Parent Update

There are many things to like about our preK-8th grade school setup. We see opportunities for buddying across grade levels, multi-grade learning, and the chance to see students grow from 3 to 14. One of the great moments is to see the excitement students have to share their work and their progress. This week was our showcase experience. Staff and students came out and provided us with samples of their accomplishments from preschool to middle school. Whether it was the 3rd grade wax museum, the art on the walls, or the constructions from kindergarten, students were proud to share their work and their experiences with family and friends. During the week, students from primary came down to visit the 7th grade Cardboard Arcade. Games designed and built by out 7th grade students. I had the opportunity to join them on Tuesday when the first second graders arrived and there was such joy in middle schoolers to see the little ones engage in games that they had built. This experience was so cool and so uniquely Winfield.

Thank you to all of the students, staff, and families that participated in Sunday's Tiger Run. It was a lot of fun to see so many kids with their families sharing this experience together. A big thank you to our PTO, WEF, and committee leaders that made this a terrific event.

We are looking for a middle school Co-ed Soccer Coach for the upcoming Fall season. Practice begins in August, generally around August 23rd, with games occurring in September and October. If you are interested or know someone who may be interested, please have them reach out to me at mrich@winfield34.org

The Winfield 34 Board of Education held their monthly meeting on Thursday, April 30th. The Board recognized Mara Amigon, Michael Ettorre, and Hollie Willix as students of the month. The Board briefly reviewed a variety of awards and the processes behind them including the Odell/Showalter Award, Board Award, and the creation of a new Distinguished Alumni Award. Megan Ryder presented the 7th Grade Cardboard Arcade and the student work behind the scenes to bring this to life. Matt Wdowiarz presented the idea, which the board approved of, renaming the 8th grade Band/Music Award to honor Mr. Bob Siiemienkowicz and the contributions he made to build our music and band programs. The Board discussed and approved their 2026-27 meeting calendar. Additionally the Board reviewed the proposed new facilities development by SASED and proposed changes to the Articles of Agreement to make this work possible.The Board accepted resignations from Antoine Blake effective immediately and Flavia Farinha effective at the end of the school year. The Board approved the 10 year Health Life Safety assessment proposal from FGM, the hiring of summer maintenance staff and summer instructional staff, and stipend coaching/activity sponsor positions for the 26-27 school year. The board approved a revised school calendar that makes adjustments to the days prior to Spring Break for next year so that Good Friday is a non-attendance day. A revised version of this will be sent out next week. The Board also approved the replacement of network switches, access points, and wireless controllers. Finally the Board heard the first reading of revised Board policies. Here is the video from the meeting.

Winfield Park District Registration Form for Before School Care program and After School Care Program for next school year 2026 - 2027. Limited Spots available. Follow the links for more information.

We continue to work on reaching out to our community to help identify students for our preschool program. This is a terrific opportunity for students 3-5 years old to learn in a highly engaging and supportive environment. Our next Preschool Screening is scheduled for Tuesday, May 5, 2026 in our Primary Building. Please reach out to Mrs. Hernandez (nhernadez@winfield34.org or 630-909-4901) with questions or to schedule an appointment. Here is information on the screening and on our preschool program.

We are proud to partner with the Winfield Public Library, Winfield Friends of the Library, the State of Illinois and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library to bring this program to help all children in Illinois get a free book a month between ages 0 and 5. It is a terrific way to encourage reading and literacy for all of our community. Here is the link to sign up. We encourage all children ages 0-5 to participate.

Tiger Run is this Sunday, 5/3!

Event start times for race day (Sunday, May 3rd) & important information:

• Race begins and ends at Lions Park (27W626 Beecher Ave., Winfield)

• Registration opens at 7:15 a.m. (if you already have your race bib, you do not need to check in).

• Kids Dash: 8:15 a.m.

• 5K & 1-Mile Run/Walk: 8:30 a.m.

• No parking is available at Lions Park during the race. The Winfield Primary School parking lot off Winfield Rd. and behind Winfield Central School are good places to park. We ask that you do not park anywhere along the race route, for the safety of our Tiger Run participants

• No pets, bikes or scooters are allowed on the course during the race

• Wear a space-themed costume for a chance to win a raffle prize

You can still register up to the day of the event: https://raceroster.com/events/2026/115390/winfields-tiger-run

For any students who are pledging: At least $25 must be raised by Sunday, May 3rd. Pledges can be raised on the RaceRoster website, or check/offline donations (checks made out to Winfield Education Foundation) can be turned in.

Cash Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 pledge earners: 1st: $100, 2nd: $75, 3rd: $50. Winners will be announced on Sunday. As of Thursday morning, here are the pledge leaders:

Jonathan Z: $359.92, Jacqueline Z: $359.06, Matthew O: 184.55, Everett H: 135.68, Thomas C: 127.48.

