The Avoca West Weekly

Dear Avoca West families,

Happy October! We are looking forward to a great month together and are kicking it off with our PTC Taffy Apple Sale which runs today, October 3rd and next Friday, October 10th. Included in this newsletter is important updates regarding Parent-Teacher Conferences and Building Safety and Security. Also, our new Arrival and Dismissal procedures go into effect on Monday. Students have done a great job practicing these new procedures with their grade levels in order to prepare for the change. Please note, that as this is a change, it may take several days for students, families and staff to adjust. We appreciate your patience, partnership and support. I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Your partner in education,

Margaret Burke

Avoca West Principal

October 3rd - PTC Taffy Apple Sale (before and after school)

October 6th - New Arrival/Dismissal Procedures go into effect (see below)

October 8th - Parent-Teacher Conference Sign-ups open

October 10th - PTC Taffy Apple Sale (before and after school)

October 11th - PTC Fall Fest from 12 - 4 pm (see new information below!)

October 13th - Columbus/Indigenous Peoples' Day (school in session)

October 21st - Picture Retake Day

October 29th - Half Day for Students (Dismissal at 11:45), Parent-Teacher Conferences (3:00 - 7:00pm)

October 30th - Half Day for Students (Dismissal at 11:45), Halloween Celebration, Parent-Teacher Conferences (3:00 - 7:00pm)

October 31st - No School, Teacher Institute Day

Students are expected to be in attendance each day that school is in session unless a parent or guardian notifies the school office. Please notify the front office of student absences by 8:25 am. Parents can report absences by calling the school at (847)724-6800 or completing the online reporting form as soon as the absence is known. Students absent for 3 or more days in a row due to illness, must provide a doctor's note to return to school.

School office hours are from 7:30 am - 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

School Hours: 8:25 am - 3:00 pm

Kindergarten/1st grade lunch: 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

2nd/3rd grade lunch: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

4th/5th grade lunch: 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

Dear Avoca Community,

As part of our ongoing Safety Plan and in alignment with practices in our neighboring districts , we will be adding exterior doorbell and intercom systems to both of our school’s main entrances. These updates will help us ensure a safe environment for our students and staff as all visitors will be identified prior to entering the facilities. Teachers and staff will continue to enter the building using their FOB key access. We believe this important safety measure offers an added level of security for our students, teachers, and employees. Thank you for your continued support as we will continue to improve our school safety procedures.

Sign-ups for our October 29th and 30th Parent-Teacher conferences will be open on October 8th. Parents, please check your email that morning for detailed directions and links. We look forward to discussing your student's learning and growth with you later this month!

Parents, should your child have any injuries that require any wraps or doctor's intervention, please report these to our school nurse. This ensures that all staff are aware of a student's recovery plan and that we are supporting your student's needs. You can find more information in our Parent Handbook. We appreciate your collaboration and support in this important safety procedure.

For the past month, staff has collaborated to observe and analyze Arrival and Dismissal to determine both strengths and areas for growth. Starting Monday, October 6th there will be changes to our Arrival and Dismissal procedures. These changes are being made to increase student safety. We are doing this by increasing supervision of students, creating organized student entry into the building, and limiting entry points. Staff will introduce these new procedures the week prior to the change to support a smooth transition. Please see detailed information regarding the updated procedures below.

**These changes will begin on Monday, October 6th.

Car Drop Off:

• The gate on the blacktop will now be closed and the car drop off will be located on the first half of the black top only.
• Students dropped off by car will go through the small gate to be supervised on the blacktop until the bell rings.
• When the first bell rings at 8:17 am students will line up by grade level and then be escorted into school through Door F at 8:20 am by a homeroom teacher.

Walkers/Bike Riders:

• The front entrances will no longer be utilized for Arrival. Walkers and bike riders should walk to the back blacktop along the side of the building by the playgrounds where they can be supervised until the bell rings.
• When the first bell rings at 8:17 am students will line up by grade level and then be escorted into school through Door F at 8:20 am by a homeroom teacher.

Bus Riders:

• Bus riders will now be supervised while walking to the back blacktop to transition into the building with their peers.
• When the first bell rings at 8:17 am students will line up by grade level and then be escorted into school through Door F at 8:20 am by a homeroom teacher.

On days with inclement weather, students will be allowed to enter the building at 8:15 am.

Please see the diagram below to support your understanding of changes in Arrival and please communicate these changes to any caregivers that support your children's safe transition to school.

**These changes will begin on Monday, October 6th.

Car Pick Up:

• This practice will remain unchanged with the exception that students are expected to line up on the ramp along the wall to increase student safety.

Walkers/Bike Riders:

• All Walkers and Bike Riders will exit out door A. This is to ensure students can safely meet their adult and are not mixed up with Bus riders.

Bus Riders:

• Bus riders will be called to transition to the buses at 2:57 pm to help increase safety and ensure students make it to their bus in a timely manner.
• All bus riders will exit out door I.

