What's Up Willowbrook

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We hope you are enjoying a restful and memorable summer with your families. As we look ahead to the start of a new school year, we are excited to welcome back our returning students and families and extend a special welcome to those joining the Willowbrook community for the first time. We look forward to partnering with you for another year of learning, growth, and success.

The summer months at Willowbrook School have been filled with thoughtful planning and preparation. We’re grateful to our dedicated staff, who have been working hard to refine the curriculum, shape our 2026–2027 School Improvement Plan, and design engaging programs aligned with our five-year Strategic Plan, all to ensure a successful and enriching year for our students.

Our building also received a few upgrades over the summer, including new sidewalks at the main entrance and playground area, new safety bollards, and updated building boilers. Our new district-wide Visitor Management System has been installed at each school building. To help ensure a smooth check-in process, please remember to bring a valid photo ID whenever you visit Willowbrook and allow a few extra minutes for entry as we begin implementing the new system. For more information about the new system, please visit our website here.

Academically, we are happy to report that this past spring, 78.9% of our students met or exceeded their individual growth targets on the NWEA MAP Math Assessment, while 72.7% met or exceeded their growth targets in ELA. These results far exceed the national average, where approximately 50% of students meet or exceed their projected growth targets. These results reflect the hard work, perseverance, and dedication of our students and staff throughout the school year. While we are proud of this growth, we remain committed to maximizing every student's potential.

This year's theme, "Level Up Your Learning," reflects our commitment to helping students take the next step in their growth. With our students already performing at such high academic levels, we want to build upon that success by empowering them to take greater ownership of their learning and behavior. When students take ownership of their learning, they develop confidence, self-regulate, and increase their achievement. Throughout the school year, we will encourage students to become active participants in their learning journey and continue reaching new levels of success.

As students develop ownership of their learning, they will be able to confidently answer important questions like: “What am I learning?” and “How do I know if I’ve learned it?” Throughout the year, we will help students strengthen the skills and mindsets that support ownership, including responsibility, perseverance, goal setting, reflection, leadership, and confidence. By developing these habits, students will become more active, self-aware, independent, and empowered learners. In our weekly What’s Up Willowbrook newsletters, you will see these concepts appear once a month as Family Power-Ups with ideas on how you can support the work from home.

We eagerly look forward to welcoming our students back, both familiar faces and new ones. The first day of school for students in grades 1–5 will be Wednesday, August 19. Pre-K and Kindergarten students will attend orientation on August 19 and officially begin their school year on Thursday, August 20.

As valued partners in your child’s education, your involvement and support mean a great deal to us. We encourage you to stay connected by reading our weekly newsletter, What’s Up Willowbrook, which is sent every Friday and serves as our primary source of communication.

Additional updates and news will be shared throughout the year on our district website and our District app (available in the App Store as District 30 Schools). We encourage you to visit the Willowbrook PTO website for information about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.

Be sure to mark your calendars for Curriculum Night on Thursday, August 27, at 6 p.m. This evening will give you the chance to meet your child’s teachers and learn more about the exciting year ahead.

Thank you for taking the time to review this ePacket. A strong partnership between home and school is the foundation for a positive and successful school year.

Enjoy the remaining weeks of summer. We can’t wait to welcome you back soon!

Katie Compagno

Principal

kcompagno@district30.org

Erik Brekke

Assistant Director of Student Services

ebrekke@district30.org

Thursday, August 27

• Curriculum Night 6:00-7:30 p.m.

Friday, August 28

• Fall club registration closes at 3:00 p.m.
• First flag raising ceremony
• PTO registration closes (available again after August 30 with $20 late fee)

Tuesday, September 1

School hours: 8:40 a.m. - 3:20 p.m.

Half day dismissal time is 11:45 a.m.

Kindergarten through 5th-grade students should plan on arriving at school by 8:40 a.m. but no earlier than 8:30 a.m. because there is no supervision. The bell to line up will ring at 8:40 a.m.

All parents and guardians must report student absences, late arrivals, or early departures through the Parent Portal. Please do not contact the Health Office, School Office, or classroom teacher via phone or email.

For a step-by-step guide on how to report an absence, click here. Please be sure to include as much detail as possible when entering the reason for the absence.

If no information is in the Parent Portal by 10 a.m. and a student is absent, the school will attempt to contact a parent or guardian.

If the absence is medically related, please report it first in the Parent Portal. Then, you are welcome to contact the school Health Office to speak with the nurse about the condition.

Questions? Please contact the front desk.

