The District 25 Dish

This edition of the District Dish features the following

• Superintendent Message
• Inclement Weather Letter
• The Journey | Strategic Plan 21-25
• Need 2 Know
• UPDATED RESOURCES: D25's Commitment to Every Child's Right to Education
• Calendar Updates 🔔 (UPDATE TO THE 25-26 CALENDAR) 🔔
• 25-26 Calendar - UPDATED
• Calendario 25-26 - ACTUALIZADO
• Safety & Supports
• Community Supports Page - Food Supports
• Celebrate with Us!
  
• Community Events
  

• Feel Good Story

• Thomas's Garden Club! 🌻
• Help Needed | We are hiring!
  Click here for positions!
• Instagram | @ahsd25social
  
• Board of Education
• Strategic Plan 21-25, Dashboard
• #d25ItsPersonal

Thank you! Click around and enjoy!

Dear District 25 Families,

On this Thanksgiving Day, I want to share my heartfelt gratitude for our entire District 25 community.

I’m grateful for our teachers and staff, whose dedication, compassion, and commitment make our schools places where students feel seen, supported, and inspired every single day.

I’m grateful for our students, who bring curiosity, joy, and an eagerness to learn that reminds us why this work matters so deeply.

I’m grateful for our families and parent organizations, whose partnership strengthens our district in countless ways. Your involvement, your trust, and your collaboration help ensure that every learner is surrounded by a caring community.

Today is a meaningful reminder of how fortunate we are to learn, grow, and lead together. Thank you for contributing to the warmth, connection, and purpose that define District 25.

Wishing you and your loved ones a safe, restful, and joy-filled Thanksgiving.

Sincerely,
Dr. Brian Kaye
Superintendent

1️⃣ Inclement Weather Procedures — The letter went out yesterday. Click here to review the procedures and thresholds for weather-related decisions.

2️⃣ The Journey — As our 2021–2025 Strategic Plan wraps up, we’ve created a document that celebrates and highlights the progress we’ve made together over the past four years, and also reflects on areas of continued focus as we look ahead. Click here to explore The Journey.

3️⃣ Strategic Plan Refresh Update — I’m also looking forward to the continued work with our Strategic Planning Refresh Committee in the coming months. If you’d like to catch up on the work completed so far or see what’s ahead, visit our Strategic Planning page under the “Our District” tab on our website: www.sd25.org/StrategicPlan.

4️⃣ District 25's Website — Finally, a quick note that our District 25 website will be getting a refresh as well. We’re excited to share an updated and more accessible experience with you the week of December 15.

Last year, we shared a letter reaffirming District 25’s belief, aligned with the Illinois State Board of Education, that schools should be safe havens where students can learn without fear.

Earlier this year, we resent that guidance to our front office staff and building administrators on how to manage situations should Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other immigration representatives come to our schools. Our priority remains ensuring that every child and family feels safe, valued, and supported in District 25.

👉 Read Dr. Kaye’s full letter from last year, here.

🔗🔗 Updated Resources:
Illinois Immigration Information Hub:

• Know Your Rights Toolkit
• Free and Low-Cost Legal Services
• A family emergency plan template, with step-by-step guidance
• Organizational preparedness resources for businesses and employers

In an immigration emergency, call the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Right's Family Support Network Hotline to get support in English, Spanish, Korean, and Polish (1-855-HELP-MY-FAMILY/1-855-435-7693).

Thanksgiving Day | All Schools Closed

• November 27, 2025

Non-Attendance Day | All Schools Closed

• November 28, 2025

Superintendent Office Hours

• December 9, 2025 | 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Policy Committee School Board Meeting

• December 16, 2025 | 5:00 pm

School Board Meeting

• December 16, 2025 | 6:15 pm

At the Tuesday, July 15, 2025 Board of Education meeting, a change to the 2025-2026 school year calendar was approved. The School Improvement Day originally scheduled for Monday, April 6 was moved to Tuesday, March 17. This means:

• March 17, 2026 → No school for students

• April 6, 2026 → Students will attend school

For more details on the change, click here for a letter sent to our community on July 17, 2025.

