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Hello Willard Families! 💙

What an incredible Friday night! A huge thank you to everyone who came out for the African Diaspora Event — it was such a wonderful evening filled with music, history, and amazing food. We loved celebrating together and sharing in the richness of the African Diaspora with our school community!

As we continue honoring Black History Month, here's a piece of history to carry with you: Did you know that Carter G. Woodson, known as the "Father of Black History," created Negro History Week in 1926 — choosing the second week of February to coincide with the birthdays of both Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln? That one week eventually grew into the full month-long celebration we know today!

Earlier in the week, students attended the Peace Pep Rally, where some of our very own participated in the Willard Peace Quiz Bowl — and it was a blast! We are so proud of our students for showing up and showing out!

IMPORTANT REMINDER: All families must make their school selection choice by March 1st! Please log into PowerSchool and complete one of the following:

1. Accept the placement that was offered
2. Submit a permissive transfer request
3. Select a return to your home school

When you log in, navigate to "Forms" and confirm that you see a green check mark that says Submitted — this ensures your selection has gone through!

We hope everyone had a wonderful weekend, and we look forward to seeing you tomorrow! As always, if you have any questions or wonderings, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Best,

AP Ernvall

Big things are happening! In this section of the Newsletter, you'll find everything you need to know about the New Foster School. Whether you're still exploring your options or you've already decided that Foster is the place for your scholar this fall — this is your go-to spot for the latest updates, helpful links, and shared presentations. Don't miss it!

A Day in the Life Overview Board Meeting, November 3, 2025

A Day in the Life Overview Parent Meeting, February 4, 2026

Un día típico en la vida Reunión de Padres, el 4 de febrero, 2026

📣 ¡Familias de Willard, están invitadas!

Los invitamos a una sesión de escucha en la escuela Willard el martes 24 de febrero de 6:00 a 7:00 p.m. Esta reunión se llevará a cabo completamente en español para ofrecer un espacio cómodo y accesible donde puedan compartir sus preguntas, ideas y aspiraciones mientras se preparan para comenzar en Foster.

La directora Berkel está deseando conocerlos y escuchar directamente de ustedes. Su voz es importante y sus perspectivas nos ayudan a servir mejor a nuestra comunidad escolar.

¡Esperamos verlos allí!

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📣 Willard families, you're invited!

Join us for a listening session at Willard on Tuesday, February 24 from 6:00–7:00 PM. This meeting will be held entirely in Spanish to provide a comfortable and accessible space for you to share your questions, ideas, and aspirations as you prepare to start new at Foster.

Principal Berkel is looking forward to meeting with Willard TWI families and hearing directly from you. Your voice matters, and your perspectives help us better serve our school community.

We hope to see you there!

Hey families! Just a heads up — Art Club is this Wednesday!

And guess what? Spring sign-ups are here! If your kiddo wants in, get those permission slips turned in by Friday, Feb 27th. We're giving priority to new faces this round, so if your child has been wanting to try it out, now's the time!

We'll let kids know through their homeroom teachers if they're in by March 6th.

Go ahead and save these dates:

March: 11, 18, 25

April: 8, 15, 22, 29

May: 13, 20, 27

It's going to be a great session — don't miss out! 🖌️

As we continue to prioritize the safety of our students and families, we wanted to share a friendly reminder about our drop-off and pick-up procedures.

You may have noticed an increased presence of Evanston Police officers in and around Willard lately. We are grateful for their support in helping keep our school community safe as students travel to and from school each day. In that same spirit, we want to encourage all of our families to honor and respect the rules of the road during school hours.

Here's what to know and remember:

One-Way Streets — Central Park Ave and Hurd Ave become one-way during these times:

• Morning: 8:30 – 9:30 AM
• Afternoon: 3:00 – 4:00 PM

Please follow the direction arrows on the attached map.

Stop Signs & Crossings — Two new stop signs have been added near Willard (see photos below). Always come to a complete stop, whether or not a crossing guard is present. Watch for pedestrians, especially our youngest learners.

Quick Reminders: Don't block driveways, hydrants, or intersections. Please honor the One-Way flow that was designed. Observe school zone speed limits.

Thank you for doing your part to keep Willard safe!

Spring is just around the corner, and it's time to start planning your garden! Browse a beautiful selection of native plants and pre-order yours before Friday, February 27th.

Join us for order pick-up and the in-person sale on Saturday, May 23rd from 10am–1pm in Chute Middle School's courtyard (1400 Oakton St., Evanston). Can't make it that day? No worries — since the sale falls on Memorial Day weekend, late pick-up will be available through Friday, May 30th.

Native plants support pollinators, require less water, and help our local ecosystem thrive. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just getting started, there's something for everyone. Don't miss out — pre-order today!

All families should have received their school placement for the 2026-2027 school year at this point.

Families are asked to log into PowerSchool and do one of three things by March 1st:

1. Accept their school assignment (must accept if this is your choice)
2. Request a Permissive Transfer
3. Request a Return to Home School

Registration for Kindergarten and Rising 6th is OPEN!!

March 1st: All permissive transfer requests MUST be submitted by 11:59 p.m. March 1, 2026, to be considered for the 2026-27 school year.

For More Information: Please see the District Website Link Specifically

Please mark your calendars for the Willard alumni volleyball game:

Thursday, March 26th

4:15-5:15 @ ETHS (Beardsley Gym)

We invite current and future Haven families to join us for our State of Haven Showcase & Family Orientation. This engaging event highlights Haven’s academic programming, student supports, leadership opportunities, and the systems in place to ensure every student thrives. Future Haven families will also gain a meaningful look at daily life and the strong community that defines our school.

Last opportunity to attend this semester:
Tuesday, March 25, 2026
6:30 PM sharp
Haven Middle School

We hope you’ll join us to learn more about the Haven experience and our exciting path forward!

Big news—registration is open and we made it way easier this year!

Everything's moved to the PowerSchool parent portal (finally, no more snapcodes!). Just log in with your parent portal account and you're good to go.

We emailed the how-to info on January 26th. Please knockout your registration as soon as possible— it really helps us get classroom assignments sorted and makes sure everyone's set up for a great year.

Quick heads up on dates:

• Feb 2nd - Lottery applications opened (and yes, we simplified this too!)
• March 1st - Permissive Transfer applications are due

Thanks for getting this done early—it honestly makes our lives so much easier and helps us plan an amazing year for your kiddo! - Principal Latting

Questions? Reach out to: registrationinfo@district65.net

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!

February:

• 23rd: D65 Regular Board Meeting (6:00-8:00pm)
• 24th: Willard New Families Spring Open House Grades 1st-5th

March:

• 1st: Permissive Transfer Submission DEADLINE
• 4th: Ms. Ernvall's Birthday! ;o)
• 4th: School Improvement – Early Dismissal (12:05)
• 8th: Daylight Savings
• 9th: D65 Committee of the Whole Meeting (5:00-7:00pm)
  
• 10th: D65 and YWCA: Navigating Sexuality Conversations at Home (preK-4 focus)