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WJHS Highlights

03/07/2025

WJHS Highlights03/07/2025

A Message from the Administrative Team

Dear WJHS Families,

In the upcoming weeks we will be administering the infamous trio of CSCI (Comprehensive School Climate Inventory), IAR (Illinois Assessment of Readiness), and the ISA (Illinois Science Assessment for eight graders only). We understand that these assessments require time and effort, and testing in any form can bring about stress, anxiety, and test fatigue. The data we collect from these assessments is critical for understanding our school's climate, student progress in learning, and our overall effectiveness in regards to providing a safe, supportive and rigorous instructional program. The insights gained from these assessments will directly inform our decisions regarding instructional strategies, resource allocation, and targeted student support, ensuring we are continually working to improve our school environment and student outcomes. Please know that your child may come home from school and need a little more activity, rest, or snacks from what is usual - thank you for partnering with us to help them prepare for the upcoming assessments.


We hope that you have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Kate, Jeff and Rob

7th Grade Students Participate in Supreme Court Project!

As a culmination of our study of the U.S. Constitution, the 7th grade social studies classes participated in a simulation of the U.S. Supreme Court. Students studied actual cases that have recently been heard by the Supreme Court and applied their knowledge of the Bill of Rights as journalists, attorneys, and justices in Oral Arguments of these cases.

CSCI

The window is still open for families to participate in the CSCI, our school culture and climate survey. This survey will provide valuable information and insight into our school community by assessing perceptions of school climate in the areas of safety, relationships, learning, the school environment, and communication within the school.


The survey will take between 15-20 minutes to complete and we recommend that you take the survey once for each child, as you may have different experiences for each.


Last year, data gathered on the survey from our families, students, and staff was used in alignment with our D39 Strategic Plan to set goals for this school year in the area of School Climate and Culture. These include:

  • Supporting and empowering students with upstander lessons and assemblies

  • Regular celebrations and school-wide recognition of D39’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging themes

  • Continued improvement with school-wide behavior systems through Foundations

  • Strengthening students’ sense of belonging through clubs and extracurricular activities


You can access the survey online through this link: https://rezed.io/1PE8EL


Thank you for your partnership and support of Wilmette Junior High School. We look forward to sharing this data with our learning community later this spring.

SEL News

Across the grade levels, the SEL lessons students engage in help them learn about themselves, their emotions, and their families and traditions. These lessons help students understand other perspectives and develop their sense of belonging in the larger community.


Learning about many different traditions that are the same as, and different from your own helps your child increase their understanding of the world around them. This month we have the opportunity to learn more about Ramadan, which began at the start of March and ends at the end of the month with the holiday of Eid-al-Fitr. During this holiest and most important month for Muslims around the world, many practice fasting during daylight hours. Enjoy reading a book together about Ramadan to learn more! District 39 staff are aware that many students will be celebrating Ramadan, and are prepared to make accommodations for students to be able to participate. Please make sure you reach out and let us know if your child is participating so that we can support them as needed.


As a reminder, this calendar provides dates and information on many celebratory dates for students and staff of District 39.

ONE WEEK LEFT TO BUY A YEARBOOK!

The deadline to purchase a yearbook for your student is 3/14. Yearbooks are $32 and can be purchased on the wjhspto.com website. You MUST be logged into your Membership Toolkit account to purchase a yearbook. You do not have to be a PTO member, but you DO need to register for a Membership Toolkit account (free!) so we can match up your purchase with your child. Yearbooks will be distributed the last week of school during homeroom.

THE PTO DOES NOT BUY EXTRA YEARBOOKS TO SELL LATER.

NO REORDERS WILL BE PLACED.

FROM THE COMMUNITY/HOSPITALITY COMMITTEE

Spring is here- we can feel it! It’s that time of year where the PTO stocks the shelves in the staff lounge with fun treats to get them through the end of the school year. Our goal is to have everything ready for the week of April 11-17. This is our final Snacks-for-Staff event for this year. Please consider signing up to drop something off or Amazon direct-ship and thank you! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E44A4A62FA2FCCE9-55413945-april#/


SEEKING 2025-2026 WJHS PTO BOARD AND COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Make friends. Be in the know. Make a difference. Support our teachers and staff. Enrich our student’s school experience. There are so many reasons to serve on the PTO. Please consider sharing your talents as a volunteer for the 2025-2026 WJHS PTO. For more information on the following positions please email president@wjhspto.com. It can’t hurt to ask! 😀

