Devonshire Parent Newsletter 11.12.2026

Another week of learning gives us more reasons to celebrate our Dolphins! We are proud of the hard work and curiosity our students bring to school each day, and we are grateful for the encouragement and partnership of our families. This week’s Devonshire vision highlight features a veterinarian’s visit to first grade, bringing the idea of One Community to life. Connecting with a community member helps students see how their learning reaches beyond the classroom and how different people contribute to the world around them.

As the weather gets colder, please send your children with warm clothing and encourage them to dress in layers. We are outside for recess, arrival, and dismissal whenever the “feels like” temperature is above 15°F, and we also consider precipitation when making outdoor decisions.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support!

This winter we will begin a learning team to review our Advancing Inquiring and Meaning (AIM) programming.  This program provides extensions and enrichment for students K-8. This team will include teachers, administrators and parents/guardians to explore research around evidence-based gifted education and talent development practices as well as equitable identification processes. The team will make research-based recommendations for the district to evaluate for the 27-28 school year. 

Three evening dates are planned for this winter:

December 10th, 2026

January 14th, 2027

February 24th, 2027

Time: 4:30 - 6:30 p.m. (a light dinner will be provided)

Location: Educational Service Center, 9440 Kenton Avenue, Skokie

If you are interested in being a parent/guardian representative on this learning team, please complete the application in the link below. If you have any questions, please reach out to Diana Schmidt at DSchmidt@skokie68.org. 

Applications are due November 20th, 2026.  Parents will be notified by November 24th, 2026.  

Don't forget about Secret Attendance Day in November! In November, we will hold a Secret Attendance Raffle called Pie the Pod!  Each day students show up, they will be able to add their name to a raffle ticket, which will increase the possibility of them being drawn to Pie the Pod (put a pie on a randomly selected staff member's face) during the November Secret Attendance Day.

Please visit https://www.devonshirepta.com to sign up for the PTA, see events, purchase Devonshire gear, and more!

Questions? Contact the PTA @ devonshireskokiepta@gmail.com

Join us on Wednesday, November 18 for our Family Game Night. Enjoy an evening of friendly competition, raffles, and yummy desserts! The PTA will be providing pizza from Village Inn. Please make sure to register so we can ensure that we have enough pizza for everyone!

 

And NEW this year, enter a nut free dessert in our Great Devonshire Bake Off for a chance to win Devonshire swag for your student!

 

Let us know you're coming here! RSVP Here

 

It's not too early to start planning for Thanksgiving! Our beloved women-owned community bakery, Kneads and Wants, is again working with Skokie school districts to help us raise money for our PTAs!

Have questions? See below! 

 

Every pie is individually crafted from scratch. Kneads and Wants' ovens hold nine pies at a time, and with only two ovens, they'll be baking nonstop to fill over 400 Thanksgiving orders. 

 

Your purchase supports both your PTA and local families in need. This year, Kneads & Wants will be donating pies to:

-Humans at Help Foundation (4652 Oakton, Skokie) – providing full Thanksgiving meals to local families

-Niles Township Food Pantry (8341 Lockwood, Skokie) - available for distribution on the Monday before Thanksgiving

Last year, community support helped us donate nearly 75 pies—together, we can make an even bigger impact this year.

 

All orders are to be submitted online through Kneads and Wants bakery. All orders must be placed by November 17 and must be picked up on the date chosen when ordering.

 

Please plan to arrive at your scheduled pickup time. They bake in small batches to keep pies fresh, and they count on customers to arrive on time to help keep their flow steady and prevent delays. Pies are made to order and cannot be stored; missed pickups will be forfeited. Early pickups are not guaranteed and may require additional wait time. Pickup takes place in the bakery lobby at the designated pie pickup table at Kneads & Wants Bakery, 8042 Lincoln Avenue, Skokie.

 

Still have questions? Write devonshireskokiepta@gmail.com

SCHOOL HOURS: Students are escorted into the building at 8:37 a.m. daily. School on Mondays runs 8:40 a.m.-2:30 p.m. and Tuesdays-Fridays are 8:40 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

TARDY TO SCHOOL: If your child arrives to school after 8:40 a.m, you must escort your child into the main entrance and sign them into school for the day. The sign-in sheet will also include the reason for the tardiness.

PLAYGROUND: While we encourage families to enjoy our community play space after school hours, the park and playground are closed to the public during school hours from 8:25 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 8:25 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. on Monday. This rule is grounded in student safety, and we appreciate your cooperation in enforcing this safety measure.

ATTENDANCE: If your child will be absent, you must report the absence including the reason for the absence. If your child has a medical appointment and will come in late or leave early from school, we ask that you report that information as well. Absences or early/late arrivals due to appointments may be communicated through the Parent Portal or you may call the Attendance Line at (847) 568-4996.

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL: Drop off and pick up occur on Kenneth Avenue. Please only stop at the playground entrance closest to Davis. For the safety of our students, please do not double park, do not park on the side of the street with the houses, and stay in a single line. Students will line up according to grade level. Click here to see a map and detailed directions for picking up and dropping off. Students should be dropped off between 8:30-8:37 a.m. If you arrive after 8:40 a.m., please park and bring your child to the main entrance. Please note that if the weather is bad (under 15 degrees with wind chill, rain, or wet/blowing snow), students will come into the school building beginning at 8:30 a.m. 3rd - 5th grade students can walk home or walk to a parent in a parked car, if they have a signed permission slip. If you choose, you may submit this permission slip to your child’s teacher.

PARENT-STUDENT HANDBOOK: Click here for the 2026-27 Parent/Student Handbook.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us.

Call us at the Main office: 847-568-4901