The 21 Ledger

Our last day of school for the 2025-26 school year is Tuesday, June 2! As we approach the finish line, we’re excited to celebrate a year full of growth, learning, and accomplishments across our schools. Be sure to mark your calendars and stay tuned for any end-of-year details from your child’s school. Let’s finish the year strong!

Don’t wait…register your student today! Completing registration early helps ensure a smooth start to the school year. It allows us to plan for staffing, finalize class placements, and make sure your child is ready with everything they need on day one. Delaying registration can lead to last-minute issues or limited availability in certain programs. Get started now at ccsd21.org/registration and check one more thing off your list for the fall!

We’re excited to once again offer free meals for children throughout the summer months. With multiple convenient locations across the community, families can count on easy access to nutritious meals all summer long. Visit our dedicated webpage to view this year’s full list of locations and schedules. And stay tuned in the coming weeks, as we’ll be sharing more details, including printable flyers and additional information to help you plan ahead!

Our Staff Appreciation Week is right around the corner, taking place next week! This is a special time to recognize the incredible dedication, care and hard work our staff bring to our schools each and every day. Their impact makes a difference in the lives of our students, and we encourage you to join us in showing gratitude and celebrating the people who make our district such a great place to learn and grow.

We’re excited to welcome our future kindergarten students and their families at our upcoming Kindergarten Preview Nights! These events will take place over the next two weeks and offer a great opportunity to meet staff, explore the school, and learn more about what to expect in kindergarten. Head to our calendar for your school’s specific date and time, and we look forward to seeing you there!

Throughout National Library Week from April 20-24, our elementary school students had the special opportunity to learn from local author and illustrator Jacqueline Alcántara. She shared her illustration process, read one of her books with students, and led them through a fun, hands-on drawing tutorial...sparking creativity and inspiring young storytellers along the way. We are so grateful for her time, talent and passion, and for all who helped make this week such a memorable celebration of libraries and literacy!

Students in grades 1-8 will take the MAP Growth assessments in Reading and Math between May 4 and May 15. These tests help us track academic progress and guide instruction. Thank you for helping our students do their best by ensuring they’re well rested, have a healthy breakfast and feel encouraged to give their best effort.

There’s still time for students to participate in District 21’s Reading Challenges through Beanstack! Students can log every minute they read — from picture books and graphic novels to articles and chapter books — while building strong reading habits and celebrating their progress. Students in grades 3–8 can also connect with Benny the Bean, an AI reading buddy that helps set goals, stay motivated, and make reading even more fun. Students can access Beanstack on their Chromebooks and even connect their school and local library accounts for more reading options. Beanstack Log-In Directions: English | Spanish | Russian

Join Reading Rockets' Growing Readers newsletter for monthly tips that include simple ideas for nurturing early literacy skills, as well as guidance on engaging with your child’s school, finding great children’s books, getting the most out of read alouds, building letter-sound awareness, and strengthening fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and writing skills. You’ll also find lots of hands-on STEM activities.

Did You Know… As a district, we are proud to celebrate the diversity of our learning community! These are some traditions, observances, and holidays celebrated and acknowledged in our community this month. This month we begin by celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islandar Heritage Month, Cinco de Mayo, Mother’s Day, and Memorial Day. If you’d like to learn more, click on the links!

As we head into the final stretch of the school year, we encourage all students to finish strong by attending school regularly and staying engaged in their learning each day. Consistent attendance helps students build confidence, maintain progress, and fully participate in meaningful end-of-year activities. We look forward to celebrating a successful and joyful close to the school year together!

We're thrilled to announce the hiring of four new administrators for the 2026–27 school year, including Dr. Marta Mohammad as special education coordinator, Erin Lim as assistant principal at Frost, Sarah Swanson as assistant principal at Longfellow and Tara Lenhoff as principal at Riley. Each leader brings experience in instructional leadership, student support and school improvement, and all appointments will take effect July 1. Read more about all of them here!

This month, we’re celebrating two years of the District 21 Health Center serving students and staff with accessible, high-quality care close to home. Since opening, the Health Center has helped remove barriers to care by providing convenient medical services that support the health, wellness and success of our communities. Thank you to the dedicated staff and partners who continue to make this important resource possible for District 21 families every day!

As the school year comes to a close, we want to send a reminder that graduating eighth graders will no longer be eligible to use the District 21 Health Center starting June 2. We encourage families to plan ahead for any needed appointments prior to that date. Thank you for allowing the Health Center to support your student over the past two years!

