Dear families,
What fun it was to see so many at our book fair and ice cream social. Thank you to our PTO for pouring their heart and soul into this event. Our students and staff enjoyed it all week and the ice cream social evening event was the cherry on top (pun intended). The scholastic funds will be used to increase our classroom libraries in every classroom with an emphasis on social-emotional learning and diversity.
On Wednesday, October 27, Willow Grove will be conducting a Fire Drill. Students will be evacuating the building during the drill. If the weather does not cooperate, we will reschedule the drill and communicate the rescheduled drill date.
Have a great weekend!
Jenny Smith, Principal
New *Attendance at School*
Attendance is one of the most powerful predictors of academic achievement and having your student in their seat, ready to learn for the entire school day will benefit them, their classmates, and our whole school community. Let’s work together to make sure your child has great attendance and can get the most out of their learning opportunities this school year.
OUR PROMISE TO YOU
We know that there are a wide variety of reasons that students are absent from school, from health concerns to transportation challenges. There are many people in our building prepared to help you if you or your student face challenges in getting to school regularly or on time. We promise to track attendance daily, to notice when your student is missing from class, communicate with you to understand why they were absent, and to identify barriers and supports available to overcome challenges you may face in helping your student attend school. Our parent handbook reflects legislative updates from the state and is ready for you to review.
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
We miss your student when they are not at school as we value their contributions to our school community. If your student is going to be absent, please contact the school in advance. If an absence was unplanned, please contact the school please contact the school office as soon as possible.
HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER
Send your child to school unless they are truly sick, such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, contagious rash or showing any other COVID like symptoms.
Avoid appointments and travel when school is in session.
Keep track of your child’s attendance.
Set a regular bedtime and morning routine (including limiting how late your child may use any electronic devices) and finish homework and pack backpacks the night before.
Have a back-up plan for getting to school in case something comes up (this could be alternative bus routes, roads, or a plan with family members, neighbors, or other parents).
Communicate with the school about how we can work together to support your child’s attendance.
OUR DUTIES UPON A STUDENT’S ABSENCES
If your child has five unexcused absences we will reach out via phone and follow up with an email.
If your child has seven unexcused absences we will schedule a conference with you and your child to create a student success plan and help continued supports.
After 10 days of unexcused absences, and our supports and interventions haven’t helped get your student to school consistently, we are required to file a petition and you will be notified by formal letter that the case will be forwarded to the truancy department and the Lake County ROE, alleging a violation of RCW 28A.225.010, Illinois’ mandatory attendance law.
WHAT IS EXCUSED AND WHAT IS UNEXCUSED:
Excused: Medical appointment, illness, quarantine, death in the family, mental health day, religious holiday
Unexcused: Most other reasons for absence including vacation, sporting event, missing the bus, sleeping in, day before a special occasion.
*NEW* PTO Updates
There is a lot happening...don't miss out!
- Thank you for participating in our Book Fair and Ice Cream Social! Raffle tickets were drawn afterwards for the prizes (Facebook live video can be found on our PTO group page). And the winners are...
Movie tickets - Victor 6453453
Bowlero - Legenza 6453277
Kohl Museum - Appell 645332
Popcorn - Park 6453212
Dance academy - Fisher 6453481
Culver’s - Mathur 6453088
Culver’s - Schaefer 6453424
Weiner Take All - Appell 6453328
Bowlero - Greenspan 6453351
Volo Museum - Barcari 64553303
Goldfish - Sisney 6453564
Congratulations to all our winners! Please email [email protected] to claim your prize.
- Thank you to our pre-selected Halloween class party volunteers! Please make sure to follow the COVID vaccine/testing protocol, confirm your attendance with your room parent, and arrive 10min prior to party times listed in the Principal's message.
- Please watch for Original Works art keepsakes ordering info the first week of Nov.
