May Remote Learning Calendar Posted
Posted on 05/01/2020
Remote Learning
Wilmette Public Schools District 39

Wilmette Public Schools District 39
Mikaelian Education Center
615 Locust Road
Wilmette, IL 60091
847-512-6000
www.wilmette39.org

Dear Parents, Families and Staff,

 

Remote learning continues in Wilmette Public Schools District 39 with tremendous success - thanks to the hard work of our incredible teachers, the engagement and ongoing efforts of our awesome students, and the ongoing support of our wonderful parents. Remote learning is only possible with the coordinated efforts and meaningful connections of all three important groups. Thank you for all you are doing to keep learning and growing while staying connected through remote learning, and for caring for one another throughout this journey.  

We are beginning to feel some consistency and predictability within this unique learning environment and are building upon our collective successes week by week. We also continue to experience new growth and to make improvements in our programming. We hope you are, too!   

As I shared last week, we are also now working through plans for the last six weeks of the school year.  I am writing today to provide you with the following updates regarding our planning. 

  • May School Calendar: The district has finalized our D39 May school calendar.  The calendar is linked to our D39 Remote Learning Page
  • June School Calendar: Our June school calendar is still being finalized, pending additional guidance from the Illinois State Board of Education and final end-of-school planning.  We hope to have the June calendar finalized and ready to share soon.
  • Student Material Pick-Up and Drop Off: Families can expect to hear more from principals directly regarding each school’s plans for picking up student materials and dropping off school books and other resources; however, please note the following.
    • Our Highcrest and WJHS students can expect to receive a scheduled date and time for May 13-15.
    • Our elementary students can expect a scheduled time for Tuesday, June 9.
  • Enrichment Opportunities: There are many resources provided for student enrichment, recreation and exploration within this remote learning environment. Students are encouraged to explore the D39 Virtual Library for additional ideas, including offerings of eBook resources, STEAM experiments and activities, enrichment work for Learning Something New, Virtual Field Trips, Podcasts for Kids, and more.  Our school librarians are adding and updating this site with new resources regularly.
  • Summer School: D39 will offer summer school, but we await further guidance regarding modality and options that we can make available.  We are planning to provide summer school courses for academic enrichment, ESY programming for those eligible through special education, and unique “jump-start to the fall” learning opportunities.  Please look for additional information next week from the district office.
  • Engagement within Synchronous Learning Activities: Thank you for continuing to support and encourage your child’s full participation in all aspects of our remote learning program to the greatest extent possible.  Synchronous and asynchronous activities are all important to your child’s ongoing learning and growth, as are the assignments and independent work. If you have concerns regarding your child’s workload or your child is feeling overwhelmed, please reach out to your child’s teacher to share your concern and discuss possible adjustments.
  • Reminder of Attendance Procedures:  This week we launched our new attendance procedures, which will be in place through the end of the school year. Rather than requiring families to report daily student attendance, District 39 will presume students are present unless reported absent through one of our attendance phone lines. We have asked our teachers to continue to monitor student engagement and to work with students and families when a student is not participating as expected. Please click here for more information about reporting an absence
  • End-of-Year Celebrations and School Transitions: We are planning some fun end-of-year activities to make the conclusion of this very unique school year memorable and special. The safety and health of our students and staff remain our top priority, and all activities will be planned with this in mind.  Please look for additional information from your school principal soon.
  • Social-Emotional Well-Being of Our Students: The health and well-being of our students is of utmost importance to us. Additional resources for how to support children’s social-emotional well-being in light of the COVID pandemic and stay-at-home order are available. If your child is experiencing difficulty or could benefit from additional support, please contact your school principal who can connect you with our school mental health professionals for consultation and support.
  • Families in Need:  If you are a family in need or a family interested in giving, please review our Giving and Receiving Support Page for supportive resources and opportunities to give.  If your family is in need of food stability during these difficult times, you can request specific support through our D39 Angel Fund or access the resources provided on our Support Page.      
 

In these unusual times, please be well.  Take care of one another, and continue to spread joy and kindness wherever you can.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Cremascoli
Kari Cremascoli, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Wilmette Public Schools District 39

A Few Reminders and Resources: