Orrington Elementary School

Parents and Caregivers!

We are very excited about the Read-a-thon! Ends Monday, March 4th! Make sure your student is registered! Every student registered will receive a FREE piece of chocolate cake from Portillo's (no purchase necessary). Also! Have your student read! Every class that has 100% reading participation will win a Movie and Popcorn Party. Here is the link to register and attached is a flyer on how to register!

https://www.getmovinfundhub.com/

We are so fortunate to have you! We have already surpassed our school fundraising goal, and hope to double it! No donation is too small! Our students appreciate every one of you! Consider sharing your student's link (via text, email, and social media outlets) with friends, family, and neighbors to make an even bigger impact!

The more we raise the more fun we can have! Your donations go to Orrington PTA for school events such as; Popsicles on the Playground, Fall Fest, Cultural Fest, Talent Show, Fun Run/End of Year Party, 5th Grade Yearbook and Party, Book Nook, Teacher appreciation, and More!

Winner! Incentives!

Read and Win!

Most Minutes Read: 3 Winners Per Classroom:

1st Place: A $15 Target Gift Card & an Orrington Hat
2nd Place: A $10 Target Gift Card & a Book from Booked in Evanston
3rd Place: A $5 Target Gift Card

Read and Win!
Students who meet the following reading goals will be entered in a raffle to win a $30 Booked Gift Card or your choice of an Orrington Hat /or Longsleeve shirt (1 winner per grade)

• Kindergarten-Grade 1: 350+ minutes
• Grades 2nd-3rd Grade: 500+ minutes
• Grades 4th-5th Grade: 750+ minutes

Booked Pop Up!

Get your kids excited about reading! Booked, Evanston will be hosting a pop-up on the Sports Court today after school. 10% off the earnings go back to Orrington!

Send your child in with any loose change - the money raised will be used to "adopt" a bald eagle.

The Community Day on March 21st will revolve around learning about bald eagles.

If you are interested in volunteering for a Community Day, sign up HERE.

Check out pictures of last week's creations from Community Day below! The students had a blast learning about influential Black figures and working on a door decoration.

Help us get ready for Culturefest!

In an effort to engage students and build up some excitement around this year's Culturefest, we are coordinating a school-wide art project! The students will be creating a welcome sign to hang at this year's Culturefest. We can really use some grown-up volunteers to help this effort run smoothly.

This will take place on Thursday, March 7th between 9:25-11:05 and 1:10-3:25. Sign-up Here.

Registration has already begun and ends MARCH 11!

D65 4th & 5th Grade SOCCER, TRACK & FIELD, & TENNIS

• Season: April 1st - May 18th, 2024
• Register via https://eventlink.com
• Registration closes March 11th
• Practices will begin the week of April 1st
  
  
• 4th & 5th Grade SOCCER:
  • Practices at Orrington
  • The first games will be Saturday, April 13th - locations are TBD
  • Games will take place in the afternoon and will be 20 mins per half, two halves per game.
    
    
• 4th & 5th Grade TRACK AND FIELD:
  • Practices at Orrington
  • Students will participate in at least 1 track meet and the first meet will take place in Mid May (location/date/time TBD).
    
    
• 4th & 5th Grade TENNIS:
  • If weather is good, practice will take place at TBD Evanston Parks. Bussing will be offered if necessary. In bad weather, practice will take place at Orrington.
  • Matches will take place from 9am-2pm at Robert Crown Park on Saturdays, starting 4/13/24
    
    
• REGISTRATION DETAILS:
• Although you will see many sport options, please choose only the spring sports (soccer, track and field, or tennis) and register your child for one sport only
• Need to Create an account?
  • Go to https://eventlink.com
  • Click on - Create an account
  • Search for your school by name and add it to my subscriptions.
  • Add contacts and complete registration.
  • Once your account is active, you can register for your child’s desired spring sport
• Already have an Eventlink account?
  • Log in to your account at https://eventlink.com
  • At the top of the page, hover over the “Registration” Tab
  • Click “Available items”
• Please fill out all the information that is asked, including your child's student ID number. (Email registrationinfo@district65.net if you need help locating your student ID #)

• COACHING
  • D65 sports cannot be possible without amazing coaches. We are hiring coaches and accepting volunteers for the spring season. If you are interested in coaching or volunteering please apply here - go to "Extracurricular" and click on "Elementary School Coach"
    
    
• QUESTIONS?
  • Contact or District Athletic Director Olivene Garriques at Garriqueso@district65.net

Thursday, March 21⋅5:30 – 6:30pm

https://district65.zoom.us/j/7519257079?pwd=bnNNSnlVTnd3eW1rWkkvN0gxaWtrUT09&omn=88200094631

Join us for an exclusive event tailored for parents of Incoming 6th graders with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Our Incoming 6th Graders Parents Night is designed to provide invaluable insights into the middle school experience, including options for additional support and strategies for success. Led by our Coordinator of Individualized Education Services and IEP Team Leads, this presentation will cover the structure of middle school, address your questions, and share expert tips. Don't miss out on this opportunity to ensure a smooth transition for your child. Register now using the provided form and ask your questions ahead of time.

The third annual District 65 PTA One Fund Native Plant Sale is live! Select from a wide variety of native plants, shrubs and trees and order by Tuesday, February 27. Proceeds from this district-wide plant sale helps fund every District 65 school via the PTA Equity Project's One Fund Initiative.

Pre-order pick-up will be held on Saturday, May 11 from 10am to 1pm in the Chute Middle School courtyard (1400 Oakton St., Evanston). A limited number of plants, shrubs, and trees will also be available for sale.