📅 View the updated calendar here:

• 25-26 School Calendar | English
• Calendario escolar 25-26 | Español

Did you know you can feed the District and school calendars into your personal calendar? There are easy steps located on our website, and for a video tutorial watch the video above!

Email Adam Harris (aharris@sd25.org) if you have any questions!

Have you ever visited our SAFE25 page? We invite you to check it out!

Ensuring the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. We are committed to creating and maintaining secure environments where learning can thrive.

School safety is an ongoing process, and your input is invaluable. Share your feedback with us at safe25@sd25.org. Together, we can build a safer future for our students.

The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is our district’s approach to managing all types of hazards or emergencies that may occur on school property. It provides a clear, consistent framework for how we communicate and respond to keep everyone safe.

Residents can opt to register their security cameras with the AHPD to assist in investigations. More details: Connect Arlington Heights Camera Registration.

Link Together Coalition Mission: Promote healthy youth, families, and communities by decreasing teen alcohol and drug use through education, advocacy, and access to community resources, and policy awareness, implementation, and change.

Working with D25: South and Thomas Middle Schools are provided with prevention initiatives that are targeted at youth to empower them to be drug and alcohol free.

Lets Talk More: In the past year, 52% of Wheeling Township high school students answered YES that their parent/guardians have talked to them about not using alcohol. See attached PDF below to learn more.

For more information and resources, visit our Parent Academy page.

District 25 is a partner in the Link Together Coalition, which gives our community access to the Glenbard Parent Series. Please check out the various Glenbard Parent Series presentations that work to engage top experts, parents, and school staff to become proactive and informed in pursuit of the mutual goal of strengthening our communities. Programs are free and open to the public. No registration required.

District 25 is committed to supporting the whole child and their family. We’ve created a new webpage to share community resources that offer assistance with food, housing, health services, and more. Visit the community supports page by clicking here to explore support options.

Care Solace is a free, confidential 24/7/365 Mental Health Care Coordination Service.

Call (888) 515 - 0595, or go to caresolace.com/site/northcook to complete a brief screening to be matched with a provider. Available for students, families and staff.

For more resources, visit our parent academy page: www.sd25.org/ParentAcademy.

BEACON (Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation) is a centralized resource for Illinois youth and families seeking services for behavioral health needs. It’s common for young people to struggle with behavioral and/or mental health challenges. Please know you are not alone, and neither is your child. Click HERE for support.

"Hanukkah" means dedication in Hebrew, this holiday is also known as The Festival of Lights and represents joy. Celebration includes time with loved ones, gifts, food, and lighting a candle on the menorah each night.

*Dates change year to year

Las Posadas is a festival that takes place in Latin America and some Mexican communities in the United States from December 16–24. The word posada means inn or lodging, and traditionally posadas are a celebration of the Christmas story.

Below you'll find a snapshot of upcoming events in the area that may be of interest to our students and families. This is just a sampling so be sure to visit each organization’s website for a full list of activities and details.

Kick off the holiday season with the Arlington Heights Park District and the Village of Arlington Heights Special Events Commission at their annual tree lighting ceremony! Enjoy holiday-inspired music and dance performances, buy a hot cocoa or tasty treat, and join the countdown at North School Park as the switch will be flipped on over 80,000 tiny lights. There will also be countdown at Harmony Park with live reindeer, ice carving, and more. Trolleys with Dickensian characters loop between the two parks, so catch a ride and see it all!

When: November 28, 2025 | 4:30 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.

Where: North School Park

Learn more here.

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Test your mettle in this high-speed tournament! We will be playing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe for Nintendo Switch in a single-elimination tournament.

When: November 28, 2025 | 2:30 P.M. - 5:30 P.M.

Where: The Hub

Who: Grades 7 - 12

Learn more here.

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Learn more about adult education offered by District 214!

