Wescott Word
January 26, 2024
Important dates
Tonight! January 26
Multicultural Night
Friday, February 2
Universal speech screening 2nd Grade
School Spirit Day
Wednesday, February 7
Parent -Teacher Conference registration opens
Friday, February 9
Author Natasha Yim's visit
Wednesday, February 14
PTO Ice Cream Day
Tuesday, February 13
Order your PTO Special Lunch by noon
Wednesday, February 21
PTO Special Lunch
Multicultural Night is tonight!
From the Committee
Willowbrook and Wescott International Night is TONIGHT at the Maple School Gymnasium from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Attendees can enter through the Activity Door D on the east side of the school, the entrance closest to Shermer Road.
It is not too late for your child to participate in the fashion show parade that begins at 5:30 p.m. by dressing in their choice of ethnic attire. To participate, students meet in the athletic room at 5:15 p.m.
Schedule of the Night:
5:30 p.m. - Fashion Show parade by students from both schools around the gym
6:20 p.m. - Culture in Motion
6:30 p.m. - McNulty Irish Dancers
6:40 p.m. - Korean Performing Arts Institute of Chicago
7:30 p.m. - Program Ends
Cash donations will be taken at the door to support the Northfield Township Food Pantry
Erin's Law presentations
Programs set for Feb. 5 at Wescott
Erin’s Law, House Bill 6193 was signed by Governor Pat Quinn on January 24, 2013. This law requires schools to implement an age-appropriate sexual assault and abuse awareness and prevention curriculum for grades Pre-K through 12. District 30 has purchased the “Be Seen and Be Heard 2.0” video program from Victor Pacini, a survivor of sexual abuse, an author, songwriter, singer, and motivational speaker. Mr. Pacini has assisted our schools in implementing this mandate for the past nine years.
Mr. Pacini’s program is developmentally appropriate, interactive, and aligned with learning standards. The focus of his presentation is to teach children basic skills to keep them safe from dangerous or abusive situations. Parents may wish to view an overview of the program at victorpacini.com/peace-of-mind-2
Maple students will view Mr. Pacini’s recorded program on Monday, February 5.
Wescott students will view Mr. Pacini’s recorded program on Monday, February 5.
Willowbrook (Preschool) students will have a variation of Erin’s Law made specifically for Kid Connection on Tuesday, February 6.
Willowbrook (Kindergarten through Grade 5) students will view Mr. Pacini’s recorded program on Wednesday, February 7.
Requests to Opt-Out for Wescott/Willowbrook: If you prefer that your child opt-out of this prevention education session, please email your child’s classroom teacher.
Requests to Opt-Out for Maple: If you prefer that your child opt-out of this prevention education session, please address your email to Asst. Principal, Angela Jaeger (at ajaeger@district30.org).
Tuesday - Learn about your kids & technology
District 30 parents, guardians and caregivers are invited to learn from Devorah Heitner, Ph.D., as she discusses her new book “Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World” at 6:30 p..m. January 30 at Maple School. Discover how to help tweens and teens navigate boundaries, identity, privacy, and reputation in their digital world. Heitner shows that by focusing on character, we can support our kids to be authentically themselves. Click here or below to register.
Parent-Teacher Conferences Feb. 21- 22
This winter, we will again offer parents live, online interactions with our teachers during Parent-Teacher Conferences on Wednesday, February 21th (4:30-8:00) and Thursday, February 22nd (12:00-8:00). Conferences are one of the most valuable tools we have to foster our strong partnerships between home and school. Please disregard any wording on Meet The Teacher platform that states In-Person conferences. This winter's conferences, we will continue to use Zoom and a Zoom Directory will be shared with you closer to the start of conferences.
Conference registration will open on Wednesday, February 7th, at 6:00am and will continue through Friday, February 16th, at 3:00pm.
Conference scheduler login information will be sent to the primary contact email for your student, along with step-by-step instructions for registering. Please keep an eye open for this information. Registration codes and directions are also available in Parent Portal on the form called Student Information for the 2023-2024 School Year.
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 when 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.
Universal speech screening Feb. 2
On February 2, District 30 Speech Language Pathologists will conduct universal speech screenings for all 2nd-grade students. Additional screenings for concerns with receptive language, expressive language, voice or fluency will be available at parent and/or teacher request.
Please contact Amber Price (aprice@district30.org), Jamie Solomon (jsolomon@district30.org), Ellen Schulte (eschulte@district30.org) or your child's teacher if you have any of the above concerns. Parents will be notified if any concerns are identified, as a result of the articulation screening, and/or if speech/language support or further evaluation is recommended.
