October 2024

Dear Winnetka Families, Staff, and Community Members,

What do you remember most about your elementary school experience? Chances are, it may be an activity that was immersive and hands-on–whether it was dressing as a figure from American history or Greek mythology, crafting a homemade volcano and staging an eruption with the help of Mentos and Coke, creating a film or planting seeds to monitor their growth. If you attended The Winnetka Public Schools, you likely participated in many of the experiential learning activities our students continue to enjoy (such the Butterfly Migration, tending to baby chicks and exploring the Pioneer Room).

105 years since Superintendent Carleton Washburne introduced the philosophy to The Winnetka Public Schools, we remain deeply rooted in the Tenets of Progressive Education:

• A Whole Child Approach
• Experiential & Meaningful Learning
• Collaborative Community

Please take a moment to watch this brief video to learn more:

We are proud that the Winnetka community has supported best practices in education, and are deeply committed to continuing the legacy of Progressive Education for the next generation of students in our schools.

Most Sincerely,

Dr. Kelly Tess

Superintendent of Schools

Feedback Requested by Friday, November 1!

Thank you to those families who were able to join our leader round tables, hosted at all five buildings. We’ve included a link to the slides as well as a link to a feedback form including questions that were asked at the event. Feedback will be synthesized and shared out in an upcoming principal newsletter. We will then follow-up leading up to Fall Conferences in a subsequent newsletter with ways we are being responsive to the feedback.

Crow Island Slides and Google Form

Greeley Slides and Google Form

Hubbard Woods Slides and Google Form

Skokie Slides and Google Form

Washburne Slides and Google Form

The next School Board meeting will be held at Carleton Washburne School on October 29, 2024. The Regular Meeting is at 7:15 p.m.

The following presentation is on the Regular Meeting agenda:

Annual Goals & School Improvement Plan/District Improvement 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.

October is National Principals Month and the Illinois Principals Association (IPA) observes Principal Appreciation Week October 20-26, 2024. To highlight the the contributions of our building Administrators, the first five episodes of Season Three of the District’s podcast Winnetka Voices, feature Ms. Ivory Ajavon (Principal of Hubbard Woods School), Ms. Lindsay Kopinski (Principal of Greeley School), Ms. Michelle Cooney and Mr. Larry Joynt (Principal and Assistant Principal of The Skokie School), Dr. Andrew Fenton and Mr. Ben Horwitz (Principal and Assistant Principal of Carleton Washburne School) and Dr. Luke Livingston (Principal of Crow Island School).

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.

Listen here:

Apple Podcast

Amazon

Spotify

iHeart

We are committed to promoting a sense of belonging within our community, knowing the important link this has to well-being, mental health and personal safety. Students, staff and families who feel represented and welcomed in the community are more likely to remain engaged, feel safe and supported. Goal Area 2 of the District’s Strategic Plan focuses on positive culture and well-being, with specific language committing us to promote an inclusive culture and understanding of others. The Monthly Observances were adopted in Fall 2023 as a means to promote belonging by acknowledging the diversity of representation in our community and a variety of representative identity groups as modeled by similar calendars developed by Harvard and Northwestern Universities. In addition this school year, The Winnetka Public Schools will take each month to further explore what it means to have a sense of belonging using the Vanderbilt University research-based Ten Dimensions of Belonging which offers 10 ways schools can foster belonging for all. Districtwide, one Dimension of Belonging will be highlighted each month.

October is Disability Awareness Month. This is a time to celebrate the stories, achievements and contributions of individuals with disabilities. The Dimension of Belonging that we are focusing on this month is "Invited." Click here to find October’s edition of the newsletter Belonging Means… to learn more.

The District offers regular sessions for families to learn more about a variety of topics. View the entire 2024/2025 schedule here.

Up Next:

AI Literacy Lessons for Grades 5-8

November 13, 2024

9:30 A.M.

Location: Washburne Cafeteria

UNESCO, in their 2021 report entitled AI and education: Guidance for policy-makers stated that:

“AI is said to be a key enabler of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0)…A recent global estimate suggests that 30% of work activities could be automated by 2030. Up to 375 million workers worldwide could be affected...Meanwhile, however, AI and other frontier technologies are increasing the range of high-skill jobs that require unique creative and analytical abilities and human interactions. In short, many workers’ jobs might disappear, and they will need to develop new skill sets – upskilling or reskilling – to enable them to enter the new occupations made possible by AI. Education ministries and training providers need to anticipate these changes, equipping today’s workers and preparing new generations with the necessary technical and social job skills, to smooth the transition to a world dominated by AI, while ensuring social sustainability.”

Artificial Intelligence is “out of the toothpaste tube” and is not going back in. In response, we’ll share with parents the steps we’re taking to increase the literacy of our students of Artificial Intelligence and how we’re preparing them to be responsible users of this tool. RSVP here.

If you missed it, view videos from past sessions:

Insights on K-8 Literacy Programming in The Winnetka Public Schools

What to Know About the Otus Parent Portal

Download the District’s app by searching “The Winnetka Public Schools” on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. The app serves as a convenient way to report absences, view and manage your school calendars, and see at-a-glance District news.

To view the calendar for the 2024/2025 school year, please click here.

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

Instagram: @WinnetkaPublicSchools

LinkedIn: @TheWinnetkaPublicSchools

Facebook and X: @Winnetka36