Windsor Welcome back!!!

August 2026

Windsor Families,

This week's newsletter contains a lot of very important information. Please be sure to read through it as it will provide you first day arrival and dismissal procedures as well as procedures for daily arrival and dismissal. You will also find information about communication, absence reporting, lunch/breakfast information, etc.

Class placement emails will be sent to families tomorrow, August 13th. It may take a few hours for all families to receive their email, so please be patient. Feel free to call the Windsor office on August 14th if you have not received your placement notification email.

Please remember the class placement process is complex. The process involves many staff members, and much time, energy, and thought goes into creating our class placements. We are unable to accommodate requests for specific staff members and do not make adjustments to class placements once they are finalized. We have AMAZING teachers and staff at Windsor! Please know we are committed to supporting our students and families to ensure a great year!

We are happy to share some staffing changes, title changes, and additions for the 26-27 school year:

Ms. Kaitlyn Delaney- 5th Grade

Ms. Giana Curran- Instructional Teacher

Ms. Leeann Fisher- Reading Intervention

Ms. Madison Medjes- Resource Teacher

Kindergarten Families Only: On Monday August 17th from 10:30-3:00pm, we will have a table set up outside of the main doors of Windsor School. If you are able to, we ask that you bring your child's school supplies and leave them on this table as this will give us more time to organize all of the supplies prior to school starting. Please have your items labeled. If you are unable to drop off your child's supplies on Monday, please bring your school supplies to our Meet and Greet on Wednesday, August 19th, from 2:30-3:15.

Thank you,

Mrs. Anastacio and Mrs. Soprano

Important upcoming events:

Wednesday, August 12th- Incoming Kindergarten Playdate at Windsor School - 5:00-6:00pm

Mrs. Anastacio and Mrs. Soprano will be there to meet our new Kindergarteners!

Wednesday, August 12th- Special Education Instructional Parent Night (families should have received an email invitation to this)- Windsor Commons - 6:00-6:30pm

Friday, August 14th- New Family Tours- 9:00-9:45am *Tours are for students in grades first through fifth grade. Incoming kindergarten students will have a tour on their first day of school with the classroom teacher.

Wednesday, August 19th- Meet the Teacher- 2:30-3:15pm

Wednesday, August 19th- PTA Back to School Social- Windsor Blacktop - 3:15-4:00pm

Thursday, August 20th- First day of school!!! Please see below for arrival and dismissal information.

Thursday, September 10th- Curriculum Night (more info to come soon!)

Meet the Teacher- August 19th - 2:30-3:15PM

We invite you to come to Windsor on August 19th to meet your new teacher for the 26-27 school year! Doors will open at 2:30pm. The event runs for 45 minutes and then you are invited out to the blacktop behind Windsor School for a PTA social gathering from 3:15-4:00pm. If you ordered a school supply pack, our wonderful PTA volunteers will have already delivered your pack to your classroom. If you did not purchase a school supply pack, we encourage you to bring in your school supplies at this time.

1st day of school: Arrival and Dismissal

Arrival

On the first day of school, our students will line up on the blacktop behind the school. Teachers' names will either be chalked on the walls of the building or on a piece of paper hanging on a window. Teachers will also be standing holding up a sign with their name on it. Teachers will report to the blacktop at 8:45am. This is a good time for a first day of school picture! Students should stand in their teacher's line. Teachers will begin bringing in their students at 9:00am. If you arrive after 9am, you should bring your child to the front office. We will make sure your child gets to their classroom. We highly recommend walking to school. If you need to drive, please plan to park along the street surrounding Windsor and walk to the blacktop behind the school.

*There will not be supervision on Windsor Drive, please do not drop your child off on Windsor Drive. If you have to drop your child off at school on the first day, please drop them off in the front circle of Windsor.

Dismissal

Dismissal will be the same on the first day of school as it will be on every day going forward. Please see information below for daily pick-up instructions.

Daily Arrival

Beginning the second day of school, August 21st, we will have staff on Windsor Drive and in the front circle main entrance of Windsor to greet your children as they get out of your vehicle starting at 8:50AM. We have many staff members stationed both outside and inside Windsor to help your child find their classroom. Only students can enter the school during arrival, no parents are permitted to enter the building.

