Tomorrow, Saturday, February 10th marks the start of the Lunar New Year. This is important holiday is celebrated in many East Asian countries. The Orrington team wishes a Happy New Year to our families who celebrate!

Here are a few facts about Lunar New Year.

1. It’s the biggest holiday in Asian culture

The Lunar New Year is the oldest and most important holiday in China — and it’s also celebrated in countries like Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. Over 2 billion people celebrate the holiday around the world,

2. Various Asian cultures have different zodiacs and traditions

2024 is the year of the dragon in many Asian countries, but some have different zodiac signs they follow. In the Vietnam and Gurung (Central Nepal) zodiac, the rabbit is replaced with a cat, while the Malay zodiac it’s a mousedeer.

Many cultures will also have their own traditional costumes, foods and events. In the Philippines, people will jump for joy at midnight, as tradition says it will make them grow taller. People in Singapore will eat yusheng, a traditional raw fish salad that’s only had during the holiday, while others will have Nian Gao (dumplings).

3. It’s also a time to gather with family and honor ancestors

Family is an important part of the Asian culture and holidays like the Lunar New Year mark a special time to gather with loved ones. Part of the Lunar New Year is the reunion dinner, known as Tuan Nian or Wei Lu, where families gather on New Year’s Eve. It’s considered one of the most important parts of the celebration.

Many will also take part in ancestor worship, which is based on the belief that deceased family members are continuing to live in the spiritual world. By paying their respects to their ancestors, they believe that the departed will bless the family. Ancestors are usually invited to join the reunion dinner and will be served their favorite dishes.

4. There are different taboos associated with the holiday – like when to clean your house

Most “spring cleaning” will happen before the Lunar New Year — that’s because during the holiday, it’s believed that sweeping and removing trash symbolizes misfortune and bad luck, especially during the first three days. Cleaning before the new year will help get rid of the bad luck, but during the holiday, you don’t want to sweep or wash away any good luck that comes.

5. Red envelopes are given out

It’s a tradition to give your friends and family bright red envelopes filled with money. But it’s not about the money — it’s all about the envelopes. They symbolize good wishes and luck for the year ahead. With today’s technology, many people have exchanged digital red envelopes instead of the traditional paper ones.

More information about Lunar New Year can be found on this website.

Dear Eagles,

Parent/Teacher Conferences are next week and our Orrington teachers will be working extra long hours. Thanks to our Teacher Meal Fund we will be able to purchase a dinner for all teachers and staff from Dengeos. Please consider helping to supply them with drinks and dessert on Tuesday, February 13th by signing up here. All donated items should be brought to the school office by 3:00PM on Tuesday 2/13. Thank you for your continued support.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B054EADAB2AA4FB6-47803636-parent

Our vision statement says "Orrington is an inclusive community where we value the diversity of each person’s identities, experiences, and perspectives to help build critical thinking skills, a love for learning and lifelong friendships."

Instead of celebrating Valentine's Day on 2/14, we are highly encouraging teachers to celebrate a friendship day instead with their classes. We have provided resources for teachers to use, and we are looking forward to seeing how friendship is celebrated in each class.

Last Friday, February 2nd, Orrington hosted its second annual spelling bee. The fourth and fifth grade classrooms each held their own to determine six winners who would participate in the school spelling bee. The classroom spelling bee winners were Ben Bagley, Ezra Henerey, Nora Chew, Phoenix Alexander, Louella Kornfeld, and James Madden!

Congratulations to Phoenix Alexander for winning Orrington's spelling bee! He participated in the districtwide spelling bee last night.

In District 65 we are committed to helping all students reach their full potential and to provide opportunities that accelerate learning. Accelerated learning is available to all students; educators accelerate learning through grade-level differentiation, enrichment, and small group instruction. D65 also offers the possibility of alternate placement - which may grade skipping, single subject skipping or early entrance into grades K or 1st. You can find more information about acceleration HERE.

The window to request an Alternate Placement for the 2024-2025 school year is closing on March 8th. Any requests made after March 8th will not be reviewed until the start of the 2024-2025 school year.

Orrington's kindergarteners celebrated the 100th day of school in style on February 7th by showcasing what they are going to look like at 100 years old! The kindergarteners also participated in rotations revolving around the number 100 including counting out 100 snack items and using stickers to create a "gumball" machine.

Check out some photos below!

Join us for a family event on February 28th at 5:30pm at Bessie Rhodes to learn about and engage in outdoor place-based learning! Each season brings unique things to notice, wonder, and learn about! All are welcome, including families who engaged in the fall outdoor learning experience. Learn more here.

Yesterday marked the first day of Black History Month. This time in February is a dedicated period to celebrate and honor the achievements, contributions, and rich cultural heritage of African Americans. At Orrington, our staff looks for ways to embed this into the every day learning throughout the year.

Black History Month encourages everyone to reflect on the importance of diversity, inclusion, and understanding, fostering a collective appreciation for the richness of America's cultural tapestry. It is not just a time to remember the past but also a call to recognize ongoing contributions and work towards a more inclusive and equitable future.

