Weekly Update: August 18, 2026

It has been an extraordinary summer of progress across Indian Prairie School District 204! Thanks to our community’s support of the Safer, Stronger 204 capital initiative, construction crews worked tirelessly over the break to implement $125 million in capital projects across our 33 school buildings. Upgrades include major renovations at Waubonsie Valley and Neuqua Valley High Schools, secure vestibules at 11 schools, new flooring at 7 schools, playgrounds at 5 schools, solar panel installations at 5 schools, and districtwide LED lighting retrofits.

Thank you to our community and hard-working facilities teams for making our schools safer, stronger, and ready for an incredible school year ahead!

In the video above, Dr. Price visits Longwood Elementary School to talk with Principal Mike Zeman, and Still Middle School to talk to Principal Kimmer Cornish about what these renovations mean for students.

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 new information that all district families need to know.

How do I mark my child absent from school?

• ParentVue app or website (preferred option), or
• Call your school’s attendance line which can be found on each school's webpage.

What’s New with ParentVUE?

ParentVUE has a new mobile app! If you haven’t upgraded to the new version, please do! Find instructions here.

Did You Know…

If your child is absent from school, but the absence hasn’t been submitted to the school, 204 Connect will now send an automated alert via text, phone call, and email –two hours after the start of the school day.

If you receive this notification, it’s simply a reminder to enter your child’s absence in ParentVue or call the school attendance line.

Find all the information you need for the start of the school year on the District's Back-to-School Information webpage.

In the event an emergency occurs in your child's school, a reunification may be necessary. District 204 has several resources available through the i love u guys Foundation to help educate parents and guardians on the Standard Reunification Method. Watch the video: A Parent's Guide to Reunification

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.

There’s still time to run, walk, and make a difference with Team IPEF in the Endeavor Health Naperville Half Marathon, 10K & 5K on October 18th! The final hard deadline to register as a charity team runner is August 31st, so gather your friends and family and join the fun. Half of every dollar raised by Team IPEF runners goes directly to their chosen IPSD 204 school, with the other half supporting IPEF-funded programs across the district. Let’s make Team IPEF 2026 our best yet! Register today and join Team IPEF 2026!

The next regular Board of Education meeting is at 7 PM on Monday, August 24, 2026 at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora. Meeting agendas and documents will be available online prior to the meeting. Video of the regular meeting can be streamed live or viewed the following day at the District’s YouTube channel.

District 204 Superintendent Dr. John Price connects with students at Kendall Elementary on the second day of school during his week-long tour across district schools. Photo Credit: Matt Hanley

SUBMIT A PHOTO TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THE PHOTO OF THE WEEK HERE

(If your submitted photo is featured as a Photo of the Week in an upcoming Weekly Update, you will win a $25 Amazon gift card sponsored by DuPage Credit Union.)

Hello IPSD 204 Community! As we head into a new school year, we’d love to grow our Parent Diversity Advisory Council (PDAC) team! 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. Check out our flyer or send us an email at PDACinfo@gmail.com to learn more or get connected with your school’s PDAC Liaison.

Come be part of a group of parents working together to make our schools more welcoming, connected, and inclusive for everyone. We’d love to have you join us!

The City of Naperville offers two opportunities for Naperville resident students to participate in local government. Students can apply for student representative positions on the City’s boards and commissions or serve as a Chief of Staff to Mayor Wehrli through the KidsMatter – Mayor’s Chief of Staff internship. Both programs provide valuable experiences in civic engagement and public service. Learn more on the City's website.

Your opinions are needed for the new Power of Choice campaigns! The Power of Choice is a project of 360 Youth Services working collaboratively with Districts 203 & 204 to provide campaigns for youth, parents, and the schools to support alcohol and vaping prevention. Parents of middle school students—and high school students—this is your chance to be heard and have an impact! Please vote for your favorite poster images and theme words before Sept 1. Campaign materials with the most votes will be shared throughout the school year. Thank you for helping make a difference!

Middle School Parent Survey

High School Student Survey

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 p.m. CT, 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 famliy. 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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Have a story idea or something happening at your school or in your neighborhood that we should know about? We’d love to hear from you. Send news tips anytime to newstips@nctv17.org.

08/24/26: Board of Education Meeting

09/07/26: No School (Labor Day)

09/14/26: Board of Education Meeting

09/24/26: Elementary School Early Release Day

09/28/26: Board of Education Meeting