The District 25 Dish

This edition of the District Dish features the following

• Superintendent Message
  
• Need 2 Know
  Food & Nutrition Services Update
• Calendar Updates 🔔 (UPDATE TO THE 25-26 CALENDAR) 🔔
  25-26 Calendar - UPDATED
  Calendario 25-26 - ACTUALIZADO
• Safety & Supports
  
• Celebrate with Us!
  
• Community Events
  

• Feel Good Story
  Making the Move to Middle School

• Help Needed | We are hiring!
  Scroll for positions!
• Instagram | @ahsd25social
  
• Board of Education
• Strategic Plan 21-25, Dashboard
• #d25ItsPersonal

Thank you! Click around and enjoy!

Happy August, District 25 Community,

We’re revving up and getting everything ready for our students to return on August 21!

For administrators, August feels like a sprint, but not the kind that wears you out. It’s the kind that energizes you, because the finish line is the best part: the smiling, curious, and eager faces of our students walking through the doors in just 14 days.

There will be a lot of important information coming your way this month. Please do your best to take it all in, and if anything is unclear, don’t hesitate to reach out to your school’s front office staff or administrative team. We’re here to help.

And a quick save the date! We’re excited to host a Community Safety Night at Thomas Middle School on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, from 6:00–7:00 PM. This event will focus on electronic bike/scooter safety, including local ordinances and expectations on school property. We’ll also cover important reminders around drop-off and pick-up routines, as well as before and after school expectations while on school property. More details will be shared soon, but we hope to see many of you there!

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and I can’t wait to see everyone on August 21!

Together Today 2 Transform Tomorrow,

Brian Kaye

The first day of school is right around the corner, and our Food & Nutrition Services Department would like to welcome you all back as well as provide updated information for the 2025-2026 school year.

Please CLICK HERE for the Food & Nutrition Services Welcome Back flyer, which includes information on how to access the menu, how to order lunch, meal pricing, and more!

Paying for school meals is EASY. Please insert your student's first name and student's ID number listed below to create a Mealtime Online account to view your student meal account and/or deposit money.

Student First Name: <<First Name>>

Student ID: <<Student ID>>

Eligibility for Free/Reduced Price Meals

Our District participates in the USDA funded National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Those families that are directly certified for free or reduced meals have been notified via email. If you are not directly certified through participation in SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid, and feel you may qualify for free or reduced meals based upon your household income, please complete an application online. You will need your student ID # to apply, which is listed above. If you are unable to complete an application online, please visit our website for our paper application.

Institute Day | Staff Only

• August 18, 2025

Institute Day | Staff Only

• August 19, 2025

Policy Committee Meeting

• August 19, 2025

School Board Meeting

• August 19, 2025

Teaming Day | Staff Only

• August 20, 2025

First Day of School

• August 21, 2025

At the Tuesday, July 15, 2025 Board of Education meeting, a change to the 2025-2026 school year calendar was approved. The School Improvement Day originally scheduled for Monday, April 6 was moved to Tuesday, March 17. This means:

• March 17, 2026 → No school for students

• April 6, 2026 → Students will attend school

For more details on the change, click here for a letter sent to our community on July 17, 2025.

📅 View the updated calendar here:

• 25-26 School Calendar | English
• Calendario escolar 25-26 | Español

Did you know you can feed the District and school calendars into your personal calendar? There are easy steps located on our website, and for a video tutorial watch the video above!

Email Adam Harris (aharris@sd25.org) if you have any questions!

Have you ever visited our SAFE25 page? We invite you to check it out!

Ensuring the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. We are committed to creating and maintaining secure environments where learning can thrive.

School safety is an ongoing process, and your input is invaluable. Share your feedback with us at safe25@sd25.org. Together, we can build a safer future for our students.

Standard Response Protocol (SRP)

As part of the commitment of safety, we are transitioning to the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) this fall. This shift, made in partnership with the Arlington Heights Police Department, will help ensure a clear, consistent response to emergencies across all of our buildings. Please check out the SRP one page guide below.

Community Camera Registration:

Residents can opt to register their security cameras with the AHPD to assist in investigations. More details: Connect Arlington Heights Camera Registration.

