Principal's Message ~ September 10, 2021

Dear Families,

My, oh my, did time fly during this very short 3-day week! As a reminder, next week we have no school on Thursday. It's a great idea to get these important dates into your calendar. You can click here for something to hang on the refrigerator, and/or here to integrate our district dates into your web-based calendar by following the directions for "subscribe to calendar." Enjoy your weekend!

Kindly,

Jenny Smith, Principal


NEW *Fall Parent/Educator Conferences*

Fall Parent/Educator Conferences are right around the corner!  The conferences will take place on Thursday, October 7th from 5 PM to 8:30 PM and Friday, October 8th from 10:00 AM to 1:30 PM.  These conferences will be 15 minutes in length. We will continue using Meet the Teacher as an electronic sign-up for conferences. A sign-up link will be shared via email on Monday, September 20th at 6:00 PM. Parents and guardians will be able to schedule an in-person or a remote conference with the classroom teacher, specials teachers, and any related service providers seen by your child.


NEW ADDITIONAL INFO *PE Helpers*

Mrs. O’Gara, our Physical Education teacher, is inviting parents to volunteer as a gym helper for their child’s P.E. class! If you are interested, please e-mail her at [email protected] and she will schedule a day for you. Please give her a few options and she will let you know which day is available. Gym helper days will begin on Monday, September 20th, 2021. You will only help out with your own child’s class. Each family is allowed to have one gym helper day each month. Both parents are welcome to come. When you arrive to the gym, you may then sign up to be a helper one day for the following month. 

On nice weather days, our kindergarten students will be having PE outdoors, so please have your children dressed appropriately. Also, please send your child with gym shoes every day. Sandals, crocs, boots, and gym shoes that have open tops are not safe to wear for class and therefore any child wearing them will have to sit out. Thank you!

ADDITION: In the Executive Order which applies to all “school personnel”, volunteers are included in the definition unless they are present for only a short period of time and whose movements of close physical proximity are “fleeting”. Please note that regular/repeat PE volunteers will be required to submit proof of vaccination with their vaccination card or present proof of a negative Covid-19 test taken within 48 hours of reporting to the school at your time of arrival in the main office.  At home Covid tests will not be accepted.  Testing must be done at an approved facility.


NEW *PTO UPDATES*

There is a lot happening! Don't miss out!

-THANK YOU for your Dessert Day orders! Please see the calendar on your MTK account for the Dessert Day schedule. 

-There is still a need for room parents and holiday party volunteers for some classrooms. Please contact Stacey Busch VP of Room Parents if you're interested. Her email can be found on your MTK account. 

-Arlington Heights Portillos Fundraiser 9/29 5-8 PM

More details about this and more in our BLOG!


NEW *Picture Day Updates*

Picture Day is Thursday, September 30, 2021.  CLICK HERE and use our school code for ordering information.

School Code: 10023701


REPEAT *Student Handbook Update - Change to Transportation *

Please note the following update to the Student Handbook.

Changes to Assigned Transportation

A change in a child's typical bus routine must be communicated through a written and signed parent note or email given to school office staff before noon on the morning the parent will be picking up the child after school ~ rather than having the child ride the bus. Due to the young age of Willow Grove students, all Willow Grove parents must call the main office to make changes. Otherwise, the child will follow his/her typical transportation routine.


REPEAT *MAP Reports*

While the bulk of MAP testing has been completed, the remainder of the window will be used for make-up testing. MAP reports will be sent to families on Friday, September 17th.


REPEATING *Covid Metrics*

To stay up-to-date this school year on local metrics, please visit the COVID DASHBOARD for District 96. Our priority remains to keep our students safe and follow guidance from the CDC. If your student is identified as a "close contact", you will be notified individually through the contact tracing process. 


REPEATING *Simultaneous Student Pick-Up from Willow Grove & Elementary Schools*

Please know that we understand that some families may have concerns related to picking students up from Willow Grove and an elementary school building.  Please know that all principals are aware of this concern, and no child will ever be left unattended.  We appreciate your best effort in picking your children up in a timely manner, and we appreciate you adhering to our current dismissal times.  If when you arrive at a building your child is not waiting outside with an adult, please park and come to the front office.  If you will be well after 3:15 to a specific location, please feel free to call and inform the office of your ETA.