February 2020

The Winnetka Wire
Monthly News from The Winnetka Public Schools
Superintendent's Message

Dear Parents, Staff, and Community Members,

We are eager to open our doors to our entire community to celebrate 100 Years of Progressive Education in The Winnetka Public Schools on March 10, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at Carleton Washburne School.  In 1919, the citizens of Winnetka challenged themselves to lead the way in public education -- desiring to provide a more engaging, child-centered experience for the children in their community. The School Board sought out a young Carleton Washburne , an emerging leader in Progressive Education, to serve as Superintendent. Washburne transformed the student and educator experience during his tenure and made The Winnetka Public Schools a prominent, nationally recognized, public school system.  

One hundred years later, we continue to reap the benefits of the  community's investment in Progressive Education.  This milestone encourages us to reflect on what we have accomplished as a community over this time, as well as provide an opportunity to look ahead.   In the near future, our next Strategic Plan will be launched as a result of an inclusive process with teachers, students, parents, and community members at the helm. Additionally, the Board and Administration continue to refine the scope and costs of our Educational Master Facility Plan to align with community feedback. The result is intended to be a community-supported plan to advance the educational environment for current and future generations of learners. 

I invite you to join us as we celebrate our history and our unique identity as a school community. Thank you for the important role you play in supporting our students and helping ensure that Washburne's vision continues to thrive in our schools.


Sincerely,
Dr. Trisha Kocanda
Superintendent
 

Board Meeting Preview


The next School Board Meeting will be held at Greeley School on February 25, 2020. The Regular Meeting is at 7:15 p.m. 

Presentations will include:

1. Preliminary 2020-2021 Staffing Plan

The Board welcomes public comment at meetings. Each speaker is given three minutes to speak.  The speaker will be notified when the time limit is reached. Please note, the Board uses this time to listen to community questions and concerns, but will not respond immediately to individual requests and cannot take formal action on non-agenda items.  




ALL FAMILIES, STUDENTS, AND STAFF ARE  INVITED!
 
Celebrating 100 Years of Progressive Education on 
March 10, 2020

Superintendent Carleton Washburne introduced Progressive Education to The Winnetka Public Schools when he arrived 100 years ago. Together we will celebrate how Washburne's legacy has impacted thousands of students in Winnetka, inspired lifelong learning, and fostered a deep connection in our community that is still prevalent 100 years later. See where we started, what's changed, and what has always been at the core of learning in Winnetka.
 
All are welcome at this free community event, which will feature learning opportunities with educators; choral, band, and orchestra performances; artifacts from the Winnetka Historical Society; refreshments; and more. 

Tuesday, March 10, 2020
6:00-8:00 p.m. at Carleton Washburne School
515 Hibbard Road, Winnetka



 

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) is a key element of the Winnetka Experience and integral to our students' success in the classroom and in life.  This year, we established SEL as a District-wide goal focusing on building a community-wide understanding of Social Emotional Learning and its impact on students and adults.  

As part of this initiative, we will be featuring a parent corner article from members of our Parent SEL committee. Click here to read this month's article, which summarizes the SEL-themed keynote address at the Winnetka Public Schools Foundation Carleton Event.


Important Health Reminder


While in the midst of sick season, please keep your child home from school if they have any of the following symptoms:

  • Fever (temperature of 100 or greater) in the last 24 hours
  • Nausea, Diarrhea, and/or vomiting in the last 24 hours
  • Any rashes that are undiagnosed 
  • Excessive cough 
  • Lethargy
  • Sore throat
  • Body aches
  • Chills

You know your child best; if they are feeling under the weather, please err on the side of precaution and keep them home from school.

For specific illnesses, please refer to our health letters that are sent home when an illness is reported and the District's Health Guidelines document.

Thank you for keeping our schools healthy!



Pre-registration for Kindergarten and students new to The Winnetka Public Schools in 2020-2021 is now open on the District website and via this link.  Children who will be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2020, are eligible to enroll. 

The  new student registration process is completed in three steps:
  1. Complete new student pre-registration forms online.
  2. Provide proof of residency. Click here to view the list of documents that will meet these requirements. For your convenience residency documents may be uploaded during online registration. 
  3. Visit the District Office to provide a certified copy of your child(ren)'s  birth certificate and a parent photo ID and complete the paper portion of registration.
Children will not be considered enrolled until both the online and paper portion of registration have been completed and residency documentation is verified. 

If you have any questions, please contact the District Office at 847-446-9400.



A decades-long tradition, Adventures in Learning includes classes as varied as Mindfulness, Rock Guitar Band, Life Around the World, Zany Art Explosions, Drone Flight School, Camping Adventures, Make Your Own Music Video, Adventures in STEAM, Archery, The Wacky World of Water, Kitchen Magicians, Programming and Robotics, Tennis, Computer Animation, Improvisation, Yoga for Kids, Animal Care, Zentangles and Spa-Licious to name a few!

Students in grades 2-8 may choose up to four classes from over 100 options. Younger children (pre-Kindergarten through grade 1) will explore educational concepts through guided play and outdoor activities.

This year's program will again be held at Washburne for the 2nd-8th graders and Hubbard Woods for the Pre-K (4 years old by June 1st, 2020) and K Primary program (5 years old by September 1st, 2020). 

Adventures in Learning 2020 runs from June 15th-July 17th, 2020. 

Registration begins March 4 for Winnetka residents via www.winnetka36.org/adventures.


In the News


The Winnetka Current shared a story on the Winnetka Public Schools Foundation Carlson Event. Thank you to the Foundation for supporting our schools!


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In This Issue

Important Dates


Winter in 
District 36...














Valentine's Day sweetness was on display throughout the District as students spent time spreading kindness, such as delivering Valentines to neighbors 
and reading with buddies. Thanks to all of the parent volunteers who helped make it a special day in 
our schools!

District educators were proud to partner with The Alliance for Early Childhood and other organizations to present the Preschool Kindergarten Summit at Chicago Botanic Garden this month.

From the Archives...
Experiential Learning is in action in these vintage photos from Crow Island School and 
Hubbard Woods School.


The Winnetka Public Schools is one of only 150 organizations that has been named a Top Workplace in Chicago. 

The award is based solely on the feedback that District staff offered through an employee survey administered 
by a third party. 


Connect with The Winnetka Public Schools on social media by 
clicking on the icons  at the bottom  of  this message. 

We  use the hashtag #WE36, which  stands  for 
"Winnetka Experience." 


For a list of upcoming speaker series events, 








The Winnetka Public Schools community empowers every student 
to flourish in an innovativeexperiential environment. 
We support and challenge all learners
 to actively engage in their continual growth and achievement 
to make a meaningful difference in the world.

 
The Winnetka Public Schools
847-446-9400

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