Greenbriar Gazette 1/24/25

Volume 34 Issue 20 | January 24, 2025
Principal's Message
Dear Greenbriar Families,
We had a bit of a "squirrely" week due to the extreme cold but we enjoyed getting together in our Packs yesterday to sing "Jambo Bwana" in honor of our friends in Kenya. I'll share our mash up video of all of the Packs singing as soon as it's finished. As a reminder, we're raising money in honor of our 75th anniversary for Education for All Children (EFAC), a non-profit organization that helps to fund quality education for children in Kenya, including some of the students at our sister school, Spurgeon's Academy. We're encouraging a $25 donation (or whatever you can!) for each student/family--feel free to donate here. Our friends at EFAC shared the Jambo song with us as a way of connecting our students with theirs and we look forward to sharing our video with them.
With the colder weather these past few weeks, we have realized that we would benefit from some new indoor recess equipment. Before purchasing, we thought we'd ask if any families would like to donate any gently used (or new!) options of any of the following toys: plastic dolls, board games, card games, Magnatiles and Legos. If you're planning an early spring clean out and would like to donate, please drop off the items in the main office. Thank you!
We're excited to have had more than 40 students sign up to participate in Science Night next week! All friends and family are invited to attend Science Night to see the great work our students have been doing--we hope to see many of you there on Thursday, 1/30 from 6-7pm. Big thanks to our PTO committee for organizing a fun and educational night for our community!
The weather looks to be back in the 30s and 40s next week and we'll definitely be ready to appreciate some time outside. I hope you all have a great weekend!
Warmly,
Ginny
Mr. Bartunek and Mr. Blair's Packs combined to record perform Jambo Bwana on Thursday!
News & Notes
STEM Club After School for 3rd-5th Graders
Does your child love science, technology, engineering, and math? We are starting a new STEM Club after school! Come to Ms. Maness' room for interactive, hands-on activities and experiments that include creating, building, coding, and more! The club will be led by Sanaa Munkhbayar, a GBN High School volunteer and sponsored by Ms. Maness and Mrs. Tucker. The club will run for one hour every Thursday from 3:35-4:35. If you are in grades 3-5, sign up now! Please sign up at this link by January 30th. Please note, there is a $10 lab fee to cover the cost of supplies. Please send cash or check payable to Greenbriar School. Please enclose your fee in an envelope with your child's name and STEM Club clearly written on the front. As spots are limited, students will be selected at random. We will notify you via email if your student was selected on Jan. 31st.
Valentine's Day *repeat*
This year, classrooms will celebrate Valentine's Day in a variety of ways--teachers will reach out to families with details. Students are always welcome to bring Valentine's cards for their peers. If your child chooses to do so, please remember the following guidelines:
- We cannot pass out Valentine's cards that include food or candy of any kind. If your child has cards with food or candy, we will have to return them.
- Please be sure to include a card for every student in your child's classroom to ensure everyone feels included. Teachers can send a list of first names, if needed, so your child can be sure to have a Valentine's card for everyone.
- As a reminder, we will not have PTO-sponsored Valentine's parties this year. We have moved the final PTO-sponsored classroom party to 3/21 to celebrate spring.
- We have no school on Valentine's Day, 2/14, so classrooms will celebrate earlier in the week. Again, teachers will share details for their specific classes.
5th Grade Celebrations *repeat*
It's the time of year when we start planning for how to celebrate our 5th graders as they finish their time at Greenbriar. Parents of 5th graders, please plan for our last day of school activities on the (anticipated) last day of June 3rd.
8:15--5th Grade Breakfast at Greenbriar
10:00--Golden Folder Ceremony
10:45 (or immediately following the ceremony)--5th Grade Video Viewing in the auditorium
Please note, due to the capacity of our large gym, each 5th grader will only receive two tickets for guests to attend the Golden Folder ceremony. We have to be strict about this guest limit for safety. We will also be live streaming this event on our YouTube channel. Please reach out to Dr. Hiltz with any questions.
