Washington Newsletter

Dear Families,

As we head into the weekend, don’t forget that Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, so clocks will “spring forward” one hour. It can take a few days for routines to adjust, so helping students get to bed a little earlier may make the transition easier.

Have a great weekend!

Each year the State of Illinois partners with 5Essentials to create a forum in which parents can provide feedback to schools. Feedback from the 5Essentials is not made available to districts until after the school year has ended, which is why at Washington, we recently asked you to engage in a survey that we created so that we can receive more immediate feedback.

We would greatly appreciate it if you would take the brief survey by visiting:

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

For more information about the Illinois 5Essentials Survey, or to view previous years’ Reports, please visit https://www.5-essentials.org/illinois. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact UChicago Impact Survey Support at 1-866-440-1874 or impact-surveys@uchicago.edu.

The deadline to complete the survey is March 13, 2026.

Women’s History Month is a time to recognize the countless ways women have shaped our world — through leadership, innovation, creativity, courage, and care. From classrooms to courtrooms, from laboratories to local communities, women have challenged barriers and expanded what is possible for future generations. This month invites us not only to celebrate historic milestones, but also to reflect on the strength, brilliance, and resilience of women today. When students see diverse examples of women leading and learning, they begin to imagine their own limitless potential.

Taylor Swift is a singer and songwriter known for her powerful storytelling and creativity. She began writing songs as a teenager and has grown into one of the most influential musicians in the world. Taylor is known for working hard, staying true to her voice, and encouraging young people to express themselves through music and writing. Her journey reminds students that creativity, perseverance, and confidence can turn passions into powerful opportunities.

Morning drop off: 7:40 am

School starts: 7:50 am

School dismisses: 2:30 pm

Afternoon pick up: 2:30 pm

Half Day Dismissal: 10:50 am

Take note of our 25-26 School Calendar. Please book your vacations around our school holidays. The more your child is able to attend, the more they will learn! Thank you!

• March 12th - Family Art Night - 6:00-7:00. pm
• March 13th - Early Release - 10:40 am
• March 23rd - March 27th - Spring Break!
• March 30th - First day back from Spring Break
• April 3rd - No School

Spring is a busy and exciting time for learning at school! As the weather warms up, we encourage families to continue prioritizing regular attendance whenever students are healthy. Each school day provides important opportunities for learning, connection, and growth, and even missing a few days can make it harder for students to keep up with new skills and routines. Thank you for helping us support your child’s success by getting them to school each day they are able!

Creating balanced class lists that meet the needs of all students is a tremendously difficult job that takes many hours of thoughtful dialogue between classroom teachers, special area teachers, specialists and the administrative team. We at Washington Early Learning Center take this process very seriously.

We welcome any insight you wish to share about your child and will take into consideration pertinent information about your child’s learning style and needs received in the Optional Parent Input Google Form on or before Friday, March 20th. Please complete one form for each child. While we welcome your input, specific teacher requests will not be honored.

The following describes the process for creating balanced class lists:

• Special education and multilingual needs are evaluated

• Classroom teachers consider the social-emotional and academic needs of each student

• Parent input is considered

• Grade level teams collaborate to form draft class lists that are balanced in terms of the academic, social and emotional needs as well as considering friendships and other factors

• Specialist Team members (social work, speech, special education, etc.), the Fine Arts Team (Art, Music, P.E.) and the principals provide input as well during this process

• Class lists are finalized in August to account for summer movement. We cannot make changes once this process occurs, as moving one child can disrupt the balance of a class, impacting all students

We strongly believe that this detailed and collaborative process creates learning environments that benefit all students. It is a delicate balancing act, which takes much consideration and thought by professionals who know and care about your children.

Again this year, Mundelein School District 75 curriculum will include Erin’s Law in accordance with Public Act 96-1524, a state mandated, age-appropriate sexual abuse/assault awareness and prevention education program for students beginning in Early Childhood and continuing through all grade levels.

