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Happy Monday, Willard families!

The final long weekend of the school year has officially come to a close and what a weekend it was! The sun showed up, the temperatures cooperated, and hopefully everyone got a chance to enjoy some well-deserved time outside. Happy Memorial Day to all!

Did you know that Memorial Day weekend is one of the most-traveled weekends in the entire year, with nearly 40 million Americans hitting the road or taking to the skies? Feels about right if you were on 90/94 this weekend!

Now, with a short but mighty week ahead, we have a few important announcements to share. Let's make the most of these final precious days of the 2025–26 academic year AND after all, summer is knocking and we're just about ready to answer the door!

Here is a joke for you: Why did the student eat his homework? Because the teacher told him it was a piece of cake — but the last day of school is even sweeter! 🎉

Speaking of sweet things… if you stop by my office and share your favorite WNBA or NWSL highlight from the past week, you'll earn a trip to the candy bowl. Sugar rush, anyone? We're calling it the best trade deal of the school year.

Best,

AP Ernvall

We have 79% of our 5th graders registered for next year. Please Please Please, let's get the remaining 21% registered so your students can have a easy free flowing day one!

We only have 200 Kinders registered in the district for next year. If you have a child who is going into Kinder, please help us out by getting your scholar registered ASAP. Here is a link and please let us know if you need support in doing so. It is super helpful if you can assist us in getting students registered!

The end of the school year is nearly here, and we are challenging every student to help their class earn a Popsicle Party! To qualify for this cool treat, all library books must be accounted for and returned to the library. Please mark your calendars: the final day for book checkouts is Friday, May 22, and all books must be returned by Friday, May 29. We encourage families to do a quick sweep of backpacks and bookshelves this week to ensure every book finds its way home. Let’s work together to clear the shelves and celebrate a fantastic year of reading with a sweet reward!

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As the school year comes to a close, our community wants to celebrate ALL of our amazing families who are wrapping up their time at Willard! Whether your scholar is a TWI student, transitioning to Foster, Washington, or a school outside the district — We Want To Celebrate YOU!

On Friday, May 29th students will line the halls to clap and cheer their friends out in a heartfelt farewell parade. It's a beautiful send-off to honor the friendships, memories, and milestones made here at Willard. Then stay and play! At 3:30 PM, join us for a Popsicle Party after school.

And the fun doesn't stop there — come back at 5:00pm for a Family Potluck! Bring a dish or treat to share and enjoy an evening of food, friends, and fun as we celebrate our incredible community together sponsored by Willard Parents!

📅 Friday, May 29th

⏰ Parade: 3:10–3:35 PM | Popsicle Party: 3:30 PM | Potluck: 5:00 PM

Sign up to bring a dish by scanning the QR code on the flyer. We can't wait to celebrate the transitions and memories with you! 💛💙

Calling All Owls! Come celebrate the last day of school at our end of the year bash, OwlPalooza! We'll have facepaint, balloon animals, DIME DJ & dancers, and a dunk tank (watch out Ms. Ernvall!) But we need your help to make this event a success. Please consider donating your time and/or supplies to our community: Sign Up Genius Here. Pizza and popsicles will be served; please bring your own water bottle, blanket, lawn chairs, snacks, lawn games & sports balls!

Join us for a fun and relaxing day at the Willard garden! Each season of change brings opportunity for growth. We will be planting our wishes or intentions for the next school year on special seed paper and watch our "wishes" grow. Parents, friends, children, and community members are welcome to join.

Let’s grow a greener, stronger community—together.

Date: Sunday, May 31
Time: 2:00pm-3:30pm
Location: Willard Garden, 2700 Hurd Ave, Evanston, IL 60201

This event is open house style. Arrive and leave as it fits in your schedule!

Celebrate the last day of school with a sweet treat! Do-Rite donuts will be served on the playground between 8:30AM and 8:50AM on Friday, June 5th. Rreorder your donuts today! Order a half dozen or a full dozen and share with friends! There will also be coffee for sale for $1 for the grown ups. Use the link below to place your order:

Pre-Order Link

Make sure you place your orders early, as the preorder slot will close at 10 PM on 6/4. We can't wait to celebrate with you!

Please Please Please, let's get the remaining 5th Graders registered so your students can have a easy free flowing day one at Haven in the fall!

• 2nd: 5th Grade Picnic (During the school day)
• 3rd: 5th Grade Breakfast (9:30am)
• 4th: 5th Grade Promotion @Haven (5:30-7:00pm)

This section of the newsletter highlights flyers from community organizations, partnerships, and programs that your family might enjoy. While these organizations are independent from our school, they offer wonderful opportunities to explore as we head into Spring Break and Summer.

Don’t miss a beat with all things Willard PTA! 🦉 Check out the Weekly Newsletter for the latest happenings, membership info, and our handy directory. If you missed the latest Owl Notes, click here to catch up!

May:

• 25th: No School - Memorial Day
• 27th: Fourth Grade Rap Battle
• 27th: Willard Q4 PTA Town Hall @Willard (7:00-8:00pm)
• 28th: Willard Choir Concert (5:45-6:45pm)
• 29th: Griffin's Tale
• 29th: Purple Crayon Players Assembly
• 29th: TWI and Transitioning Family Party @Willard (5:00-7:00pm)

June:

• 1st: Final Peace Pep Rally
• 1st: D65 Committee of the Whole Meeting (5:00-7:00pm)
• 4th: 5th Grade Promotion Ceremony (5:30-7:00pm) @Haven
• 5th: Last Day Of School
• 5th: Owl-a-palooza (5:00-7:00pm)