The District 25 Dish

This edition of the District Dish features the following

• Superintendent Message
  
• Need 2 Know
• Assessment Updates:
• State Proficiency Standards
• Updated Norms for some District 25 Standardized Assessments
• Assessment Calendar, 25-26
• Food & Nutrition Services Update: Free and Reduced Priced Meals
• Calendar Updates 🔔 (UPDATE TO THE 25-26 CALENDAR) 🔔
  25-26 Calendar - UPDATED
  Calendario 25-26 - ACTUALIZADO
• Safety & Supports
  Community Safety Night
• Celebrate with Us!
  
• Community Events
  

• Feel Good Story
  Writing the Greatest Book of All Time at Olive!

• Help Needed | We are hiring!
  Scroll for positions!
• Instagram | @ahsd25social
  
• Board of Education
  Congratulations to our Board of Education! (scroll to find out why!)
• Strategic Plan 21-25, Dashboard
• #d25ItsPersonal

Thank you! Click around and enjoy!

Dear District 25 Community,

It has been a joy to see our schools come alive again with the energy, excitement, and curiosity of our students. From the smiles at arrival to the enthusiasm in classrooms, this year is already off to a wonderful start.

I am grateful to our dedicated staff, supportive families, and engaged students who make District 25 such a special community. Together, we are building on the strong foundation of learning, belonging, and growth that defines our schools.

A huge thank you as well to everyone who joined us at last week’s Community Safety Meeting at Thomas. Your questions and ideas make a real difference. If you couldn’t make it, no worries—you can check out the Safe25 webpage or click here to see the slides from the presentation.

I look forward to the work ahead as we continue to celebrate student success, support one another, and bring our district vision,Together Today to Transform Tomorrow, to life.

Here's to keeping the momentum going and making this school year one to remember!

Sincerely,

Dr. Brian Kaye
Superintendent

I have one last message and it serves as a reminder. Last year, we shared a letter reaffirming District 25’s belief, aligned with the Illinois State Board of Education, that schools should be safe havens where students can learn without fear.

I wanted to touch base again on this and let our community know that we have resent that guidance to our front office staff and building administrators on how to manage situations should Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other immigration representatives come to our schools. Our priority remains ensuring that every child and family feels safe, valued, and supported in District 25.

👉 Read Dr. Kaye’s full letter from last year, here.

Help your school earn a $2,500 grant by becoming a member of the ABC/25 Foundation. Join by October 17th, and your child(ren) will be entered into a drawing to win a ride to school with the Arlington Heights Police Department!

Each school must reach 25% membership to receive the $2500 grant. See your school's status in the picture to the right!

District 25 will send out a TEST message of our emergency alert system on Thursday, September 25 at 6pm. This message will be a phone call, text message, and email. If you do not receive this test within 30 minutes of 6pm, please email our Head of Communications & Storytelling, Adam Harris (aharris@sd25.org).

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has recently updated the Proficiency Benchmarks for the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) and the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA), starting with the Spring 2025 administration. ISBE has also unified the performance level descriptors for both tests, so there are now four levels that use the same descriptors: Below Proficient, Approaching Proficient, Proficient, and Above Proficient. These changes were made to better reflect college and career readiness expectations. These updates will likely increase the number of students designated as proficient in Math and English Language Arts, and will likely decrease the number of students designated as proficient in Science. The test and the state learning standards have not changed. Student reports from Spring 2025 testing will be shared with families within the next few weeks and will reflect the new proficiency benchmarks. For additional information about these changes, please review this ISBE document.

Starting this fall, NWEA MAP, the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT), and aimsweb+ reading measures will use a new set of national norms to interpret student scores. Parents may notice that their child’s percentile ranking has changed. This updated percentile represents where your child stands when compared with their grade-level peers nationally today. Because student performance has generally declined since the pandemic, in many cases, the same scores may now be associated with a higher percentile. After Fall 2025 testing, District 25 will review student performance to determine if any updates are needed to determine eligibility for intervention and advanced classwork.

While this change in MAP norms will apply to both current and past reports in MAP Growth, decisions made with student data before this school year will continue to be made with the norms in place during the testing window.

Please visit the following websites for additional information about NWEA MAP updates and the CogAT updates.

Each year, District 25 administers several state and local assessments to our students to inform instructional planning, determine who may need additional instruction, and obtain a general snapshot of students’ academic strengths and needs. The 2025-2026 assessment calendar, including information about the assessments and testing windows, can be found below:

ASSESSMENT CALENDAR | 25-26

Please note that classrooms will participate in these assessments at different times throughout the testing window, so be attentive to the dates and times provided by your child’s school. If you have questions regarding these assessments, please contact your child’s teacher or school principal.

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.

If you qualified for free/reduced meal benefits last year AND you have not reapplied for this year, your benefits will expire on October 3, 2025. If you feel you still qualify, please fill out a Household Eligibility Application prior to October 3, 2025.

Non-Attendance Day | All Schools Closed

• September 23, 2025

Connection with the Board | AH Farmer's Market

• September 27, 2025

School Board Meeting

• September 30, 2025

Non-Attendance Day | All Schools Closed

• October 2, 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!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at last week’s Community Safety Meeting at Thomas. Your questions and ideas make a real difference. If you couldn’t make it, no worries! You can check out the Safe25 webpage or click here to see the slides from the presentation.

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.

Hispanic Heritage Month is a month to celebrate the rich heritage of Hispanic Americans and the many contributions they have made to American culture. Celebrated Sept. 15 - Oct 15

Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Year and holy days. Days of Renewed Responsibility and the first of the High Holy Days. The traditional greeting during Rosh Hashanah is the phrase “Shanah tovah,” which translates to “Good year.”

