109 Family News

• Friday, December 5: Village Winter Lighting Celebration, look for D109 school ornaments (see below)
• Saturday, December 6: D109 at Deerfield Winter Market (9am-2pm at Patty Turner Center)
• Thursday, December 18: Regular Board of Education Meeting (7pm, 517 Deerfield Rd.)
• Friday, December 19, 2025 - Monday, January 5, 2026: No School (Winter Break)
• Monday, January 5, 2026: New Student Registration for 2026-2027 Opens (read more below)
• Tuesday, January 6, 2026: School Resumes

If you need a quick-look calendar with all the key dates to hang on your refrigerator, we've got you covered!

Is your child a future D109 student? New Student Registration for 2026-2027 opens on Monday, January 5. You will find the link right on our website; we'll send reminders so you don't miss it.

There are just three quick steps to get started: fill out the application, upload four required documents, and keep an eye on your inbox. Not sure you're doing it right? Look for details information about an in-person help session – and Kindergarten Signing Day! – on February 6!

Learn more about the New Student Registration process.

Please share this information with friends and neighbors who don't yet have children in District 109 schools!

With the big storm that hit over Thanksgiving break — and this week’s “follow-up snow” — it’s understandable that weather-related closures are on many families’ minds. Because winter weather can change quickly, we want to share a refresher on what to expect and how to prepare when adverse weather comes our way.

Superintendent Mike Simeck makes the decision to close schools or change schedules due to bad weather. He monitors the forecast and consults with:

• The Director of Buildings & Grounds to determine the accessibility to our schools
• The transportation company to determine if buses will be available
• The Deerfield Police Department to determine road conditions and other factors
• Superintendents of other area school districts

He determines whether the students can safely be transported to and from school and whether staff can arrive at school safely. When schools remain open during adverse weather, families can make the final decision to keep a child home based on their individual needs and circumstances.

👨🏻‍💻 👩🏻‍💻 E-Learning Days (When Advance Notice Is Possible)

When severe weather is predicted, teachers will remind students to bring their learning devices home at the end of the day, and to charge devices when they get home. If conditions require us to close buildings, the District will send the official announcement to families (and share it on the website, Emergency Closing Center, and District social media channels). Principals and teachers will follow up with school- and class-specific details so you know what your child's day will look like.

If we shift to an e-Learning day, schedules are as follows:

• Elementary: students log in 8:50–11:30am and 12:30–2:00pm

• Middle School: students follow their regular class sequence 8:30am–2:00pm, with staggered lunch periods

🙅🏻‍♂️🙅🏻‍♀️ No Advanced Weather Warning? Schools Closed

If weather conditions develop unexpectedly and we are not able to provide enough notice to implement an e-Learning Day, schools will be fully closed for the day.

A quick note about why e-Learning matters: while a traditional snow day can be a welcome break, an e-Learning day counts as a full school day on our official calendar. That helps us avoid adding days at the end of the school year, when families are looking ahead to summer plans.

If you received an email from Apple about an update for a District 109 Apple ID, we want to reassure you that it was not a phishing attempt.

The District is currently completing an Apple ID “reclaiming” process for District accounts. In some cases, a parent’s personal email address is linked to a student Apple ID (because a parent email was used as a recovery email for a child’s account, or a recovery email was added to a work-related Apple ID for former staff members).

What You Need to Do

For most families: nothing. These emails do not impact your personal Apple ID access, and you can safely ignore them. If you received an email today, it likely will be the last one you receive. Older, unclaimed D109-related Apple IDs (such as those from our long-ago students) will be shut down after December 3.

Community-wide public opinion polling is now completed. The Referendum Task Force meets in December to review the results and other community input, and the Board of Education will decide at its December 18 meeting whether or not to place a referendum on the March 17, 2026 ballot and, if so, what the ballot question will be. Whatever the Board chooses, the decision will be based on information shared by a broad section of our community — families, staff and residents who are deeply engaged in what happens to our schools. Thanks to all who came to information sessions and responded to surveys to provide input.

If the Board chooses to move forward, the District will host virtual and in-person information sessions share clear, detailed information about the proposal, including the scope of work, estimated timeline and tax impact. There will be multiple ways for everyone who has questions to receive answers.

Thank you for staying informed and engaged in the future of our facilities!

Together, we give. Together, we care. Because in Deerfield, we’re always stronger together.

Deerfield has a long tradition of stepping up for others, especially during the holiday season. Many in our community look for meaningful ways to give, and District 109 is proud to offer an opportunity that directly supports local families through our Together We Give initiative.

Together We Give is the district’s refreshed approach to holiday giving. This year, community members can contribute gift cards and new winter wear for D109 students. Those wishing to help can use the form linked below to choose how they would like to contribute, whether by sponsoring gift cards, purchasing winter wear, or both.

