Thank you to our PTO and all Washburne families for your kindness and support as we celebrated our teachers last week during teacher appreciation week!

Washburne students will be MAP testing this week on Tuesday, May 9th and Wednesday, May 10th. Please make sure that your child brings his/her fully charged iPad to school on these dates, and encourage them to get a good rest the night before.

It is time to order your school supply kits for the 2022-23 school year. The deadline for ordering is July 1st. Supply kits will be delivered to your home two weeks before the start of school in August. CLICK HERE to order.

8th grade families should review this communication that contains a number of graduation reminders. You can also CLICK HERE for information on how to purchase additional tickets for the ceremony.

Thank you to our PTO for sponsoring a 7th Grade Weekend Warm-up this Friday, May 12th from 3:30-4:30pm. Parent volunteers are still needed. Click here for more information and to register.

Take Care and Be Well,

Andrew Fenton & Ben Horwitz

Washburne Principal & Assistant Principal

Now is the time for 7th grade students and families to choose electives for next year. All requests should be entered by Monday, May 8th. Please click here for instructions to enter your elective requests.

As part of the science curriculum at Washburne, all seventh grade students complete a 2-week Sexual Health Education Program that will begin the week of May 22nd. All families of 7th graders will receive an email later today with information on the upcoming unit.

At the April 25th Board of Education meeting we shared an update on the schedule task force progress and key features of a new schedule. This presentation provided the Board with an overview of how the current schedule will be improved to better serve the students. A new schedule will be piloted in May and launched in September 2023. If you were not able to view the meeting, we have included a recording of the presentation and the slide deck.

Video Presentation

Slide Deck

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

Civil War Day has been a Washburne tradition for many years, but our 7th graders were able to experience a new version of the day this past week. Students and staff ventured out to Midway Village Museum to learn more about what life was like during the Civil War. Students rotated between stations and were able to participate in activities such as learning Union drum beats or marching as an infantry unit. They also learned about banking and medicine during the 1800’s. The highlight of the day was historical speaker Harriet Tubman, who vividly shared her life’s experiences.

Kudos to our social studies teachers for organizing a hands-on day of learning for our students.

In this section we will be shining the spotlight on our Related Studies program and all the wonderful opportunities available to our Washburne students.

Hello, May: the “March Madness” of Music! There are many opportunities to see our great Washburne students perform this month; here are just a few:

The CW Chorus is excited to tour Crow Island, Greeley, and Hubbard Woods this Thursday, May 11th, and perform for our elementary students with the Skokie Chorus. Next Thursday, May 18th, CW Choristers will perform their Spring Concert in the Little Theatre at Washburne, 7:00p.m. Come hear our collection highlighting pop tunes from Grease to Panic at the Disco!!

Musical Theatre students are cleaning choreography, running scenes, polishing songs, and memorizing lines for their May 30th performance of Seussical: the Musical. This fanciful show features some of our favorite characters from classic, feel-good tales of Dr. Seuss and introduces great songs like “Oh the Thinks You Can Think”, “Alone in the Universe”, and “How Lucky You Are”. What better way to kick off Memorial Day week than good humor and music? Come to the Little Theatre at Washburne, 7:30p.m, Tuesday, May 30th.

Piano students are running the gamut this trimester, playing styles from Lean on Me to Chopin to Lion King, and there is a certain excitement for Spring throughout all CW music participants. Not only does the season bring warmer temperatures and the promise of summer vacation, but also anticipation for next year’s opportunities! And there’s a new one to consider: “Melody Makers” is a new elective choice for 2023-2024. Check it out in the Related Studies Offerings, or contact Ms. Scott (kimberlyscott@winnetka36.org) for more details on any of the music classes!

Parents can see the monthly menus in our cafeteria by clicking HERE. Please feel free to use this menu to plan out your child’s meals.

Learn about the results of the Winnetka Parent Communication Survey and how the District plans to be responsive to the feedback.

Crow Island: May 17, 9:15-10:15 a.m.

Skokie/Washburne (Hosted at Washburne): May 17, 11:00 - 12:00 p.m.

Registration for the 2023-2024 school year is now open for all students (returning and pre-registered). Email notification was sent to the primary contact on record with the District March 17, 2023. Additionally, families will receive notification via regular mail. Contained within the notification is a unique “snapcode” that parents will need to login. Please phone 847-446-9400, with any questions. Additional information and login to the portal can be found on the District website.

Episode #6: Cultivating a Culture of Belonging

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Winnetka Voices is a podcast hosted by The Winnetka Public Schools, featuring candid conversations on issues relevant to education and shared resources to support our students and families.

We are approaching our final testing window for the Measure of Academic Progress (MAP) test, which will take place between May 8 - 19, 2023. Your child’s school or teacher will inform you of his or her specific testing dates.

Similar to the winter, all students in Grades 3 - 8 will take one reading test and one math test. The MAP Assessment is designed to measure a student’s achievement level at different times of the school year and compute growth over time. MAP is a computer-adaptive test, which means every student receives a unique set of test questions based on responses to previous questions. This provides a personalized assessment experience by adapting to each student’s learning level.

The purpose of the third testing session is to provide an overview of a student’s growth and achievement for the school year. Spring Student Progress Reports will be mailed home on Friday, June 2nd with fall to spring growth measures. Additional information on the MAP Assessment may be found on our district website in the Assessment Section of ITL. If you need further information on your child’s testing session please contact your building principal

The Winnetka Police Department is increasing efforts to encourage bike riders to walk their bikes while riding in the business districts. As such, residents can expect a focus on educational and enforcement shifts by Community Service Officers and Police Officers in the business districts for random periods throughout the day, on a daily basis, as the weather gets warmer and bike/pedestrian traffic increases. This initiative is underway and will continue through the summer months. Signs have already been placed throughout business districts, indicating the need to walk bicycles. In partnership with local businesses, we will continue the opportunities for Community Service Officers and Police Officers to recognize children who are complying with the ordinance and are observed walking their bikes and following the rules with a small reward. This same message is being shared in schools and principal newsletters this spring, as it will take everyone’s cooperation to make this a safer summer.

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 & Wednesday, May 9th and 10th: Spring MAP Testing

Friday, May 12th: 7th Grade Weekend Warmup - 3:30-4:30pm

Tuesday, May 23rd: Board of Education Meeting 7:15pm @ Washburne School

Thursday, June 1st: Washburne Field Day

Tuesday, June 6th: 8th Grade Graduation 7:00pm @ Gaffney Auditorium