Dear District 39 Community,
It is hard to believe that 2019 is almost over and a new decade is nearly upon us. Ten years can feel like an eternity ago, especially when thinking of our young children. They learn, grow and change so quickly. Within this decade, most of our children have lived their entire lifetime. Reminiscing and looking forward both bring delight and excitement. Imagine all that they have already accomplished in their short lifetime, and consider what wondrous adventures await our children in their next ten years of life!
The holiday season and upcoming new year provide a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the year and on the many things in life which fill us with joy and gratitude. This holiday season, I am especially thankful for the opportunity to serve within the Wilmette Public Schools community. Being surrounded by this incredible community of dedicated teachers, caring administrators, exceptional students and supportive families is both rewarding and inspiring. Thank you for your ongoing engagement in and support for the important work accomplished within our schools and throughout our community. Thank you for entrusting us with your children’s education. It is an honor to serve you.
As we welcome December, here are a few updates for this month:
Parent Educational Opportunities
We are excited to offer a variety of educational sessions for our parents this year focused on strengthening partnerships with our families and offering insight and information on topics of interest to our school community. Please be sure to check your mailboxes next week for a postcard containing the remaining presentations for the year.
Included among these presentations are the first of our parent engagement events related to our strategic initiative on culture and community. We have partnered with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) to hold community discussions on topics such as hate, bias, diversity and supporting an inclusive culture for all. Our goal in facilitating these conversations is to ensure Wilmette Public Schools remain a place where all students and families feel welcome and accepted as part of our school community. Join us on Wednesday evening, December 18th, at 7:30 p.m. at Wilmette Junior High School for our community event, “Allyship in the Face of Hate,” facilitated by the ADL and our District 39 leaders.
Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten registration opens in January 2020 for the upcoming school year. Families with children preparing to enter kindergarten next school year (turning 5 on or before Sept. 1, 2020) are invited to register for kindergarten in person on January 13th and 14th at their neighborhood school. Schools will be open late on January 13th until 7:00 pm to welcome families and help with enrollment paperwork. We invite our families of children at Central and Harper to register for our kindergarten enrichment program, KEEP39, at this time as well. Enroll on January 13th and 14th to secure a spot for your child within our outstanding kindergarten programs!
School Closing Notifications
While the weather forecast appears relatively mild in the weeks leading up to winter break, we all know from experience that Chicago weather can change quickly. Our school closing procedures can be found and referenced on our school district website. Above all else, the safety of our students and staff weighs heavily into our decisions regarding school closure. As a reminder, here is a quick summary of what you can expect in instances where school may close due to extreme winter weather:
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Parents and staff will receive a text message, voicemail and email from District 39 no later than 5:30 a.m. in the event that school is closed.
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School closing information will be posted to our website and shared with all local radio and television media outlets.
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Based in part on parent feedback and more stringent requirements from the State, District 39 will not implement remote learning days this school year.
Completion of Learning Commons
Finally, I am excited to share that in just a few weeks, we will have completed construction of the final Learning Commons project in our district. As we prepare to celebrate the opening of the new Learning Commons at Highcrest Middle School, we commemorate the completion of this significant district-wide facility improvement effort. This is an important milestone for our district as it means that all of our students pre-K through 8th grade will now have access to a state-of-the-art learning center designed to enhance collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creativity. I have witnessed firsthand how our Learning Commons space can transform educational experiences, inspire 21st Century learning and provide students with opportunities to explore and collaborate together in ways not possible within more traditional spaces.
We are so fortunate to have the support of our community as we endeavor to create new and innovative learning experiences that enrich and enhance the excellent education provided within our district. Thank you for your support of these exciting projects that help us to serve as a lighthouse district for our students and community.
I hope that you and your family enjoy the weeks ahead leading up to winter break. This is always such a special time of year! I am thrilled to celebrate the many ways in which our students have learned and grown throughout the first half of the school year, and look forward to a great year ahead in District 39. Listening to student vocal and instrumental music concerts is always such a wonderful experience this time of year, and I hope you too will find time to enjoy these performances!
Here’s to a joyful and rejuvenating winter season, and a very happy new year ahead.
Your partner in education,
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Kari Cremascoli, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Wilmette Public Schools District 39
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