Dear West Oak Intermediate Families,

What a wonderful week it has been at West Oak! Our school community continues to shine, and this week was filled with pride and celebration.

Last night’s 4th Grade Hispanic Heritage Month Concert was absolutely amazing! Our 4th graders were so excited to perform, and they did an outstanding job sharing songs that celebrated Hispanic culture and heritage. The gym was completely full, and it was wonderful to see so many families come out to support their children. Thank you to all the parents and families who took time out of their busy days to be there—it meant so much to our students! A huge thank you as well to Mr. Stanich for all of the time and dedication he put into preparing students for this special performance, and to Ms. Levy for showcasing the beautiful artwork our students created in STEAM class. We also appreciate all of the staff members who helped organize students and cheer them on—it was truly a team effort!

Next week will be another exciting one at West Oak as we celebrate Red Ribbon Week, our October Responsibility Assembly, and Halloween! More details about each of these events can be found below.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Natalie Kalette

Principal

West Oak Intermediate School

Red Ribbon Week: Next week is Red Ribbon Week! This year’s theme is Life Is A Puzzle, Solve It Drug Free. At school, students will engage in activities that promote a drug free and healthy lifestyle. Please partner with us and discuss this message at home, at the dinner table, at family outings, and with friends and extended family. Ask your child to show you the flyer he/she received from school about Red Ribbon Week. Please see our Red Ribbon spirit week themes on the flyer included below! If you would like more information please go to www.redribbon.org. 

Halloween Celebrations: We are so excited for our upcoming Halloween celebrations on Friday, October 31st! Please click here to view information about our parade, classroom parties, and costumes. 

Community Wellness Fair: Join us on Thursday, November 6th for a special visit with author and psychologist Doug Bolton and Community Wellness Fair! He’ll share insights from his new book and lead a conversation on how a student’s community—families, schools, and local partners—can foster wellness and drive academic success. Come learn practical strategies to strengthen belonging, build resilience, and create the supportive networks every learner needs to thrive. The Wellness Fair will take place from 6:00-7:00 p.m., and Dr. Doug Bolton will speak at 7:00 p.m. Please click here for more information. 

SEL Focus of the Month: October's SEL focus is RESPONSIBILITY! Students will be developing skills like focusing, organizing, and goal-setting 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

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

Birthday Treats:  Due to dietary restrictions and various allergies within the classrooms, families will need to refrain from providing birthday treats.  Classrooms will recognize and celebrate students’ birthdays in other ways! We appreciate your understanding. 

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.

Talk About Feelings: Take time each day to ask your child how their day went and how they felt. Talking about emotions helps children learn to manage their feelings, solve problems, and build healthy relationships. When children know their feelings are heard and supported, they feel more confident and connected—both at home and at school. 

If you ever feel your child may need additional social-emotional support, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We can connect your child with our social worker or provide you with a list of helpful outside resources.

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- Our Winter Clothing Drive is running through November 7. We are collecting new hats, gloves and scarves.  Additionally, we are accepting gently used coats, snow pants, boots or Hoodies.  Donation boxes will be available at each school office. 

• SAVE THE DATE- Ice Cream day is coming Tuesday November 11th.  We will need volunteers for DLS and WOIS.  Look for flyers and sign ups soon.  

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

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

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