Carleton Washburne

December recognizes National Human Rights Month. This month is a reminder that the United Nations General Assembly codified the basic human rights of every person. Everyone in the United States is encouraged to come together and stand up for equality, justice, and the dignity of all humans. December is a time to honor the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, an international document stating the fundamental rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled. These rights include freedom from discrimination, the right to equality, and the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.

Spread the word about the importance of treating everyone around us with respect, dignity, and kindness no matter their gender, age, race, political views, or social status. National Human Rights Month is about acknowledging that people are people, plain and simple. If we take the time to learn about other cultures, we will begin to see things from their perspective and be able to better understand them as real people.

Take Care and Be Well,

Andrew Fenton & Ben Horwitz

Carleton Washburne Principal & Assistant Principal

Trimester 1 report cards will be available digitally at the end of the day on Wednesday, December 13th. Families can access report cards in the PowerSchool Parent Portal. You can see step-by-step directions for how to access report cards using this link.

If you have any questions, please reach out to parentportal@winnetka36.org.

Paper Report cards will also be mailed out to families next week.

Thursday, December 14th at 9:30am - Skokie Community Room

Join Principal Cooney and Assistant Principal Joynt (The Skokie School) and Principal Fenton and Assistant Principal Horwitz (Carleton Washburne School) for an informational session focusing on the literacy pilot and how Skokie and Washburne Educators are testing literacy programs and practices for the middle school classroom.

Interested? RSVP HERE!

Want to familiarize yourself with the literacy pilot? Watch this video.

Thank you to our PTO for sponsoring the grade-level “Weekend Warm Up” events. This Friday, December 15th is the 7th Grade Warm Up where students have the chance to kick-off their weekend with friends, music, food and fun. It is so easy, just have your student stay at school and hang out.

When:

December 15, 2023: 7th Grade

Time:

Right After School (3:30-4:30pm)

Where:

Washburne School Cafeteria

What:

Fun Games

Music by DJ Selegrat

Hot Chocolate from Hometown

Churros from La Taquiza

& Cool Raffle Prizes!

Admission:

Online Registration: $10 Fee

At the Door: $20 Fee (cash only)

Parent volunteers needed!

We’d love to have you help us out at your student’s event.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

Click here to volunteer for 7th Grade

Students at Washburne do not have to go outside for recess. However, if your child enjoys going outside each day, we ask for your partnership in ensuring that they have proper winter gear for the elements. When the temperature is extremely cold (a feels like temperature of 10 degrees or colder), we will keep all students indoors.

Below are resources we use as guidance for our district to determine if we are outside or staying inside for recess.

• We use the Weather Channel to monitor the weather.

• We use the ISBE windchill guide for “feels like” temperature.
  

Students are always in need of skates for the Washburne skating parties. This year those parties are on Friday, December 22nd. There are pairs to rent at the rink, but sometimes certain sizes are limited. We would love if families have extra or old skates that they are not using they could lend them to the RC for Friday, December 22. They can bring them in anytime the week before. Students who don't own skates can check them out, and I'll keep track of the pairs for both 7th and 8th grade skating parties.

We will send them home after school on the 22nd.

DO YOU LOVE MATH???

Do you want to compete with other school and have fun while learning new concepts?

If this is you, join our District 36 MathCounts team!

OUR FIRST PRACTICE WILL BE THIS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 14TH, 2023

3:45-4:45 PM

ROOM S204 @ CARLETON WASHBURNE SCHOOL

Registration opens at 9:00am this Tuesday, December 12th on the District Web Store.

This club is open to 6th - 8th graders and it is posted under Washburne Non-Sports on the Webstore.

In this section we will be shining the spotlight on our Related Studies program and all the wonderful opportunities available to our Washburne students.

¿Qué pasa en la clase de español?

7th grade students have been working hard learning about how to describe their school day in Spanish, the classes they have, at what time, materials that they need and how they feel about their classes at school.

8th grade students have been working on describing themselves and aspects of their everyday lives. They have been strengthening their interpersonal, presentational and interpretive skills with a focus on language function and accuracy. Students have had the opportunity to engage in conversations with each other, videojuegos to practice vocabulary, and writing letters to a friend.

We are excited to continue building their proficiency and production of the wonderful Spanish language!

Welcome to Window to Washburne! Each week, we will be highlighting some of the learning taking place in our classrooms.

Sometimes, mixing two words together can create a new, greater meaning. That is certainly the case when you take “square” and “dancing” and put them together. This week, 7th and 8th grade students were practicing their promenades, do-si-dos, and allemande lefts. The week of practice culminated in a dance off on Friday with teachers as special guest judges.

Kudos to Mr. Becker, Ms. Florence, and Ms. SeLander for making KW a rootin’-tootin’ good time.

