Winnetka Superintendent Discusses District Activities

From Trisha Kocanda, Superintendent Winnetka Public Schools

As we move closer to the upcoming winter break and holiday season, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all the best to you and your family, and to thank you for your tremendous support of our schools.

I have had many opportunities during my first six months as Superintendent to meet with parents and community members and hear, first hand, the value that is placed on education in Winnetka.

In this month’s Winnetka Wire, I highlight two recent district events that demonstrate our commitment to partnering with the community.

Last week, we hosted a Winnetka Parent Institute (WPI) focused on math in The Winnetka Public Schools. More than thirty parents attended and engaged in real world math problems and mathematical thinking.

The program highlighted much of the research that informs instructional practice in our math classrooms.

The District’s goal is to create confident, proficient math thinkers. To achieve this goal, students should have the ability to use numbers fluidly and flexibly, have a deep understanding of how numbers relate to one another, and have the capacity to apply this information in authentic situations.

We learned more about how business leaders, universities, and researchers are aligned in these math education goals. I encourage you to access the presentation and handouts to learn more about math in our classrooms.

This week is Computer Science Education Week and all district schools are participating in Hour of Code events. Coding is certainly emerging as a high-interest area for our students.

As students develop logical approaches to building and deciphering code, they are also demonstrating authentic reasoning and problem solving skills. Both of our middle schools offer coding opportunities for students, and we look forward to expanding this to our elementary schools.

On Dec.10, more than three dozen members of our learning community attended an after school Hour of Code activity hosted by Carleton Washburne School students.

The interest and excitement were palpable, and I look forward to opening our doors for more events like this in the future.

Again, thank you for your continued support of our schools. I wish you and yours a very Happy New Year!
Sincerely,

Trisha Kocanda

Superintendent