During Mental Health Awareness Month, the District 21 Health Center is reminding families that mental health is just as important as physical health. Changes in behavior, mood, sleep, appetite, or school performance can sometimes signal that a child may need additional support. Creating open, nonjudgmental conversations at home can help students feel safe asking for help when needed. Families with concerns about their child’s mental well-being are encouraged to connect with the Health Center’s clinical therapist. Learn more in the full message.

Join D21 and Advocate Children’s Health for a meaningful day on the course in support of the District 21 Health Center. Proceeds from the golf outing help expand vital healthcare access for students and staff across our community. The event will take place Wednesday, June 17, at Chevy Chase Country Club. Register now!

As AI becomes more present in students’ digital lives, families are encouraged to talk about responsible use at home. While the district is not broadly using AI with students beyond small pilot programs, many students are already exploring these tools independently. Parents can guide these conversations by reinforcing three key ideas: AI should support learning, not replace original thinking; it should never take the place of real relationships or involve sharing personal information; and any AI-generated content should be kind, safe, and respectful—something students would feel comfortable standing behind if shared with adults.

As the use of e-bikes and e-scooters continues to rise among students, we are reminding families about the importance of riding safely and responsibly. Please note that e-bikes and e-scooters are not permitted on school grounds, and we encourage all riders to wear helmets, follow traffic laws and stay aware of their surroundings. Read the full safety message here.

As we continue to prioritize student safety, we ask families to review important walking safety reminders with their children. Students should use crosswalks and crossing guards whenever possible, stay alert and avoid distractions while walking, and never approach vehicles or accept anything from strangers. We also encourage students to walk with a buddy or trusted adult whenever possible. Thank you for partnering with us to help keep our students safe each day.

We’re excited to celebrate our Class of 2026 as they take the next step in their educational journey! All promotion ceremonies will be held at Buffalo Grove High School this year as we recognize the hard work, growth and accomplishments of our eighth graders.

• Holmes – Thursday, May 28, at 5 p.m.

• Cooper – Friday, May 29, at 5:30 p.m.

• London – Friday, May 29, at 7:30 p.m.

Specific details, including logistics, will come from your child’s school. We look forward to honoring this important milestone with our students and their families!

Tuesday, May 12, 7-8 pm

Grades 4 and older: Roshani Chokshi will join us virtually for book discussion and Q&A. Students in grades 4-12 pick up a free copy of "Aru Shah and the End of Time" between March 16 and May 12 at the Youth Services Desk. (Registration required)

Saturday, May 16, 11-11:45 am

All ages. Experience the joy of music play TOGETHER! Award-winning musician Jim Gill strums energizing rhythms on his banjo while everyone sings, claps and dances along. TR

TR=Limit: 120. Free tickets distributed 30 minutes before the program on a first-come, first-served basis at the Youth Services Desk. TR = Ticket registration.

Indian Trails has many events and workshops for students and their families. Check out the calendar of events for specific activities and times this month.

Keep an eye out! Information about summer reading opportunities at our local libraries will be shared through ParentSquare in the coming weeks!

Wheeling Park District Summer Camp registration is now open and spots are filling fast! Limited availability remains, so be sure to secure your spot today for an unforgettable summer!

The Wheeling Park District is pleased to announce that we have the following part-time job opportunities available. We encourage anyone interested to apply via Paycom: Job Opportunities.

Part-Time:

• Guest Service Representative

• Facility Maintenance

• Event Server

• Bartender

• Dishwasher

• Line Cook

• Group Fitness Instructor - Pilates

Part-Time Seasonal:

• HPSC Facility Supervisor
  

Come join us at 11:30 a.m. on May 6 at Chevy Chase Country Club (1000 N. Milwaukee Ave., Wheeling) for an inspiring message from Chicago’s Executive Chef and owner of Daisies and Radicle, Joe Frillman. He is a Michelin Green Star-recognized leader in sustainable cuisine and a two-time James Beard Award semifinalist (2024-2025).

Mark your calendars! On Monday, May 11, both Moretti's Ristorante & Pizzeria and Finn McCool's Irish Sports Pub will host an all-day fundraiser benefiting the District 21 Health Center. Be sure to mention the fundraiser when placing your order! The fundraiser is valid for dine-in, carry-out and delivery orders placed directly through the restaurants. Please note that third-party delivery app orders do not count toward the fundraiser, and no other discounts may be applied.