Dear families,
A huge thank you to our amazing PTO for bringing the joy of music and storytelling to Willow Grove through our Jim Gill assembly! Students had a blast singing, moving, and laughing along with Jim’s playful songs and interactive stories. It was a fun-filled experience that brought our school community together in the best way!
Next week, we celebrate Staff Appreciation Week! I'm so grateful for the incredible Willow Grove staff who care for our young learners and help them to grow so much through early childhood and kindergarten. Families and PTO, thank you in advance for thinking of our staff this coming week! I know they are so appreciative of the partnership they have with you.
Best,
Jenny Smith, Principal
Upcoming Dates & Helpful Resources
MAY
- Tuesday, May 13 - 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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- Friday, May 23 - Half Day | School Improvement Day
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Kindergarten (including Structured Kindergarten) and Early Childhood Structured: 8:40 AM - 11:45 AM. Parent drop-off begins at 8:25 AM.
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Blended Early Childhood/ECSE: Blended/ECSE AM and PM alternate days on half-day attendance days. Even if your child attends PM, if it is a district half-day, they will attend AM hours. AM attends on Friday, May 23 (no PM students). Hours are 8:40 AM - 11:10 AM. Parent drop-off begins at 8:25 AM.
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- Monday, May 26 - No School | District Holiday
- Thursday, May 29 - Half Day | Last day of school & Report period ends/Trimester 3 report cards issued
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Kindergarten (including Structured Kindergarten) and Early Childhood Structured: 8:40 AM - 11:45 AM. Parent drop-off begins at 8:25 AM.
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Blended Early Childhood/ECSE: Blended/ECSE AM and PM alternate days on half-day attendance days. Even if your child attends PM, if it is a district half-day, they will attend AM hours. PM attends on Friday, May 29 (no AM students). Hours are 8:40 AM - 11:10 AM. Parent drop-off begins at 8:25 AM.
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2024-25 School Year Calendar & Hours
NEW *Field Day Information!*
Field Day Date: Wednesday, May 21st
We’re thrilled to be hosting Field Day at Willow Grove for all Kindergarten and Early Childhood students! This special event—rain or shine—is all about fun, movement, and teamwork. Students will spend the day rotating through a variety of playful stations, from silly races to parachute games and other high-energy activities sure to bring plenty of smiles. Please review the details below to be sure your child is ready for the fun!
Sun Safety:
Please apply sunscreen to your child in the morning before school. Students are welcome to bring their own sunscreen to reapply, but staff are not able to assist with application. We recommend practicing at home so your child is comfortable doing this independently.
Dress for the Day:
Plan for sunshine! Lightweight, long-sleeved, light-colored shirts are a great option if you’re concerned about sun exposure. Hats and sunglasses are welcome, too! If the forecast looks chilly, layers are perfect for adjusting throughout the day.
Shoes Matter:
Sneakers or gym shoes are a must—kids will be running, playing, and moving a lot! For safety reasons, please avoid sandals, Crocs, or open-toed shoes.
Staying Hydrated:
Please have your child bring a water bottle. Student water bottles will be accessible throughout the event.
Field Day Volunteers & Important Guidelines for All Families:
We’re so grateful for our parent volunteers who help make this day run smoothly. Just a reminder: volunteers must be pre-approved and may not bring additional children or guests. For the safety and focus of all our students, this is not a spectator event—any adult not on the volunteer list will be kindly asked to leave.
We can’t wait to celebrate Field Day with our students—it’s sure to be a blast!
NEW *PTO UPDATES*
Be sure to read the PTO Blog this week for information about:
- Staff Appreciation Week - Next Week, May 5-9!
- End of Year Picnic - May 22 - Taking food orders now!
- Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast, May 16
- 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 *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.