Forest School News (6.2.25)
Dear Forest Families,
Wow! This year flew by! As we wrap up the 2024-2025 school year, I want to thank you for your warm welcome and strong partnership during my first year as principal at Forest. Back in August, we kicked off the year by welcoming students and families back into the building during the Supply Drop Off and Popsicles with the Principals event which was a wonderful start to building relationships and preparing for the year ahead. From those early moments of excitement and connection to the fast-paced energy of May, it's been a year full of growth, celebration, and community.
This last month alone included multiple field trips, Field Day, the 5th Grade Awards Ceremony, Family Literacy Night, Staff Appreciation Week, D62 participation in Special Olympics, the book fair, and more! It all culminates with the final High Flier recognition on the last day of school. Forest also proudly celebrated the opening of our beautiful, enhanced, and more accessible playground -- a space that will serve our students and the community for years to come. In total, over 90% of our students in grades 1-5 participated in at least one club, group, or extracurricular activity this year. It truly was a busy and vibrant school year for everyone!
I'm especially grateful to the many families who donated time, talents, and resources to support our students, staff, and events throughout the year. Your involvement makes a meaningful difference and I'm so thankful for your partnership.
This will be the final Forest School News of the school year, but you can expect to see one again in early August with important back-to-school information. In the meantime, keep an eye on your inbox for Falcon Tales, a new summer newsletter series featuring videos of current Forest students reading picture books aloud for Forest families to enjoy together over the summer.
Wishing you a safe, relaxing, and joyful summer with your families. I look forward to seeing you in August for another exciting year at Forest!
With gratitude,
Ms. Soike
Principal
I'm excited to launch Falcon Tales, a brand new summer reading video series created for Forest students, by Forest students!
Several of of Forest's 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students have been recording read aloud videos of various picture books. Throughout the summer, I'll begin sharing these videos with Forest families through a special edition newsletter series, Falcon Tales, that will be shared every couple weeks.
The goal of Falcon Tales is to encourage reading and keep our students connected to Forest, even when school is out! Forest's incoming kindergarten families will also get a chance to join in on the fun! I hope these student-created videos bring smiles, spark curiosity, and inspire lots of cozy reading moments at home this summer. Stay tuned!
As the school year comes to a close, the Forest Parent Teacher Council would like to extend our deepest thanks to the entire Forest community.
Whether you volunteered your time, attended an event, or donated—your support has meant so much. Every contribution, big or small, helped us create memorable experiences for our students and support our incredible teachers and staff.
We’re proud of what we’ve accomplished together this year, and we couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you for being such an important part of our community.
Wishing you a safe and joyful summer!
Sky Wozniak
President, Forest Parent Teacher Council
8/5: National Night Out & Food Truck Roundup from 5:00-8:00 PM outside between Forest and AMS
8/5: Family Registration Support from 5:30-7:30 PM at Algonquin Middle School (AMS)
8/12: AMS 6th Grade Orientation at Algonquin Middle School from 7:45 AM - 12:00 PM
8/12: CMS 6th Grade Orientation at Chippewa Middle School from 7:55 AM - 11:30 AM
8/19: Forest Kindergarten Information Night (via Zoom) from 6:00-7:00 PM
8/21: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL (Grades 1-8) & Kindergarten Family Meetings
8/22: FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL (Kindergarten)
Contact Us
Website: http://forest.d62.org
Address: 1375 South 5th Avenue Des Plaines, IL 60018
Phone: (847) 824-1380
Facebook: Forest Facebook
Principal: Ms. Amber Soike
Assistant Principal: Ms. Traci Reiner