Teacher assignments will be available within PowerSchool's parent portal by the end of the day on Friday, August 14. You will receive an email from the district with login information. The staff spends a lot of time developing class lists, and many factors are weighed into those decisions. Our primary goal is to create a balance that will produce a productive learning environment in each classroom. Student placements are considered final.

Preschool: Mrs. Cummings

Kindergarten: Mrs. Baschnagel and Ms. Schutz

1st Grade: Ms. Neumann and Mrs. Nissenberg

2nd Grade: Mrs. Kelly, Ms. Mulroe, and Ms. Weiland

3rd Grade: Mrs. Braiman and Mrs. Cohen

4th Grade: Ms. Parrott and Ms. Stevens

5th Grade: Mrs. Fletcher, Ms. Kim, and Mrs. Neumann

To ensure a smooth start to the school year, please review the following Illinois health requirements:

• All students who are new to District 30: Any student who is new to District 30 must have a completed Illinois Certificate of Child Health Examination on file before the first day of school. The physical exam must have been completed within the past 12 months and include all required immunizations. Students who do not have the required documentation after October 15, 2026, may be excluded from school per state mandate until it is received.
• Kindergarten students & students new to District 30: Kindergarteners and all students new to District 30 must submit a completed Illinois Eye Examination Report by October 15, 2026. The eye exam must have been completed within 1 year of the start of the school year.
• Kindergarten & 2nd grade: Illinois law requires students entering kindergarten and second grade to submit a completed Dental Examination Form by May 15, 2027. The dental exam must have been completed within the required state timeframe (18 months prior to the deadline).
• Medications & health care plans: If your child requires medication at school or has a medical condition that requires a health care plan, please complete and submit the required forms before the first day of school. If updated forms are not received, the school will continue to follow the previous year's health care plan for students with life-threatening allergies or other qualifying medical conditions until new documentation is provided.

Health, dental, eye examination, medication, and health care plan forms are available on the District 30 website. Completed forms may be:

• Dropped off at the school office
• Emailed to Lisa Mullen, School Nurse (lmullen@district30.org)
• Emailed to Heather Peraino (hperaino@district30.org)

If you have any questions, please contact the school office at 847-498-1090.

Willowbrook welcomes the following new staff members! Please give a warm Willowbrook welcome to:

• Mrs. Lena Amerazian, Instructional Assistant
• Ms. Wynne Hague, Instructional Assistant
• Mrs. Ann Jankey, Instructional Assistant
• Mrs. Stephanie McGinn, Learning Behavior Specialist
• Ms. Jessica Nienhueser, Speech Language Pathologist
• Ms. Kaila Robinson, Instructional Assistant
• Mrs. Kathryn Schmeckpeper, World Language Teacher
• Mrs. Kierstyn Setter, Math Academic Enrichment Teacher
• Ms. Kristine Witkowski, Instructional Assistant
• Ms. Grace Verheyen, Instructional Assistant
• Ms. Sally Yik, Orchestra Teacher

Our teachers will be occupied with meetings and other preparations outside this window. Therefore, if you cannot visit within this window, you may simply send your student to school the following day with their supplies. Please note that NEW student orientation will commence at 2:30 p.m., immediately after the supply drop-off. A separate invitation will be sent to these students.

REMINDER: It's not too late to order your 2026-27 school supplies from School Tool Box. If you'd rather do the shopping, print a supply list before you go!

Following the start of the 2026-27 school year, the district's online adaptive assessment, Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), will be administered to all students in grades 1-8. The MAP testing window will open on August 24 and run through September 15. Students in grades 2-8 will take two assessments: reading and mathematics. Grade 1 will take mathematics only. Please check with your child's teacher about their testing schedule to avoid conflicts if appointments need to be scheduled during this time.

These assessment results will continue to be used (1) by teachers to assist them in differentiating lessons in reading/language arts and mathematics; as well as (2) to measure student academic growth. Students' fall assessment reports will be made available to parents later in the school year.

Our Curriculum Night will be Thursday, August 27. We invite all parents and guardians to attend this informative evening session. Please note - children do not attend this event.

The first round of classroom presentations begin at 6:00 p.m. for preschool through 2nd grade. A general presentation by the building leaders will be held in the school gym at 6:35 p.m., followed by 3rd- through 5th-grade classroom presentations at 7:00 p.m.

• 6:00-6:30 p.m. Pre-K to grade 2 classroom presentations
  
• 6:35-6:55 p.m. Principals' presentation in the gym
• 7:00-7:30 p.m. Grade 3-5 classroom presentations

Each classroom teacher will provide an overview of the grade-level curriculum, teacher expectations, and projected activities for the year. If you are not attending a classroom presentation, please consider visiting music, art, physical education, library, or related service personnel.

