Dear Crow Island Families,
On Thursday, we are looking forward to hosting our Go to School Night and welcoming parents into our school. Go to School Night is an opportunity for families to visit classrooms, hear from teachers, and get a feel for the daily experience of your child and we are excited to share that with all of you. The schedule for the evening is linked below in my newsletter and if you have any questions do not hesitate to reach out.
Next week, we will be hosting our first practice fire drill on Tuesday, September 20th. I also want to remind families that we have picture day next Wednesday.
Stay well,
Luke Livingston
- Thursday, September 15 ~ PTO Meeting 9:15am
- Thursday, September 15 ~ K-4 Go to School Night 6pm
- Wednesday, September 21 ~ Picture Day
- Monday, September 26 ~ Rosh Hashanah No School
- Monday, October 3rd - Friday, October 7th: Walk & Bike to School Week (details below)
- Wednesday, October 5th: No School, Yom Kippur
- Thursday, October 6th: Run-a-Thon (details below)
- Thursday, October 13th: Early Dismissal at 11:20 AM, Conferences in the PM
- Friday, October 14th: No School, Conferences
Message from K-4 Principals:
Your child’s safety at school is of utmost importance to us. Creating a safe learning environment for all students is a key tenant of The Winnetka Public Schools.
The first step to keeping our communities safe is keeping a secure building. When visitors come to our buildings, they ring the bell and are asked about the reason for their visit. They are then buzzed in by our entrance monitors. We thank you in advance for always coming in the front doors, stopping at the front desk, turning in your identification card, and wearing a visitor’s lanyard. We do ask you to bring your ID each time you enter the building- even if we know you- as sometimes we have a substitute at the front desk and that person may or may not be familiar with you. Further, it is important for everyone entering the building to know that we are always consistent with our security protocols.
We have several other protocols in place to help us prepare in the event that an emergency situation should arise. Regularly scheduled fire drills take place throughout the year in which students practice safely and quietly evacuating the building. Fire Prevention Week is in October and the Winnetka Fire Department will visit each school for brief assemblies and a supervised fire drill. We also have a tornado drill to practice for severe weather.
In addition, each school practices a “safe place” or “lockdown” drill. Teachers introduce this procedure in an age appropriate manner for each grade level. With teacher guidance, students will move to a “safe place” in their classrooms and will follow procedures to secure classrooms and account for children. There will be no school announcement made for this drill. The teachers will run the drill for their individual classrooms. Students will be allowed to speak and ask questions throughout the drill.
We also practice a “restricted access” procedure in which we secure the building against the possibility of a safety threat from the outside. We work closely with The Winnetka Police and Fire Departments during these drills. Our Safety Teams regularly participate in Safety Summits hosted by area fire and law enforcement agencies during which we work on refining our practices of the above protocols. A student may be exempt from participating in lockdown exercises through written notification from a parent or guardian at least 24 hours prior to the start of the exercises. Please contact your principal directly if this is of interest.
Sincerely, K-4 Principals.
Go to School Night:
We are looking forward to welcoming families to school for our fall Go to School Night on Thursday, September 15th. We will be running the presentations based on the first letter of your last name. You can see the agenda below.
5:40 - 6:00pm
Last Name A-L Principal Message in Auditorium
6:00 - 6:30pm
Last Name A-L: K-2 Classrooms
Last Name M-Z: 3-4 Classrooms
6:30 - 6:35 pm Passing Period
6:35 - 7:05pm
Last Name A-L: 3-4 Classrooms
Last Name M-Z: K-2 Classrooms
7:05 - 7:25pm
Last Name M-Z Principal Message in Auditorium
After School Sports Registration:
Grade 3 and 4 students can register for After School Sports. Registration opens at 9am on Tuesday. You can register here: District Web Store. If you have questions you can email Coach Sweene.
Fall MAP Testing
District 36 has established a robust suite of assessments utilizing multiple measures to provide information on student performance. One of those tools is the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test. Fall testing will occur at Crow Island on the following dates:
Wednesday, September 14th Reading
Thursday, September 15th Math
The MAP Assessment is designed to measure a student’s achievement level at different times of the school year and compute growth over time. MAP is a computer-adaptive test, which means every student receives a unique set of test questions based on responses to previous questions. This provides a personalized assessment experience by adapting to each student’s learning level. Fall MAP results will be sent to families on October 8th. Additional information on the MAP Assessment may be found on our district website in the Assessment Section of ITL.
