Dear Crow Island Families,
We had a great week back from break. It was wonderful getting back into the routines of school and to hear about all the adventures our students had during break! We also smoothly kicked off the winter benchmarking and students have been working hard to showcase their learning since fall.
In our technology and resource center classes, students have been going through digital citizenship lessons to learn more about responsibly using technology. For example, third graders went though a lesson called, "The Power of Words". The goal of the lesson is for students to understand that it’s important to think about the words they use, because everyone interprets things differently, they identified ways to respond to mean words online, using S-T-O-P, and they decided what kinds of statements are OK to say online and which are not. Below are resources that go with the lesson and were also shared with families via SeeSaw.
Cyberbullying, Digital Drama, & Hate Speech
Help Kids Fight Cyberbullying and Other Mean Online Behavior
S-T-O-P Poster
Have a great week!
Luke
January:
- Tuesday, January 14: Gr 3 and Gr 4 MAP Testing Reading
- Wednesday, January 15: Gr 3 and Gr 4 MAP Testing Math
- Monday, January 20: Non-attendance Day (MLK Jr. Day )
- Thursday, January 23: Pioneer Open House
February:
- Friday, February 7: Half Day Institute Day (Dismissal 11:20am)
- Thursday, February 20: Winter Conference (non-attendance for students)
- Friday, February 21: Winter Conference (non-attendance for students)
Monday Spirit Days:
As a reminder, every Monday is considered a Crow Island Spirit Wear Day. Staff and students are encouraged to participate.
Morning Arrival:
We have noticed that cars are lining up on Glendale in the morning before 8:20am. This makes it hard for teachers to park in the morning. Please do not block the parking spots. Also, the loading dock driveway located near the kindergarten playground is not a drop off and pick-up point for children. Please remain in line.
Spotlight on Related Arts | Spanish:
Spanish is off to a great start! Second graders have been working hard at sharing their likes and dislikes, reviewing important content from first grade, and reading many stories! These include a story about a duck named Quackers, a penguin that only wants to eat ice cream, and our own version of the Gingerbread Man. We've just wrapped up reading the Three Little Pigs and are getting to work on a true story of a giraffe named Benito and his adventures.
Fourth graders are using a ton of Spanish in class! We started the year getting back into hearing Spanish and spent some time learning about fútbol and Lionel Messi. We focused the majority of the fall on reading a graphic novel called Billy y las Botas, a funny tale of a lonely scarf who just wants to have an adventure. We are gearing up to read a novel called Daniel el Detective which features a boy in Spain who has aspirations to become a real detective. It has been a great year so far and we look forward to the winter and spring!
Stay & Play Registration
Kindergarten students who are not currently enrolled in Stay & Play will have the opportunity to register for the 2nd half of the year after 8:00 am January 6th through this link. Please note that the registration period ends January 31, 2025 and will remain closed for the remainder of the year. The rates are prorated below. If you attempt to register before the 6th, you will receive an Item Unavailable message. After purchasing Kindergarten Stay & Play registration, your child will be able to begin their attendance in the program the following Monday so the schools can plan accordingly.
Benchmark Assessments & Otus Access
Benchmark assessments are valuable tools that provide a snapshot of student progress at a point in time. These assessments help teachers to identify areas where students are excelling and where they may need additional support. They can also inform instructional decisions by providing data that can be used to tailor teaching to meet each student's unique needs and strengths. Benchmark assessments are an important component of progressive education, which recognizes that students learn in different ways and at different rates. By using benchmark assessments to inform instruction, teachers can provide a more individualized approach to learning that supports each student's academic growth and personal development.
Academic benchmark assessments for literacy and math will occur three times this year for students in grades K-8. The Winter Benchmark Assessments start on January 6th and conclude on January 24th. There are four platforms the district utilizes to gather student learning information; aimswebPlus, mCLASS, NWEA MAP, and SSIS. Benchmark data will be available in Otus beginning January 31, 2025. In order to allow for the data uploads to take place and to provide parents with consistent access to student data, please be aware that the Otus Parent Portal will be inaccessible January 6-January 30.
Building Data Team meetings to review the Winter Benchmarking data will occur February 3-14.
Kindergarten Registration:
Registration for incoming kindergarteners and students new to The Winnetka Public Schools in 2025/2026 will begin November 18, 2024. Children who will be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2025, are eligible to enroll. Questions related to School Admissions and age requirements are addressed in School Board Policy 7:50 School Admissions and student Transfers to and from Non-District Schools.
January Winnetka Parents Institute Schedule
The District offers regular sessions for families to learn more about a variety of topics. View the entire 2024/2025 schedule here.
Up Next:
Acceleration Applications Overview with Assistant Superintendent of Innovation, Teaching and Learning Dr. Becky Mathison
January 15, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Location: Carleton Washburne School RC
Attend this session to understand accelerated programming options for students entered grades 3-8 during the 2025/26 school year. Time will be provided for attendees to begin the application for this process.
Preschool/Kindergarten Family Information Night (with Winnetka Administration and Sue Stolzer, Early Childhood Assessment Team Lead from TrueNorth)
January 15, 2024 at 6:00 PM
Location: Greeley School
This informational session is intended for Winnetka parents of preschool students who will be attending The Winnetka Public Schools. Parents will learn more about the support and services that the District provides to current preschool students attending local preschool programming as well as what is available within our schools once a student enters kindergarten. Families will receive a preview of:
The transition-to-Kindergarten process by Crow Island, Greeley and Hubbard Woods Principals,
The resources available to families of current preschool students from the Department of Student Services, Equity and Inclusion
Details on “Kindergarten Connection” which will take place in Summer 2024
Highlights of a typical kindergarten day in The Winnetka Public Schools
We look forward to meeting new families at this event!
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: christinedemas-hall@winnetka36.org
Website: https://crowisland.winnetka36.org/
Location: 1112 Willow Road Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone: (847)-446-0353
Twitter: @CrowIslandD36