To view the items available and make a purchase, please visit https://go.rallyup.com/district65plantsale2024. Donations to plant wildflowers and trees on D65 school grounds are also accepted.

Volunteers needed! Please sign up here: https://bit.ly/D65plantsalevolunteer if you are able to help with setup on Thursday, May 9 or Friday, May 10, or assist at the sale on Saturday, May 11. Your help is greatly appreciated.

March 10, 2024
Beardsley Gym, ETHS

Play in the 18th Annual Justin Wynn Leadership Academy 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament! There are both co-ed and girls' tournaments for kids in 3rd-8th grades.

Co-ed Tournaments:

3rd/4th grades: 10am start (9:15-9:45am check-in)

5th/6th grades: 1pm start (12:00-12:45pm check-in)

7th/8th grades: 1pm start (12:00-12:45pm check-in)

Girls Tournaments:

3rd/4th/5th grades: 10am start (9:15-9:45am check-in)

6th/7th/8th grades: 10am start (9:15-9:45am check-in)

Register a team of 3 or 4 players. Each player will get a tournament t-shirt.

REGISTER HERE.

$20 per player. Need-based scholarships are available. Contact carrie@wynners.org to request a scholarship.

Proceeds from the 2024 tournament will support the Justin Wynn Leadership Academy and The Night Ministry.

Join Max/Belonging Education for an engaging and insightful online event where Neuroaffirming Special Education Coach/Advocate Destiny Huff, MS, LPC, CPCS will share valuable knowledge and practical strategies with parents and caregivers. This event is designed to empower and support families with children with special needs or those eager to learn more about understanding their children's profiles. (All are welcome!)

During this interactive session, Destiny will delve into various topics related to special education, offering guidance on navigating the education system, advocating for your child's needs, and fostering a neuroaffirming environment at home and in the community. Attendees will get a brief overview of IDEA, an introduction to FAPE, Parental Consent, and Timelines.

Take advantage of this opportunity to learn from and with Destiny Huff alongside other parents and caregivers.

Please mark your calendars for Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 7:00 PM (Central Standard Time), and join us online for this transformative event!

Check out information and register HERE.

Have Dreams' next Parent/Caregiver Support Group will take place on Wednesday, March 13th from 12pm to 12:45pm via Zoom. Please click the link in the attached flyer to sign up for this FREE group! We will share the Zoom link with those who have registered closer to the time of the session.

See the flyer attached below!

The Orrington Cultural Arts Festival is Saturday, March 16, 2024, from 1-3 pm! Please join us to celebrate the many cultural identities that make up Orrington's community. Everyone is welcome! Families are invited to share a craft, activity, food, or anything else that highlights their cultural identity.

Want to participate and showcase your own family's cultural heritage? Fill out this form or reach out to Liz Adames (lizfey@gmail.com).

https://forms.gle/bsLoLF7AnMk8NdMW6

We also need general volunteers to make the day a success. If you are able to help out, please sign up here.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0E4FAFAB2FA3FD0-47813466-orrington

Check out the flyer below on information about Haven Academy for rising 6th graders!

Application (Priority application window is February 8th-25th)

Join Kevin Bohn (former ETHS volleyball coach & Willard PE teacher) at an outdoor volleyball camp for all future Haven volleyball players. This camp is expanding outside only Willard athletes, to create an opportunity for students to learn volleyball and connect with future teammates. All D65 students are welcome to attend. The camp is run by Kevin Bohn, ETHS coaches, and ETHS varsity volleyball players.

Who: Rising 4th-6th graders

When: June 10th-14th (3:00-4:30)

Where: Bent Park

What: Volleyball Camp ($25 per day) *Scholarships available*

Interested in signing up/Questions - Contact Kevin Bohn (bohnk@district65.net)

The window for the 5 Essentials is now open for families and caregivers. We are aiming for at least 80% response rate from our community - your honest feedback helps us continue to grow as a school.

Link to survey: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/

Opened Jan. 30, 2024 and closes March 29, 2024.

Reach out to us if you have any questions or you need assistance. We also invite you to stop by main entrance during conferences to take the 5 Essentials while you are Orrington!

Host a GFO to Fundraise for Orrington!

We are now collecting ideas for Gatherings for Orrington!!

What are Gatherings for Orrington?

A Gathering for Orrington is part fundraiser, part community-building.

GFOs are events of many kinds! Where hosts sponsor an event for Orrington families, students or caregivers, with all ticket revenues going directly to the PTA as a fundraiser. Those funds can be then used for student-teacher support, equity-focused or other community-building efforts, literacy efforts, like book- nook and so much more. Read more about GFOs.

What Kind of Events?

GFOs can be:

Service Projects: Like picking up trash at Lighthouse Beach

Games & Fun: Like an adult Kickball game or Poker night

Lessons & Workshops: Like a Cooking Class or Cookie Decorating party

Dinners & Tastings: Like a Wine or Beer Tasting or Pizza Party and Backyard movie

Sports & Fitness: Like a Paddle Party or Pickleball tournament

Other: The possibilities are endless! Be creative.

How do I sign up to host a GFO?

Fill out this form and we will contact you to schedule your event!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfsWtakWtpSy9aLQiwGeMHWYf6cQGei_61Vs1DqZv7lLgmJww/viewform

You can read more about GFOs Here:

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1JDnYD6vWhE58AoP6fC6Ir4igYYN0OSpXsPu2wrO_CnM/mobilepresent?slide=id.p

If you have questions please contact:

Kristi.Raftery@gmail.com or sachakrasney@gmail.com