3/22/24
Welcome to Spring Break Woodlawn! I hope that conferences went well for everyone and that you get some quality time as a family for the next week. There are a few things for the blog this week and I hope you take the time to fill out the 5Essentials Survey for Woodlawn.
5Essentials Survey
The 5Essentials parent survey window closes on March 29th. This is the last time I can share the link with you. The Woodlawn parent completion rate is at 12% and for our data to be counted, we need 20% of the Woodlawn parents to complete the survey. I am not above begging for you to fill out this important survey, but please do not make me, it is very unbecoming of a gentleman my age. Again, I would like to get us above the 20% threshold.
CLICK HERE FOR THE 5ESSENTIALS PARENT SURVEY.
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. As an FYI, Twin Groves is at 23%. We can do better...
NEW *2024-25 School Supply Kits Sales Are Live*
Families can now order the 2024-25 School Supply Kit from Educational Products Inc. (EPI) at https://www.educationalproducts.com/shoppacks/ (enter code KCS096).
Order by July 9 for home delivery before the start of school in August.
For questions about your order, contact Educational Products at 800-365-5345.
The School Supply Kits are a fundraiser for the PTOs. Parents can buy the grade-level materials on their own; access the School Supply Lists at https://www.kcsd96.org/curriculum/school-supply-lists.
3/25-3/29- NO SCHOOL - Spring Break
Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR)
Students in grades 3 - 8 take the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) each spring. This year the district will be administering the IAR to students from Tuesday, April 2nd through Monday, April 8th. Ivy Hall Elementary has been selected for a field test this year, which will be administered on Tuesday, April 9th.
Solar Eclipse 4/8/24
On Monday, April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse will cross over the United States. A total solar eclipse happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. In northern Illinois, there will be a partial eclipse. Changes will become noticeable around 12:30 p.m. Central Time with the height of the eclipse occurring at 2:07 pm.
KCSD96 District Office staff are working to provide an opportunity for students and staff members to safely view the eclipse. This includes providing special viewing glasses and training on how to appropriately use them and safely view the eclipse.
Students who want to safely view the eclipse outside on April 8 will be able to do that under the supervision of their teacher. We will also have opportunities for students to indirectly view the eclipse from inside the school if parents do not want them to be outside. If you do not want your child to be outside during the eclipse, please contact your school’s principal or assistant principal to let them know.
Staff and students will be provided with eclipse glasses and the safety overview on April 8 so that they can safely view the eclipse.
6th Grade Dental Forms Needed
Dear Parents/Guardians of District 96 6th Grade Students:
Please note that your child’s completed dental examination is now due, per Illinois school law. The deadline for the dental examination is no later than May 15 of the current school year. Proof of this required dental examination must have been completed within eighteen months prior to the May 15 deadline.
If you haven’t already done so, please make an appointment with your child’s dentist for a dental examination, have him and/or her complete the required form, and return it to your child’s school nurse.
State of Illinois Proof of Dental Examination Form
In the event that you are unable to fulfill this requirement, the state of Illinois does permit a waiver of the examination.
State of Illinois Dental Waiver Form
Dental examination forms, as well as dental waiver forms, can be downloaded from the District’s website.
If you have any questions, please contact Denise Kaufmann at [email protected] or call the Woodlawn main office at 847-353-8500.
Thank you for your prompt cooperation.
Click here for the Woodlawn Daily Announcements
Stevenson High School Writing Club - Middle School Opportunity
The SHS Writing Club is now open to middle school students who would like to participate. Please click here for more information.
Quick Thoughts:
- When your middle school student tells you that “Nobody is taking the IAR test”, that is false. The vast majority of all students take the test and it is good practice as they prepare for high school. More importantly, it allows us to show off our skill sets and achieve at high levels. This is a great opportunity to shine.
- Springtime leads to poorer decision-making in the 11-14 year old age group. My expectations will remain the same as the students work toward the homestretch of the school year. There is so much to celebrate as we look towards our final 8 weeks of school.
- Woodlawn continues to be a special place where the communication between all stakeholders is valued and appreciated. We couldn’t do it without the support of this incredible community.
- Thank you to the PTO and all of the parents who donated items for our wonderful faculty dinner. Conferences were so nice because of our incredibly generous families. Thank you all.
Finally, we made it to Spring Break. Woo hoo. My family didn’t do extravagant things when I was young, but we did hop in the family truckster and head down to Florida every few years. As the youngest, you can imagine, I was given the worst places to sit for the 20-hour journey. Front row, middle seat. You could not lie down in either direction because it would bother the driver. Another choice was the second row, middle seat with the hump. For those of you who do not know what the hump is, in older cars (pre-minivan era) there was a giant “bump” between the seats that came up to knee height. My last "option" and option meant that more often than not, I was relegated to the back of the wagon by my older siblings. This meant that I was in the seat facing the opposite direction of where the car was headed. When someone in my family said, “Wow, look at that!”, I had no idea what they were talking about. Also, 18-wheel trucks would get precariously close to the back bumper and I would be face to face with the Mack Truck bulldog. The trips we took were so memorable, not because of the places we went, but because of the time we spent together. I hope that you all have the opportunity to spend time together and just enjoy each other. As my father-in-law used to say, “These are the good old days.” Make a memory that one day you will recall the good old days.
Have a great break. See you on April 1st. No Foolin’.