Celebrating Black History
Evanston Present & Future group has created a presentation called “Why Juneteenth is Important to Black History,” which they will present throughout D65 this month. They will be presenting at Kingsley on February 28. We thought it is important to highlight this important date and to encourage you to speak with your Kingsley students about what they learned about Juneteenth.
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Juneteenth is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. Deriving its name from combining "June" and "nineteenth," it is celebrated on the anniversary of General Order No. 3, issued by Major General Gordon Granger on June 19, 1865, proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas. One year later, on June 19, 1866, freedmen in Texas organized the first of what became annual commemorations of "Jubilee Day." Early celebrations were used as political rallies to give voting instructions to newly freed African Americans.
Why were slaves in Texas not freed until 1865 when President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863? Enforcement of the Proclamation generally relied upon the advance of Union troops. Texas, as the most remote state of the former Confederacy, had a low presence of Union troops as the American Civil War ended; thus, enforcement there had been slow and inconsistent prior to Granger's order.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation declared an end to slavery in the Confederate States, it did not end slavery in states that remained in the Union. For a short while after the fall of the Confederacy, slavery remained legal in two of the Union border states – Delaware and Kentucky. Those slaves were freed with the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, which abolished chattel slavery nationwide on December 6, 1865.
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Thank you, Kingsley Teachers!
Thank you to our Kingsley teachers for putting in extra long hours last week during parent/teacher conferences. We all greatly appreciate your hard work and dedication to our students!
A big thank you to Caroline Wagner for organizing the teacher meals, and to everyone that contributed a meal and/or item.
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The PTA Annual Appeal is now underway!
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Please read the Appeal letter here, and click here to see typical PTA dollars at work. Our goal is to raise $25,000 to help ensure we can offer robust programming next year at  Kingsley and throughout D65 PTAs. We cannot do this without the generosity of Kingsley families like yours. Thank you!
You can donate via cash or check by dropping your donation into the PTA mailbox in the school lobby; by Zelle to KingsleyPTAtreasury@gmail.com; or give at my.cheddarup.com/c/invest-in-kingsley-2023. All donations are tax-deductible.
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Lunch Help
Thank you to everyone who responded to our special request for Lunch Helpers for last week and all of this week. Your help is greatly appreciated! Responsibilities are to circulate throughout both sides of the room, help open lunch items, help maintain a sense of order, and encourage students to remain seated.
Interested in helping? Sign-up in advance here or just show up the day off. Please remember to check-in with Ms. Dietsch in the office upon arrival. Thank you!
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Volunteers Needed - Book Closet on Friday, February 24th
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The Kingsley Book Closet will be open one Friday each month for the rest of the school year! We are looking for volunteers to help students select books as their classes come throughout the day. We'll need a few volunteers for each of the following dates: February 24th, March 24th, April 21st and May 12th. Please sign up here if you're able to help out!
We are also accepting donations for the book closet again, which can be left in the cabinet labeled Book Closet outside the Kingsley library. Questions? Contact Katy Shapiro (katywshapiro@gmail.com) or Jill Kidd (jillkidd@me.com)
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Kingsley Talent Show - This Friday!
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Attend
We hope to see you at the Kingsley Talent Show this Friday, Feb 24th @ 6:00 pm. Our 3rd - 5th graders have been hard at work creating a great show. We're looking forward to the return of this popular event!
Volunteer
We need volunteers to make the night a success! Please sign up here to help during the dress rehearsal on Thursday afternoon or Friday during the show.
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Bake Sale
The Comet Community Connectors have organized a post-Talent Show bake sale. Volunteers are still needed to contribute sweets (homemade or store bought) to the bake sale! Please click here to sign up. Make sure to also come and check out the tables of yummy treats in the lobby after the show.
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Native Plant Sale - Ends Saturday, February 25th
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Orders will be available for pick-up on Saturday, May 13 from 10am to 1pm at the District 65 warehouse (2017 Greenleaf St., Evanston). Some native plants, shrubs and trees will be available for purchase.
  ¡La segunda venta anual de plantas nativas del Proyecto de Equidad de la Asociación de Padres y Maestros está en vivo! Elija entre una amplia selección de plantas, arbustos y árboles nativos y haga su pedido desde ahora hasta el sábado 25 de febrero.
Las ganancias de esta venta ayudan a apoyar cada escuela del Distrito 65 a través del One Fund Initiative.
Los pedidos estarán disponibles para recoger el sábado 13 de mayo de 10am-1 pm en el almacén del Distrito 65 (2017 Greenleaf St., Evanston). Algunas plantas, arbustos y árboles nativos estarán disponibles para su compra.
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There are lots of Spring Sports happening! Check out the links below for opportunities in the District and Evanston community. Most of these teams have deadlines in the next couple of weeks so plan ahead!
D65 Spring Sports for 4th & 5th Graders
D65 is offering soccer and track & field during the spring season to all 4th and 5th graders. The registration deadline is March 11, 2023. More information found here. Contact Mr. Brandan Lane, District 65 Elementary Athletic Director at laneb@district65.net with any questions.