Link Together Coalition Mission: Promote healthy youth, families, and communities by decreasing teen alcohol and drug use through education, advocacy, and access to community resources, and policy awareness, implementation, and change.

Working with D25: South and Thomas Middle Schools are provided with prevention initiatives that are targeted at youth to empower them to be drug and alcohol free.

Lets Talk More: In the past year, 52% of Wheeling Township high school students answered YES that their parent/guardians have talked to them about not using alcohol. See attached PDF below to learn more.

For more information and resources, visit our Parent Academy page.

District 25 is a partner in the Link Together Coalition, which gives our community access to the Glenbard Parent Series. Please check out the various Glenbard Parent Series presentations that work to engage top experts, parents, and school staff to become proactive and informed in pursuit of the mutual goal of strengthening our communities. Programs are free and open to the public. No registration required.

District 25 is committed to supporting the whole child and their family. We’ve created a new webpage to share community resources that offer assistance with food, housing, health services, and more. Visit the community supports page by clicking here to explore support options.

Care Solace is a free, confidential 24/7/365 Mental Health Care Coordination Service.

Call (888) 515 - 0595, or go to caresolace.com/site/northcook to complete a brief screening to be matched with a provider. Available for students, families and staff.

For more resources, visit our parent academy page: www.sd25.org/ParentAcademy.

BEACON (Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation) is a centralized resource for Illinois youth and families seeking services for behavioral health needs. It’s common for young people to struggle with behavioral and/or mental health challenges. Please know you are not alone, and neither is your child. Click HERE for support.

Ukraine Independence Day takes place on August 24 and it marks Ukraine's declaration of independence from the U.S.S.R. in 1991. The day is celebrated with great enthusiasm and is the most popular day of the year for Ukrainians around the world.

Established by Congress in 1971 to commemorate the 1920 passage of the Nineteenth Amendment granting women the right to vote, and to encourage the ongoing efforts for women’s equality in all areas of American life.

Below you'll find a snapshot of upcoming events in the area that may be of interest to our students and families. This is just a sampling so be sure to visit each organization’s website for a full list of activities and details.

Celebrate Cultural Diversity at Heritage Fest on Saturday, August 10 from 10AM - 1PM at the Arlington Heights Historical Museum! Free, family-friendly event with performances, food for purchase and the opportunity to meet with local, cultural organizations. Attendees are encouraged to bring your own lawn chair or blankets.

Presented in partnership by the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, Arlington Heights Park District and Village of Arlington Heights.

When: August 9, 2025 | 10:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

Where: Arlington Heights Historical Museum

Learn more here.

Enjoy a Friday night watching Wicked outdoors at Frontier Park! In the case of inclement weather, the movie will be relocated to Camelot Community Center.

When: August 15, 2025 | 8:00 P.M. - 10:40 P.M.

Where: Frontier Park

Learn more here.

Develop your child's intellect through the royal game of chess! This class will consist of a fun, interactive teaching period with guided practice time where students can play against one another. Both beginner and experienced players are welcome and will learn under the guidance of an experienced Chess Scholars coach.

When: August 10, 2025 | 1:00 P.M. - 2:15 P.M.

Where: Lindsey Room

Who: Min age 6 - Max age 6th grade

Learn more here.

Develop your child's intellect through the royal game of chess! This class will consist of a fun, interactive teaching period with guided practice time where students can play against one another. Both beginner and experienced players are welcome and will learn under the guidance of an experienced Chess Scholars coach.

Kindergarten to 3rd Grade

When: August 18, 2025 | 10:15 A.M. - 11:15 A.M.

Where: Lindsay Room

Who: Kindergarten to 3rd Grade

Learn more here.

Learn more about adult education offered by District 214!

Click here to learn more: https://www.ce.d214.org/

We caught up with an incoming 6th grader who closed out her time at Olive with an original song (yes, seriously 🎶👏).

Now she’s gearing up for middle school, feeling a mix of nerves and excitement and leaning on her friends to make the leap together. Big feelings, big transitions, and a brave heart. 💙

#D25ItsPersonal #OutAndAbout #StudentVoices #FromOliveToTMS #MiddleSchoolMoments

District 25 is a great place to work — with opportunities to inspire, support, and impact students in a variety of roles. Whether you're in the classroom, behind the scenes, or on the front lines of support, there's a place for you here.

