Crow Island Parent Newsletter

Dear Crow Island Community,

Last week was filled with learning, new friendships, and plenty of fun. Looking ahead, we have Picture Day on Wednesday, followed by a long weekend. Please remember there is no school for students on September 22 for our Staff Institute Day and on September 23 for Rosh Hashanah.

I have included some photos from recess and lunch last week. Spending time with students during these moments has been so much fun! I have loved seeing their smiles, hearing their laughter, and watching them soak up the warm weather. I look forward to continuing to join students at lunch and recess throughout the year as a way to build relationships and stay connected with our wonderful Crow Island community.

Wishing you a great week ahead!

Sincerely,
Anna

September

Wednesday, September 17th | Picture Day
Monday, September 22nd | No School For Students- Staff Institute Day
Tuesday, September 23rd| No School - Rosh Hashanah
Wednesday, September 24th | Fall Benchmark Assessments Start for K-4 students
Thursday, September 25th | Go to School Night, 6pm
Tuesday, September 30 | MAP Test – Reading (3rd & 4th Grade)

October

Wednesday, October 1 | MAP Test – Math (3rd & 4th Grade)
Thursday, October 2 | No School – Yom Kippur
Monday, October 6 | Safety Week Begins
Tuesday, October 7 | Fire Drill
Wednesday, October 8 | Vision & Hearing Screening
Thursday, October 9 | Lockdown Drill
Friday, October 10 | Tornado/Shelter Drill
Thursday, October 16 | PTO Runathon
Wednesday, October 22 | Picture Retakes
Friday, October 24 | Kindergarten Butterfly Migration & Outdoor Performance, 1:30pm
Wednesday, October 29 | Halloween Parade & Ghost Walk
Thursday, October 30 | Fall Conferences
Friday, October 31 | Fall Conferences

Winnetka Parents Institute:

Learn, Communicate, Partner: Generative AI Literacy for Parents, Caregivers and Community (Amanda Bickerstaff, AI for Education CEO)

September 22, 2025

Time: 5:00 PM

Location: Skokie Auditorium

In this session, parents, caregivers, and community members will explore the transformative world of Generative AI in education and discover how AI is reshaping learning. We'll address common myths, discuss ethical considerations, and provide strategies for supporting your child's AI literacy. Through interactive demonstrations and focused discussion, you'll learn to effectively partner with your children as they navigate AI-enhanced learning environments and leave equipped with the knowledge and confidence to embrace educational technology while fostering responsible AI use at home and in the classroom.

Interested:

RSVP here

Feedback Link

To see a full list of Winnetka Parent Institute offerings this year, please click here.

Benchmark Assessment Window Opening Soon:

Benchmark assessments are valuable tools that provide a snapshot of student progress at a point in time. These assessments help teachers to identify areas where students are excelling and where they may need additional support. They can also inform instructional decisions by providing data that can be used to tailor teaching to meet each student's unique needs and strengths. Benchmark assessments are an important component of progressive education, which recognizes that students learn in different ways and at different rates. By using benchmark assessments to inform instruction, teachers can provide a more individualized approach to learning that supports each student's academic growth and personal development.

This year students in Grades K-8 will participate in academic benchmark assessments of literacy, math and social emotional learning starting September 25-October 10. On October 20, results will be emailed home, available in the PowerSchool Parent Portal, as well as online via Otus.com.\

Math Pilot Announcement:

As part of the districtwide math curricular review, select classrooms will be participating in a math pilot this year.

Purpose of the Pilot
Our goal is to build a vertically aligned and coherent math system that supports all learners through rigorous, standards-aligned resources. The pilot allows us to evaluate high quality instructional materials in real classroom settings, considering how they meet student needs and align with our progressive teaching and learning values.

What to Expect
Families whose students are in pilot classrooms will receive direct communication with a general timeline. While one unit will be taught using a pilot resource in place of the current one, students' daily experience will remain consistent. All participating teachers receive training and will ensure instructional supports are in place for students as needed.

How We Will Evaluate Resources
We will consider student engagement and understanding, teacher usability, standards alignment, and feedback from students and families.

