Wescott Word

We are writing to inform you about a student survey that will be administered at your child’s school called the Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This is the 11th year the Illinois State Board of Education will implement this survey across the state. This survey is based on 20 years of research at the University of Chicago. It asks students about their experiences in school, giving school leaders critical student input to help develop school improvement plans.

Student participants will be required to log-in using their state student ID and birth date in order to complete the survey. Students’ identities will be completely confidential. Teachers or administrators will never see individual responses to survey questions and will only receive aggregated information, such as the total percentage of students who agree homework assignments help them learn the course material.

Please be aware that under the Protection of Pupil Rights Act. 20 U.S.C. Section 1232(c) (1) (A), you have the right to review a copy of the questions asked of your student(s). Survey questions can be found on the UChicago Impact Support Center.

If you do not want your child to participate, we ask you to notify the Wescott front office by Friday, February 24. The survey will be given to students in grades 4 and 5 the week of February 27.

We invite all District 30 parents, staff and residents to explore the great things that have happened in our schools (including a 2022-23 snapshot so far) in our 2021-22 Annual Report.

Monday, February 20

NO SCHOOL - District Holiday

Tuesday, February 21

Parent-Teacher Conferences - 4:30-8:00 p.m.

Thursday, February 23

NO SCHOOL - Parent-Teacher Conferences - 12:00-8:00 p.m.

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held next week. If you have not yet signed up for a Parent-Teacher Conference, please contact your child's teacher.

This winter, Wescott School will again offer parents live, online interactions with our teachers during Parent-Teacher Conferences on February 21 (4:30-8:00 p.m.) and February 23 (12:00-8:00 p.m.). Conferences are one of the most valuable tools we have to foster our strong partnerships between home and school. 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.

Thank you for your continued patience and understanding during our registration pause. We are in constant communication with RegWerks as they work to resolve registration issues that parents and guardians have experienced. While progress is being made, we are not quite ready to resume registration.

Picking a summer program for your students is important and we share your concern and frustration with the challenges experienced this week. Please be assured that when registration resumes, we will work to make sure that in-district students get to be enrolled in the classes that they would like to take this summer. We look forward to having an update to share next week.

Should you have additional questions, please email summerschool@district30.org. Thank you!

Follow-up from our Kelly Yang Visit

Our D30 3rd-6th graders enjoyed last week's Zoom visit with award-winning author Kelly Yang! You can still order her latest book, Finally Seen. Autographed copies of the book can be purchased at $17.99 per copy and will be available after the February 28 release date. To order a book, please:

1. Log into your Parent Portal account: https://ps.district30.org/public

2. Click Forms in the left navigation menu

3. Under General, click Finally Seen - Book Order Form

4. Select the number of books you would like to order & fill in the other required fields

5. Make a check out to Wescott School for the amount shown

6. Submit the form

7. Deliver the check to your child’s school librarian

If you have questions about the form or Parent Portal, please email parentportal@district30.org

Caldecott-winning author Matthew Cordell will be visiting Wescott 1st & 2nd graders on Tuesday 2/21 to talk about his latest book, Evergreen. This visit is courtesy of The Book Stall. To place an order for an autographed book, please click here.

About Evergreen:

A picture book by Caldecott medal winner Matt Cordell about a timid squirrel who makes a brave journey to help a relative who is ill.

Evergreen the squirrel is afraid of many things: thunder, hawks, and the dark paths of Buckthorn Forest. But when her mother tasks Evergreen with delivering soup to her sick Granny Oak, the little squirrel must face her fears and make the journey. Along the way, Evergreen is met by other forest dwellers - some want to help her, but some want her mother's delicious soup! It's up to Evergreen to stay the course, and those who help her will surprise and delight young readers. Using an art style reminiscent of the work of William Steig and Arnold Lobel, Matthew Cordell creates a classic tale of bravery and love.

Matthew Cordell is the author and illustrator of Caldecott award winners Wolf in the Snow, Trouble Gum, Another Brother, hello! hello!, and Wish. He has illustrated the books of renowned authors including Philip Stead (Special Delivery), Rachel Vail (the Justin Case series), and Gail Carson Levine ( Forgive Me, I Meant To Do It). He lives outside of Chicago with his wife, the novelist Julie Halpern, and their two children.

Wescott Madness has begun! Please click on this link to register and sign up for your teacher raffles today! $1 = 1 raffle ticket! Teacher Raffles will stay open until 2/26!

Please reach out to the PTO with any questions! Thank you!

Want to take a more active role in the PTO? We’re calling for nominations for the following PTO board openings for 2023 school year:

• Co-President
• VP of Technology
• Co-Treasurer
• Co-Fundraising
• Co-Secretary
• Co-Communications

Contact wescottpto@district30.org for any questions or submissions.

We are looking for someone with a keen eye for detail in creating and organizing student montages for the 2023-24 Yearbook! Interested in this co-chair position? Email Rebecca & Fumi at wescottyearbook@gmail.com by February 28 for more details!

One Wednesday every month, the PTO offers the students an opportunity to order a special lunch from a local restaurant through Marlas Lunch. If you are new to school or never ordered any special lunch, please click on the button below for more information.

Students and teachers across Illinois now have an opportunity to participate in the 11th 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

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 January 24through March 31. The Parent Survey Supplement will be conducted during that same timeframe. To take the survey please click here or the button below and select the appropriate survey to begin.

For more information about the Illinois 5Essentials Survey, or to view previous years’ reports, please click here. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact UChicago Impact Client Services at 1-866-440-1874 or impact-surveys@uchicago.edu.

Sincerely,

Chris M. Brown, Ed.D

Principal

Katie Compagno

Assistant Principal

District 30's full-day 2023-24 Kindergarten Program will be held at the following schools:

• Willowbrook School, 2500 Happy Hollow Road, Glenview, IL 60026
• Wescott School, 1820 Western Avenue, Northbrook, IL 60062

Kindergarten Pre-registration for the 2023-24 school year is taking place online now.

In order to be eligible for kindergarten, your child must have been born on or before September 1, 2018, 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.

Please visit the Wescott or Willowbrook Kindergarten Pre-Registration page on the District 30 website for more information.

Visit our enrollment page for the pre-registration links and information on establishing residency in District 30.

If you have questions, please call Willowbrook’s school office at 847-498-1090 or Wescott’s school office at 847-272-4660.

The 2023-24 District 30 Kid Connection Preschool will be held at Willowbrook School. The preschool program is held 5 days a week for 2.5 hours a day and follows the District 30 school calendar.

The 3-year-old students attend the morning class and the 4-year-old students attend in the afternoon.

Preschool Pre-registration for the 2023-24 school year is taking place online now.

Please visit our District 30 Preschool page for the pre-registration link, tuition information, and a list of documents needed to register.

Just a friendly reminder that there is no outdoor supervision at Wescott School before 8:30 a.m. or after 3:20 p.m. For the safety of your children please be sure they do not arrive at school before 8:30 a.m. or stay after 3:20 p.m. unless they are being supervised by their parent.

SHIELD Saliva tests must be turned in to your child’s school before 9:30 a.m. on 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

Opt-Out of SHIELD Testing

• Contact Lauren Schulman lschulman@district30.org

• Return testing supplies to your child’s school

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.

School Hours are 8:40 am to 3:10 pm.

Half day dismissal time is 11:45 am.

Main office: 847-272-4660

Health/Attendance Office: 847-400-8760

Location: 1820 Western Avenue, Northbrook, IL 60062, USA

Website: district30.org/wescott
Facebook: facebook.com/ngsd30
Twitter: @district30