Wildcat Chat
Washington School: November Issue 2018
Letter from Mrs. Daly
Dear Washington Families,
Engaging and robust are two words that come to mind when I think of all the experiences we have had at Washington School thus far this year. Students and staff continue to work extremely hard instructing and learning. Everyone is enjoying the new ELA curriculum. Students are excited to apply new strategies they are learning during reading to their indpendent reading books.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for taking the time to read with your children, check homework, communicating with your child’s teacher and countless other things you do as a parent to encourage and support the education of your son or daughter. It truly takes a village to educate your children and the partnership between home and school is so imperative. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do to make it a positive experience for all.
November is one of my favorite months of the year. The temperature is finally where it is cold in the morning and beautiful during the day. The fall colors are in full swing. And the holidays that are focused on family and gratitude and caring are upon us. We have much to be grateful for here at Washington. We have a wonderful, caring staff from our custodian, our teaching assistants, our office staff, to all of our teachers. I am grateful every day for the opportunity to work with all of them and I know your children are in good hands with them. We have supportive parents and community, with a giving and engaged PTO at the forefront, to which we all say thank you for all that you do to make Washington the school it is today. And finally, we have incredible students, who challenge themselves every day to learn and be engaged as well as challenging us to become better people. They are why we are here every day! We are also thankful for the recognition of our National 2018 Blue Ribbon! We are all so very proud of the hard work we do on a daily basis.
Thank you to all of the amazing 5th-grade parents that helped chaperone Camp Duncan. We couldn't have made this wonderful experience happen without your stepping up, pitching in and excitement. We truly appreciated everything you did to make it an amazing experience for all of our 5th graders.
November continues to be an extremely busy month at Washington! Be sure to view the school calendar in this newsletter so you don’t miss anything!
Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving!
Warmly,
Mrs. Daly
Washington Principal
Washington School - National 2018 Blue Ribbon School
Student Safety - Please Read
Halloween Information and Parade Schedule
The students and staff of Washington School will celebrate Halloween on Wednesday, October 31st. Parents, who are helping with room parties, are to enter through the front doors and get your name badge. If you haven’t had your driver’s licenses scanned by our Raptor system, please do so as soon as possible. If your name's not on the room parent list, then you will not be allowed into the classroom for the parties.
Room parents, please make sure you submit your party plans to me and your classroom teacher two weeks prior to October 31st. Plans are due Wednesday, October 17th.
Relatives or parents who wish to just view the parade may do so out around the track in the back of the building. (If raining, the parade will be inside only for staff and students only).
We appreciate your cooperation and support with our Halloween celebrations.
Other Important Guidelines:
No food or candy is allowed at the party!
Parents, who are assigned to help with the class parties, must be registered with the office. Parents who are not a room parent or have not registered with the office will not be permitted to attend the class party.
EVERYONE is welcome to attend the parade. The parade is in the PM.
AM Kindergarten Parade is for students and staff only. Parents will not see the parade inside the building.
Students need to return to classrooms after the parade to pack up for regular dismissal.
Halloween Costume Guidelines - Please follow these
Costumes are optional for students in grades K-5.
Costumes should be brought to school, and students must be able to put their costumes on themselves.
Costumes brought to school MUST:
- BE OF NON-VIOLENT NATURE
- Not contain ANY weapons (real or imitation). This includes, but is not limited to, swords, guns, knives, clubs, lasers, etc.
- Not contain any fake blood or other gruesome masks
- Masks are NOT allowed to be worn at school during the party or the parade
(Masks need to be left at home).
- Not represent a violent character such as, Freddie Krueger, “Jason”, an ax-murderer, etc.
- Not display any alcohol, drug or cigarette logos
- Cover the child appropriately: that is, no exposed torso, chest area, buttocks, etc.
Holiday Sing - Save the Date
In order to better accommodate the families of Washington School and to help alleviate overcrowding, the Holiday Sing schedule of performances will be the same as last year. This model is used by the other big schools within the district.
The Holiday Sing will take place on Friday, December 21st, 2018. If the student's last name begins with A - L, or they are an AM kindergartener, then the parent/guardian performance will be in the AM.
If the student's last name begins with M - Z or they are a PM kindergartener, then the parent/guardian performance will be in the PM.
Please see the schedule of performances below. In addition to this change, we will also be asking every person to exit and re-enter the gym between each performance. This gives us an opportunity to reset for the next performance.
Dress for the Weather
Red Ribbons around school
Students with Roary
Selfie of Mrs.Daly & Roary
Science Olympiad 2019
Science Olympiad 2019! Parents and students! If your family includes a third, fourth or fifth grader, now is the time to make plans to participate in this year’s Science Olympiad. Information, along with the ONLINE registration form, are available on the District 64 Science Olympiad Webpage. The last day to register for this great event is Friday, November 9.
Follow Mrs. Daly on Twitter
District Mission Statement
A note from District 64 School Health Services
To all District 64 Families:
Autumn days predictably bring cooler weather, changing colors and of course, cold and flu season. Since influenza viruses vary from year to year, it may be difficult to predict the flu season's beginning and peak. Flu activity in the U.S. peaks between December and February, but can begin as early as October and continue to occur as late as May.
To prepare your family for the 2018-19 Influenza Season, please visit the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for basic flu facts, prevention tips, and treatment information by clicking here.
For Your Good Health,
Margaret Temari, RN, MEd.
Certified School Nurse & Facilitator, School Health Services
Washington School
Email: sdaly@d64.org
Website: http://www.d64.org/wes/
Phone: 847-318-4360
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Washington-Elementary-School-Park-Ridge-Niles-1390702047844919/?fref=ts
Twitter: @dalytalk