*Dates change year to year.

October commemorates the first Polish settlers as well as the leadership of General Kazimierz Pułaski and Tadeusz Kościuszko who fought in the American Revolution. We also honor the contributions of Polish-Americans in the areas of arts, sciences, culture and more.

October is National Italian-American Heritage Month. This month was first recognized by the US Congress in October 1989 as a tribute to all Italian-Americans' achievements and contributions to our nation. It is a time to highlight the cultural impact of the Italian-American community.

Yom Kippur is the Jewish holiest day, known as Day of Atonement. The 25-hour period is devoted to prayer, fasting, and repentance.

*Date changes year to year

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 the launch of Recreation Park’s brand-new Skate Park! Enjoy music from a live DJ and delicious eats from a taco truck as we celebrate this exciting new space. Remarks will take place at 6:15PM.

When: October 2, 2025 | 5:00 P.M. - 6:30 P.M.

Where: Recreation Park, 500 E. Miner St.

Learn more here.

Calling all 6th-8th graders – the Park District is opening the Arlington Ridge Center just for you! Join us for a night of open swim, open gym, pizza, and a movie! $16 pre-registration (open thru 10/16), $18 at the door. Space is limited!

When: October 17, 2025 | 7:00 P.M. - 9:30 P.M.

Where: Arlington Ridge Center (ARC), 660 N. Ridge Ave.

Learn more here.

Help your library and community while making new friends. Join like-minded tweens to work on service projects, plan programs and play games.

When: September 19, 2025 | 4:15 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.

Where: Lindsey Room

Who: Grades 4-6

Learn more here.

Get ready for school and learn what the library has to offer at their regular bookmobile stops! Kids grades K-5 can sign up for Read 500 to earn prizes as they read this school year. Stop by to also check out books on the bookmobile and do a craft!

More info about these bookmobile stops at ahml.info/bookmobile

• September 10, 3-4:15 p.m. | Greens Park, 601 E. Olive St.
• September 12, 3-4:15 p.m. | Ivy Hill Elementary, 2211 N. Burke Dr.
• September 19, 3-4:15 p.m. | Greenbrier Elementary, 2330 N. Verde Dr.
• September 25, 3-4:15 p.m. | Westgate Elementary, 500 S. Dwyer Ave.

You're invited to attend Autumn Harvest on Saturday, Oct. 11th, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at North School Park! Enjoy free crafts, a scarecrow decorating competition with prizes, a petting zoo, photo opportunities, live music, dancing and more! This family friendly event is brought to you by the Village's Special Events Commission.

When: October 11, 2025 | 11:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.

Where: North School Park, 307 N Evergreen Avenue Arlington Heights, IL 60004

Learn more here.

Learn more about adult education offered by District 214!

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

From brainstorming to disagreements to big “aha!” moments ✨… these two students are writing their way to greatness (literally).

Meet the future best-selling authors of The Greatest Book of All Time 📖✨ (yes, that’s the real title!). These two students are proving that writing a book isn’t just about putting words on a page…it’s about teamwork. From brainstorming wild ideas 💡 to swapping turns at the keyboard ⌨️ to learning how to handle disagreements (like pros!), they’re showing us how creativity grows when you collaborate. We can all take a page out of their book 😉.

#d25ItsPersonal

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!

✨ It’s Tuesday, which means it’s time for another #NewTeacherTuesday! ✨

Each week, we’re introducing members of our amazing new certified staff: the educators, specialists, and leaders who have joined District 25 this year. 👩‍🏫👨‍🏫

This week, meet Jamie Spotts, who is a Social Worker at Westgate Elementary School!

Why did you decide to work in education, Jamie?
“This is a second career for me. I got into education because I loved the developmental stages and being on that journey with students. Students are discovering so much about life and themselves during these years. I enjoy getting to know students and allowing them to ask questions that are bothering them or that they are thinking about. I want every student to be seen and find a place of belonging.”

We’re so excited you are here, Jamie! 🙌 Stay tuned for more New Teacher Tuesday posts throughout the year!

#d25itspersonal

Meet Jennifer Lynn, Greenbrier’s Advanced Learning Specialist, as she shows how our Gators turn numbers into magic! From advanced math concepts to real-world predictions, these students use stats to forecast who will win the baseball divisions, make the playoffs, and even take home the World Series trophy!

But the fun doesn’t stop there… 🏀🎤🎬

Our Gators use math to predict March Madness outcomes, Eurovision winners, Oscar winners, and more throughout the year. They’re not just crunching numbers, they’re learning to think critically, analyze data, and have a blast while doing it!

📊✨ It’s math, it’s sports, it’s entertainment, and it’s seriously fun!

#GreenbrierGators #AdvancedLearning #MathMagic #FutureStatisticians #WorldSeries #MarchMadness #Eurovision #Oscars #STEMFun #d25itspersonal

Meet Miss Ray, one of our brand new teachers here in District 25! 🎶✨

Miss Ray is bringing incredible energy and joy to Westgate Elementary as the new music teacher.

Like all of our new staff members, Miss Ray is adding her own spark to our schools. She hopes her students leave her classroom knowing more about who they are, and she uses music as a powerful way to connect people and build community. 💙

We can already tell… our kids are going to love learning from her. Welcome, Miss Ray, and welcome to all of our amazing new staff this year! 👏

#d25itspersonal

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.

What: School Board Meeting

When: Tuesday, September 30, 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.

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.

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