Good Afternoon!
What a busy and exciting week it's been at school! Thank you to all of the families that joined us for our annual Open House on Wednesday. The excitement from the students as they showed off their hard work, classrooms and school was contagious! Thank you for your continued support!
Our students filled the fish tank with blue tickets they earned for demonstrating safe, responsible and respectful behavior! As our schoolwide celebration, all classes will take time to head outside to chalk the May Watts walkways with positive messages and pictures! Way to go, Wolverines!
Our 4th and 5th grade Eco Club students helped us celebrate Earth Week this week and raise our awareness as to how we can help take care and protect our planet. They wrapped up the week-long celebration with a schoolwide Earth Week play! Thank you to Mrs. Covert for her sharing her passion and love of nature with the Eco Club students and our school community. Way to go, Eco Club!
-Mrs. Kempski
A Look at the Week Ahead
Week of April 28th - May 2nd
Monday, April 28th:
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3:35-4:30 - Cricket Club for registered 5th grade students
Tuesday, April 29th:
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8:00 AM - Chorus rehearsal for registered 4th and 5th graders
Wednesday, April 30th: Late Start Wednesday (9:15)
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3P/3M - Field Trip to Harris Forest Preserve
Thursday, May 1st
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30/3C/3D - Field Trip to Harris Forest Preserve
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Online Registration opens for the 2025-2026 School year!
Friday, May 2nd:
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No School - School Improvement Day for staff
School News & Information
Spring iReady Benchmark Testing
Our spring iReady benchmark assessments will begin on Monday, April 28th. The assessment window continues through mid May. All students will take the online benchmark assessment in reading and math over the course of the next few weeks. The purpose of these assessments are to help us measure student growth and determine how to best support the needs of each student. The assessment results are used by teachers and administrators to assist with instructional planning and differentiation at the grade, classroom, and student level. Individual student scores will be available through ParentVue at the end of the school year.
2025 iReady Notification Letter.pdf
Spring Book Fair
Let’s send students into summer with great books to read! We’re excited to hold our second bookfair this year. Please note sales tax will be included. If you'd like to volunteer during the fair, please sign up here.
Three ways to shop!
1. Students can shop during the school day. Classes will have an assigned day/time to shop, but if a student is absent or forgets they can tell their teacher and come outside of that time (see below).
2. Parents can shop outside of school hours (see below).
3. Parents can shop online anytime! Go to http://www.abcfairs.com/. When shopping online, you can choose to have your items shipped to your house (shipping fee), pick up from the Anderson’s Store (free) or sent to the school (free). Enter our School Name and School City in the delivery information section.
We accept cash, checks, VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover & Debit Cards and Apple Pay.
Please make checks payable to May Watts
Sales tax will be charged during this fair, please see the back your child's wish list for help determining total cost.
Student Shopping Days:
All classes will come for a book fair preview on either 4/25, 4/28 or 4/29. Students will bring a wish list home. Please feel free to send this back with your child when they are shopping, with approved items circled.
If an item is out of stock, we can either order it for your child or they can choose something else, please let them know what you’d like them to do in this event.
Shopping Day
4/30: 5V, 4E, 3C, 1B, 1W, 2F, 2K, KB
5/1: 5B, 5D, 4G, 4A, 3D, 3P, 3M, 1D, 1F, 2W, KD, KWP
5/5: 5C, 4B, 3O, KP, 1G, 2B, KW
Parent Shopping Days/Times
4/29: 3:50-4:30
4/30: 3:50-4:30
5/1: 3:50-4:30
Don’t forget to check the teacher wish lists if you’re shopping in person.
One Book, One School 2025
We are excited for our One Book, One School program this year with the Newbery winning title, The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo. Each family should have received a copy of the book (sent home on 4/11 with your oldest child), courtesy of the May Watts PTA. We hope your family enjoying reading the book together.
As an option, click here to listen to Ms. Happy reading the chapters aloud.
