Carleton Washburne
Monday Memo - April 21, 2025
Washburne Families,
We hope everyone was able to enjoy the long weekend and some of the beautiful sunshine mixed in with a few April showers. It certainly is nice to see the green grass and buds on the trees again.
Take Care and Be Well,
Andrew Fenton & Ben Horwitz
Carleton Washburne Principal & Assistant Principal
8th Grade Graduation Information Packet
Reminder to 8th grade families that Graduation is Thursday, June 12th @ 7:00pm.
The complete 8th grade graduation packet can be found HERE.
Save the Date: 7th Grade Springfield Trip
Attention 7th Grade Parents: On Thursday, June 5th, Washburne 7th graders will be taking a field trip to Springfield. As the culmination of our Civil War unit, we will be visiting Lincoln's New Salem, the Illinois State Capitol, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum, and the Lincoln Tomb. We will depart at 7:00 AM sharp that day and return by 10:00 PM.
More information to come. -- Washburne Social Studies Department
What’s Happening in Related Studies
In this section we will be shining the spotlight on our Related Studies program and all the wonderful opportunities available to our Washburne students.
¿Qué pasa en la clase de español?
7th Grade students have been actively engaged in developing their ability to describe their homes and daily routines in Spanish. As part of this unit, students will refine their interpersonal communication skills by practicing how to ask and respond to questions about one another’s daily activities. Additionally, each Monday, students are able to work on their reading comprehension skills through the novel Pobre Ana.
8th Grade students have been focused on developing their ability to discuss food and dining experiences in Spanish. By the conclusion of this unit, students will be able to effectively communicate using common restaurant phrases. The overarching goal is for students to apply this vocabulary and language structure in both conversational settings and real-world contexts, such as within their community or while traveling.
Important Upcoming Events
- Tuesday, April 22nd: School Board Meeting @ 7:15pm
- Friday, April 25th: 1/2 Day Student Attendance (11:50am Dismissal) Institute Day
- Monday, May 5th: Incoming 6th Grade Parents "Welcome to Washburne" Informational Meeting @ 6:30pm
District News
You’re Invited to the Winnetka Public Schools Foundation Carlson Event
Thursday, April 24th
Open House from 4:30 – 6:00 PM
Location: The Skokie School
Join WPSF to celebrate their 30th Birthday Bash at their annual event! This free, family-friendly, open house will highlight grants from the year - 30 for 30 – (new micro grants), grants in action from last year and beyond, as well as announcing the newly approved grants! Enjoy live music from our students and a Homer's ice cream bar!
Please register by clicking here.
Winnetka Parents Institute Event
Kindergarten-2nd Grade Literacy: Connecting our Teaching and Learning to Progressive Education
May 14, 2024
9:30 A.M.
Location: Skokie Community Room
Families are invited to a session highlighting literacy instruction in The Winnetka Public Schools. Dr. Becky Mathison, Assistant Superintendent for Innovation, Teaching & Learning, and District educators will lead a discussion on the literacy research and neuroscience that underpins the foundational skills and knowledge-building approach to acquiring basic literacy. Together, we will explore how early childhood literacy efforts in The Winnetka Public Schools align with current best practices, as well as the Tenets of Progressive Education:Whole Child Approach, Experiential and Meaningful Learning, and Collaborative Community. Parents will leave with a greater understanding of what to expect in Kindergarten through 2nd grade, as well as how to best support their budding readers at home.
Interested:
Recruiting Pets for Animal Care
ATTENTION all rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, reptiles, birds and other small animals! Winnetka's Adventures in Learning/Animal Care Class is back and looking for animals to get some love and attention from our teachers and students. If (you or) your child's small animal is due for a brief break this summer, please email Anna at animal.care.adventures@gmail.com. We can also attempt to arrange adoptions if it is time to pass your pet on to another loving family.
Winnetka Voices Podcast
Season 3, Episode #9:
“Gen Alpha Spills the Tea on Middle School”
Dr. Kelly Tess, Superintendent, interviews The Skokie School students Andrew, Anya, and Sawyer about the middle school experience in 2025. This candid conversation ranges from what students wish adults understood about today's tweens, strategies to manage busy schedules and homework, how personal technology impacts communication (i.e. it is apparently no longer socially acceptable to ring a friend's doorbell to see if they are available to play), what it really means to be a well-rounded student, and reflections on how the adults in their lives best support them. As Sawyer shares, “In this generation, this is not really what kids do: kicking a tire, throwing a rock or playing hopscotch in the street.” Don’t miss this special episode!
Listen here: