May 17, 2024
Dear Families, Staff, and Community Members,
With nearly a month left in our school year, we are in the midst of preparing for graduation, presenting final projects, performing sings, celebrating retirees and welcoming new staff members, coordinating packing efforts prior to construction, and enjoying year-end traditions at each of our campuses. In light of the day-to-day busyness, we encourage you to reflect on a job well done as educators, parents and caregivers. Our students have been shaped by another year of learning and it is evident that you foster their growth and confidence in abundant ways each day.
Recently, a student at Greeley was overheard exclaiming that they were not able to do something yet. “It’s okay. I am here!,” their teacher reassured. In the spirit of Teacher Appreciation Week earlier this month, students and educators shared thoughts about what makes Winnetka teachers and our learning environments special:
“They really ARE the best!”
-Greeley 4th grader
“The teachers here spend time connecting with you. They care about us.”
-Washburne 7th grader
“They do really great projects for us.”
-Crow Island 3rd grader
“All of the teachers don’t keep you in a box, they let you wander out of the box and they do hands on activities.”
-Greeley 2nd grader
I learn a lot from her because she is kind and she teaches me ways we can improve our learning.
-Hubbard Woods 4th grader
I am so appreciative of the tremendous energy, creativity, commitment and connection of the team of educators at Skokie. I feel extremely honored and inspired to learn and lead at Skokie.
-Michelle Cooney, Principal at The Skokie School
“They really care if we’re learning the curriculum and understand it. They don’t want you to struggle. They want you to succeed and do well. They are really overall good people who really do care.”
-Washburne 7th grader
What I love about my colleagues is that they make me feel seen and welcome every single day that I come to work, and it is a great feeling.
-Florencia Lagos, Kindergarten Associate at Crow Island School
“She’s really kind and she helps you if you’re stuck…and she’s really caring.”
-Hubbard Woods 4th grader
“They are so funny. They have a fun way of learning. And each one is amazing.”
-Greeley 2nd grader
"I am so appreciative of the dedication of the Winnetka staff. They show it in their direct work with students in our schools as well as in the time spent working and collaborating together to better serve the community as a whole."
-Jeff Knapp, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Professional Learning
“She always greets me with a nice “Hi!!!” in the morning and she’s really kind to me and I love her so much.”
-Crow Island 3rd grader
“Whether I am learning something new from a colleague or bonding with my kids about the current trends, the connections here are real. Students love coming to school, which makes teaching here the biggest reward of all.”
-Ruthie Helmer, 5th grade teacher at The Skokie School
“All the teachers are very welcoming. When you come in they always say “Hi!” and “Good Morning!’”
-Greeley 4th grader
There’s so much joy! Can you imagine anything better!?”
-Annee Engelmann-Phillips, Reading Specialist at Hubbard Woods
I appreciate my colleagues in the District for their dedication, collaborative spirit, and the unique perspectives they bring students and staff daily.
-Eric Chan, Tech Integration Specialist at Washburne
“She’s sometimes a little bit cheesy…but that’s why I love her.”
-Hubbard Woods 4th grader
Our Portrait of an Educator says our teachers strive to be:
Relationship Builders
Collaborative
Learning Designers
Empathetic
Lifelong Learners
Adaptable
Advocates
We applaud how these competencies are lived out in our schools each day, and thank the Winnetka community for a longstanding commitment to excellence in education.
Most Sincerely,
Dr. Kelly Tess, Superintendent
P.S. Please join me on Wednesday, May 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. in The Skokie School Community Room for “Coffee with Kelly,” a community conversation hosted at our schools! Members of our social work and kinetic wellness teams will co-facilitate a discussion on creating a balanced summer for your family. RSVP here.
Join Us May 22 to Talk About Creating a Balanced Summer for Your Family🍦🏓🪁⛺⚽ 🍉🥍⛵⚽ 🚲 😎 🥏
Dr. Kelly Tess, Superintendent of Schools, invites you to our final “Coffee with Kelly” of the school year, a community conversation hosted at our schools! Staff, families and community members are welcome to join Dr. Tess and staff members from our social work and kinetic wellness teams for co-facilitated discussions on creating a balanced summer for your family. This is an opportunity to converse, connect, learn, and grow together!
