Good Evening K9 Families,

What an amazing week it’s been! Students have been fully engaged in their learning and also had the opportunity to learn about Lunar New Year and its traditions. They explored how the holiday is celebrated and it was a wonderful way to expand their understanding of different cultures!

Looking ahead, we are excited to celebrate our 100th Day of School on Tuesday, February 4th! To mark this milestone, our staff will be dressing up as if they are 100 years old, and we encourage students to join in on the fun as well. It’s always a highlight of the year, and we can’t wait to see everyone’s creativity!

With Friendship Day coming up on February 14th, we want to remind families that students are welcome to bring Valentine’s Day cards. To ensure that everyone is included in the fun, students must bring cards for the entire class rather than select individuals. We also ask that cards remain general and not addressed to specific students. This will help make the celebration enjoyable and inclusive for all! Please also note that food items are not allowed.

In addition, we have several important updates and events to share, including STEAM Fair sign-ups, K9 Reading Challenge, nominations for the Awards of Excellence and Cheryl Ricciardi Awards, the District 202 Military Donation Drive, Ira Jones Family Game Night, the Canned Food Drive, and upcoming PTA events. Be sure to check out the information below for all the details.

Thank you for your continued support—we’re looking forward to another fantastic week ahead!

Children First,

Marie Zlotnikov, Principal

Samantha Helland, Assistant Principal

Follow us on Instagram at: wallinoaksk9s

Bundle up for winter fun! Students will enjoy outdoor recess whenever the temperature is above 20 degrees. When snow falls, please send your child with the "Magic 5": snow pants, jacket, gloves, hat, and boots, so they can make the most of their playtime.

We kindly ask all families to notify both the classroom teacher and the main office if your student will be absent for any reason. Clear communication helps us ensure accurate attendance records and maintain a safe, organized school environment.

Additionally, if there are any changes to your child’s transportation plans—such as switching from a bus rider to a car rider—please inform the main office directly. Our office staff will relay the information to the appropriate teacher.

Lastly, for the safety and efficiency of our drop-off procedure, please pull all the way forward in the car line and have students exit the vehicle on the side of the school.

Thank you for helping us keep everything running smoothly!

We kindly ask that families do not park at Ira Jones when dropping off students. Please be sure to pull into the designated car line to ensure a safe and smooth drop-off process for everyone. Following this procedure helps keep traffic flowing and ensures the safety of all students.

Additionally, please avoid pulling up to the front of the school before 8:30 a.m. Arriving early causes our preschool parents to get stuck in the car line. To help keep traffic flowing smoothly, please wait until after 8:30 before lining up to drop off students.

Please remember to turn off your car while waiting to pick up your student after school. Running cars pose a safety risk for students and teachers walking up and down the car lines, and it's also important to reduce the fumes in the air for everyone’s health. Thank you for helping us keep our school environment safe and healthy!

Calling all students! Sign ups are now open for this year's STEAM Fair! You have the opportunity to create and display a project in an area of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, or Mathematics.

See the Wallin Oaks STEAM Fair website for more details and registration link!

Join our K9 Reading Challenge! Students can use the Beanstack app to record their reading minutes. We are working together to read 10,000 minutes before the end of this school year. The Beanstack app can be accessed from Clever or from the link below. Next week in the library, students will learn all about the challenge. Feel free to take a look ahead of time and join our K9 Reading Challenge!

Click here for the K9 Reading Challenge on Beanstack (select "Log in with Clever)

If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Meier at jmeier@psd202.org

It’s time to recognize outstanding employees! Nominations are now open for the annual Board of Education Awards of Excellence and the Cheryl Ricciardi Exceptional Student Services Award.

Both awards will be presented at a special ceremony on April 9 at 7 p.m. at Plainfield High School-Central Campus.

📅 Nomination Deadline: February 10 at 5 p.m.

Click the link below for more details and to submit your nominations!

• Awards of Excellence
• Cheryl Riccardi Exceptional Student Services Award