2022 Downsized Capital Improvement Plan: Referendum
At the August 16 Meeting, the School Board approved a resolution to move forward with placing a $59.4MM referendum on the November 8, 2022 ballot. If this referendum should pass, it would help to fund $82.6MM in necessary projects at all 5 schools:
Updated safety components, including secure entry vestibules
Upgraded HVAC systems to improve air quality, air flow, temperature control and energy efficiency
Accessibility for all students, staff and visitors that complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Electrical wiring and panel upgrades to support technology and improve energy efficiency
Plumbing replacements to address fixtures that have reached the end of their useful life
The addition of a multipurpose room/cafeteria at Hubbard Woods
Removal of the temporary trailers at Crow Island and the subsequent addition of three permanent classrooms
Repurposing of the current gym to serve as a multipurpose room/cafeteria and the subsequent addition of a gym at Crow Island
Extension of the useful life of existing facilities and proactive reduction of costly emergency repairs
This letter from the Board and Superintendent was shared on Wednesday, August 17 with the community.
To view the presentation video, please click here.
To view the presentation slides, please click here.
In an effort to ensure that our community is well-informed, we look forward to hosting Informational Sessions on the following dates (all are welcome):
Virtual:
Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 6:30 p.m.
Please click the link below to join the Zoom webinar:
https://winnetka36.zoom.us/j/86171947365?pwd=Z0YxQ0E5SkZvSklSWUE4UldxcjcyZz09
Passcode: 738688
In person:
Weds., September 21 at 6:30 p.m. (Crow Island--followed by tour)
Sat., October 8 from 9-10 a.m. (Hubbard Woods--followed by tour)
Monday, October 17 at 9:30 a.m. (Crow Island--followed by tour)
Wednesday, October 19 at 6:30 p.m. (Hubbard Woods--followed by tour)
Wednesday, October 26 at 6:30 p.m. (Crow Island--followed by tour)
Virtual:
Tuesday, Nov. 1 at noon
Please click the link below to join the Zoom webinar:
https://winnetka36.zoom.us/j/88014741432?pwd=UGkrRzRvVG5pQlJMR2RJOHZvSHB3QT09
Passcode: 164472
Student Growth & Achievement Reporting
There are several opportunities throughout the year to receive formal standardized reporting related to your child’s growth and achievement on standardized assessments. Additionally, there are designated times at which you will receive formal reporting on your child’s growth and achievement in the classroom. Please note the following dates coming up this fall. You are encouraged to reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions.
Spring 2022 IAR (Illinois Assessment of Readiness) Reports Mailed Home
Week of September 16
Fall 2022 MAP Reports Printed and Shared at Fall Conferences
Thursday, October 13 or Friday, October, 14
Fall Conferences
Thursday, October 13 or Friday, October 14
Progress Reports Sent Home
Friday, December 9
REGISTRATION REMINDER
The deadline for registering for Kindergarten Stay and Play is on 9/30/22.
If you would like to sign up, please follow this link and log into your Revtrak account.
New Website Launched
The District launched a new website on September 1.. Our goal is to improve both the user experience and design of the site for families, staff, prospective employees and prospective residents. We will continue to refine and add additional features this fall. If you are experiencing any challenges or need help navigating the website, please contact help@winnetka36.org.
Cub Scout Information:
We are excited for another year of scouting with activities including the PineWood Derby, Rocket Day, Cubmobile, exploring the outdoors during hikes and camping trips, and most importantly making friends and having fun. The meeting is for boys, girls and adults of Crow Island to learn about Pack 18 and upcoming activities for the year.Pack 18 is open to boys & girls in first through fifth grades. Please feel free to reach out with any questions to neicpack18@gmail.com or directly to Khalid Ghantous, 312.446.8333. You can learn more about scouts here.
Parent Education Sessions from District Partner Family Action Network (FAN):
For upcoming events, access FAN’s website here.
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: lindyschmidt@winnetka36.org
Website: https://www.winnetka36.org/crowisland
Location: 1112 Willow Road Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone: (847)-446-0353
Twitter: @CrowIslandD36