It was great to see so many families in the building last week for our student-led fall conferences. We are proud of the progress our students have made this year, and are happy to continue to collaborate and partner with our families to support our students. This week Washburne, along with all other District 36 schools, will be celebrating Unity Week. Unity Week is a nationwide celebration of our commitment to anti-bullying efforts. See the flyer below for more information on specific daily activities.

Take Care and Be Well,

Andrew Fenton & Ben Horwitz

Washburne Principal & Assistant Principal

Picture retakes will be this Tuesday, October 18th at Washburne. Photographers will be at school during our lunch periods for all students who need to have their picture taken. The photographers will be outside on Elm St. near the blacktop area. Students should go outside during their lunch/recess period to have their picture taken.

As a reminder, here are the dress guidelines for students:

8th Grade: This is a formal, graduation picture. Students should wear a dark sports jacket, a white or pastel shirt, and a tie –or-- a dark top and a simple piece of jewelry.

7th Grade: More casual attire is permitted. In general, darker clothing shows well, and shirts with collars are better than those without.

Welcome to Window to Washburne! Each week, we will be highlighting some of the learning taking place in our classrooms.

The team area is one of the most popular places at Washburne for students to congregate. All five of our teams have their own area, and each team utilizes the space in a unique way. Recently, students on Team Electric have begun creating their own mural to decorate their team area. Ms. Wendel brought in the lion pictured below, and students have taken it upon themselves to begin coloring it in. In fact, some students have even been coming in early to spend time coloring the mural. By the end, each student will have contributed in some way to the mural.

Kudos to Ms. Wendel and Team Electric for finding a colorful way to brighten their team area.

Basketball tryouts begin later this week. Please see the dates and times below:

8th Grade Girls

Wednesday, 10/26 3:30-5:00pm

Thursday, 10/27 5:00-6:30pm

8th Grade Boys

Thursday, 10/20 3:30-5:00pm

Tuesday, 10/25 5:00-6:30pm

7th Grade Girls

Wednesday, 10/26 5:00-6:30pm

Thursday, 10/27 3:30-5:00pm

7th Grade Boys

Thursday, 10/20 5:00-6:30pm

Tuesday, 10/25 3:30-5:00pm

Friday Oct 28 - Possible 3rd tryout day, if needed

In order to participate in travel basketball, all students must be registered and have a medical clearance form or current physical on file at school.

If you have any questions, please contact Andy Becker at andybecker@winnetka36.org.

Thursdays 7:45-8:15am – Skokie Cafeteria – 10/13-12/22/2022

Come join the Thursday mornings “brain-warm-up” with CHESS. A professional instructor will

provide a high-level of instruction which will include not only the basics but expand to opening

theory, tactics and strategies for the middle game, plus cover end game combinations in order to checkmate the opponent’s King. The student will receive instruction, be supervised during game playing periods and receive personal feedback on their play. Chess-Ed is the premiere provider of professional school chess enrichment programs and will be providing this series of classes from 10/13 through 12/22/2022.

Students will also develop life skills such as critical and analytical thinking, decision making,

patience, focus, problem solving, the ability to be gracious in winning and how to turn loss into a learning experience for future success. All these skills lead to greater academic success as well as success throughout life.

REGISTER TODAY: www.skokieandwashburnechess.eventbee.com

Due to wear and tear from exposure to the elements, the bricks formerly on display at the Northwest corner of the Washburne campus were removed for safety reasons. If you or a family member previously purchased a commemorative brick (names are reflected in this list) and would like to retrieve the brick, you may do so between now and November 11th, 2022.

As a member of The Winnetka Public School community, we want to ensure you remain informed about the improvements to all five schools as part of the 2022 Downsized Capital Improvement Plan: Referendum, which was adopted as a resolution by the School Board on August 16th and will be on the ballot November 8th. You are invited to attend any of our remaining informational sessions, in person or via Zoom. Please see the image below for details, or visit our website at www.winnetka36.org. If you are unable to participate in an informational session, you may also view the screencast of the presentation here. A final mailing with additional information will be sent to the entire community later this month as well.

The District is offering an array of upcoming educational sessions for families and community members. Click here for session dates and more information. Fall sessions include SEL-related topics and technology tips for parents regarding maneuvering the ever-changing landscape of technology, social media, and phones.

The Volunteer Center is hosting its 20th Annual Make A Difference Day that will help 18 nonprofits' clients in critical need. North Shore residents are invited to "upcycle" their new and gently used goods at this one day annual collection drive. The event is Saturday, Oct. 22 from 9am - noon at Winnetka's Indian Hill train station parking lot.

Safely drive thru and drop off! If you have any of the essential items the nonprofits have requested like clothing, food, toys, games, books, DVDs, CDs, vinyl, musical instruments and much more! Please sort, bag and label them with the corresponding nonprofit and bring them over! The list of items requested from each nonprofit can be found here on the VC's website. Only the items on the list will be accepted. Nonprofit reps will be there to receive the essential donations. Volunteers will take them from your vehicle and the nonprofits will drive off with them at the end of the morning.

We also are in need of volunteers from middle school aged youth through adults, to help us take the donations to the corresponding nonprofit and/or help sort the items. Please email if you or your family or service group would like to help or if you have any questions. Contact info@volunteercenterhelps.org.

For upcoming events, access FAN’s website here.

Please follow the District via the following social media platforms in order to see day-to-day happenings and more.

Facebook and Twitter: @Winnetka36

Instagram: @WinnetkaPublicSchools

Tuesday, October 18th: School Board Meeting 7:15pm @ Crow Island School

Tuesday, November 1st: Teacher Institute Day -- No Student Attendance

Tuesday, November 8th: Election Day - No School