The Highlighter February 2026

• The Vision: Winter 2026 Edition
• Board Highlights
• 2026 Illinois 5Essentials Survey
• Student Achievements
• PTC Announcements
• Community Events
• Wellmette Resources
• Photo of the Month
• February 2026 Diversity Holidays and District Dates

Dear Avoca Families and Community Members,

It is a privilege to share with you the accomplishments our District has achieved this year. As you turn the pages of The Vision, you will see a community moving forward with intention, guided by our mission to inspire curiosity, cultivate academic growth, and nurture diversity in every learner.

At the heart of this work is belonging, our theme for the year and a promise we make to every student. As the author bell hooks writes, “I dreamed about a culture of belonging… that would help us build beloved community.” At Avoca SD 37, we strive for our students to live this dream every day through purpose, connection, and the values embodied in our Portrait of the Graduate.

The recognitions highlighted here reflect more than achievement; they reflect a district shaped by dedicated educators, engaged families, and a shared belief in every learner. Together, we are building a future where every student is free to be their authentic self and carry the dream of belonging forward for generations to come.

Kind regards,

Sandra Arreguín, EdD

Superintendent

The Winter 2026 Vision has officially been mailed out to residents of Avoca township. Please keep an eye out for the newsletter in your mail. In the meantime, a digital copy of the newsletter can be found below as well as on the District website.

The Avoca Board of Education approved the School Year 2026-2027 Calendar during the January 15th Board meeting. The calendar is attached below for your perusal. It can also be found on the District's website under Our District>Calendars>2026-2026 District Calendar At-a-Glance.

Parents or guardians of all school-aged students are eligible to participate in UChicago Impact's 5Essential Parent Survey. Parents may complete the survey once for each child enrolled at a given school. Only one parent response is expected per child.

The deadline to complete this survey is March 13, 2026.

Both the Varsity and JV teams competed at potentially the largest invitational in the country and definitely the most competitive one in Illinois going up against 59 teams in the state of Illinois. The varsity team WON the whole competition and JV beat all other JV teams, and earned a 5th place finish overall.

Art:

• Linna Huang - Drawing - New Jeans Minji - Silver Key
• Ezra Morrow - Drawing - Chimpanzee Contrast - Silver Key
• Liv Morrow - Drawing - Deep Oceans - Honorable Mention

Writing:

• Linna Huang - Short Story - The Weight of Quiet - Gold Key - moving on to Nationals
• Linna Huang - Speculative Fiction - The Star Weaver - Silver Key
• Hosanna Kassa - Poetry - Derealism - Silver Key
• Mila Bialk - Poetry - One Day - Silver Key
• Emily Mosio - Memoir - In My Head - Silver Key
• Ginny Andelin - Flash Fiction - Unseen - Silver Key
• Mogan Lee - Novel - The Autobiography of Bianca Zhang - Honorable Mention
• Nathan Zitzner - Flash Fiction - Tape - Honorable Mention
• Eira Kasbekar - Poetry - Groups - Honorable Mention
• Eira Kasbekar - Poetry - Behind - Honorable Mention

Children of all ages are invited to New Trier High School's Annual Winter Carnival, during which the Winnetka Campus will transform into a carnival ground with activities, prizes, food, and much more.

The event is hosted by members of the New Trier Senior Class and benefits their Senior Class Service project: North Chicago Community Partners.

Wilmette Winter Games

Sunday, February 15, 2026

1 PM - 3 PM

FREE

The Olympics are back this winter, and the Wilmette History Museum is excited to be sharing some of our own history of winter sports. Join us for hot chocolate, winter games, and more!

Rooted in History

Sunday, March 22, 2026

2 PM - 3:30 PM

Do you know where your story began? Join us for a hands-on activity where families and participants can make their own family tree. This is a drop-in event, so feel free to stop by anytime that afternoon!

All of these camps will be co-hosted and run by both Men’s and Women’s soccer.

Wildcat Youth Day Camps
Grades K–8 (*Half-day and full-day options available*)

• June 22–25

• July 20–23

Wildcat Youth Goalkeeper Clinic
Grades 5–8

• July 7

• July 8

• July 9

For full camp details and registration, please visit our camp website: Northwestern Soccer Academy .

The Village of Wilmette Human Relations Commission is sponsoring the 2026 Black History

Month Contest. This contest is a poster, essay/poetry, multimedia/music contest. Submissions

should be based on the theme “A Century of Black History Commemorations,” which seeks to

explore the impact and meaning of Black history and life commemorations in transforming the

status of Black peoples in the modern world.

The contest will run from Monday, January 19, and entries must be submitted by 4:30 pm on

Friday, February 20; winners will receive a gift card, be presented a certificate of recognition at a

Village Board meeting, and have works displayed online and at Village Hall.

Visit wilmette.gov/BlackHistoryMonth for more information.

Students get to enjoy the Scholastic Book Faire at Marie Murphy School.