October 2018

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


Dear Parents, Staff, and Community Members,

By October, our school routines are now well-established, clubs and extracurricular activities are underway, and students are anticipating Halloween traditions. We are in the groove and students are engaged. We love inviting our parents to participate in conferences, as teachers are able to share the emerging learner profile and parents are able to add insights and context to energize the partnership between home and school.  Our students are the key benefactors of this strong connection!

Our teachers, staff and administrators are also actively working toward meeting important goals on behalf of our students and families. Each year, our School Board reviews and approves annual goals to advance our 2015-2020 Strategic Plan. Adjusting our goals annually enhances relevance and allows for agility in response to our current priorities. Our Strategic Plan is remarkably on track and propelled forward by this year's annual goal areas:
  • Future Ready D36, establishing the District's Educational Master Facility Plan with a corresponding capital improvement timeline.
  • Reaching ALL Learners, focusing on Inquiry-based learning, systems of intervention, inclusive special education programming, integrated technology, and community partnerships.
View the goals along with an updated version of the District's 2015-2020 Strategic Plan here.

These goals represent hundreds of hours of work and a commitment to excellence in all that we do in Winnetka. Our District's communications will embed progress toward these goals as our school year continues. Thank you for the role you plan in cultivating a community that is passionate about learning and supporting the success of each and every student.

Sinc erely,  
 
Dr. Trisha Kocanda
Superintendent
 

Board Meeting Preview

The next School Board Regular Meeting will be held at Hubbard Woods School on Tuesday, October 23, 2018. There is a 5:30 p.m. Work Session focused on the D36 Fall Assessment Report. The Regular Meeting begins at 7:15 p.m. and the following presentations are on the agenda:
  1. Educational Master Plan: Future Ready D36
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.  



At the October 10, 2018 School Board Work Session, the Board committed to include the following components in the Educational Master Facility Plan (EMFP): 
  • K-4; 5-8 Grade Level Configuration with consolidation to a single 5-8 grade campus at Carleton Washburne School and a 5-year utilization plan for The Skokie School. This model upholds the neighborhood schools configuration.
  • Baseline facility needs that recognize priorities for: 
Health, Life Safety items/projects
Safety and security enhancements
ADA accessibility upgrades
HVAC upgrades with improved indoor air quality and temperature regulation 
Domestic water pipe replacement
Electrical capacity upgrades
  • Update and modernize instructional spaces and common spaces to afford greatest flexibility in future planning. This includes multi-purpose cafeteria and gym space renovations or additions to serve District needs and community use.
  • Sustainability. Air Quality, Student-Centric Design, Sustainable Operations, and Energy Consumption are some of the high priority items among a range of important topics addressed in the EMFP.
  • Redistricting. The School Board, in consultation with District administrators, community leaders, and Village and safety officials, will determine changes to the elementary school attendance boundaries and the implementation timeline to achieve optimal enrollments and eliminate the short-term Kindergarten plan.  
It is anticipated that the EMFP will be approved at the October 23, 2018, School Board Meeting. The Board will reconvene for a Work Session on November 12 to discuss scaling and funding sources for the Phase I Facilities Plan and corresponding Redistricting Plan.

For comprehensive planning information, upcoming meeting dates, and FAQ's please visit  https://www.winnetka36.org/master-facility-plan-overview.


Why Learning Space Design Matters with Dr. Robert Dillon
Monday, October 22 at 6:30 p.m.
The Skokie School

Join  Dr. Robert Dillon (author, educator and Director of  Innovation Learning at University City in St. Louis) and members of the Learning Space Design Team (a D36 and Winnetka Public Schools Foundation partnership) to learn more about the impact of learning space design to create brain-friendly, modern classrooms for active, collaborative, experiential learning. RSVP here.

