Dear West Oak Intermediate Families,

As we begin the month of November, our Wolfpack Ways Challenge is focused on safety! Throughout the month, students will be earning Safety Pack Points for making safe choices and helping to create a safe environment for everyone—in the classrooms, hallways, recess, lunchroom, and on the bus. At the end of the month, the grade level with the most Safety Pack Points will earn a special reward. Please help us by reminding your child how important it is to keep hands and feet to themselves and to make choices that help everyone feel safe at school.

November is also a great time to strengthen the connection between home and school! Report cards will go home on November 14th, and Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place on November 24th. These are valuable opportunities to celebrate your child’s progress, discuss goals, and continue working together to support their success.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership in making West Oak a safe and caring place for all students to learn and grow!

Natalie Kalette

Principal

West Oak Intermediate School

• Parent Teacher Conferences: We are excited for you to join us on November 24th for Parent-Teacher Conferences. To help you successfully schedule your child’s conference(s), please review the important notes below. 

Your child’s teacher(s) sent out Parent-Teacher Conference sign-up information through ParentSquare on Monday, November 3rd. Within ParentSquare, you will find a list of available time slots to schedule your child’s conference. When signing up, please select your preferred time and indicate whether the conference will be held virtually or in person and if you would like translation in the notes section. You may also note if you require a translator during the conference.

If you choose to attend virtually, your child’s teacher(s) will send you a Google Meet invitation based on your selected time. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher or your school’s front office.

• Erin's Law: In accordance with Erin’s Law, all Illinois public schools are required to provide age-appropriate lessons each year to help students recognize unsafe situations, understand personal body safety, and know how to seek help from trusted adults. We will be presenting the lesson during the weeks of November 10th through November 21st. These lessons are designed to empower students with knowledge and skills to protect themselves. They focus on:

• Understanding the difference between safe and unsafe touches

• Identifying trusted adults at home and school

• Learning how to say “no” and get help when feeling unsafe

• Recognizing personal boundaries and respect for others

The lessons are presented in a sensitive, age-appropriate manner by our trained staff and/or approved curriculum resources. Our goal is to ensure students feel safe, supported, and informed. If you have questions about the content of these lessons, wish to review the materials before they are presented, or do not want your student to participate in this lesson please contact your school social worker by Friday, November 7, 2025:

• Diamond Lake School: Deborah Wargaski 847-566-6601

• West Oak Intermediate School: Lisa Brickert 847-970-3544

• West Oak Middle School: Lindsay Harmon 847-566-9220

Thank you for your partnership in helping us keep all students safe and informed.

• Scholastic Book Fair: This fall we welcome back Scholastic Books for our annual Book Fair.  During Parent-Teacher Conferences on Monday, November 24th and held in Classroom A of the West Oak Campus Library, families will have the opportunity to browse and purchase the great book selections that Scholastic has provided for us.  With books in both English and Spanish, Scholastic brings a great array of age appropriate books to motivate children to find a love for reading.  Teachers will also be creating wish lists for books that can be purchased and donated to their classrooms.  

A new feature that Scholastic is offering this year is called Virtual Wallet.  Virtual Wallet is a digital method for families to donate a fixed dollar amount towards a classroom for teachers to purchase books of their choice.  More information to come!

• SEL Focus of the Month: November's SEL focus is GRATITUDE! Students will be developing skills like emotion regulation, positive self-talk, and stress management through our Character Strong curriculum during morning meeting. Please see below for the monthly family newsletters: 

  • 3rd Grade Family Newsletter: English Spanish 

  • 4th Grade Family Newsletter: English Spanish

  • 5th Grade Family Newsletter: English Spanish

• Free Breakfast and Lunch: Diamond Lake is pleased to remind families that ALL students are provided free breakfast and lunch EVERY day.  We hope all families take advantage of our food service program and some of our new offerings such as a fruit smoothie and daily personal salads. To find the monthly breakfast and lunch menus you can do so HERE

• Clubs and Activities: Clubs and activities are underway! Here is the after school clubs and activities schedule. 

• It's getting chilly!: As the temperatures start to drop, please ensure you are sending your student with extra layers, jackets, gloves, and hats. We will continue to go outside for recess every day, except in the case of extreme cold or rain. 

• Diamond Awards: New to this year, we ask families to complete this nomination Form if they would like to recognize a staff member they feel are going above and beyond with what they do in the classroom, school, or district. Please consider spreading the positivity by highlighting the great work that staff our doing in our district. 

• D76 CARES: At D76, the well-being of our students and families is our top priority. Understanding the critical role mental health plays in student success, we have launched D76 CARES - a comprehensive initiative aimed at improving access to quality mental health services across our community. D76 CARES stands for Community, Advocacy, Resilience, Engagement, and Support. Treatment services are initially provided free of charge to district families for up to 8 sessions. Click HERE for treatment request.

Encourage Independence: Elementary school is the perfect time for children to start taking ownership of small responsibilities. Encourage your child to take charge of daily tasks like packing their backpack, putting away homework, or setting out clothes for the next day. These simple routines help build confidence, organization, and a sense of pride in their accomplishments. 

Your student's classroom teacher should be your first point of contact. For building-related information, please call the front office at 847-970-3544 or contact the following individuals via email: 

• Front Office Staff: Ms. Kailey Leon: kleon@dist76.org & Cinthia Maldonado: cmaldonado@dist76.org 

• Principal: Natalie Kalette: nkalette@dist76.org 

• Nurse: Julie Marchese: jmarchese@dist76.org 

• Winter Clothing Drive- The last chance to donate to the Winter clothing drive is tonight at the Dia De Los Muertos event. Bring a winter clothing item to the Dia De los Muertos event and you will get a raffle ticket to win one of our fun prizes.  We are collecting new hats, gloves and scarves.  And gently used coats, snow pants, boots or Hoodies.  

• Ice Cream day is Tuesday November 11th. Do you want to help serve Ice Cream? Sign up here.

• Next DINE OUT- Thursday November 13th from 5:00-8:00pm at Portillos

• Next PTO Meeting- Tuesday Nov 18th, 2025 6:00-7:00pm Diamond Lake Elementary School Library. 

• Save the Dates:

  • Monday, November 24th, Crumbl Cookie Sale at Diamond Lake School 4:00-7:00pm while supplies last.

  • Saturday, December 6th, Parents Night out for K-5th.  Sign ups coming soon. 

Please visit the D76 PTO Website for upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and more!