Orrington Elementary School

What are Gatherings for Orrington?
A Gathering for Orrington is part fundraiser, part community-building. GFOs are events of many kinds! Where hosts sponsor an event for Orrington families, students or caregivers, with all ticket revenues going directly to the PTA as a fundraiser. Those funds can then be used for student-teacher support, equity-focused or other community-building efforts, literacy efforts, like book- nook and so much more. Read more about GFOs.

Sign up for these 2 amazing events happening in April:

Bottle and Bottega: Paint, Sip and Socialize at My Art Studio
Come to Jen Presant's studio for an evening of wine, painting and socializing! Get ready to have fun painting and meeting some of your fellow Orrington parents while sipping a glass of wine at my art studio on Noyes St. All supplies are included. No experience needed - beginners are more than welcome to this adults-only event where you will take home some painting, pointers and your own masterpiece!


Double Clutch Beer Tasting and Light Apps

Come join Katie & Andrew Shook and Sara Hines & Nicholas Sabloff at Double Clutch Brewing Company for a fun evening of beer tasting and delicious light appetizers. Sample a variety of our handcrafted brews while enjoying some tasty snacks to complement the flavors. This in-person event is the perfect opportunity to relax, socialize, and discover new favorite beers. Whether you're a craft beer enthusiast or just looking for a good time, this event is sure to please your taste buds. Don't miss out on this unique experience!


Sign up to host an event!! What Kind of Events? GFOs can be:
Service Projects: Like picking up trash at Lighthouse Beach
Games & Fun: Like an adult Kickball game or Poker night
Lessons & Workshops: Like a Cooking Class or Cookie Decorating party
Dinners & Tastings: Like a Wine or Beer Tasting or Pizza Party and Backyard movie
Sports & Fitness: Like a Paddle Party or Pickleball tournament
Other: The possibilities are endless! Be creative.

Save The Date!

D65 student art show

All 1st, 3rd and 5th grade students will participate

Saturday May 18th

Stop by anytime between 10 & 3 pm to admire student artwork

Show located in the parking area near Open Studio

(see website link for map)

Rain plan: show will be moved to the King Arts school building

Show Website Link

Please join members of the Orrington White Anti-Racist Group for a screening of The Big Payback-- ALL ARE WELCOME!

The Big Payback Screening

Wednesday, May 1st

Come anytime from 6:45; Film starts at 7:15

Kindly RSVP here

About the Documentary "A rookie alderwoman from Evanston, Illinois, led the passage of the first tax-funded reparations for Black Americans. While she and her community struggle with the burden to make restitution for its citizens, a national racial crisis engulfs the country. Will the debt ever be addressed, or is it too late for this reparations movement to finally get the big payback?"

From IMDb - The Big Payback is "an inspiring look at Alderman Robin Rue Simmons' fight to redress the wrongs of "redlining" and the legacy of slavery through a groundbreaking reparations program."

Our 5th grade party is quickly approaching!

When:

May 30th from 6-9pm

Where:

American Legion - Post 42

1030 Central St, Evanston, IL 60201

5th grade caregivers, please fill out the google form here to RSVP and for shirt size selection. There is also a Signup Genius found within the google form for donations of food, prizes and other goodies.

D65 Parent University is excited to present a viewing of the documentary Angst. Join us to learn the different ways on identifying and understanding the symptoms of anxiety. More details can be found here.

Join D65 families for an afternoon of NU Baseball!

NU vs. Purdue - Sunday, April 28th @ 1pm

Purchase tickets here for $10. All proceeds from ticket sales ($5 per ticket) goes to the D65 PTA One Fund to support enriching academic opportunities and community engagement for all District 65 students. Tickets are subject to availability.

For any families where this cost is a barrier, NU and the D65 PTA Council can provide tickets at no cost. Please use this form to request free tickets by Friday, April 19th. Thank you for supporting our community!

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.

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