Dear Families,
Each year, our fabulous PTO offers special auction items at the Pizza Bingo event that always create lasting memories. This week, students whose families won those items got to enjoy their special “helper” roles—like Principal’s Helper and Teacher’s Helper. These days are filled with smiles, excitement, and a sense of pride as students step into new roles and experience school from a whole new perspective. A special shoutout to our amazing Principal for the Day, Miss Valerie, who delivered notes to classrooms, led our Warm Fuzzy celebration, passed out Bear Paws for kind behavior, and even enjoyed her snacktime in the teacher’s lounge—just like a real principal! She brought joy and leadership to the day, and we loved having her at the helm.
Best,
Jenny Smith, Principal
Upcoming Dates & Helpful Resources
APRIL
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Wednesday, April 30 - Thursday, May 1 - MAP Testing
2024-25 School Year Calendar & Hours
New *Field Day Announcement & Volunteers Needed*
Kindergarten & Early Childhood Field Day – Wednesday, May 21st
We’re so excited for all Kindergarten and Early Childhood students to participate in Field Day at Willow Grove—a fun-filled, rain-or-shine event packed with games, races, and lots of laughter! Students will rotate through a variety of stations, including silly races, parachute fun, and many more energetic activities.
Parent Volunteers Needed
Mr. Sutton is looking for enthusiastic parent volunteers to help run each station. There are a limited number of volunteer spots in order to keep group sizes manageable and ensure a safe, organized environment.
Please note:
- Only approved volunteers may attend. All classrooms attend in the AM or PM and parent volunteers go during the window their child is assigned. See the assignments at the bottom of this message.
- We are unable to accommodate volunteers who arrive with additional children, siblings, or other adults—they will be asked to leave.
- Field Day is not a spectator event. For the safety of all students, no one outside the approved volunteer list will be allowed on campus.
If you’d like to be part of the fun, please sign up using the link below:
Volunteers will receive more details from Mr. Sutton about a week before the event.
Spots are first come, first served—thank you so much for your interest. We’d love to have you join the fun!
AM 9:00-11:00
- Preskill
- Derry
- Chappas
- Shannon
- Casas-Maya
- Rabin
- Dyer
- Blended & ECSE AM
PM 12:30-2:30
- Hibbs
- Anderson
- Melamed
- Wisneski
- Santucci
- Crescenti
- Zanardo
- Felleson
- Blended PM
NEW *NWEA MAP Assessment*
All students in grades K-8 will be participating in the NWEA MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) assessment on Wednesday, April 30th, and Thursday, May 1st. The MAP assessment is a norm-referenced, computerized adaptive test that helps teachers, parents, and administrators improve learning for all students and make informed decisions to promote a child's academic growth. Like in previous years, all students will be taking the MAP test in reading and math during the school day.
NEW *PTO UPDATES*
Be sure to read the PTO Blog this week for information about:
- End of Year Picnic - May 22 - Taking food orders now!
- Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast
- 2025-26 Willow Grove PTO Board Openings & Application
REPEAT *Kindergarten Music Performance Updates - Friday, May 9*
As a reminder, the kindergarten music performance is Friday, May 9th. The kindergarten music performance is during the school day and the show is about 30 minutes in length. The following are the times for each classroom's performance:
- 9:15-9:45 - Chappas, Zanardo, Crescenti, Dyer, Felleson
- 10:15-10:45 - Preskill, Shannon, Casas-Maya, Derry, Rabin
- 1:15-1:45- Anderson, Hibbs, Santucci, Melamed, Wisneski
Student Dress: Our fabulous music teacher, Ms. Ariazi, asks that your kindergarten children dress in semi-formal attire that includes bright and springy colors. Semi-formal is just a step up from play clothing. Please make sure it's something they can be comfortable in all day at school, including their shoes. Of course, anything your child wears is just fine! It's just always fun to have a theme if you'd like your child to join in!
The doors will open ten minutes prior to each performance. You will enter the gymnasium doors located in the South parking lot. There are two doors that will open at the same time. Parents may line up at either marked door. Parents exit out the same doors, promptly at the end of the show.
It is important to note that we are unable to arrange student pick-up or early dismissal immediately following the performance, as we cannot manage this safely. Kindergarten students stay until our regular dismissal times, where dismissal is managed safely for all students. If you have questions about this for a specific need, please call our office.
At Willow Grove and throughout District 96, the safety of students is always our number one priority. We partner with the BGPD to provide school resource officer support. As such, please expect to see a police officer on-site while we have many visitors enjoying the performance. We regularly partner with our school resource officer for the security of our students.
We are looking forward to this memorable event and can't wait to see you there!
REPEAT: Dental Exams - Current Kindergarten Only
Dear Parents/Guardians of Current KCSD96 Kindergarteners, 2nd, and 6th Grade Students ONLY:
Please note that your child’s completed dental examination has an upcoming due date, per Illinois school law. The deadline for the dental examination is due no later than May 15 of the current school year. Proof of this required dental examination must have been completed within eighteen months prior to the May 15 deadline.
