this time of year. IDPH and CDC have asked us to remind you to make sure you and your students are up to date on your flu and COVID immunizations (and RSV vaccine for infants or older adults).
If your child will not be attending school due to illness or any other reason, please report it to the school absence line at any time and leave a message stating the reason for the absence. We want everyone to be healthy for the last week of school before break and want to help everyone have a healthy holiday season.
Thank you!
Calling All 3rd, 4th and 5th Grade Spellers!
The Washington Spelling Bee is approaching! The Spelling Bee will take place Thursday, January 18 at 4:00pm in the MPR. Please see the attached flyer for more information. If your child is interested in participating, please be sure to fill out the online registration form before Thursday, December 21 if you would like to have a study guide for over winter break. Study Guides will be emailed home upon registration and hard copies will be available by request in the LRC.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Joyce & Mrs. Jaffe
Washington Holiday Sing
Our students have practicing for the Holiday Sing during their music classes and can't wait to perform for you! Thank you to our wonderful music team, Ms. Manchur and Ms. Gorcik, for all of their hard work in preparing for the special day!
Holiday sing performances will take place on Wednesday, December 20th at 9:00 AM for Kindergarten and Third Grade, 10:00 AM for Fourth and Second Grades, and 1:15 PM for First and Fifth Grades. Families are asked to enter through Door 4 in the gym. Doors will open ten minutes prior to the concert times unless the 9:00 AM show runs behind in which case they will open as soon as possible.
To help our students with sensory needs feel safe at Holiday Sing, we will be asking for "sign language applause" in lieu of traditional clapping applause. You can see what this looks like in the video below. Students know that this applause is coming and are happy to help their classmates participate in Holiday Sing to their fullest capacity. Thank you for helping out our Washington community!
There is no specific dress code for Holiday Sing, but many families choose to dress up. Please do what makes you comfortable, happy, and is what is best for your family.
We look forward to inviting you to Washington on December 20th and celebrating the hard work of our students and staff!
Calling All Young Authors in D64!
Are you an aspiring young author ready to share your work with others? If you love to write and share your stories with others, then consider taking part in the Young Authors Contest! This is a great opportunity to share your writing talent with our school community! The Young Authors Contest is an independent, voluntary at-home project for students interested in writing and publishing their work for others to read. See here for more details!
Upcoming Events
Pizza Orders Due - December 17
Board of Education Meeting - December 21
Holiday Sing, December 20
Winter Break, December 23 - January 7
MLK Day - January 15
PTO Meeting - January 17
Washington Open House - February 15