On August 11, District 204 staff updated the School Board about several changes to Student Attendance Procedures for the 2026-27 school year. Over the next few weeks, we will highlight information that all district families need to know.

What’s New with ParentVUE?

Please note that 'Vacation' is no longer an available absence category in our system. We ask families to schedule vacations during our scheduled district breaks whenever possible, as these days are already built into the calendar.

We recognize that families may have situations arise that are not within their control. In these instances, please select the “FAM” option. To best support your student, please add a note with details regarding the reason for absence.

The McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act is a federal law that works to ensure educational stability for homeless youth. The McKinney-Vento act allows homeless students to enroll in school and receive transportation without delay. The McKinney-Vento Act defines homeless children as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.” Examples of children who fall under this definition include:

Children sharing housing due to economic hardship or loss of housing
Children living in “motels, hotels, trailer parks, or campgrounds due to lack of alternative accommodations”
Children living in “emergency or transitional shelters”
Children “awaiting foster care placement”
Children whose primary nighttime residence is not ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation (e.g. park benches, etc.)
Children living in “cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations…”

Indian Prairie School District 204 is committed to educating students who meet the guidelines under McKinney-Vento. If you have questions or need assistance regarding homelessness, please contact Sandy Diaz in the Office of Residency and Registration by email at sandy_diaz@ipsd.org or phone at 630.375.3798

For more information, please visit the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act website.

Parent-Teacher Conferences for preschool, elementary, middle and high school will take place on Thursday, October 22, 2026 from 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM. On Monday, November 2, 2026 the conferences will be offered from 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM and 4:30 PM - 8:00 PM.

Elementary, middle, and high school parents can begin scheduling conferences through ParentVUE on October 6, 2026 starting at 6:00 AM. Preschool families will receive directions for how to register for conferences from your child’s classroom teacher.

To schedule your conference for elementary, middle, and high school students, log in to ParentVUE and select "Conference" from the menu on the left side to see the times available. Once you have scheduled your conference, you can click "Email Schedule" to have the details emailed to you. You can also go back to ParentVUE at any time to view the information. Conference scheduling will remain open through October 13, 2026 at 6:00 PM.

Your school will be collecting new or lightly-used winter coats and snow gear to help IPSD 204 families in need. Between September 14 and 25, families can drop off clean coats, boots, snow pants, hats, scarves, and gloves/mittens in the collection box that will be near the entrance to each school.

These winter essentials will be available for free to any IPSD 204 family to select items between 9 AM and 3 PM Wednesday, September 30, and 4 to 7 PM Thursday, October 1, at Georgetown Elementary School, 995 Long Grove Drive, Aurora. The winter coat drive is sponsored by the Indian Prairie Parents’ Council.

As we work together to ensure a safe environment for all of our students, staff, and families, we want to provide some important reminders regarding the use of electric bikes (e-bikes) and scooters (e-scooters).

With an increasing number of students riding e-bikes and e-scooters to and from school, we are seeing a higher frequency of safety incidents on campus. While these devices may seem convenient, they present safety concerns for both riders and pedestrians, especially during busy arrival and dismissal times. For that reason, e-bikes and e-scooters are not permitted on school property.

We also want to make families aware of local regulations. E-bikes and e-scooters are not allowed on sidewalks and must follow the same traffic laws as bicycles. In most municipalities, Class 3 e-bikes require riders to be at least 16 years old, and state law prohibits operating low-speed e-scooters unless the rider is at least 18. Riders are required to use bike lanes or remain near the curb, and at night must have proper lights and reflectors.

We encourage parents to talk with their children about these rules and remind them to walk, ride traditional bicycles, or use other safe methods when traveling to and from school. If unsafe or illegal use is observed in the community, parents are encouraged to contact their local police department.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our students and school safe.

For more information on the specific laws in your community, please visit the following links:

Naperville Police Department: E-Bikes, E-Scooters and Other Electric Mobility Devices

Aurora Police Department: E-Bikes, E-Scooters, and Bicycles: Know the Law

Village of Bolingbrook: Guide to the E-bike and Electric scooter Ordinance

Plainfield Police Department: Let’s Talk E-Bikes & E-Scooters

What is an ALICE alert?