Not Quite Little Kid, Not Quite Teenager: The Developmental Progression of the Middle School Child
Friday, October 26 at 9:30 a.m.
The Skokie School Community Room

Join Principal Tess and Assistant Principal Weir (The Skokie School) and Principal Kanne and Assistant Principal Horwitz (Carleton Washburne School) for an informational session focusing on the ins and outs of the growing middle school child. We will spend time exploring both the academic and social-emotional needs appropriate to 5th-8th grade children, how they change over that four year span, as well as the neurological changes that contribute to these needs.  Parents with current middle schoolers, or soon-to-be middle schoolers, are encouraged to join us for an engaging, encouraging and educational hour together. RSVP here .

From Washburne to New Trier:
A D36 Parent's Guide to the New Trier Transition
Thursday, November 15 at 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Carleton Washburne School, 515 Hibbard Rd.

Paul Waechtler, Principal at the New Trier High School Freshman
Campus, and Lori Worth, 8th Grade Transition Faculty, will discuss the New Trier freshman placement process and the efforts made to ensure a smooth transition to high school.  A Q & A will provide an opportunity for parents to learn more about how to best support their child(ren) as they prepare for their New Trier experience. RSVP here .

D36 & Winnetka-Northfield Public Library: What Can We Do for You?
Friday, November 16 at 9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Winnetka Library, 768 Oak Street

Our school and Village libraries aren't quite like the libraries many adults remember as children--they are dynamic learning environments that include opportunities for creating and collaborating--from exploring a vast collection of books and digital materials to experimenting with 3-D printing and embroidery. D36 Resource Directors and leaders at Winnetka-Northfield Public Library will share resources that are available to enhance reading and creating at home, school and the public library. All community members are welcome to attend! RSVP here .

Hour of Code
December 5, 2018
4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Crow Island School MakerSpace, 1112 Willow Road

December 3-9 is Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek), an annual program dedicated to inspiring K-12 students to take interest in computer science. CSEdWeek is held in recognition of the birthday of computing pioneer Admiral Grace Murray Hopper (December 9, 1906). Each year, millions of people participate in #HourofCode, the largest learning event in history, to promote the importance of Computer Science Education. We encourage families and community members of all ages to join us as our students guide various coding and technology activities as part of the international event #HourofCode.  RSVP here .

For those who are unable to attend Winnetka Parents Institute events in person, most sessions are recorded and shared on the District website at www.winnetka36.org/wpi .



It is DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP WEEK , a time to bring additional focus to citizenship, digital fluency, safety, responsibility, and appropriate digital communication skills.  

One way you can help celebrate this week is to have your child(ren) play their way to being Internet Awesome with Interland
an online adventure from Google that puts the key lessons of digital safety into hands-on practice with four challenging games. Click here to explore Interland .

For photos, news and more, follow The Winnetka Public Schools on social media. Connect with us by clicking on the icons at the bottom 
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Important Dates


No School
Conference 
Reporting Day
October 19, 2018

Board Meeting
October 23, 2018
7:15 p.m.
Hubbard Woods School

2018-2019

Fall in 
District 36...




The Kindergarten Butterfly Migration is a culmination of our students' annual study of the life cycle of monarchs. At Greeley, students 
had a parade wearing their beautiful 
hand-painted wings.

The annual PTO fundraiser, Run-a-thon, was a success 
at Crow Island. 
Special thanks 
to our friends from  Misericordia, 
charitable beneficiary 
of the event, 
who cheered for our students as they ran!
 A Washburne student conducts a colorful 
science experiment. 


2nd and 6th grade 
buddies met up so 6th graders could share the books  they wrote about their buddies' favorite animals. Together the students made bookmarks. 


65 guests attended 
Bring Your Neighbor to School Day at 
Hubbard Woods.
 It was a joy to welcome many neighbors and friends from the community.


Students created marble art with an artist-in-residence at Crow Island. Thanks to the Winnetka Public Schools Foundation for making this incredible opportunity possible!
Washburne Kinetic Wellness students 
enjoyed a 
game of lacrosse.

October is
 National Principals Month. D36 is thankful for our dynamic, discerning leaders.
 #ThankAPrincipal 

From the Archives...

Greeley School students celebrate the autumn season in this 
vintage photo.




For a list of upcoming FAN 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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