Support Together We Give

After submitting your selections, donations can be dropped off from Tuesday, December 2, through Monday, December 15. Each school vestibule will have collection bins for winter wear and secure drop boxes for physical gift cards.

The effort also includes a new partnership with the Deerfield Park Foundation that will expand access to summer experiences and enrichment programs for students who might not otherwise be able to participate.

Donate to the Deerfield Park Foundation

Please make sure to put "Together We Give" in the donation purpose box!

The need within our community continues to grow, and every contribution makes a difference. Your generosity will help bring comfort and joy to D109 students and their families this season. In District 109, we believe we are stronger together. Through Together We Give, our community can put that belief into action.

District 109 is partnering with Gratitude Generation (g2), a local Deerfield charity dedicated to youth service and community support. Families are invited to join in by collecting new socks for both adults and children over winter break. Planning a family gathering? Having friends over to ring in the new year? Ask everyone to bring donations of new, warm socks (you can encourage them to take advantage of before- and after-holiday sales)!

Then, drop the socks off in collection bins in the vestibules of every D109 school beginning Tuesday, January 6.

Your children can take the lead! Have them craft emails or letters inviting loved ones to contribute (check out the sample letter that was used for gatherings over Thanksgiving). Then, those who want to help beyond donating can take part in sorting and counting the collected socks on January 12 at g2's headquarters (815 Rosemary Terrace in Deerfield).

Sign up to sort on January 12!

Together We Give comes on the heels of the Food & Supply Drive benefiting the West Deerfield Township Food Pantry.

Our community showed incredible generosity; your donations of food and essential household items will make a real difference for neighbors in our community—helping stock shelves, fill gaps and bring comfort to families who need it most.

Thanks, too, to the Kipling community on their additional drive going on right now! The Kipling PTO and Student Council teamed up and set a goal to collect at least 500 items. If they reached it, Student Council would get to put a pie in Kipling Principal Dr. Matthew Lombardo’s face at an all-school assembly on Friday. They've already hit that number, and for every additional 25 items, another staff member gets added to the “getting pied” list. So far, approximately 20 staff members will be "pied!" Donations will be accepted and counted toward more pies at Kipling until Friday!

We’re excited to bring families together for two evening programs at Caruso (6:30–8:00pm) featuring engaging speakers and timely topics that support kids — and the adults raising them.

These events align with staff learning so that families and educators are using shared language and approaches. Doug and Devorah will also be speaking with staff on Institute Day (January 5).

Save the dates now—and watch for more details after winter break!

Doug Bolton, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist, educator, and author whose work focuses on helping families and schools build more connected, resilient communities. He draws on decades of experience supporting children and adolescents with social-emotional and behavioral needs, and his speaking and consultation emphasize belonging, emotional regulation, and trauma-responsive practices. Doug will help families sort through common parenting assumptions and “myths,” offering practical, research-informed ways to navigate challenges with more clarity and confidence.

Dr. Devorah Heitner is the author of Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World and Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World. Devorah will explore what it means for kids to grow up with an online presence—sharing realistic strategies to support children’s privacy, identity development, and digital well-being.

You know that District 109 is a supportive school community for students and families. The District also cultivates a community where staff feel valued, and they can pursue their career interests, whether they are teachers, administrators, support and office staff or guest teachers – all of whom play an important role in the education of our students. The District is currently looking for:

• Long-term substitute classroom teacher (beginning after winter break)
• Guest teachers
• Substitute nurse

The need is great! If you're looking for meaningful work in a supportive environment, close to home, visit dps109.org/DefineYourself – and share these jobs with friends and family!

When you come to Deerfield’s Winter Lighting Celebration on Friday, Dec. 5 be sure to look for a special D109 touch on the community holiday tree! This year, all District 109 schools will be represented on Deerfield’s holiday tree. Student groups from every school created unique, handmade ornaments that celebrate our students’ creativity, community spirit and school pride.

TrueNorth is offering one family program this December as part of their Family University Series, on December 11, 6-7pm: Moving Toward Connection and Emotional Regulation.

Find full program details and registration information.

District 109 is making it easier than ever to stay connected with businesses and organizations that serve the students and families in our community. Starting soon, you’ll begin receiving a weekly Peachjar email every Thursday around 1pm, featuring digital flyers from:

• Your child’s school

• The District

• Local community organizations

• Businesses offering child- and family-focused programs

The flyers will clearly indicate that the District does not endorse the programs offered by outside organizations. The email will come from "school@peachjar.com." Each email has the option to unsubscribe (at no risk of unsubscribing from District or school emails).