Each household in District 204 recently received a letter and insert regarding the "Safer, Stronger 204" Funding Proposal that may appear on the November 2024 ballot. Please take a moment to review these materials to learn more about the proposal which would address important building and operating challenges, without imposing a net tax rate increase. The District will be gathering the community’s feedback on the funding proposal at Community Informational Meetings. For a calendar of upcoming meetings and other information, visit Safer Stronger 204. Watch the Facility Improvement Overview Video below.

Community Letter

Funding Proposal Details

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Parent University: Becoming an Elementary School Parent is an interactive presentation geared toward incoming kindergarten and first grade parents and guardians to better prepare them for this new transition in their child's life. The purpose of this presentation is to share what to expect as your child enters school full time and how parents can support their child’s emotional development throughout the early school years. A panel discussion among Indian Prairie School District 204 staff members will round out the evening. Read More Here. Register Here. Parent University Flyer.

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Indian Prairie is excited to partner with the National Inventor's Hall of Fame to offer Camp Invention and Invention Project, award winning national programs. These fun, hands-on two (2) week STEM experiences will engage K-5 students in Camp Invention activities including: Let's Glow and Operation Hydro Drop; and grades 6-8 students with Invention Project activities including: E-Birds and Road Rally. Camp Invention has taken place for 30+ years and will be offered in more than 1,000 schools across the country this summer.

STEM Camp will be taught by Indian Prairie certified teachers. Camp hours are 8:30 - 11:30 am and will be held at Granger Middle School, 2721 Stonebridge Blvd, Aurora. The cost is $175 per student for these two (2) week camps. Indian Prairie is pleased to offer the registration fee for $95 less than the national average for Camp Invention! STEM Camp dates are as follows:

Grades K-2 Camp: Week 1: June 4 - 6 and Week 2: June 10 - 13 (No camp on June 3rd)

Grades 3-5 Camp: Week 1: June 17 - 20 and Week 2: June 24 - 27 (No camp on June 19th)

Grades 6-8 Camp: Week 1: June 17 - 20 and Week 2: June 24 - 27 (No camp on June 19th)

To register: Please login to the PushCoin webstore at: https://store.ipsd.org and click on the 2024 Summer STEM Camp drop-down. Questions: Please contact Ms. Kaleta, Indian Prairie STEM Integration Specialist at elizabeth_kaleta@ipsd.org or (630) 375-1075. STEM Camp Invention Flyer.

KidLITapalooza is a mini-book festival for all school-aged kids in grades 1-8 and their grownups*! Bring your favorite notebook that you love to write or draw in and join us for an afternoon of book joy and creation! All kids will work with a beloved creator of children's literature and meet their favorite authors at a book signing! (*All attending kids must be accompanied by a supervising adult.) Registration is $10/kid and $5/per adult. Purchase Tickets Here.

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2ND Annual YA Midwest: A Book Fest for YA Readers!

Where: Neuqua Valley High School

When: Saturday, July 27, 2024

Are you ready to celebrate all things YA? Readers, authors, publishers, educators and influencers are invited to join us for a day of fun in the Chicago suburbs. Join us for a full day of authors, panels, and books, books, books! Registration is $20 and includes a FREE signed copy of Karen McManus' upcoming release Such Charming Liars. This event is open to students in grade 7 and up. Purchase Tickets Here.

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Beat the May 1 price increase! Regular registration for Team IPEF 2024 ends TUESDAY, APRIL 30. Run, walk, and raise funds as a Team IPEF Charity Hero in the Naperville Endeavor Health Half Marathon, 10K, or 5K on October 20. Half of all funds raised by our runners go to your favorite IPSD 204 school and half to IPEF-funded district-wide programs. The goal is to have a team at every school, so gather your friends and family to register and join the fun! Let's make this year's Team IPEF a huge success! Learn more and register for Team IPEF today!

Are you curious about the district's equity plan? Join Dr. Nader Najjar, Assistant Superintendent of Equity and Innovation, for an engaging conversation! Dr. Najjar will share updates on the "Equity in Action" plan and answer your questions on restorative practices, culturally responsive instruction, and more. Enjoy coffee and light breakfast while getting involved, asking questions, and providing valuable feedback that will help us create a more equitable learning environment for all. Register for Equity in Action here. Equity in Action Flyer.

