Gower West News

We are inviting you to complete the Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey. The information you share will help guide improvement as we strive to inspire each student to realize their potential through the instruction and opportunities we provide at Gower West Elementary School. Your participation in this survey is voluntary but crucial. The more parent feedback we receive, the more we will know how to focus our efforts toward the improvements you want.

Gower West students in grades 2 & 3 will be tested next week and 4th grade the following week on the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT). This battery of tests assesses the reasoning and problem-solving skills of students. The results of CogAT are generally used to predict the success of students in school, and indicate the level of understanding, reasoning and problem-solving abilities in chiefly three different areas – verbal, quantitative, and nonverbal. The testing will take place for three test sessions over the course of the week.

You can help your child do his/her best during the testing by:

• making sure, if possible, that your child attends school on the days of testing

• making sure that your child gets a good night’s sleep each night before testing

• reminding your child to ask the teacher questions if he/she does not understand the test directions

• letting your child know that you are confident in his/her ability to do his/her best

• advising your child not to worry about the test-just do the best he/she can.

Test results from the CogAT tests will be sent home to parents in late May. Please remember that these test results are only one indicator of your child’s learning; classroom assessments and teacher observations also provide valuable information about your child’s achievement.

If you have any questions regarding the testing program, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or me. Thank you for your cooperation.

In celebration of Black History Month, the students at Gower West were able to listen to the talented Gower Middle Jazz Band.

Please remember to send your child to school dressed for the weather! We will venture outside each day as long as the "real feel" temperature is higher than 15 degrees (according to weather.com). We highly encourage students to wear hats, gloves, snow pants and warm coats daily!

When snow is on the ground, snow pants and boots are required to play in the field. (Those students without snow pants and boots will play on the plowed blacktop or playground equipment.) We are outside for 25 minutes so bundle up! Playing outside is always more enjoyable when we are warm!

Our lost and found is always full of items. Most of the items do not have a name on them. Please write your child's name on tags of sweatshirts and water bottles. PTO is starting a year long fundraiser for labels. These are great products that allow you to wash (laundry or dishwasher) and put a name or information on them easily.

Front Row Frenzy 2025

Purchase raffle entry for chance to win FRONT ROW seats to events this school year! Each winner will have up to 6 reserved front row seats and one premier parking spot. For the events with no seating, you can win one reserved premier parking spot. Each event will have 4 winners. You can purchase unlimited entries for your chance to win!

February 27th: 4th Grade Event Parking

Stop selling entries 2/24 at 11:59pm and draw winner 2/25 at 8am

http://go.rallyup.com/grade4

Text code “grade4” to 33100

March 13th: Kindergarten Music Program

Stop selling entries 3/10 at 11:59pm and draw winner 3/11 at 8am

http://go.rallyup.com/kindergarten

Text code “kindergarten” to 33100

March 26th: 3rd Grade Wax Museum Parking

Stop selling entries 3/23 at 11:59pm and draw winner 3/11 at 8am

http://go.rallyup.com/grade3

Text code “grade3” to 33100

Thank you to all who donated at the Gower 62 Blood Drive on February 14th! We exceeded our goal set by the American Red Cross and collected 29 units of blood. Per the Red Cross, this amount can impact hundreds of lives. We appreciate all the love shared on Valentine’s Day! Please reach out to Beth Jankowski (imanot2@hotmail.com) and/or Meredith Mosconi (Masigler@gmail.com) if you would like to help with the next blood drive.