North Shore 112 Monthly

• Construction updates at Sherwood and Braeside

• A closer look at our curriculum resources for families

• Upcoming online safety webinars from SmartSocial

• Details on the Parent and Guardian Safety Night on Feb. 4

• Share input on the district AI survey

• And more!

• 12/09: BOE Finance Committee Meeting - 6 p.m. at District Office
• 12/16: BOE Regular Meeting - 7 p.m. at Northwood
• 12/18: Early Release (Morning Early Childhood IS in Session, NO Afternoon Early Childhood)
• 12/19: No School (Winter Break Begins)
• 01/05: School Resumes

• Full 2025-2026 school calendar
• Month-by-month overview of 2025-2026
• 2025-2026 Calendar Highlights Graphic (English)
• 2025-2026 Calendar Highlights Graphic (Spanish)
• District website calendar page

Last month, we invited you to tell us what you’re thankful for. The video below brings those responses together. Thank you for being part of it!

Curious about what your student is learning in class? Visit the Curriculum Overview page on our website at www.nssd112.org/curriculum. You will find which state standards apply to each grade and subject, along with the instructional resources used at every grade level. We will continue to add to this page over time. We hope it offers a clear look at what learning looks like across our classrooms.

You can also ask Beacon, our lighthouse chatbot in the bottom right corner of our website, questions about curriculum.

North Shore School District 112 is partnering with SmartSocial for the 2025-2026 school year, giving your family free access to resources that help keep kids safe and successful online. This is a go-to hub for staying informed about AI, TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, video games, and online challenges, while also helping you build stronger connections with your child.

Coming up this month are live webinars (that are also kid-friendly). You can register for each event by clicking on the date:

• Is Screen Time Pulling Your Child Away? Balancing Parental Controls and Student Privacy (Dec. 2, Dec. 9, Dec. 16)
• Is Screen Time Pulling Your Child Away? Balancing Parental Controls and Student Privacy (in Spanish) (Dec. 17)
• 7 Quick Tips for Healthier Screen Time: Reduce Arguments and Build Positive Digital Habits (Dec. 3)
• Roblox and Minecraft Safety Night: Understand the REAL Dangers and Guide Your Child With Confidence (Dec. 11)
• Safe and Successful: How Teens and Families Are Using AI (Dec. 18)

Register with our district’s SmartSocial account to unlock these valuable resources (if asked for a district zip code, please use 60040).

BPAC brings together parents, guardians, staff, and community members to support English Learner students by sharing resources, giving input on programs, and building connections across our schools. Parents of dual language students at Northwood, Red Oak, Oak Terrace, and children receiving English Language services at any NSSD 112 school are automatically members.

The first meeting of the year featured guest speaker Sergio Negri, who shared practical advice on how parents can support their children’s academic success from the earliest grades through high school.

Upcoming meetings:

• Tuesday, February 24, 2026 – Oak Terrace School

• Tuesday, April 14, 2026 – Oak Terrace School

Meetings begin at 7 p.m., are conducted in Spanish with translation provided, and childcare is available. To learn more, visit www.nssd112.org/BPAC.

Cartwheel is a national mental health provider for students and adolescents. It offers rapid access to virtual care with a licensed clinician within seven days of referral. Clinicians are available during school hours, after school, nights, weekends, and breaks, and Cartwheel also provides psychiatric evaluations and medication management.

Parents can begin the referral process by visiting the Cartwheel website. For additional information, contact your child’s school or Dr. Holly Colin, assistant superintendent for student services, at hcolin@nssd112.org.

ReferralGPS is a web-based service focused on assisting our students, staff and community in finding local mental-health and substance use related treatment. The service complements the district's existing systems of support as a tool for student service teams and families to connect with treatment. Along with a searchable database of treatment options, ReferralGPS provides Care Navigation to assist families in triage, appointment setting, and follow-up care.

Families may access ReferralGPS in two ways:

• Contact a member of your school's student services team (social workers, psychologists) or your school principal
• Visit https://referralgps.com/find-help/NSSD112 to search for treatment resources

Safe2Help offers students a safe, confidential way in which to share information that might help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence or other threats to school safety. It is available 24/7 and offers students a safe outlet to share information on school safety issues in a confidential environment. It can be accessed via a free app, text/phone, and website (Safe2HelpIllinois.com).

• Call: 844-4-SAFEIL
• Text: SAFE2 (72332)
• Email: help@safe2helpil.com

What role should AI play in our classrooms? The district is developing policies and procedures to guide the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence in our schools. Your feedback will help shape how AI supports learning, protects student privacy, and promotes equity and innovation. Share your thoughts by taking our short survey.

