Orrington is improving the school grounds and garden areas, and we hope you’ll be a part of the exciting changes to beautify our school campus.

In the coming weeks and months, there’ll be opportunities for you to get involved as we reimagine the gardens.

First up is a campaign to donate garden soil for our new triple garden bed. Please see the link below.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B054EADAB2AA4FA7-48982058-garden

Orrington headed outside on Monday, April 8th to view the solar eclipse with glasses provided by the district. Students were amazed and enjoyed seeing this event. Next visible one in United States is in 2044!

The Orrington Eagles headed outdoors on the Friday, April 5th to clean up the Orrington grounds and the surrounding blocks. Students were proud of helping to clean up the area and make it a better place.

Our next Community Day is April 19th, and we will be planting seedlings in our new garden beds. There is a bit of different schedule - from 9:25 to 11:05, it will be 5th grade, 1st grade, and kindergarten & 3rd grade together. In the afternoon, from 1:10 to 2:15, it will be 4th grade and then 2nd grade. If you are available to help, sign up HERE.

Dear Parents/Guardians

We are excited to let you know that we are focused on supporting your child's social-emotional needs this school year!

More than two decades of research have demonstrated the important role that social and emotional skills play in each child's success in school and in the community. Skills such as demonstrating self-control, persisting on challenging tasks, and making good decisions are all necessary to be successful students and adults. The process by which students learn these and similar skills is called social emotional learning (SEL).

As part of our efforts to better support our students in developing positive social and emotional skills, we are using the DESSA SEL assessment for all students in grades K-8.

The DESSA assessment is a brief 8-question survey answered by your child's teacher. DESSA is completely strengths-based, meaning that instead of focusing on deficiencies, it highlights a student's positive social and emotional strengths and builds from there. A strengths-based approach benefits educators, students, families, and the community. By highlighting strengths, we achieve higher levels of participation, academic performance, and higher levels of happiness.

The purpose of DESSA is to identify which SEL skills your child has already learned and which skills he or she would still need to develop. Once our teachers identify the skills their students still need to learn, they will teach those SEL skills. Our goal is to ensure that your child continually develops the SEL skills they need for lifelong success. We believe that the information gathered with the DESSA assessment will be beneficial to your child's overall success both inside and outside of the classroom.

The DESSA assessment is published by Aperture Education. Our district chose DESSA in part because of Aperture Education's strong commitment to respecting and protecting your child's privacy. Hundreds of school districts and after-school programs across the country use DESSA and trust Aperture Education to protect their student data.

We are excited to implement DESSA this school year and continue to focus on whole children! If you have any questions, please contact your child's teacher.

Sincerely,

Orrington Elementary

Honor Your Favorite Teachers!

Teacher Appreciation Week is May 6-10

Foundation 65’s Honor a Teacher program allows us to say thank you to educators who have been working so hard for all of our children this year.

Educators who are recognized with a donation in their honor will receive a digital card from Foundation 65, including your name and a personal note.*

Your gift will support Foundation 65, an independent grantmaking organization that invests in educator-led initiatives to support educational equity.

Go to www.foundation65.org/honor-a-teacher to make your gift and craft your personal note today.

*Gifts must be received by May 5 in order to send a personal note. The gift amount will not be shared publicly with the teacher.

ATTENTION 5th GRADE PARENTS/CAREGIVERS!

TODAY IS YOUR LAST CHANCE to submit photos for the Memory Book.

Please use this link on desktop, or scan the QR code with your phone to upload 5-10 photos (total past and present) of your 5th grader, into the category folders provided. In addition to featuring photos from this year, we hope to capture memory photos, too. Note: not all photos received will appear in the book. For questions, please email paula@bodnardesign.com.

COVER ART CONTEST: EXTENDED to Monday, April 15

Memory Book Contest COVER ARTWORK has been extended to Monday, April 15. All 5th graders are eligible to submit 1 entry of their original cover art idea to be considered for the memory book.

Please see this flyer for entry guidelines.

Please complete the following survey (HERE) to share insights or important information you feel is necessary for us to know as we create classroom assignments for the coming school year. Please note we are unable to guarantee any educator requests, but we will keep insights in mind as we create new classroom and teacher assignments for the coming year.