Please see the diagram below to support your understanding of changes in Dismissal and please communicate these changes to any caregivers that support your children's safe transition home from school.

From October 1st to November 14th, Avoca West is participating in the Rotary Club of Wilmette and Bernies Book Bank's Big Book Drive. We are accepting donations of gently used books for students in need at Chicagoland schools. We appreciate your collaboration as we support our greater community!

Attached is a list of Avoca West's extracurricular offerings before and after school. Please reach out to the identified staff members if you are interested in this opportunity for your child. You can also find more detailed information for upcoming clubs below.

**This list will be updated throughout the year to provide the most current information for each club.**

All visitors to Avoca West must have a valid state ID or driver’s license. Identification is entered into the Raptor identification system. This process only takes a short time to complete. Once you have clearance, the office staff will provide you with a visitor pass lanyard/badge that you must wear throughout the building. The office will hold your ID until you return to the office and return your lanyard. We appreciate your support as we proceed with this district-mandated safety procedure for the safety of our students.

Avoca West Elementary School follows policies and practices reviewed and implemented by the District 37 Board of Education. Please review the Avoca West Student-Parent Handbook before the start of the school year.

Please take a moment to sign into your Parent Portal to ensure your student contact tab is up to date with the correct phone numbers and email addresses for each child. In addition, please make sure your emergency contacts are up to date and accurate. Each student should have at least one additional adult as an emergency contact.

Avoca West students utilize iPads on a daily basis to support growth and learning. These devices remain at school throughout the year. Families can find Avoca's Acceptable Use Policy for technology linked here.

Mobile devices, such as cell phones, Smart Watches, etc. may be brought to school but they may not be used during the school day. Mobile devices should remain in student backpacks throughout the school day. Students using mobile devices, including smart watches, during the school day will have them confiscated. If a student needs to call home, they may request permission to use the phone in the office. Students may not use their personal devices to call home during the school day.

Please send a change of clothes with your children for all K-5 students. It is helpful to have a change of clothes in the event of spilled water, accidents, or an unexpected incidents. Clothes should be labeled with your child's name and can be kept in your child's locker. We encourage you to make sure your child's name is on each article of clothing.

WHAT Avoca West’s Fall Fest 2025 features games, inflatables, a petting zoo and pony rides, performances by The Sidewalkers, TwistiCiti Bubble Show, food & drink, arts & crafts, pumpkins and more!

WHEN Saturday, October 11th, 12:00 – 4:00 PM. Special 11:30 early opening for families that need a sensory-friendly experience.

WHERE Avoca West Elementary

WHO Students, parents, friends, neighbors and family welcome

WHY To celebrate our community, raise funds for PTC and have fun!

Avoca West’s Fall Fest is in its inaugural year and it’s going to be one wild party!

TICKET INFO

Presale: $25/child, $5/adult - Presale saves you $5 per ticket!

You must be an Avoca PTC member and have the Membership ToolKit in order to purchase tickets. 24/25 school year PTC memberships are valid until 9/30/25 and qualify for presale until 9/30/25. Click here to purchase presale tickets.

Day Of: $30/child, $10/adult

Presale Cut-Off: Thursday, October 9 at 6:00 PM

Kids 2 & Under Free

Middle School and New Trier volunteers will have admission waived.

If you need financial assistance for this event place reach out to your school principal.

Liability Wavers:

Every individual entering Avoca West school grounds the day of the Fall Fest October 11, 2025 must have a signed waiver on file before entering the Fall Fest event. This includes all children, adults, administrators, volunteers, and community members. In order to make sure our events run smoothly we ask that you come with this waiver filed out prior to the event for all of the individuals in your party. There will be waivers at the event but to help keep lines short please fill out before hand.

Liability Waiver Link

Students working the event must still have a parent or guardian fill out the waiver prior to volunteering.

SPONSORSHIP

Contribute to the fun of the Avoca West Fall Fest by sponsoring a ride, game or event, with sponsorship fees directly benefitting Avoca’s PTC. We’re thrilled to offer businesses and Avoca families sponsorship opportunities. In exchange for sponsorship, your family’s or business’s name will appear on signage during the event and community outreach. Please reach out to avocafundraising.com for more information.

Food and Drink

• One bag of popcorn per child ticket

• One cotton candy ticket per child ticket

• Jester’s Food Truck on site for food and drink purchases

• 8th Grade Concession’s on site for food and drink purchases

Performance Schedule

1:00-2:30 The Sidewalkers

3:00-3:30 TwistiCiti Bubble Show

If you want to perform at future events please reach out to avocafundraising@gmail.com

Volunteering

Please consider making this event a success through your service of volunteerism. Click here to sign up to volunteer. If you would like to volunteer as a member of the "Dad Crew" click here.

All students volunteering receive one free entry into the Fall Fest!