Forest School News (2.24.25)

What is the Illinois 5Essentials Survey?

• On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago.
• The annual 5Essentials survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. The five indicators that affect and predict school success are:
• Effective Leaders
• Collaborative Teachers
• Involved Families
• Supportive Environments
• Ambitious Instruction

Who participates in the survey and when?

• Students, teachers, and parents in District 62 will have an opportunity to participate in the annual statewide survey. The 15-20 minute survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child's school.

Why is parent participation so important?

• Parent participation is critical as it continues to be aligned with the federal legislation, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Participation directly affects individual school ratings.
• Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at Forest and guide improvement.
• Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to your child.

How do I take the survey?

• To take the survey please visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/ and select the appropriate survey.
• If you have any questions or concerns, please contact 5Essentials Client Services at 1-866-440-1874 or visit this website for more information: 5Essentials

When do I need to complete the survey by?

• The survey is open NOW through March 28!

• Cars are expected to pull all the way up to the stop sign. 🛑
• Students are expected to get in and out of the car independently on the curb (passenger) side.
• Family members must stay inside the vehicle at all times. 🚗

• ✅ Parking is permitted/allowed on 5th Avenue between Forest School and Algonquin Middle School.
• 🚫 Parking is NOT permitted/NOT allowed in the Forest Staff Parking Lots or on 5th Avenue in front of Forest. The Des Plaines Police Department will begin ticketing those who are parked or idling in an area where parking is not permitted.

Ramadan will run from March 1-31 this year. If your child(ren) will be fasting during Ramadan and you would like an alternate activity for your chidl(ren) to do and/or an alternate place for them to be during lunch time, please reach out to Ms. Soike or Ms. Reiner via email.

Is your child interested in building and programming LEGO Robotics Kits or coding Dash robots or OZO Bots? We have the perfect club for them! Robotics Club will be starting soon! Paper copies of flyers of the attached flyer have been sent home, but please feel free to print and return the PDF by 2/24 to share your interest. Space is limited to the first 16 students to respond.

Save the date for an upcoming Family Game Night at Forest. Ms. Zienty, Forest's very own LMC Specialist, wrote a proposal and won a grant from the D62 Education Foundation which will go toward funding this exciting event! Please see the flyer below for more information.

Please CLICK HERE TO RSVP.

District 62 is hosting a month long challenge to collect goods to benefit the Self-Help Closet & Pantry of Des Plaines. The Student Council has worked to create advertisements to share information during morning announcements soon! If students bring in any food items to be donated, please send them towards the office. There is a red barrel inside the Door 1 vestibule for families to drop off donations and one inside the school near the Lost & Found for students to drop off any donations they bring to school. If a student brings in cash or check, please send that to the office.

If you are experiencing financial hardship, food insecurity, looking for community resources, or exploring opportunities for parent learning, look no further. Our SEL team created a Google Form you can fill out so they can be notified to follow up with you about any/ all areas you are looking for support. The responses to this form are confidential, and will only be seen by the SEL team unless you specify otherwise.

You can contact them here:

• Gina Biancalana, School Social Worker
• McKenna Corcoran, School Social Worker
• Mary McInerney, School Psychologist

Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for the Wolves game on Sunday! It's always a good time when the Forest community comes together. Thank you to Michelle Carrera for organizing this fun outing.

Talent Show is coming this spring! All of the details along with the permission slip went home in backpacks last week. Save the important dates below!

• In-Person Auditions: Tuesday, February 25th
• Video Auditions: due by Friday, February 28th
• Tech Rehearsal: Tuesday, April 22nd
• Talent Show Day: Friday, April 25th

Yearbooks are on sale now and can be purchased at this link!

Sign-ups are still open for the 2nd Annual Forest Family Arts & Multicultural Night on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 6:00–8:00 PM!

Are you passionate about sharing your culture? We’re looking for families to:

• 🎉 Host a table to showcase your traditions, heritage, and pride!
• 🎶 Perform a cultural dance, song, or musical piece!

Hosting a table is easy and fun—your display could include:

• 📷 Photos, maps, or flags
• 👗 Traditional clothing or artifacts
• 🎲 Games or crafts
• 🍬 Pre-packaged snacks or candy
• ✨ Ready to join the celebration? Fill out this form to host a table.

🎤 Interested in performing? Sign up here.

Let’s celebrate the amazing diversity of our Forest School community together! 🌟

📅 Mark your calendar for April 10 and stay tuned for more details. We can’t wait to see you there!

Spirit Wear is a great way for your family to show their Forest pride. Spirit Wear is available to purchase on our website, and it will be delivered straight to your child's classroom.

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 our website: https://forest-ptc.square.site

This Week:

• 2/24-2/28: SABERS Winter Assessment Window
• 2/24: LEGO League from 6:30-7:30 PM at Des Plaines Public Library
• 2/25: Spring Picture Day
• 2/25: Friendship Club/Girls Club begins (during lunch & recess)
• 2/25: Talent Show Auditions from 3:30-5:00 PM in the Forest MPR
• 2/27: AMS Service Clubs students visit Forest to read to 2nd graders
• 2/27: 3rd Grade Concert at 6:30 PM in the Forest MPR
• 2/28: Trimester 2 Ends
• 2/28: Munch Madness from 4:00-5:00 PM at the Des Plaines Public Library
• 2/28: Movies in the Corner (Tangled) from 6:30-8:30 PM at the Des Plaines Public Library
• 2/28-2/29: Matilda the Musical at 7:00 PM at Maine East High School

Next Week:

• 3/3-3/7: National School Social Worker Week
• 3/3-3/7: D62 Art Show at the Des Plaines Public Library
• 3/3: Read Across America Day
• 3/3: Trimester 3 Begins
• 3/5: Chicago Wolves' Read to Succeed Program visits 5th Graders at Forest
• 3/6: Robotics Club begins from 3:30-4:30 PM at Forest
• 3/6: Graphic Novel Club (ages 9-12) from 6:00-7:00 PM at the Des Plaines Public Library
• 3/7: Maintenance Worker Appreciation Day
• 3/7: Trimester 2 Report Cards released at 3:45 PM on Infinite Campus
• 3/7: Online Registration for the 2025-2026 School Year opens
• 3/7: Middle School BINGO Night (FREE) from 5:30-8:30 PM at Prairie Lakes

In Two Weeks:

• 3/10-3/14: Erin's Law Lessons (Grades K-2)
• 3/10-3/14: District 62 Art Show at the Des Plaines Public Library
• 3/11: PTC Meeting at 7:00 PM
• 3/12: Club & Group Picture Day
• 3/13: Family Game Night from 6:00-7:00 PM at Forest - RSVP
• 3/15: Youth Commission Fun Fair from 4:00-7:00 PM at Prairie Lakes Community Center

Website: http://forest.d62.org

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

Phone: (847) 824-1380

Facebook: Forest Facebook

Principal: Ms. Amber Soike

Assistant Principal: Ms. Traci Reiner