Please note: Our staff cannot assist your children in getting out of your vehicle so please have them ready to exit the car with backpacks and other belongings ready to go on the passenger side only. Students should not exit on the street side of the car. It is very dangerous. Parents should remain in their cars. If your child cannot exit the car independently, please park on an alternate street and walk your child to their entrance door.

Arrival and Dismissal: If You Live East of Windsor...Windsor Drive

If you live East of Windsor School: Windsor Drive drop off and pick up are on Windsor Drive for those who live east of Windsor.

Please prearrange your drop off and pick up with your child(en). Children are responsible for knowing where to meet you after school.

Morning Drop and Go:

-Please pull all the way up Windsor Drive past the school building to let your child out of the car. You will see staff members waving you on to move up as far as you can.

-Parents should not exit their cars in the drop-and-go line on Windsor Drive in the morning.

-If you would like to walk your child to their door, you need to park on an alternate street and walk up.

-Kindergarten students will walk to Door 7 (off of Windsor Drive) to enter the building.

-1st, 2nd, & 3rd grade students will walk to Door 6 (by bike racks on Windsor Drive) to enter the building.

-4th and 5th grade students will walk to Door 11 (off of Windsor Drive) to enter the building.

-Students who ride their bikes will enter the building through Door 6, 7, or 11.

-Door 6 is located on the East side of the building along Windsor Drive by the bike racks.

-Door 11 is located on the East side of the building south of Door 6 and 7.

Afternoon Pick-up:

-Please pull all the way up on Windsor Drive past the school building for pick-up.

-Please be mindful of others when picking up your child. If you exit your car to wait for your child, once you have your child, please move your car off Windsor Drive so that others can pull in.

-For the safety of all, please do not double park on Windsor Drive and have your child walk in between cars to get into your car.

-We do have the AHPD periodically patrol our arrival and dismissal to ensure the safety of all children. Please follow these very important safety guidelines.

-If your child is attending our satellite CAP site, your child will meet in the Commons. CAP will take attendance and then escort the students out to their bus.

*Please note: All kindergarteners will enter and exit through door 7. If your kindergartener has an older sibling, the sibling should exit Windsor on the East side of the building through door 6 or 11 to meet their K sibling. Please prearrange a meeting spot with your children near door 7.

Arrival and Dismissal: If You Live West of Windsor...Front Circle

If you live West of Windsor School or are an Instructional student, drop off and pick up are in the front circle.

Please prearrange your drop off and pick up with your child(en). Children are responsible for knowing where to meet you after school.

Morning Drop and Go:

-Please pull all the way up to the car in front of you in the Front Circle to let your child out of the car.

-Parents should not exit their cars in the drop-and-go line in the front circle. If you would like to walk your child to the doors, please park in the lot and walk up.

-Instructional students will enter through Door 12.

-All other children (K-5th grade) will enter through Door 12 to the right of the main doors. Door 12 is on the West side of the building South of the Main Entrance near the Gym.

-Students who ride their bikes should enter through Door 6, 7, or 11 (East side by bike racks).

Afternoon Pick-up:

-Please pull all the way up in the front circle, almost to the parking lot exit, so we can fit as many cars as possible into the pickup line.

-Parents should not exit their cars in the car line.

-Instructional students are picked up in this line. You may be asked by a staff member with a walkie-talkie who you are here to pick up. If you are not an instructional parent, just let the staff member know that. Your child will come out when the bell rings on their own.

-Students will exit Door 12 (by the Gym).

-If your child is attending our satellite CAP site, your child will meet in the Commons. CAP will take attendance and then escort the students out to their bus.

Important Arrival and Dismissal Information

*Very Important: Please discuss these procedures with your child so they know which door to enter or exit prior to the first day of school. Your child's teacher will not know if you live east or west of the school.

**We will not have staff supervising students on the playground anytime before school starts. Please do not drop off your child early to play on the playground. Students are not permitted to play on the playground before school. We will open doors for student entrance at 8:55.

Communication

Be sure to check out our Windsor Website www.sd25.org/windsor

and the Windsor PTA website https://windsorpta.org/. Both are filled with so much information such as PTA sponsored events, evening events, volunteer opportunities, etc. The PTA has a Windsor PTA Facebook Page which we encourage you to join.

