What's Up Willowbrook
October 14, 2022
Character Counts! Week Starts Monday
Next week we will celebrate Character Counts! Week! All Willowbrook students are asked to represent the Six Pillars of Character by dressing in the appropriate colors each day (see below).
Character Counts! Food Drive Oct. 17-21
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, October 18
- Book Fair
Wednesday, October 19
- PTO Special Lunch (Jimmy John's)
- Book Fair
- Parent Teacher Conferences 4:30-8:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 20
- No School for Students
- Parent Teacher Conferences 12-8 p.m.
Friday, October 21
- PTO Trunk-or-Treat
Tuesday, October 25
- School Store (Grades 3-5)
**There will be NO flag raising ceremony on Friday, October 21.
We will return to the weekly Friday flag raisings on October 28**
Parent-Teacher Conference Update
Next week, Willowbrook School will hold their live, online Parent-Teacher Conferences on October 19 (4:30-8:00 p.m.) and October 20 (12:00-8:00 p.m.). This fall’s conferences will use the Zoom video conferencing tool rather than the built-in tool that was previously referenced. We felt this would provide a simpler and more efficient process for everyone.
During conferences, your classroom teacher will discuss academic and social-emotional goals, discuss how the learning experience is progressing at school and at home, and share details about the classroom community with you. This is a collaborative meeting between families and teachers where we can answer your questions. We are so proud of our students and their strong start. Thank you so much for your ongoing support and partnership.
We will share the directory of Zoom links on Monday, October 17. We ask that parents:
Be sure to assign your name to your Zoom account before entering the virtual waiting room. This will allow teachers to match the conference with the family name.
Be on time to the start of the scheduled conference and respect the ending time as other parents may be in the waiting room.
District 30's Response to Bullying
October is National Bullying Prevention Month. We wish to raise awareness and increase understanding about bullying prevention through our curriculum and school-wide programming. We are fortunate that District 30’s students consistently demonstrate respect and care, which are aligned with our core values from Character Counts! Even though that is the norm, isolated incidents of conflict and even bullying can and do occur that require attention and growth as we go through these years. Please know that we are partners with both issues when they involve our students and impact our schools.
For isolated incidents of conflict, we address them with all involved and have high expectations that they will not continue. If conflicts become ongoing and meet the definition of bullying, they are addressed through Board Policy 7:180 Prevention of and Response to Bullying, Intimidation, and Harassment.
Any form of bullying will not be tolerated in District 30. Bullying includes cyberbullying and means any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or electronically, directed toward a student or students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following:
Placing the student or students in reasonable fear of harm to the student or student's person or property
Causing a substantially detrimental effect on the student or student's physical or mental health
Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ academic performance
Substantially interfering with the student’s or students’ ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school
Students are encouraged to immediately report bullying when experienced or witnessed. A report may be made orally or in writing to any District 30 staff member with whom the student is comfortable speaking. Additionally, anyone, including staff members and parents/guardians, who has information about actual or threatened bullying is encouraged to report it to the administration or a staff member.
Upon receipt of a bullying report, the administrators will act swiftly to conduct a bullying investigation and respond with appropriate actions to support the victim and prevent further inappropriate behaviors from occurring. Those conducting the investigation will be in contact with the parents/guardians of both students, the alleged offender, and the victim, throughout the process to allow both students the support to proceed from this situation primed for future success.
District 30 Joins the Global Read Aloud
Willowbrook and Wescott are excited to join the Global Read Aloud now through Nov. 11! We will join schools across the world in reading two of this year’s selections: “The Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade” for kindergarten through 3rd grade and “Thirst” for grades 4 and 5. Each teacher will read their book to their class, and all students can listen to our Star Reader any time online: District 30 Superintendent Dr. Brian Wegley!
What is it?
Teachers choose a book from nine titles to read aloud to their students during a set 6-week period (Oct. 3-Nov. 11) and during that time they try to make as many global connections as possible using tools like social media, Skype or social platforms for educators. Each teacher decides how much time they would like to dedicate and how involved they would like to be. Some choose to connect with just one class, while others go for as many as possible. Since its inception in 2010, the program has had more than 4,000,000 students from more than 80 different countries participate!
Why are we participating?
Both books support our commitment to strengthen a sense of belonging through diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts that foster positive climates across District 30. Each tells an age-appropriate story of caring for others and standing up for important causes:
- Smallest Girl in the Smallest Grade: Hardly anyone notices young Sally McCabe, but she notices everything, including bullying happening on the playground. One day, Sally decides to take a chance and stand up to the bullies, learning that one small girl can make a big difference.
- Thirst: The story of a heroic girl who lives in the poorest part of Mumbai in India and fights for her belief that water should be for everyone.
The program also offers classrooms the opportunity to connect with other classrooms around the world, fostering learning and connections that can be cross-cultural and continue beyond the Global Read Aloud.
Bicycle Safety Reminders
Students may ride their bicycles to school and we encourage this practice. Bicycles should be walked on the sidewalks leading in or out of Willowbrook School and locked in the bike racks. At no time are students allowed to ride on the blacktop when children are present or through the parking lots. Children should wear bicycle helmets at all times when riding. When riding on sidewalks in and around Willowbrook: Obey all pedestrian signs and signals, yield the right of way to pedestrians on sidewalks or crosswalks, and slow down and provide an audible signal (such as a bell or horn) to alert your presence before passing a pedestrian from behind.
