Wolverine News

Please be sure you send your child in school appropriate pajamas that allow them independence using the restroom.

What a full and wonderful week at May Watts! Our building was buzzing with excitement as students explored the Book Fair, families connected with teachers during parent-teacher conferences, and we wrapped up the week with a day of staff learning and collaboration. It was great to see so many families partnering with our teachers during conferences to celebrate student growth and talk about ways to support continued learning. A big thank-you to our PTA for providing dinner for staff during conference evenings. Your generosity and support are so appreciated!

Report cards are ready for parent viewing today, October 23. Take some time to review your child’s progress and celebrate the learning and growth taking place!

Today’s institute day gave our staff dedicated time to learn together, collaborate with colleagues, and continue strengthening our instructional practices and the ways we support all learners. I am grateful for our staff’s commitment to growing together so we can provide the best possible learning experiences for every Wolverine.

Looking Ahead to Next Week:

Monday will be a special day at May Watts! Students have earned a school-wide pajama and movie party by filling our ticket bucket through showing what it means to be Respectful, Responsible, and Safe. We are proud of our Wolverines for putting these expectations into action throughout the school!

On Friday, we’ll celebrate with our Fall Parties! Students are welcome to wear school-appropriate costumes for the festivities. To help us keep the day safe and organized, only registered volunteers will be permitted to enter the building to assist with classroom celebrations. Thank you for helping us make this a fun and positive experience for everyone.

As we head into another week, I hope your family enjoys a little extra time together this weekend. Thank you for your continued partnership and for helping make May Watts such a welcoming, supportive community. I’m proud to be a Wolverine and look forward to all the learning and fun ahead!

Warmly,

Libby Schwaegler

Below are a few important dates for families. More specific information about each date will be shared as we get closer to the date!

• Monday 10/26: Behavior Celebration! School-Wide Pajamas and Movie Day!
• Friday 10/30: Fall Classroom Parties (only registered volunteers may attend)
• Monday 11/2: Parent-Teacher Conferences- all day- No Student Attendance
• Tuesday 11/3: No School- Election Day
• November 23-27: Thanksgiving Break- No School

It is time to feed those in need! The Service Club is sponsoring a Food Drive through the Naperville Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry. May Watts students, look in your kitchen pantries and bring in ONE canned item to school between Monday, October 26 through Monday, November 9th. Place it in the box outside of your classrooms. This is a simple way we can share from the surplus we have with others who are in need. If you have any questions,

please email Miss DeNeve or Mrs. Donaldson at Amanda_DeNeve@ipsd.org or Danielle_Donaldson@ipsd.org.

*Our second graders made posters last school year

The May Watts PTA is so excited to announce a new fundraiser this year: Basket Raffles! Each classroom has their own theme that families can donate items to. Click here to view themes by classroom. We will then put all the basket items together and raffle them off at our Movie Night on November 17th! We can't wait to see you there!

Conference sign up has closed. If you missed the opportunity to sign up for a conference, please reach out to the classroom teacher to make arrangements to attend.

Parent-Teacher Conferences for preschool, elementary, middle and high school will take place on Thursday, October 22, 2026 from 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm. On Monday, November 2, 2026 the conferences will be offered from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm and 4:30 pm - 8:00 pm.

Elementary, middle, and high school parents can begin scheduling conferences through ParentVUE on October 6, 2026 starting at 6:00 am. Preschool families will receive directions for how to register for conferences from your child’s classroom teacher.

To schedule your conference for elementary, middle, and high school students, log in to ParentVUE and select "Conference" from the menu on the left side to see the times available. Once you have scheduled your conference, you can click "Email Schedule" to have the details emailed to you. You can also go back to ParentVUE at any time to view the information. Conference scheduling will remain open through October 13, 2026 at 6:00 pm.

Celebrate your child’s birthday and promote a love of reading at the same time! The Birthday Book Club program invites students to donate a book of their special choosing to the LMC during the month of their birthday. This is a great way to give a lasting gift to the school and celebrate your child’s birthday at the same time.

If you would like your child to receive a birthday book, please visit the Push Coin webstore now to sign your child up with a donation of $10 for the book. Signing your child up now (even if their birthday is in May) helps us plan ahead, purchase books, and better allows us to present their book on time. Be aware, if you sign your child up right before their birthday, they will probably not receive the book before their birthday.

Children will choose a book during one of their LMC classes from our birthday book display (please do not send your child in with a book you purchased). We will present them with their chosen book at an LMC class during the month of their birthday (not necessarily on their exact birthday).

Additional details:

• A nameplate will be placed in the book commemorating your child’s birthday.

• Your child will be the first person to check this new book out.

• The birthday book is an extra book checkout (e.g. if they normally check out 2 books, their birthday book is a 3rd book)

• Summer birthdays will be celebrated on the child’s ½ birthday.

Please email Ms. Happy with any questions, Elizabeth_happy@ipsd.org.

