Dear Families,
Thank you so much for attending our Spring Family Educator Conferences this week. Students were so excited to participate and celebrate the learning they have engaged in so far this school year. We are looking forward to another great week of learning as we near our Spring Break 2021. I want to make sure I cue everyone in on the PTO updates this week (below). The PTO has some exciting spring break opportunities for families. There are kits for every student. These will be sent home with students who are in-person and there are kits to pick up for those who are remote. Please see details in the PTO highlights and blog this week! Pick-up hours Thursday and Friday will be 7:45 AM-4 PM. If you need later hours, give our office a call and we can see what we can work out!
A special shout out to our PTO who provided dinner on Thursday and a coffee bar on Friday for our Willow Grove teachers and staff! Thank you from all of us for filling our hearts and our tummies!
Warmly,
Jenny Smith, Principal
Upcoming Calendar
March
16 - Early Release Day: WG AM KDG/EC Blended AM dismisses at 10 AM; WG PM KDG/EC Blended PM dismisses at 2 PM; WG Structured dismisses at 2 PM. Please remember, this also means optional kindergarten specials are not available when school ends at 10 AM & 2 PM.
19 - Last day of school before spring break - school closed Mar. 22-26
29 - School resumes
Spring Break Spirit Week!
Next week we are leading up to Spring Break, so let's have some fun!
Monday, March 15 - Willow Grove Spirit Wear or Purple and/or Gray Day
Tuesday, March 16 - It's Praising, Appreciating, and Complimenting month! Tell someone you appreciate them! This can be with your words or give them a note or drawing.
Wednesday, March 17 - Exercise day - dress comfortably to move and stretch! Or wear GREEN for St. Patrick's Day! You pick :)
Thursday, March 18 - Wear your favorite color
Friday, March 19 - Hat day - Hats should be non-disruptive to learning - please keep them reasonable. They should not make noise or be too oversized, for example.
NEW & EXCITING!! PTO UPDATES
We have some exciting activities coming up for Spring Break! Please be sure to check out our full blog this week!
Spring break activity packets: Willow Grove PTO brings to you some exciting things that your child can do over their spring break to keep up their curiosity and learning going through the break! Please check out our blog to find out how to get your packet.
**Pick-up hours for Remote will be next week on Thursday and Friday 7:45 AM-4 PM. If you need later hours, give the office a call and they will see if they can accommodate you with a special plan.**
Questions for Sue, the T. rex from Field Museum: Willow Grove PTO is organizing a special virtual tour with Sue in the coming weeks and we would love to know what questions you have about T. Rexes!
If there is anything you ever wondered about Sue or these amazing dinosaurs – please email them to [email protected].
Our Field Museum educator will make sure we get those answers for you in our upcoming virtual visit!
PLEASE SEND IN YOUR QUESTIONS BY MONDAY, MARCH 15TH AT 5PM.
Yearbook purchase: Capture your memories, order your yearbook now! You can check your emails for a receipt from "PowerSchool Registration Support" to verify whether you pre purchased a Yearbook when registering your student for the current school year.
Yearbook photos - Sports fun: Submit photos of your Kids having fun playing their favorite sport for our Yearbook. Please remember to upload only appropriate and limited photos for review and consideration.
More details on all of this in our PTO Blog!
REPEATING *NURSE HOURS and IDPH DECISION TREE*
Our District 96 nurses are closely following the Illinois Department of Public Health school exclusion decision tree to determine when students are eligible to return to turn school. Thank you for your patience with students who have had to isolate or quarantine due to illness, household, illness, positive COVID-19, and/or close contact status. The building nurse will request appropriate documentation for students to return to school. While you may receive this documentation outside of school hours, the nurse will contact families regarding a return date upon receipt during the next school day.
If you would like to be in touch with one of the District 96 nurses, please note the hours that they are available.
Country Meadows, Ivy Hall, Kildeer, Prairie, Willow Grove: 8:00-3:15
Twin Groves, Woodlawn 7:30-2:45
REPEATING *March Family Activity*
In January we enjoyed our mitten tree. Then February came and we collected hearts that beautifully are decorating our main entrance. Now it's March already! During the month of March we are celebrating our favorite bear, BUDDY! Kids can PRINT BUDDY HERE or draw their own, cut it out and decorate him. They can send a Seesaw video or photo of them hanging out with Buddy somewhere or teaching Buddy something! In-person students can bring their Buddy to school and remote parents can drop them off anytime. Anything we collect will decorate our main entrance along with our hearts we collected in February because WE LOVE BUDDY!
REPEATING *2021–22 Registration Emails Were Sent Thurs., Mar. 4*
Please check for registration email(s) for the 2021–22 school year, sent Thurs., Mar. 4.
