Greeley Greeting

Dear Greeley families,

As your principal, I am continually grateful for the energy and strong sense of community that fills Greeley—especially during weeks like this one! We are excited to kick off our One School, One Book–themed Spirit Week, which will bring joy and enthusiasm to the building as students and staff celebrate reading in fun and meaningful ways. We are also looking forward to welcoming families to our Family Service Night this Thursday, a special opportunity for our community to come together, connect, and give back.

Last week, we had the incredible opportunity to host first- and second-grade teachers from North Shore Country Day School. They spent the morning observing and learning alongside our first- and second-grade staff as we collectively continue our focus on reflection, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Moments like these are a powerful reminder of the impact we can have when we learn, grow, and serve the community together.

Warmly,
Principal Kopinski

February

• Monday, 2/16: Winter Benchmark Assessment Results Released to Families (Powerschool, OTUS)
• Monday 2/16 to Friday 2/20: Greeley PTO Spirit Week (OSOB themed)
• Monday 2/16 to Wednesday 2/25: Robots Due and Raffle Entry
• Thursday 2/19: Greeley Family Service Night, drop in 5:30-6:30pm
• Thursday and Friday, 2/26 and 2/27: Parent Teacher Conferences (No School)

March

• Friday 3/6: End of Trimester 2
• Monday, 3/9: Start of Trimester 3
• Thursday, 3/12: Greeley PTO STEAM Night
• Wednesday 3/18: Progress Reports Released to Families in Powerschool
• Friday, 3/27: Half Day for Students (11:30am Dismissal)-Teacher Institute PM
• Monday 3/30-Friday, April 3: Spring Break

• Monday 4/6: School Resumes
• Tuesday, 4/7: Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) Testing Begins for Grades 3-4
• Tuesday, 4/7: District Chorus Concert 7-8pm
• Wednesday 4/22: Greeley Strings Concert 6:30-7:30pm
• Tuesday, 4/28: 5th Grade Orientation at Skokie School (4th Grade Families) 5:30-7:00pm

One of the great joys working at Greeley is seeing how learning truly comes alive when our families share their passions, talents, and traditions with our students. Each fall, Ms. Cornyn invites parents and caregivers to extend classroom learning by sharing a special skill, a cultural tradition, expertise connected to a unit of study, or a perspective that deepens students’ sense of belonging—and this week, the classroom experienced a beautiful example of that partnership.

Last week, the Forquer family visited a classroom to teach students about Lunar (Chinese) New Year. Originally from Taiwan and a Chinese teacher at a local high school, Mrs. Forquer shared a rich and engaging presentation that brought culture, language, and tradition to life. Students learned about the many countries that celebrate Lunar New Year, the tradition of cleaning homes to sweep away bad luck and make room for good fortune, and the Chinese Zodiac—learning that 2026 is the Year of the Horse. They also watched a short video of a traditional dragon dance, sparking excitement and curiosity.

The highlight of the visit came when Mr. Forquer and older son, William (a proud Greeley graduate!), surprised students by entering the classroom as a dancing dragon. Students learned that the Chinese dragon symbolizes good luck, prosperity, and positive energy while chasing away negativity—a moment filled with joy, wonder, and a lot of smiles.

Mrs. Forquer also taught students words and phrases in Chinese and shared a story in Chinese, supported by illustrations, giving students a meaningful glimpse into another language and culture.

What makes this moment even more special is that this was the third time Mrs. Forquer has shared Lunar New Year with Greeley students—each time thoughtfully reimagined to meet students where they are. Her continued connection to our school community is a wonderful reminder of the lasting impact family partnerships can have on student learning.

Thank you to the Forquer family—and to all of our families—who help make Greeley a place where curiosity, culture, and belonging are celebrated every day.

It's Spirit Week this week! In partnership with our PTO, we invite your child(ren) to participate with the following OSOB themed days below.

We are looking forward to hosting our Greeley Family Service Night this Thursday, February 19th from 5:30-6:30pm. We are excited to share that 206 people have registered! If you are not able to attend but would still like to support, donations of the following items are welcome. You may drop them off at the front office, or send them to school with your child.

• Boxes of Poptarts
• Boxes of oatmeal packets
• Boxes of Breakfast bars

Ms. Ramirez is excited to feature a new club for grades 3 and 4. Registration will open on Monday, February 23rd. Please see the flyer below for more information.

Registration for incoming kindergarteners and students new to The Winnetka Public Schools in 2026/2027 is now open on the District website and via this link. Children who will be five-years-old on or before September 1, 2026, are eligible to enroll. Children will not be considered enrolled until both the online and paper portion of registration has been completed and residency documentation is verified. If you have any questions, please visit the District website or contact the Registrar at 847-446-9400.

School Hours:

8:20am | Morning supervision begins

8:30am | School Doors open

8:37am | School promptly begins

2:10pm | Regular Extended Day Kindergarten dismissal (Monday-Friday)

2:45pm | Grades 1-4 & Stay and Play kindergarten dismissal (Mondays only)

3:15pm | Grades 1-4 & Stay and Play kindergarten dismissal (Tuesday-Friday)

Office Email: danarahkhem@winnetka36.org

Location: 275 Fairview Avenue Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone: (847)-446-6060