Crow Island Parent Newsletter

Dear Crow Island Community,

Our 2025 Runathon was a huge success! Thank you to everyone who volunteered or came out to cheer on our students. We had beautiful weather, incredible energy, and so much Crow Island spirit on display. It was a wonderful event that truly reflected the strength of our school community. A big thank you to our PTO and KW teachers, Mr. Sweene and Mr. Wilson, for organizing this fantastic day.

Looking ahead, Picture Retake Day is this week, and we’re all excited for our Crow Island Halloween celebration on October 29th! Please see the details below for more information. We can’t wait to celebrate together.

Finally, I am thrilled to share that our full playground is officially open! The fencing around the pavement area has been removed, and students can now enjoy the basketball court, pickleball courts, running track, four square courts, and baseball diamond. There’s still a bit of snow fencing around the new grass, but that will come down over the next week or so.

Wishing you a wonderful week and a chance to enjoy the beautiful fall weather!

Sincerely,
Anna

October

• Wednesday, October 22 | Picture Retakes
• Wednesday, October 29 | Halloween Parade & Ghost Walk
• Thursday, October 30 | Fall Conferences
• Friday, October 31 | Fall Conferences

November

• Friday, November 7th| Kindergarten Butterfly Migration + Outdoor Performance at 1:30 PM
• Monday, November 24th- Friday, November 28th | Thanksgiving Break- No School

December

• Wednesday, December 3rd | PTO Book Fair (3:30-8:00 PM)
• Thursday, December 4th | PTO Book Fair (8:00-10:00 AM)
• Thursday, December 18th | Winter Sing
• Friday, December 19th | Sack Supper
• Saturday, December 20th | Winter Break Begins

Halloween at Crow Island

We are so excited for our upcoming Halloween Celebration! Please see all of the details below:

Halloween at Crow Island

Wednesday, October 29 2025

• 10am - Halloween Assembly (students and staff only)

• 1pm - Costume Parade and Ghost Walk

• 2pm - Classroom Celebrations with Room Parents and Class Photographer

• No related arts classes today

School-wide Halloween Assembly (10am):

This annual assembly takes place in the morning and is a fun time for staff and students to come together and have some fun. The assembly is for students and staff only.

Costume Parade & Ghost Walk (1:00pm)

The entire Crow Island community of staff, students, and families come together to celebrate Halloween.

• Students will parade out the back door onto the blacktop area, turning left onto Glendale towards Willow Road, turn west on Willow, and then head back towards school at the Crow Statue.

• Parents can line up on the front lawn, Glendale, and along the fence near the blacktop to view the parade.

• After the costume parade:

• Kindergarten will head back into school to participate in their classroom celebrations at 1:20pm.

• Grades 1 - 4

• Parents/Families - Walk from their parade location to the outdoor amphitheater.

• Students - Students will continue to parade through the ghost walk in the Crow Island Woods (near the 1st Grade Playground) and go to the amphitheater.

• Ghost of Crow Island - Families, students, and staff will meet at the amphitheater and work together to call for the ghost of Crow Island.

Classroom Celebrations:

• Kindergarten | 1:20 - 2:10 pm

• 1st Grade through Fourth Grade | 2:00pm -2:30 pm

Room parents/class photographer are invited into classrooms to facilitate class Halloween celebrations. Room parents should plan for the following:

• Craft or game(s) to play students in the room

• No food or candy should be purchased

Costumes Guidance:

Students can bring costumes to school. They will have time to change into costumes before the costume parade and ghost walk. Please follow the guidelines around costumes:

• No fake blood or weapons

• Keep the costumes school friendly (nothing too scary)

• No masks

• Keep in mind students are putting this on by themselves so keep it simple.

Parent Survey: Crossing Guard Locations

The safety and well being of our students and staff is our number one priority. That includes ensuring that our students have safe pathways to school, especially if they choose to walk or ride their bike. The Winnetka Public Schools have received feedback that the current placement of a crossing guard at Willow and Wilson (in the Greeley attendance zone) would be better utilized at Sunset and Green Bay Roads as students make their way to and from school. Given this information, we wanted to solicit your input via this survey as we consider a possible relocation of our crossing guard in that area. Survey participation is voluntary and all responses are anonymous. The survey will close on October 30, 2025.

Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences

Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences are scheduled for October 30 and 31. Information was sent to families on October 3 from noreply@winnetka36.org so please check your inbox for that. Parents Meeting information has also been posted to your PowerSchool Parent Portal Document Library for 24/7 access.

Conference sign-up is open until 10/28 at noon. For any additions/changes past that point, please contact the school’s main office.

If you happen to be signed up for a video conference, please be aware of the following:

• An email will be sent with your schedule and a link to join the video conference

• You will need your Parents Meeting code to log in

• Should parents need to attend from different devices/locations, be sure to invite the other person to the conference

• To invite a guest to a SchoolCloud parents' meeting video appointment, log in, go to My Bookings, and click Invite Parent/Guardian. You will then enter the guest's name and email, consent to sharing information, and select the student(s) for whom the invite is intended before sending the invitation. The guest will receive an email with a link to join the video call.

• Instructions with screenshots

Remote Learning Practice Day

Practice Remote Learning Activity on November 6, 2025:

To ensure our students are prepared for any potential shift to remote learning due to multiple days of inclement weather, we have planned a proactive practice activity. This practice session is an important step in ensuring that our students remain connected and ready for learning should inclement weather occur.