Hello Washburne parents we’re 8th grade students on the Dream Team and are working on a project for Social Studies and Language Arts. This project is a charity where we are helping supply sporting equipment to kids without the money or power to obtain the equipment themselves. On December 22nd, during our skating party, many of you will probably find that you have hockey skates that no longer fit. If this is the case it would be great if you could donate them to our cause, and if you happen to find old hockey pads, socks, helmets, or jerseys, those would be greatly appreciated as well. There will be donation bins in the front lobby of Washburne main entrance and in the Winnetka ice rink. It would be amazing if you could donate to this cause.

Project Based Learning opportunities

Hello, Winnetka! One of our 7th grade teams is currently doing a big project on poverty, hunger, and clothing insecurity. We are collecting all kinds of items to help five organizations: PADS, the New Trier Food Pantry, One Warm Coat, Cradles to Crayons and Project Linus. (To find out more information about our project and these charities please visit our website)

Please bring any and all items to Washburne during school hours from November 28-December 21.

There will be bins set-up outside the main office for the following items:

• If you want to donate food: PADS and the New Trier food pantry need: cookies, crackers, granola bars, pasta, pasta sauce, salad dressing/salsa, cooking oil and condiments, individual breakfast foods, cups of fruit and any packaged foods, canned fruit (all kinds), canned chicken, tuna, salmon, brown and white rice/rice mixes, toothpaste and, Ziploc-style bags, cleaning supplies. There will be bins set-up outside the main office. Additionally, students will be posted out front of the Jewel Osco on Green Bay Road in Wilmette and the Jewel Osco on Waukegan in Glenview on Tuesday the week of November 28th.

• If you want to donate winter gear: One Warm Coat needs new or gently used coats, gloves, hats and scarves. Please bring clothing to Washburne school from November 28-December 21.

• If you want to donate supplies for children: Cradles to crayons needs clothes, books, shoes, toys, school supplies, winter gear and toiletries for children ages 0-12.

• If you want to donate blankets: Project Linus needs blankets that are new, handmade and washable.

Thank you for helping us address some of the needs in our community.

Wednesday, December 13th: Trimester 1 Report Cards available in Powerschool

Friday, December 15th: 7th Grade Winter Warm Up 3:30-4:30pm

Tuesday, December 19th: School Board Meeting - 7:15pm @ Carleton Washburne School

Friday, December 22nd: Washburne Skating Parties (last day before winter break)

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 8th and conclude on January 19th. There are three platforms the district utilizes to gather student learning information; aimswebPlus, mCLASS, and NWEA MAP. Benchmarking reports will be mailed home on Wednesday, January 31st.

Tuesday, January 10 at 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Greeley School

275 Fairview Avenue

Winnetka

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!

Registration for incoming kindergarteners and students new to The Winnetka Public Schools in 2024/2025 is now open. Children who will be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2024, 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.

Please note: There are two steps to completing new student registration. Step 1: Complete the online pre-registration form; Step 2: Visit the District Office (1235 Oak Street) to provide the following:

1. Proof of residency. Click here to view the list of documents that will meet these requirements. For your convenience residency documents may be uploaded during online registration.

2. Original or certified copy of your child(ren)'s birth certificate and a parent photo ID.

Completing both steps (online and in-person) is required for your child(ren) to be enrolled as new students.

Why are both steps necessary?

In January of each year, the District begins preparing its budget and staffing plan for the upcoming school year. For grades, other than Kindergarten/1st grade, the staffing plan is based on the assumption that all current students will return and matriculate to the next grade level. For kindergarten and first grade students, the District forecasts enrollment based on those students that have both the in-person and online forms submitted. These early enrollments impact the staffing plan by determining the number of kindergarten/1st grade sections and student services needed. For this reason, we ask that parent(s)/guardian(s) complete BOTH steps of pre-registration BEFORE January 12, 2024.

As an added incentive new students that have completed the two step pre-registration process by January 12, 2024, will receive a credit of $40.00 toward student fees for the 2024/2025 school year.

Thank you for doing your part to ensure that the District is able to retain and/or attract the best educators for our students.

The District offers regular sessions for families to learn more about a variety of topics. The Winter/Spring schedule will be shared soon. In the meantime, videos of the Fall 2023 sessions are available here:

• The Winnetka Experience: Portrait of a Graduate, Portrait of an Educator, and Progressive Education

• District 36: Benchmark Assessments
  

• The Middle School Experience

• Literacy Pilot: How District 36 Educators are Testing Literacy Programs and Practices

Save-the-Date for the Winnetka Public Schools Foundation Carlson Event

January 30, 2024

6:30-8:30 P.M.

Location: Skokie School

Join WPSF at their free annual event to learn about findings from the literacy pilot and to see a showcase of recently funded grants in D36. Teachers will be participating in a panel discussion on reading education. Don't miss this opportunity to learn firsthand from faculty and district leaders and to see #grantsinaction.