McKenzie Monitor

Dear McKenzie Families,

Mark your calendars for McKindness Mission Week, happening January 21st-24th! This special event coincides with McKenzie Spirit Week and will be focusing on demonstrating upstander behaviors (teamwork, kindness, courage, compassion, active listening, and gratitude) and encouraging students to "paws" and reflect on how they can be kind to others.

Here's how it works:

• Students have received a checklist of 6 kind acts to complete around the school or community.
• Complete at least 3 acts to earn a McKindness Mission button!
• Turn in your completed checklist to the cafeteria bin by January 24th.

Let's make this a week filled with kindness and positivity!

Have a great weekend,

Dana

As we navigate through the changing seasons, it's important to ensure that our students come to school well-prepared for the weather. Please remind your child to dress appropriately, taking into consideration the current weather conditions. Students should be prepared with clothing to play outside including jacket, boots, snow pants, hats and gloves. Please read below to learn more about our cold weather protocols.

Car Line Arrival

With increased car line drop off during the winter, please help our morning supervisors by having your child(ren) as prepared as possible to exit the car quickly and safely on the passenger side of the vehicle.

Arrival

If the outside feels like temperature is less than 10 degrees, students will be permitted into the building at 8:25 am.

Recess

Students should plan to have outdoor recess unless the following occurs:

• Feels like temperature is less than 5 degrees

• Raining

• Other potentially unsafe conditions

If your family is in need of support with acquiring winter gear, please reach out to Dana Nasiakos directly.

Dear McKenzie Families,

The State of Illinois has a law known as “Erin’s Law,” which requires all public school districts to implement a prevention-oriented child sexual abuse program. This program teaches students in grades Early Childhood-12th grade age appropriate techniques to recognize child sexual abuse and tell a trusted adult.

Erin’s Law is important because child sexual abuse happens every day across the country, across all populations, to children in all socioeconomic and education levels, across all racial and cultural groups, and in rural, suburban, and urban areas. 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused before age 18. 90% of child sexual abuse is committed by someone they know and trust.

District 39 will provide a classroom-based program using age-appropriate strategies, language, and materials. Information for Kindergarten and 1st grade will include information from No Trespassing - This is My Body. Information for grades 2-4 will include information from Health World’s, “Keeping Kids Safe: An Erin’s Law program” (http://www.healthworldeducation.org). LEEP Early Childhood will use materials from the Second Step Child Protection Unit (https://www.secondstep.org/child-protection.)

During February, our school social workers will conduct these presentations for the Personal Body Safety Program in our elementary schools in LEEP Early Childhood-4th grade.

These programs are designed to empower and educate the children. The presentations will cover a combination of the following concepts:

• Safe vs. Unsafe touching

• The Safety Rule about Touching (No one should touch your private parts except to keep you clean and healthy)

• Safe vs. Unsafe Secrets

• Uh-Oh feelings

• Saying no/Stop

• Identifying and learning to tell safe adults

• You are the boss of your body

• If someone breaks the safety rule, it is not the child’s fault

If you would like to opt your child out of the program or if you have any questions about the content of the programs, please feel free to contact me at nasiakod@wilmette39.org . Together we can make sure our children have the right to be safe, and know where to go for help from adults.

Sincerely Yours,

Dana Nasiakos, Principal

Nadine Ibrahim, LCSW, School Social Worker

We’re excited to introduce our Related Arts Spotlight newsletter! This weekly update will highlight the exciting activities and learning happening in our related arts classes, including art, music, PE, Spanish, Tech and Library. It’s a great way to stay informed about the creative and engaging experiences your child is having in these special areas.

Families, please encourage your children to regularly check the Lost and Found located in the cafeteria. You are also welcome to check in at the front office before or after school to visit the Lost and Found. Items left unclaimed will be donated at the end of each month, so it's important to retrieve any missing belongings as soon as possible. Thank you for your help in keeping our school organized!

Next donation date: January 31, 2025.

Grades 5-8 Schedules for 2025-26 Academic Year

After much collaborative work, we are very excited that our committee of teachers and administrators have recommended adjustments to the school schedules at Highcrest and WJHS students for the 2025-26 academic year!

A couple highlights of these important updates include:

• Dedicated learning time for social-emotional learning

• A flexible time for academic intervention and enrichment

• Increase in minutes for math instruction

• Maintaining team structures, creative arts courses and all other core content area offerings

This new framework will allow us to continue to improve the ways in which we meet the needs of our students while maintaining our teaming structures within Highcrest and WJHS and strengthening our learning program overall.

Kelly Jackson and Kate Dominique shared a presentation to the Board of Education at Monday’s Committee of the Whole meeting. I invite you to watch the recording of that meeting (link begins at start of schedule presentation) if you are interested in learning more.

Registration for the 2025-26 Academic Year opens TUESDAY (Jan. 21)

Registration for the 2025-26 school year will open on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. ALL students, including those already attending D39 schools, must register for the 2025-26 academic year. A draft of the 2025-26 academic year calendar is available here and will be officially approved at the Board’s January 27th Board of Education Meeting. District 39 is excited that it will be offering full-day kindergarten for all families beginning in Fall 2025, and we encourage parents with new kindergarten students to enroll as soon as possible to take advantage of this new program.

Parent Education Event

Thank you to everyone who joined us on Wednesday for our Parent Education event titled “Parenting in the Digital Age.” A recording of this presentation, one of our most popular Parent Ed offerings, is available now. This presentation provides families with valuable information to help children thrive in an increasingly digital world, with special tricks and tips for helping to navigate social media and more. Please visit our Parent Education webpage for our full schedule of events as well as archived recordings of past events.