Washington Early Learning Center will be using the Think First & Stay Safe personal safety program. Our young learners are taught they already possess a powerful tool that can help them with safety-their own brain. Students are taught the importance of treating one another with kindness and respect. They will learn to recognize sunny and “stormy” behaviors, talk about safe and not safe touching, and choose grown-ups who can help them with their safety. The program is presented by your child’s classroom teacher.

This lesson will be taught by one of the school social workers over the course of the next few weeks.

If you do not wish for your child to participate, please contact me by March 2nd. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call Dr. Melamed!

Beginning this spring (end of March), the Mundelein Park District is launching a brand-new K-3 Girls Only Flag Football League with the support of the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) and Nike. One of the aims of this league is to address a gap in youth sports offerings specifically for girls and to be an accessible, supportive entry point into athletics. Read the press release found HERE for more information about the Park District's partnership with NRPA and Nike.

Two leagues will be offered (up to 32 participants in each league):

• Kindergarten & 1st Grade
• 2nd & 3rd Grade

Check out the flyer below for more information!

During the last three weeks, we have had the awesome opportunity to partner with Action Martial Arts on Thursdays during our PE classes. They introduced students to some fundamental martial arts skills along with many other fun things!

Is your March basketball bracket already falling apart?

Perfect. You’ll have better odds here.

This isn’t the basketball tournament — it’s our month-long PTO raffle fundraiser supporting Mundelein District 75 students!

Throughout the month of March, we raffle off AMAZING prizes — including electronics, gift cards, family fun adventures, party packages, themed baskets, and more — all while raising funds to support our D75 schools!

Purchase tickets here, now through the end of March:
1 for $10
3 for $25
10 for $100

We go LIVE on Facebook multiple times a week to draw winners, so be sure to follow the PTO page and tune in!

Tickets purchased by 10PM the night before a drawing are entered into the upcoming drawing.

The best part?
Your ticket stays in all month unless it wins — so even if your team gets knocked out… you’re STILL in the game here.

More tickets = more chances to win.
No sports knowledge required.

For information about our sponsors or sponsorship opportunities, visit: Mundelein 75 PTO – March Madness

Now that we are settled into the school year, I'd love to connect with you and learn more about what's on your mind and your hopes and dreams for our school community. We can meet in person, virtually, or chat over the phone.

If you are interested in connecting, please sign up for a time using this link!!

A new month means a new chance to earn money for our school through Box Tops for Education — plus monthly bonus opportunities!

It’s easy:

• Buy participating products

• Scan your receipt in the Box Tops app

• Earn funds for our school

Want to double the impact? Donate those same items to our Welcome Center to support local families. That’s two wins with one purchase!

Download the app, opt in for the Monthly Bonus, and start scanning today.

View the participating product list here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1FcgSIFxaxXJ431NrCFfcbxzCsK7e4vOp/view

Thank you for supporting our school and community!

If you need to change your child's regular dismissal, you need to email or call Pam and Abby in the main office. They oversee all dismissal changes and communicate with supervisors and staff to ensure that students get to the correct locations. Our staff do not always have time to check their email and we don't want a change to get missed.

Finally, all changes must be called in to the office by 2:00 pm

Our office number is 847-949-2714

BPAC meets regularly beyond the required four times per year. BPAC plans for family engagement, family education, and cultural events to support the multilingual community. The group creates specific goals each year based on identified family needs, discusses multilingual programs by building, suggests additional topics for upcoming parent education programs and reviews the district’s annual TBE/TPI application.

Please consider joining our BPAC and attending the meetings.

BPAC MEETINGS

Applications for fee waivers are available online at the Financial Assistance page. To apply, families must complete the required application. Once completed, forms may be dropped off at the Mundelein Elementary School District 75 Office, located at 470 N. Lake Street, Mundelein, IL 60060.

If you prefer to schedule an appointment, please contact District 75 Registrar Patty DeLozier at (847) 949-2700, extension 2014.

School Lunch menus (search for Mundelein and you''ll see Washington as a choice!)

Food Service Information

Access the RevTrak website to pay for school meals for your child