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🌸 Good Evening Willard Families — Happy Sunday! 🌸

💥 First things first — TODAY is the last day to turn in your Permissive Transfer and School Choice forms (via PowerSchool)! If you haven't done that yet, please get those in before the day is over. Don't hesitate to reach out if you need help!

🤸🏻‍♀️Okay, now the fun stuff — can we just talk about how good it feels knowing warmer weather is coming?! We are SO ready. As the kids start spending more time outside, we're making it a point to talk with them about what positive, safe play looks and feels like — being kind, including others, and making good choices with our hands and bodies. We've got plenty of fun outdoor activities lined up to keep them busy and moving! We'd love for you to have that same conversation at home — ask your kids what being a good friend on the playground means to them. When we're all on the same page, it makes such a difference! 🙌

💜 Hello, Women's History Month!

March 1st kicks off Women's History Month and we are HERE for it! Fun fact: Women's History Month actually started as just a single week back in 1978, organized by a school district in Sonoma, California. It grew so much that by 1987, Congress officially expanded it to the entire month of March. Pretty cool that it started in schools, just like ours! We can't wait to celebrate the amazing women and girls who've shaped our world all month long.

See everyone tomorrow!

Best,

AP Ernvall

On behalf of our staff, Mrs. Battle and I would like to express our sincerest gratitude to all who donated and to the PTA for organizing the staff winter survival kits. What a wonderful gift to our team!! The staff absolutely loved them — it was the perfect pick-me-up to kick off the week. We are so blessed to be surrounded by a community that goes above and beyond to show our staff such incredible love and appreciation. Thank you all so much for loving our team all the way to relaxation and back! 💙

We Need Your Voice — Take the 5Essentials Survey Today!

Willard families, we want to hear from YOU! The 5Essentials Survey is now open, and we are hoping to have over 50% of our parent community participate. This is your opportunity to share honest, meaningful feedback about our school — and it truly makes a difference. Principal Battle and I carefully review this data to shape the decisions and goals we set for the year ahead. There is only one way to get better, and that is by listening to the people who matter most — our families and our kids! Students will be taking the survey in school later next week.

This survey is a safe space for open and candid feedback that reflects Willard as a whole, and every response counts. If you need any support accessing the survey, please don't hesitate to reach out — we are happy to help!

⏰ The deadline to submit your survey is March 13th.

Thank you for your continued support. We are grateful for this community and look forward to hearing what you have to say!

D65 will continue to provide comprehensive sexual health instruction in our kindergarten through eighth grade classrooms this year. This instruction is aligned to the National Sex Education standards as required by the State of Illinois in the Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Act (KYSHA).

Comprehensive sexual education is about helping students understand their changing body and build skills for healthy relationships. This is done in a manner that is developmentally and age appropriate, medically accurate, and provides information that fosters healthy physical and emotional development.

Visit our website to learn more and review lessons at each grade level.

Parents and caregivers are also invited to attend a community education session:

• Focus on grades preK-4

• Tuesday, March 10

• 6-7:30 p.m.

Register for free to get virtual meeting link

• Focus on grades 5-8

• Tuesday, March 24

• 6-7:30 p.m.

Register for free to get virtual meeting link

Legal Aid Society will be starting a short-term guardianship clinic next month to help anyone interested in completing the forms. The clinic will be held in person on the first Monday of the month starting March 2nd from 11am-3pm at North. This clinic is open to all: clients, community members, and staff.

There will be interpretation services available, therefore, all languages are welcomed. Appointments are not required but recommended. Our intake team will be helping with setting up appointments, they can be reached at 773-371-3745. See attached flyers for more information. Feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have.

Big things are happening! In this section of the Newsletter, you'll find everything you need to know about the New Foster School. Whether you're still exploring your options or you've already decided that Foster is the place for your scholar this fall — this is your go-to spot for the latest updates, helpful links, and shared presentations. Don't miss it!

A Day in the Life Overview Board Meeting, November 3, 2025

A Day in the Life Overview Parent Meeting, February 4, 2026

Un día típico en la vida Reunión de Padres, el 4 de febrero, 2026

Please mark your calendars for the Willard alumni volleyball game:

Thursday, March 26th

4:15-5:15 @ ETHS (Beardsley Gym)

We invite current and future Haven families to join us for our State of Haven Showcase & Family Orientation. This engaging event highlights Haven’s academic programming, student supports, leadership opportunities, and the systems in place to ensure every student thrives. Future Haven families will also gain a meaningful look at daily life and the strong community that defines our school.

Last opportunity to attend this semester:
Tuesday, March 25, 2026
6:30 PM sharp
Haven Middle School

We hope you’ll join us to learn more about the Haven experience and our exciting path forward!

Don’t miss a beat with all things Willard PTA! 🦉 Check out the Weekly Newsletter for the latest happenings, membership info, and our handy directory. If you missed the latest Owl Notes, click here to catch up!

March:

• 1st: Permissive Transfer Submission DEADLINE
• 4th: Ms. Ernvall's Birthday! ;o)
• 4th: School Improvement – Early Dismissal (12:05)
• 6th: Black History Assembly
• 6th: End of Trimester 2
• 8th: Daylight Savings
• 9th: D65 Committee of the Whole Meeting (5:00-7:00pm)
  
• 10th: D65 and YWCA: Navigating Sexuality Conversations at Home (preK-4 focus)
• 13th: Read-a-thon Kick Off with Students
• 18th: Willard School Tour (4:45-5:45pm)
• 18th: Willard Q3 PTA Town Hall (6:15-7:30pm)
• 19th: Willard New Families Spring Open House (All Welcome and will have a Kinder Focus)