Calendar

• February 2nd - 6th National School Counseling Week & ACCESS Testing
• February 3rd - 5th Grade Instrument Fittings 
• February 9th - 5th Grade Band/Orchestra lessons begin 
• February 12th - PTO Meeting at Washington Library 
• February 13th - Valentine's Parties 2:00 pm 
• February 16th - President's Day, No School! 
• February 24th & 26th - Parent/Teacher Conferences
• February 25th - 11:25 Dismissal &  Board of Education Meeting 
• Febraury 27th - PTO Fun Fair 
• March 2nd - 13th - PTO Dave's Coffee Cake Fundraiser 
• March 8th - Daylight Savings
• March 16th - 20th - Spring Break 
• March 30th - IAR Testing Begins 
• March 31st - Coffee Cake Pick Up @ Washington 3pm- 5pm
• April 3rd & 6th - No School 

PLC Wednesday Dismissal will continue, with 3-5 students dismissed at 1:55 pm. This will take place every Wednesday, unless it is a District Half-Day, in which case we will dismiss at 11:25 a.m.

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Families, 

February is shaping up to be a busy and exciting month at Washington Elementary! As we move through the winter season, I want to thank our families for your continued partnership and support—it truly makes a difference for our students.

Parent-teacher conferences will be held, and we look forward to connecting with you to celebrate your child’s growth and discuss goals for the remainder of the school year. These conversations are an important part of our teamwork, and we appreciate your time and involvement.

We are also thrilled to announce that 5th grade band and orchestra lessons will begin next week! This is an exciting opportunity for our students to explore music, build new skills, and grow their confidence through the arts. More information will be shared by our music department as lessons get underway.

Finally, classrooms will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with parties and activities focused on kindness, friendship, and fun. Teachers will communicate specific details, including party times and any requests for supplies. Parties will be held in the afternoon on Feb. 13th. 

Thank you for being such an engaged and supportive school community. We are proud to be Golden Warriors and look forward to another great month of learning and growth together!

Stay Warm,

Emily Stephenitch, Principal 

Parent/Teacher Conferences are now open in Skyward for Tuesday, February 24th, and Thursday, February 26th, from 3:30 - 7 pm. To schedule, use the following steps: 

Please note that there appear to be technical issues with the Spring 3-5 2026 Conferences tile. Skyward is aware of the issue and is working to resolve it. Click the tile labeled "Conferences" to access the area where you can schedule spring conferences. If you need assistance, please contact the Washington Office at (815) 625-2372. 

The 5Essentials Parent Survey is now open, and we encourage all families to participate. This brief, anonymous survey helps us understand how well our school is supporting students, families, and staff.

The survey focuses on five research-based areas critical to student success: effective leadership, collaborative teaching, involved families, a supportive environment, and ambitious instruction. Your feedback helps us celebrate what’s working well and identify areas for continued growth.

The survey takes about 5–10 minutes to complete, and all responses are completely anonymous. Results are shared only in summary form and are used to guide our school improvement efforts.

Link to survey: http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/

When dropping off your student in the back, please do not stop in the alley. We want to keep traffic moving! Thank you for your help! 

In the event the district uses an E-Learning day, please refer to the graphic below for our schedule and attendance during those days. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out! For more information about E-Learning, please review the parent letter or the District E-Learning Plan. 

Third Grade

Fourth Grade

Fifth Grade

By this point in the year, students have learned how to manage their emotions and show empathy. Unit 4 teaches them how to apply those skills to resolve conflicts with friends and classmates.

                                                          The "STEP" Process

The core of Unit 4 is teaching children a specific, four-step framework to handle disagreements or challenges. Most elementary grades use the STEP acronym:

S: Say the problem. Children learn to describe the issue without using "blame words" (e.g., instead of saying "He stole my toy," they are taught to say "We both want to play with the same toy").

T: Think of solutions. They brainstorm several safe, respectful ways to solve the problem.

E: Explore consequences. They think about what might happen for each solution. "If I do X, how will my friend feel? Will it work?"

P: Pick the best solution. They choose the option that works best for everyone involved.

                                                   How You Can Support at Home

You can help reinforce these lessons by using the same language the teachers use in the classroom:

Use the "S" word: When your child is upset about a conflict, ask them: "Can you Say the problem without blaming anyone?"

Avoid solving it for them: When they come to you with a problem, try asking, "What are some solutions you can Think of?" before offering your own advice.

Role-play: If they are nervous about a social situation (like asking to join a game), practice the "P" (Pick the best solution) by acting it out with them in the living room.

Parent Tip: The goal of this unit isn't just to stop fights; it’s to build your child's confidence in their own ability to navigate the world without needing an adult to intervene every time.

• Students with a fever of 100.0 degrees or greater will be excluded from school until they are 24 hours fever-free without the use of fever-reducing medication, such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen.

• A doctor’s note or clearance from the school nurse may be required before a student's return if the student missed three or more consecutive days.

• Students with vomiting or diarrhea will be excluded from school until 24 hours after symptoms resolve, without medication.

Daily Schedule

(Mon., Tues., Thurs., and Fri.)

• 7:40 am School Doors Open

• 7:55 am Classroom Doors Open/End of Breakfast

• 8:05 am Tardy Bell Rings

• 11:25 am Lunches Begin

• 2:45 pm Dismissal

Wednesday PLC Schedule

• 7:40 am School Doors Open

• 7:55 am Classroom Doors Open/End of Breakfast Line Bell

• 8:05 am Tardy Bell Rings

• 11:25 am Lunch Begin

• 1:55 pm Dismissal

Morning Procedures:

Run Club: Begins at 7:15 and ends at 7:55. Students can participate anytime during this time frame.

Breakfast: Begins at 7:40 and ends at 7:55

Hallway: Students wait by their lockers until 7:55, when they go into their classrooms.

Tardy Bell: Students are considered late at 8:05.

After School Procedures

Bus Dismissal: 2:40 pm and leaves by 2:50 pm

Walker/Car Dismissal: 2:45 pm

*At 3:00 pm, students will be brought to the front of the building due to no supervision on the playground.

*Students should not be on the playground without adult/parental supervision after school hours.

estephenitch@sps5.org

esester@sps5.org