Construction at Sherwood continues to make steady progress inside and out. Crews have completed new curbs, gutters and sidewalks on the east and west sides, with outdoor lighting work now underway. Work is also advancing at the front entrance canopy and across the building, where drywall, painting and ceiling installation have begun and floor tile is set to follow soon. In classrooms and the library, new lighting and mechanical connections are nearing completion. The gym addition is taking shape as masonry, framing, and interior systems continue, with window installation and exterior brickwork now underway.

Work continues steadily inside the building, where demolition is underway in targeted areas to prepare for new systems and updated spaces. Electrical upgrades are in progress, along with early roofing and gutter work. Crews are also preparing wall and window openings for future installations. Foundation work has begun for the new elevator, with additional structural reinforcement planned next week. Outside, new utility structures that support drainage and other site improvements are expected to arrive soon.

Front row: Jenny Butler (secretary), Art Kessler (president), Melissa Itkin (vice president)

Back row: Dr. Mike Lubelfeld (Superintendent), Bennett Lasko, Lisa Hirsh, Jaret Fishman, Lori Fink, Dr. Monica Schroeder (Deputy Superintendent)

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE BOARD

The next regular Board of Education meeting will be on Tuesday, December 16 at Northwood Middle School. It will begin at 7 p.m. You can find an agenda and livestream link on our website.

The Board reviewed districtwide student achievement results, received an update on the future of the TrueNorth cooperative, and heard the latest progress from the Dual Language Task Force. Read the full recap for more.

Join the Day of Giving this holiday season to support hundreds of local families! On December 6, 2025, families in need will receive bags of groceries and personalized holiday gifts.

You can help by donating food, clothing, essential items, or gift cards to stores like Jewel, Walgreens, and Target. Visit the donation registry or drop off items at Northwood (945 North Ave, Highland Park, IL 60035). Please check with your school on what they are collecting. Item drop-offs must be completed by Wednesday, December 3.

This event is made possible through partnerships with the North Shore School District 112 PTOs, the 112 Education Foundation, SaLT (Service and Learning Together), and the Highland Park/Highwood Rotary Club.

• For questions, contact Jamie Cohn at jcohn@nssd112.org.
• Interested in volunteering? Email Ida Fiore at ida@saltservice.org.

A Wildly Important Goal, or WIG, is part of the “4 Disciplines of Execution” framework. WIGs help us focus on the priorities with the greatest impact, track progress clearly, and work together toward shared success. This does not mean other work is ignored. It means we give special attention to what matters most for our students. In the 2025-2026 school year, we’ll be focusing on two key areas.

Increase the percentage of students meeting and exceeding grade-level proficiency in English Language Arts (ELA), as measured by IAR, by 6% by the end of the 2026-2027 school year.

Why this goal?

A 6% increase is ambitious and significant. Literacy includes reading, writing, listening and comprehension. By setting a goal that pushes us to grow, we are committing to the skills that open doors for all learners. Achieving it will take everyone working together to support every student’s growth.

From August 2025 through April 2026, concluding with a formal report to the Board of Education in May 2026, the Superintendent’s Task Force will design and launch a comprehensive stakeholder-informed implementation plan for the phased consolidation of the K-5 dual language program into Oak Terrace, ensuring the plan is inclusive and cultivates trust and engagement across the K-5 dual language program community.

Why this Goal?

In 2027, the K-5 dual language program will consolidate at Oak Terrace, and Red Oak will close. Recognizing the significance of this change, we are committed to ensuring it is carried out thoughtfully and effectively.

Work continues to move forward on both of the district’s Wildly Important Goals. Subcommittees of the Dual Language Task Force met throughout November to continue their focused work on student success, family engagement and facilities and operations. These teams are helping shape key recommendations as the process moves ahead.

On the literacy goal, the district updated its current percentage of students meeting or exceeding standards to 74 percent and adjusted the long-term target to 80 percent following recent scoring changes by the state. While the benchmarks shifted, the district’s commitment to a 6 percent increase in literacy achievement remains unchanged.

Visit www.nssd112.org/OurWIGs to follow our progress on both WIGs.

To view the donation page, please click on the image above or visit the Day of Giving 2025 Wishlist.

The district's food service program serves students at Edgewood, Northwood, Oak Terrace, Ravinia and Red Oak.

Families at Edgewood, Northwood, Oak Terrace, Ravinia and Red Oak can explore interactive menus provided by OrganicLife. These online menus, available in English and Spanish, make it easy to view breakfast and lunch options, check nutritional information, see allergen details, and even filter or print menus.

You can find a link to the interactive online menus, as well as printable menus, at www.nssd112.org/menus. Families can find step-by-step instructions for OrganicLife’s interactive menus on our website, as well.

If you have any questions related to food service, please contact our district’s food service manager, Ms. Georgette Franco, at gfranco@nssd112.org.

Families can now use a new online form to report food service issues so they can be addressed quickly. The form will be monitored throughout the year. Urgent needs should still be directed to your school. Access the form at www.nssd112.org/food-concern.

