Crow Island Parent Newsletter

Dear Crow Island Community,

It was so great to see many of you at the Parent and Staff Party on Friday. A big thank you to the PTO for organizing such a wonderful event—it was nice to spend time together as a community.

Last week, I shared information about our upcoming STEAM Expo. This is a great opportunity for students in 2nd–4th grade to design, conduct, and present a project in one of the STEAM subject areas. Projects should focus on a question to answer or a problem to solve. On April 16, students will have the opportunity to present their projects to peers during the school day and to families and friends in the evening. Please see the detailed information below, and be sure to register your child by March 27.

I hope you are able to enjoy this incredible weather while it lasts!

Wishing you a great week ahead.

Sincerely,
Anna

March

• Monday, March 16th | Immigration Week
• Friday, March 20th | Citizenship Ceremony and Immigration feast
• Wednesday, March 25th | 1st and 2nd Grade Spring Sing: 1st Grade @ 5:45 PM, 2nd Grade @ 6:45 PM
• Friday, March 27th | Half Day for Students (Staff Institute Day)
• Monday, March 30th- Friday, April 3rd | Spring Break

April

• Monday, April 6 | School Resumes
• Tuesday, April 7-Thursday, April 9 | Illinois Assessment of Readiness (Grades 3 and 4)
• Thursday, April 16 | STEAM Expo

One of the highlights last week was a wonderful collaboration between our 1st and 4th grade students. Ms. Creelman’s 1st graders and Mr. Dunn’s 4th graders, who are buddies this year, partnered together on a creative project inspired by the beloved Elephant and Piggie stories.

Our librarian, Ms. Maneck, adapted several Elephant and Piggie stories into short plays. The 4th graders took on the role of voice actors, bringing the characters to life as they read the scripts aloud. Meanwhile, the 1st graders applied what they learned about light and shadow during tech time to design and create Elephant and Piggie shadow puppets that “performed” the story while the 4th graders narrated.

It was truly special to see the collaboration between our 1st and 4th grade buddies. The older students did a wonderful job guiding and encouraging their younger partners, while the 1st graders were eager participants and proud of displaying what they learned about light and shadow. A 2nd grade class also joined the audience to enjoy one of the performances, adding to the excitement.

Projects like this highlight the creativity, collaboration, and joyful learning that happen every day at Crow Island. Students practiced several times and will be performing the plays multiple times this week- a great example of cross-grade learning in action!

Save the date: Crow Island STEAM Expo!

This year's STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) Expo will take place on Thursday, April 16th. All 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders are welcome to participate. During the school day, students will present to their peers. From 6:00 - 7:00 PM, families are invited to visit and view student projects.

WHAT IT IS: The STEAM Expo is a chance for students to design, conduct, and present a project in one of the STEAM subject areas. Projects should include a question to answer or a problem to solve.

HOW TO SIGN UP: Guidelines for projects can be found here. All students must be registered by Thursday, March 27 using this Google Form.

Important: Please Take 5 Minutes to Complete 5 Essentials

The Illinois State Board of Education annually asks families, students and staff to complete the Illinois 5Essentials Survey. Administered by University of Chicago, data gleaned from the survey directly helps the District prioritize goals and resources. Additionally, the quantity of parents who participate in the survey (or lack thereof) directly affects The Winnetka Public Schools’ Illinois State Report Card ratings.

The survey is linked here, takes about 5 minutes to complete, and is completely confidential.

Your participation helps the District gain actionable data to improve the student experience and ensure the Illinois State Report Card rankings accurately reflect Winnetka’s engaged parent community. The survey closes March 13, 2026.

Between March 2-13, 2026, students in grades 4–8 will be given the opportunity to complete a brief student version of the survey at school by logging in using their state student ID and birth date. Student responses will remain confidential. If you prefer your child not to participate, please notify your building principal in writing by February 27, 2026.

Acceleration Request Window

Illinois’ Accelerated Placement Act requires public school districts to maintain policies that allow for both single-subject and whole-grade acceleration when appropriate.

To learn more about how District 36 implements its acceleration policy, families may:

• View this overview infographic

• Visit the district’s Early Entrance and Acceleration webpage

• Watch the January 2025 Winnetka Parent Institute session on acceleration

Families who are considering whether acceleration may be an appropriate option for their child are encouraged to begin with this parent reflection worksheet, which is designed to support thoughtful decision-making prior to submitting a request.

The request form for accelerated programming for the 2026–27 school year is now open. The request window runs from March 2 through March 20.

Questions about the acceleration policy may be directed to Dr. Becky Mathison, Assistant Superintendent of Innovation, Teaching and Learning, at beckymathison@winnetka36.org.

Adventures in Learning Registration

Registration opens March 2 at 1:00 PM for Winnetka residents. Classes fill quickly, so we encourage you to review the Adventures in Learning Program Guide in advance and be ready to register at 1:00 PM.

Important Links:

• Adventures in Learning 2025 Program Details.

• Registration- Winnetka Revtrak

Monthly Observances: Women's History Month

Women’s History Month is a celebration of women’s contributions to history, culture and society and has been observed annually in the month of March in the United States since 1987. Women’s History Month is a dedicated month to reflect on the often-overlooked contributions of women to United States history. From Abigail Adams to Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth to Rosa Parks, the timeline of women’s history milestones stretches back to the founding of the United States.

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.

Spirit Day:

Crow Island Spirit Day will be on FRIDAYS this year! Get your Crow Island Spirit wear from our PTO Store here!

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