Winnetka Weekly -Parents 10/25/2026
Weekly updates for Winnetka Elementary
Dear Winnetka Families,
Week 11 was a BIG milestone week for our Winnetka community! Our brand-new Outdoor Learning Lab is officially complete! What started as a vision has now become a reality, and we could not be more excited to see our scholars begin learning, exploring, and growing in this incredible new space!
A heartfelt THANK YOU to our parent volunteers who dedicated their time and energy to helping bring this project to life, along with our incredible partners at OutTeach and NCR Atleos Foundation! (They did a full day of manual labor to help this project come to life!!)
I also want to give a very special shoutout to our three student design winners: Aislin, Andrea, and Esme! Out of more than 150 student design submissions, their creativity stood out to our partners at NCR Atleos. Elements of their designs have been incorporated throughout the Outdoor Learning Lab, and their names will be recognized as part of this special space!
Our next steps include having teachers from various grade levels participate in specialized training to learn how to maximize this space and create meaningful, hands-on learning experiences for our scholars. Another special shoutout goes to Ms. Reeder, our Evergreen Program Coordinator! We are excited to see her take our Nature Club and this space to the next level!
❤️ Red Ribbon Week is HERE! We have added all dress-up days to our calendar, but I want to highlight two important days:
Thursday – Fall Picture Day! 📸 Dress to impress for individual fall pictures!
Friday – Hero Day / Storybook Character Day! 🦸 Scholars may dress as their favorite hero or storybook character! Please remember that all costumes must be school-appropriate. Masks and inflatable costumes may not be worn during class. Tights or leggings may not be worn as pants, and ripped clothing or weapon accessories are not permitted.
🚨 Important Campus Safety Reminders: As we continue prioritizing the safety of our scholars, please help us reinforce the following expectations:
Late Arrivals: If you are dropping off your child at 8:20 AM or later, a parent or guardian signature is REQUIRED. Please do not drop off your child and drive away. You must come inside to sign your child in.
No Soccer During Dismissal: Thank you to our families and scholars for adjusting to our new expectation of no soccer in the front turf area during dismissal. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our students, families, and staff safe!
🪪 NEW! Student ID Badges Begin Monday, October 26!
Finally, Winnetka is officially launching the Dallas ISD districtwide student identification badge system beginning Monday, October 26! This initiative is designed to strengthen campus safety and help ensure that all scholars are easily identified throughout the school day.
Students will be expected to wear their school-issued ID badges daily while on campus. Please help us reinforce the importance of taking care of these badges, as replacement badges will cost $5. Additional information about badge expectations can be found within the newsletter. (Graphic and Policy document)
Thank you, Winnetka families, for your continued partnership and support! From opening our new Outdoor Learning Lab to strengthening our campus safety systems, we are making meaningful strides toward creating an even better learning environment for our Wildcats.Together, we continue BUILDING EXCELLENCE, one milestone at a time! Here's to excellence in Week 12!!
With Wildcat Pride,
Principal Jove
Important Updates 🚨
Attendance Important things to know:
- We "strive for no more than 5" absences in a year!
- Tardies after 8:20 are considered a partial-day absence. A PARENT SIGNATURE IS REQUIRED AT DROP-OFF.
- 3 partial absences equates to a full day absence.
- Dropping off a student at 10 AM or later is a full day absence.
- Picking up early is a partial absence.
- Try to schedule appointments around important instructional days.
- If a student is sick, please do not bring them to school to prevent the spread of illnesses.
If you have questions about absences, doctor's notes, and more, please visit the bottom of our newsletter for more info. (Section: Attendance Matters!)
🎓 College Corner: (Mondays)
Featured University of the Month: Texas Tech University ❤️🖤
Scholars will learn about Texas Tech University, where it is located, and fun facts about the university.
October 12 (No School) – Family College Project
Families, get creative together! Create a Texas Tech-themed flyer or poster highlighting what makes Texas Tech special. Have fun and submit your project by October 23! 🏆 Three winners will be selected and featured!
Scholars will explore the importance of college, what they can study, and different career opportunities, as they begin dreaming about their future!
Learn about our own Winnetka staff who graduated from Texas Tech, what they studied, and how their college experience helped them reach their goals.
