Gower West News

We are inviting you to complete the Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey. The information you share will help guide improvement as we strive to inspire each student to realize their potential through the instruction and opportunities we provide at Gower West Elementary School. Your participation in this survey is voluntary but crucial. The more parent feedback we receive, the more we will know how to focus our efforts toward the improvements you want. As Dr. Simon said our goal is 35% of the parents participation. Currently we are at 23%. Don't forget to hit submit.

The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) is the state assessment and accountability measure for Illinois students enrolled in a public school district. IAR assesses the New Illinois Learning Standards incorporating the Common Core and is administered in English language arts and mathematics to all students in grades 3-8.

The Gower West testing window for IAR will be March 18th and 19th for ELA and April 8th, 9th and 10th for Math. We will be testing in the morning.

You can help your child do his/her best on the IAR by:

• Making sure that your child attends school on the days of testing (except in cases of illness);

• Making sure your child gets a good night’s sleep the nights before testing;

• Providing breakfast on the mornings of testing;

• Reminding your child to ask the teacher questions if he/she does not understand the test directions;

• Letting your child know that you have confidence is his/her ability to do his/her best; and

• Advising your child not to worry about the test-just do the best he/she can.

Important note: All students need to bring ear buds/headphones to their test and also a book to read should they finish the test early.

Please contact the school office if you have any questions.

So much joy on the children's faces seeing their loved ones in the audience and based upon all the smiles, cheers and waves I think the families had a pretty great time too. Thank you to Mr. Luberda and Mr. Samara for their tech help too! Great work Mrs. Brinkley and Kindergarten team to get ready for the show. The Kindergarteners were wonderful and such an exciting memory as they had their first Gower West Show.

Today was another fun-filled FAM JAM day at Gower West! Our Gower Families, comprised of kindergarten through fourth grade students, did various team-building activities together and practiced their FAM JAM handshakes! We are looking forward to the next FAM JAM next month!

2nd trimester grades went live today. Please log-in to your Power School Portal to review your child's grades.

Registration for new incoming Kindergarteners began March 3, 2025. Please begin registration for younger brothers or sisters. Tell your neighbors who might have a child who turns five by September 1, 2025 to get registered for Gower West Kindergarten. Kindergarten orientation will take place in May and we want to make sure all incoming Kindergarteners have completed registration to be involved.

Current Gower West Preschool students and K-7 returning students will complete registration in April. Registration information can be found on the Gower Website.

Our lost and found is overflowing. Please label your items and feel free to stop by to claim any items before spring break.

Our lost and found is always full of items. Most of the items do not have a name on them. Please write your child's name on tags of sweatshirts and water bottles. PTO is starting a year long fundraiser for labels. These are great products that allow you to wash (laundry or dishwasher) and put a name or information on them easily.

Front Row Frenzy 2025

Purchase raffle entry for chance to win FRONT ROW seats to events this school year! Each winner will have up to 6 reserved front row seats and one premier parking spot. For the events with no seating, you can win one reserved premier parking spot. Each event will have 4 winners. You can purchase unlimited entries for your chance to win!

March 26th: 3rd Grade Wax Museum Parking

Stop selling entries 3/23 at 11:59pm and draw winner 3/11 at 8am

http://go.rallyup.com/grade3

Text code “grade3” to 33100

We are looking for parent volunteers to help run the Junior Achievement program at Gower West! This is a great opportunity to work with students in your child’s class and no prior teaching experience is required!

Junior Achievement is a program that offers an age-appropriate curriculum that teaches financial literacy, community connectedness, and entrepreneurship. Parent volunteers will work with the teacher to set up a weekly 45-minute session for 5-6 weeks. All materials and training are provided. Minimal preparation required.

Sessions will run March-April. To volunteer, please complete this form as soon as possible. https://forms.gle/Lz39VXZnALTvVCr79