The Skokie Home Scoop
August 29, 2022
August 29, 2022
Dear Skokie Community:
It has been a joy to welcome students back into the school community in the past week. We are looking forward to welcoming families to Skokie’s annual Go to School Night. Below, please find information regarding the schedule for Thursday as well as important updates connected to the beginning of the school year.
Skokie Go to School Night: Thursday, September 1; 6:00-7:30 p.m.
The goal of this event is to give parents an opportunity to get to know their children’s teachers better as educators, understand more about what their child’s school day looks like, and learn how their children’s teachers will be communicating with them.
Schedule:
6:00-6:30: 6th grade Advisory and Academic Presentations/5th grade Exploratory Time
6:35-6:55: Skokie Parent Presentation in auditorium/Michelle Cooney and Larry Joynt
6:15-7:15: Exploratory and related service teachers on front lawn
7:00-7:30: 5th grade Advisory and Academic Presentations/6th grade Exploratory Time
7:30 PTO Welcome Event for families at Elm Park
Locations: Please see below
Curriculum Summaries outline the philosophies, learning outcomes, and experiences of each aspect of a grade level's curriculum. Find each of the updated summaries on the district website.
Safety Reminder
Now that the school year has started, we’ve noticed some safety pieces that we’d like to remind everyone about. Please know that our crossing guards do their best to make sure traffic keeps moving, but most importantly, their role is to help students safely cross the intersections. We need your partnership in order to make drop-off and pick-up as efficient and safe as possible.
When crossing guards are in the street, cars should not be driving through intersections, including turning right. We’ve also had a few instances of cars doing u-turns during pick-up, including going into the intersection or crosswalk to do so. Please follow the flow of traffic and refrain from doing u-turns during pick-up and drop-off. Please also make sure you are completely out of the intersection and crosswalks before stopping to park and wait for your child. Students should not be entering vehicles from the street side of the car. Students are often coming from multiple directions, and it’s important that all traffic is stopped and out of the intersections and crosswalks as students are crossing.
Schedule Reminder
Mondays: 8:25am-2:30pm
Tuesdays-Fridays: 8:25am-3:30pm
Lunch
Marla’s Lunch begins Monday, August 29
Lunch orders are due for the following week by Wednesday.
6th gr. Health Forms: Important!
For our parents of incoming sixth graders, this is a reminder to submit your child’s recent physical exam with vaccinations and their most recent dental report before the first day of school. Here is a link to more information: 6th Grade Health Forms Instructions
For any questions, please email our school nurse, Marianne Siegel, at mariannesiegel@winnetka36.org
We appreciate your support in meeting this state requirement. Thank you to those who have already submitted their forms!
Chorus meets weekly on Wednesdays after school until 4:05pm in the auditorium. We will start rehearsals on Wednesday, Sept. 14.
KW Uniforms
Just a reminder that our 6th Graders will be wearing KW uniforms again this year. If you have not done so already, please use this link to order. Orders that were previously placed have been shipped and will arrive at school to then be distributed to students at school during the beginning days of school. If you have any questions regarding an order that has been placed, please call Carol Zalinski (847-441-1750) at Skokie School.
Downsized Capital Improvement Plan
At the August 16 Meeting, the School Board approved a resolution to move forward with placing the $59.4MM referendum on the November 8, 2022 ballot. If this referendum should pass, it would fund the following work at our schools:
Updated safety components, including secure entry vestibules
Upgraded HVAC systems to improve air quality, air flow, temperature control and energy efficiency
Accessibility for all students, staff and visitors that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Electrical wiring and panel upgrades to support technology and improve energy efficiency
Plumbing replacements to address fixtures that have reached the end of their useful life
The addition of a multipurpose room/cafeteria at Hubbard Woods
Removal of the temporary trailers at Crow Island and the subsequent addition of three permanent classrooms
Repurposing of the current gym to serve as a multipurpose room/cafeteria and the subsequent addition of a gym at Crow Island
Extension of the useful life of existing facilities and proactive reduction of costly emergency repairs
This letter from the Board and Superintendent was shared on Wednesday, August 17 with the community.
To view the presentation video, please click here.
To view the presentation slides, please click here.
In an effort to ensure that our community is well-informed, we look forward to hosting Informational Sessions on the following dates (all are welcome):
Virtual:
Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m. (Zoom details to follow)
In person:
Weds., Sept. 21 at 6:30 p.m. (Crow Island--followed by tour)
Sat., Oct. 8 from 9-10 a.m. (Hubbard Woods--followed by tour)
Monday, October 17 at 9:30 a.m. (Crow Island)
Wednesday, Oct. 19 at 6:30 p.m. (Hubbard--followed by tour)
Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 6:30 p.m. (Crow)
Virtual:
Tuesday, Nov. 1 at noon (Zoom details to follow)
Health Form Reminder
Insurance for Student Devices (Deadline is September 2, 2022)
Students in grades K-8 have the option of purchasing iPad coverage at a cost of $25, for accidental damage or a lost/stolen device. Click here for cost comparison. Coverage may be purchased up until the end of the day on Friday, September 2, 2022. After that date it will no longer be available for current students to purchase. Click here to sign up.
Bus Registration Re-Opens on September 6:
If you have not registered and paid for the bus yet for this school year there is still time to do so. Registration for bus service will reopen on Tuesday, September 6th. An email will be sent with the link to register your child along with the bus routes and stops.
Parent Education Sessions from District Partner Family Action Network (FAN):
For upcoming events, access FAN’s website here.
Follow us on Social Media!
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
Sincerely,
Michelle Cooney and Larry Joynt
Principal and Assistant Principal
The Skokie School