The Avoca West Weekly
August 1st, 2025
August 3, 2026
Dear Avoca West Families,
I hope you are having a wonderful summer! We look forward to welcoming back our Avoca West Vikings to the first day of school in a few short weeks. I am so excited to see all our students and hear about their summer adventures.
During the school year, I communicate out important information from the school and PTA each Friday. The information within this edition of the Avoca West Weekly will make the return to school a smooth one and will set you and your student(s) up for a positive start to the year.
I look forward to a wonderful year ahead!
Your partner in education,
Margaret Burke
Avoca West Principal
Mark Your Calendars:
August 10th - Class Placement sent home via email
August 11th - Kindergarten Playdate @ 5:00 pm
August 18th - Supply Drop off
August 19th - First Day of School (Grades 1st - 5th), Early Release for Students @ 1:50 pm
August 20th - Ready, Set, Kindergarten Event
August 21st - PTC Ice Cream Social, 5:30 - 6:30 pm @ Avoca West Playground
August 24th - First day of School (Kindergarten)
August 27th - Curriculum Night
Aug 31st - Sept 4th - Avoca West Safety Week
September 7th - No School, Labor day
September 8th - Fall Benchmark Testing begins
September 14th - Picture Day
September 21st - No School, Yom Kippur
Absences:
Avoca West Office Hours:
School office hours are from 7:30 am - 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
School Hours:
School Hours: 8:25 am - 3:00 pm
Kindergarten/1st grade lunch: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
2nd/3rd grade lunch: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
4th/5th grade lunch: 11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Early Release Days:
New to the Avoca West Calendar this year are Early Release days. We have four Early Release days over the course of the school year. This includes the first day of school. Students will dismiss at 1:50 pm on early release days. Below is a list of our early release days this school year.
- Wednesday, August 19th - First Day of School
- Wednesday, October 7th
- Wednesday, May 12th
- Thursday, June 3rd - Last Day of School
Class Placement:
Kindergarten class placement is sent home via email on August 20th, prior to the August 24th Kindergarten start date.
Complete Registration:
If you have not already done so, please complete your child’s school registration as soon as possible. Students who do not have complete registration on August 10th will not receive a class placement letter until their registration is complete.
Parent Portal:
Please take a moment to sign into your Parent Portal to ensure your student contact tab is up to date with the correct phone numbers and email addresses for each child. In addition, please make sure your emergency contacts are up to date and accurate. Each student should have at least one additional adult as an emergency contact.
Student Supplies:
School supply lists are available on the Avoca website. Avoca West is hosting a supply drop off on August 18th. Details are shared below. Students are also welcome to bring their school supplies on the first day of school should the supply drop off time not work for your family.
Transportation/Busing:
Paid bus service is offered for all students. You can find the information for bus registration linked here. Please note, existing Avoca 37 families that have not registered and paid either in full or made a partial payment by July 24, 2026 will not be able to add bus service until September 14, 2026. New families who move into the district after July 24, 2026 need to register and pay for the bus service as soon as possible.
In the next few weeks, parents will receive communication from the District regarding busing information. This information will include bus stop location and pick-up/drop-off times. Students riding the bus are required to follow our Bus Regulations and Guidelines. Please reach out to Sadie Weiss at weisss@avoca37.org with any questions you may have.
Ready, Set, Kindergarten!
Extended Day Programming:
For families interested in Avoca West's extended day program, Right at School, you can find further information at the below site.
Caregiver Orientation Night:
We are excited to welcome our Avoca West caregivers to Orientation Night at Avoca West on August 27th. This is an opportunity for teachers to share about their classroom structures, systems and learning. Please note this is a parent/caregiver event only. The schedule for the evening is provided below. Should you be unable to attend, classroom teachers can send information to you following the event.
6:00 - 6:30 pm - 2nd/3rd Grade Orientation
6:45 - 7:15 pm - 4th/5th Grade Orientation
7:30 - 8:00 pm - Kinder/1st Grade Orientation
Instrumental Music:
Any interested families who have not yet signed up for strings for the fall should please complete this REGISTRATION FORM. It is time for us to start getting ready for the school year and we don't want you to miss out on any strings-related communication!
New to the district? Please click below to learn about the Suzuki Strings program offered to 1st through 3rd grade Avoca West students.
Snack at Avoca West:
In an effort to provide consistency and clarity, we have aligned snack policies across Avoca West. We are fortunate to allow students to have snacks during the day to provide sustenance and maintain energy and focus. When considering our snack policy, we prioritize student safety first and foremost. We take into account student medical needs, ability to promote clean spaces and encourage healthy food choices. Please see our snack options below.
Important things to note:
- All pre-packaged snacks must come from nut free facilities. This is indicated on the snack packaging.
- There may be slight variations by class to accommodate any medical needs.
Thank you for your partnership in continuing snack in our building while keeping students safe.
Chess-Ed:
AVOCA WEST CHESS ENRICHMENT PROGRAM
FALL-WINTER 2026-27
Boost Their Brain Power with Chess-Ed! Ready to level up their skills? Join our 17-week fall-winter 2026-27 program. From opening theory to critical problem-solving, we make the "Sport of the Mind" fun, academic, and engaging.
- When: Tuesdays, 3:00–4:00pm (9/15/26–1/26/27).
- Cost: Early Bird $323 (ends 9/3) | Late Registration $353 (9/4–9/10).
Register Now: http://avocawestfallchess2026.eventbee.com
Don't miss out—join us today to build confidence and new strategies! For more details or questions, Email: info@chess-ed.com (include your school name in the subject line).
Drop off Student Items/Lunches:
If your student forgets something at home, an adult may drop off items at the Avoca West Office. Our front office staff will message the classroom for your student to pick up these items during a break in student instruction. The teacher will send the student to the office during an instructional break to pick up their items.
Lunch Reminders:
Though we have Quest food choices during lunch, many Avoca West students bring lunch to school. We highly encourage waste-free lunches. To reduce waste, please consider the following as you pack your child’s lunch:
Please pack your child’s lunch in a reusable lunch box or bag (not paper or plastic bags).
Use reusable containers for sandwiches rather than foil, plastic wrap, etc.
Buy snacks in quantity and transfer them to a reusable container.
Put drinks in a child friendly thermos rather than sending throw-away juice boxes, etc.
Visiting Avoca West:
All visitors to Avoca West must have a valid state ID or driver’s license. Identification is entered into the Raptor identification system. This process only takes a short time to complete. Once you have clearance, the office staff will provide you with a visitor pass lanyard/badge that you must wear throughout the building. The office will hold your ID until you return to the office and return your lanyard. We appreciate your support as we proceed with this district-mandated safety procedure for the safety of our students.
Parent-Student Handbook:
Avoca West Elementary School follows policies and practices reviewed and implemented by the District 37 Board of Education. Please review the Avoca West Student-Parent Handbook before the start of the school year.
Personal Devices:
Mobile devices, such as cell phones, Smart Watches, etc. may be brought to school but they may not be used during the school day. Students using mobile devices during the school day will have them confiscated. If a student needs to call home, they may request permission to use the phone in the office. Students may not use their personal devices to call home during the school day.
Change of Clothes - Seasonally Appropriate:
Please send a change of clothes with your children for all K-5 students. It is helpful to have a change of clothes in the event of spilled water, accidents, or an unexpected incidents. Clothes should be labeled with your child's name and can be kept in your child's locker. We encourage you to make sure your child's name is on each article of clothing.