Whoot There It Is

Weekly News You Can Use: 12/19/22

Note from Principal McCoy

Note from Principal McCoy

Just one week remaining before we enter into Winter Break.


The Weather outside is frightful

Willard is so delightful!


As we roll into winter it will snow, it will snow, it will snow!


As we prepare for this final week, we look forward to having our Willard Owls here to join us.


We are anticipating an abundance of snow at the end of this week, please make sure you have reviewed our E-Learning plan & that students are coming to school dressed for the weather.


Thanks,


Principal McCoy

Note from Principal McCoy
IDPH Flu Updates

IDPH Flu Updates

IDPH recommended all schools distribute the linked informational materials regarding influenza and influenza vaccinations and meningococcal disease and meningococcal vaccinations to families.

  • The influenza publication should be provided to parents or guardians of all students.

  • The meningococcal publication should be provided to parents or guardians of age-appropriate students. The age-based recommendation for the meningococcal vaccination is for children 11 years of age or older.

Thank you for your assistance in providing this important information to the families of District 65.

IDPH Flu Updates

SAP (Student Assignment Project)

As our district is planning to open the 5th ward school, we need to hear your voice!

Please join us for one of the sessions this week:


Tuesday, December 20th


VIRTUAL: 5:30 pm

Virtual Student Assignment Planning Engagement Opportunity

Join us in Phase II of our Student Assignment Planning (SAP) effort to learn more and discuss the impact of the plan on our community. In this Phase, community feedback is needed to help determine programming options and locations across the District to ensure we are best meeting our students' diverse learning needs.

Theme: Specialty Programs

Zoom Link
Passcode: 960265


IN PERSON: 7:00 pm

Theme: Pre K Programming

Location: JEH Education Center (Board Room)

1500 McDaniel Ave

Evanston, IL

LGBTQIA+ Families and Students

District 65 is pleased to offer monthly LGBTQIA+ virtual support group meetings for families and students. These meetings are facilitated by Chicago Therapy Collective professionals, providing a safe space for families to share their stories, learn from each other, gain access to resources, and receive support throughout the school year.


The next session is on Wednesday, December 21st from 7:00-8:15pm.

Families can access the meeting through this Zoom link.


Personal Meeting ID 420 827 2855

Interest form

E-Learning Plan

On rare occasions, it may be necessary to close schools unexpectedly due to inclement weather. In those instances, the District may enact an E-Learning Day rather than cancel the instructional day. Students will virtually engage in synchronous (live) and asynchronous (independent) learning for five hours each day. If an E-Learning Day is called, additional details will be sent by educators as well as school leaders. View our E-Learning Plan for more information and FAQs.


Please see our Willard E-Leaning Information here.

Morning Arrival

Morning Arrival

Breakfast begins at 8:30 a.m.


Outside of breakfast, please do not arrive or drop off your students prior to 8:50 a.m.
Morning Arrival
Spelling Bee

Spelling Bee

Who: 4th & 5th grade (Spanish & English)


Interested students will first compete in a classroom spelling bee, which will be held District-wide during the week of January 16, 2023.


The winners of the classroom competitions will participate in a school-wide spelling bee during the week of January 30. The winners from each school will then participate in a District 65 spelling bee, scheduled for early February.


The District champion will receive a sponsored trip to Washington, D.C., to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in late May or a sponsored trip to the Spanish National Spelling Bee in summer 2023.

Spelling Bee

Panorama Survey

The Panorama Student Supports Survey for grades 3-8 will take place between January 10th-February 3rd.

  • Surveys are for 3rd-8th grade this year (Change from previous years when it was just 5th-8th grade)

  • Surveys are not REQUIRED but highly encouraged.

  • Surveys are anonymous and data is viewed at a school or grade-level, not at the individual school level.

The survey content will ask students to self-reflect on Teacher-Student Relationships, Sense of Belonging, Engagement, Diversity and Inclusion, and Wellness and SEL.


We are asking that all of our students participate in the surveys, as their responses will provide invaluable insights into their experiences and how we can improve and adapt our district to their needs. If a student doesn’t feel like they have enough information to answer a question, they will be able to skip the item altogether. The responses to these surveys will be completely confidential. We are partnering with a third-party vendor to support us in administering these surveys.


Letters will be sent out this week to all 3-5th grade families with additional details.

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten Registration

Kindergarten Registration Orientation Session

Jan. 18, 2023

Starts at 7:00 PM


Description:

District 65 Kindergarten registration for the 2023-2024 school year opens on Monday, December 5, 2022. Families can register their incoming kindergarten students by visiting https://www.district65.net/kindergarten. Children must be five years old on or before September 1 to register for kindergarten and are assigned to an attendance-area school based on their residency address.


English Zoom link: https://district65.zoom.us/j/6403483408
Spanish Zoom link: https://district65.zoom.us/j/2408001331

Kindergarten Registration
Paper- Student Athlete Tutoring

Paper- Student Athlete Tutoring

This program is available for all student athletes in D65.


Paper is a 24/7/365 chat based platform that gives students access to live "1 on 1" tutoring in over 200 subjects, 4 different languages, and offers unlimited annotated essay review. They're designed to help students develop critical thinking, problem solving, and analytical skills. No answers are given to students and all Paper tutors are taught to use the socratic teaching method. To learn more about the program click this link.


Please view this video for additional details

Paper- Student Athlete Tutoring

Access Testing

All English Learners (ELs)/Emergent Bilingual (EB) families will take the ACCESS test during the January 11-February 10, 2023.

Looking to Volunteer?

The process just became easier!

Click here to fill out the virtual D65 Volunteer Form.


We have a few opportunities coming up be on the look out...

D65's BIG 5

This year we are committed to our BIG 5 & we ask that you will join us.


In everything that we do we are committed to:

  1. Courtesy
  2. Respect
  3. Dignity
  4. Professionalism
  5. Humanity


Please partner with us as we live out the BIG 5 in our daily walk, talk, & communal interactions.

Are You Following Us On Social Media?

Are You Following Us On Social Media?

Social Media:

  • Follow Us For up to Date Pics of Willard Owl Awesomeness in Action!
  • Facebook: @WillardOwls
  • Instagram: WillardOwlsD65
Are You Following Us On Social Media?
Upcoming Events

Upcoming Events

SAP Meeting:

  • Dec. 20th
  • Virtual: 5:30
  • In-Person 7pm (JEH)


LGBTQIA+ Family Session:
  • Dec. 21, 2022
  • 7:00 PM - 8:15 PM
  • Virtual


Winter Break:

  • December 26th - January 6th
  • No School


School Improvement Day:

  • No School
  • January 9th


MLK Day:

  • No School
  • Monday, January 16th


Kindergarten Registration Orientation:

  • January 18th
  • 7:00 pm (VIRTUAL)


Winterfest
  • Friday, January 27th
  • 5:30-7:00 pm


Access Testing:

  • January 10th - February 3rd
Upcoming Events
Willard Elementary School

Willard Elementary School

Willard Elementary School

2700 Hurd Avenue, Evanston, IL, USA mccoyc@district65.net (847) 905-3600 district65.net/willard