02-18-2026

Dear D128 Community:

One of the most important responsibilities I have as your superintendent is to listen - especially to our students - and to actively engage them in conversations about their experiences. Our schools exist to prepare students to be college, career, and community ready, and there is no group better positioned to inform that work than the students themselves. Each student has a perspective, a journey, and unique needs, and their voices provide invaluable insight as we reflect on what is working well and where we have opportunities to grow.

To that end, I am spending a significant part of this month visiting our campuses and engaging directly with students. During these visits, I am hosting student listening sessions where groups of students join me for lunch and share their perspectives on a wide range of topics. Our conversations have included school culture and climate, cell phone policies, extracurricular activities and athletics, parking, academic workload, student stress and well-being, and college and career preparation. Each student I meet brings a distinct viewpoint, offering thoughtful suggestions, sharing lived experiences, and asking excellent questions that help shape our understanding.

In addition to these listening sessions, I am also spending time shadowing students at both Libertyville and Vernon Hills, following a portion of their daily class schedules to better understand what a typical day looks and feels like from a student’s perspective. These authentic experiences allow me to see instruction, passing periods, and the overall rhythm of the school day firsthand. From Algebra II to Human Anatomy to an American Studies course that thoughtfully integrates English and U.S. History, it has been energizing to observe each student engaged in learning and to see our talented teachers and staff supporting them throughout the day.

Listening to and learning from our students helps ensure that our decisions are informed by those most impacted by them. Recognizing that each student has a unique journey and set of needs strengthens our work as a district and guides us in creating opportunities where every student can thrive.

I am grateful to our students for sharing their voices and to our staff for welcoming me into their classrooms. These experiences are invaluable as we continue our work to ensure District 128 remains a place where all students feel supported, challenged, and heard.

Marc Schaffer, Ed.D.

Community High School District 128

Tuesday, Feb. 24 | 5:00 p.m. CT | ZOOM

Nicotine products are often framed as harmless — but for kids and teens, they can quietly impact mental health, increase anxiety, and fuel addiction. Join Parents Against Vaping for a focused conversation led by Jonathan Avery, M.D., a national expert in addiction psychiatry, on how nicotine affects developing brains, why youth are especially vulnerable, and what parents can do to support their children’s mental well-being.

In this webinar, you will learn how to:
• Understand the connection between nicotine use, addiction, and adolescent mental health
• Recognize early signs of nicotine dependence, anxiety, and mood changes in young people
• Talk with kids about stress, mental health, and nicotine in clear, supportive ways

Don’t miss this opportunity to get informed, ask questions, and leave with actionable next steps. Register today at this link or by using the QR code above.

Learn more at the Parents Against Vaping website.

Operation Snowball has existed in Illinois for over 50 years. Each school does it a little differently, but all offer a similar structure and opportunity:

• A chance to meet new friends via a small group experience, facilitated by peer leaders (an adult is present in each group)
• Outdoor teambuilding
• Keynote speaker
• Activities that build leadership and relationship-building skills
• A fun and unique day

Learn more about the upcoming D128 March 4 Operation Snowball at this link.

The D128 Board of Education will hold its regular Board of Education meeting on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the VHHS Library. As always, watch for an email on the Friday prior to the meeting that will include the agenda and a link to the livestream.

The full Board meeting schedule is available on the District website.

We have received the results from the radon testing conducted in January at LHS, VHHS, Transition Pathways, and the District Office. We are pleased to report that none of the tested spaces showed elevated radon levels; all were well within acceptable ranges. Six of the 471 tests did not produce results due to missing devices, closed rooms, or failed readings. We will retest those six locations and expect the results to be consistent with the rest of the testing.

The District will share this information with families in upcoming communications and will post the results on the District website. The test results will be reported to ISBE as required. Individual building reports are available for review on the D128 website.

The 5Essentials survey window is underway. Each year, D128 joins the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) in the statewide administration of the 5Essentials Survey. This survey is administered to students, staff, and families to measure five “essentials” critical for school success: Effective Leaders, Collaborative Teachers, Involved Families, Supportive Environment, and Ambitious Instruction.

The 5Essentials survey will be administered through Panorama this year.

Family Survey

The family survey focuses specifically on Involved Families and Supportive Environments. To access the family survey, please visit this link, and select the school your child(ren) attends. The survey is available in several languages and is open now through March 13, 2026.

The survey through Panorama is shorter than it has been in the past. There are only 25 multiple-choice questions, and it should not take you more than 10 minutes to complete. Please respond by March 13, 2026, to ensure your voice is heard!

Student Survey

Students will take the 5Essentials survey via Panorama on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. The student survey will be administered during second period, using a modified bell schedule for the day. Students will receive all the information needed to access the survey that day.

The student version of the 5Essentials survey is extremely important. Not only is it an opportunity for our students to make their voices heard, but the student participation rate is also one factor that goes into each school’s summative designation score, which is reported each year on the school state report cards.

Because of the importance of this survey, we are aiming for 100% student participation and will be holding survey make-up sessions and/or asking students to complete the survey at home if they do not complete it on Feb. 19.

The 5Essentials is a confidential survey. However, in the student survey, we have included two questions regarding students’ trusted adult(s) in their school, and Panorama has agreed to give us that information ONLY tied to student IDs. This is to help us continue our work in increasing belonging and ensuring all students are connected to someone in our buildings. All other survey questions will be completely confidential, and absolutely no names, identifiers, or individual responses will be used in any report. The survey has been designed by Panorama with these protections to allow students, staff members, and families to respond honestly to the survey to provide valuable input about their schools.

If you have further questions, please email D128 Director of Data and Assessment Charlotte Eames.

All 9th, 10th, and 11th-grade students in D128 will participate in the Illinois state accountability test on either Tuesday, April 7, or Wednesday, April 8, 2026, depending on grade level and accommodation needs. Visit this link for complete details about the 2026 ACT and Pre-ACT.

Raise Some Dough!

Bring in this flyer, or order online through the MOD app or website, to use the fundraiser code provided and MOD will donate 20% of your bill to support your school!

Join MOD in Supporting:

Organization: Vernon Hills High School ESP Fundraiser

Fundraiser Date: February 19, 2026

Address: 701 N. Milwaukee Ave., Unit 364
Vernon Hills, IL 60061

Fundraiser Code: MODGIVES20

Flower bulbs, thoughtful gifts, and More!

Help the LHS Educational Support Professionals reach their sales goal—-they earn up to 50% profit! Items ship directly to you. Bulbs ship in early May, and seed kits/gifts ship within five business days.

Items on the Thoughtful Gifts and More page ship via U.S. Mail within five business days of the order being placed. All bulbs ship via FedEx Ground Economy in early May and ship separately from seed kits and other non-bulb items. Order Early for the best selection!

LHS Ordering Landing Page

Fundraiser's Group Code: 46AA37

NOTE: Please place all orders online. Orders are taken through April or until supplies run out.