• Date for Device Take-Home: On Thursday, November 6, all students will bring their school-issued iPads home.

• Objective: The goal is for each student to connect their device to their home Wi-Fi network and ensure they have access to the necessary tools and platforms.

• Return of Devices: Please ensure that the devices are returned to school with your child on Friday, November 7.

• Communication: Additional communication and reminders, as well as a form to record any issues your student experiences, will be sent closer to this practice event.

As we approach the winter months, it is important to review our district's inclement weather policy. Our top priority is always the safety of our students and staff. We take a comprehensive and thoughtful approach when faced with weather-related decisions such as heavy snow or extreme cold, and work closely with our township and Village partners to plan accordingly.

Deciding When to Close School:
When determining whether to close schools due to inclement weather, we consider several factors:

• Safety First: The well-being of our students and staff is paramount.

• Travel Conditions: We evaluate the state of area roads and the potential for hazardous conditions that could develop during the day.

• Extreme Cold: During periods of severe cold, we consult weather reports and liaise with our transportation providers about the feasibility of running bus routes.

• Collaborative Decision Making: We coordinate with New Trier Township superintendents for a unified approach to school closures.

Communication with Families:
In the event of a closure, we will communicate with you through our Blackboard system. This includes:

• Phone Call, Email, and Text: Please ensure you've opted-in for text notifications.

• Website Updates: Visit our website at www.winnetka36.org for up-to-date information regarding school closures.

• Regional Closures: Check the Emergency Closing Center for a comprehensive list of school closures in our region.

• Communication Timing: Our goal is to finalize and communicate any closure decision prior to 6 a.m. on that day.

Handling School Closure Days:

• First Inclement Weather Day: The first closure day will be treated as a traditional “snow day,” and will require adding an extra day to the school year in June.

• Subsequent Days: For any additional inclement weather days, we will shift to remote learning in order to ensure that we do not need to extend the school year further into June.

Remote Learning Details:

• Teacher Communication: Email as well as postings in our Learning Management Systems (Grades 5-8 - Schoology, Grades K-4 - Seesaw) will be utilized. Parents can expect communication from their homeroom or advisory teacher by 8:00 a.m.

• Student Experience: Remote learning will follow the typical school schedule, combining synchronous and asynchronous methods. For our K-4 students, related arts teachers will now join their homeroom teacher’s Zoom so that our younger students do not need to manage leaving and joining different Zoom sessions.

• Special Education Services: Students receiving services will have these services provided to the greatest extent possible, coordinated by the case manager or service provider.

Remote Learning Schedule: The schedules that will be used for remote learning can be viewed here.

Progressive Tenets in Action: Experiential and Meaningful Learning

November 12, 2025

9:30 A.M.

Washburne Cafeteria

Join the second in a three-part series that will explore the District’s Progressive Education Tenets. Learn about what Experiential and Meaningful Learning means and how it comes alive in our classrooms.

Interested:

RSVP here

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

Feedback Link

Crow Island 101 Document:

Our Crow Island 101 Guide is a helpful, at-a-glance resource for families. Many parents like to keep a copy in their kitchen for quick reference. You can view it here: Crow 101 Document.

Arrival & Dismissal:

Please take a few minutes to review our Arrival & Dismissal procedures. These routines help ensure a safe and smooth start and end to each school day for all students.

Hot Lunch Program:

Crow Island has a hot lunch program run through a third party collaboration with our PTO called Marla's Lunch. You can register and sign-up here: Marla's Hot Lunch.

Health Forms:

Kindergarten Parents- Please upload your child’s health documents HERE. As a reminder, these forms were due by the first day of school (September 2nd).

2nd Grade Parents- As a reminder, all second grade students are required to provide a copy of their most recent dental exam. Please see the attached link for form and additional information. Please use the following link to upload your child's dental form.

You can find more information about district health policies here.

Spirit Day:

Crow Island Spirit Day will be on FRIDAYS this year! Our first Crow Island Spirit Day will be on Friday, September 5th. Get your Crow Island Spirit wear from our PTO Store here!

After-School Programs:

Right At School

The District has partnered with Right At School, headquartered in Evanston, to provide after-school care for students. The Right At School Program will be offered all days school is in session. After School programming is available until 6:00 P.M. Registration is now open.

Discovery Clubs by Right at School

Crow Island's PTO, in partnership with the District, offers extracurricular activities called Discovery Clubs, specialty programming for Crow Island students after the school day ends. These seasonal Clubs are offered in three sessions - fall, winter and spring. Crow Island PTO works with the Discovery Club provider, Right at School, to offer an array of programming focused on STEM, arts and movement with offerings across age groups. The fall session begins on September 22 and runs through December 5, and registration opens Monday, September 8. Preview the activity offerings here on the PTO website.

After School Sports

Crow Island After School Sports is live on the District Web Store. Registration opened at 9am on Tuesday, September 2nd. This is open for 3rd and 4th grade students.

Monthly Observances: Disability Awareness Month

Each October, we take time to recognize and celebrate the many contributions of individuals with disabilities in our schools, workplaces, and communities. It is an opportunity to highlight the importance of inclusion, respect, and equal opportunity for all.

Email:

annatrilla@winnetka36.org (Principal)

christinedemas-hall@winnetka36.org (Administrative Assistant)
Website: https://crowisland.winnetka36.org/
Location: 1112 Willow Road Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone: (847)-446-0353
Instagram: Winnetka Public Schools