Nov.22, 2024

Dear District 70 Families,

In honor of Thanksgiving next week, I want to share my gratitude for you – the families of District 70. We consistently talk about our vision of Learning Together. I am humbled by your dedication to our students and staff and your commitment to partnering with us in your child’s education. Thank you.

I was given the opportunity to write an article for an education-focused magazine with one of our graduates and one of our current students and it was published last month. The article in School CEO, “Co-Creating Change: An Intergenerational School Leadership Model” aims to capture what I find so uniquely special about our culture in District 70 and our collective effort to elevate our students’ voices in their education.

The article explains how we have worked diligently as a district to hear more from our students through our strategic planning process and the Superintendent’s Student Leadership Advisory Council (SLACC).

“Looking back, I can also see how deliberately inviting students to the table in our strategic planning process has led board members and other staff in the room to recognize the importance of student presence and voice. This cultural shift is evident in how students and staff interact in our district. Students are no longer passive participants but active contributors to the decision-making process. This change fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility among students, which drives them to be more engaged in their learning and more invested in the success of their school community.”

I’m thrilled to share that one of our student-focused initiatives is the expansion of our Structured Learning and Autism programs. We are committed to providing continued options for learners within our school settings. You can read more about this development in the article below.

I will end with this. Your students are inspiring. Their voices are shaping our district and their learning experiences. Thank you for your continued partnership in their education. It is a joy Learning Together with you and your students.

Shine Bright!

Rebecca

Rebecca A. Jenkins

Superintendent of Schools

Libertyville School District 70

rjenkins@d70schools.org

Rebecca's Instagram

First trimester Report Cards are available for parents to view inside of the D70 PowerSchool Parent Portal. Parents may access the parent portal and log in with the same credentials that are used when they register their child(ren) online for school.

After logging in, to view report cards, please click on PLS Vault documents, then scroll down to report cards, and click on the current grade and trimester to view and download the report card.

Tips:

• Use the following browsers - Safari, Firefox, or Google.
• The PowerSchool portal address is d70schools.powerschool.com/public.
• If you cannot remember your username, email, or password, and are unable to sign in, please contact the Student Enrollment Specialist at 847-362-9695 ex: 7116.
• Additional PowerSchool Parent Portal resources can be found on the D70schools.org website under the Technology Department to the PowerSchool section.

District 70 is excited to announce the expansion of structured learning and autism services in Libertyville School District 70. This initiative will allow more students currently receiving specialized support outside the district to learn within D70.

The current services provide support for kindergarten and first-grade students and will expand to support students from kindergarten through third grade. This summer, we’ll be making light renovations to a section of the Butterfield Elementary building currently utilized during the school day by the birth to preschool Champions Child Care program. These updates will create a flexible and welcoming learning space for our special needs students. We will support the birth to preschool Champions program as they look for an alternative location. Champions will be communicating with the families who use their services shortly and are committed to finding a new location in the area to continue their services.

This expansion will enable more students to learn in their home district, provide excellent service to our students within their community, and reduce costs associated with out-of-district placements. We look forward to sharing more details as they become available!

Sincerely,

Stacey Bachar,

Asst. Supt. of Finance & Operations

Zuica Donev,

Asst. Supt. of Student Services

To enhance instruction in Amplify CKLA for students in grades K-5, District 70 students also have access to Amplify's Boost Reading. Boost Reading is an online, personalized platform for literacy instruction that will provide instruction in the skills necessary to be a proficient reader. The program immerses students in an engaging game world while providing students with personalized feedback and providing teachers with meaningful data to track growth. This program will meet students where they’re at, by providing reinforcement and remediation, as well as enrichment. This means that you do not need to assist students with learning. Once your child can log in, they’re ready to start using the program.

Your child can learn with Boost Reading during school hours and independently at home. Please see the information below on how to log into the program.

Tips and Tricks

• Practice logging in with your child consistently until they can log in independently.
• Keep your child’s login information in a single place so they know where to go if they need it.
• Provide your child with headphones or a quiet place to play.

Illinois law requires schools to notify parents/guardians during school registration or parent-teacher conferences that information about sex offenders is available to the public on the Illinois State Police website:

• Illinois Sex Offender Registry, https://isp.illinois.gov/Sor/Disclaimer
• Illinois Murderer and Violent Offender Against Youth Registry, https://isp.illinois.gov/MVOAY/Disclaimer
• Frequently Asked Questions Concerning Sex Offenders, https://isp.illinois.gov/Sor/FAQs

What: First Special Education Parent Network Event!
Date: Wednesday, Dec. 4th
Time: 6 - 8 p.m.
Location: The Board Room, 137 Lake Street, Libertyville

Join us for the first gathering of the Special Education Parent Network, a new initiative designed to foster a supportive and collaborative community for families of students with special needs. This event will bring together parents and District 70 staff to promote open communication, share valuable resources, and provide guidance to support families throughout their child’s educational journey.

We hope you can attend and look forward to building this network together!

Please RSVP if you plan to attend.

Families Learning Together is a District 70 initiative to provide learning opportunities for our parents, staff, caregivers and community.

This year District 70 has partnered with FAN. FAN is an organization that curates a high-quality speaker series for local school districts and other government groups. These events are free for our families and staff to attend.

FLT/FAN Topic: The Ritual Effect: From Habit to Ritual, Harness the Surprising Power of Everyday Actions

Presenter: Michael Norton, Ph.D.

Interviewer: Sam Sommers, Ph.D.

Date: December 4, 2024 at 7:00 pm

Zoom Registration Link: www.bit.ly/NortonFANSponsor

Program Information:

Norton is a Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School. His research on topics ranging from the hazards of humble-bragging to the rewards of matchmaking and volunteering has been published in top academic journals as well as popular media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, CNN, Forbes, and the New York Times. A great program for the holiday season, a time when we find ourselves observing a variety of rituals both old and new. Norton is a clever writer and makes his research and observations readily accessible. His focus goes beyond everyday rituals to the more idiosyncratic behaviors that can enrich our lives and cement relationships.

All FAN event videos are posted to FAN's YouTube channel, linked here. FAN's September 2024 events are right at the top. Event videos can also be found at the FAN website by clicking Past Events, choosing the event page and scrolling to the bottom.