The Central Scoop

Dear Families,

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year at Central! We are thrilled to have you join us for a year dedicated to teaching and learning. Together, we aim to foster a strong school community and provide your children with an exceptional educational experience.

As we embark on this new school year, our team is fully committed to preparing for your children's arrival. Our teachers are diligently planning engaging lessons, our office staff is ensuring student records are up-to-date, our custodians have thoroughly cleaned the building, and our PTA is gearing up to support families with volunteer opportunities, exciting events, and enriching programs.

We are enthusiastic about the possibilities ahead and anticipate a rewarding school year for our Central Foxes! To stay informed, please keep your contact details current in PowerSchool to receive our weekly Central Scoop every Friday, featuring important updates throughout the school year.

With Warm Regards,

Becky Littmann, Principal, littmanr@wilmette39.org

Meghan Otto, Assistant Principal, ottom@wilmette39.org

After gathering input from students, parents, and staff, the votes are in, and we have our new guidelines for success.

Our Foxes will now be guided by these core values:

• Kind
• Responsible
• Safe
• Respectful

These principles will be at the heart of everything we do this year, and we’re excited to celebrate our Foxes as they embody these qualities in their daily activities. A big thank you to everyone who took the time to vote and share their thoughts last spring. Your participation was invaluable, and we’re looking forward to seeing how our students shine by embracing these guidelines.

Thanks to the incredible partnership between the district and the PTA, we’ve made several exciting updates over the summer to our outdoor learning spaces that will enhance our environment. Here’s what’s new:

• A fresh, new blacktop
• Updated fencing surrounding the playground
• Fresh mulch
• An additional piece of playground equipment
• A new outdoor learning space with personalized bricks

Our foxes will undoubtedly enjoy these improvements, and we’re eager to see the positive impact they will have on our students’ experiences. Thank you to everyone involved for making these enhancements possible. We’re looking forward to seeing our school community make the most of these new and improved spaces!

This year, we're welcoming new staff members to our team. With seven staff members retiring and enrollment increasing, we're thrilled to introduce additional staff, including a fifth kindergarten section. These individuals bring with them valuable experience, specialized training, and diverse backgrounds in education. We're confident that they will make significant contributions to our students' success and the overall school community. To view pictures of the new staff and their bios, please click here.

Stay tuned for updates on the website next week about the hiring of a few more paraprofessionals. We can't wait to introduce them to you and to continue providing exceptional educational experiences for your children.

Sunday, August 18th at 2:00 pm - Popsicles on the Playground!

Join all new families for grades 1-4 for "Popsicles on the Playground" to meet families and make new friends!

Monday, August 19th at 5:30 pm - New Family Orientation

New Family Orientation is from 5:30-6:30 pm at Central School in our Learning Commons (upstairs). This night is intended for families (parents and their children) with 1st-4th graders new to Central School.

Tuesday, August 20th at 5:30 pm - Kindergarten Curriculum Night (adults only)

Join us at Central School for a special evening event where you can meet your child's teacher and learn what to expect in kindergarten. The event will run from 5:30pm to 6:15pm. CLICK HERE for more information and a special TICKET to attend.

Wednesday, August 21st

• Kindergarten Meet and Greet: Kindergarten students and parents/caregivers are invited to attend a special Meet & Greet on Wednesday, August 21st. This is an opportunity to meet the teacher and see the classroom. There is no formal instruction/class occurring. Please attend at your designated time:
• 8:45 - 9:30am - Last names beginning with A-H
• 9:45 - 10:30am - Last names beginning with I - Q
• 10:45 - 11:30am - Last names beginning with R - Z
• Check the special Back to School Kindergarten Website for additional information.

• Grades 1-4: First Half Day with Dismissal at 11:55 AM. Classroom teachers meet children outside by their designated doors and walk them inside.

• PTA Coffee & Sign-ups for all parents after drop-off are outside under the Shade Structure on the blacktop: 8:45 AM-10:00 AM.