As part of our commitment to keeping students safe, our schools utilize the ALICE framework for active response during emergencies. Unlike traditional passive lockdown models, ALICE empowers staff and students to make dynamic, informed decisions based on real-time information. An ALICE alert is utilized when there is a potentially violent intruder in the school.

What ALICE Stands For:

Alert: The initial notification that alerts building occupants of a potential threat.
Lockdown: Securing classroom doors, turning off lights, barricading, and preparing for further action if needed.
Inform: Providing real-time updates over the intercom or messaging systems so occupants can make safe choices.
Counter: Creating noise, movement, or distractions as an absolute last resort to interrupt a threat.
Evacuate: Exiting the building immediately whenever a clear, safe path is available.

What This Means for Students

Our priority is safety without fear. Emergency drills are always conducted in a calm, age-appropriate manner. For younger students, training focuses on simple concepts: listening closely to trusted adults, staying quiet, and evacuating safely to a designated spot. Older students learn how to evaluate their surroundings and make informed choices alongside their teachers.

Indian Prairie School District 204 is committed to strengthening communication with families. To better serve our community, the district introduced a new communication tool last school year. This integrated communication experience includes:

Updated, accessible, and easy-to-navigate district and school websites.
A more efficient mass messaging system to provide timely and reliable alerts.
A new IPSD 204 mobile app that will serve as a central hub for district and school news.

With these tools, Indian Prairie 204 aims to make it easier than ever for families to stay connected and access important information—right at their fingertips.

Learn more about our new app at ipsd.org/204connect.

Hello IPSD 204 Community!

Parent Diversity Advisory Council (PDAC) is a group of parent volunteers working together to make our schools more welcoming, connected, and inclusive for everyone.

Are you curious about who your school’s PDAC Liaison is? Or maybe you’d like to learn more about becoming a PDAC Liaison yourself?

We’d love to meet you! Whether you have a lot of time or just a little, your voice, ideas, and perspective can make a difference.

Send us an email at PDACinfo@gmail.com to learn more or get connected with your school’s PDAC Liaison.

We want to have at least one parent at each school joining us in this work. The schools we're especially looking for support for include Scullen, Brookdale, Cowlishaw, Fry, Georgetown, Owen, Peterson, Steck, White Eagle, and STEPS.

We’d love to have you join us!

High School Parent Info Night

A Snowball retreat weekend, organized by 360 Youth Services teen leaders in cooperation with District 204 and 203 schools, is an iconic high school experience unlike anything that most parents experienced in their teen years. Parents of high school students are invited to come participate in a workshop and get information about Operation Snowball. Come experience an adult version of what our retreats are like for teens! The workshop will be held at 360 Youth Services on September 25. RSVP here if you would like more information on possibly joining us to see what it's all about.

Note: Sign up is open for the October teen retreat; early registration is suggested to secure a spot and avoid the waitlist.

High School Student YAC Meeting

D203 & D204 high school teens - Looking to make a difference in the local schools and community? The Youth Advisory Committee would love you to join their committee! You'll have the opportunity to meet local D203/D204 teens, develop leadership skills, earn service hours, and spread substance use prevention messages! Their first meeting of the year is on Tuesday, September 8 from 6:30-8:00 PM at 360 Youth Services (1323 Bond St #119 Naperville). Interested? For more info or to RSVP by Monday, September 7 email the YAC Coordinator Sarah at Skummerow@360youthservices.org.

Indian Prairie School District is a Promotional Partner with the GPS Parent Series: Navigating Healthy Families—one of the nation’s premier parenting resources.

For more than 30 years, the GPS Parent Series has connected parents, educators, professionals, and communities with world-renowned authors, clinicians, and researchers who provide practical, research-based guidance on the most important issues facing today’s youth and families. Through this partnership, our [members/families] have free access to over 50 programs each year, covering all ages and stages—from early childhood through adolescence and into college and career planning.

Programs are offered at noon and 7 PM, available in four languages, and include virtual, hybrid, and in-person opportunities—making it easy for everyone to participate.

Together with GPS, we are committed to supporting the well-being, resilience, and success of every family. We encourage you to take advantage of this valuable resource and share it with others in our community.

Get a sneak peek at the upcoming year, view past presentations, and access helpful resources at GPSParentSeries.org.

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