Blue Jay Buzz
March 20, 2025
In this issue you will find:
New Info
- Upcoming Dates
- Community Corner
- Updates and Other Information
- Attendance Alert Emails
- Clubs and Activities
- PTO Upcoming Events
Old News
- Cellphones, Medication, Attendance, Tardiness to school
Mark T. Schwarz - Principal - mschwarz@dps109.org
Donnie Castans - Associate Principal - dcastans@dps109.org
Marcia Klita - Director for Student Services - mklita@dps109.org
Upcoming Dates
Mark your Calendar...
Friday 3/21 - No School (Parent Teacher Conferences)
Monday 3/24 - Friday, 3/28 - Spring Break
Thursday 4/24 - Coffee @ Caruso 9-9:40am
Tuesday 6/3 - 8th Grade Graduation @ DHS
Wednesday 8/13 - Locker Day
Spring Conferences Today!
We are excited to welcome you to spring conferences starting today! Please note that all visitors to our school must check in through our front office and present your ID. We kindly ask that you arrive approximately 10 minutes before your scheduled conference time to allow for check-in processing.
A friendly reminder that today is also a half-day and students are dismissed at 11AM. Conferences start at 12:30PM. If you don't have a scheduled conference, please reach out to your child's teacher. There is no school on Friday, 3/21.
Thank you, and we look forward to seeing you over the next two days!
Community Corner
Congratulations Mr. Castans!
"Dear Bluejay Families,
I wanted to take a moment to share some personal news. At the end of this school year, I will be leaving my role as Associate Principal at Caruso Middle School to become the Principal at Fox River Grove Middle School. While I’m excited for this new opportunity, the decision to leave District 109 was not an easy one.
From day one, I’ve been struck by the warmth and kindness that defines this community. Whether it’s the way families support one another, cheer on our students, or partner with our schools, you’ve helped create an environment where kids can thrive. That’s something truly special, and it’s one of the many things I will deeply miss.
I’ve also had the privilege of working alongside an incredible group of educators whose creativity, dedication, and unwavering commitment to students inspire me every day. Whether they’re crafting engaging lessons, building meaningful relationships, or finding innovative ways to support learners, their hard work leaves a lasting impact — and I know it will continue to do so.
Most importantly, I want to thank you — the parents and guardians — for your partnership and trust. Supporting your children through these important middle school years has been a privilege, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to have been part of their journey.
While I may be moving on to a new role, I’ll always carry fond memories of my time in District 109. I look forward to hearing about the amazing things our students will continue to accomplish — whether they’re winning awards, making a difference in the world, or just finally remembering to put their name on their homework.
Thank you for your kindness, your support, and your dedication to making this community such a special place."
With heartfelt gratitude,
Donnie Castans
High School Musical!
A huge shoutout to all the incredible students who brought the show to life—whether on stage or behind the scenes. Putting on five performances in just four days is no small feat, and your hard work, dedication, and talent truly shined!
Congratulations to Ms. Sara Dolins on her first production at Caruso—what an amazing debut! Well done, everyone!
8th Grade Families
Please keep an eye out for 8th-grade graduation communication being sent out later today.
Parent Panorama Survey
Again this year, parents/guardians across Illinois have an opportunity to participate in the annual survey to provide feedback about the schools their children attend. District 109 is fortunate to be able to use the Panorama platform for this survey, which is the same used for students. Ultimately, the family survey is designed for you to share your thoughts on the home-school partnership and other important elements of school effectiveness. Your responses help guide our improvement.
To take the survey, please visit https://surveys.panoramaed.com/deerfieldil/1589963429/surveys and select your child’s school. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete and will close March 21st.
If you have children in multiple schools, we encourage you to provide feedback on both schools. Please know that your identity and responses are confidential and will not be connected to you or your child. Thank you in advance for taking the time to give us this important feedback.
RSVP for the Next Coffee @ Caruso 4/24 @ 9-9:40AM
Join us for coffee @ Caruso; a way for the adults in our students' lives to build stronger connections with us at Caruso. Space is limited to 25 people per event. Please RSVP by calling the Caruso Main Office at 847-945-8430. Thanks to the PTO for Sponsoring Coffee.
Clubs and Activities
Old News
Student Expectations
Cell Phones
Cell phones will be off and away in lockers from 8:00 am - 3:00 pm every day (8:00 am - 2:00 pm on early release Wednesdays). Here's the why: This will help our students focus on their learning, build relationships with those around them, and hopefully disconnect from the anxiety that comes from even just having a phone in the pocket, wondering what notifications they are missing.
If students are using their phones during the school day, they will be instructed to bring their phone to the main office. There will be a progressive response when this occurs that resets each semester:
First and Second Occurrence: Email home and student picks up phone at the end of the school day.
Third Occurrence: Parent/guardian must come pick the phone up from school. Student will serve a lunch reflection.
Fourth Occurrence +: Parent/guardian must come pick the phone up from school. Student will also drop phone off at office each morning. Student will serve an after-school reflection.
Headphones
MUST be wired and are not used during passing periods.
A student who fails to meet the expectations will be asked to comply with them and may be subject to a verbal warning or behavior check in.
Backpacks & Lockers
Backpacks must be kept in students’ lockers throughout the school day unless it is a documented accommodation. They will not be traveling from class to class. Here's the why: We do not have room in our classrooms to safely store backpacks without having a tripping/fire hazard, and—by keeping backpacks in lockers—we have a wonderful opportunity to teach and reinforce important executive functioning skills with material organization, case-its, and other organizational tools.
Student Deliveries
Medication, Attendance, & Tardiness to School
Medication
Please do not send any medication, over-the-counter pain pills (Tylenol/Advil/aspirin), or cough drops with your students. State law prohibits students from taking medication at school outside of the nurse's office with a doctors' note on file. We will confiscate any meds found outside of the nurse's office. Contact our school nurse Ms. Gwen Dowell gdowell@dps109.org
Attendance
If your student will not be in school, please report the absence to the health office by phone (847) 945-8430 x6103) or email (carusoattendance@dps109.org) before 8:00 am. If you do not contact our school nurse by this time, she will contact you at home or at work to ascertain your child’s whereabouts. Children must be fever free for 24 hours before returning to school. Students will only be dismissed to a parent or legal guardian, or to emergency contacts designated in Family Access.
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Mrs. Klita, Director for Student Services
School: Crawford Day School, Chicago, IL
Mr. Schwarz, Principal
First Year of Teaching: 2013
School: Holmes Jr. High, Mt. Prospect, IL
Mr. Castans, Associate Principal
First Year of Teaching: 2009
School: Hoffman Estates High School
Caruso Middle School
Email: cmsoffice@dps109.org
Website: https://www.dps109.org/Page/9
Location: 1801 Montgomery Road, Deerfield, IL, USA