Donations Needed for Service Club Project
The Watts World Changers Service Club will be creating Birthday Bags to donate to local food pantries in May. For the Birthday Bags we are asking for the following items:
Cake mixes
Frosting
Disposable cake pans
Candles
Balloons
Stickers
Generic Birthday Cards
Party plates/Napkins
Large Gift Bags to fit all of the items
There will be a donation box outside of the Music Room, 118, labeled “Service Club Birthday Bag Donations”. Please drop-off items no later than Friday, May 9th. Watts World Changers will be assembling the Birthday Bags at our May 16th meeting. Thank you for your continued support!
Residency Verification Process
The district is again contracting with a third-party vendor to automatically verify student address information. As was the case last year, we anticipate the overwhelming majority of our families will be electronically verified.
If your residency is electronically verified, you will receive a letter of confirmation. If you register prior to the first day of school, there will be no need to submit any additional paperwork to certify that you live within the district’s boundaries. If you register after the first day of school, you will need to provide additional information during online registration.
A letter will also be sent to families whose residency we are unable to verify electronically. The letter will provide details on additional information you will need to provide during online registration in order to register your child for the upcoming school year.
Verifying residency is an effort to protect taxpayers and district resources by identifying non-residents attending District 204 schools. Illinois law mandates that parents demonstrate residency prior to enrollment in school and allows for periodic verification to validate compliance with the law.
2025-2026 Online Registration
Online registration for the 2025-2026 school year will open in ParentVUE on May 1st. Please be sure to register your child(ren) as soon as possible. Staffing assignments, classroom sections and plans for next school year rely on accurate enrollment numbers.
Family Self Defense Night
The safety of our children is of great importance to all of us. We can do our best to keep them safe at home and school, but situations may arise that we can not control. These incidents can happen anywhere, at any time, and with anyone. It is not just an issue in the big cities or always a “stranger danger" attack. Parents are often unsure of what to say to their young children and how much information they should provide to them. Mrs. Andrews will provide an age appropriate, hands on self-defense workshop in which you may participate with your family. When parents are in attendance, they can hear and see first hand what she plans to cover. Your child can practice these techniques with their parents or adult family members. Competence and confidence in self- defense techniques can relieve anxiety and is an important resource for your child. The majority of self -defense is avoidance of dangerous situations and good information. That will be the focus.
We will be practicing physical defenses, though, so please have your child wear comfortable clothing and safe gym shoes. Older siblings and all family members are encouraged to participate. Permission slip will be coming home soon. The number of participants will be limited due to safety and space needs, so be sure to return this slip promptly.
This event will be held Wednesday May 7,2025 from 5:30-7 pm for K-3 and until 7:30 for 4th and 5th grade students and parents. Complete the Family Self Defense RSVP form to reserve your spot as space is limited. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Mrs. Andrews at terri_andrews@ipsd.org .
Senior Send Off
We look forward to celebrating the high school senior class class of 2025 with our annual Senior Send Off. Former May Watts senior alumni are invited to come back for a final walk through the halls of May Watts prior to their high school graduation. Seniors interested in participating should complete the Senior Send Off interest form. The walk will take place starting at 2:50 on Friday, May 23rd:
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2:50 - Seniors meet on the May Watts blacktop area in the rear of building. * Please park on neighborhood streets and not in the parking lot.
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3:00 - Seniors enter the building at door #4 and march around while elementary students celebrate them. *only seniors will be allowed to enter the building
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3:15 - Seniors exit the building and return to the far end of the blacktop area. *Please note elementary students will be lined up on the blacktop at 3:30 for car line dismissal. We kindly ask you not to interfere with the dismissal process.
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At the conclusion of dismissal (approximately 3:50) May Watts staff will be invited to join MV students on the blacktop.
BPAC: Financial Literacy and Resource Fair
Join us for a night of knowledge about how to work on your financial wellness, achieve your financial goals, and learn about Community Resources. The Following topics will be presented at our FINANCIAL LITERACY NIGHT: Budgeting and Debt Management. Presented by The Neighborhood Project How Credit Works (credit cards, loans, auto loans, and debt traps). Presented by FNBO Preparing for Homeownership. Presented by H.O.M.E DuPage Breakout sessions of 20 minutes each will begin promptly at 6:00 PM Russian and Spanish interpreters will be available for these presentations
PTA Executive Board Nominees for 2025-26
Thank you for your nominations to the 2025-26 PTA Executive Board. The Nominating Committee has agreed on the following nominees:
President- Kate Nayak
Vice President- Krystle Porter
Treasurer- Nina Stanley
Secretary- Bianca Marangos
Director of Membership- Nicole Isca
The Nominating Committee will present this slate candidates for election at the May 23rd general PTA meeting.
