The Skokie Home Scoop

September 19, 2022

Dear Skokie Community:

Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for the PTO parent coffee last week. It was a great opportunity to meet up and talk about the start of the school year. We are looking forward to ongoing opportunities to connect as a school community in the weeks and months ahead!

Clubs

The following club registrations open Tuesday, September 20th at 9am, and the details are linked here for each club.

Baking Club
Lions of Leadership
After School Sports - a 5th and a 6th grade session are available for registration
Climbing Club - 3 separate sessions are available for registration

D36 School Board Meeting

A few of our Skokie teachers and several students will have the opportunity to share our Skokie School Song and an example of a classroom Charter at the beginning of the board meeting. The meeting begins at 7:15 pm on September 20, 2022 at Crow Island School.

Safety Drills

We completed our first fire drill of the year. Students did an excellent job of safely and quietly moving out of the building and waiting for adult directions.

As was shared in the letter on September 12, 2022 from Dr. Tess and Mr. Hornstein, we will be practicing many drills, including the lockdown drill, in the upcoming weeks. Skokie’s lockdown drill will be during the morning on October 3, 2022 Our goal for this drill is to practice how to respond in a way that minimizes stress. Teachers will be practicing with students, but a change this year is that we will not be making an announcement over the loudspeaker. If you would prefer to exempt your child from the drill, please indicate this on the Lockdown Drill Exemption Form.

Absences/Leaving Early

Please remember to fill out the absence link if your child is going to be absent. If you need to pick up your child early, please email our front entrance monitor, Carol Zalinski, and she will let the teacher know. She will call down to the classroom once the adult who’s picking them up has arrived and signed them out.

Student Personal Devices

We understand that some students have personal devices and need them to communicate with you before and after school. However, students should not be contacted or be contacting others through their personal devices during the school day. If you need to reach your child during the day, please call the school so we can get you in contact with them. Students have been texted and called on their personal devices during the school day, which is distracting to the learning environment. The same message has been shared with students that they should not be using personal devices to communicate during the school day.

It is our hope that with a shared expectation we will see a huge improvement in this area. If watches are used for purposes other than the watch feature during the day, teachers will ask students to keep these in their locker or with the teacher until the end of the day.

Front Circle Drive

Our front circle drive is open after arrival has ended and before dismissal begins. However, many classes take class breaks for a snack or recess in the front drive/lawn. If at all possible, please try to refrain from driving through the circle drive while students are outside. Please feel free to park on the street in front of the building.

Vision and Hearing Screening this Month

We will screen all 5th and 6th graders for vision and hearing on Wed., Sept. 28th and Thursday, Sept. 29th here at Skokie School.

If your child wears eyeglasses on occasion, please have them bring their glasses to school on those days.

Please contact our school nurse, Mrs. Siegel, with any questions.

6th gr. Health Forms: We have a few forms outstanding. Please review the information below and submit any needed forms to Ms. Siegel. Here is a link to more information:

6th Grade Health Forms Instructions

We appreciate your support in meeting this state requirement. For any questions, please email our school nurse, Marianne Siegel, at mariannesiegel@winnetka36.org

Pre-ordering Memory Books

Pre-order your child's Memory Book (aka yearbook) now! At Skokie, Memory Books are created for the students by the students in the Memory Book Club. Unlike other schools, purchasing a Memory Book is not a part of school fees or through the PTO and is ordered directly through Jostensyearbooks.com. Books are delivered to classrooms the last week of spring.

Currently, there is a book personalization special (running until 10/7). More information can be found here.

2022 Downsized Capital Improvement Plan: Referendum

As a member of The Winnetka Public School community, we want to ensure you are informed about the improvements to all five schools as part of the 2022 Downsized Capital Improvement Plan: Referendum, which was adopted as a resolution by the School Board on August 16th and will be on the ballot November 8th. You are invited to attend an upcoming informational session, in person or via Zoom. Please see the image below for further information, or visit our website at www.winnetka36.org.

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.

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

Sincerely,

Michelle Cooney and Larry Joynt

Principal and Assistant Principal

The Skokie School