Get ready for the 2026-2027 PTA Reflections Program! Reflections is a National PTA arts program that gives students the opportunity to get creative, share their unique perspectives, and be recognized for their amazing work.

This year’s theme is “What My Culture Means to Me,” and students can bring their ideas to life through one or more of these creative categories: Dance/Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography, or Visual Arts.

Submissions are due October 9th, so start brainstorming, creating, and bringing those ideas to life. Keep an eye out for more information and submission instructions as we get closer to the deadline.

Want to learn more about reflections? Watch this video or visit www.pta.org/reflections for more information!

Rainbows for All Children is an international nonprofit organization that offers structured, age-specific, peer support groups for children who are grieving the loss of a family member as a result of death, divorce, or other traumatic separation event. Children are able to grieve, communicate with, and heal among peers without feeling alone in their grief, and can gain confidence in a totally confidential setting.

What a Rainbows support group can do for your child/ren:

• Improve their school attendance, behavior and academic performance

• Help develop and strengthen their problem-solving, coping and communication skills

• Teach stress and anger management

• Alleviate their depression and anxiety, emotional pain, and suffering

• Reduce the likelihood of destructive behavior

St. Raphael Church in Naperville has a Rainbows for all Children program that is available for children in elementary and middle schools from all race, ethnic, and religious backgrounds. They will meet starting October 1, 2026 from 6:15pm – 7:15pm. If you or someone you know could benefit from this program, please contact Nisha Sotiroff at or nsantha3@gmail.com or Sheila Cavanagh at scavanagh3@live.com.

Would you like to volunteer in the LMC?

The LMC is a great place to volunteer if you are looking for a consistent way to volunteer at the school. Volunteering primarily consists of checking in and shelving books as well as helping students find and check out books. We primarily need support first thing in the morning to check in and shelve books as well as during Kindergarten, First and Second grade LMC times (these will be afternoon time slots); our older students do not require as much support therefore there is not a volunteer time slot available for every class.

If you have any questions specific to Watts LMC volunteering or missed our orientation on Friday 8/28, please contact Ali Bitzer, our LMC Volunteer Coordinator at alisonbitzer@gmail.com.

The school district requires volunteers to fill out a volunteer application. Please see below for the required steps.

THE 2026-2027 SCHOOL YEAR NEEDS A NEW OR AN UPDATED VOLUNTEER APPLICATION.

1. Click the Consent Form you prefer here: English or Spanish.
2. Go to the online application to fill in more information and upload the form: English or Spanish

Become a School Volunteer

You can make a significant impact by volunteering in our schools. Your unique skills and experiences will help our students succeed. Whether you prefer a set schedule or occasional opportunities, there’s a role for you.

Ways You Can Help:

There are a wide range of volunteer opportunities district-wide, with various options available at each school. Opportunities include roles with Boosters, Fine Arts, LMC, PTA, and IPPC, ensuring a perfect fit for every volunteer. No matter where your interests lie, there's a way for you to get involved and make a difference in our schools.

How to Get Started:

1. Complete the Consent Form: When you click on the link, and a new window will open with the document. In the new window, click the download button (pictured below), and fill out and save the form on your computer.
   Click the Consent Form you prefer here: English or Spanish.

For more information, please contact:

Matt Hanley
Assistant Director, Community Engagement
matthew_hanley@ipsd.org
Phone: 630-375-3017

Attending school every day is one of the best ways to support your child's academic, social, and emotional growth. Every school day provides valuable learning opportunities that are difficult to replace.

Did you know?

• Chronically absent means missing 10% of the school year (18 days) for any reason—excused or unexcused.
• Truant means missing 5% of the school year (9 days) due to unexcused absences.

We know illnesses and emergencies happen. We want your child to stay home if they are too sick to attend school. When possible, please schedule appointments and family vacations outside of the school day. If your child will be absent, notify the school as soon as possible. Be sure to check out our Vacation Planning Guide below for tips on making the most of school breaks while keeping attendance on track!

Summer is a great time to visit the doctor and be sure all required health forms are completed before school starts!

Health requirements in the State of Illinois and who needs to submit forms:

• Illinois Physical Examination and Immunizations Record- Students entering Kindergarten, 6th grade, 9th grade, and any student new to Illinois schools
• Dental Exam- Students entering Kindergarten, 2nd grade, 6th grade, and 9th grade
• Vision Exam- Students entering Kindergarten and any student new to Illinois schools
• Action Plans- Students with other medical needs that require additional support or medication at school such as diabetes, asthma, severe food allergies, seizures, etc.

Click here to see the letter from the district Health Coordinator for more details and access to district forms.

Make note in your calendar!

New for the 26-27 school year are three (3) elementary early release days:

• Thursday, September 24, 2026
• Tuesday, December 15, 2026
• Thursday, February 4, 2027

All IPSD elementary school students will be dismissed at 1:00pm on these days.