Hubbard Woods Family Newsletter

As the principal of Hubbard Woods, my absolute favorite part of my day is spending time in classrooms with students, teachers, and support staff while learning is happening. It is in these moments that I get to see learning come alive and feel the joy that comes when students and educators are fully engaged in meaningful work together.

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit Mrs. Amaral’s second grade classroom, where the room was buzzing with curiosity as students stepped into the role of bug experts. As part of their study, Bugs in Their Ecosystems, each child chose a bug to research and explored important questions such as how their bug interacts with other members of its species and why those interactions matter for survival. Through choice and inquiry, students were clearly taking ownership of their learning and engaging in meaningful and hands on research.

Students were deeply involved in reading closely, thinking, and writing as they worked to make sense of new information that they were learning. One of the highlights was watching and listening as students took risks by sharing their closing sentences with the class and receiving thoughtful feedback from their teacher.

Moments like these remind me why I love this work. Learning is not just about content. It is about curiosity, connection, and joy. It is also about students growing as effective communicators, learning how to collaborate with others, and developing a strong appetite for being lifelong learners, and all of this was on full display in this second grade classroom.

Another of my favorite moments is the feeling of coming together in unity as one school community and engaging in learning side by side. This past week, we had a wonderful opportunity, thanks to the Coad family, to learn about Australia through our World Travelers program. Students and staff gathered to learn about Australian culture, geography, traditions, and daily life, sparking curiosity, meaningful questions, and genuine excitement across grade levels. Experiences like this bring learning to life in a way that is experiential, inclusive, and deeply connected to our progressive values. They remind us of the power of shared learning and the joy that comes from building understanding together as a school community.

As part of our ongoing K–8 math curricular review, we invite you to share your input on the home support resources provided by the Fall 2025 pilot programs. Your feedback will help the Math Leadership Team understand how each tool supports families and which are most useful at home.

Please take a few minutes to complete the brief survey linked below. Your perspective is greatly appreciated. This survey will remain open until January 7.

Survey Link

Differentiation: What is it and how can I tell if my child is having a differentiated experience?

January 21 at 9:30 AM

Location: Washburne RC

Join this session led by the Dept of Innovation, Teaching and Learning to learn a bit about what differentiated instruction is, the conditions needed in order to implement, and what it looks like in action in District 36 classrooms.

RSVP Link

Feedback Link

January 21 at 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Incoming Kindergarten Family Information Night (Winnetka Administration)

Location: Greeley School

RSVP Link

Following the event a link will be provided to the taped presentation on the website.

Feedback Link

This informational session is intended for Winnetka parents of incoming kindergarten students who will be attending The Winnetka Public Schools. Parents will learn more about the kindergarten experience. Families will receive a preview of:

• The transition-to-Kindergarten process by Crow Island, Greeley and Hubbard Woods Principals,

• Highlights of a typical kindergarten day in The Winnetka Public Schools

We look forward to meeting new families at this event!

A friendly reminder to please review the traffic flow map to support safe and efficient arrival and dismissal. Thank you for continuing to be mindful of our neighbors by not using or blocking their driveways during drop-off and pick-up times. Additionally, please pay close attention to the posted signage around the school, as there are designated areas for no parking, standing, or stopping. These guidelines help ensure that our crosswalks remain clear and safe for students and families.

Thank you for your continued partnership in keeping our children safe and maintaining positive relationships within our community.

In March 2021 the District began providing state-mandated sexual abuse prevention education for all students in compliance with Erin’s Law. Erin’s Law is prevention-based, bringing sexual abuse education into public schools using age appropriate curriculum. Thanks to Erin’s Law, children are being taught to recognize abuse and learning what to do if they need assistance. Erin’s Law requires all public schools to provide education on sexual abuse prevention for all students, early childhood through 12th grade, annually. This law also requires educators to take part in training classes that cover sexual abuse and how to recognize warning signs.

The Erin’s Law curriculum will be taught in your child’s regular classroom or advisory by a school social worker and/or their classroom/advisory teacher. Elementary students will take part in three to four lessons, each lasting 20–30 minutes, over the course of a few weeks starting in January. All materials and activities are developmentally appropriate for each grade level. Middle School students will participate in one lesson taught by their advisor and/or social worker in March. For more information about the curriculum, please visit the District website.

We understand this can be a sensitive topic for some families and we have resources for you, as parents/guardians, to learn more about this program.

Our elementary school social workers will be holding open office hours on Wednesday, December 17, 2025 from 10-10:30am. The meeting link can be found here; Meeting ID: 819 7168 4256/Passcode: 655079. You may also reach out individually to your school’s social worker if you have specific questions about the program.

Parents have the option to opt their children out of the program as they deem appropriate. The opt-out form must be completed and returned to the building principal by January 9, 2026. Please feel free to contact Dana Ruecker, Assistant Director of Student Services, Equity, and Inclusion, with additional questions or concerns about Erin’s Law.

• Tuesday, December 16th - School Board Meeting at 7:15pm at Washburne
• Wednesday, December 17th - Winter Sing - Please plan to attend based upon your child's last name as follows:
• A - G: 10:30 AM
• H - M: 1:00 PM
• N - Z: 9:00 AM
• 12/20-01/04 Winter Break (No School)
• Monday, January 5th - School Resumes