Dear Families,
I was personally so sad to miss Ice Cream Social this week. Unfortunately, I had a family obligation that I couldn't avoid. Ms. Payne, our Assistant Principal, shared that it was a huge turnout and so fun seeing everyone enjoying themselves. Thank you to the many families who joined and also to our PTO for all the work they put into the Scholastic Book Fair and our Ice Cream Social. The Book Fair provided excitement all week for the kids. I'm sure many of you will enjoy snuggles and reading this weekend!
I also want to give a huge thank you to our staff and students for honoring Ms. Payne and me this Principal's Day! We were showered with some of the most adorable pictures I've ever seen and many, many shoutouts of gratitude from your sweet kids. Our students, staff, and families make our jobs a true joy every day and we are so lucky to be a part of this school community.
Enjoy this gorgeous fall weekend!
Jenny Smith, Principal
October At-A-Glance
- 24 - EARLY RELEASE DAY
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Kindergarten (including Structured Kindergarten): 8:40 AM - 2:05 PM
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Blended Early Childhood/ECSE AM: 8:40 AM - 10:10 AM
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Blended Early Childhood PM: 12:35 PM - 2:05 PM
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Early Childhood Structured Learning Classroom: 8:40 AM - 2:05 PM
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- 31 - Halloween Parade & PTO Party - Note: If you are coming to view the Halloween Parade (weather pending), please stay for the entirety so all kids have an audience. It's about 10 minutes in length. Thank you!
November At-A-Glance
- 10 - Report period ends, EC-Grade 8
- 17 - Trimester 1 report cards issued
- 22 - NO SCHOOL - District Holiday
- 23 - NO SCHOOL - District Holiday
- 24 - NO SCHOOL - District Holiday
- 28 - EARLY RELEASE DAY
District 2023-2024 School Year Calendar
NEW *Lightspeed Systems - Kindergarten Only*
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As a part of our ongoing commitment to ensuring a safe and secure online environment for our students, we are excited to announce that we will be offering the Lightspeed Systems Weekly Student Online Activity Report to all parents and guardians of our school community.
You will receive an email from District 96 that will enable you to register for the Weekly Student Online Activity Report. Once you receive the email from our school district you will have the ability to register. Simply choose to register and follow the prompts to sign up for the Weekly Student Online Activity Report.
The Lightspeed Systems Weekly Student Online Activity Report is a valuable tool that will allow you to gain insights into your child's web history while using the school's iPad. This report will provide an overview of the websites visited by your child while using the iPad. The report is designed to promote transparency and communication between parents and the school, fostering a safer digital learning experience for our students.
The weekly activity report is only accessible to parents and guardians registered for this service. It will not be shared with any external parties, and the data collected will be used solely for the purpose of improving the online safety measures at our school. Parents/guardians will not start receiving weekly reports until their child has at least a week's worth of browsing data.
Lightspeed Parent/Student Enrollment Email Schedule: Families will begin to receive LightSpeed Parent report emails from Lightspeed. This email correspondence will allow you to enroll and begin receiving your child’s reports from Lightspeed for the following grades on or near the following dates below.
- October 23, 2023 (8th Grade)
- October 30, 2023 (7th Grade)
- November 6, 2023 (6th Grade)
- November 13, 2023 (5th Grade)
- November 20, 2023 (4th Grade)
- November 27, 2023 (3rd Grade)
- December 4, 2023 (2nd Grade, 1st Grade, Kindergarten)
Please note that while we encourage parents to use this tool to stay involved in their child's online journey, it is essential to have open conversations with your child about their internet use. Establishing trust and communication around digital practices will enhance the overall safety and well-being of our students.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Weekly Student Online Activity Report or need assistance with the registration process, please feel free to reach out to the IT department at [email protected].
Thank you for your continued support in creating a secure and nurturing learning environment for our students.
REPEAT *Willow Grove PTO Updates*
In the latest edition of the PTO blog, we look forward to everything happening in October. From the Ice Cream Social to the Book Fair, October’s Dine Out Day, and more! Visit the PTO blog for additional details.
Click here for the Willow Grove PTO Blog to keep up on all the Willow Grove happenings!
REPEAT *Coming Soon! Willow Grove ~ Window to the World*
On the evening of December 14th, we’ll be having a fun family event, showcasing the many cultures represented in our school community. We hope to encourage our students to learn about other cultures, to celebrate what makes us all unique, and to recognize the cultural traits that we share.
We cannot do this without your support. In the near future, we will be sharing more details in the principal's message about how you can volunteer! We are so excited for this event!
More on this exciting event to come. Watch the principal’s message for more information! Mark your calendars for the evening of December 14th, 6pm-7:30pm. This will be fun for the whole family!
REPEAT *Halloween Costumes*
It’s hard to believe it’s already time to talk about Halloween, but here we are! Halloween has always been one of my favorite holidays. I especially love watching your children in all of their excitement! It's important that you know the parameters about costumes as you are choosing the perfect one for our school celebration! There is also an opportunity for you to view our parade I’d like to share with you.
Costumes
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 masks. Weapons, real or pretend, are never allowed on school grounds. No cigars or cigarette items. Please keep hair coloring and make-up simple. I can't wait to see what you come up with!
Halloween Festivities
9:15 AM - Parade - Parents may stand on the front sidewalk and grass area near the flagpole to view our parade! 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!
9:45-10:30 - Party (Kindergarten, Structured, and AM Blended/ECSE) - Only approved PTO parent volunteers may enter the building for the classroom parties. Approved volunteers may not swap with a different person or bring relatives/siblings. Our room parents put together a fun celebration in each classroom and we thank you so much!
2-2:45 - Party for PM Blended
Blended and ECSE Program - Blended will have 2 parties (one for AM and one for PM). Again, only PTO-approved volunteers may attend the party. Blended PM parents may bring their child in just for the parade if they'd like. Parents must provide transportation to and from the school parade. Students must leave after the parade and return when their typical program starts. If you choose to bring your 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. Please bypass the line for scanning ID’s for the party and come right in to retrieve your child.
Important Notes for PTO-Approved Halloween 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. For your sake and ours, please do not put us in this situation. We have many individuals entering our building for the party and cannot accommodate additional individuals. This includes "trading" with another individual for the approved volunteer.
Every PTO volunteer approved to come into our school MUST have their license or ID scanned through our security system to enter. You have to bring this with you or you will not be able 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 the month of October before October 31st 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 the lines are long for this first party.