Forest School News (11.9.25)

Forest's playground area is a great place to spend time after school! However, the blacktop area is used during dismissal as a bus lane, so it is critical that the Forest community practice safety first. To increase student and family safety during dismissal, please refrain from using the blacktop area if there is a bus in the bus lane.

To ensure the safety of students and families, we ask that the blacktop not be used until 3:50 PM. This includes running, walking, rolling (bicycles, scooters), etc. By 3:50 PM, all school buses have typically left the property. After 3:50 PM, everyone is welcome to use the entire blacktop area in addition to the playground and field.

• Cars are expected to pull all the way up to the stop sign.
• Students may enter and exit cars on the passenger side once their car is between the first bike rack and the stop sign.
• Family members must stay inside the vehicle at all times.

Parking Options 👍 ✅

• Parking is permitted (allowed) on 5th Ave between Forest School and Algonquin Middle School.

No Parking Zones 👎 🚫

• Parking is NOT permitted on 5th Ave in front of Forest School.
• Parking is NOT permitted in the parking lots (unless it is a designated visitor spot). These parking lots are for D62 staff members only.

District 62 has so many wonderful resources available for families. 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 and share any resources needed! Responses are kept confidential unless you give permission otherwise.

Forest's first musical performance of the school year is coming up next Wednesday, November 19th! This show will feature 4th and 5th grade students and is open to their immediate family members. Please see below for details.

D62's SEPAC is hosting a Town Hall Meeting this month. This event will give families the opportunity to:

• Learn about SEPAC's mission and goals
• Access valuable resources and information
• Explore ways to make a difference for their children and all students with IEPs and 504s

📅 Wednesday, November 12

📍 At 7:00 PM via Zoom

The November PTC meeting is being held this Monday, November 10th at 7:00pm at Forest. The meeting is being held on Monday this month since there is no school on Tuesday. 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 November 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.

The PTC is hosting a Pool Party at Prairie Lakes Aquatic Center on Friday, November 14th from 7:00pm-9:00pm! See the flyer for more details. Tickets are available on our website or at this link.

Thank you to everyone who has supported the Little Caesars Fundraiser so far! We still have a little bit to go to reach our fundraising goal. Now through Sunday, November 23rd you can purchase a Pizza Kit, or In-Store Meal Deal, and $6 from your order will come back to the Forest PTC! You can place your order at this link. Thank you for your support!!

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 November 10

• 11/10: PTC Meeting at 7:00 PM
• 11/11: NO SCHOOL - Veteran's Day
• 11/12: D62 SEPAC Virtual Town Hall at 7:00 PM
• 11/14: Trimester 1 Ends
• 11/14: PTC Pool Party at Prairie Lakes Aquatic Center from 7:00-9:00 PM
• 11/16: Chorus Club performance at the Chicago Wolves Game at 3:00 PM

Week of November 17

• 11/17: Board of Education Meeting at 7:00 PM at Central Elementary School
• 11/19: 4th & 5th Grade Concert at 6:30 PM at Forest in the Multipurpose Room
• 11/21: Trimester 1 Report Cards available in Infinite Campus
• 11/22: Maine West Warrior Con from 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM at Maine West High School

Week of November 24:

• 11/24-11/28: NO SCHOOL - Fall Break - School resumes Monday, December 1st

• 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.

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