Thursday Notes – August 20, 2026
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From Mr. Brooke’s Desk
First Day of School
We were so excited to welcome students and families to campus this morning to launch the first day of school. As we begin, we are asking God to do a great work in our students this year. It is an honor to partner with families who seek to raise their children to be Christ-centered, critical thinkers, who build community for God’s glory and only by His grace. Thank you for the privilege of engaging with your family this school year.
Year Verse
The youngest student in each family will bring home a Psalm 27:1 verse card next week. Please place this around the house, in the car, or in a place that allows your family to reflect on this verse throughout the year. If you need extras, don’t hesitate to stop by the front office. We will focus on the theme, “my light, salvation, and stronghold” throughout the year, and I am excited to see this theme take root in our community. A digital version of the year verse for your phone “lock screen” will be available on our Instagram and Facebook stories.
Instagram: @wcgswinfield
Facebook: Wheaton Christian Grammar School
From Mr. Painter’s Desk
Morning Drop-off
It was a beautiful morning for the first day of school! We enjoyed having so many of you on campus today. Thank you for your patience in our parking lots as we navigated an unusually high number of vehicles coming on campus. We know there will be far fewer tomorrow! As a reminder, teachers will meet their students at their designated locations again tomorrow (Friday), and then students will be able to enter on their own starting Monday, August 24. If the weather is poor, students can be dropped off at their designated entrances and walk into the building directly.
Staggered Start Procedures
With our staggered start procedures officially starting on Monday, students in grades 6-8 may enter the Jr. High Atrium at 8:25 a.m., hallways will open at 8:30 a.m., class will begin at 8:40 a.m., and their day will end at 3:15 p.m. For students in grades K-5, the doors will open at 8:40 a.m., class will begin at 8:50am, and their day will end at 3:25 p.m. Parents who have students in both grades K-5 and 6-8 and plan to drop off their grade 6-8 students at 8:25 a.m. may also drop their K-5 students off at school at 8:25 a.m. While the weather is nice, we will be utilizing the playground as the drop-off location for these K-5 students, and supervision will be provided by WCGS staff. When the weather is poor, students will enter the building near the gymnasium and be supervised indoors by WCGS staff. When the bell rings at 8:40am, these K-5 students will transition to their classrooms.
Junior High Entrance
Starting on Monday, junior high students may be dropped off at either junior high door (Door 2 or Door 4) between 8:25-8:40 a.m. Students may also be picked up at either door after 3:15.p.m. The curbside lane will be utilized for these purposes along the entire South (front) and West sides of our building. Families of K-5 students, please reserve the curbside lane from the front/main crosswalk towards the exit for our grades 6-8 parents, as this will allow them to pick up their children efficiently and exit campus prior to 3:25 p.m. At 3:25 p.m., those lanes may be used for all families K-8.
Handbooks
Please review the 2026-27 Parent Handbook and Jr. High Handbook that have been updated on our website. You can find them here.
Back-to-School Night
Please save these dates!
- Grades 6-8 Back-to-School Night: Tuesday, August 25, at 6:30 p.m.
- Grades K-5 Back-to-School Night: Thursday, August 27, at 6:30 p.m.
These evenings are planned for you to meet and hear from your child’s teacher. Please make them a priority. More details will be sent out next week. As a reminder, these events are for parents, and childcare will not be available. Thanks for your understanding!
MAP Growth Testing
Over the next few weeks, your child will take an online test called Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) on a school computer. Wheaton Christian Grammar School gives the MAP test to students in order to measure their progress in reading and math throughout the year, and from year to year. The MAP Growth Assessment will be given to all of our students in the fall and again in the spring. Teachers will use the MAP results to identify which skills your child needs to work on in reading and math. MAP tests are unique in that they adapt to your child’s level of learning. As a result, each student has the same opportunity to succeed and maintain a positive attitude toward testing. For more information about MAP Growth, visit NWEA.org/familytoolkit.
Our students will be taking one test in math and one test in reading. Each test will average approximately one hour and will be taken with their homeroom teacher. Below are the testing dates for students at the various grade levels. It is extremely important that your children are in attendance on these days so that they take the test with their class.
- Monday, August 31 – Wednesday, September 2: Grades 6-8
- Thursday, September 3 – Friday, September 4: Grades 4-5
- Tuesday, September 8 – Wednesday, September 9: Grades 2-3
- Thursday, September 10 – Friday, September 11: Grades K-1
We value the incredible partnership that we have with all of you and consider it a blessing to work alongside your children on a daily basis.