All who live in District 30 boundaries are invited to meet Superintendent Dr. Tammaru and a member of our Board of Education to ask questions and share what is important to you in our schools.

You can pick from either the 12 p.m. session on Thursday, September 24 at our District 30 Offices, 2374 Shermer Road, Northbrook, or during a 6 p.m. online session that same day. RSVP is optional so we can plan for space and send a reminder to participants close to the event date.

Please share with neighbors, as this event is for everyone in our boundaries – even if they do not have children in our schools. Click below to join us!

When members of the public, including parents and siblings, have reason to visit our building during regular hours of operation, they must enter through the main entrance and check in with the front desk. All visitors to school property are required to:

1. Report to the main entrance

2. Show proper identification

3. Clear the district’s security screening identification system

4. Wear a visitor badge in a manner that is visible to all employees and students at all times when on school property and

5. Return the issued visitor badge upon departure from the building

This step-by-step guide can help you prepare for a visit or to check out a child during the school day using our new system. Additional visitor information can be found in the District 30 Student-Parent Handbook on page 10.

Students should plan on arriving at school between 8:30-8:40 a.m. (outdoor supervision does not begin until 8:30 a.m.). Staff supervisors will open school doors at 8:40 a.m. and the tardy bell rings at 8:50 a.m. Students who arrive after the tardy bell must get a pass from the office before reporting to the classroom.

We ask students to enter and exit the building at their grade-level assigned entrance. Students should be picked up promptly after school, as outdoor staff supervision ends at 3:40 p.m. Please call the front desk if you will be delayed.

Drop Off Begins at 8:40 a.m. at Door C

Class starts at 8:50 a.m.

Dismissal at 11:20 a.m. at Door C

Drop Off Begins at 12:30 p.m. at Door C

Class starts at 12:40 p.m.

Dismissal at 3:10 p.m. at Door C

Drop Off begins at 8:30 a.m. & doors open at 8:40 a.m.

• Kindergarten and 3rd grade enter at Door A
• 1st and 2nd grade enter at Door B
• 4th and 5th grade enter at Door F

Dismissal at 3:20 p.m.

Car drop-off and pick-up for kindergarten through 5th grade is in the front of the school (not on Happy Hollow Road). Preschool drop-off and pick-up, and the loading of school buses are in the back of the school. Please follow the guidance of our staff at drop-off and pick-up. They are there to ensure student safety and to facilitate a smooth flow of traffic.

• No left turns are allowed into the circular drive at any time. Enter the drive from the east.

• For your child’s safety, students should ONLY exit on the passenger side of the car. Parents should remain in the driver’s seat.

• Drop-off and pickup on the inner circle only. Do not double park.

• Children should remain in their seats until the car comes to a complete stop.

• There is no parking in the circular drive from 8:30-9:00 a.m. and 3:10-3:40 p.m.

• Parents should not park in the staff parking lot when dropping off or picking up their children.

• Drivers should turn off engines when they arrive at school and when they expect to be parked.

• Cell phone usage is not permitted within the school zone.

The Glenview Police Department will continue to post a crossing guard from 8:00-8:45 a.m. and 3:00-4:00 p.m. at Pfingsten Road and Keenan Lane. We strongly encourage students to cross at Keenan if they walk or ride a bike from/to the west of Pfingsten. There will also be a crossing guard at the intersection of Greenwood and Happy Hollow Road from 8:20-8:45 a.m. and 3:00-3:45 p.m.

A NOTE ON E-BIKES: As a safety reminder e-bikes are not permitted in the Village of Glenview and are not safe on school grounds. (Northbrook does permit e-bikes in the village and offers this guidance.)

The Glenview Park District will be doing some pavement renovations at the Willow Park parking lot beginning Monday, August 3. The scope of the work is to move and replace the pavement in the area. Once the work begins, it is expected to take about four weeks. During this time, the parking lot will be CLOSED. The schedule is weather dependent, so any rain may extend the schedule. The Park District appreciates your cooperation, and apologizes for any inconveniences this project may cause. If you have any questions, please contact Matt Graynor, Director of Planning at Matt.Graynor@Glenviewparks.org.

We love all pets and especially dogs, but we kindly remind families to not bring them onto school grounds at drop-off, pickup or during school hours. This is for the safety and comfort of all our students. We thank you for your partnership.

First Student provides transportation for District 30 students. The types of services, and fees approved by the Board of Education can be found at Families/Transportation, along with a bus service registration form at the bottom of the page. For all transportation needs, please contact First Student at 847-724-7200.