From the Center of Racial Justice in Education, I wanted to lift these resources for families in particular:

• African American History Month Resources for Parents – Adlit.org
• Learning More About Black History for Parents and Families – NYC Dept. of Education
• 5 ways to celebrate Black History Month with your family – ChicagoNow.com
• 8 Black History Month Books and Resources for Kids -JusticeJonesie
• Celebrating Black History and Diversity Builds Self-Esteem and Empathy -Too Small to Fail
• African American History For Kids -University of Illinois Extension
• Top 15 children’s books for black history month -Family Education
• How to talk to your child about Black History Month (A script) -Mama Knows it All
• Black Children and Black History: The Importance Of Teaching Our Kids the Complexity Of Us -My Brown Baby

The City of Evanston has multiple events and activities going on this month which can be found HERE.

Some highlights include:

• Feb. 11: Matinee Movie @ Main Celebrating Black History: The Little Mermaid. (2023).
  
• Feb. 20: Teen Snack & Paint
  
• Feb 23: Black Family Game Night
  

Twice a month, Ms. Woelfle and Ms. Yoo work with each grade level while Mr. Seldess works with grade level teams on steps towards Orrington's school goals. The more helping hands, the better as we plan interactive activities. A few of the future activities are as follows -

Feburary - Door decorations for Black History Month

March - Learning about our school's mascot and more

April - Garden planting and community clean-up

If you are available to help, please sign up HERE.

Please note, 5th and 1st grade are in the morning while 4th, 2nd, Kindergarten, and 3rd are in the afternoon.

The window for the 5 Essentials is now open for families and caregivers. We are aiming for at least 80% response rate from our community - your honest feedback helps us continue to grow as a school.

Link to survey: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/

Opened Jan. 30, 2024 and closes March 29, 2024.

Reach out to us if you have any questions or you need assistance. We also invite you to stop by main entrance during conferences to take the 5 Essentials while you are Orrington!

Be on the lookout for information from your child(ren)'s teacher(s) about winter conferences - information should be out within the next few weeks.

The dates will be Tuesday, February 13th and Wednesday, February 14th. You can sign up for a conference with our FAPEL team in this spreadsheet.

Host a GFO to Fundraise for Orrington!

We are now collecting ideas for Gatherings for Orrington!!

What are Gatherings for Orrington?

A Gathering for Orrington is part fundraiser, part community-building.

GFOs are events of many kinds! Where hosts sponsor an event for Orrington families, students or caregivers, with all ticket revenues going directly to the PTA as a fundraiser. Those funds can be then used for student-teacher support, equity-focused or other community-building efforts, literacy efforts, like book- nook and so much more. Read more about GFOs.

What Kind of Events?

GFOs can be:

Service Projects: Like picking up trash at Lighthouse Beach

Games & Fun: Like an adult Kickball game or Poker night

Lessons & Workshops: Like a Cooking Class or Cookie Decorating party

Dinners & Tastings: Like a Wine or Beer Tasting or Pizza Party and Backyard movie

Sports & Fitness: Like a Paddle Party or Pickleball tournament

Other: The possibilities are endless! Be creative.

How do I sign up to host a GFO?

Fill out this form and we will contact you to schedule your event!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsWtakWtpSy9aLQiwGeMHWYf6cQGei_61Vs1DqZv7lLgmJww/viewform

You can read more about GFOs Here:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1JDnYD6vWhE58AoP6fC6Ir4igYYN0OSpXsPu2wrO_CnM/mobilepresent?slide=id.p

If you have questions please contact:

Kristi.Raftery@gmail.com or sachakrasney@gmail.com

Nominate an amazing District 65 staff member for a High 5 Award!
District 65 is continuing its monthly staff recognition program to recognize those who continually go above and beyond. One licensed staff member and one educational support staff member will be recognized each month through May of this school year. Recognition includes a $100 gift card, recognition at a School Board meeting, and a video highlight in the Fast 5 and on social media!

Please consider completing a High 5 nomination for someone who goes the extra mile, turns up the J-Factor, or makes a difference for our students and school!

The Caregiver's Council for Disability Inclusion is hosting an event on Neurodiversity Affirming Inclusive Education on February 20, 2024 6:30-8:00 pm.

The Evanston/Skokie School District is dedicated to enhancing support for all learners within inclusive classrooms. This year's primary objective is to foster collaboration among parents, teachers, and administrators to facilitate student success. Our aim is to build bridges and cultivate inclusive schools, with a focus on community involvement. It is crucial for all community members to comprehend that inclusion is not only a legal requirement but also a best practice deeply valued by the district.

At the core of this effort is the recognition and understanding of individuals with disabilities as valuable and integral members of our school community. Join us in a session featuring Dr. Julie Causton and Dr. Kristie Pretti Frontczak as they guide us through exploring:

-The essence of inclusive and neurodiversity affirming schools and classrooms,
Identifying common barriers to neurodiversity affirming spaces, and
-Empowering families and educators to contribute to the creation of a neurodiverse and disability-affirming community.
-This interactive and engaging presentation promises to make the journey towards a more inclusive and supportive educational environment not only informative but also enjoyable for participants.

Here is the sharable ZOOM link: HERE

If your child could benefit from better organization and time management skills, join us for a 90-minute virtual webinar designed for parents and caregivers of Middle and High School students. Gain valuable insights into the "Teen Brain" and discover easy and effective strategies that will help your child find success at school through developing strong Executive Function skills at home.

February 29th, 2024

11:00am-12:30pm (CST)

Fee: $99

includes a digital copy of the EF Student Guidebook

Register HERE.