On Tuesday, April 30, the City of Naperville is holding a teen suicide disruptor training session from 6 - 7:30 PM at Naperville City Hall located at 400 S. Eagle Street in Naperville. The training is designed to empower individuals to recognize the warning signs of suicide and provide crucial support to those in need. Participants will learn skills to become a lifeline for someone who may be struggling, offering hope and help when they need it most. More Info Here.

Mental Health Forum

You're invited to the Mental Health Forum with the DuPage County Board of Health on April 25 from 7-9 PM. Join PDAC to explore the complexities of anxiety, depression, and bullying among our youth. Learn tools to identify early signs and provide essential support. The meeting will be in-person at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Dr., Aurora or register to get Zoom link. Mental Health Forum Flyer.

District 204, in partnership with KidsMatter, will hold a Youth Mental Health First Aid training on Saturday, April 27 from 9 AM – 1:30 PM at Waubonsie Valley High School. Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders in youth. This 6.5-hour training gives adults the skills they need to reach out and provide initial support to children and adolescents (ages 6-18) who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem and help connect them to the appropriate care.

The course covers the topics including common signs and symptoms of mental illness and substance use, how to interact with a child or adolescent in crisis, how to connect the individual with help, trauma, addiction and self-care, and the impact of social media and bullying.

For more information and registration, visit Youth Mental Health First Aid Registration. Please Dawn Forkner (IPSD 204 Social Emotional Learning and Wellness Coordinator) with questions.

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The Indian Prairie Educational Foundation (IPEF) and District 204 proudly honor Tyler Hunt, a 5th Grade Teacher at Georgetown Elementary School, with the April A+ Award. You can watch the A+ Award video to see the team’s surprise visit to recognize Ms. Hunt for “Making a Difference”.

Ms. Hunt was nominated for the A+ Award this year by two current Georgetown students, Marley Groleske and Jordyn Jones. In their essay, they described how Ms. Hunt made them feel safe and gave them a true sense of belonging at Georgetown. They went on to say that in her classroom, “We feel like we can be ourselves. We can make mistakes in her class, and she will keep caring about us…She gives us chances to make better choices.”

Ms. Hunt is a former IPSD 204 student, and this is her fifth year working in the district. In addition to her work in the classroom, Ms. Hunt participates in many extracurricular activities, including organizing the Georgetown STEAM fair, starting a social justice club for students, and working with Ready, Set, Code. After finding out that she won the A+ Award, Ms. Hunt expressed her surprise and explained how she feels that she makes a difference. “I get the opportunity to teach these students, and I try to be whatever they need for that day. Hearing what my students had to say about me felt really great!”

IPEF is proud to sponsor the A+ Award in its 10th year. You can nominate a staff member by visiting A+ Award.

Power of Choice Campaign

Middle School Parent and Student Surveys, High School Student Surveys
Your input is needed on the Power of Choice campaign! The Power of Choice is a project of 360 Youth Services and works collaboratively with Districts 203 & 204 to provide campaigns for youth, parents, and the schools. One campaign is focused on supporting parents in talking with their middle schooler about not using alcohol; one is focused on educating 6 - 8 grade students to correct misconceptions regarding e-cigarette/vaping; and another focused on supporting high school students in making healthy choices regarding alcohol and other substance use. The Power of Choice is asking middle school parents, middle school youth, and high school teens to participate in one of the three quick surveys below, to provide feedback regarding where they receive information. The deadline to take these surveys is by Tuesday, April 30.

Middle School Parent Survey

Middle School Youth Survey
High School Student Survey

New Summer Learning Experience: Introduction to Construction Management

Students ages 16+ are invited to explore careers in construction management, including case studies and job shadowing in construction management, architecture and a variety of trades. Earn college credit and gain practical experience to help guide your career choices! Class runs from June 3 - July 25, 2024. Learn more and apply here by April 28.

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Safety Reminder: If an emergency occurs in your child’s school, the district may contact you via phone, email, and/or SMS messaging. To ensure you will receive these emergency communications, update your contact information in ParentVUE. To receive text messages, you must have a designated phone number listed in Parent VUE for SMS messages. Please see the SMS Messaging Setup Instructions. Check the district’s Safety & Security Webpage for more helpful safety information.

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The next regular Board of Education meeting is at 7 PM on Monday, May 6, 2024 at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora. Meeting agendas and documents will be available online prior to the meeting. Video of the regular meeting can be streamed live or viewed the following day at the District’s YouTube channel.

View April 8, 2024 Board Salutes here.