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Hello Willard Families!

As we wrap up January together, we want to extend a heartfelt thank you for your patience and support during Friday's first E-Learning Day. Your kind words to our educators are so much appreciated. They are truly are amazing at pivoting on short notice and bringing learning to a new way!

This week brings an exciting launch: One School, One Book! If your family would like additional books for bedtime reading, please don't hesitate to reach out and we would love to send some home!

As this snowy weekend comes to a close and we head into a full week ahead, please remember to bundle up your scholars as they head to school tomorrow. If your students are in need of any winter gear (boots, gloves, hats, snow pants) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let us know so we can support!

See everyone tomorrow!

Best,

AP Ernvall

Welcome to your new Haven hub! This dedicated section will keep you in the loop with newsletters, middle school announcements, and all the fun events coming your way in the months ahead. Looking forward to entering this next leg of the journey with our scholars!

All who are Middle School Bound are invited to the State of Haven Showcase! There are two options for family orientation on January 28th and March 25th. Mark your calendar for the one that works best for you! Yeah NorthStars!

What an INCREDIBLE showdown at the Willard Spelling Bee! Our brilliant scholars brought their A-game and absolutely crushed it with their spelling words!

HUGE congratulations to our champion MINH, who spelled his way to VICTORY in the 16th Round and will proudly represent Willard at the District Spelling Bee! Mark your calendars for February 4, 2026, from 4:30-6:30pm at King Arts to cheer on our spelling superstar!

Standing ovation for Logan (2nd place) and Olivia (3rd place) who showed amazing skill and determination throughout the competition!

And let's give it up for EVERY single participant who took the stage—you all demonstrated courage, talent, and the true Willard spirit! Each one of you made us incredibly proud!

Way to go, Word Warriors! 📚✨

We are excited to share that on Wednesday, Willard is coming together for a special school-wide reading of "Something, Someday" by Amanda Gorman.

This beautiful poetic story reminds us that no matter how big a problem feels, we are never too small to start making a difference. To lead the way, our 4th and 5th-grade students will be heading into classrooms to share the book and facilitate discussions on hope and community action.

The fourth- and fifth-graders also thought it would be a cool idea to have a school-wide display based on the book. So all students will contribute to a massive Rainbow of Hope display in one of the first-floor hallways. Each student will write one small act they can do to improve our school or community on a colorful "ray" of the rainbow. The bulletin board will be up during conferences so that all families can read about our collective hope and action towards a brighter future.

Ideas for how you can participate at home:

• Read other books together with messages or themes around hope and change. Amanda Gorman has another one entitled Change Sings that is a fabulous companion to this story.
• Have a discussion with your child about problems (small or big) that they hope will change. Discuss one small act they can do to facilitate that change.
• On Thursday or Friday, after the all-school read, watch Amanda Gorman read Something, Someday. Discuss the art or the poetic nature of the words. Encourage them to write their own poems or create their own art, inspired by the book.

Thanks for joining us on this school-wide reading event!

Two of Willards amazing educators are running a Parent/Staff Book Club. See the flyer for additional details and information! Please reach out to Ms. Galicia and/or Ms. Collins for additional information!

Sign Up Here!

In Need of Plastic Caps: The fourth graders have been discussing activism and read the book Washed Ashore, which features an organization by the same name that fishes out garbage from the ocean and creates AWESOME sculptures of different ocean animals. As part of this unit, the fourth graders and I will be creating an art display for the library made entirely out of plastic caps. For this, we need to collect bottle caps of all different sizes, colors, and styles. So please save and send in your plastic food caps, plastic medicine caps, plastic bottle caps, and more. Students can bring them to the library, where there will be a collection bin.

THANKS!

Ms. Harries

Just a quick reminder about our indoor/outdoor recess policy. We love getting the kids outside as much as possible, but sometimes weather doesn't cooperate!

We keep recess indoors when:

• There's heavy rain, snow, thunderstorms, or unsafe playground conditions
• The real feel temperature or wind chill drops below 20°F
• The heat index reaches 95°F or higher, or there are air quality concerns

We always prioritize student safety while trying to give them that much-needed fresh air and playtime. Thanks for understanding!

The PTA still has MANY tickets left for the Northwestern Basketball fundraisers! The PTA Council has huge plans for the Native Plant Sale and discounted Cubs Tickets fundraisers to come!

• Men's games ticket sales site: https://www.gofevo.com/group/District6568

• Form to request free tickets: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScRd7t_CwFN2_FXnNA8WklezP38UKOzf3lo-vIobZ_CcEZSsA/viewform

Save the date -- February 4th -- Lou Malnati's Pizzeria is donating 20% of Dine-In, Takeout & Delivery orders to Willard Elementary PTA! Take a night off from cooking and join Principal Battle and I in eating for a great cause. Lou Malnati's Pizzeria accepts Dine-In, Takeout & Delivery orders made online using the promo code GIVEBACK25 or in store/by phone mentioning Willard Elementary PTA. You can RSVP & see all details here: https://grouprai.se/s317830 #groupraise #loumalnatispizzeria #willardelementarypta #savethedate #takeoutforgood

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!

January:

• 26th: D65 Regular Board Meeting (6:00-8:00pm)
• 28th: State of Haven Showcase - Family Orientation (6:30 - 7:30pm)
• 29th: Willard PTA Community Building TownHall (6:15-7:15pm)
• 30th: Deadline for Alternative Placement
• 31st: Northwestern Men's Basketball Game - PTA Fundraiser (7pm)

February:

• 2nd: Science Fair at Willard (6:00-7:30pm)
• 3rd: D65 Caregiver Council for Disability Inclusion meeting (6:30-8:00pm)
• 4th: School Improvement Day - Early Dismissal
  
• 4th: Willard Eat with your Principals to Support at Lou Malnati's Pizzeria
• 4th: Foster School Family Meeting @Fleetwood-Jourdain Center (5:30-7:30pm)
• 5th: African American Youth Achievement Awards ceremony and celebration (6:00-9:00pm)
• 20th: African Diaspora Night at Willard (6:00-7:45pm)