Staff Newsletter
Week of March 10th
On the Horizon
Willard's 1st Annual Read-A-Thon
Celebrate Reading with Willard's 1st Annual Read-A-Thon! Encourage a love for reading while supporting our PTA!
Event Details
WHAT: Willard's Owlstanding Readers! Read-A-Thon
WHEN: Monday, March 10 – Friday, April 11, 2025
WHERE: Students can read ANYWHERE and EVERYWHERE!
HOW: Students read and ask family or friends to sponsor their reading.
What Teachers Need to Know
- No Extra Work for Teachers! The Read-A-Thon is fully managed by the PTA, so you don’t need to track minutes or handle sponsorships.
- Daily Reading Time in Class: Please dedicate 20 minutes of class time for independent reading each school day. (The PTA will automatically count this time towards each student's total—no tracking required!)
How It’s Organized
The Read-A-Thon will be organized by grade level to ensure fair competition.Classrooms will be redistributed within grade levels to balance participation and make it an equitable event.
Prizes and Rewards
- Every student who participates is a winner!
- The more students that participate, the greater the rewards for their class and the whole school!
Thank you for helping us celebrate reading at Willard Elementary!
Author Visit: Alex Willan
Author and illustrator Alex Willan is visiting Willard for a very special story time and draw-along! He will be here on Tuesday, March 18.
Alex’s newest book is called Mermaids are the Worst!, a super silly picture book about Gilbert the Goblin, whose beachside vacation is ruined by a cast of colorful mermaids and their high-stakes competitive mermaid games. How will he deal with these mermaids interrupting his peaceful bliss?!
Alex’s other books include Unicorns are the Worst!, Dragons are the Worst!, and Yetis are the Worst! He lives in Chicago with his dog, Harley, who is the absolute best.
This visit is presented by Booked, a local independent children’s bookstore on Main Street in Evanston. You can order personalized, signed copies of Alex’s books from Booked at this link: https://www.bookedevanston.com/alexwillan.
Curriculum and Instruction (C & I)
5Essentials Survey Reminders
District 65 will once again participate in the Illinois 5Essentials Survey, which will be open until Monday, March 31st. You should've received an invitation to the survey from UChicago Impact.
For us to receive a 5Essentials report in Illinois, we must meet the minimum response rate thresholds for survey participation:
Teachers: At least 50% of eligible teachers must complete the survey.
The 5Es provides important insight into our school's learning environment, culture, and leadership. Your feedback is valuable and helps guide our work. If you haven't already completed it, they'll be some dedicated 5Es time during our March 6th Staff Meeting!
Math Updates
- Grades 1-5 Diagnostics should be completed by Friday, March 7th
- If you haven't already, please be sure to have your math diagnostic completed ASAP. ILT is currently using the data to update our Trimester 2 milestones.
Trimester 2 Report Cards: Action Required
The second trimester closes on Friday, March 7th. Please see the Report Card timeline below:
- Grading window is open
- Report Cards Due: March 21st
- Principal Review: March 21st - April 2nd
- Report Card Distribution: April 4th
You can review the SY25 Grade Reporting Dates here
IAR Schedule
IAR testing will begin this week! Please see the IAR schedule, as there are slight shifts to the Master Schedule.
Additionally, please help maintain a quiet and focused testing environment by reminding students to use whisper voices and quiet transitions in the hallways.
IES Updates
IES Vacancies
- Bilingual Paraprofessional
- LBS1
- Bilingual Social Worker (Currently onboarding)
Culture and Climate
Pump Up The Volume Newsletter!
Click the link to check out this month’s Culture and Climate Newsletter—we’ve got exciting staff outings and a spirited Student Spirit Week. 💜 Don’t miss out!
Building Bridges: Leading with Love and Joy in Action
District Updates
Educator Grantmaking Opportunities
Foundation 65 supports investing in educators to eradicate racialized disparities and create schools where justice and humanity are experienced by all. We strive to be a grassroots resource for educators to bring their curiosity, creativity, and brilliance in service of our students.
Change Agent Grant- Due March 31, 2025
Grants are typically for $500 - $3000 plus a stipend and educators will receive funding in August, 2025. Educators can apply for grants focused on targeted interventions focused for BIPOC students, programming that fosters dignity and belonging (especially for Black and Latinx students) and/or builds empathy and racial consciousness, and programs that support family engagement to BIPOC families. Reach out to alecia.wartowski@foundation65.org to talk through your grant idea.
https://www.foundation65.org/grantmaking-educator-grants
YMCA Summer Learning Applications are Open
YMCA Summer Learning Applications for Licensed Educators, Instructional Coaches, and Paraprofessionals. Here are the links to apply!
Instructional Coach and Academic Teacher - https://forms.gle/itJs7Gw3nr5xJ5G4A
Teacher Assistant – https://forms.gle/FZvw5ic9V5kJCVQa6
*Applications are due by March 28, but candidates will be reviewed and considered on a rolling basis. Early applications are encouraged.
Questions about this topic? Please contact: Deborah Osher (osherd@district65.net)
Summer Learning Job Opportunities
Staff can begin to apply for summer learning positions for the following programs: Summer Literacy Intensive, Jumpstart, and Newcomers. Postings will be listed in Frontline (Internal postings) no later than Monday, February 3. The YMCA will be sending out additional job postings for both the YMCA Summer Learning and MSX Meta-Media.
Questions about this topic? Please contact: Deborah Osher osherd@district65.net
High Five is Back!
We are so excited to be once again accepting nominations for the High Five! Celebrating Excellence in District 65 Award! Please submit nominations for those colleagues or staff members who are making a difference.
Upcoming Dates
All important dates will be added to the Willard Calendar and shared via a calendar invite.
March:
- 13th: SLT
- 18th: K-2 Author Visit
- 20th: Staff Meeting