Dear Ivy Hall Families,
It’s hard to believe that winter break is already here! Students finished out the day with their winter parties and the opportunity to have some fun before heading out for winter break. Thank you to the PTO and all the parent volunteers who helped with our winter parties this afternoon.
As a reminder, all schools are closed from Friday, December 23, 2022 - Friday, January 6, 2023. We look forward to welcoming students back on Monday, January 9, 2023.
Mrs. Heinrich and I wish you and your family a restorative winter break. We will see you in 2023!
Take care,
Mike Senatore
NEW *Upcoming Dates*
Monday, January 9 - Students return to school
Monday, January 16 - No School, MLK Day
Tuesday, January 24 - Early Release Day
NEW *ACCESS Testing*
The State of Illinois requires identified English Learner (EL) students to annually participate in the ACCESS testing to determine current English language proficiency in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. Our ACCESS testing window will occur from 1/17-2/22. Each school’s testing schedule is unique and will only impact students who take the ACCESS test. Students taking ACCESS do not need to prepare anything ahead of time.
NEW *Coming Up: Pre-Registration for Incoming 2023-24 Kindergartners*
District families with incoming 2023-24 kindergartners are asked to be on the lookout for pre-registration information being shared in a few weeks.
The 2023-24 Kindergarten pre-registration is open to students who live within District boundaries and who will be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2023.
This year’s Kindergarten Pre-Registration will be conducted online; parents will be emailed a link to start the process. (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].)
For the online Kindergarten Pre-Registration, parents will need to supply:
Proof of their identity
Proof of their child’s birth (birth certificate or passport)
Proof of District residency (current mortgage, lease or property tax bill)
Current utility bill
Incoming Kindergartners who are pre-registered during this Pre-Registration period will receive a special Willow Grove Kindergarten T-shirt. (The T-shirts are not available after this pre-registration period.)
Learn more about Kindergarten in District 96
NEW *PTO Blog*
Our PTO maintains a weekly blog that has useful information for opportunities to get involved in the Ivy Hall School community. Their latest blog post can be found here, below are this week’s highlights.
Winter Party Volunteer Thank You
Winter Party Photos Wanted
Spirit Wear on Sale in January!
Next PTO Meeting Date 1/12
REPEAT *Recess During the Winter*
For students to play in the snow, they must have snow pants, boots, gloves and jacket. This ensures that their clothes, hands and feet are dry for lunch and the remainder of the afternoon. Students who do not have snow pants and boots can still play on the blacktop and playground area. Having a spare set of clothes (socks, shoes, pants, shirt, etc.) is a must during the winter season!
REPEAT *Half Birthdays for Birthday Book Vending Machine Coupon*
Our Birthday Book Vending Machine which was donated by the PTO has been a huge hit with our students this school year. Students receive a coupon for a free book from the book vending machine in our library.
Students who have June and July birthdays when school is not in session will receive their coupon in December (June birthdays) and January (July birthdays). I did my best to explain what a half birthday was over the morning announcements, but I would encourage you to explain this concept to your child as well so they are not confused when they receive a coupon. =)