D39 Summer Enrichment Program

Looking for a fun and educational summer experience for your child(ren)? Learn more about our District 39 Summer Enrichment Program! This program runs from July 2-31 and provides a variety of both academic and hobby-based courses for students currently in grades K-7. Please visit our D39 Summer Enrichment Program website for more details. The list of offered courses will be available online beginning Monday, Jan. 27. Registration will open on Feb. 18.

Board of Education – Committee of the Whole Meeting Recap

This past Monday, the Board of Education gathered for its monthly Committee of the Whole meeting. Just like the monthly business meetings, these committee meetings are open to in-person attendance and also streamed live on our YouTube channel, with a recording available for later viewing.

At Monday’s committee meeting, the Board was presented with information regarding student fees for the 2025-26 academic year and also heard an update from the grades 5-8 scheduling committee (more information above) that will be implemented next Fall for the 2025-26 academic year. The 2025-26 academic year calendar and student fees are expected to be approved by the Board of Education at their meeting on January 27, 2025. The complete agenda and all accompanying materials for all meetings are available online.

Join the District 39 Educational Foundation Team

The District 39 Educational Foundation is looking for a Foundation Manager to handle the day-to-day operations and oversee all Foundation events and activities. This position reports directly to the Ed Foundation Chair and works closely with the board, District 39 staff, donors, vendors, and the Wilmette community. Please check out this detailed job description if interested and visit the D39 Educational Foundation website for more information on this important organization, which raises money for projects that expand, enrich, and complement educational opportunities for the students, staff, and community in our district.

January is often a time when we, as adults, make resolutions for the coming year. We often hear our friends and relatives (even ourselves!) making resolutions such as exercising more, losing a few pounds, or spending time being more mindful, and we work hard to (hopefully) reach them by the end of the new year.

Just as it is a good practice for adults to set goals or resolutions, it is a great practice to get into with your child individually or as a family at home. During the school day students set academic goals as well as social-emotional and behavioral goals, but this month is a great opportunity to transfer that practice to the home setting. Goal setting and the conversations around it help support children as they develop self-management skills and self-awareness skills. If that goal involves helping out the family or community, it might also tap into social-awareness. Make sure the goals you set at home are realistic, measurable, and attainable with in a short period of time. Once your child reaches their goal, take that opportunity to celebrate and set another one!

Some examples of goals include:

• Have a “spring cleaning” day at the end of the month, where the whole family contributes, and donate at least one bag of items to a local charity.

• Have a no screens night at least once a week in January, and learn a new board game to play together.

• (For a child) Choose a new recipe and make it once this month for dinner for the family (with help if needed).

HERE and HERE are a couple of resources to help you as you engage in goal setting at home!

Monday, January 20

No School - MLK Jr. Day

January 21-24 - McKindness Mission and Spirit Week

January 21: Grade-Level T-Shirt Day

January 22: Hat Day

January 23: Silly Sock Day

January 24: Backwards Day

Friday, January 31

Early Release - All students dismissed at 11:55 am

Key PTA Dates:

- McKindness is next week

- Family Bingo is Jan 24th

- Variety Show ads Feb 5th

Advertise in the Variety Show Program- DEADLINE February 5th
There are four ways to showcase your message in over 1,000 complimentary programs distributed at all seven performances:

- Business Ads
- Personal Ads
- 4th Grade Ads
- Graduating Cast Recognition

Questions: Contact Dave Derrick (312-813-1077), Sarah Jividen (949-636-4875), or Jeff Harman (734-276-4537)

Join us for the 2025 McKindness Mission during Spirit Week next week. Students are encouraged to complete three Acts of Kindness. Keep an eye out for a checklist in your student’s bookbag! Those who participate will receive a special award celebrating their efforts in fostering kindness and inclusivity.

Family Bingo Night Next Friday, January 24th from 6 PM to 8 PM at Highcrest Middle School Cafeteria. Join us for fun-filled bingo games, pizza and salads! Exciting prizes for all ages! Visit d39foundation.org to buy tickets and pre-order your meals. Let’s make some unforgettable family memories together!

Join us for Between the Lines: Our Features Are Important on February 7, 4:30-5:30 PM, at Wilmette Public Library. In partnership with McKenzie PTA, enjoy interactive art, expert-led discussions, and meaningful activities that inspire curiosity, kindness, and empathy. Click HERE to register for this engaging family event!

PASS39:

Please join us for a PASS39 Connecting Parents gathering on March 11th from 9:30-11:30 AM. This is an informal get-together to collaborate, socialize and support one another. Light refreshments will be served. RSVP for address: pass39@wilmette39.org. Non-school age children welcome - plenty of backyard activities for them.

Pass39 Monthly Parents Coffee on the 2nd Friday of every month from 9:30-11:30am at Panera in The Shops at Old Orchard Place. No RSVP required. Call 312.533.1340 with questions.

Volunteer Opportunities:

Cafeteria Sign-Up for Jan-June 2025 is live: Click HERE to sign up.

Library Sign-Up: HERE.

Sponsor a new library book in honor of your child's birthday! Click HERE for the $20 purchase.

Please click here for Community News.

Kindergarten

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

KEEP39: 11:55 am - 3:15 pm *Friday: 11:55 am - 2:15 pm

Grades 1 - 4

Monday - Thursday: 8:35 am - 3:15 pm *Friday: 8:35 am - 2:15 pm

**First bell rings at 8:30 am.

Email: nasiakod@wilmette39.org
Website: mckenzie.wilmette39.org/
Location: 649 Prairie Avenue, Wilmette, IL, USA
Phone: 847-512-6300