Important Upcoming Dates
Thursday, August 20
Q1 Hot Lunch/Popcorn/Slush Orders Open
Friday, August 21
Summer Reading Logs Due
Summer Library Books Due
3:30 p.m. Auxiliary Treats on the Playground
Saturday, August 22
9:00-11:00 a.m. – Jr. High Praise Team Auditions
Monday, August 24
9:00 a.m. – Recess Supervisor Meeting (Jr. High Atrium)
Tuesday, August 25
BIRTHDAY: Delena Ollila (Choir Teacher)
6:30-8:30 p.m. – Grades 6-8 Back to School Night
Wednesday, August 26
9:00 a.m. – Chapel (Grades K-2)
10:15 a.m. – Chapel (Grades 3-5)
11:15 a.m. – Chapel (Grades 6-8)
6:30 p.m. – Beginning Instrumental Night (Band and Orchestra Rooms)
Thursday, August 27
Q1 Hot Lunch/Popcorn/Slush Orders Due
Grades K-8 School Pictures (Innovation Hub)
4:00 p.m. – Boys’ V Soccer @ Christian Liberty
4:00 p.m. – Girls’ JV VBall @ Christian Liberty
5:00 p.m. – Girls’ V VBall @ Christian Liberty
6:30-8:30 p.m. – Grades K-5 Back to School Night
Friday, August 28
BIRTHDAY: Kaila Van Cott (2nd Grade Instructional Aide)
9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. – 8th Grade Challenge
Notable Notes
Fall 2026 Grades K-8 Chess Club
Registration for the 2026 Fall Season of the WCGS Chess Club is now open for interested students in grades K-8. This club will meet Wednesdays after school from 3:30-4:30 p.m. in the Innovation Hub. We plan to split the students into two groups according to ability level/experience. To sign up, email wcgschess@gmail.com with your child’s name and grade. We are excited that our previous chess coach, Mr. Jeff DiOrio, will be teaching again. Jeff DiOrio is the owner of Elite Chess and has been coaching chess for many years. The first Chess Club session begins Wednesday, September 16. The club will meet for the following 12 sessions: 9/16, 9/23, 9/30, 10/7, 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 11/11, 11/18, 12/2, and 12/9. Cost to participate: $100.
School Pictures
Picture Day is Thursday, August 27, during normal school hours. Please see this flyer from JostensPIX for more details about what to wear (no green!) and how to order. Parents will receive emails directly from JostensPix to the addresses you provided to WCGS with reminders and notifications. Photos will be shipped directly to your home! Previewing, personalization, ordering, and payment will all take place online at jostenspix.com. Please note that all students will be photographed for the yearbook, but there is no obligation to make a purchase. If a student is absent on picture day, re-takes will take place on Thursday, September 29. If you have any questions about picture day, please contact Lauren Fortosis.
Extended Care
Extended Care is a service offered to our families with two working parents. We would respectfully ask that this service be reserved for families in this scenario. If you plan to utilize our Extended Care Program, please download the registration form from the school website or pick up a copy at the front office. We will need a new 2026-27 form for everyone participating in Extended Care (even if you used it previously). This updated information is very important for our registration process. Please either drop the form off at the front office or email it to Extended Care. For questions, please contact Kate Lindstedt at Extended Care. Thank you!
Forms on FACTS Family Portal
Information regarding the following web forms can be found on the FACTS Family Portal. If you have any specific questions regarding these forms, email Debbie Cairncross.
Please complete these forms TODAY! They are overdue.
To access these forms, follow the instructions below:
Log into FACTS Family Portal
Click on “School” at the left of the screen
Click “Web Forms”
Complete the forms described below (only as needed)
Click on one form at a time, returning to complete the other forms
Criminal History Background Check Form
This form is required for people who want to volunteer at school but have not completed the form previously. Please do not submit this form a second time! If you are unsure about whether or not you completed a form in the past, please email Debbie.
Driver and Chaperone Form
This form is for volunteers who want to drive on school field trips and also for volunteers who would like to chaperone but not drive on field trips. This form needs to be completed each year.
Master Field Trip Form
This form is to be completed for each child granting permission for participation in grade level field trips listed. This also needs to be completed each year.
Community Corner
FCA Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball Opportunities
Boys’ and Girls’ Winter Team Evaluations
Boys – Information and Registration – Click Here
Boys’ DYTBL teams’ evaluations will be Monday, August 24 and Wednesday, August 26
3rd / 4th / 5th grade evals 6:00-7:15 p.m. both nights
6th / 7th / 8th grade evals 7:30-8:50 p.m. both nights
Girls – Information and Registration – Click Here
Girls’ DYTBL teams’ evaluations will be Tuesday, August 25 and Thursday, August 27
3rd / 4th / 5th / 6th grade evals 6:00-7:30 p.m. both nights
2026 Boys Basketball Fall Elite Training – Information and Registration – Click Here
Take your game to the next level with Boys’ Basketball Elite Training. Throughout the training, players will build their fundamentals, grow their basketball IQ, and prepare for their upcoming seasons. Training will focus on skills and drills for most of the session but will finish with small- sided games to apply the skills in game situations.
Coaches: Paul Ferguson, Head Coach, WA Boys Varsity Basketball and FCA Coaches
Who: Boys entering grades 3-8
When: Mondays, August 31 – October 12, 2026 (7 sessions, including Labor Day)
Time: 6:00-7:15 p.m.
Where: Wheaton Academy Field House
Center for Lifelong Learning
Equip your student to thrive this school year! The Center for Lifelong Learning is here to help. Wheaton Academy’s Center for Lifelong Learning is a tutoring center open to ALL families, and we offer individual sessions, group classes, and parent workshops throughout the school year. Whether your child is just beginning to navigate the demands of middle school or needs targeted support in a specific subject, our team meets students where they are. Our most popular services for middle schoolers include subject-specific tutoring that provides individualized academic support across core subjects and student success coaching, which helps students build the executive functioning skills that make middle and high school manageable: organization, time management, study habits, and self-advocacy.
We would like to invite you to join us at our next free parent workshop to help your student prepare for the start of the school year with our certified Executive Functioning Coach, Holly Taritas, on September 12. Please RSVP here.
We work with students from middle school through high school, so as your child grows, the Center grows with them. Questions? Email us at thecenter@wheatonacademy.org or visit thecenterforlifelonglearning.org.
