The 21 Ledger

We’re excited to share that CCSD21 will offer a variety of enriching summer programs for students across grade levels and interests. Space is limited, and most programs are open to current grades K–7 students.

• June 8–12: Art & Design Academy, STEM Camp (in partnership with WHS), and Sports & Fitness Academy for students entering grades 1–8.
• July 6–23 (Invite-Only): Summer Learning Academy and Newcomers (academic support in Language Arts, Math, and Specials) and Extended School Year (ESY) for eligible students.
• August: Performing Music Academy for select orchestra, band, chorus, and rising 6th-grade music students.

We are excited to announce that registration for incoming kindergarten and new students for the 2026-27 school year will open on Monday, February 2. Children who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2026, are eligible to register for kindergarten, and families new to the district with children entering any grade level are also invited to complete their registration! We'll be sharing more information and details on how to register in the coming weeks, so stay tuned!

Over the past few months, several upgrades were completed across our schools. London and Holmes received new bleachers, and the main gyms at Holmes and Cooper were resurfaced for added protection. Frost and Twain also received new foyer furniture, with additional schools scheduled for upgrades soon. These improvements reflect our ongoing commitment to safe, functional, and welcoming learning environments for all students.

Applications are now available for the 2026 Tarkington NEU Scholarship, which will provide $500 to a former Tarkington student who is currently a senior in high school and intends to enroll in college, university, or career training coursework for the fall 2025 school year. In order to qualify, an applicant:

• Must have attended Tarkington beginning with the year it was accepted as a No Excuses University school (2008-09 through present day)
• Be accepted and plan to enroll in a college, university or career training center

New survey feedback from more than 1,500 families and 500 staff members shows broad support for e-learning days as an alternative to traditional snow days, with many citing consistency and fewer calendar disruptions. At the same time, both groups raised important challenges—especially around student engagement, supervision at home, and readiness for younger learners.

Parents expressed concerns about children completing work independently, while staff emphasized the need for strong engagement, equitable access, and remote-ready instructional plans. District leaders say the shared feedback will help guide future decisions around inclement weather closures and e-learning.

Read the full story here.

Please join us in welcoming Officer Denys Wolf of the Buffalo Grove Police Department as the new School Resource Officer (SRO) for the Cooper strand of schools! Officer Wolf brings a strong commitment to building positive relationships with students, staff and families. With family members in our district, his connection to our community is personal and meaningful. In addition to speaking English, he is also fluent in Russian and Ukrainian, an asset that will help strengthen communication and connection with many of our families.

London Middle School’s boys basketball program enjoyed a standout season, earning championships at both grade levels. The eighth-grade team claimed the Mid-Suburban Middle School Athletic Conference regular-season title with a 10-1 record (the program's first for that grade level since 2009), while the seventh-grade team made history by winning the MSMSAC end-of-year tournament for the first time!

Read more about our entire middle school basketball program season here.

Riley Elementary School’s SPIN Club raised $1,170 during a December gingerbread house fundraiser to help build a permanent home for Francis, a deaf orphan living in Ghana. The event supported A Better Life for Kids and reflected the school community’s strong connection to service, empathy, and support for deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Organizers hope to make the fundraiser an annual tradition.

Read more about the fundraiser here.

Mark your calendars! The District 21 Spelling Bee will take place on Wednesday, February 4, bringing together talented student spellers from across the district. More details, including a link to a potential livestream, will be shared in the coming weeks!

The ACCESS Assessment for English Learners testing window is January 14 through February 20. This is an assessment required by the state of Illinois that measures students’ academic English language proficiency. Only students who qualify for language services will be taking the test. This assessment helps schools see students' growth in their English language development and helps our district determine program support. If you have questions about this assessment, you can contact our Language Services Department or your child’s school. For more information, please click on the links: English, Spanish, Russian, Ukrainian.

Did you know...? Thinking about staying home? Research shows that students who miss more than 10 days a year are 20% less likely to graduate on time. By coming to school each day when they aren’t sick, your student is staying on track for graduation.

Did You Know… As a district, we are proud to celebrate the diversity of our learning community! Some of the celebrations taking place during the month of January include: New Year’s Day, Epiphany/Three Kings Day, Orthodox Christmas, Martin Luther King Jr. Day If you’d like to learn more, click on the links!

Flu activity in suburban Cook County has increased from high to very high, according to the Cook County Department of Public Health. Families are encouraged to stay up to date on recommended vaccines, practice good hygiene, and stay home when sick until fever-free for 24 hours and symptoms improve.

Here is an additional resource from Endeavor Health on the "quad-demic," which includes the flu, COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and norovirus.

Free flu vaccinations are available:

• Saturday, January 24 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) at the Arlington Heights Health Center (no appointment needed)
• The District 21 Health Center at 959 W. Dundee Road (appointment needed)

No insurance is required; immigration status does not affect eligibility.

As we settle into the New Year, many families are working to stick with their resolutions—whether that’s being more active, reading more, or spending quality time together. Remember to be gentle with yourself: it’s okay to stumble and start again. Positive self-talk and breaking big goals into smaller, manageable steps can make resolutions feel more achievable. By modeling these habits, parents can also help their children stay on track. Here’s to making 2026 a productive and positive year!

Welcome back from break! As we transition back into our learning routines, it is the perfect time to give our Chromebooks a "fresh start," too. To ensure your student is ready for success each morning, please help them get back into the habit of charging their device every night and completely shutting it down at the end of the day. Frequently restarting the device and closing out unused tabs helps things run smoother, and ensures that operating system updates are installed.

Over winter break, we placed into service our new private fiber-optic network rings from WANRack. These high-capacity private data lines, paid for by federal and state grants, now run to every one of our schools from redundant locations. They provide a solid independent foundation for our computing needs now, and potentially for decades to come.

Saturday, January 17, 11-11:45 am (family-friendly performance!)

All ages. Guinness World Record holder, David Fisher, The Rope Warrior, brings his visually entertaining and interactive jump rope show to the library. TR

Free tickets distributed 30 minutes before the program on a first-come, first-served basis at the Youth Services Desk.

Tuesday, January 27, 6:30-7:30 pm

Ages 5 and older with a caregiver. Bring your imagination and create with Legos. TR

Free tickets distributed 30 minutes before the program on a first-come, first-served basis at the Youth Services Desk. TR = Ticket registration.

We’re now accepting applications for the 2026 Maker-in-Residence program at Indian Trails. A selected artist spends six weeks creating a project in our Launch Pad maker space while engaging with patrons through free, hands-on workshops. Finished pieces are displayed in the library and often include contributions from our community.

The program is open to artists working in a variety of visual mediums, including those using tools such as 3D printers, laser cutters, sewing and embroidery machines. The Maker-in-Residence receives a $1,500 stipend.

Artists must be 18 or older. Preference is given to applicants who plan to use Launch Pad equipment and to Indian Trails Library District residents. Applications are due Jan. 25.

Explore classes, sports, and activities for all ages. Don’t miss out! View the program guide: https://isu.pub/ih9VBEQ

NAMI invites community members to take part in an important evening of conversation with several Illinois state legislators focused on mental health issues affecting our state and local communities. This discussion offers an opportunity to learn more about current challenges, ask questions, and make your voice heard on an issue that impacts so many families.

The event will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 14, at the Arlington Heights Memorial Library. Additional details can be found here.