Timeline
Feedback collected during the pilot will help inform a final recommendation to the Board of Education in Spring 2026. The selected resource or resources will be implemented districtwide in the 2026–27 school year.

If you have general questions about the pilot, please reach out to patrickdawson@winnetka36.org.

Go To School Night

Please join us on Thursday, September 25th as teachers share classroom information and curriculum highlights with families.

In order to provide a more comfortable environment as well as accommodate families with multiple children, we have organized our session offerings by your child's last name. Additionally, the night will begin with an all-parents meeting in the auditorium.

Go To School Night Schedule:

6:00 - 6:25: All Parents- Principal Message in Auditorium

6:30 - 7:00:

Last Name A-L: K-2
Last Name M-Z: 3-4

7:00 - 7:30:

Last Name A-L: 3-4
Last Name M-Z: K-2

If you need to attend a different classroom session, please contact your child's teacher to make arrangements. We look forward to seeing you there!

Crow Island 101 Document:

Our Crow Island 101 Guide is a helpful, at-a-glance resource for families. Many parents like to keep a copy in their kitchen for quick reference. You can view it here: Crow 101 Document.

Arrival & Dismissal:

Please take a few minutes to review our Arrival & Dismissal procedures. These routines help ensure a safe and smooth start and end to each school day for all students.

Hot Lunch Program:

Crow Island has a hot lunch program run through a third party collaboration with our PTO called Marla's Lunch. You can register and sign-up here: Marla's Hot Lunch.

Health Forms:

Kindergarten Parents- Please upload your child’s health documents HERE. As a reminder, these forms were due by the first day of school (September 2nd).

2nd Grade Parents- As a reminder, all second grade students are required to provide a copy of their most recent dental exam. Please see the attached link for form and additional information. Please use the following link to upload your child's dental form.

You can find more information about district health policies here.

Spirit Day:

Crow Island Spirit Day will be on FRIDAYS this year! Our first Crow Island Spirit Day will be on Friday, September 5th. Get your Crow Island Spirit wear from our PTO Store here!

After-School Programs:

Right At School

The District has partnered with Right At School, headquartered in Evanston, to provide after-school care for students. The Right At School Program will be offered all days school is in session. After School programming is available until 6:00 P.M. Registration is now open.

Discovery Clubs by Right at School

Crow Island's PTO, in partnership with the District, offers extracurricular activities called Discovery Clubs, specialty programming for Crow Island students after the school day ends. These seasonal Clubs are offered in three sessions - fall, winter and spring. Crow Island PTO works with the Discovery Club provider, Right at School, to offer an array of programming focused on STEM, arts and movement with offerings across age groups. The fall session begins on September 22 and runs through December 5, and registration opens Monday, September 8. Preview the activity offerings here on the PTO website.

After School Sports

Crow Island After School Sports is live on the District Web Store. Registration opened at 9am on Tuesday, September 2nd. This is open for 3rd and 4th grade students.

Monthly Observances

As part of The Winnetka Public Schools ongoing commitment to equity by fostering connection and belonging, and in alignment with our progressive tenet of building a collaborative community, our schools will take time each month to recognize the contributions of people from diverse backgrounds. Observances will look different across schools and grade levels, and may include activities such as art, music, book studies, research projects, sharing cultural holidays and celebrations, and other school activities.

For the month of September, we are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month as well as Patriot Day, which occurred this week.

Families can learn more about Hispanic Heritage Month here.
You can access our library collection via Destiny here: Destiny collection

To see what is coming up each month, you can refer to our monthly observance calendar here

Open House:

The Winnetka Community is Invited to Open Houses at all Campuses on Saturday, September 20th from 9:00-11:00 AM!

Referendum-funded construction is complete at all five campuses, the highlights of which include a new gym and classrooms at Crow Island, a beautiful multi-purpose room at Hubbard Woods, and many more essential improvements to our historic schools. Please join us for community open houses at all campuses on September 20 from 9 a.m.-11:00 a.m. A ribbon cutting will take place at 9 a.m. at the new Crow Island gym!