Dear families,
We had a great first couple of days! Seeing the progress in just two days was incredible this morning. Yesterday we had timid little ones slowly making their way in, a little bit hesitant, a little bit anxious, needing reassurance, and a lot of support to find their way. Of course, we would expect that on such a big day! On day 2, these cuties were bounding in, full of energy, and already finding their way to their classrooms independently! It was such a striking difference during arrival from Thursday to Friday. Most of all it delighted my heart to see all of their "smiling eyes" excited to get to come back to school! Just what we hope and plan for!
We are all looking forward to seeing you on Monday for Curriculum Night. Please be sure to read the details about Curriculum Night very carefully as we have a hybrid option this year and some important guidelines we need families to follow to support a safe, socially distanced evening.
Kindly,
Jenny Smith, Principal
Willow Grove Early Learning Center
NEW: Curriculum Night Update
Curriculum Night is scheduled for Monday, August 23 and is from 6:30-7:30 PM. Families begin with me for a quick overview of some building items and then join their child's teacher for the remainder of the evening. This is a “parents only” meeting, and I hope you can attend. This year we will be offering a hybrid format. If you’d prefer to “zoom in” there is a link for the principal presentation and you will also receive a different link for the classroom teacher portion. My zoom link to the principal portion of the evening, which begins at 6:30 PM, is below. Teachers will be updating you with theirs, as well. If you would like to attend in person, please come directly to the large gym for the principal presentation followed by classroom visits. Please note due to safety and capacity, we are asking that only one parent per child attends in-person. All in-person attendees must be masked.
Curriculum Night is for all classrooms at Willow Grove including both early childhood and kindergarten.
Topic: Curriculum Night - Principal
Time: Aug 23, 2021 06:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://kcsd96.zoom.us/j/88182658604?pwd=d2RBQTRXV1hXZXI2Vmd6QXZaV0dVdz09
Meeting ID: 881 8265 8604
Passcode: 115232
NEW *Bus Information*
PLEASE NOTE: There continues to be a workforce shortage on a national and local level. This is significantly impacting the ability of all transportation companies to fill driver openings. First Student continues to have unfilled driver positions for District 96 bus routes. They have been using substitute and "borrowed" drivers from other regions to fill our needs the last few days but the reality is that the positions remain unfilled and a "band-aid" plan is being created for each day. Our Director of Transportation continues to meet with First Student multiple times per day to problem solve. We will continue to keep you updated on what is likely to be an ongoing challenge.
NEW *NWEA MAP Assessment*
All students in grades K-8 will be participating in NWEA MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) assessment. The MAP assessment is a normed referenced, computerized adaptive test which helps teachers, parents, and administrators improve learning for all students and make informed decisions to promote a child's academic growth. Like in previous years, all students will be taking the MAP test in reading and math during the school day. Testing will take place during the MAP window, August 30-September 10. The specific dates of testing will be communicated in next week’s principal message.
REPEAT: Food Service
FREE MEALS IN SCHOOL: Under the waivers to USDA Nutrition Programs currently offered, the District is able to provide free meals to all students. One reimbursable daily meal will be provided free of charge to each student that chooses to participate on school days.
ORDERING PROCESS: Each morning, students will tell their teachers which entree they will order and those numbers will be shared with the food service staff. Please encourage your students to take the entree they ordered to ensure that all students receive the desired meal. Menus can be viewed on the District website.
REPEAT: Daily Snack
All students in blended, structured, and kindergarten should bring an individual daily snack. It is required that snacks are only from our District Approved Snack List for the safety of students. Please label snacks with your child’s name.
Approved Snacks: What Parents Need to Know
The District has revised the APPROVED SNACK LIST. The items the list includes are free of the Top 8 allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat. This list includes the foods that are approved for students' Daily Snacks. Daily snacks for your children must be from this list or they will be sent home.
IMPORTANT: All items for Daily Snacks, with the exception of fruits and vegetables, MUST be prepackaged to allow staff to easily check that snacks meet the approved requirements. If you choose to send a water bottle with your child, it must be a "spill proof" top and non-glass. See the Kindergarten 101 handout in the Virtual Backpack for examples/non-examples.
Director of Educational Services Amy Gluck also has provided responses to FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQs) about foods approved for daily snacks/special events.
For your convenience, find links to the District 96 Approved Snack List and Approved Snack List FAQs on the homepage of the District 96 website and the homepage of each school.
For structured and kindergarten, lunches packed from home may contain anything, and do not need to be from the Approved Snack List. If your child is bringing in lunch, snacks must be packed separately from lunch. Please label lunch bags and snacks with your child’s name.
REPEAT: PTO News
We look forward to seeing you at Meet the Teacher! Visit our table in the learning center and near the cafeteria to see all the exciting things you can sign up for.
The PTO is hosting a back-to-school "Boohoo/Yahoo Parent Breakfast" on the first day of school (Aug. 19th) from 9:00-10:30 AM at Deerfield's Bakery - 201 N Buffalo Grove Rd! We'll be up in the loft. Please wear your mask in consideration of others. And bring some cash as we'll have our limited edition Willow Grove Water Bottles for $8 a piece. Hope to see you there!
Be sure to make a Membership Toolkit (MTK) account to see what opportunities are available, and sign up! The Dessert Day order form is on your MTK account...So, don't forget to sign up for those monthly lunchtime treats Deadline is Aug. 27th!
Check out our BLOG for additional details on these things and more, and on Facebook. We also post regular announcements on the "Willow Grove Kindergarten Parents 2021-2022" Facebook page.