Greeley Greeting

Dear Families,

Welcome back! I hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable long weekend, and that it offered a chance to rest and reconnect with loved ones.

Last week, I had the joy of sharing lunch with two wonderful Greeley students—the lucky winners of the PTO Parent Party Raffle for “Lunch with the Principal.” It was a delightful and memorable experience!

As a reminder, the Parent Placement Survey will close this Friday. If you have any input to share as we begin drafting class lists for next year, please be sure to complete the form before the deadline.

Finally, in celebration of Arbor Day, we’ll be hosting a special tree planting ceremony this Friday with students from Ms. Schwartz’s and Ms. Pierce’s classes. Keep reading below for more details about this event and other important updates.

Warmly,
Principal Kopinski

April

• 4/7-4/30 One School One Book
• 4/25 Half Day (11:20am dismissal)
• 4/29 Parent Coffee Talk

May

• 5/5-5/23 Spring Benchmark Window
• 5/6 Greeley Spring Sings for Grade 1 and Grade 2
• 5/7 Greeley Spring Sings for Grade 3, 4, and K
• 5/22 Kindergarten Open House, 6:15pm (For Incoming K families)
• 5/26 Memorial Day (No School)
• 5/30 Otus parent portal opens

In celebration of Arbor Day, students from Ms. Schwartz’s and Ms. Pierce’s classes will take part in a special tree planting ceremony this Friday at 11:00 a.m. Partnering with the village and a local treekeeper, we will plant a tree—chosen by our students—at the front of the school.

A dedicated group of students has volunteered to care for the tree, ensuring it stays watered and healthy for the next two years.

If you're available and would like to join us, we’d love to have you there! Please meet us outside at the front of the school at 11:00 a.m. on Friday.

ATTENTION all rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, reptiles, birds and other small animals! Winnetka's Adventures in Learning/Animal Care Class is back and looking for animals to get some love and attention from our teachers and students. If (you or) your child's small animal is due for a brief break this summer, please email Anna at animal.care.adventures@gmail.com. We can also attempt to arrange adoptions if it is time to pass your pet on to another loving family.

Kindergarten-2nd Grade Literacy: Connecting our Teaching and Learning to Progressive Education

May 14, 2024

9:30 A.M.

Location: Skokie Community Room

Families are invited to a session highlighting literacy instruction in The Winnetka Public Schools. Dr. Becky Mathison, Assistant Superintendent for Innovation, Teaching & Learning, and District educators will lead a discussion on the literacy research and neuroscience that underpins the foundational skills and knowledge-building approach to acquiring basic literacy. Together, we will explore how early childhood literacy efforts in The Winnetka Public Schools align with current best practices, as well as the Tenets of Progressive Education:Whole Child Approach, Experiential and Meaningful Learning, and Collaborative Community. Parents will leave with a greater understanding of what to expect in Kindergarten through 2nd grade, as well as how to best support their budding readers at home.

Interested:

RSVP for this event here

Feedback Link

Season 3, Episode #9: “Gen Alpha Spills the Tea on Middle School”

Dr. Kelly Tess, Superintendent, interviews The Skokie School students Andrew, Anya, and Sawyer about the middle school experience in 2025. This candid conversation ranges from what students wish adults understood about today's tweens, strategies to manage busy schedules and homework, how personal technology impacts communication (i.e. it is apparently no longer socially acceptable to ring a friend's doorbell to see if they are available to play), what it really means to be a well-rounded student, and reflections on how the adults in their lives best support them. As Sawyer shares, “In this generation, this is not really what kids do: kicking a tire, throwing a rock or playing hopscotch in the street.” Don’t miss this special episode!

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Listen here:

Apple Podcast

Amazon

Spotify

iHeart

Thursday, April 24th

Open House from 4:30 – 6:00 PM

Location: The Skokie School

Join WPSF to celebrate their 30th Birthday Bash at their annual event! This free, family-friendly, open house will highlight grants from the year - 30 for 30 – (new micro grants), grants in action from last year and beyond, as well as announcing the newly approved grants! Enjoy live music from our students and a Homer's ice cream bar!

Please register by clicking here.

Rehearsals are underway, and we’re looking forward to welcoming you back to the Greeley auditorium for our Spring Sing Performances in early May! Please see the updated schedule below:

Tuesday, May 6

• Grade 1 6:00–6:30 PM

• Grade 2 6:40-7:10 PM

Wednesday, May 7

• Kindergarten: 5:30–5:55 PM

• Grades 3: 6:00–6:25 PM

• Grade 4: 6:30-7:00 PM

With our growing school population, and an auditorium capacity of about 300 seats, we kindly ask that each family limit attendance to no more than four guests per student. This will help ensure that every student has loved ones in the audience cheering them on. We expect a full house!

Thank you for your support and cooperation—we can’t wait to celebrate our students' hard work and talents with you!

As we begin planning for the upcoming school year, our team is already hard at work with hiring and scheduling. Another important part of our preparation is the development of classroom rosters.

As in past years, we welcome and value parent input as part of this process. Families of students entering grades 1–4 are invited to complete the Parent Input Survey by Friday, April 25. This is an opportunity to share any insights that might help us better understand your child’s needs—such as academic strengths, areas for growth, social dynamics, or significant family experiences.

Please note that requests for specific teachers will not be accommodated.

• Families of students entering 5th grade will receive a separate communication from The Skokie School regarding feedback.

• For incoming Kindergarten students, feedback will be collected later this year through a separate form for families who have completed registration. If you haven’t yet registered and would like to provide input, please complete your child’s registration with the district office as soon as possible.

Final classroom rosters will be shared with families in late August, as we continue to monitor enrollment, potential staffing changes, and other adjustments that may arise over the summer.

Thank you for your partnership in supporting a successful start to the new school year!

It’s time to order your 2024-25 Greeley Memory Book! Please use the link below. Order now through May 1. If you have any questions or problems, or if your child would like a book but the cost is a financial hardship, please email greeleymemorybook@gmail.com

School Hours:

8:20am | Morning supervision begins

8:30am | School Doors open

8:37am | School promptly begins

2:10pm | Extended day kindergarten dismissal (Monday-Friday)

2:45pm | Grades 1-4 & Stay and Play kindergarten dismissal (Mondays only)

3:15pm | Grades 1-4 & Stay and Play kindergarten dismissal (Tuesday-Friday)

Office Email: gordonschreiber@winnetka36.org

Location: 275 Fairview Avenue Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone: (847)-446-6060