Dear Families,
What a celebration we had at our Window to the World Culture Fair event this week! Words can hardly capture the depth of my gratitude for all who contributed to making this event such a meaningful experience.
To our incredible parents who shared their time, talents, and rich cultural traditions—you brought the world to life in the walls of our school. Your booths, displays, performances, and delicious food truly made the event unforgettable.
To our dedicated staff, thank you for your hard work behind the scenes to organize this event, your enthusiasm, your participation at the event, and your commitment to creating a space where our students can learn about and celebrate the diversity that makes our community so special.
This event goes far beyond "fun"—it is a reflection of our shared values, a celebration of connection, and a chance to learn from one another in the most authentic way. To see everyone coming together as a community—sharing, laughing, enjoying one another, and learning—was a beautiful reminder of the strength and joy we create when we work together.
Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for being a part of this extraordinary celebration.
In addition to this wonderful celebration, we have some exciting news to share! Congratulations to Ms. Payne, our Assistant Principal, on the arrival of her beautiful baby boy, Weston Steven, born this week. We’re equally thrilled to celebrate with Mrs. Santucci, one of our amazing teachers, as she and her family welcomed their precious baby boy, Rocco Richard. It’s such a joy to see our Willow Grove family continue to grow in the most special ways.
Stay warm!
Jenny Smith, Principal
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Upcoming Dates & Helpful Resources
- December 16-20 - School Spirit Week! Details Below in Repeat Information
- December 20 - Last Day of School Before Winter Break & Winter Parties
- December 23-Jan. 3 - NO SCHOOL: Winter Break
- January 6 - School Resumes
- January 10 - Warm & Wooly Day!
- January 14 - EARLY RELEASE DAY
- January 16 - Movie Night
- January 20 - NO SCHOOL - District Holiday
2024-25 School Year Calendar & Hours
NEW *Warm & Wooly Day! Friday, January 10*
Our students in Early Childhood and Kindergarten start back at Willow Grove with a math unit that incorporates a theme of sweaters, mittens, winter hats, etc. We thought it would be fun to have a day to make connections with what the whole school is wearing for a day. Friday, January 10, is "Warm & Wooly Day!" If you would like your child to participate, dress them in something warm and wooly! A sweater, sweater vest, winter hat, or just adding a scarf is perfect! If you want your child to participate specifically for their grade level (anything warm and wooly will make the connection), this is how it's broken down:
Early Childhood - Mittens and scarves
Kindergarten - Sweaters and vests
NEW *Winter Parties*
Our PTO winter parties are coming up on December 20th. Please note that per district policy, only volunteers on the PTO-approved volunteer list will be permitted in the building (sorry, no substitutes, siblings, friends, or relatives). Also, note that all parties in the district are snack-free, so no food or treats may be brought in or sent home with students in goody bags. We're looking forward to it! Thank you!
NEW *PTO UPDATES*
Check this week's updated PTO Blog for information about:
- 2025 Dessert Day Renewals
- Important Winter Party Info for Volunteers - December 20, 2024
- GiftCrowd Program for Staff Holiday Gifts
- Movie Night - January 16, 2025
- Pizza Bingo Donation Committee Volunteers Needed
REPEAT *Winter Weather Gear*
As we wrap up our first few days of December, you can feel that temperatures start to dip. Please ensure that you are sending your child/ren to school with appropriate outerwear including winter coats, snow pants, boots, hats, and gloves. If you need assistance with outerwear, please contact the front office.
REPEAT *Safeway Communication*
As you may know, Safeway is KSD96's transportation partner for student busing. In the case that you need to speak with someone about a transportation-related issue during non-business hours (for example, when your school front offices are closed early in the morning or late in the evening), please contact the Safeway Transportation main line at 224-434-2399.
REPEAT *Support Needed to Translate the Willow Grove Bears that Care Pledge*
Did you know that in District 96, our student body represents over 70 languages spoken, in addition to English? At Willow Grove, we are proud to celebrate the rich diversity of our community. Our teachers do this in many ways and we are working as a school to build an audio collection showcasing the many languages of our students spoken through our Willow Grove school pledge. By translating our school pledge into the native languages of our families, we foster inclusivity and respect for all. If you speak a second language, we would greatly appreciate your help in ensuring every student’s language is represented. Your support will help us continue to celebrate the wonderful diversity at Willow Grove!
Here are the steps:
- Use a smartphone that has a built-in voice memo app. Open the app and record yourself reciting the Willow Grove Pledge in your native language: “Willow Grove Bears that Care show kindness, responsibility, and respect. We are good friends!”
- Please upload the recording to this Google Drive Folder, naming the file with the spoken language. You can also record the pledge and email it to [email protected].
- Please type the pledge in your native language and upload the written pledge to the Google folder, please name the file with the language.
Recording tips:
- a quiet environment for clear audio
- acceptable audio formats (e.g., .mp3, .wav)
Please email Melody Martinez at [email protected] with any questions. We are also happy to have you make an appointment to stop by and record it directly with us if you would rather.
Thank you!
We already have the following languages:
- English
- Polish
- Russian
- Ukrainian
- Cantonese
- Mandarin
- Italian
- Urdu
- Spanish
REPEAT *Winter Spirit Week: December 16-20*
Leading up to winter break, we love to celebrate our spirit as a school! It's a great way to build excitement, foster school spirit, and create lasting memories! Let's all get involved and make this Spirit Week unforgettable. We can't wait to see everyone show off their school pride! Go, Willow Grove!!