Northbrook/Glenview School District 30 continues its partnership with Quest Food Management Services to provide quality food services to your student. We are happy to offer a preorder system via myMealOrder!

• The meal will consist of an entree, side, fresh fruit, and vegetable, including milk or water.
• All orders must be placed at least three days in advance.

Visit mymealorder.com to open an account, learn more about our preorder system, and view the menu.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Ashley Jenkins, Food Service Director for Quest at ajenkins@questfms.com.

District 30 has an intergovernmental agreement with Northbrook Park District that allows before- and after-school care to students in K-5th grade at Willowbrook School. District 30 provides the facility while the park district provides the program and staff management with all revenues going to the park district.

This Adventure Campus Program offers the ability to participate in before- and/or after-school care on days when school is in session and on select teacher institute days, conference days, and holidays.

Contact the Northbrook Park District at 847-291-2995 or visit their webpage nbparks.org for more information.

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Volunteering at lunch is a great way to become involved at Willowbrook! As a lunch volunteer, you get to spend time with your child, get to know your child's classmates and feel more connected with the Willowbrook community.

Volunteers are needed to set up the lunch line, help serve students and do minimal cleanup.

• Lunch service is approximately 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• You can sign up for one or more slots
• Questions? Contact willowpto@district30.org

When adults volunteer, students benefit! There are many opportunities to get involved; please consider signing up for a committee so the PTO can continue to fund events, such as:

• School Store
• Students Night Out
• Staff appreciation events
• And more!

Please join us for the Willowbrook PTO ice cream social on September 1 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in front of the school! This free event welcomes all students and their parents and guardians to celebrate the start of school and connect with old friends and new!

What's Up Willowbrook is a communication that our school sends out weekly to families and staff on Fridays. All copies will be sent electronically to the email addresses that families previously provided us using the online registration system. By now, you should have completed the online registration process so that you can receive all of our school's communications. The next issue will be emailed on Friday, August 21. Please contact the office if you do not receive this edition by Saturday, August 22. What's Up Willowbrook is also posted on the district website.

Important information is sent home throughout the year in What's Up Willowbrook so please make sure to take the time to read each week's issue. We don't want anyone to miss out on seeing notices about current or upcoming events at the school.

Other ways to stay connected with what's happening in our schools include:

• District 30 Facebook
• Willowbrook School PTO Facebook
• District 30 Instagram
• Willowbrook PTO Instagram
• District 30 LinkedIn
• District 30 YouTube
• Watch for e-blasts from the PTO about upcoming events
• Check out the Willowbrook PTO website for all PTO events and forms
  

Mark your calendars for Saturday, May 15, 2027. Please join us for the 26th Annual Lew Blond Memorial 5K Run/Walk. Registration for our May race opens in the winter. Please click here to explore all of the excitement from this meaningful community event.

We will need volunteers for committees to coordinate this event. If you can volunteer please email Maple Assistant Principal Angela Jaeger at blondrun@district30.org.

Be a helper. Be a runner. Be a sponsor! Do them all!!

Any time a student feels unsafe, any adult in their school can help!

But sometimes, students or parents wish to reach out for help in a different way or after school hours. Safe2Help Illinois offers students a safe way to share information 24/7 that might help prevent any threat to school safety, including bullying, self-harm or other serious concerns.

The goal of this program is to get students to “seek help before harm;" it is not intended to suspend, expel, or punish. Safe2Help Illinois also offers a Mental Health Toolkit that provides resources for parents and educators reinforce the components of this program.

Safe2Help Illinois offers around-the-clock help via:

• Hotline: 844-4-SAFEIL
• Text line: 72332
• Email HELP@Safe2HelpIL.com
• Plus a website full of resources for young people seeking help for themselves or a friend. Its Ways To Get Help page is a directory of specialized hotlines, and other sections of its website provide practical steps for dealing with depression or helping a distraught friend. The checklist called "20 Questions To Ask Yourself If You Feel Like Giving Up" can help older children overcome a bout of anxiety or depression.

Willowbrook School is part of Northbrook/Glenview District 30, which exists to create an inclusive community that inspires learning, fosters resiliency, and cares deeply for every child. We honor childhood and foster intellectual, physical and social-emotional growth. District 30 serves more than 1,200 students in pre-K through 8th grade across Willowbrook, Wescott and Maple Schools.

We prohibit harassment and discrimination of all forms within our district and follows all policies and procedures to ensure a safe environment for all.

Main Office: 847-498-1090

Health Office: 847-400-8860

Location: 2500 Happy Hollow Road, Glenview, IL

Website: willowbrook.district30.org/