Guests are invited to:
Read either of these two articles on the benefits of reading aloud:
and/or come as you are, excited to engage with your childrens’ teachers, your neighbors, and your school leaders!
Wednesday, May 22 from 9:30am to 10:30am
The Skokie School Community Room,
520 Glendale Ave., Winnetka
Please RSVP by Monday, May 20.
All staff and parents (including grandparents!) are welcome. You do not need to be a Skokie family or staff member to attend. Coffee will be served!
Season 2, Episode #6: Crow Island School at 85
Crow Island School, an internationally recognized beacon of Progressive Education, turns 85-years-old in 2025. Dr. Kelly Tess, Superintendent, reflects on the school’s enduring legacy with Dr. Luke Livingston, current Principal, and Dr. Julie Pfeffer, who served as Principal for 11 years. Listeners will also receive a review of extensive renovations that will occur in 2024-2025, retaining the building’s original historic details but, as Dr. Pfeffer notes, “allowing Crow Island to grow into the future so students and teachers can be their best.”
Crow Island opened in 1940 following years of planning and design led by then Superintendent, Carleton Washburne, Perkins & Will and the Finnish father & son Saarinen architectural team. Washburne envisioned a school that would, “encourage spontaneity, variation, initiation, creative work and independent thinking.” Its learning spaces were designed to feel like a reflection of the home. The building includes hundreds of nods to the child in features like door knobs, windows and handrails all at a child accessible height; varying textures and patterns reflecting nature; access to the outdoors from every classroom; and abundant natural light. Dr. Livingston says that when students arrive at Crow Island, “they light up with joy…they feel this school was made for them.” Crow Island School was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 1989 and became a National Historic Landmark in 1990. This beloved school continues to draw generations back to raise their children, as well as attract those studying education architecture and innovative, student-centered design.
Fun facts: Crow Island School is the home of the world's first jungle gym. One of Crow Island’s many notable alums, Ed Zwick, won the Academy Award for Best Picture for producing the film Shakespeare in Love. Another alum, Peter Chatain, is competing in the Olympic Trials with USRowing in Switzerland in May 2024. Bill Martin, Jr., author of children’s book classics Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom served as the principal of Crow Island from 1958-1961 and has said, “My years at Crow Island were the best learning years of my life. It was there that I discovered the genius of children.”
Listen here:
Winnetka Voices is a podcast hosted by The Winnetka Public Schools, featuring candid conversations on issues relevant to education and shared resources to support our students and families.
Alumni Spotlight
Peter Chatain, an alum of The Winnetka Public Schools, New Trier High School (Class of 2018), and Stanford University (Class of 2022), competes in the World Rowing Final Olympic & Paralympic Qualification Regatta Olympic Trials with USRowing from May 19-21 in Lucerne, Switzerland. The outcome of this event will determine participation in the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Peter shares, “I feel like the school system really instilled a love for learning with me. At Stanford the majority of the courses I took were because I enjoyed them. We didn't have formal grades until 8th or 7th grade, and that really shifted the focus towards learning.” He also recalls creating a zombie crow for Crow Island’s annual “Crows on Parade.”
Peter was 12 when he attended his first week-long rowing camp and 14 when he started rowing at New Trier. As an Eagle Scout, he built signs for the North Branch of the Chicago River where he rowed with his teammates from New Trier. At Stanford, he majored in math with a physics minor. The entire Winnetka community will be cheering for Peter as he competes for a spot in the Paris 2024 Olympics!
Thank you, Barb Tubekis!
We recently celebrated a Winnetka icon, Ms. Barb Tubekis, who retired as Executive Director of Winnetka’s Volunteer Center after 30 years. The Volunteer Center connects over 165 non-profit organizations with service opportunities. Many of our students, families and staff members have partnered with The Volunteer Center on community service days and other initiatives over the years. In addition to her role at the Volunteer Center, Barb is a former District parent and has also been a key leader in our school community, recently as a member of the Citizens Task Force that recommended the plan for the successful 2022 Referendum. She embodies our District vision of “making a meaningful difference in the world” by the countless ways she has inspired thousands of volunteers to share their time and resources to help those in need. Thank you, Barb!
