Dear Families,
Another great week of learning has come to a close and February is right around the corner. With the latest arrival of snow, I wanted to take this opportunity to remind families about clothing expectations in regard to playing in the snow during recess. Coats, gloves, snow pants, and boots are all required clothing items that must be worn in order to play in the snow. Additionally, please remind your child that the throwing of snow or ice in any manner is not allowed.
I hope to see some neighborhood snowmen some of you build this weekend on my Monday morning commute! Have fun and stay warm!
Best,
Jenny Smith, Principal
January Dates to Know
Tuesday, January 24 - Early Release Day
NEW *5Essentials Survey for Parents/Guardians*
Beginning January 24 through April 2nd, District 96 invites you to share your thoughts on the inner workings of your child’s school. On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago.
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.
Please visit http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/ to begin the parent survey. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact UChicago Impact Client Services at 1-866-440-1874 or [email protected].
NEW *D96 Dual Language Program*
Do you have an entering kindergartner or know of a D96 resident who does? Are you interested in your child having a bilingual school experience?
The District 96 Spanish/English Dual Language Program was designed several years ago to implement instruction across the curriculum that provides an opportunity for students to develop a deep academic proficiency in two languages. In the Dual Language Program, 50 percent of the academic curriculum is delivered in Spanish, and 50 percent of the academic curriculum is delivered in English.
Families interested in enrolling their incoming kindergartners in the Spanish/English Dual Language Program can indicate so on the registration form while completing the kindergarten registration process that begins March 1, 2023. This process should be completed by April 15, 2023, to be entered into the Dual Language Lottery. Please note that indicating interest in the Dual Language Program does not guarantee acceptance into the Dual Language program.
Please visit our District 96 Website to learn more about the optional Spanish/English Dual Language Program and our Dual Language Lottery.
**District 96 will be hosting a Virtual Parent Night at 6:00 to 7:00 P.M. on MARCH 8 for parents of incoming Kindergarten students who are interested in learning more about the Dual Language Program.**
NEW *PTO News*
REMINDER: MOVIE NIGHT
Our PTO Movie Night is tonight January 27 from 6:00-8:00 pm! Please join us for a free family event showing Encanto! Snacks and raffle tickets will be available for purchase for those who missed our preorder sale.
VALENTINE'S DAY PARTIES
Our Valentine's Day parties will take place on February 13th! Please check Membership Toolkit (linked below) to sign up. Forms are open for the following classes, which still need volunteers:
CAREY
CASAS-MAYA
FREER am/pm
MASON
RABIN
YANDURA am/pm
Volunteer spots will only be filled through Membership Toolkit on a first come first serve basis. Thank you for your help!
STOCK THE LOUNGE EVENT
We will be showing our Willow Grove teachers and staff some love and appreciation on February 14th! If you would like to contribute, please visit our social media pages or check our blog (linked below) to view our amazon wish list. You can also contribute a monetary donation for this event in Membership Toolkit.
REMINDER: YEARBOOK
Last call for yearbook orders! If you did not order a yearbook during spring registration, Membership Toolkit orders will be available through January 31st! Please email [email protected] and we can set up an order. If you're unsure whether you ordered a yearbook, reach out and we can check!
REMINDER TO CONNECT WITH THE PTO
Remember to check the Willow Grove PTO online at the links below for the latest PTO news and events.
Willow Grove PTO Facebook Page
Willow Grove PTO Membership Toolkit
REPEAT *Valentine's Day*
If you choose to send valentines to school and include an item with your child's valentines, please note for the safety of our students only non-food items are permissible. This practice is consistent for all classrooms in District 96 elementary schools including Willow Grove. Your child's teacher will send home any classroom-specific information related to Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day will be celebrated at Willow Grove and all elementary schools on Monday, February 13th, as the 14th is an Early Release.
REPEAT *Pre-Registration Open for Incoming 2023-24 Kindergartners*
Pre-Registration for incoming 2023-24 kindergartners is now open.
The 2023-24 Kindergarten Pre-Registration is open to students who live within District 96 boundaries and will be 5 years old by Sept. 1, 2023.
To begin the Kindergarten Pre-Registration process, parents must email all required documents to the administrative assistant at Willow Grove Early Learning Center at [email protected].
Parents need to supply the following:
- Student’s Proof of Age (such as a Birth Certificate or Passport or Visa)
- Parent/Guardian Photo ID (Passport or Driver’s License)
- Proof of District Residency (a current mortgage statement or current lease or property tax bill)
- Current Utility Bill
- Click the link to download & complete: RESIDENCY FORM
- Click the link to download & complete: HOME LANGUAGE SURVEY
- Click the link to download & complete: ENROLLMENT FORM
After the submitted documents are approved, families will receive a Pre-Registration link to complete by January 31, 2023. Students pre-registered by January 31 will receive a free Willow Grove T-shirt. (T-shirts are not available after this pre-registration period.)
Families needing to pre-register their child in person may contact Kimberly O’Neill, administrative assistant at Willow Grove Early Learning Center, at [email protected] or at (847) 541-3660.
Click here to learn more about Kindergarten in District 96.
Got questions? Email Kimberly O’Neill, administrative assistant at Willow Grove, at [email protected].
SPECIAL NOTE TO EXISTING EARLY CHILDHOOD WILLOW GROVE FAMILIES ENTERING KINDERGARTEN THE 2023-24 SCHOOL YEAR
Your child is already enrolled at Willow Grove, so you do not need to pre-register. Your child will soon come home with a health form required for next school year and their Willow Grove spirit wear t-shirt.
If you have any questions about the registration process for the upcoming school year, please contact our front office at 847-541-3660 or email Mrs. O’Neill at [email protected].
REPEAT *ACCESS Testing - Kindergarten Only*
The State of Illinois requires identified English Learner (EL) students to annually participate in the ACCESS testing to determine current English language proficiency in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. Our ACCESS testing window will occur from 1/17-2/22. Each school’s testing schedule is unique and will only impact students who take the ACCESS test. Students taking ACCESS do not need to prepare anything ahead of time.