THE WHOOT!

As we move through the school year, it's important to pause and embrace the joy of simply being present. In the midst of our busy schedules, we often find ourselves constantly striving for more—more success, more achievements, more of everything. But let us not forget the beauty in taking a step back, appreciating the moments of calm, and finding joy in the present. Just as the quote from Eckhart Tolle reminds us, there is peace in letting go of the rush and truly experiencing the moment. Together, let’s make time to slow down and find balance as we nurture both ourselves and our community.

I hope that you all were able to use this weekend to recharge and refresh! Please reach out with any questions.

With love,

Ms. Battle

A Note From Principal Latting:

Hello Current and Future Haven Families,

Join us for an unforgettable evening of storytelling at Haven Middle School with the renowned Donna Washington! An internationally acclaimed, award-winning storyteller, spoken word artist, and author, Donna has spent over 30 years captivating audiences with her animated performances. Her dynamic style breathes life into folklore, literary tales, and personal stories, earning her the nickname "a walking Disney movie" and praise for being "better than television."

The performance will take place in the Haven Auditorium on Tuesday, October 15, at 6:00 p.m. Admission is free, and all children must be accompanied by an adult. Don’t miss this opportunity to be inspired and entertained by one of the best in the world of storytelling!

We are excited to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with our Willard community! Join us for a special event on Friday, October 18th from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM at Willard Elementary, hosted by the Willard PTA. We’ll have learning workshops highlighting different Hispanic countries, cultural activities, and opportunities for students and families to connect.

We are also collecting donations of traditional clothing and accessories from Spanish-speaking countries to build a “treasure chest” of dress-up items for our celebration. This is a wonderful opportunity to honor the vibrant cultures and histories of Latinx/Hispanic communities—hope to see you there!

Wednesday, Oct. 23rd, Karla Valenti will be conducting an author visit to discuss some of her most popular titles! Students grades 3-5 will have the opportunity to engage in presentations about Loteria and Legendarios.

If you would like to purchase a book, please see the flyer below! A huge thank you to Ms. Harries for making this happening in partnership with Foundation 65.

We’ve welcomed 46 new families to the PTA so far this year, and we’d love to keep growing our PTA community. Your involvement and support enables us to provide discretionary funds for teachers, community and cultural celebrations, and much more. Please consider joining today!

Join the Willard PTA
Register to be a Willard/D65 volunteer
Shop the Willard Spirit Wear Store

Willard Parents' Night Out Fundraiser

When: Sat., Nov. 2, 5:00-10:00 pm

Where: Fat Shallot, 2902 Central St.

Join your fellow Willard parents and caregivers for a night of delicious food and good company for a great cause! The Fat Shallot will donate ten percent of all food and drinks purchased to the Willard PTA/D65 One Fund, when you mention "Willard". We hope to see you there!
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¡Únete a otros padres y cuidadores de Willard para una noche de deliciosa comida y buena compañía por una gran causa! The Fat Shallot donará el diez por ciento de todas las comidas y bebidas compradas a la PTA de Willard/D65 One Fund, ¡cuando mencionen "Willard"! ¡Esperamos verte allí!

If you missed the most recent PTA Owl Notes, click here!

Looking ahead to fall, be sure to save the date for:

• Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Oct. 18th
• PTA/Principal Community Meeting on Oct. 22
• Parents’ Night Out Fundraiser on Nov. 2nd

We are excited to announce this year's Superintendent Student Advisory Council for District 65!

This is a wonderful opportunity for students to share their ideas and help positively impact our

schools.

The council, led by Dr. Turner and other district leaders, is designed to give students a voice in

meaningful conversations about their education. Members of the committee will meet monthly

via Zoom during lunch to discuss issues that matter to them and collaborate with other students

across the district. This collaborative environment ensures that all students' voices are heard

and valued.

Students will receive applications at school and will apply using an online Google Form. If your

child is selected for the council, we will contact you with more details about meeting times and

the next steps.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to let us know. We appreciate your support as

we continue to elevate student voices in District 65!

Sincerely,

Dr. Deborah Osher

Director of Instructional Leadership

Ph: (847) 859-8134

osherd@district65.net

District 65 provides comprehensive sexual health instruction in our kindergarten through eighth grade classrooms.

• Instruction is aligned to the National Sex Education standards as required by the State of

Illinois in the Keeping Youth Safe and Healthy Act (KYSHA).

• Helps students understand their changing body and build skills for healthy relationships. This is done in a manner that is medically accurate and developmentally and age

appropriate

• Review our website to learn more and review lessons at each grade level.

Please join us this Wednesday, October 16th from 6-7 pm via Zoom to learn more!

Dear parents,

School pictures are ready!

To order, log in to your account on mylifetouch.com or create an account using your student's student ID number. All families can also log on and order a FREE Digital SmileSafe card.

More about the Smilesafe program here. Thank you!

In District 65 we are committed to helping all students reach their full potential and to provide opportunities that accelerate learning. Accelerated learning is available to all students; educators accelerate learning through grade-level differentiation, enrichment, and small group instruction. D65 also offers the possibility of alternate placement - which may grade skipping, single subject skipping or early entrance into grades K or 1st. You can find more information about acceleration HERE.

Acceleration Night is coming! All District 65 families with students in kindergarten through 7th grade are invited to join us to learn more about opportunities for acceleration, and about the process for consideration of grade-skipping. Meeting dates are; 10/23 @ 6:00 pm on Zoom

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Todas las escuelas- Mensaje para la comunidad

El el Distrito 65 estámos comprometidos a ayudar a que todos los estudiantes alcancen su máximo potencial y a proporcionar oportunidades que aceleren el aprendizaje. El aprendizaje acelerado está disponible para todos los estudiantes; los educadores aceleran el aprendizaje a través de la diferenciación en el nivel de grado, enriquecimiento e instrucción/enseñanza en grupos pequeños. El D65 también ofrece la posibilidad de ubicación alternativa - lo cual puede incluir saltarse un grado escolar, saltarse una materia/clase o ingresar de manera temprana al Kinder o al primer grado. Pueden encontrar más información acerca de la aceleración AQUÍ

¡La noche informativa acerca de la aceleración se acerca! Todas las familias del Distrito 65 que tengan estudiantes en kindergarten hasta 7mo grado están invitadas a acompañarnos para aprender más acerca de las oportunidades para la aceleración y acerca del proceso para considerar saltarse un grado escolar. Las reuniones son: el 23 de octubre a las 6:00 pm también en Zoom

Looking to volunteer at Willard? Click here for our district's volunteer process!

Willard Welcome Packet

• English
• Spanish

District 65 Back to School Guides

• English
• Spanish

October

• 18th: Hispanic Heritage Night
• 22nd: PTA/Principal Community Night
  
• 25th: Picture Retakes