Click here to learn more: https://www.ce.d214.org/

Shoutout to everyone who helped bring this space to life: Thomas PTA • ABC25 Foundation • U of I Extension • Eagle Scout Gavin Wakefield • our amazing students 🙌

One of our favorite moments? A student teaching us all about lambs ear — the softest plant in the garden 🐑🌱💛.

This space is now a place for learning, connection, calm, and community…and it’s here to stay. 🌼✨ #d25ItsPersonal

District 25 is a great place to work — with opportunities to inspire, support, and impact students in a variety of roles. Whether you're in the classroom, behind the scenes, or on the front lines of support, there's a place for you here.

Explore opportunities at www.sd25.org/apply and see how you can make a difference in our schools and community!

Did you know our Food & Nutrition Services team does student taste testings throughout the year?!

It’s how they learn what kids love, what they might be willing to try, and how to keep school lunch fun and fresh.

We’re talking 👇
🥗 salads
🍊 orange chicken
🍗 boneless wings
🍪 biscuits
🧇 chicken & waffles (!!)

Their mission is everything: nurture all children through nutritious, balanced meals — and they make it happen every day.

Thanks for watching…bye! 👋

#d25ItsPersonal

Windsor welcomed veterans for breakfast 🍳, music from our 4th graders 🎶, and a whole-school parade 🎉 as one big “thank you.”

Every District 25 school celebrates Veterans Day in meaningful and unique ways…and today was no exception. ❤️

Thank you to our veterans, and to the PTAs, volunteers, and staff who bring this special day to life for our students. 🙌✨

🎥💕 Thanks for watching!
#d25ItsPersonal

Our Board Agendas are made public 48 hours before each Board meeting and can be accessed via our BoardDocs online program. To access Diligent Community, visit our website: www.sd25.org/BoardAgenda or click here.

What: Policy Committee Meeting

When: Tuesday, December 16, 2025*

Where: Dunton Administration Building, 1200 S. Dunton Avenue, Arlington Heights

*The meeting will begin at 5:00 p.m. The Policy Committee Meetings are public meetings where the members of the Board's policy committee meet to review and discuss the policies of the Board. No action will be taken at these meetings, and they will not be videotaped.

What: School Board Meeting

When: Tuesday, December 16, 2025*

Where: Dunton Administration Building, 1200 S. Dunton Avenue, Arlington Heights

*The meeting will begin at 6:15 p.m. at which time the Board will move into Closed Session until approximately 7:00 p.m. Following Closed session, the Regular Open meeting will begin.*

Description

This meeting will be live streamed via YouTube. The link for this can be found on the Board Agenda page (www.sd25.org/BoardAgenda#Livestream) the week of the meeting.

This meeting will allow audience members in the room. Notice: We’ve switched from BoardDocs to Diligent Community for board meeting management. All future agendas, packets, and board materials will now be available through Diligent Community.

Public Comments:

Anyone who wishes to make a public comment can do so, in person, at our Board of Education meetings. The Board hosts two public comment opportunities on their agenda: 1) at the beginning of the meeting, prior to any agenda items; 2) at the end of the meeting after the agenda items have been discussed/presented.

The Board can be reached outside of Board meeting hours by emailing boardfeedback@sd25.org.

Follow along with our progress on the following goals within our Strategic Plan, 21-25:

• Student Achievement
• Family & Community
• Learning Environment
• High-Quality Staff
• Stewardship of Resources

You can stay up to date on the progress of our goals and strategies that guide us in our everyday work: www.sd25.org/StrategicPlan.

Our teachers teach from a personal place. #d25ItsPersonal has become a way for our teachers and staff to share daily occurrences, and reasons why they do what they do for a living, and why it's fulfilling, right here in District 25.

Together Today 2 Transform Tomorrow

Website: www.sd25.org
Location: 1200 South Dunton Avenue
Phone: (847) 758.4900
Facebook: facebook.com/ahsd25
Twitter: @ahsd25

Instagram: @ahsd25social