Each registration email includes a link and a unique “snapcode” needed for access to register your returning student for 2021–22. EVERY student returning to District 96 for the school year ahead must be registered.
Information you provided previously will appear in your student’s online registration record. Please check that information carefully and update it if it is not accurate.
Completing and submitting online registration and making payment no later than Apr. 15, 2021, will save families $20 in registration cost per student. Fees increase after Apr. 15.
Questions? Please send email to [email protected] or call 847.459.4260, ext. 8022.
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*LOS CORREOS ELECTRÓNICOS DE LA INSCRIPCIÓN PARA EL CICLO ESCOLAR 2021–22 SE ENVIARON EL JUEVES 4 DE MARZO*
Por favor busque el correo electrónico de la inscripción para el ciclo escolar 2021–22, que fue enviado el jueves, 4 de marzo.
Cada correo de inscripción incluye un enlace y un “código” exclusivo que usted va a necesitar para inscribir a su estudiante que regresa al ciclo escolar 2021–22.
TODOS los estudiantes que regresan al Distrito 96 para el ciclo escolar próximo deben estar inscritos.
La información que usted brindó anteriormente aparecerá en el registro de inscripción en línea de su estudiante. Por favor revise eso cuidadosamente y actualice cualquier información si no está correcta.
Si completa y entrega la inscripción en línea y hace el pago antes del 15 de abril, 2021 las familias ahorrarán $20 en la cuota de inscripción de cada estudiante. Las cuotas aumentan después del 15 de abril. ¿Preguntas sobre la inscripción? Por favor envíe un correo electrónico a [email protected] o llame a 847.459.4260, ext. 8022.
Repeating *Calendar Updates*
With our half-day, 5-day a week structure at Willow Grove, district calendar updates can use some additional explanation. Recently, communication has come out that provides in-person days on Wednesdays for elementary and middle school students. At Willow Grove, our 5-day per week schedule is in place and student assignments for Wednesdays do not apply to us. Previously, I communicated asynchronous dates (remaining March 17 and April 21). These dates have been revised, based on the new elementary/middle school structure. I’ve outlined Willow Grove specific calendar updates for your convenience below:
March 17 & April 21 - NO LONGER asynchronous learning days. These have been moved. Please take off of your calendar.
April 1:
AM KDG/AM EC Blended students will be asynchronous.
PM KDG/PM EC Blended students will be in session.
Structured students will be in session 8:45–11 AM.
April 30:
All students will have a half-day of asynchronous work to do at home.
No Willow Grove students attend in-person
May 28:
Willow Grove AM KDG/EC Blended AM meets 8:30–11 AM
Willow Grove Structured meets 8:45–11 AM
NO SCHOOL for WG PM Kindergarten and PM EC Blended ONLY
June 2:
Last day for AM KDG/AM EC Blended
June 3:
If NO ADDITIONAL Emergency Days are used, June 3 is the last day (Half Day) of required attendance for Willow Grove PM Kindergarten/PM EC Blended (meet 12:30–3 PM) and Willow Grove Structured (meets 8:45–11 AM)
Willow Grove AM Kindergarten/AM EC Blended are not in attendance.
Repeating *Kindergarten and 2nd Grade Parents Dental Screening Reminder*
The Illinois School Code requires all children in kindergarten, second and sixth grades to have a dental examination by May 15th of each year in compliance with the rules adopted by the Illinois Department of Public Health. If you have not already done so, please submit your 2nd-grade child’s dental exam form to our building nurse. To see a complete list of the health forms required for students, please visit our Student Health Section of our Web page.
REPEATING *FREE MEALS DISTRIBUTION/QUANTITY SCHEDULE*
Families who want to pick up free meals for their students will receive two meals when picking up on Mon., Feb. 1.
On Wed., Feb. 3, they will receive meal supplies for five meals.
Beginning the following week (the week of Feb. 8), there will no longer be meal pick-up on Mondays. Instead, meal supplies for five meals will be distributed on Wednesdays.
Pick-up hours/location 11 AM–2 PM at Twin Groves or Woodlawn Middle Schools parking lots will remain the same.
Please direct questions to the public info coordinator at [email protected]
REPEATING *Tech Hub*
The District 96 Family Technology Hub is designed to guide families through technology tools related to Enhanced Remote Learning. On this site you can find links to the recordings and the corresponding Slides decks for the parent/family informational sessions from last week. You can also find tutorials on how to use ZOOM, Schoology, Seesaw, Clever, Notability, and other iPad essential tools for student learning. Additionally there is a link to email the technology support desk. Please save or bookmark this site. It will be updated with tools, resources, and tutorials through remote learning to better support your family.
Please email [email protected] with any tech-related support needed.