We are SO excited to partner with the American Heart Association and start our Kids Heart Challenge program. Kids Heart Challenge helps students develop ways to keep their hearts happy and healthy for their whole lives AND spreads the mission and the message of the AHA!
This week Country Meadows kicked off the Kids Heart Challenge. Students can choose to set a daily health challenge to Move More or Be Kind. To register, visit this website heart.org/KHC and search for Country Meadows. Registered students earn their own TORCH WRISTBAND! Below are 25 Get Moving Tips to for families to try at home.
Last Friday night, the PTO hosted an amazing movie night for our 1st and 2nd graders. The evening ran smoothly thanks to many volunteers and our students had a fun time together watching a movie in the gym! My own children joined this evening and are asking to have another movie night in the gym! Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders can come on 2/17 to watch Bad Guys!
This coming week, we have an Early Release on Tuesday and Half Day on Friday. Due to the Early Release, classes will have Valentine's Day parties on MONDAY, February 13th. If you choose to send valentines to school and include an item with your child's valentines, please note for the safety of our students only non-food items are permissible. This practice is consistent for all classrooms in District 96 elementary schools including Willow Grove.
Kindly,
Michelle
*PTO Blog*
The PTO will be hosting the next movie night on February 17th for 3-5th grade. This is a free event sponsored by the PTO, snack and drink will be served! Kids are welcome to bring their own pillow and blanket for more comfortable viewing!
We also need parent volunteers to help make these events safe and run smoothly! See the sign ups below!
3rd-5th Grade Movie Night Volunteer Sign Up
*Upcoming Dates*
- February 13, Monday - Valentine's Day Class Parties
- February 14, Tuesday - Early Release
- February 17, Friday - Half Day
- February 17, Friday - 3rd-5th Grade PTO Movie Night 6:00pm
- March 14, Tuesday - Country Meadows "Who We Are" Night 6:00pm
- March 20, Monday - Variety Show Performance 7:00pm
NEW *Country Meadows Family Night - Who We Are!*
Country Meadows is hosting a Who We Are night on Tuesday, March 14th from 6-8pm. The purpose of this event is to cultivate a sense of belonging with our staff, students, and community members. We are excited to learn from and about our Country Meadows families. This night was formerly known as “Culture Night”, but we are expanding the name to include everything that makes us special!
We will need your family’s help! How? Does your family have:
- A special recipe?
- Talent?
- Language?
- Customs?
- Traditional attire?
- Tradition?
- Art?
- Music?
- Ability?
- Anything else that makes your family special?
Families are invited to create a booth to showcase what makes them special! You don't have to be an expert to run a booth. We want to learn about your experience!
For those interested, please fill out this Google Form to provide us with some details related to your family’s booth presentation. We encourage everyone to share in a way that feels comfortable to them. Families may choose to bring in a trifold with information, share photos, play a video, lead an activity, or think of another creative avenue. In addition, if you would like to work with other families who share similar interests or cultural experiences, please feel free to indicate that in the linked form. If you would prefer to not share anything, we would still love to see you at this event to learn!
We are excited to have many different representations from families and learn Who We Are! See you there!
NEW *Guiding Coalition of Interculturalism*
The Guiding Coalition of Interculturalism (GCI) is district committee composed of staff and family members that meet to reflect upon current practices of inclusivity and diversity with the intention of strengthening our sense of belonging. Starting Monday, Country Meadows will be piloting the committee's project that will encourage our community to learn more about a variety of cultures.
Students walking through the building will be able to see images and read short tidbits about important cultural days, people, and communities that have positively impacted our world. The tidbits of information will change every Monday! At the same time, families will be able to see the tidbit on Instagram (follow @KCSD96 GCI). We would love for this to lead to conversation at school and at home.
Repeat *Human Growth and Development”
To review Superintendent Sheridan’s letter with details concerning the 4th and 5th grade human growth and development unit please visit our website HERE. This letter contains information on when materials will be available for review and how to access them as well as a timeframe for when instruction will begin.
Repeat *D96 Dual Language Program*
Do you have an entering kindergartner or know of a D96 resident who does? Are you interested in your child having a bilingual school experience?
The District 96 Spanish/English Dual Language Program was designed several years ago to implement instruction across the curriculum that provides an opportunity for students to develop a deep academic proficiency in two languages. In the Dual Language Program, 50 percent of the academic curriculum is delivered in Spanish, and 50 percent of the academic curriculum is delivered in English.
Families interested in enrolling their incoming kindergartner in the Spanish/English Dual Language Program can indicate so on the registration form while completing the kindergarten registration process that begins March 1, 2023. This process should be completed by April 15, 2023, to be entered into the Dual Language Lottery. Please note that indicating interest in the Dual Language Program does not guarantee acceptance into the Dual Language program.
Please visit our District 96 Website to learn more about the optional Spanish/English Dual Language Program and our Dual Language Lottery.
**District 96 will be hosting a Virtual Parent Night at 6:00 to 7:00 P.M. on MARCH 8 for parents of incoming Kindergarten students who are interested in learning more about the Dual Language Program.**
Repeat *5Essentials Survey for Parents/Guardians*
Beginning January 24th through April 2nd, District 96 invites you to share your thoughts on the inner workings of your child’s school. On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago.
As a parent, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child’s school. Your participation will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide our improvement. Parent identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.
Please visit http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/ to begin the parent survey. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact UChicago Impact Client Services at 1-866-440-1874 or [email protected].
Repeat *Pre-Registration for Incoming 2023-24 Kindergartners*
Pre-Registration for incoming 2023-24 kindergartners is now open.
The 2023-24 Kindergarten Pre-Registration is open to students who live within District 96 boundaries and will be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2023.
To begin the Kindergarten Pre-Registration process, parents must email all required documents to the administrative assistant at Willow Grove Early Learning Center at [email protected].
Parents need to supply the following:
- Student’s Proof of Age (such as a Birth Certificate or Passport or Visa)
- Parent/Guardian Photo ID (Passport or Driver’s License)
- Proof of District Residency (a current mortgage statement or current lease or property tax bill)
- Current Utility Bill
- Click the link to download & complete: RESIDENCY FORM
- Click the link to download & complete: HOME LANGUAGE SURVEY
- Click the link to download & complete: ENROLLMENT FORM
After the submitted documents are approved, families will receive a Pre-Registration link to complete by January 31, 2023. Students pre-registered by January 31 will receive a free Willow Grove T-shirt. (T-shirts are not available after this pre-registration period.)
Families needing to pre-register their child in person may contact Kimberly O’Neill, administrative assistant at Willow Grove Early Learning Center, at [email protected] or at (847) 541-3660.
Learn more about Kindergarten in District 96: https://www.kcsd96.org/wg/kindergarten-in-kcsd96
Got questions? Email Kimberly O’Neill, administrative assistant at Willow Grove, at [email protected].