Explore opportunities at www.sd25.org/apply and see how you can make a difference in our schools and community!

Did you know middle school locker combos get reset every year? 🤯

Sounds obvious now, but it’s one of those things most people never really think about.

Each locker can rotate through multiple combinations—and our incredible Facilities team resets every single one by hand. 🔧

It’s just one of the many behind-the-scenes jobs they tackle during the summer to get our buildings ready for students and staff… who then bring them to life with energy and good vibes for the year ahead. 💫

📅 First day back for students is August 21. We can’t wait!

#D25BackToSchool #MiddleSchoolMagic #FacilitiesRock #BehindTheScenes #FirstDayReady #ArlingtonHeights25

Behind the scenes of summer in District 25! 🛠️☀️
While students enjoy their well-earned break, our Facilities Management and Business Departments are diving into capital projects all across the district as part of the #Build25 initiative.
Here’s a quick snapshot:

✅ At Thomas — New lighting, ceiling tiles, and a fresh coat of paint in the commons/lunch room
✅ At Patton — New cabinetry, marker boards, tack boards, and flooring touch-ups
✅ At South & Westgate — Flooring work is underway!
We’re committed to creating learning environments that are safe, functional, and built for the future. 💙

🎥 Take a look at the progress in our latest reel!

#D25Builds #District25 #SummerConstruction #CapitalProjects #FacilitiesMatter #BetterEveryYear
#d25Build25 #d25itspersonal

The District 25 Admin Team is back! 💙📚

We kicked off the school year by reconnecting, realigning, and focusing on how we can best support our students, staff, and community.

And this year, we got to build bikes for students in our community, giving some a fun little boost as they roll into a new year. 🚲✨

Because in District 25, it’s personal.

#D25Pride #BackToSchool #District25 #Leadership #d25ItsPersonal #SchoolCommunity #Teamwork #EducationMatters

BOARD AGENDAS:

As a reminder, our Board Agendas are made public 48 hours before each Board meeting and can be accessed via our BoardDocs online program. To access BoardDocs, visit our website: www.sd25.org/BoardAgenda or click here.

PUBLIC COMMENTS:

Anyone who wishes to make a public comment can do so, in person, at our Board of Education meetings. The Board hosts two public comment opportunities on their agenda: 1) at the beginning of the meeting, prior to any agenda items; 2) at the end of the meeting after the agenda items have been discussed/presented.

The Board can be reached outside of Board meeting hours by emailing boardfeedback@sd25.org.

UPCOMING BOARD MEETINGS:

What: Policy Committee Meeting

When: Tuesday, August 19, 2025 @ 5:00 pm

Where: Dunton Administration Building, 1200 S. Dunton Avenue, Arlington Heights

Description

The Policy Committee Meetings are public meetings where the members of the Board's policy committee meet to review and discuss the policies of the Board. No action will be taken at these meetings, and they will not be videotaped.

--------------

What: School Board Meeting

When: Tuesday, August 19, 2025*

Where: Dunton Administration Building, 1200 S. Dunton Avenue, Arlington Heights

*The meeting will begin at 6:15 p.m. at which time the Board will move into Closed Session until approximately 7:00 p.m. Following Closed session, the Regular Open meeting will begin.*

Description

This meeting will be live streamed via YouTube. The link for this can be found on the Board Agenda page (www.sd25.org/BoardAgenda#Livestream) the week of the meeting.

This meeting will allow audience members in the room. Please note each individual agenda can be viewed on our BoardDocs program.

Follow along with our progress on the following goals within our Strategic Plan, 21-25:

• Student Achievement
• Family & Community
• Learning Environment
• High-Quality Staff
• Stewardship of Resources

You can stay up to date on the progress of our goals and strategies that guide us in our everyday work: www.sd25.org/StrategicPlan.

Our teachers teach from a personal place. #d25ItsPersonal has become a way for our teachers and staff to share daily occurrences, and reasons why they do what they do for a living, and why it's fulfilling, right here in District 25.

Together Today 2 Transform Tomorrow

Website: www.sd25.org
Location: 1200 South Dunton Avenue
Phone: (847) 758.4900
Facebook: facebook.com/ahsd25
Twitter: @ahsd25

Instagram: @ahsd25social