- Lastly, our PTO Executive Board is need of either a Treasurer or a Co-President! As you may already know, we are a highly motivated group that wants to make this the BEST YEAR EVER for our kids, teachers, and staff! If you're at all interested in joining our group that is already like family, and helping us fulfill this vision, please email us at [email protected]. We look forward to serving side-by-side with you!
SAVE THE DATE!
DESSERT DAY - 10/22
HALLOWEEN PARTY/PARADE - 10/29
More details about all this and more in our BLOG!
Any questions or concerns regarding PTO and our events may be emailed to [email protected].
Thank you!
NEW *Lunch Information Reminder*
Earlier this week parents of students who eat lunch at Willow Grove received an email explaining that as of Monday, the "drink only" option will need to be purchased. All families received a student-specific email that included the information required to put money on each student's food service account. If you have any questions, feel free to give our Admin Assistant, Mel Lundeen, a call in the office. Full lunch that includes a drink will continue to be provided, free of charge, at this time. Students wanting only a drink must have money on their account to access the drink.
REPEAT *Halloween Celebration Details - October 29*
Halloween is just around the corner! We celebrate as a school on Friday, October 29. Following are the need-to-know details.
BLENDED EARLY CHILDHOOD
9:45 AM - Blended Early Childhood Parade - We will do a parade route with just blended classrooms at 9:45 AM. The parade route will go along the front of our school. If you would like to attend the parade, the viewing area for families is the grassy area/sidewalk in front of the school on Checker. Blended PM parents may bring their child in just for the parade if they'd like. PM students must leave after the parade and come back when their typical PM program starts. If you choose to bring your PM child to the parade please notify your child’s teacher so they know to expect your child. You will drop them off in the office and pick them up there after the parade in the office. Please bypass the line for scanning ID’s for the party and come right in to retrieve your child.
10:00-10:45 for AM Blended & 2:00-2:45 for PM Blended - Classroom Parties - Only approved PTO parent volunteers may enter the building for the classroom parties. Our room parents put together a fun celebration in each classroom. PTO volunteers may enter the building immediately following the Blended parade to go to classrooms.
KINDERGARTEN & STRUCTURED PROGRAM
10:00 AM - Kindergarten and Structured Program Parade - The parade route will go along the front of our school. If you would like to attend the parade, the viewing area for families is the grassy area/sidewalk in front of the school on Checker.
10:30-11:15 - Party (Kindergarten, Structured) - Only approved PTO parent volunteers may enter the building for the classroom parties. Our room parents put together a fun celebration in each classroom.
COSTUMES (ALL)
As you are choosing or creating a costume for your child, please keep them school-appropriate. No blood or gore and no bare tummies in school. Children may not wear costume masks (only their required face masks may be worn). Weapons, real or pretend, are NEVER allowed on school grounds. No cigars or cigarette items (real or pretend). Please keep hair coloring and make-up simple.
RAIN NOTICE (ALL)
If there is rain, we will need to cancel the outdoor parade. We cannot allow parents in the school to view the indoor parade, for obvious security reasons. Let's cross our fingers for a beautiful fall day!
IMPORTANT NOTES FOR PTO PARTY VOLUNTEERS
Parents attending the parties may not bring additional family members, other children, etc. We need everyone to abide by this and will have to ask you to leave if you come with other attendees.
Every PTO volunteer approved to come into our school MUST have their license or ID scanned through our security system to enter. There is always a very long line at this first party, so please anticipate this. We highly encourage PTO room party volunteers to swing by Willow sometime in October before the party to have their license scanned, which will speed up the process. The more people who come in early to be scanned, the shorter the line! You may also come in the day of the Halloween party BEFORE THE PARADE to have your license scanned. We will clear out the office just before the parade starts, so please come early, as lines are long for this first party.
All volunteers must have followed our procedures for verifying vaccination or have proof of a negative Covid test. Call the office with questions.
All volunteers must wear a mask at all times and remain socially distanced.