Justin Wynn 3-on-3 Tournament
Registration is open for the 17th Annual Justin Wynn Leadership Academy 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament! This fun community event, to be held on March 12 at ETHS, is open to players of all abilities from 3rd to 8th grade. There are both co-ed and girls' tournaments. Flyer in English and Spanish is here. For more information and to register, go to wynners.org.
Free Tennis Lessons for 3rd - 8th Graders
YES Evanston is offering free tennis lessons at Fleetwood-Jourdain for students in 3rd-8th grade. Lessons begin March 4th. More information here.
Thundercats Flag Football
Thundercats Flag Football for students K-8th grade beings its Spring session the week of April 6. More information here.
EBSA Spring Baseball and Softball
Registration for Evanston Baseball and Softball Association (EBSA) spring Baseball and Softball is open until February 28th. ESBA offers full scholarships as well as a sliding fee schedule that is based on household income level. More information here in English and Spanish.
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Spring Extracurriculars Now Open
Registration is now open for Spring after-school electives. Learn about available programs and sign up here!
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Spring session runs from March 13th through May 26th. Registration closes on March 24th. To receive a scholarship, complete this form before 5pm on March 6, 2023.
As a reminder, all enrollments require a RAS account to sign up. To do so, visit the Right at School website -> click on Find Your School -> District & School -> Electives at the top of the page. For additional support, call 855-287-2466, email or reach out to Amber Woodson directly.
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Upcoming Comet Community Connector Events
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Purim Party for Kindergarten & 1st Grade Families
Costumes in Spring! Join us for a fun Purim Party on Sunday, March 5th. Please come in your favorite costume (yes, any costume!) for snacks, crafts, and games. Kindergarten party from 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm with 1st grade following from 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm at the Loftus residence at 2431 Payne. Siblings welcomed. The cost is free with an optional donation of $15. *Not a PTA-sponsored event.*
Contact Hosts with any questions:
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March Madness Gathering for Caregivers
Come for the tip-off of March Madness, stay for the chance to connect with our Kingsley community! Join us Thursday, March 16th, at Ridgeville Tavern in Downtown Evanston at 6:00 pm. Shared appetizers will be provided. A full dinner menu and cash bar will also be available. The cost is free with an optional donation of $15-$30. 
RSVP here.
Contact Hosts with any questions:
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Rising 6th Grade Families
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Haven Principal, Mr. Christopher Latting, has created a newsletter for Rising 6th Graders and their families. It includes helpful information about Haven and highlights some policies, programs and more! Find the newsletter here.
Mr. Latting asks that all families complete this brief survey by February 28, 2023.
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Complete the 5Essentials Survey!
The window for D65 staff and parents/caregivers to complete the 5Essentials Survey is now open! From now through March 31, 2023, staff and families are encouraged to complete the survey, which usually takes about 10 minutes to complete. Data from the 5Essentials Survey provides our school leaders with valuable insights that are used to develop effective school improvement plans.
Fourth through eighth-grade students are also encouraged to complete the survey and will be provided time in school to do so during the survey window.
Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you. School reports will be available to the public in June and Illinois State Report Card in the fall.
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Reading Confidence Sessions For Girls Ages 8-15
Armor Down Girls, an organization founded by Oakton Elementary's Dr. Parsons and devoted to inspiring girls’ confidence by increasing their self-esteem, is offering sessions to build confidence through literacy for girls ages 8-15. Sessions take place twice a month on Tuesdays at Robert Crown Community Center from 4:30-5:30 pm. See here for more information.
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District 65's Digital Backpack
The backpack is a free site screened and maintained by District 65 to share our community's youth and family events and programs. The more the community uses the site, the more organizations will regularly take advantage of this resource for the benefit of us all.
To visit the Digital Backpack, click here.
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Everyday Shopping Supports Kingsley
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Kingsley Spiritwear Store
Kingsley has partnered with 1st Place Spiritwear to have an on-demand, online spiritwear store available all year round. We’ll earn back 10% of sales for the PTA, so you can feel good knowing that your purchase will support the Kingsley community. Order today!
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Note: All students will receive a free Kingsley t-shirt this Spring (students receive free t-shirts every other year).
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Amazon Smile
Please don't forget to add the Kingsley PTA as your Amazon Smile charity. You can turn on Amazon Smile in the settings on your Amazon app (learn how here). This is an easy way to earn money for the PTA!
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Box Tops
Box Tops are going virtual! Download the Box Tops app, shop as you normally would, then use the app to scan your store receipt within 14 days of purchase. Learn more here.
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Calendar
Please click here to view/download the latest version of Kingsley's annual at-a-glance calendar.
We encourage all families to click here to sign up for D65's weekly Fast 5 email blast. It includes important events relevant to all district parents. You can find the D65 calendar for 2022-23 and 2023-24 here.
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Questions?
If you have questions, ideas or would like to get involved at Kingsley, contact Co-Presidents Erin Wade (she/her) at erinwade.pta@gmail.com and Sarah Weidaw (she/her) at sarah.weidaw.pta@gmail.com.
If someone you know would like to sign up to receive the Kingsley Elementary PTA weekly newsletter, please have them fill out the form here.
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