Carleton Washburne

March is here and the added sunshine is a welcome sight. At Washburne, we are heading into the end of the second trimester this week, and students will be starting their trimester three electives next Monday 3/10.

Dusti Bowling, the best-selling author of many middle-grade novels, is here at Washburne today. If you want to know more about Dusti Bowling and her work, check out her website HERE.

This week at Washburne we recognize National SEL Week. The Winnetka Public Schools will join communities across the globe to celebrate the importance of social emotional learning (SEL), by highlighting the theme of belonging. We will be hosting our first Districtwide Spirit Week, featuring engaging activities and events designed to promote SEL throughout our schools. Each day will highlight one of the CASEL core competencies and the RULER tools, emphasizing how SEL plays a vital role in fostering a supportive and inclusive community.

You can also mark your calendars for Wednesday, March 12th at 9:30am, as the Skokie and Washburne principals will be presenting on, “The Developmental Progression of the Middle School Child”. Please RSVP here and join us in the Skokie Community Room.

Take Care and Be Well,

Andrew Fenton & Ben Horwitz

Carleton Washburne Principal & Assistant Principal

In the coming weeks, building social workers will implement state-mandated sexual abuse prevention education during one 20-30 minute session in each classroom. Parents have the option to opt their children out of the program as they deem appropriate, and must do so by March 4th.

For more detailed information about Erin’s Law and curriculum content, or to find the opt-out form, please refer to the Erin’s Law page of the District Website or contact our Washburne social workers; Rachael Hutson, Naira Ejupovic, and Ellie Hotchkiss.

In this section we will be shining the spotlight on our Related Studies program and all the wonderful opportunities available to our Washburne students.

Band students at Washburne have been busy in 2025!

The Washburne Jazz Ensemble gave their first performance of the year at the Annual 5th Grade Premier Concert and it was successful for all students. We are grateful to have such strong role models for our younger musicians.

In the beginning of February, some Band students prepared extra repertoire and represented Carleton Washburne School at the IGSMA (Illinois Grade School Music Association) Solo and Ensemble Festival at Parkland Middle School in McHenry, Illinois. Washburne students in the Washburne Jazz Ensemble performed at the 42nd Annual Frank Mantooth Jazz Festival at New Trier High School and received a special clinic from local musician and educator, Katie Ernst. Congratulations to all of these students!

During the school day, Washburne band students have continued with new music for their next concert on May 8th. Selections for that performance will include "Summit", "Legend of the Lamb", "Procession of the Nobles", and "Defying Gravity" from Wicked. The new music requires students to continue to develop their range, technique, and endurance as they begin to work as sections rather than individuals.

Upcoming Performances:

April 10: D36 Jazz Night with all Jazz Students

May 8: 7th and 8th Grade Spring Band Concert

May 15: Jazz Ensemble performance at Cadet Band Concert

May 23: WJE, Orchestra, and CW Chorus D36 Elementary School Tour

The Washburne 7th/8th grade strings have had a busy winter/early spring!

Back in February, several members of the 5th/6th/7th and 8th grade orchestras participated in the IGSMA (Illinois Grade School Music Association) solo and ensemble contest at Parkland School in McHenry, IL. We're so proud of everyone's accomplishment!

We are preparing for a full spring schedule of concerts/performances! Please make sure you have your calendar marked appropriately!!

Upcoming Performances:

May 6- 5th, 6th, 7th/8th gr. Spring Concert at 7 pm Skokie Auditorium

May 23- Jazz band/Orchestra Tour of the Elementary schools--ALL DAY

June 6- Perform at Washburne School awards assembly--during the school day

June 12- Graduation Orchestra performs at 7 pm Gaffney Auditorium New Trier East Campus

We are looking forward to sharing some exciting music including A River Rhapsody, Fantasy on Simple Gifts, Mother Ginger and a few more surprises!

Happy almost Spring!

Our Dance Marathon Student Steering Committee has been hard at work planning and promoting our annual event benefiting Lurie Children’s Hospital. They have done it all–designing our logo, making promotional videos and posters, talking to the 5th and 6th graders at Skokie School, promoting fundraising, emailing and meeting with administrators, and planning the event! Their ultimate goals are to plan a fun event for all Skokie and Washburne students and to fundraise $50,000. They have been working tirelessly since October, and now they are meeting weekly until the big event on March 14th!

Please watch this short video written, filmed, and edited by two of our 7th grade DM Student Steering Committee members. They will tell you the "why" behind fundraising for Lurie Children's Hospital.

These students are true changemakers, and we are so proud of them!