President-Elect

Secretary

VP Community/Hospitality

VP Communications

Civics & Safety Rep

Outside Front Planters Rep

Newcomers Welcome Committee

Graduation Party Committee


LUNCH VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - SOME DAYS HAVE ZERO PARENTS

The lunchroom staff needs 2 parents each day to help serve lunch as students go through the lunch line. Can you help us out just once? These days have ZERO parents signed up- Friday 3/7, Wednesday 3/12, Thursday 3/13, Monday 3/17, Thursday 3/20 and the first week after spring break beginning 3/31. 11:15am-12:45pm (11:35am-12:45pm Thursdays). Sign up HERE and thank you so much! It’s truly appreciated!


The WJHS PTO has been asked to pass along some relevant community information:


D39 EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

The D39 Educational Foundation is seeking enthusiastic and committed volunteers to serve on the Foundation’s Board of Trustees for the 2025-2026 school year and beyond. Trustees serve a 3-year term and collaborate closely with teachers, staff, and community members to fund transformative educational opportunities (such as ClassVR, the HMS Living Wall, Logitech Crayons, and elementary school murals) and organize engaging fundraising and community events (including College Paddle Night, Family Bingo, and Trivia Nights). The Board meets monthly during the school year, and there are occasional social events to help build strong relationships among this dedicated team. Interested? We’d love to hear from you! Please contact Beth Karnes by Monday, April 7th at boarddev@d39foundation.org for more information.


8TH GRADE PARENT-LED WASHINGTON DC TRIP UPDATE - LOOKING FOR A 7TH GRADE PARENT FOR NEXT YEAR

We are looking for a parent to lead this tour package for next year’s 8th graders in February 2026. This tour package gives students the opportunity to go and visit some of Washington D.C.’s most memorable sites. It is not PTO sponsored, nor is it school sponsored. This trip is for students who value a smaller group (25-50 students) and/or who did not get into the November 2025 Washington D.C. trip led by WJHS teacher Paul Harper. If this is your 7th grade student, consider being the parent who takes up the torch for a great itinerary! All the work is done, just need a parent to continue leading it! Please contact Stephanie Crocker at crocker.l.stephanie@gmail.com to express interest.


D39 IMPORTANT REMINDERS

1. Please register your child NOW for the 2025-2026 school year on PowerSchool! Choose “Registration”. NOTE: The PTO asks you to OPT IN when being asked if you’d like to be included in the Directory/Class lists. The directory is not distributed to anyone other than student families and D39 staff. This will also allow you to get important email notifications about social events, after-school clubs, graduation activities and other student/family news throughout the 2024-2025 school year.

2. Please fill out the School Culture & Climate Survey HERE. The survey aims to assess your perceptions of safety, relationships, learning, school environment and communication within the school. Your responses are anonymous.

3. The next event in the Parent Education Series is Wednesday 3/12 at 11:00am via ZOOM. “Parenting Kids With Big Emotions and Big Behaviors” is directed at elementary age children but can provide information for all. Register HERE.

District Update

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Register Now for the 2025-26 Academic Year

Registration remains open for the 2025-26 academic year. Registering your child(ren) now helps us to staff our schools with the correct number of class sections and the very best teachers around! Please help us plan to continue this excellence by completing your registration now.


Parent Education Events

Join us on Wednesday, March 12 at 11 am for District 39’s next Parent Education event titled “Parenting Kids with Big Emotions and Big Behaviors.” Navigating children’s upsets and tantrums are a part of parenthood. You want to support your child’s feelings and not lose your patience, but when they don’t listen or follow the rules, what do you do? This session will equip you with tools to parent with respect. You will learn how to access your calm, how to respond rather than react, and raise children who care and contribute. Come to grow your parenting confidence and create more peace in your family! Registration for this event, which will be held virtually via Zoom, is now open. Please visit our Parent Education webpage for our full schedule of events as well as archived recordings of past events.


District 39 Summer Enrichment Program Registration

Registration for the D39 Summer Enrichment Program is open. This fun and educational program runs from July 2-31 and offers a variety of academic and interest-based courses for students currently in grades K-7. This year, courses for students in grades K-3 will be held at McKenzie Elementary School while programs for students currently in grades 4-7 will be held at Highcrest Middle School. Please view our list of offered courses and visit our D39 Summer Enrichment Program website for more details on this wonderful summer option.
Kate Dominique
Kate is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters

Principal at Wilmette Junior High School; love being an educator and working with young people; value spending time with friends and family