Wildcat Chat
Washington School: January Issue 2020
Letter from Ms. Brito
Dear Washington Families,
THANK YOU to all the generous families who participated in our Washington Cares Tree initiative. Due to your support, we were able to fulfill the holiday wishes of many Washington families. All children received items from their "need" as well as their "want" lists. We were also able to give each family gift cards to assist in their holiday meals.
As in years past, when we notified you of your community's needs, you exceeded all expectations. It is a privilege to be associated with such caring individuals--thank you again for your ongoing support of our Washington Community.
I hope you all have a safe, enjoyable and relaxing holiday season with family and loved ones. I look forward to welcoming everyone back in 2020.
Warmly,
Mrs. Brito
Washington Principal
Incoming Sixth Grade Parent Night at Lincoln
We are excited for your fifth-grade student to soon become part of the Lincoln family. This brief informational night for students and parents is a great opportunity to hear about our school and to prepare for a smooth transition into middle school. The event will take place on Thursday, January 16th from 6:30– 7:00 PM. Our agenda will include information regarding the transition process, academic placement, and elective programs.
We also encourage you and your student to attend our Elective Open House immediately after the presentation from 7:00-8:00. This is an opportunity to explore the numerous elective choices available to our students at Lincoln and to speak with some of the teachers. As incoming parents and students, this is a great way to get to see the school and to get to know your way around.
Our partnership is important for the success of your student. We look forward to meeting you soon and answering any questions you may have about Lincoln and about the transition to middle school.
Find Out About Extended School Year!
Join us for an informational meeting about Extended School Year (ESY). District 64 will provide the session to parents on ESY at 7 p.m. on Monday, February 10 in the south gym of Carpenter Elementary School, 300 North Hamlin Ave., Park Ridge. The program will include a discussion on the eligibility process and program opportunities.
District 64 provides Extended School Year opportunities to qualifying students within the district generally beginning mid-June for no less than 60 hours. Although the calendar/schedule is reviewed and determined annually, ESY has generally been scheduled Monday through Friday, following the Worlds of Wonder summer program.
5Essentials Survey Details
Beginning December 10th, students and teachers across Illinois will have an opportunity to participate in the eighth annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school. As a parent, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child’s school.
On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago. The survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. These five indicators that affect and predict school success are:
· Effective Leaders
· Collaborative Teachers
· Involved Families
· Supportive Environments
· Ambitious Instruction
Prior research in more than 400 schools has shown that schools that were strong on at least three of these “5Essential” indicators were 10 times more likely to improve student learning gains in math and reading than those that were weak on three or more Essentials.
All teachers and 4th through 12th grade students will be responding to this survey. 5Essentials Reports will be generated for schools if their teachers and/or students meet the response rate threshold of 50 percent. These reports will be sent to schools and districts in April 2020 and will also be included in the State School Report Card.
Additionally, your district has chosen to provide the optional Parent Supplement survey. If at least 20 percent of Washington parents complete this survey, a parent supplement report will also be generated. The parent data will not be reported on the State Report Card.
Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.
The Illinois 5Essentials Survey for students and teachers will be conducted December 10, 2019 through February 14, 2020. The Parent Survey Supplement will be conducted from October 24, 2019 through February 14, 2020. To take the survey please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/Illinois/ and select the appropriate survey to begin.
For more information about the Illinois 5Essentials Survey, or to view previous years’ reports, please visit https://www.5-essentials.org/illinois. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact 5Essentials Client Services at 1-866-440-1874 or 5essentials@uchicago.edu.
5th Grade Yearbook Cover Contest
Fourth Grade Planner Cover Contest
Washington ROARS Winners!
Young Authors Guidelines
Worlds of Wonder
5Essentials Survey
Coffee with the Director of Student Services
Parent Workshop
The All Abilities group, in collaboration with the District 64 Student Services department, is hosting a “Planning for the Future of Children with Special Needs” parent workshop on Wednesday, March 4, 2020 from 7-9 p.m. at Franklin Elementary School, 2401 Manor Lane, Park Ridge. Attorney Mr. Brian Rubin, the founder of Rubin Law, will be presenting on the use of government benefits as well as estate and future planning for parents of students with special needs. Please join us for this informative event by registering and identifying any specific questions you might have to be addressed. For questions on this workshop, contact Maura Cullen at maura.cullen@yahoo.com or Dr. Lea Anne Frost at lfrost@d64.org.
District 64 Hosts Special Olympics
Join us for an informational meeting about the Special Olympics program at Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 for the Spring 2020 season. There will be an informational session to parents at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 23 in the south gym of Carpenter Elementary School, 300 North Hamlin Avenue. The session will include a discussion of program opportunities, details regarding the season, and an opportunity to meet the coaches.
Special Olympics is an athletic competition in a variety of Olympic-type sports for children, ages 8 and up with disabilities. District 64 competes in the Region Spring Games held at Prospect High School at the end of April. If you would like to consider this opportunity for your student, please attend to gain more information.
Important Message from D64 School Health Services
As we near winter break, family schedules become even busier, with holiday celebrations, travel, and more opportunities for children to play with one another. Please take the time to check your child’s head for the presence of head lice and nits (eggs) now, during break, and prior to return to school in January. If nits or live lice are found, all household members should be examined and treated if needed.
If your child has an active infestation (live lice), you should notify parents of your child’s playmates, so that steps can be taken to prevent further spread. In addition, please contact the health office at your child’s school.
Head lice are spread most commonly by head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact with someone who already has head lice, and less frequently, by sharing clothing or belongings onto which lice may have crawled.
Prevention Measures:
Avoid head-to-head contact during play (sports activities, sleep-overs).
Do not share items such as hats, caps, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair accessories, combs, brushes, or towels.
Do not lie on beds, couches, pillows, carpets, or stuffed animals that have been in recent contact with a person with head lice.
Machine wash and dry clothing, bed linens, and other items worn/used by the affected person during the 2 days before treatment, using the hot water (130°F) laundry cycle and the high heat drying cycle. Clothing and items that are not washable can be dry-cleaned OR sealed in a plastic bag and stored for 2 weeks.
Vacuum floors and furniture. However, spending excessive time and money on house cleaning activities is unnecessary; rather, efforts should be concentrated on treatment of live lice and removal of nits from affected persons.
For more information, please visit the District website at:
http://www.d64.org/health-services/health-safety-tips. Please scroll down the page to the section titled “Head Lice.”
Margaret Temari, R.N., M.Ed.
Facilitator, School Health Services
As the seasons change… keep school closing guidelines in mind
District Mission Statement
Washington School
Email: abrito@d64.org
Website: http://www.d64.org/wes/
Phone: 847-318-4360
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Twitter: @WashingtonD64