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

SAVE THE DATE: Announcing Thursday, April 18 as the date for the 2024 Orrington Talent Show at 6pm. We can't wait to see what this year's talent has in store! Sign-up forms will be sent home in March in Friday folders but its not too soon to think about all your talents! We can't wait to see our students SHINE!

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)

In District 65 we are committed to helping all students reach their full potential and to provide opportunities that accelerate learning. Accelerated learning is available to all students; educators accelerate learning through grade-level differentiation, enrichment, and small group instruction. D65 also offers the possibility of alternate placement - which may grade skipping, single subject skipping or early entrance into grades K or 1st. You can find more information about acceleration HERE.

The window to request an Alternate Placement for the 2024-2025 school year is closing on March 8th. Any requests made after March 8th will not be reviewed until the start of the 2024-2025 school year.

Join us for a family event on February 28th at 5:30pm at Bessie Rhodes to learn about and engage in outdoor place-based learning! Each season brings unique things to notice, wonder, and learn about! All are welcome, including families who engaged in the fall outdoor learning experience. Learn more here.

Yesterday marked the first day of Black History Month. This time in February is a dedicated period to celebrate and honor the achievements, contributions, and rich cultural heritage of African Americans. At Orrington, our staff looks for ways to embed this into the every day learning throughout the year.

Black History Month encourages everyone to reflect on the importance of diversity, inclusion, and understanding, fostering a collective appreciation for the richness of America's cultural tapestry. It is not just a time to remember the past but also a call to recognize ongoing contributions and work towards a more inclusive and equitable future.

From the Center of Racial Justice in Education, I wanted to lift these resources for families in particular:

• African American History Month Resources for Parents – Adlit.org
• Learning More About Black History for Parents and Families – NYC Dept. of Education
• 5 ways to celebrate Black History Month with your family – ChicagoNow.com
• 8 Black History Month Books and Resources for Kids -JusticeJonesie
• Celebrating Black History and Diversity Builds Self-Esteem and Empathy -Too Small to Fail
• African American History For Kids -University of Illinois Extension
• Top 15 children’s books for black history month -Family Education
• How to talk to your child about Black History Month (A script) -Mama Knows it All
• Black Children and Black History: The Importance Of Teaching Our Kids the Complexity Of Us -My Brown Baby

The City of Evanston has multiple events and activities going on this month which can be found HERE.

Some highlights include:

• Feb. 11: Matinee Movie @ Main Celebrating Black History: The Little Mermaid. (2023).
  
• Feb. 20: Teen Snack & Paint
  
• Feb 23: Black Family Game Night
  

Twice a month, Ms. Woelfle and Ms. Yoo work with each grade level while Mr. Seldess works with grade level teams on steps towards Orrington's school goals. The more helping hands, the better as we plan interactive activities. A few of the future activities are as follows -

Feburary - Door decorations for Black History Month

March - Learning about our school's mascot and more

April - Garden planting and community clean-up

If you are available to help, please sign up HERE.

Please note, 5th and 1st grade are in the morning while 4th, 2nd, Kindergarten, and 3rd are in the afternoon.

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