Dear West Oak Intermediate Families,

Next week, our 3rd–5th grade students will participate in the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) from Wednesday, March 11 through Friday, March 13. This statewide assessment gives us valuable information about student learning and helps us better support their growth.

It is especially important that students arrive at school on time during testing days, as testing will begin promptly at 8:10 a.m. each morning. Students will complete two testing sessions each day. The ELA (English Language Arts) session will take place from 8:10–9:50 a.m., and the Math session will take place from 1:00–2:10 p.m..

You can support your child by helping them get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive at school on time each day. Additionally, students will need to bring a charged chromebook to school each day. Our students have been working hard all year, and we are proud of the effort they will show during testing. Thank you for your partnership in helping them do their best!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Natalie Kalette

Principal

West Oak Intermediate School

• Summer Exploration Camp Registration: We are excited to announce that Summer Exploration Camp registration is open!  Summer Exploration Camp is open to students entering grades K-8 this fall.  Summer exploration camp will run from Monday through Thursday from 8am - 11:30am at Diamond Lake School.  The dates of Summer Exploration Camp are June 3rd to July 2nd.  There is no cost, and transportation will be provided.  Please click here to register.

• Yearbook Order Forms: Yearbook order forms were passed out in classes today! The order form and yearbook money ($20) is due by April 10th if your student would like to order a yearbook. 

• Parent-Teacher Conferences: Parent-Teacher Conferences are just around the corner and will take place on March 19th. Sign-up information should have been sent out last week. These conferences will be student-led, and we encourage students to attend alongside you. We look forward to sharing the progress students have made so far and discussing our goals as we head toward the end of the school year. Please reach out to your child's teacher with you any questions you may have. 

• Picture Day 3.18: We have picture day coming up on Wednesday, March 18th! Order forms were passed out in classes this week.

• SMILE Dentist Visit: The SMILE dentist is coming to West Oak Intermediate School on March 18th. If you are interested in having your child seen by the dentist at school please click here. If you have questions, please contact Julie Marchese at 847-388-2599.

• SEL Focus of the Month: March's SEL focus is COOPERATION! Students will be developing skills like perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and leadership 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

• 5Essentials Survey: Each year parents, students, and teachers across Illinois will have an opportunity to participate in the annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school. As a parent/guardian, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child’s school. Please take a few minutes to complete the Illinois 5Essentials Parent Survey. Your feedback is greatly important to us and your participation allows us to focus our continued improvement efforts. After completing the survey, if you'd like to be entered into a raffle for a free dinner for you and your family, complete this quick form!

    We need 20% of our families to participate in this survey in order to receive the results. 

• Stallions Cheerleading: The Lake County Stallions Cheerleading program is starting their first ever Cheer Abilities team. This is a unified, adaptive cheer program specifically designed for athletes of all abilities in 2nd-8th grade. Here is a flyer for more information. 

• 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.

Testing Preparation: As testing approaches, helping your child feel prepared and confident can make a big difference. Make sure they get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive at school on time. Encouraging your child to stay positive and simply do their best helps them feel calm and ready to show what they know.

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 

• Ice Cream Day: Ice Cream Day is coming Monday, March 16th.  Please see the attached flyer (English/Spanish).  To order ice cream you may register online, pay via Zelle, or return the registration form with cash to the school office. Please complete your registration no later than Wednesday, March 11th.  

• Next PTO Meeting: You are invited to join us at our next PTO meeting on Tuesday, March 17th, from 6:00-7:00pm at the Diamond Lake Elementary School Library. All are welcome to attend.

• Next Dine Out: Our next fundraiser will be at Panera on Wednesday, March 18th and will go all day!

• Save the Date: Nothing Bundt Cakes will be sold at the West Oak Campus on March 19th from 4:00-7:00pm during Teacher Conferences.