Each Monday, you will receive a PTA Mark Your Calendar newsletter with upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. If you do not receive that Monday newsletter, please call the office so we can rectify the situation. If you have not joined the PTA we would encourage you to do so. There are so many opportunities for you to get involved at Windsor and we love our parent volunteers! The PTA/school calendars are on the PTA and Windsor websites. With PTA access you also get access to Directory Spot which will provide you with the contact information of all of the students in your child's class. Please note, we do not allow birthday invitations to be handed out at school, Directory Spot is a great way to invite your child's school friends.

Each teacher has an email address. During Parent Information Night they will share how they prefer to communicate with you. Teachers no longer have voicemail so please email or call the office if you need a message to get to your child or their teacher. Please note that during the day, teachers are teaching and working with students and may not be available to speak. Email is always the best way to get a hold of a teacher. Also, if your are planning on picking up your child early or bringing them late, please email your child's teacher and the front office, so they are aware. Teachers may be absent and the sub will not know about your plan so it is important to include the front office,

kavvisati@sd25.org and dscamardoevola@sd25.org.

Breakfast and Lunch Information

The first day of school is right around the corner, and our Food & Nutrition Services Department would like to welcome you all back as well as provide updated information for the 2026-2027 school year.

Please click HERE for the Food & Nutrition Services Welcome Back flyer, which includes information on how to access the menu, how to order lunch, meal pricing, and more!

Paying for school meals is EASY. Create a My Mealtime online account through the website or app using your student's name and ID number to view your student's meal account and/or deposit money. If you need assistance with locating your student's ID number, contact the Food & Nutrition Services office (847-398-4883 or FoodService@sd25.org) or your school office.

Eligibility for Free/Reduced Price Meals

The District participates in the USDA funded National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Those families who have students that are directly certified for free or reduced meals have been notified via email. If you are not directly certified through participation in SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid, and feel you may qualify for free or reduced meals based upon your household income, please complete an application online. If you are unable to complete an application online, please visit our website for a paper application.

Wildcat Way School-wide Behavior System

We are so excited to continue our work with your children following the expectations of the Wildcat Way. Our staff and students have truly embraced the Wildcat Way. Our mission statement: We strive to provide an environment that nurtures and develops character in each of our students through explicit teaching, modeling and authentic experience. We learn that the choices we make have an impact on the world around us. We see the power in kindness, safety, and responsibility.

School Safety

All visitors are required to enter through the front doors of Windsor School, all of our exterior doors are locked. Please ring the buzzer and one of our front office staff will ask what they can help you with. Please state the reason for your visit. If you are dropping off an item for your child, they will ask you to please leave it on the cart out front with a post-it note that states your child’s name and classroom teacher. We will be sure to get that item to your child. Utilizing this system reduces the amount of visitors entering the school each day for safety reasons. If your visit requires you to enter the building, please be sure to bring your state ID with you. Our front office staff will scan your ID and make you a badge. All visitors are required to wear a badge with a red lanyard. All of our students know that all adults in the building should be wearing a lanyard with a badge. If they do not see a badge, they know they are to alert a teacher.

26-27 Safety Drills:

August 26th- Fire Drill #1 and Shelter in Place

September 4th- Lockdown #1

October 7th- Fire Drill #2 with the Arlington Heights Fire Department

November 18th- Fire Drill #3

January 20th- Lockdown #2

PTA and ABC25 Foundation

We hope that you will become a member of our very active PTA. We are extremely proud of the partnership that we have with the PTA and are so appreciative of all the work they do for Windsor School. The ABC/25 Foundation: https://abc25.org/ is another way to become involved. The Foundation supports the schools within the district with both large and small grants each school year. Windsor will receive a membership grant of $2,500 if we have 25 families join the foundation.

Absences/Tardies:

We prefer you report your child's absence online, https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd692piwt06CLm3kTcaMsZUNA-Cpt0f0XYjU71GUm9XBBuamQ/viewform but if you need to call, please dial our main office line and listen for the prompts: (847) 398-4297.

To sign in and out your child for late arrival, early dismissal or doctor appointments, you can use any of the QR codes in the front office or the one shown here. Be sure to bring your cell phone in with you when you come.