Author Natasha Yim visit Feb. 9
Author Natasha Yim will be visiting Wescott students on Friday, February 9 to discuss her newest book, "Lunar New Year." The visit will take place via Zoom and will be in conjunction with our annual Lantern Festival at Wescott. Book order information is coming soon. If you have questions, please get in touch with Mrs. Janavicius at mjanavicius@district30.org
4th- & 5th-Grade Winter Concert
Bravo to our Wescott & Willowbrook 4th- & 5th-grade musicians! Click to see highlights from their beautiful orchestra & band Winter Concert, which included many students who just started learning their instrument four months ago. Such talent!
K & Pre-K intake now open!
KINDERGARTEN INTAKE
District 30's full-day 2023-24 Kindergarten Program will be held at both Willowbrook and Wescott Schools. Kindergarten Intake for the 2024-25 school year is now open.
To be eligible for kindergarten, your child must have been born on or before September 1, 2019, as evidenced by an official birth certificate or passport. Proof of residency in District 30 is also required, as well as the filling out of an affidavit form.
Important links:
- Wescott Intake
- Willowbrook Intake
- Enrollment (links and info on establishing District 30 residency)
Questions? Please call Willowbrook at 847-498-1090 or Wescott at 847-272-4660.
PRESCHOOL INTAKE
The 2024-25 District 30 Kid Connection Preschool will be held at Willowbrook School only. The preschool program is days a week for 2.5 hours a day and follows the District 30 school calendar.
Three-year-old students attend the morning class and the 4-year-old students attend in the afternoon. Preschool Intake for the 2023-24 school year is now open.
Please visit our District 30 Preschool page for the intake link, tuition information, and a list of documents needed to register.
Wescott Madness
From the PTO
Wescott Madness Fundraiser is Back!! Looking for parent volunteers to host parties and events per grade! Please commit by Monday 2/5!
What is a parent hosted party?
Volunteers will:
- Choose the venue, date & time
- Choose how many students participate
- Attend the event with other volunteers
All payment will be collected by the PTO, all you need to do is plan the party!
We are looking for as many parties to cover the entire Wescott School student body!
Any questions? Please contact wescottpto@district30.org
Bus riders
Dear Parents,
Please help us keep our bus lines moving smoothly and follow these guidelines. We ask that all of the changes in bus practices for your student(s) are called in by 3 p.m. the day of the expected schedule shift.
Summer School signup starts Feb. 15
Save the date!
Mark your calendars for the 2024 District 30 Summer School Program! Important dates:
- Registration opens for in-district families - February 15
- Program dates - Tuesday, June 11 through Friday, July 12
- Holidays - No Summer School :June 19, July 4-5
To explore course offerings, FAQs and learn about the registration process, please visit our website. Additional questions? Please email Summer School Co-Principals Ms. Ashley Grosshuesch and Mrs. Lainie Levin and Administrative Assistant Mrs. Nancy Lifshitz at summerschool@district30.org.
Help needed for May 18 Lew Blond Run
Join us as a volunteer or sponsor!
The 23rd annual Lew Blond Run Memorial 5K Run/Walk returns May 18! For those who are participating in the 5K race, 1-mile race, or Little Lew 50-yard dash, registration will open Feb. 1. Additionally, volunteers and sponsors are needed!
VOLUNTEERS: Please consider volunteering to help with the pre-race on Thursday, May 16 or Friday, May 17, and race day on Saturday, May 18. Click here or below to review volunteer positions and sign up! The success of this event would not be possible without the support of our volunteers!
SPONSORSHIP: Your giving can include donating to our silent auction, monetary or in-kind donations (click the button below to learn more). The Lew Blond Run is among the top running events in the north suburban area and traditionally receives coverage on local TV, local radio, and in print and online media. Sponsors can publicize their business to a wide audience while helping to make it a great experience for students, staff and community members who participate.
This annual fundraiser honors former District 30 teacher Lew Blond, who passed away from Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS) in February 2000. Lew was an exceptional applied arts educator and was cherished by the District 30 community. His has attended and helped support this race since its inception. Race proceeds benefit the Les Turner ALS Foundation, scholarships for Maple School alumni pursing trade careers, and District 30 projects.
Thank you for your support and we hope you will support us on Saturday, May 18!
Health reminder
Northbrook Library Winter Reading!
The Northbrook Public Library has brought back its Winter Reading Program! It runs from Dec 1 - Jan 31. Check out the flyer below for more information, or visit northbrook.info/winter-reading.
Club Corner
Drop-off
Help support the Wescott PE Program!
Make a difference
The Wescott Helping Hands Committee is collecting pop tabs to donate to the Ronald McDonald House. The pop tabs will be recycled and the money is used to help support the families that stay there. Students can bring their pop tabs to their teachers for collection. Classes are collecting pop tabs all year long!
Learn about community events!
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.
Wescott School
Main office: 847-272-4660
Health/Attendance Office: 847-400-8760
Location: 1820 Western Avenue, Northbrook, IL 60062, USA
Website: district30.org/wescott