Monday Memo

PRINCIPAL MESSAGE

Dear Washburne Families,

Thank you for taking the time to participate in conferences. We hope these conversations were productive, student-centered, and helpful in strengthening the partnership between home and school. As we approach the final stretch of Trimester 1, this is a good time to encourage your child to check in with their teachers, reflect on their progress, and identify any next steps that will help them finish the trimester strong.

We also join our District community in mourning the loss of Gina Wild, a beloved Skokie staff member who served as an educator in the District for 26 years. Our hearts are with Gina’s family, friends, colleagues, and the students whose lives she touched. As the Skokie community grieves, our district social work team will be available at Skokie beginning Monday to support students and staff. We recognize that Washburne students may also be affected by this loss and may need someone to talk to. Please reach out to us if your child would benefit from support, and we will help connect them with a school social worker or school psychologist.

This Friday is also Autumfest at Washburne and a great way to celebrate fall, Halloween, and celebrate our school community. Information for Autumnfest and Halloween and shared below.

Thank you for the care and compassion you continue to show one another and our school community.

Take care,

Dr. Luke Livingston, Principal

Ms. Britta Dahlberg, Assistant Principal

UPCOMING DATES

October:

Friday, October 30th Autumnfest - 2:30-3:30pm

November:

Monday, November 2nd Institute Day | No Student Attendance

Tuesday, November 3rd Election Day | No School

Thursday, November 5th | Washburne Picture Retake Day

Saturday, November 7th | New Trier 8th Grade Placement Test

Wednesday, November 11th | Washburne Centerstage & Stagecraft Performance

Saturday, November 14th | New Trier 8th Grade Placement Test

November 23-27th | Thanksgiving Break

PRIORITY INFORMATION

Hear ye, Hear ye! Autumnfest is here!

Friday, October 30th, is Autumnfest, a Washburne tradition that celebrates autumn. Kids will buy tickets, worth 25 cents each. All of the money used to buy tickets will be donated to charity. The festival will include advisory booths such as apple cider, cotton candy, face painting, and more! The festival will go for an hour, starting at 2:30, and ending at 3:30. Fun, Friends, and spooky vibes will make the festival unforgettable! Please click here to view a list of food and drink offerings and their ingredients.

Halloween Guidance

Students are welcome to dress up for Halloween on Friday, October 30th. Please make sure that your child adheres to the following guidelines:

Students may not wear a mask with their costumes.
All costumes should reflect good taste and common sense. Nothing deemed inappropriate by our regular dress code will be allowed.
Weapons of any nature are not allowed. This includes toy guns, knives, sticks, swords, etc.
Students will be in their costumes for the entire day, so it should be comfortable for them to wear.

Dance Marathon Student Steering Committee

The Dance Marathon Student Steering Committee is an opportunity for students to help to plan, promote, and execute our Dance Marathon Event! Last year we raised almost $65,000 and were the top raising middle school in the country!

The committee will meet on Monday mornings at 8:00AM. If your child is interested in joining our Dance Marathon Student Steering Committee, please sign up your child via the District Web Store.

Our next meeting will be on Monday, November 9th.

We are so excited to start this year’s process!

- DeAnna Koch, Melissa Yeoman, and Daisy Franco

Transition to New Trier (8th Grade Only)

Families can find all information related to the transition to New Trier on the Incoming webpage.

New Trier Placement Test Information (8th Grade Only)

Families should have received a letter from New Trier regarding the placement test in November. Here is the information that was included in the email:

October Mailing Sent to all Families

2031 testing introduction email

Testing Options:

Families can choose their test date (Nov 7th or Nov 14th) but they MUST complete the sign up form. This form is for ALL students- regardless of accommodations. They will use their New Trier student ID to complete the form. Families will receive their student’s ID number in the email.

Questions about procedures or alternate dates should be sent here:

testing@nths.net.

Reminders:

Students will need a charged iPad.
I know this test is anxiety provoking for your families and that often impacts you as well. It might be helpful if you remind families that there is no test preparation necessary for the placement exam.

If you did not receive an email:

I know there are often issues with email addresses, so please encourage families to email adminservices@nths.net if they do not receive the materials after checking their spam folder. They should provide their student’s name and sender school. This will be the most efficient way for us to send them the correct materials. In addition, please encourage them to consult the incoming webpage at www.newtrier.k12.il.us/incomingfreshmen for questions about dates, times

DC Trip (8th Grade Only)

The Washington D.C. trip for 8th graders will be happening this year from April 29th through May 2nd. There are currently 100 students registered. If you would like to guarantee a spot for your child on the trip, please register by October 31st. Follow this link to read more about the trip!

Student Ambassador Application (8th Grade Only)

Make your voice heard and make a difference! Current Washburne 8th graders are invited to apply for the Winnetka Public Schools Student Ambassador Program, which also includes membership in the National Junior Honor Society. Ambassadors will share student perspectives, help strengthen our school community, and participate in meaningful service opportunities. Members commit to eight monthly meetings, at least 10 service hours—including five through program-sponsored opportunities—and upholding our school’s academic and behavioral expectations. Applicants also need a staff sponsor to endorse their application. The student applications are due by Friday, October 30 and must be completed by interested 8th grade students using their Winnetka-issued email address.

Securly Home Parent App

Our students' devices are all monitored through Securly which helps keep students safe online both at school and home through their district issued devices. Securly automatically blocks inappropriate content, social media, proxy sites, and dangerous or non-school-related websites. Also, the website keeps students safe by filtering for inappropriate content, self-harm, violence, or bullying.

In addition to Securly at school, as parents you have access to Securly Home. You should have received an email about the Securly Home App as that is a free mobile parental control app that extends a school's digital safety monitoring and web filtering onto student-owned or school-issued devices when they are used at home. The purpose of the Securly home App:

Parents can view their child’s activity and set alerts.
Allows parents to filter controls by blocking specific sites when the device leaves school.
Increase screen time management and parents can freeze internet access on the device to disable use like during bed time.

Here are two resources for setting this up at home:

Benchmark Assessment Results Now Available

Parents may access scores through the PowerSchool Parent Portal Document Library and/or Otus.

View additional information here regarding benchmark assessments and how to access these scores.

IAR & ISA score reports have been uploaded to your PowerSchool Parent Portal but are requiring a few more days to be finalized in Otus. We apologize for the inconvenience.

A Message from The Director of Safety & Security

The Fall 2026 Safety Bulletin includes important seasonal information regarding bike and traffic safety, emergency protocols, Halloween, and more.

Monthly Observances: Disability Awareness Month

Each October, we take time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions of individuals with disabilities in our schools, workplaces, and communities. It is an opportunity to highlight the importance of inclusion, respect, and equal opportunity for all.

You can refer to our monthly observance calendar here.

Extracurricular & Sports

Washburne offers a variety of clubs and sports. This is a list and is also shared on the Washburne Website.

Monday is Washburne Spirit Day

On Monday's we will wear our Washburne gear to celebrate our school.

Washburne Practices and Guidelines

These are friendly reminders about practices and guidelines related to Washburne: Practices and Guidelines 2026-2027

Hot Lunch

Washburne has a hot lunch program. You can find all the information here:

Washburne Hot Lunch Details.

District Communication

The latest edition of The 36 Mix is out now! Be sure to check out the 3-6 Things to Know from The Winnetka Public Schools.