If you haven’t already done so, please make an appointment with your child’s dentist for a dental examination, have him and/or her complete the required form and return it to your child’s school nurse.
State of Illinois Proof of Dental Examination Form - Click Here
In the event that you are unable to fulfill this requirement, the state of Illinois does permit a waiver of the examination - Click here
REPEAT *Current Kindergarten Families Only: FIRST-GRADE Parent Input for Class Placement (2025-2026)*
We are collecting first-grade parent input for placement at this time through Tuesday, April 29, 2025. Entering kindergarten families for the 2025-26 school year will be able to provide input through a link being emailed to families in April. Families must be fully registered to receive the link. This information is only for families with children heading to first-grade for the 2025-26 school year.
Creating balanced class lists that meet the needs of all students is a tremendously difficult job that takes many hours of thoughtful dialogue between classroom teachers, administrators, and specialists. At Willow Grove, we take this process very seriously. The process for class list creation is as follows:
Teachers reflect on the social and academic needs of each of their current students while recording pertinent information to assist in the decision-making process.
Grade-level teachers, the principal, the assistant principal, special area teachers, and specialists meet together to form class lists that are balanced in terms of academic, social, and emotional needs, as well as considering student relationships. This is no easy task and often takes several collaborative discussions. Our dedicated team of educators considers each child’s personality, academic needs, friendship patterns, etc. as they make a recommendation for each individual child. A draft of class lists is created while considering parent input.
Class lists are then revised in August to reflect changes resulting in adding or taking out students who move in or out of the district over the summer.
Willow Grove staff creates the class lists for incoming 1st graders to all District 96 elementary schools.
We strongly believe that this detailed and collaborative process creates learning environments that benefit all students. It is a delicate balancing act that takes much consideration and thought by professionals who know and care about your children. Our goal is to create balanced class lists that promote the success of each child. Please know that your child is placed in a classroom for very specific reasons. The process benefits all students. Because of the input and thought given by teachers, specialists, parents, and the principal, we are very reluctant to make changes once this process occurs, as removing or moving one child can disrupt the balance of an entire class, impacting all students.
We welcome any insight you wish to share about your child’s strengths, needs, and learning style. We will take into consideration pertinent information received on or before Tuesday, April 29th. Please remember, while we welcome your input, specific teacher requests and friendship requests will not be considered due to the complexity of this process.
I cannot express enough how important it is that your thoughts are provided through this 2025-26 First Grade Parent Class Placement Input Survey. As you can imagine, we receive a lot of parent input, and verbal information and multiple emails are impossible to track. We appreciate your input.
REPEAT *March 4th Student Registration Opens*
Student registration for the 2025-26 school year opens on March 4th. Parents and guardians of new Kindergarten students (who have submitted all required documents) and returning KCSD96 students will be emailed a link to register their child for the 2025-26 school year.
Complete registration by April 15 to receive a $20 Early-Bird discount. Families with returning students who register after April 15 will pay the standard registration fee.
Registering early helps us to plan for the upcoming school year.
Registration fees paid by April 15 for the 2025-26 school year are:
- Early Childhood Blended Tuition: $2,870 (or $335.07 monthly)
- Kindergarten: $90
- Grades 1-4: $110
- Grade 5: $120
- Grades 6-8: $135
Families new to District 96 can find more registration information here: https://www.kcsd96.org/about/registration
If you have any registration questions, please contact [email protected].
REPEAT *Kindergarten Registration*
Spread the word– Kildeer Countryside School District 96 is excited to welcome kindergarteners for the 2025–2026 school year! 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. In addition to the information below, we have more details on our website.
Registration Timeline:
- STARTING NOW: 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: The district will send online registration links to families with approved documents.
- 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!
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.
REPEAT *Safety First at Drop-Off and Pick-Up*
We want to remind everyone of the importance of following our parking and pick-up/drop-off procedures to ensure safety for all:
- Cones at Willow Grove Parking Lot Entrances and Checker & Essington: These are in place to prevent parking that obstructs visibility and creates dangerous conditions. Please respect these cones and avoid parking in these areas.
- Crossing Safely: When parking on Checker, always use the crosswalk at our circle drive exit or walk behind the buses near the entrance. Please do not cross through bus traffic. In addition, a parent/guardian must escort children to the entrance—never let them walk alone.
- No U-Turns: U-turns in front of the school during high traffic times are unsafe and illegal. Police monitor this and may issue tickets.
- No Double Parking: Please find a safe parking spot. Double parking, which we have seen on Checker nearest our school entrance, blocks the roadway and is not safe.
- Safe Traffic Signaling: Always use your blinker when pulling into or out of a spot.
Thank you for your kindness, patience, and commitment to safety. Together, we can ensure a smooth and secure drop-off and pick-up process.