Fremont Focus

Dear Fremont Community,

Regular school attendance is essential for your child's success. Our goal for the 2025-2026 school year is to achieve a 95% attendance rate, and your partnership is vital to reaching it.

Why Attendance Matters

• Higher Achievement: Our data confirms a strong link between attendance and academic performance. Students with a 95% or higher attendance rate achieve significantly greater proficiency in Math and English Language Arts.

• Preventing Learning Loss: Missing just 10% of school (about two days per month) can seriously hinder a student's ability to learn and keep up with their peers.

• Building Lifelong Habits: Consistent attendance, starting early, helps build the routines necessary for success in high school and beyond.

School Success Starts at Home

You are our most important ally. Please help by establishing consistent habits:

• Maintain a consistent nightly and morning routine. Ensure your student gets enough sleep and wakes up ready for the day.

• Schedule appointments and family trips outside of school hours whenever possible.

• Plan for the unexpected. Have a backup plan for transportation or childcare delays to minimize late arrivals.

• Practice good health habits. Monitor for symptoms and keep your child home if they have a fever or other contagious illness.

• Share any school concerns with us immediately. If there is something at school making attendance difficult, please reach out so we can partner with you to resolve it.

Thank you for your partnership in ensuring your student's consistent presence at school, which leads to greater academic and social-emotional gains.

Sincerely,

Krista Winkelman

Executive Director of Student Services

Additional Resources

• Attendance Works
• Help Your Child Succeed in Preschool and Kindergarten: Build the Habit of Good Attendance
• Elementary School: Build the Habit of Good Attendance Early
• Intermediate School: Attendance Tips
• Keep Your Child On Track in Middle: Pay Attention to Attendance

Please read the following newsletter for detailed information, but here is a summary of key dates for quick access:

• Wed., October 22 - Early Release Schedule (MS dismissed at 2:13 p.m.; ES/IS dismissed at 3:08 p.m.)
• Wed., October 22 - Parent University: Parents' Guide to Understanding and Responding to Emotional Escalations, 6:30 p.m. (Middle School Media Center)
• Fri., October 24 - Tri-District Screening Day (Students Not In Attendance; Lincoln only)
• Wed., October 29 - Early Release Schedule (MS dismissed at 2:13 p.m.; ES/IS dismissed at 3:08 p.m.)
• Wed., November 5 - Early Release Schedule (MS dismissed at 2:13 p.m.; ES/IS dismissed at 3:08 p.m.)
• Mon., November 10 - Middle School Veterans Day Assembly, 8:30 a.m.
• Tue., November 11 - Elementary School Veterans Day Assemblies, 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.

If your child will be absent from school because of illness, doctor's appointments, or for any other reason, please report it to the school office by 9:00 a.m. on the day of the absence by completing the form linked within the above graphic or by calling the attendance line for the appropriate school.

FSD79 joins all school districts this week in celebrating School Bus Driver Appreciation Day (Wednesday) and Principal Appreciation Day (Friday). Thank you all of these amazing leaders for your dedication to our students and our schools!

Please make plans to join us for our next in-person Parent University presentation coming up TONIGHT, October 22. It is not required to RSVP for in-person events, however, we ask that you please do so if you plan to take advantage of childcare, which will be provided by Fremont Middle School students for individuals ages 3+. To RSVP, please click here.

We reaffirm our unwavering commitment that our campus is a safe, secure, and supportive environment for every student, regardless of immigration status, language, or background. We recognize that recent reports have created understandable fear, and we want to assure you that student safety and well-being are non-negotiables. Furthermore, we take seriously our responsibility to protect the privacy and rights of all students.

To maintain this secure environment and follow legal requirements, we have clear procedures in place.

• Federal agents must have a valid judicial warrant signed by a federal judge and/or explicit parental consent to access students or facilities.

• All such requests are immediately routed to the District Office and legal counsel for professional review, and our staff is trained to handle these situations professionally and lawfully.

• Under federal and state law (FERPA/ISRA), we do not collect, maintain, or share any information regarding a student's citizenship or immigration status.

We understand these uncertainties can cause significant stress, and we encourage any family with questions or concerns to reach out to their building principal or one of our mental health specialists for support.

In an effort to connect the FSD79 Board of Education and the community, the District offers a summary of monthly, regular Board meetings. To view a recap of the October 20 meeting, please click here.

This month's recognition was held for students who are serving as Junior Office Assistants at Fremont Middle School. The evening's Pledge of Allegiance was led by Fremont Elementary School second-grade students.

For the second straight year, Fremont Middle School participated in the Navig8 Lake County event at Lake County Fairgrounds on Wednesday morning. Nearly 100 Fremont students joined thousands of others from throughout the county to explore a wide range of career pathways directly from dozens of organizations. The event follows the District's continuing commitment to providing educational opportunities for students to explore their passions.

As we recognize National School Bus Safety Week this week, we want to highlight the steps Fremont School District 79 has taken this year to enhance student safety in and around our buses.

Our school bus safety training for students continues to expand, with annual bus evacuation drills now held twice per school year to ensure students are prepared for emergencies.

Physical safety enhancements were added at both the K-5 and middle school bus areas, including additional letter markings on the pavement to improve organization and visibility, bumper markers and chain link along sidewalks to create a safe distance from moving buses, and a yellow safety band to guide safe walking zones.

Inside our buses, we have introduced updated cellular-style two-way radios to improve communication, assigned student seating for accountability and safety, and upgraded internal camera systems with audio for better monitoring and incident review.

Click the graphic above for the latest information from Fremont PTO.

FSD79 offers local groups and organizations the opportunity to advertise their upcoming events in the Virtual Backpack. To submit your group's event for consideration, please submit a PDF flyer to publicrelations@fsd79.org. Check back regularly for upcoming offerings.

• Lake County Gun Violence Prevention Initiative Town Hall

• Mundelein HS Softball Halloween Camp

• YMCA Camp MacLean Winter Camp

• Stevenson HS Math Carnival
• Carmel Catholic Girls Basketball Junior Corsairs Tryouts
• Ela Soccer Club
• Lake County "I Voted" Sticker Design Contest
• Tutor Time at Fremont Public Library
• Bradley Counseling Center Partnering With Parents Workshop
• Community Resources for Individuals with a Disability
• Mundelein HS Boosters & Foundation
• Stevenson HS Community Education (PREP) Programs

The next edition of the Fremont Focus will be distributed on Wednesday, November 5. This will be in addition to the weekly e-newsletters sent on Fridays from principals at the school level.

Address: 28855 North Fremont Center Road, Mundelein, IL

Phone: (847) 566-0169

Website: fsd79.org

Facebook: facebook.com/FremontSchoolDistrict79

Instagram: @FSD79

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/fremont-school-district-79

YouTube: youtube.com/FSD79