September:
Wednesday, September 25th | Picture Day
Thursday, September 26th | Go to School Night, 6pm
October:
- Thursday, October 3rd | Rosh Hashanah - No School
- Tuesday, October 8th | Practice Lockdown Drill
- Wednesday, October 9th | Cloud Man Production; Filament Theatre
- Thursday, October 10th | PTO Run-a-Thon
- Friday, October 11th | Fire Drill & Fire Prevention Assembly with Winnetka Fire Department.
Monday Spirit Days:
As a reminder, every Monday is considered a Crow Island Spirit Wear Day. Staff and students are encouraged to participate.
Fall Benchmark Assessments Begin This Week!
Benchmark assessments are valuable tools that provide a snapshot of student progress at a point in time. These assessments help teachers to identify areas where students are excelling and where they may need additional support. They can also inform instructional decisions by providing data that can be used to tailor teaching to meet each student's unique needs and strengths. Benchmark assessments are an important component of progressive education, which recognizes that students learn in different ways and at different rates. By using benchmark assessments to inform instruction, teachers can provide a more individualized approach to learning that supports each student's academic growth and personal development.
This year students in Grades K-8 will participate in academic benchmark assessments of literacy, math and social emotional learning starting September 16th. After the close of the window at the end of the month, results will be available online for parents via Otus.com, a digital portal. Assessment reports will not be mailed home. Information about how to access information on Otus.com will be shared with parents at the close of the benchmark window.
New! K-8 Literacy Program Con’t
Last week’s Principal Newsletter featured some highlights about what the new literacy program is designed to do to support student learning and growth. With this change, the units at each grade level have new topics or themes.
The American Reading Company (ARC) begins with the Literacy Lab for grades K-6. This is a time when learning routines are established and teachers are able to get an initial understanding of current student performance in the areas of reading and writing. Following this first unit, each grade level has three units based on a theme.
Kindergarten- Zoology, Ecology, Entomology
1st- Wild & Endangered Animals, Family Stories, Plants
2nd- Bugs, Animal Stories, Join My Community
3rd- Weather & Climate, Traditional Tales, Marine Life
4th- Animal Adaptations, TBD (Mystery or American Historical Fiction), Sports and Society
5th- Ecosystems, Adventure, Civil War
6th- World Mythology, Geology, Fantasy, World Civilizations
Health From Due:
This is a friendly reminder that all medical forms required by the State of Illinois are overdue. You can find additional copies of the forms on the district website here.
Please see the information below:
State of Illinois Health Examination:
Kindergarten & Grade 6
Eye Examination:
Kindergarten
Dental Examination: Kindergarten, Grade 2
Questions? Email Nurse Hahn.
You’re Invited to Leader Round Tables at our Schools
We invite you to engage on important District and school-related topics with Dr. Tess and your building Principal. Please mark your calendar for the session at your home school(s) and kindly RSVP here:
Crow Island School
Thursday, October 10
6:30-7:30 p.m.
SSIS SEL Survey
The SSIS Student SEL Survey will be administered in grades K-8 the week of October 7th as part of our District-wide goal to support SEL for all students. The survey is aligned with Illinois state Social-Emotional Learning standards and will provide data to help inform our efforts to support the well-being of all students. The survey focuses on five core SEL competencies: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making. Students grades 3-8 will take the survey during their SEL/advisory time. Time will be dedicated during our October 7th staff meeting for teachers grades K-8 to complete the teacher portion of the SSIS survey. Additionally, all staff will be asked to complete the Teacher and Staff survey through Panorama which will focus on: wellbeing, belonging, school climate, and equity and inclusion.
Deadline to Register for Optional Fees, Programs or Services is September 30th!
These include:
Kindergarten Stay & Play
iPad Insurance
Elementary and Skokie Milk Fees
Central PTO Dues
ALL optional fees, programs or services are accessed via RevTrak https://winnetka.revtrak.net/.
Overview of Our Monthly Observances & the Ten Dimensions of Belonging
The Winnetka Public Schools are committed to the second goal area of our strategic plan focused on creating a culture of positive well-being for students, staff, and community. This includes promoting wellness for our school community and collaborating Districtwide to foster connection and belonging.
We are committed to continuing recognition of monthly observances and celebrations this year; however, we have made some revisions and additions based on feedback from our school community. A link to the official 2024/2025 calendar can be found here. The calendar was created to collectively raise awareness of the important days of commemoration across several events and faith traditions practiced by staff and families in the District. However, it should be noted that this is not a comprehensive list of all religious days or faith traditions observed in the community. If you would like to recommend a change or addition to this calendar for consideration in the future, please let us know via this online form.
September 15 to October 15 is National LatinX Heritage Month. This is a time to celebrate the cultures, achievements and contributions of LatinX, Hispanic and Latino-identified people whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.
In 2024/2025, we will further explore what it means to have a sense of belonging using the Vanderbilt University research-based Ten Dimensions of Belonging which offers 10 ways schools can foster belonging for all. Districtwide, we will focus on one dimension of belonging each month. September’s dimension is PRESENT. Staff are students are encouraged to reflect and take action regarding the following: Are all students, families, and staff involved in the same spaces and activities as their peers?
Bus Registration Reopens on Monday, September 16th and will close on September 30th with the rest of the optional fees!
ALL optional fees, programs or services are accessed via RevTrak https://winnetka.revtrak.net/.
Go to School Night:
We are looking forward to Go to School Night on Thursday, September 26th. All parents will start with message from Dr. Livingston in the auditorium and then teachers will run two presentations so that parents can attend based on their last name and work around any conflicts.
- 6:00 - 6:25pm All Parents Principal Message in Auditorium
- 6:30 -7:00pm. Last Name A-L; K-2 Classrooms | Last Name M-Z; 3rd-4th Classrooms
- 7:00 - 7:30pm. Last Name A-L; 3rd-4th Classroom | Last Name M-Z; K-2 Classrooms
The Winnetka Public Schools App
Download the District’s app by searching “The Winnetka Public Schools” on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. The app will serve as a convenient way to report absences, view and manage your school calendars, and see at-a-glance District news.
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
Contact Us
Email: christinedemas-hall@winnetka36.org
Website: https://crowisland.winnetka36.org/
Location: 1112 Willow Road Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone: (847)-446-0353
Twitter: @CrowIslandD36