Forest School News (1.11.26)

Have you noticed the fresh new banner welcoming families to Forest? It looks amazing and it is all thanks to the hard work and generosity of our PTC! The previous banner had seen better days, so the PTC designed, printed, and installed this brand new one just in time to welcome everyone back to school in 2026.

A huge thank you to our PTC for our continued support and for helping keep Forest a welcoming and cared for space for our students and families. We truly appreciate all that you do for our Forest community!

Each month on the 15th, families will receive an email and text message to keep them informed about their student(s) attendance for the school year. This communication began in December 2025.

We ask families to always notify the school when a student will be absent so that your child's absence can be marked accordingly. Families can notify the office via phone call, email, or Infinite Campus Parent Portal (information here). Below are some examples of what kind of absences are considered excused versus unexcused.

Examples of Excused Absences:

• Sick
• Doctor's Appointment
• Religious Holiday
• Death in the immediate family
• Attendance at a Civic Event
• Mental Health Day

Examples of Unexcused Absences:

• Vacation
• Athletic Tournaments and Competitions
• School refusal

With our first snowfall last week and colder weather on the way, please be sure your child comes to school with appropriate winter gear.

• Students will go outside for recess unless conditions are too cold or unsafe.
• When snow is on the ground, students may play in the snow, but only if they have a winter coat, snow pants, boots, and mittens or gloves.
• Students without full snow gear will still go outside but will be asked to play on the blacktop.

If your family needs help securing winter gear, please fill out the Forest Family Resources Form or reach out to any member of the Forest SEL team (Ms. Biancalana, Ms. Donnelly, Ms. McInerney, Ms. Soike, or Ms. Reiner).

In the state of Illinois from January 14 through March 3 students identified as ML (Multilingual Learner) will participate in the state-mandated ACCESS assessment. The ACCESS assessment is designed to measure students’ academic language proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Academic language proficiency will be measured using items in the areas of Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies.

All students identified as Multilingual Learners (MLs) who have not met the state identified exit criteria must participate in this assessment. This includes students whose parents have refused ML services.

District 62 students will begin this testing next week. At Forest, ML students will begin testing on Wednesday, January 21.

Here are a few tips that can help your child do their best on the test:

• Make sure that your child attends school on the days of testing

• Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep the night before testing

• Have your child eat breakfast on the mornings of testing

• Remind your child to ask the teacher questions if they do not understand the test directions

• Let your child know that you have confidence in their ability to do their best

• Advise your child not to worry about the test, but to simply do the best they can

The January PTC meeting will be held this Tuesday, January 13th at 7:00pm at Forest. Babysitting will be provided for children 3 years and older. We hope to see you there!

Don’t forget to submit your Staff Spotlight nominations! The next winner will be chosen at the January meeting. Staff Spotlight is a way to recognize any Forest staff member that makes students feel welcomed, cared for, and supported. Let us know the name of the staff member and what they did/are doing for their student or family at Forest. Any adult can be recognized, so in addition to classroom teachers, don't forget paraprofessionals, custodians, interventionists, and more! Email jamikolonski@gmail.com or michelle.marlega@yahoo.com with the staff member name and reason for the nomination. You can also submit your nomination on this form.

Did you know the Forest PTC takes on the very large task of creating and distributing the Forest yearbook each spring? The PTC Yearbook Committee is regularly onsite to capture photos of all the special events and activities that happen at Forest each school year.

If you're a parent or guardian of a current 5th grader, the Yearbook Committee needs YOUR help! Please refer to the 5th Grade Baby Pictures newsletter for more information.

Save the Date! The next Dine and Share will be on Tuesday, January 20th at Avanti Cafe. More details coming soon.

Movie Night is happening on Friday, January 23rd. We will be showing KPop Demon Hunters! See the flyer for details. We are also looking for volunteers to help make this fun event happen. If you are interested in volunteering you can sign up at this link.

The Forest PTC is going to the Wolves Game! Join us Sunday, February 15th as the Wolves take on the Colorado Eagles. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased at this link.

Do the events above sound fun but don't line up with your schedule? Or would you like to learn more about what we can do for our students? Please consider joining the PTC! Membership gives you our meeting minutes and the first opportunity to volunteer at school events! You can join us here: Membership Form. You can also check out the Forest PTC Website.

Spirit Wear featuring the new Falcon logo is now available on our website.

Week of January 12

• 1/13: PTC Meeting at 7:00 PM

Week of January 19

• 1/19: NO SCHOOL - MLK Day
• 1/19: Drop In Crafts at the Des Plaines Public Library at 10:30 AM and/or 4:00 PM
• 1/20: Board of Education meeting at 7:00 PM at Orchard Place Elementary School
• 1/21: 1st Grade Sports Club begins from 3:30-4:30 PM
• 1/23: PTC Movie Night at 6:30 PM in the Forest Multipurpose Room

Week of January 26

• 1/27: Stuffed Animal Kit pickup at Des Plaines Public Library starting at 9:00 AM
• 1/28: D62 & Maine West Art Show Reception from 6:00-7:00 PM at the Des Plaines Public Library

• District 62 Community Partnerships & Resources - A full list of D62 community partnerships.
• Virtual Bulletin Board - View community flyers on the D62 website. Updated regularly.
• MaineStay Youth & Family Services - Click on the MaineStay tab for Youth Programs.
• MaineStay Fall 2025 Catalog - Click to learn more about a range of fall events and activities.
• Self-Help Closet & Pantry of Des Plaines - Learn more about available community resources.
• Community Backpack Project - Weekly backpack program - Contact Forest if interested.
• Des Plaines Public Library - A calendar of events at your local public library.

District 62, Forest, and the Des Plaines community have so many wonderful resources available for families. If you are experiencing financial hardship, food insecurity, looking for community resources, or exploring opportunities for parent learning, we are here for you!

To help the Forest SEL Team better understand what resources to connect you with, please fill out the Forest Family Resources form for us to follow up with you about any resources needed. Responses are kept confidential and will only be seen by the SEL team unless you specify otherwise.

Website: Forest Elementary School

Address: 1375 South 5th Avenue Des Plaines, IL. 60018

Phone: (847) 824-1380

Social Media: Facebook & Instagram

Principal: Ms. Amber Soike

Assistant Principal: Ms. Traci Reiner