The Dimension of Belonging being highlighted for March is SUPPORTED. Below is an excerpt from Belonging in School: Creating a Place Where Kids Want to Learn and Teachers Want to Stay--An Illustrated Playbook

Learn more by reading the March edition of the Belonging Means Newsletter.

• Monday, March 3rd: Dusti Bowling Author Visit
• Wednesday, March 5th: Centerstage and Stagecraft Trimester 2 Performance @ 7:30pm
• Friday, March 7th: End of Trimester 2
• Friday, March 14th: Skokie/Washburne Dance Marathon
• Tuesday, March 17th: School Board Meeting @ 7:15pm
• Wednesday, March 18th: District Choral Concert @ 7:00pm (All D36 Choruses)
• Wednesday, March 18th: Trimester 2 Report Cards available Online in Powerschool

Get ready for an exciting Summer 2025 filled with opportunities for growth and learning! We are thrilled to offer a dynamic range of Adventures in Learning (AIL) programs, including Discover, Extended School Year, and Academic Intervention Classes. These programs are designed to provide enriching educational experiences and support for students throughout the summer months.

The Winnetka Public Schools will host summer programs at Greeley and Hubbard Woods Elementary schools from June 23 to July 24, 2025. There will be no class on Friday, July 4. The hours are 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

Registration opens March 3, 2025. Details are here.

We are excited to announce plans to recognize National SEL Week from March 3rd-7th! The Winnetka Public Schools will join communities across the globe to celebrate the importance of social emotional learning (SEL), by highlighting the theme of belonging. We will be hosting our first Districtwide Spirit Week, featuring engaging activities and events designed to promote SEL throughout our schools. Each day will highlight one of the CASEL core competencies and the RULER tools, emphasizing how SEL plays a vital role in fostering a supportive and inclusive community. Together, let’s strengthen our sense of belonging and celebrate the importance of SEL in our district!

The Dimension of Belonging featured in March is “Supported” and monthly observances include Women’s History Month. Learn more by reading the Belonging Means… Newsletter which features contributions from Greeley School and the Department of Innovation, Teaching and Learning.

District 36 has chosen to provide the optional Parent Survey Supplement. This allows parents/guardians to share their perspectives on the important elements of school effectiveness. If at least 20% of parents from your student’s school complete the survey, a parent report will be generated. **Please note that parent survey data will not be included in the State Report Card but will be valuable for school and district improvement planning.

Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement efforts. All responses are completely confidential and will never be linked back to you or your child. To complete the Parent Survey, click here.

The Accelerated Placement Act requires Illinois public school districts to adopt and implement policies on acceleration that provide opportunities for single subject and grade level acceleration. To learn more about District 36’s acceleration policy implementation view this infographic or visit our updated webpage. The request form for accelerated programming in the 2025/26 school year is now open; the request form window is February 24-March 21. If you have questions about the policy, please contact the Asst Supt of Innovation, Teaching and Learning, Dr. Becky Mathison, at beckymathison@winnetka36.org.

The District offers regular sessions for families to learn more about a variety of topics. View the entire 2024/2025 schedule here.

Up Next:

Not Quite Little Kid, Not Quite Teenager: The Developmental Progression of the Middle School Child

March 12, 2025

9:30 AM

The Skokie School Community Room

Join Principal Cooney and Assistant Principal Joynt (The Skokie School) and Principal Fenton and Assistant Principal Horwitz (Carleton Washburne School) for an informational session focusing on the ins and outs of the growing middle school child. We will spend time exploring both the academic and social-emotional needs appropriate to 5th-8th grade children, how they change over that four year span, as well as the neurological changes that contribute to these needs. Parents with current middle schoolers, or soon-to-be middle schoolers, are encouraged to join us for an engaging, encouraging and educational hour together.

Interested:

RSVP here

If you missed it, view videos from past sessions:

• Insights on K-8 Literacy Programming in The Winnetka Public Schools

• What to Know About the Otus Parent Portal

• AI Literacy Lessons for Grades 5-8

• Understanding the IEP and 504 Processes: From Referral to Eligibility and Services (with Ms. Denise Matthews, Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Equity and Inclusion, and Ms. Jackie Schwartz, Director of Student Services, Equity and Inclusion)

• Acceleration Applications Overview with Assistant Superintendent of Innovation, Teaching and Learning Dr. Becky Mathison

• Preschool/Kindergarten Family Information Night (with Winnetka Administration and Sue Stolzer, Early Childhood Assessment Team Lead from TrueNorth)

• From Washburne to New Trier: A D36 Parent's Guide to the New Trier Transition