The district will host a Parent and Guardian Safety Night on Tuesday, Feb. 4, at 6 p.m. at Edgewood Middle School. Director of Safety and Security Solvei Jurmu and School Resource Officer Teresa Stadler will lead a conversation focused on student safety, including social media awareness. More details will be shared as the event approaches.

The safety of our students and staff is our top priority. District 112 follows the “I Love U Guys” Foundation’s Standard Response Protocol (SRP), which provides a clear, common language for responding to any emergency. The SRP is based on five simple actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter.

Staff are trained in these actions, carry quick-reference cards, and reinforce the protocol through posters in every school. Learn more on our Safety and Security page.

District 112 offers the FirstView bus tracking app to give bus-riding families real-time information and peace of mind during the school day. With FirstView, you can securely monitor your child’s bus location, see estimated arrival times, and receive notifications about delays or schedule changes.

Learn more and get started with FirstView on our website.

The app is managed by FirstView and not by North Shore School District 112. If you require support with the app, please email support@myfirstview.com.

For non-urgent but still important concerns, families can use our new transportation concern form to notify the district. This form helps ensure we follow up on all issues and maintain a clear chain of communication. It is monitored regularly.

Need help finding local resources for housing, food, utilities, health care or family support? 211 Lake County connects residents to free, confidential help 24 hours a day by phone, text or online. Powered by United Way of Lake County, 211 is a simple way to find trusted services right here in our community.

People can reach 211 Lake County in three simple ways:

• Call: Dial 211 or 1-855-677-5253.
• Text: Text your ZIP code to 898-211.
• Online: Visit 211lakecounty.org to search by need or location.

Help is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day in multiple languages.

The Highwood Library and Community Center offers free programs, resources and services for all ages. From literacy support to cultural events, it’s a welcoming space for learning and connection. Explore upcoming programs at highwoodlibrary.org/events.

The Highland Park Public Library offers books, digital resources, events and programs for all ages. Highland Park residents enjoy full borrowing privileges, and the library is a welcoming place for reading, learning and community connection. Explore upcoming programs at hplibrary.org/events.

With winter weather already here, we want to remind families about our cold-weather and emergency-closing guidelines. These explain how decisions are made during severe conditions, including when schools may close or start late and how families are notified. If conditions warrant it, the district will use a traditional snow day rather than an e-learning day.

Review our cold weather and emergency closing information

Keeping student information safe is a responsibility we take seriously. The graphic below highlights what data we collect, how it is used, and the steps in place to protect it, along with where to find more detailed information.

Read the above document in Spanish.

Infinite Campus is the district’s secure online portal where parents/guardians can access their child’s grades, attendance, schedules, school fees and more.

• Access your Infinite Campus account
• Learn how to reset your Infinite Campus password

ParentSquare is North Shore School District 112's primary communication tool. It is used by the district office and schools to send emails, text messages and phone calls to parents/guardians, staff members and the community.

Every parent/guardian who is in the district's database already has a ParentSquare account and is set to receive notifications via email, phone call and text message. However, by accessing your ParentSquare account, you will have more control over how you receive notifications.

Access your ParentSquare account at parentsquare.com/signin.

If you are accessing your account for the first time:

• Visit parentsquare.com/signin, use the email address that we have on file for you, then click on "Forgot password." After completing the process of resetting your password, you will be able to access your account.
• Or you can access your account with the "Sign in with Google" option, if your Gmail account is the email we have on file for you.

Having an issue with your student's device? Need assistance with district software, such as Infinite Campus? Submit a support ticket and a member of our tech team will reach out as soon as possible.

Contact the NSSD112 Tech Department

We’re excited to share the next chapter for North Shore School District 112! In March, the Board of Education approved a new Strategic Change Agenda, a plan shaped by the voices of more than 200 parents, staff, students and community members. The agenda sets a clear path for our future, focused on student success, well-being and strong relationships.

Learn more at www.nssd112.org/strategic-agenda.

Our staff works hard to create schools where students want to learn and teachers want to teach. High-quality materials and technology give our staff and students the tools needed to be innovative and highly engaged. As a member of District 112, you’ll be working to advance yourself as well as fulfill a long legacy of District 112 being the home of pioneering educators, dedicated staff, and innovative instructional practices. Visit careers.nssd112.org to learn more!

Do you want to choose your own hours and make a difference in our students' lives? Consider becoming a guest teacher (substitute) for North Shore School District 112. Please feel free to reach out to Valerie Kilen (vlariviere@nssd112.org) with any questions or apply to be a guest teacher today!

VIEW OUR OPEN POSITIONS

Address: 445 Sheridan Road, Highwood, IL 60040

Phone: 224-765-3000

Website: nssd112.org

Facebook: facebook.com/nssd112

Instagram: instagram.com/nssd112

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nssd112

Contact Us: nssd112.org/contact

If you have any questions about the newsletter, please contact Ben Finfer at bfinfer@nssd112.org.