Stay Up-to-Date in D158

As we begin the school year, I will keep this message brief, as you are likely receiving a great deal of important information directly from your child’s school. On behalf of Huntley 158, I want to welcome you and your family back for another exciting year.

Next week, you will receive a short video message from me, so please keep an eye out!! In the meantime, included in this newsletter, are reminders and helpful pieces of information to support a smooth transition back to school for you and your children.

I look forward to seeing many of you in the coming days at material pick-ups, walkthroughs, open houses, and, of course, on the first day of school.

Go Huntley!

~Jessica

Each year, Huntley 158 reviews and updates its student handbooks to ensure district policies, procedures and expectations remain current and clearly communicated to students and families. Below is a summary of key handbook updates for the 2026-27 school year.

Attendance, Absences, and Tardies

• Responses for Unexcused Absences (per Semester) and Responses for Being Tardy (per Semester) – Updated levels and consequences

Behavior & Discipline

• Personal Electronic Devices - Added language prohibiting the use of electronic devices during assessments unless authorized in the student’s IEP or Section 504 Plan.

• Prohibited Personal Items - Items that may be considered a disruption to the learning environment or a potential safety concern are prohibited.

Extracurricular Activities and Athletics

• Athletic Clearance/Concussion Screening – Clarified requirement for concussion baseline testing and the District’s return-to-play and return-to-learn protocols.

• Notification of CPR and AED Video – Added CPR and AED training video information.

Food Services/Cafeteria Expectations

• Delivery of Foods – Food deliveries from outside sources are not permitted unless approved by a school administrator.

General Information

• Student and Staff Rights - Added confirmation statement reinforcing the District’s commitment to ensuring a safe, secure, and supportive environment for all stakeholders.

Graduation Requirements and Recognition Programs

• Exemptions from FAFSA Requirement – Added allowable exemptions to filing a financial aid application as a requirement of graduation. Added HHS College and Career Counselor contact information.

Safety and Security

• Walking or Riding Bicycles To and From School – Clarified language for walking and/or riding bicycles to and from school for student safety.

School Guidelines

• Dances – Allowed guests must be under the age of 20.

• Off Campus Privileges – Any Freshman or Sophomore who leaves campus during lunch will be considered absent without authorization and will receive disciplinary consequences.

• Student Demonstrations and Protests During the School Day – Provides guidelines and expectations regarding student demonstrations and protests.

Special Education

• Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services (PUNS) – Added information regarding the PUNS database for individuals with disabilities.

Student Services

• Counseling and Guidance – Updated pursuant to 405 ILCS 5/3-550.

• Students Who are Parents, Expectant Parents, or Victims of Domestic or Sexual Violence – Added information on requesting support services, filing a complaint, and the prohibition of retaliation as required by 105 ILCS 5/26A.

Beginning September 15th, Huntley High School will provide all students with access to Gemini via Google for Education using their school-issued accounts and devices. No other buildings or grade levels will have access to Gemini or any other AI tools.

Our purpose in providing this access is to prepare students for a technology-driven future by using AI to support inquiry, discovery, accessibility, and personalized reflection. Throughout the year, teachers may grant permission for students to utilize Gemini to support their learning.

To ensure a responsible launch, we are providing students with initial instruction on how AI functions, along with clear behavioral and ethical expectations. Students will receive additional support in classes where AI usage is permitted on assignments or assessments. Here is a brief overview of how this integration will be managed:

• Data Privacy & Safety: Unlike public, open-source AI tools, the Google for Education version of Gemini includes strict privacy protections. Student data and inputs are protected and are never used to train public AI models. Additionally, student usage will follow standard digital safety protocols using our district filtering and monitoring systems.

• Academic Integrity: To ensure AI supports learning rather than replacing critical thinking, HHS is implementing a clear framework for coursework. This framework ensures students know what level of AI usage is permitted in the submission of their work. The default setting for all assignments and assessments is "No Usage.”
• Student Guidelines: Students may only use Gemini if their teacher explicitly authorizes a specific level of usage for that assignment or assessment. Please take time to review our Student AI Guidelines and permission chart with your child. You can find our AI permission levels here: HHS Student AI Guidelines.

Teacher assignments and class schedules for the 2026-27 school year can be viewed by logging into Powerschool on Wednesday, August 12. Teacher and class information cannot be accessed until registration for the 2026-27 school year is complete and the required medical forms have been submitted. For more information, visit Health Requirements on our website.

In accordance with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Illinois School Code, physical examinations are required for all Huntley 158 students entering pre-school, Kindergarten, 6th and 9th grades, and for students transferring from out-of-state.

• A current physical is one that was completed within one year of the first day of school. The physical examination must include a record of all immunizations a child has received to date. Visit the Health Requirements page of the District website for information about required immunizations. Physical forms are due in the school health office by the first day of school and preferably by August 1. All incoming freshmen must have a physical on file before picking up their schedule.
• A sports physical is required for students participating in interscholastic sports. A current sports physical is one that was completed within 13 months of the first practice.