February 5th World Read Aloud Day & Read-a-thon Fundraiser *repeat*
In honor of World Read Aloud Day and Greenbriar's 75th Anniversary, we'll be hosting a read-a-thon fundraiser on February 5th. Students will have the chance to read all day during school, listen to guest readers, visit with authors via Zoom, and raise money for Education for All Children (EFAC), a non-profit that helps to fund educational opportunities for children in Kenya. Click here for more information!
It’s easy to donate! There is no need for your child to ask for pledges or keep track of reading minutes. We are suggesting a one-time donation of $25 per child/family to help toward our goal of raising $7,500 for EFAC this year. We welcome any donations families can provide! Donate via our District 28 Webstore at the link below, by clicking on the Read-a-Thon link and then "register for this class." You can also write a check made out to District 28 and send to the Greenbriar office. Thank you for the support!
Parent Resources: The Anxious Generation
Northbrook Junior High Principal Dr. Scott Meek and Greenbriar Principal Dr. Ginny Hiltz held a book discussion on The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt on Jan. 22.
Haidt discusses a clear formula that has contributed to the rise in childhood anxiety: The decline of play, which has resulted in more supervised play that has prevented children from the chance to explore, test and expand their limits, build close friendships through shared adventure, and learn how to judge risks for themselves. Add in the use of the smartphone, which became common in 2010, and you have the great rewiring of childhood. Haidt refers to this as a generational crisis.
Their presentation provides an overview of the book and resources for parents trying to navigate technology and social media with their children.
Download the presentation and links to resources.
Coming soon: The next Insight28 Podcast with Dr. Meek and Dr. Hiltz discussing the book and offering school and parent perspectives.
Parent Teacher Conference Scheduler Opens Jan. 29
The winter parent-teacher conferences for K-5 will be held on February 12 from 4:30-6:30 in-person and 6:30-7:30 via Zoom and on February 13 from 1-3 p.m. via Zoom and 3-8 p.m. in-person. Pick-A-Time Scheduler will open at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 29, and close at 7 p.m. Feb. 10. Watch for an email you will receive from Data Specialist Lisa Brown on Jan. 27 with instructions and a link to the scheduler.
Learn About the April 1 Referendum
Podcast Discusses The Building Plan
Superintendent of Schools Dr. Jason Pearson talks with Chief School Business Official Jessica Donato and two leaders of the community committee Building Tomorrow Together, Tamara Reese and Steve Szumokski. This episode will cover how the district determined the extent of building needs, funding issues and how the Board of Education involved the community in formulating a plan.
Visit northbrook28.net/referendum for more information. Listen to the podcast now by clicking on the link or find it on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or Spotify.
Questions?
Submit questions to d28communications@northbrook28.net
Kindergarten Registration Starts Feb. 3
Online registration for children who will be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2025 will be held February 3-10. Parents can prepare for online registration by downloading and completing the registration forms listed on the Kindergarten Registration webpage. If you are unsure which school your children will attend, review the district boundary map.
Please visit the Kindergarten Registration webpage for more information or contact Administration Assistant Catherine Janus.
Music Parents Club
Volunteers Needed For Concert Greeeters
Volunteering with the Music Parent Club is low commitment and HIGH REWARD! We need greeters for Winter and Spring concerts. Our volunteer committee chairs will provide clear communication for what is expected of you and plenty of reminders! The Bottom line is we need YOU, a small amount of time and all of the love and enthusiasm you give for your kid.
· GREETERS: One of the cornerstones of our program is greeting families at all concerts. We want to welcome families, set up the photo booth for students and then pass out treats to musicians and siblings at the conclusion of the concert. Parents who volunteer at the concerts will be able to reserve up to 4 seats for that concert.
Sign Up To Be A Greeter Today!
Thank you for your support,
Tamara Reese
President, Music Parents Club
PTO News
The PTO will be sending a weekly update on Mondays...you can also always find the latest news and updates on the PTO website.
Bring/Bake to Support Staff During Conferences
If you're interested in helping to supply drinks, snacks and/or desserts for staff during conferences, please sign up here.
BINGO Night Save the Date 2/26
See the flier below for more info about February's BINGO Night!
Exciting Service Projects Ahead!