Calling all Kindergarten Students for 2025-2026 School Year
We're excited to welcome all future May Watts kindergarten students! Please complete the link below if you have a child who will be 5 years old before September 1st, 2025 or share the link with a neighbor or friend who does!
Please complete the Kindergarten Information Sheet so we can share important information with you prior to registration. Official online registration will open May 1, 2025.
Elementary Summer Music Camp: Sing-Drum-Play!
Indian Prairie School District 204 invites all students entering 4th, 5th, and 6th grade to join our week-long summer music camp! Each morning, students will sing, dance, and play a variety of instruments, including xylophones, drums, and ukuleles. The camp will conclude with a special performance for families on the final day.
Choose from three different camp locations—pick the one that works best for you.
Waubonsie Valley HS Camp
June 9-13
9:00-11:00 AM
Metea Valley HS Camp
June 16-20
9:00-11:00 AM
Neuqua Valley HS Camp
June 23-27
9:00-11:00 AM
Sign up at: https://www.summermusic204.org/
Welcome to District 204 Summer Music and Art Serving 204 Students since 1986 Select Your Location
We look forward to making music with your child this summer!
Birthday Books
Celebrate your child’s birthday and promote a love of reading at the same time! The Birthday Book Club program invites students to donate a book of their special choosing to the LMC during the month of their birthday. This is a great way to give a lasting gift to the school and celebrate your child’s birthday at the same time.
Any time before your child’s birthday, visit the Push Coin webstore (link here) to sign your child up with a donation of $10 for the book. Children will be called down during the month of their birthday to select a book from our birthday book display (please do not send your child in with a book you purchased) and we will present them with their chosen book during the month of their birthday (not necessarily on their exact birthday).
Additional details:
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A nameplate will be placed in the book commemorating your child’s birthday.
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Your child will be the first person to check this new book out.
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The birthday book is an extra book checkout (if they normally checkout 2 books, their birthday book is a 3rd book)
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Summer birthdays will be celebrated on the child’s ½ birthday.
Please email Ms. Happy with any questions, Elizabeth_happy@ipsd.org.
Popcorn & Freeze Pop Opt OUT Form
At times throughout the school year, students can earn various PBIS school wide incentives and celebrations. One celebration may include students earning a freeze-pop. In addition, the PTA sponsors popcorn days for classrooms throughout the year. The form linked below has the ingredient list for both items. Please complete this form ONLY if you DO NOT want your child(ren) to participate in eating a freeze-pop or popcorn at school. In addition, we will review food allergies listed in the health office and previous year's permissions to confirm children's ability to consume these food items. If your child is able to consume both popcorn and freeze pops, you don't have to complete the form.
Popcorn & Freeze Pop Opt OUT Form
Absences
If your child will be absent from school on a given day, you are expected to notify the office. The most efficient way to report an absence is in ParentVue. Please use the notes section to indicate the reason for absence (illness, vacation, doctor appointment). Families may also call the office at (630)428-6700, and then press #3 by 9:10 a.m. The school office will contact families of a student which has not been reported.
Join the May Watts Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
Sign up now to be a part of the May Watts Pack! Click this link to join: PTA Membership
For more information on these and upcoming PTA events, please check the May Watts Facebook Page or you can see previous newsletters on the May Watts Elementary website: https://www.ipsd.org/watts
DistrictNewsandInformation
May Watts Parent/Guardian Guidebook
Much of the information contained above in this edition of The Wolverine News has been taken directly from the May Watts Parent/Guardian Guidebook. Please refer to this guide for information pertinent school information and procedures.
Information to provide District 204 families access and linkage to resources in
our school district and community.
Katie Kempski
Katie is using Smore to create beautifu