CATCH Community Conversation for Parents
CATCH (Community Action Together for Children's Health) will offer a Community Conversation for Parents, " It’s Time for A Reset: Empowering Our Kids to Live a Meaningful Life" on Thursday, October 20 at 7 p.m. in the Glenbrook North High School Center for the Performing Arts. Speakers are William Stixrud, PhD, and Ned Johnson, Founder of PrepMatters. Both are the best-selling authors of "The Self-Driven Child & What Do You Say?" At this event, learn how to better communicate and connect with our kids, help them develop resilience, and find a path beyond academic success. Click here to learn more.
Notice of Lawn Application
Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 will be partnering with Brightview Landscape Services to treat the grounds on and around the Maple School soccer field. On October 21, 2022, we will be applying 90% Granular Elemental Sulfur. In the event all applications cannot be applied on this date, the alternate date of application will be October 22, 2022. For questions, please contact the district’s buildings & grounds coordinator, Jason Borst, at (847) 400-8964.
News from the PTO
Show your Wildcat Spirit!
Every Friday we encourage students to wear their Willowbrook spirit wear. This supports our students in feeling connected to the school community. Go Wildcats!!
Shield Testing - All Schools on Tuesdays
SHIELD Saliva tests must be turned in to your child’s school before 9:30 a.m. on Tuesdays.
Wescott - Tuesdays
Willowbrook - Tuesdays*
Maple - Tuesdays*
Important Information
Throughout the year, packs with multiple testing kits will be sent home with your child
Use one each week and save the remaining for future use
Only return samples in the bag with the QR code and your child’s name
Instructions are available here and on the website at District 30 Health and Safety Guidance
Future supplies will be provided only to students who have participated in testing, therefore, hold onto your supplies if you think you may use them at some point
- Please reach out to your school’s Health Office should you need additional supplies
Patient Support Hotline
Call: 217-265-6059 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week)
- Signing in and registering patient portal accounts
- Scheduling testing appointments
- Viewing appointments
- Viewing test results
- Other patient portal questions
Opt-Out of SHIELD Testing
Contact Lauren Schulman lschulman@district30.org
Return testing supplies to your child’s school
Important Traffic Safety Reminder!
- For the safety of our students, parents are not allowed to park in the staff parking lot when dropping off or picking up their children.
- Please turn off your car engine while waiting for student dismissal....School is a NO IDLING ZONE.
- Car drop-off and pick-up are in the front of the school. This applies to Kindergarten through 5th grade.
- Preschool drop-off and pick-up, and the loading of school buses are in the back of the school.
- Students should not walk through the back parking lot during arrival and dismissal for their safety. Please use the sidewalks.
What's Happening in Wakelet?
What's happening in Wakelet?
What’s happening at Willowbrook? This week at Willowbrook you will find students participating in many new and exciting experiences as they participate in shining their light! Collaboration, cooperation, innovation, engagement, and learning together can all be seen in our platform Wakelet! Which students are hypothesizing if mountains last forever? What did the K-2nd grade do in Digital Citizenship this week? What is happening at the Willowbrook Book Fair? Check out all the awesome things that are happening at Willowbrook this week! Follow us @ #d30learns. Click here for the Wakelet link.
2023 School Board Elections
Caucus Endorsement Deadline is Nov. 21
Candidates who are interested in seeking endorsement from the District 30 School Board Caucus should contact Co-Chairs Karen Burstein (karenrb27@comcast.net) and Katie Schick (kateschick0609@gmail.com) by Monday, November 21. The School Board Caucus is a committee of District 30 residents that includes families both with and without children enrolled in Willowbrook, Wescott and Maple schools. The Caucus' role is to source, screen and endorse potential school board candidates. To be considered by the Caucus, candidates will need to complete a detailed application as well as an interview.
Nominating Petition Deadline is Dec. 19
Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 will have four school board seats to be filled at the Consolidated Election on April 4, 2023. Candidates who are elected will fill four-year terms expiring in April 2027.
Candidates for the office of the school board can now circulate nominating petitions for signatures. The period for filing nominating petitions runs from December 12 through December 19, 2022.
A candidate for the school board is required to file the nominating petitions, Statement of Candidacy, and receipt for filing their Statement of Economic Interests with the applicable county election clerk and not with the school board secretary or the administrative offices of the school district. The county clerk may have petition forms available, or blank petitions may be downloaded from the State Board of Elections website: elections.il.gov.
Candidates may also want to consult the “2023 Candidate’s Guide” (https://www.elections.il.gov//Downloads/ElectionOperations/PDF/2023CanGuide.pdf), which can be downloaded from the Illinois State Board of Elections website, or contact the county clerk or board of election commissioners regarding the requirements of filing. Candidates and voters can get information about District 30 from our website and learn about being a school board member from the Illinois Association of School Boards at: iasb.com/elections.
Want to know what's going on around the community? District 30 uses a "Virtual Backpack" to share community information while saving paper, costs, and lightening the loads our students bring home. Please click the button below to view upcoming Community Events.
Willowbrook School
Main Office: 847-498-1090
Health Office/Attendance: 847-400-8860
Location: 2500 Happy Hollow Road, Glenview, IL, USA
Website: district.30.org/willowbrook
Facebook: facebook.com/ngsd
Twitter: @district30