Thursday, August 22nd

• All grades attend a full day of school, dismissal at 3:15 pm

• Regular kindergarten schedule:

• AM 8:35am - 11:55am

• KEEP39 11:55am - 3:15pm

* Kindergarten bus service begins on this day

Kindergarten

Academic Kindergarten AM: 8:35 am - 11:55 am

KEEP39: 11:55 am - 3:15 pm

* Friday Early Release: 11:55 am - 2:15 pm

Grades 1-4

Monday - Thursday: 8:35 am - 3:15 pm

* Friday Early Release: 8:35 am - 2:15 pm

All Students:

Supervisors at doors beginning at 8:20 am.

The first bell rings at 8:30 am.

Note - The tardy bell rings at 8:35 am!

Just like last year, our foxes have specific doors assigned for entering and exiting the building. Note - kindergarteners enter the same door as first graders each morning.

Teacher assignments will be available through PowerSchool on the afternoon of Thursday, August 15th. The assignments are sent in batches, therefore everyone will not receive an email at the same time. If you do not receive an email by Friday, August 16th at noon, please call Central's office and we can assist you. Please note that all student placements must remain final due to the complex factors related to enrollment, staffing, and scheduling.

Curriculum Night is a wonderful opportunity for parents to visit the school, meet the teachers, and learn about the curriculum and new initiatives. Please see the schedule below to see when you should join us. And CLICK HERE for more information and a special TICKET to attend. All attendees will be asked to show the ticket on paper or on your phone to join us. We look forward to seeing you!

Grades 1-4 Curriculum Night, Wednesday, September 4th (adults only)

5:30 pm - 6:15 pm: 1st and 2nd grades

6:15 pm - 6:30 pm: Break

6:30 pm - 7:15 pm-: 3rd and 4th grades

Snack:

Snacks are limited to fruits and vegetables only in classrooms. The items brought to school can be cut up and placed in baggies/containers from your home, or be pre-packaged bags of apples, carrots, etc. as we often see sold in bulk. Please avoid those that are packaged with dips or items that require the labeling of contents.

Lunch:

Monthly menus are available online. Each student is issued a lunch account that parents may choose to fund through online credit card payments using RevTrak. An automated email reminder is sent to the parents when the account falls below $10.00. No cash is accepted in the cafeteria. For information about our food service, please click here.

Visit our Back to School website for more "Back to School Information," including classroom supply lists. This website is under construction and will be updated as we receive more information. Teacher welcome letters will be posted by Thursday next week.

Please review both district and school handbooks for the 2024-25 school year:

• 2024-2025 D39 Parent Handbook
• Central School Parent Handbook Addendum

District 39 believes inclusion plays a vital role in student growth. We are committed to providing a safe and equitable learning environment that fosters a mindset of empathy, respect, and belonging for all District 39 students and staff.

By respecting each person’s unique identity, perspective, and learning style, we create a stronger community. We honor differences including races and cultures, genders and sexualities, abilities and aspirations, identities and affiliations, socioeconomics and worldviews. Embracing diversity prepares our students to thrive in an increasingly complex global community.

Make sure all of your health forms are ready to be turned into our nurse, Mallory Fryer. You can access the forms on the D39 website HERE. Additionally, be sure to read Mallory Fryer's Back to School Letter with more information HERE. Please contact her at with any questions when she returns to school next week on Wednesday, August 14th at fryerm@wilmette39.org. Here are a few reminders to get started:

• Kindergarten students need vision, dental, & medical forms.
• 2nd Grade: Dental form
• All students need medication & health updates.

We encourage you to view the new Central School PTA Website to learn how you can get involved this year.

Looking for before or after school program options? Visit the Wilmette Park District Website to learn more about their before and after school programs.

Sunday, August 18th

PTA's "Popsicles on the Playground" at 2 pm for all new families grades 1-4

Monday, August 19th

New Family Orientation (in person) at 5:30 pm. This night is intended for families with 1st-4th graders who are new to Central School

Tuesday, August 20th

Kindergarten Meet & Greet (see schedule)
Evening: Kindergarten Curriculum Night @ 5:30pm (adults only)

Wednesday, August 21st

Opening Day!

1st - 4th Grade Half-Day
Kindergarten Meet & Greet

Thursday, August 22nd

First full day of School

Kindergarten Bus Service Begins

KEEP 39 Begins

Monday, September 2nd

No School, Labor Day

Wednesday, September 4th

Curriculum Night Grades 1-4 (adults only)