We are thrilled to announce some upcoming service projects that will provide meaningful experiences for our students. Building on last year's incredible success—when our students packaged over 1,300 meals and created more than 1,600 bracelet kits for various organizations—we are eager to make this year even more impactful.
We are partnering again with several nonprofits to facilitate these projects, and we are reaching out to you for support.
To ensure that each student can fully participate, we kindly ask for a suggested donation of $25 per student. This contribution will help us cover the costs of materials and supplies necessary for the service activities.
We also encourage you to share this opportunity with grandparents and extended family members who may want to contribute and help support this meaningful effort.
Your generous donation will make a direct difference in the success of these projects and the impact they have on both our students and the communities they serve.
Please contribute by February 21st!
Thank you for your continued support!
Upcoming Events
- January 24: PTO Pizza and Spirit Wear Day!
- January 28: Board of Education meeting, 7pm
- January 30: Science Night @ 6:00-7:00pm
- January 31: PTO Pizza and Spirit Wear Day!
- February 4th: 100th Day of School!
- February 5th: World Read Aloud Day/ Read-a-thon Fundraiser
- February 6th: 5th Grade Reading Response Assessment
- February 7th: PTO Pizza and Spirit Wear Day!
- February 11th: 3rd Grade Math Problem Solving Set Assessment
- February 11th: PTO meeting @ 8:45
- February 12th & 13th: Parent-teacher Conferences
- February 13th: Half Day of School, 12:00 Dismissal
- February 14th: NO SCHOOL
Multilingual Families Meeting - Please Complete Survey
Please join us for our second Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting this school year on Thursday, February 6, 2025! The meeting will take place at the District Office, located at 1475 Maple Avenue, in the HOH room, from 6:30–7:30 p.m. Please complete this brief survey by Monday, February 3rd.
Mark Your Calendars for Important Events!
You can also visit Greenbriar.northbrook28.net calendar to add these events to your personal device.
Virtual Backpack
District 28 invites local non-profit organizations and community government agencies to promote events for families and children. Each week, some event are highlighted in the newsletter. View the complete list of events on the Virtual Backpack web page. To submit an event, please email the web-friendly flier to Terry Ryan, Communications Director. All fliers are subject to approval.
Join The Northstars Tribe
Join our new group of Northbrook Dads as we camp and create lasting memories with our daughters. A sample of events for you and your daughter include:
- Beginner-friendly campouts in Spring, Fall, and Winter
- Build and race a car in a pinewood derby
- Volunteer your and your daughter's time for great causes
- Spend the day exploring corn mazes, gathering at the campfire, and other fun activities at Richardsons Adventure Farm
Our group is part of the Algonquin Longhouse and we gather for monthly Northbrook-area events and larger events with other northern suburb groups. Come make friends, meet other dads, and bond with your daughter on adventures she will never forget.
For more information, email Kiel Loysen at northstar@algonquinlonghouse.org
Overparenting UnPlugged: How to Let Kids Thrive
Are you ready to rethink what it means to support your kids? Inspired by Emily Oster’s podcast, Raising Parents, CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, will tackle the challenges of over-parenting in today’s world. In this interactive session, we’ll dive into why the culture of helicopter parenting isn’t working and how we can shift toward a healthier, more empowering approach -to let your kids—and yourself—thrive. Register for the Zoom Presentation.
Pickleball For A Purpose CATCH Fundraiser
What: Pickle for a Purpose
When: Friday, February 28, 2025, 5:00pm-9:00 pm
Where: Pickleball4All, 2105 Johns Court, Glenview, IL 60025
Come play, nibble, get some custom-printed swag, and enjoy an evening benefiting CATCH. MANDO Consulting, a long-time friend of CATCH, is hosting the evening so that 100% of the registration fees are donated to CATCH.
Community Wellness Fair
The District 27 PTA is excited to invite the Northbrook community to its annual Wellness Fair! With over 25 vendors and school-sponsored activities on site, you’ll have the opportunity to learn, engage, and access valuable resources to support your family’s well-being. Parents and kids are welcome!
Time: 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Date: Saturday, February 22 Location: Wood Oaks Junior High, 1250 Sanders Road, Northbrook