Tiger Prints

This week, our focus for intermediate and middle school is community—what it means to be part of something bigger than ourselves and how we can support one another in and out of the classroom. Whether through teamwork, kindness, or responsibility, we want students to recognize their impact on those around them. A strong school community is built when each of us shows up, contributes, and helps create a positive learning environment.

Part of that commitment includes being on time to school, having iPads charged and ready, and keeping routines in place. These small habits make a big difference in a student's ability to start the day successfully and stay engaged in learning. As we continue reinforcing these expectations, we appreciate the support of families in helping students develop these essential skills.

Our girls' basketball teams continue to have a fabulous season, demonstrating teamwork and dedication. Seeing their hard work pay off has been great, and we look forward to their continued success! Chess club members are practicing during indoor recess and challenging me to games. The drama team is ramping up. And, of course, we also have a lot happening with the energy and science Olympiad.

As a reminder, the second trimester ends on March 7, 2025, marking the transition into our third and final trimester of the school year. This is an excellent time for students to reflect on their progress, set goals, and finish strong. Let's continue working together to build a supportive and successful learning environment for all.

5 Essentials Parent Survey

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We invite you to participate in the 5 Essentials Parent Survey, a significant opportunity to share your thoughts on your child’s school environment. Your feedback helps us understand our strengths and areas for improvement, ultimately enhancing the educational experience for all students.

Survey Details:

● Who: Parents, guardians, or caregivers with a child in grades Pre-K through 12

● Languages: Available in English and Spanish

● Time Commitment: Approximately 10 minutes

● Survey Window: February 19 – March 28

● Link to Survey: Click here to participate

Additional Information:

● If you have more than one child attending the same school, you may complete the survey multiple times if you choose.

● If you have children enrolled in different schools, we encourage you to complete the survey for each school.

● Only one parent per household may submit a survey for a given child.

● You will have the option to provide your email address to receive confirmation of survey completion. This is optional, and you may leave the text box blank if you prefer.

Your voice matters! We appreciate your time and input in helping us improve our school community. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

Thank you for your support!

Congratulation to the February Leaders of the Month:

Mila (pre-k S), Ema and Jazlyn (pre-K M), Nuri (Kdg C), Everette (1W), Paula (1N), Maddie (2G), Natalie (3N), Scarlett (3B), Oliver (4B), Liam (4M), Zoey (5F), & Ester (5D)

DONATIONS EXTENDED TO FEBRUARY 28TH!

MSHV asks for new donations as opposed to gently used and to stick with specific items that are listed. We will be collecting for 2 weeks from Monday February 3rd - Friday, February 28th

The classroom in each wing that collects the most donations will receive an ice cream party. We are excited to support this organization and to help make a difference in the lives of many local veterans.

Board of Education Meeting will be held on Thursday, February 27th. The meeting will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the Central School cafeteria.

A county wide teacher institute day is being held on Friday, Febuary 28th.

There will be no school on that date.

Winfield Energy Club will host a Family Energy Fun Night on Wednesday, March 12th from 5:30-6:30 in the Central Cafeteria for students in grades K-5. Come out and enjoy some make and take STEM activities. This is a free event, however donations to help offset the cost of the Energy Club's trip to the National Youth Awards Conference in Washington DC this summer are greatly appreciated. Please note that we can only accept personal checks made out to Winfield School. Register here!

Click the Virtual Backpack Link to see the archive.

Staff Soup and Salad Lunch

Thank you to everyone that has signed up to bring items for the Soup & Salad lunch for the staff that is coming up this Monday, February 24th! There are still a few items left on the list if you’d like to donate-- Sign up here! Crock pots & non-disposable items should be labeled. They will be left in the Central School office to be picked up at the end of the school day on Monday or Tuesday morning.

Chicago Wolves Game - Get your ticket orders in by 2/28!

Join us on Sunday, March 16 at 3:00 p.m. for Family Fun Day at the Chicago Wolves game! Everyone will be seated in the same section and receive a Wolves knit hat. Tickets are at a discounted group rate of $25 for 100-Level Center Ice tickets (normally $32) and you can purchase a hot dog/soda voucher for $6.75. Please see the ticket form for more information on how to order and pay for your tickets. All orders must be submitted by 2/28. Contact Angie Adams (ang1404@yahoo.com) if you have any questions!

