Dear Families,
I hope those families who made it had a fun evening with the PTO on Movie Night this week! It gave a nice opportunity to see the beautiful new artwork featuring our beloved Buddy the Bear. I'm sure a fun time was had by all!
This past week sure has been cold...and then not so cold! The shifts in weather have meant some indoor and some outdoor recess days in kindergarten. As we continually endure the midwestern winter, you may be wondering how decisions are made in regard to indoor recess. If you're interested, take a look at the Parent/Student Handbook for more information on how the decision for indoor or outdoor recess is made each morning. Again, please make sure you're keeping those warm snow clothes coming to school, just in case!
As a reminder, there is no school on Monday in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We look forward to welcoming students back on Tuesday, the 21st.
Best,
Jenny Smith, Principal
Upcoming Dates & Helpful Resources
- January 20 - NO SCHOOL - District Holiday
- January 29 - 100th Day of School Celebration!
- February 13 - PTO Valentine's Day Parties
- February 14 - HALF DAY - School Improvement Day: For pre-school Blended classrooms, only Blended PM attend. PM Blended students attend 8:40 - 11:10 a.m.
- February 17 - NO SCHOOL District Holiday
- February 18 - EARLY RELEASE DAY
- February 21 - Report period ends, EC-Grade 8
- February 28 - NO SCHOOL Institute Day & Trimester 2 report cards issued
2024-25 School Year Calendar & Hours
NEW *Willow Grove Kindergarten Club Opportunities – Session 2!*
We are thrilled to announce three exciting clubs for Session 2 at Willow Grove! These clubs are designed to engage students in creative, collaborative, and skill-building activities after school. Clubs at Willow Grove are for Kindergarten students. Each club has limited spots, filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. If your child has already participated in a club this year, please do not sign up for another one so we can offer opportunities to as many children as possible. Should spots remain available, we will provide an update for additional sign-ups.
STREAM Club – Session 2 Join us for STREAM Club, where science, technology, engineering, art, and math come to life through weekly themed read-alouds and hands-on activities! This club encourages literacy, teamwork, problem-solving, and creativity. STREAM Club will be led by Miss Kamysz and Miss Wittenberg, two of our Kindergarten instructional coaches at Willow Grove.
Details:
- Thursdays, 3:05 – 4:05 PM
- February 20th – April 24th (8 weeks, with breaks for conferences and spring break)
- Week 1: Feb. 20 | Week 2: Feb. 27 | Week 3: March 6 | Week 4: March 13 | Week 5: April 3 | Week 6: April 10 | Week 7: April 17 | Week 8: April 24
- STREAM Club Sign-Up
Bears That Care Club – Session 2 Our Bears That Care Club returns for Session 2! This club will focus on our monthly Bears That Care themes through hands-on activities that promote friendship, teamwork, and peer leadership. Students will learn to demonstrate kindness, responsibility, and respect. Mrs. Felleson, a Kindergarten teacher, will facilitate this club.
Details:
- Wednesdays, 3:05 – 4:00 PM
- January 29th – March 19th (8 Weeks). There will be a third session offered for Bears that Care Club, as well.
- Week 1: Jan. 29 | Week 2: Feb. 5 | Week 3: Feb. 12 | Week 4: Feb. 19 | Week 5: Feb. 26 | Week 6: March 5 | Week 7: March 12 | Week 8: March 19
- Bears that Care Club Sign-Up
Art Club – Session 2 Explore creativity and artistic expression in Art Club! Led by Miss Wisneski, a Kindergarten teacher, students will learn about different art styles, mediums, and famous artists each week while completing fun projects.
Details:
- Thursdays, 3:05 – 4:05 PM
- February 20th – May 22nd (12 weeks)
- Week 1: Feb. 20 | Week 2: Feb. 27 | Week 3: March 6 | Week 4: March 13 | Week 5: April 3 | Week 6: April 10 | Week 7: April 17 | Week 8: April 24 | Week 9: May 1 | Week 10: May 8 | Week 11: May 15 | Week 12: May 22
- Art Club Sign-Up
Sign-Up Information: If your child is interested in participating in any of these amazing clubs, please fill out the designated forms listed above by January 24th. We're looking forward to another fun and memorable session of clubs at Willow Grove!