Please keep in mind that if your child has a medical care plan, emergency care plan, or a medication that needs to be given at school, the health office needs those items updated and submitted on a yearly basis.

All health forms are available on the Forms page of the District website (under Students & Families).

For more information about health requirements and to submit medical records to the school electronically, visit Health Requirements . Note: Students who do not submit required health documents by the first day of school may be excluded from school until documentation has been received per Board Policy 7:100.

Visit our website for school supply lists!

Huntley 158 food services will be moving to a new online platform called My School Menus for the 2026-27 school year. My School Menus is a digital, accessible online platform and mobile app that provides interactive breakfast and lunch menus and comprehensive nutrition information about school meals.

By visiting the My School Menus website and/or downloading the free mobile app, parents, staff and students will be able to:

• View and print breakfast and lunch menus
• View and filter nutritional information, allergens and ingredients to meet personal dietary needs
• Translate menus into their preferred language

NOTE: The transition to My School Menus is still in progress but menus will be available by Monday, August 17.

My School Bucks

You can now log into My School Bucks to replenish your child's meal account.

Meal and Fee Waivers
Meal and fee waiver applications for the 2026-27 school year may be submitted now. See Forms (under Food Services) on the district website. The list of students receiving state benefits (direct certification) has been released for the 2026-27 school year. Families who qualify will receive a letter in the mail from the district in August.

If you have any questions related to food services, please contact Richard Reed at rreed@district158.org or Michelle Escudero at mescudero@district158.org.

Bus routes for the 2026-27 school year are now available to view in Powerschool. Note: No changes will be made to routes from August 10 to September 8 in order to ensure consistent route assignments. Questions about transportation can be directed by phone to (847) 659-3000 or by email to transportation@district158.org.

To maintain the safety and comfort of all individuals on campus, the district prohibits the use of e-scooters, e-bikes and other low-speed, motorized personal transportation devices on district property. This includes but is not limited to motorized scooters, hoverboards, all classes of pedal and throttle assist bicycles. This guideline does not apply to wheelchairs or ADA-related mobility aids.

The primary reasons for these guidelines are:

● To protect the safety of students, staff and visitors on district property.

● To reduce the risk of injury to persons and damage to district property.

● To ensure compliance with local city ordinances.

Questions? Please contact Adam Dean, Chief Safety & Security Officer, at adean@district158.org.

Huntley 158 partners with Smart Social to provide a free resource for families to help them learn how to keep their children safe and smart online. Watch the brief video message below to learn more and visit Smart Social's Back-to-School page for important safety tips as we kick off the new school year!

We are excited to invite all multilingual families to participate in Huntley 158's Multilingual Parent Advisory Committee (MPAC)! MPAC is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other families, learn about district programs, share your voice, and help shape the educational experiences of our multilingual learners. We hope you'll join us throughout the 2026–2027 school year as we work together to support, celebrate, and empower every multilingual student.

Check out our MPAC flier for meeting dates and watch for more information about our exciting special events!

Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
Time: Race starts @ 7:15 p.m.

Location: Downtown Huntley Square

Cost: $25 adults; $20 kids

All Huntley 158 staff, families and community members are invited to participate in the Huntley Education Foundation's annual Hootenanny 5K run/walk through the heart of Huntley on Saturday, September 12. The Hootenanny is the Huntley Education Foundation's largest fundraiser and is presented in partnership with the Village of Huntley and Huntley Community School District 158.

Now in its 9th year, the Hootenanny helps fund scholarships for students and classroom grants for teachers, directly benefiting Huntley 158 staff, students and schools. For the past several years, the foundation has been able to award $50,000 in scholarships to HHS students thanks to funds raised by the Hootenanny.

Come out and join us for some good, old-fashioned family fun on September 12! To learn more and register, click the link below.

The Huntley 158 Board of Education typically meets twice monthly. Regular board meetings are held the third Thursday of each month and Committee of the Whole (COW) meetings are held the first Thursday of each month. All meetings are held at the Huntley 158 district administration building, 650 Dr. John Burkey Drive in Algonquin, unless otherwise noted. Meetings are live streamed and archived on the Huntley 158 YouTube Channel. Visit the Huntley 158 website for more information.

Committee of the Whole Board of Education Meeting - August 6, 2026

• Click the link for the agenda and supporting documents or watch the meeting via YouTube.

Note: Meeting minutes are approved at the next month’s board meeting and can be found on the district website under About / Board of Education / Minutes and Agendas.

Attendance

Bullying

Calendars

Care Solace

Guidelines for Keeping Kids Home from School

Menus

Newsletters (archived)

Smart Social

Strategic Plan (Huntley 2030: Building Tomorrow Together)

Staff Directory

Student Handbooks

Student Helpline

Visitor Procedures