Cooks Night Out at Jersey Mike’s - Wednesday 2/26 through Friday 2/28

Our next Cooks Night Out is at Jersey Mike’s in Wheaton (2115 W. Roosevelt) for 3 days! From Wednesday, 2/26 through Friday, 2/28, 10 a.m.-9p.m., drop your receipt in the fundraiser box and Jersey Mike’s will donate 15% of the sales back to our school!

Seeking 2025 Tiger Run Sponsors

Do you or someone you know own or work for a local business in Winfield or the surrounding area? We are looking for sponsors at all levels for this year’s Tiger Run, our biggest fundraiser of the year! Check out our Sponsor Letter for more details. Please email us at wef@winfield34.org if you are interested or if you have any questions. The Tiger Run is our biggest fundraiser and always well attended!

Community Blood Drive: February 25

Our Winfield Public Library is hosting a community blood drive with Versiti Blood Systems. The blood drive will be held on Tuesday, February 25 from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. Anyone who weighs at least 110 pounds and has not given blood in the past 56 days is eligible. Appointments are recommended, but walk-in donors are welcome. Schedule an appointment at: https://donateblood.versiti.org/.../drive_schedule/11600401. Please see the attached flyer for more info:

Next PTO/WEF Meeting: Wednesday, March 12th at 7 p.m. Everyone is welcome to attend!

Thanks for your support!

Kelly Kurzer, PTO President
Mary Campbell, PTO Vice President
winfieldpto@winfield34.org

Lesley Gena, WEF President

Gina Christensen, WEF Vice President

wef@winfield34.org

Our kindergarteners enjoyed celebrating Valentine's Day by delivering valentines to their classmates! Reading the names of their friends on the valentines and matching them to the corresponding valentine bags is a wonderful authentic literacy activity for these beginning readers!

This week, third-graders focused on point of view and nonliteral language while reading a drama. They also began to create posters about the animals they researched in science. This week in 3/4 Brach the students worked on the Greek and Latin roots-cede, ceed, cess and vers and vert. We also continued to explore poetry. We analyzed poem structure, identified figurative language, learned new vocabulary, and answered higher level questions using text evidence from the poem. The students also continued their study of the novel Lemonade Crime. They have chosen a character from the book to use for a character anatomy project. Finally, the students are reading some very high level articles from Newsela and are answering questions created by Mr. Brach. Questions being answered are along the lines of "What would be a better title for this article and why?", "Is the author a reliable source of information? Why or why not?", and "What is the text structure of this article and why?" In 5th grade, students learned strategies for adding and subtracting mixed numbers. They also began designing a book creator presentation to create a "virtual museum" for the labor movement leader they have worked so hard on researching!

Registration for Boys Volleyball (6-8th grades) is beginning. Registration Form or forms available in the Central Office. Boys Volleyball practice will begin Monday, March 3.

DuPage County - The DuPage County Health Department’s (DCHD) Protect Swimmers 10 Million (PS10M) Initiative is excited to share a funding opportunity designed to offer free swim lessons for Illinois children aged 3-5 years old through the Pool Safely Grant Program. This proactive effort aims to prevent fatal childhood drownings. This initiative is focused on public swimming facilities in regions with higher incidences of fatal child drowning.

Up to ten Illinois public swimming facilities will receive awards ranging from $2,000 - $4,000 each to provide free swimming lessons to Illinois children in need. Public swimming facilities include pools operated by civic and community organizations, schools, municipalities, park and recreation organizations, swim schools, residential communities, and health centers.

Applications are due by Friday, February 28, 2025, at 11:59 pm CST. Please note that applications received after this deadline will not be considered. Awards will be announced in March 2025.

To apply, those interested are encouraged to review the 2025 Protect Swimmers 10M Funding Opportunity Overview and complete the online application form: https://forms.gle/1egyEkYdRiTR7j4S9

DCHD invites all public swimming facilities in Illinois to take part in this opportunity. DCHD has been a proud recipient of the Pool Safely Grant Program since 2018.

For more information on the PS10M initiative, please visit: https://www.dupagehealth.org/231/Pool-Safely.

Together we can keep all Illinois children safer near water.

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DCHD Media Team
Phone: 630-221-7374
Email: media@dupagehealth.org