NEW: ACCESS Testing
Parents and guardians, please be aware that 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 in the coming weeks. Each school’s testing schedule is unique and will only impact students who take the ACCESS test.
REPEAT *Valentine's Day*
Since Friday, February 14th, is a district half-day and we have both AM and PM early childhood classes, all Valentine's Day celebrations at Willow Grove will take place on Thursday, February 13th. Your child's teacher will share any classroom-specific details related to the holiday.
Valentine's items are already appearing in stores! If you choose to send valentines with your child and wish to include an item, please ensure it is a non-food item for the safety of all students. This guideline is consistent across all District 96 elementary schools, including Willow Grove.
REPEAT *Begin 2025-2026 Kindergarten Registration Today!*
Kildeer Countryside School District 96 is excited to welcome kindergarteners for the 2025–2026 school year! Get the process started TODAY! To ensure all students have the opportunity to build a strong and consistent educational foundation, children who are five years old on or before September 1st of a given school year will be enrolled in Kindergarten. Children who are six years old on or before September 1st of a given school year will be enrolled in first grade. For more information, please visit: https://www.kcsd96.org/wg/kindergarten-registration. Please note registration for all other grades at KCSD96 will begin on March 4th.
Registration Timeline:
- January 2025: Begin the registration process by emailing all required documents to Cristina Castro, Administrative Assistant at Willow Grove Early Learning Center, at [email protected]. If you have a student currently enrolled in Pre-K at Willow Grove, you do not need to resubmit these documents.
- March 4, 2025: Registration opens for all KCSD96 students. For incoming Kindergarten families, the district will send online registration links to Kindergarten families who have had their documents approved.
- March 18, 2025: Dual Language Program Virtual Parent Night from 6-6:30pm. This is for parents of incoming Kindergarten students who are interested in learning more about the program. Meeting link to be provided.
- April 15, 2025: Early Bird Discount Ends for Registration. Dual Language Lottery due date.
- April 29, 2025: Virtual Dual Language Lottery at 5pm. Meeting link to be provided.
- April 30, 2025: Complete registration by this date to attend the Kindergarten Kick-Off event at Willow Grove Early Learning Center. Registered families get the sign-up right away once they are fully registered.
- May 14, 2025: Kindergarten Kickoff will be held at Willow Grove. This event is sign-up only for families who are fully registered by April 30. Students will receive a free t-shirt at the event! Families registering after April 30 will not receive the free t-shirt.
Required Documents:
- Child's birth certificate, passport, or visa
- Parent/guardian driver's license or passport
- Recent (within 30 days) mortgage statement, signed lease, or property tax bill
- Recent (within 30 days) utility bill
- Completed Enrollment Form, Residency Form, and Home Language Survey (available in multiple languages)
Please review the Health Requirements and submit the necessary health forms by the specified due dates.
For questions, contact Cristina Castro at [email protected] or call (847) 541-3660.
Dual Language Opportunity
Interested in having your child obtain a bilingual education? The KCSD96 Spanish/English Dual Language Program is a unique and enriching opportunity in our region-- providing 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.
If families are interested in the Spanish/English Dual Language Program Lottery, they must indicate so during the virtual registration process starting in March. The deadline is April 15th. The lottery will be hosted virtually on May 5th. For more information, please visit: https://www.kcsd96.org/curriculum/dual-language-lottery
KCSD96 will be hosting a Virtual Parent Night from 6 to 6:30 p.m. on March 18, 2025, for parents of incoming Kindergarten students who are interested in learning more about the Dual Language Program.
REPEAT: Updated Approved Snack List
KCSD96 families, please view the newly updated Approved Snack List. This can be found on our website in the parent resources.
REPEAT *PTO UPDATES*
Important updates this week, including:
- Movie Night – January 16: Meal pre-orders due!
- Dessert Day: Order now to ensure your child continues receiving their treat for the rest of the year.
- Seeking Pizza Bingo Volunteers: Sign up today!
REPEAT *Winter Weather Gear*
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.