The Golden Apple

Hello RLAS-116 families! It's hard to believe we are over a month into the school year. We're getting right in the swing of things with big events coming up and want to make sure you have all the information you need to prepare for the year ahead. Thank you for your continued support, and we hope to see you at our events across the district!

As part of our commitment to responsible financial management, Round Lake Area Schools has made the decision to move staff out of the Welcome Center located at 442 N. Cedar Lake Road. This move is a strategic part of the district’s continuous efforts to analyze and implement cost-saving measures wherever possible.

By eliminating the lease on the Welcome Center, the district will save approximately $45,000 annually. These savings will help us better allocate resources to support our staff, student learning, and other essential district needs.

Staff members who were previously based at the Welcome Center have been relocated to three key district facilities:

• The Superintendent’s office has moved to the Educational Support Center at 510 N. Cedar Lake Road, Round Lake.

• The Human Resources Department is now located in the Round Lake High School mobile unit. Anyone visiting our Human Resources Department must first check in at the Round Lake High School’s main entrance.

• The Safety Department has been relocated to the district warehouse.

We are confident that these changes will not only reduce expenses but also maintain operational efficiency and support for our students, staff, and community.

Thank you for your continued support of Round Lake Area Schools.

We are so excited to host our Hispanic Celebration this year on Thursday, Oct. 9 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. at the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center. The theme for the evening is “Connecting with one another: Cultural Storytelling.”

We invite you to join us for an evening of art, performances by students and staff, and special guests.

As parking may be limited, overflow parking will be at the Metra Station at 680 Civic Center Way. There will be a shuttle to transport families to and from the Civic Center.

We are excited to share the continued progress on the Round Lake High School baseball and softball field renovations. This project represents a major investment in our students and our community, and we remain committed to delivering athletic facilities that will serve our athletes for many years to come.

As with any large-scale construction effort, we have encountered a few unexpected factors and adjustments to the plan along the way. While these are normal in a project of this size, they have shifted the timeline for completion. To ensure the highest quality results - including allowing new grass to fully establish - we will not be able to open the renovated fields for the start of the Spring 2026 season as originally planned. Our goal is to have the new fields ready for playing games by May 2026. As with any large construction project, unexpected factors can sometimes affect the schedule, but we are working closely with our partners to stay on track.

We know how much anticipation there is around this project and recognize that waiting a little longer may be disappointing. However, this short delay will help us deliver a complex that not only meets but exceeds expectations, providing a first-class playing surface and an extended lifespan for years of Round Lake athletics.

In the coming weeks, we will share detailed information with baseball and softball families regarding plans for practices and games this spring.

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm as we bring this vision to life for our students and community.

Sincerely,

Donn P. Mendoza, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools

It is hard to believe we are already more than a month into our school year! With that in mind, we would like to share some information with you regarding options for academic support. Please read the information under the grade level that corresponds to your student(s). You may reach out to your child’s school if you have any questions.

As in previous years, we anticipate offering Twilight Tutoring for all grade levels - an opportunity for students to receive tutoring if they are struggling in a subject. This program will not be ready until later this fall and will only be available to students that currently have a 0 or 1 in a course or are referred by building leadership.

Until Twilight Tutoring opens, there are still several options for students in need of academic support.

At the elementary level, we encourage parents to communicate with your student’s classroom teachers to discuss additional learning opportunities. You may also consider using i-Ready’s individualized learning pathways for additional reading and mathematics instruction and support.

For more information on iReady, visit the iReady Family Center. Please note you may choose your preferred language in the upper right hand corner. Your student may also log in to iReady to see their individualized learning pathway.

As in previous years, we anticipate offering Twilight Tutoring for all grade levels - an opportunity for students to receive tutoring if they are struggling in a subject. This program will not be ready until later this fall and will only be available to students that currently have a D or F in a course or are referred by building leadership.

Until Twilight Tutoring opens, there are still several options for students in need of academic support.

At the middle school level, we encourage parents to communicate with your student’s classroom teachers to discuss additional learning opportunities. You may also consider using i-Ready’s individualized learning pathways for additional reading and mathematics instruction and support.

For more information on iReady, visit the iReady Family Center. Please note you may choose your preferred language in the upper right hand corner. Your student may also log in to iReady to see their individualized learning pathway.

Round Lake High School offers several opportunities for support. Tutoring is available during the day during periods 3-9 for Round Lake High School Students for the following subjects: English, math, writing (ELA social studies), multilingual education and science.

Students who would like additional assistance in these subjects can walk in for help - they do not need to sign up. Students with low performance may be referred to the tutoring center by their teachers.

Tutoring for all subjects, except for science, is held in the Den, A305. Science tutoring is available near Door 31 in the C wing.

For a list of teachers available during each period, please visit our website at https://rlhs.rlas-116.org/academics/tutoring.

Please note that this year, we also have a renewed focus on assisting students with lower scores in formative assessments, which include assignments used to check learning levels. Students may talk to their teacher about retaking these assessments in an effort to increase understanding and improve their grade.

While our district plans to offer Twilight Tutoring again this year, this program will not be open until later this fall and will only be available to students that don’t have a study hall during the school day and currently have a D or F in a course. We encourage students to take advantage of programs available during the school day to ensure they are using available resources while they are at school.

RLAS-116 is getting ready to celebrate Homecoming in just a few weeks! Festivities include a Homecoming parade, football games, a dance and more! We hope to see you at the parade and our home games! Find details below.

• Sept. 27: Homecoming Parade:
  • 10-11 a.m.
  • Students, parents, staff, and community members will walk down Cedar Lake Road celebrating school pride. The parade route begins at the corner of Highland and Cedar Lake Road and will end at Round Lake High School.
• Oct. 1: Varsity Flag Football Game vs. Grayslake Central:
  • 6:45 p.m., RLHS
• Oct. 3: Varsity Football Game vs. Lakes:
  • 7 p.m., RLHS
• Oct. 4: Homecoming Dance:
  • 7 p.m., RLHS

This year, we have a new platform to manage Parent-Teacher Conference sign ups. This program is called Tes.

This platform will allow you to book conferences with your student's teacher(s) virtually or in-person, request a translator, and receive appointment reminders.

On Tuesday, Sept. 30, your school will send an email with information on how to log in to your account, a link to the platform, and a guide with step-by-step instructions to booking a conference. Please be on the lookout for this email.

Please note that appointment emails for the platform will come from Tes' parent company, School Cloud. Additional appointment reminders will also come from School Cloud.

Parent/Teacher Conferences (No School)

• Oct. 23, 8:45 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Oct. 24, 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Homecoming Events

• Parade: Sept. 27, 10 a.m.
• Varsity Flag Football Game: Oct. 1, 6:45 p.m., RLHS
• Varsity Football Game: Oct. 3, 7 p.m., RLHS
• Homecoming Dance: Oct. 4, 7 p.m., RLHS

Fall Family Nights

• 4th Grade Ellis Family Night: Sept. 30, 6 - 7 p.m.
• EEC Open House: Sept. 30, 5:30 - 7 p.m.

Board of Education Meetings

• Sept. 29, 7 p.m., Magee
• Oct. 6, 7 p.m., RLHS

Fall Choir Concert

• Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m., RLHS

Fall Band Concert

• Oct. 8, 7:30 p.m., RLHS

Hispanic Heritage Celebration

• Oct. 9, 6:30 p.m., Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center

Parent/Teacher Conferences (No School)

• Oct. 23, 8:45 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Oct. 24, 8:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.