Quarterly Update
Greetings, Minooka 201 Community,
We’ve charged right into 2025 and the second semester of the school year and marked the official celebration of 100 days of school!
There has been an abundance of joy and fun happening in our schools this year and it is enjoyable and rewarding to see our kids having fun and learning and growing all at the same time. From the classroom learning to special events, our staff truly go above and beyond and the parent and family support is outstanding.
While there is much happening in our world that is uncertain or out of our control, we have great power in our partnership to stay focused locally on our kids and ensure a positive learning environment where our kids can thrive, grow, and achieve at the highest levels.
With all of the input that I have received thus far this school year, I am pleased to share that we have been working to improve in response to feedback. Check out the newsletter below for updates on a few of the efforts underway based on feedback that has been received:
Curriculum: public facing core curriculum maps are now available and will continue to be developed and shared for ease of access and transparency
Communication: a team is reviewing tools and practices to improve communication in response to parent feedback
Board of Education: the addition of a board of education section in the newsletter to help families to be informed and more easily access information
In addition, based on feedback, in the upcoming months, you can expect information on each of these topics:
Strategic Plan/Facilities Plan: launching timelines for these projects, which will prioritize the inclusion of stakeholder input
Voice: adoption of a tool to collect student, staff, and family voice on a regular basis to truly understand the different perspectives on strengths and areas of growth as it relates to the school and family experience
Transportation: plans to improve routing, efficiency, and overall service for the 25-26 school year, particularly for students and families who are impacted by longer routes, earlier pick-ups, or delayed drop-offs
We are proud to celebrate the great work happening every day in Minooka 201, and we look forward to our continued growth together.
In partnership,
Rachel Kinder
Superintendent of Schools
Upcoming Coffee & Chat with the Superintendent: February 21 at 9am @ 305 W. Church St., Minooka
What is the School Board?
In Illinois, public education is the states’ Constitutional responsibility. The state delegates the authority to govern the school districts to local school boards. Boards are made up of seven district residents elected at large to serve staggered terms of four years without pay. So, although the board is politically responsible to district voters, it is legally responsible to the state.
The Board’s job is to:
- adopt goals and policies that meet the state requirements and reflect community needs;
- provide the resources necessary to pursue it’s goals according to it’s policies;
- Monitor district performance to see that results are consistent with goals and policies.
The calendar of board meeting dates, board agendas/packets, and recordings of the meetings are accessible on our webpage. Please click the image above to access.
Upcoming Board Election:
There are seven candidates who filed petitions in Grundy County to appear on the ballot to run for the four available board seats that expire in 2025. The consolidated election for Minooka CCSD 201 school board will be held on April 1, 2025.
Curriculum Maps
We are thrilled to announce that we are continuing to update and share our curriculum maps online!
This is a direct result of your valuable feedback, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with Superintendent Kinder as she identifies needs based on parent voice. We understand the importance of transparency and want to ensure that parents have a clear understanding of what their child is learning in school.
Currently, you can access our updated public curriculum maps for English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics. These maps provide an overview of the key concepts, skills, and standards that your child will be learning throughout the school year in addition to some parent resources that you may find useful.
We will be continuously adding more curriculum maps to the online platform in the coming weeks and months. Thank you again for your continued support and partnership in your child's education.
Your Input Matters: Shaping High-Quality Literacy Instruction for Each Student
At Min201, we are committed to providing each of our students with an equitable, high-quality, evidence-based literacy instruction. We believe that strong literacy skills are foundational for success in school and beyond, this includes listening, speaking, reading and writing through all content areas.
To ensure we are meeting the diverse needs of all learners, we are seeking your valuable input on our current literacy instruction. As parents, your perspectives are crucial in helping us identify areas of strength and areas where we can improve. Please click on the link or picture below to take this short survey. There are nine questions that will take around 5 minutes to complete in total. Thank you!
MPC Professional Development Day
The MPC staff took part in a dynamic and interactive professional development session! They explored how play and creativity can both rejuvenate students and enhance various learning aspects.
One School, One Book
Walnut Trails kicked off the One School, One Book program! 📚✨ Every student received a copy of Mr. Popper’s Penguins to enjoy at home with their families. The reading journey began by diving into the first two chapters as a school community.
ACCESS testing is in full swing at our Elementary and Campus buildings for all of our students who speak two or more languages! You may be wondering how students are selected for this state-mandated assessment and why it's so important. Check out the Parent Presentation below to learn more!
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1BYznWY9U0UKXw462cz1dKNvBlcaon2N6bOquf9pd9Bo/edit?usp=sharing
We are excited to announce that Orland Park Dental Services (OPDS) will again be conducting a free dental clinic during the school day in each of our schools.
The clinic dates are as follows:
January 31st - Minooka Intermediate School
February 3rd - Minooka Intermediate School
February 4th - Minooka Elementary
February 5th - Minooka Elementary
February 14th - Minooka Junior High School
February 19th - Minooka Junior High School
February 24th and February 28th - Jones Elementary
February 27th - Aux Sable Elementary
March 3rd - Walnut Trails Elementary
March 10th - Minooka Primary Center
This dental examination will:
complete the oral health examination requirement for current Kindergarten, 2nd, and 6th grade students who have not yet turned in their Illinois State’s Proof of School Dental Examination Form.
meet the dental requirement for any student who will be in Kindergarten, 2nd, or 6th grade for the upcoming 2025/2026 school year. Illinois State’s Proof of School Dental Examination Forms will be completed by the dentist and will be given to the school nurse to be placed in the student health file.
meet the dental requirement for our 8th graders entering high school for the 2025/2026 school year. Illinois State’s Proof of School Dental Examination Form will be completed by the dentist and will be sent home with students.
If you have not already registered your child and would like them to receive a free dental examination, please use the link below to complete a permission form. Dental examinations will not be conducted without a completed permission form.
Friday, February 14
Early Dismissal (5 hour day)Monday, February 17
Presidents Day - No Student AttendanceFriday, March 7
Teacher Institute Day - No Student AttendanceFriday, March 14
End of 3rd QuarterFriday, March 21
Early Dismissal (5 hour day)March 24-28
Spring Break
*For the full Academic calendar for 2024-2025, please click the image above.
The Calendar Committee convened this month to discuss the calendar for the 2025-2026 school year. Consideration was given to surrounding school calendars during the discussions; a proposed draft for the 2025-2026 Academic Calendar was shared with the Board of Education for review and feedback on January 27th. The calendar will be finalized and presented again in February for official approval. Pending approval on February 24th, it will be published on our website.
Community Resources Information
Minooka 201 is fortunate to have a wealth of community resources. If you or someone you know are in need of resources, visit our website to find a collection of community resources available throughout our communities.