Did you know?? Our WEF & PTO fundraising efforts go beyond supporting big projects like the preschool playground—they also help enrich the everyday experiences of our students and staff. Funds raised throughout the year make it possible to provide engaging assemblies, teacher grants for classroom items not covered by the school’s budget, community-building social events and more! Thank you for your continued support!

Staff Appreciation Week is NEXT WEEK (May 4-8)!

This celebration simply wouldn’t be possible without the generosity of our school families. Whether it’s a handwritten note, a favorite snack, breakfast item or a donated prize, every contribution helps us recognize and thank our dedicated staff for all they do. Thank you for helping us make this week one to remember!

• Write letters of appreciation to staff: Send a note to one or more staff members thanking them for their efforts - these are compiled and given to staff in a special way. These notes are greatly appreciated and can lift spirits on difficult days! See the staff list here and drop off your letters to Karen Sabados (0S770 Garfield St.) by Wednesday, 5/6. We’ll also have some card-making supplies and a collection box available at the Tiger Run!

• Donate to Staff Raffle: Each day, a few staff members are selected at random to choose from a spread of items and gift cards. Each staff member is selected by the end of the week--we are looking to collect around 50 more raffle prizes! We are accepting donations of small gifts around $10-15 to donate to the raffle. Some ideas include: gift cards, flower planters/baskets, trinkets/gadgets, electronic accessories, etc. Donations can be dropped off to Kelly Kurzer(0S708 Garfield Street) by Sunday 5/3. There will be a box on the porch. Feel free to text or email Kelly if you have any questions (630-337-2226 / winfieldpto@winfield34.org).

• Don’t have time to shop but want to contribute? Send a donation to the PTO and we’ll do the shopping for you! Zelle: winfieldpto@winfield34.org. Please put “staff appreciation” in the memo.

• Staff Appreciation Breakfast: We will be treating the staff to a breakfast on Monday, May 4th. Please sign up here to donate items: Staff Appreciation Breakfast Donation Signup. See drop-off details in the signup link.

• Snack Cart: We will be bringing a cart of snacks and drinks around to all the staff on Wednesday, May 6th. Please sign up here to donate: Snack Cart Donation Signup. See drop-off details in the signup link.

Family Fun Night - Kane County Cougars Game on Friday, May 29th at 6:30 p.m.

Winfield School PTO is hosting a Family Fun outing at the Cougars game on Friday, May 29th at 6:30 pm. We will be getting "Seats and Eats" tickets. Each ticket will cost $22 and includes your boxed seat and $10 in Ozzie Cash to use at the concession stands. You can also purchase a general parking pass for $7 (a discount from what you would pay on game day).

This game day features a Santa’s Village ticket giveaway (while supplies last), a performance by Tyler’s Amazing Balancing Act and fireworks after the game! Order tickets by TODAY (May 1st) so we can secure our section: Kane County Cougars Ticket Order Form. Contact Angie Adams with any questions (ang1404@yahoo.com or 630-253-6994)

Field Day:

Students can look forward to an afternoon filled with exciting activities, friendly competition, and plenty of laughs. To help make the day a success, we’re looking for parent volunteers to lend a hand!

Kindergarten through 5th grade Field Day will take place on Wednesday, May 27th (Thursday, May 28th rain backup date). Sign up here to help: Field Day Volunteer Sign Up: Kindergarten-5th Grade

Middle School (6th-8th grade) Field Day will take place on Wednesday, May 20th. Sign up here to help: Field Day Volunteer Sign Up: Middle School (6th-8th Grade)

8th Grade Graduation:

Eighth grade parents–Please be on the lookout for an email coming soon with more details on the 8th grade graduation party. Email Elizabeth if you have any questions: elizabeth.eventplanner@yahoo.com

Join us for our last PTO/WEF meeting of the school year on Wednesday, May 6th at 7 p.m. in the Winfield Central School Commons. Everyone is welcome to join! If you’ve been thinking about getting more involved next year, we’d love to hear from you--email us at winfieldpto@winfield34.orgor come see us at the meeting! There are many ways to participate, and we’re happy to help find an opportunity that fits your interests, schedule, and comfort level. We hope to see you there! Here is what was discussed at last month’s meeting: PTO/WEF Meeting Minutes-April 2026

The GPS Parent Series hosts a variety of Parent Education Events. Here is an overview of their parent learning opportunities for the year. Events coming soon include:

Catherine Price The Amazing Generation: Breaking Up with Screens and Unlocking Kids’ Potential in a Tech-Filled Environment (May 5, 12pm and 7pm) Please click here for more information.

Deborah Farmer Kris and Tracy Patton EARLY CHILDHOOD - Awe-Seeking and Mess-Making: The Science of Wonder and Sensory Play to Help Kids Thrive (May 6, 12pm and 7pm) Please click here for more information.