Hello, WOIS Families! 

What a fantastic first week back! It was wonderful to welcome our students back yesterday and fill the building with their smiles, laughter, and excitement. We also loved connecting with YOU during meet and greet on Tuesday evening. Thank you for helping make the start of the 2026–2027 school year such a success!

Our students also spent time yesterday learning and practicing our Wolfpack Ways—our school-wide expectations for being Safe, Respectful, and Responsible. We are excited to build strong routines and positive habits together from the very beginning of the year!

We are encouraging strong attendance right from the start! During the month of August, students will receive three Pack Points for each day they are present at school. Students can use these Pack Points to shop at our Wolfpack Warehouse for rewards starting Wednesday, September 2nd. We hope this provides a little extra encouragement for students to make coming to school each day a priority.

Thank you for your partnership as we kick off another great year. We hope you have a wonderful weekend! ✨

Natalie Kalette

Principal

West Oak Intermediate School

• Attendance Matters: As we celebrate a great start to the school year, we also want to highlight the importance of being in school every day. Did you know that missing just 2 days of school each month adds up to nearly 10% of the school year? Consistent attendance makes a big difference for both academic growth and social connections. 

• Extracurricular Activities:  Our extracurriculars during lunch/recess and after school will begin the week of September 14th. Mid next week, your student will be bringing home a packet outlining these activities. We will also send it out digitally in the family newsletter next Friday. Please take some time to look through these opportunities with your child and encourage them to get involved! 

Band and Choir will also be starting September 14th for 5th graders who sign up.  While Band and Choir are considered a daily class, they will happen after the school day, and students will take their assigned bus at 3:25 along with the middle school students. Families can also choose to pick up their students from Band and Choir.  Please keep an eye out for permission slips to join Band and/or Choir from Mr. Mesa, Ms. Borkowski, and Mr. Stanich. 

• SEL Focus of the Month: August is Kindness Month! Check out our family connection letter to learn more: English and Spanish.

• ParentSquare: New to ParentSquare? ParentSquare is a user-friendly way for parents and staff to communicate throughout the year. Please review these helpful instructions on how to access your ParentSquare account.

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

• Arrival & Dismissal Procedures: Please click here to view WOIS arrival and dismissal procedures. Thank you in advance for following these procedures and the guidance of our bus supervisors to ensure a smooth and safe arrival and dismissal! 

• WOIS Schedule and Calendar: The West Oak Intermediate school day starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 2:55 p.m. Please click here to view additional details regarding the WOIS schedule, as well as late start, early release, and non-attendance day calendar. 

• Breakfast/Lunch: As we welcome our students back for another exciting school year, we wanted to remind you you that Diamond Lake School District 76 participates in the ISBE Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) program, which means all students receive breakfast and lunch at no cost, every school day, regardless of household income. No application is required, every enrolled student is automatically eligible. Also, our monthly food service menus, along with nutrition data, can be found on our district website.  For August, those menus can be found HERE. We're also committed to supporting our students' overall health and wellbeing. Our District Wellness Policy outlines how we approach nutrition, physical activity, and healthy habits across our schools. You can read the full policy HERE.  Thank you for being such an important part of the Diamond Lake community. We look forward to a great year ahead!

• 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.

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 & Kayla Rodriguez: krodriguez@dist76.org 

• Principal: Natalie Kalette: nkalette@dist76.org 

• West Oak Campus Nurse: Julie Marchese: jmarchese@dist76.org 

• West Oak Intermediate Health Clerk: Cinthia Maldonado: cmaldonado@dist76.org

PTO Budget Meeting- Did you know that all parents, guardians, teachers, and staff are considered members of the PTO?  We have no dues or membership fees. You are invited to join us on Tuesday, August 25th from 6:00 to 7:00pm for our budget meeting. We will introduce our officers, talk about ways you can be involved, and present and vote on our 2026-2027 budget. This is a great time to jump in or bring a friend.  Child care is not provided, but your children are welcome to attend. Interested in being involved but can’t make the meetings? Indicate ways you’d like to volunteer on our interest form, and we'll contact you when an opportunity that matches your interest is available.

Spirit Wear Store- Getting ready for the school year? Don't forget spirit wear.  Our D76 spirit wear store is open now through September 20th.  Shop now at https://diamondlake26.itemorder.com/

Save the Date- The Back to School Bash will be held on Friday September 25 from 5:30-7:30. Weather permitting this event will be outdoors. Interested in volunteering or donating a raffle prize? Contact us at dist76pto@gmail.com