This information will be shared with educators while they are building class lists for the coming school year.

All teacher assignments will be shared with families in August.

ETHS students came to visit during lunch on Thursday to hype up Kuumba Olympics!

Check out the website HERE for more information and check out the blurb below:

Kuumba Evanston is thrilled to announce the launch of a new initiative aimed at fostering the love of sports, teamwork, and personal growth among current 3rd to 5th-grade students. The free Olympic Sports Program is not about winning; it's about expanding sports access, embracing the joy of the game, cultivating sportsmanship, teamwork, respect, and encouragement, and challenging both mind and body to achieve greater heights.

The program will offer 17 different Olympic sports, including but not limited to track and field, basketball, soccer, swimming, badminton, wrestling, bowling, volleyball, and gymnastics. In addition to competitive, Olympic style games and challenges, experienced coaches and mentors from Evanston will lead engaging sessions focused not only on skill development but also on instilling values such as perseverance, empathy, and cooperation.

Sign up today!

Dear SACC Families,

We hope this information finds you well and are enjoying the start to early spring-like weather. As we look ahead to the upcoming fall semester, we are thrilled to announce that early enrollment for Fall 2024-25 is now open!

By enrolling early, you secure your child's spot in our sought-after SACC program, ensuring they have access to enriching activities, a supportive community, and a safe environment to grow and learn.

Here's why early enrollment matters:
1. Priority Placement: Early enrollment guarantees your child's placement in our program, avoiding the disappointment of discovering that we've reached capacity.
2. Peace of Mind: Secure your plans for the fall early, knowing that your child's care and enrichment are taken care of.
3. Convenience: Beat the rush and complete your enrollment now, saving time and ensuring you have everything in place well before the start of the semester.

To enroll your child for SACC Fall 2024, click here to begin your student's 2024-25 enrollment forms. If you should have any questions related to next year's enrollment please feel free to contact Charlotte Carter Manager of Extended Care at carterc@district65.net, 847-859-8078 or Steven Frost SACC Assistant Coordinator at frosts@district65.net, 847-859-8118 to secure your spot today.

We look forward to another fantastic semester filled with growth, exploration, and fun at each SACC site. Thank you for being part of our community!

Warm regards,
SACC Management Team

The first few Gatherings for Orrington have gone live! A paint & sip, yoga, and a Double Clutch tasting are available. Check them out - 2024 GFO's - Register Now!

Important dates for the Talent Show on April 18:

• DEADLINE FOR 2024 TALENT SHOW IS NEXT FRIDAY, APRIL 12.

  • HURRY AND ENTER HERE ONLINE! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1udxRoQ6PxVrHhGI6ANh-nwGYKC-lqDpXr6MDiF5APuQ/edit
  • If you are doing a group act, please make sure all the parents/caregivers know about the group entry. Email Kate Knox at lindley00@gmail.com for any questions about entries.
  • Entry deadline for performers is Friday, April 12
• Help is needed for this night! Sign up HERE.

• 5th Grade Talent Show Emcee Information
• Join in the production of Orrington All-School Talent Show on Thursday, April 18 at 6:00 pm.
• Part of the tradition for the show is for 5th Graders to introduce the performers.
• To sign up as a 5th Grade Emcee students must email Kate Knox at lindley00@gmail.com. Emails should include the 5th grader’s name, confirmation of parent’s permission and parent’s email and phone. Please email by Friday, April 12.
• Participating 5th Graders will be paired up with another student and assigned act numbers to introduce. This information will be shared the week of the show. There will be a rehearsal for emcee’s on Tuesday, April 16 from 5-6pm. If plans change, please email Kate Knox ASAP at 773 454 2748.

Save the date! PEP Fest is coming!
Saturday, May 18, 12-5 pm
Washington School Playground (914 Ashland, Evanston)
Get involved and learn more: www.ptaequityproject.com!

PEP Fest is a family-focused, collaborative community effort to raise PTA funds, that will be equitably distributed to support all of our District 65 students.

Vendor, volunteer, collaborator, sponsorship opportunities!