The Weekly: August 5

Whether you're a seasoned veteran of our hallways or a brand new face joining our community, I'd like to extend a warm welcome to you and your family.

This year promises to be filled with exciting new experiences, where we will celebrate your children daily. Our dedicated staff are getting eager to greet you, and our classrooms are almost ready for you!

We know that starting a new school year can bring a mix of emotions for both students and families. Rest assured, our entire staff is here to support you every step of the way. We are all committed to creating a positive and nurturing environment where all students can thrive.

This first edition of The Weekly offers important information about Meet the Teacher, Class Lists, Transportation, the updated Student Handbook, and much more! The Weekly, which is scheduled to send every Friday afternoon, will continue to provide more information about our return to school Friday, August 16th.

Until then, enjoy the remaining days of summer. I look forward to embarking on another incredible year as your principal.

Respectfully,

Katie Johnson

Principal

We're thrilled to have some familiar faces starting new positions within our district, and equally excited to introduce some folks who are brand new to the CCSD66 family.

Here are the fantastic individuals joining our team:

• Abby Overmann, 1st Grade Teacher
• Amy Vano, Kindergarten Teacher
• Ashley Sanchez, Student Experience Coordinator
• Barb Conley, ECE Paraprofessional
• Christine Stortz, ECE Paraprofessional
• Haley Fisher, 2nd Grade Teacher
• Jennifer Petersen, District Nurse
• Kari Gemmell, K-5 STEM Coach
• Melody Maier, Lunchroom Supervisor
• Sharon Chacko, Part-Time Speech Language Pathologist
• TBD, Kindergarten Teacher

We're creating a special display at IDE to showcase the love of reading in our community. Can you help us capture this magic? If you see your child reading, snap a picture and email it to Meghan Aleo. Include the child's first and last name in the email.

Together, let's show the importance of getting lost in a good book!

Pictures due Monday, August 12th.

The process of generating class lists for the 2024-25 school year was collaborative in nature and involved input from individuals from all aspects of our school. The integrity and professionalism of our staff is the foundation of our wonderful school. We feel that we know each of our students well. We know their learning styles, relationships with peers, academic strengths and challenges. Our intention has been to create groups of children who reflect heterogeneity and cohesiveness.

Student placement was based upon many considerations. Some of the influencing factors in this process include:

• Balance of male and female students

• A heterogeneous range of reading, writing, and math in each room

• Consideration of emotional needs, giftedness, and other special needs

• Separation of social conflicts

• Balance of students with strong leadership qualities

• Balance of students with good study habits

We received over 150 Class Placement Parent forms. If you provided information to add to our knowledge of your child’s social, emotional, or academic needs, it was included in our process. In the past, we may have made attempts to match up younger siblings with the same teacher that their older brother or sister had. We all understand and appreciate the value of relationships and the consistency that this offers. However, this factor does not supersede the overall goal of creating groups of children who reflect heterogeneity and cohesiveness. Please note, that requests for specific teachers were not a part of our process.

All K-8 families will have access to their class placement/student schedule at 4pm Monday, August 12th via Skyward. We ask you to respect the integrity of this process and the work that our staff put into creating balanced classrooms. We are excited for the upcoming school year and look forward to your continued partnership as we work together for the success of your child.

If you need assistance with logging into Skyward, please email our Administrative Assistant, Stephanie Sorn.

Center Cass School District 66 will continue to offer transportation to ALL students for the 2024-2025 school year.

In order to adequately route and prepare for the year from a transportation perspective, we ask that you complete this survey below for EACH of your students. (Please do this regardless of whether or not they will use bus services, parent transport and / or walk).

Please complete this survey by the end of the day, Wednesday August 7th.

Thank you in advance for your support in completing this survey. We are looking forward to a fantastic school year! See you all soon!

CCSD66 has streamlined the Center Cass District 66 Student Handbook! One Handbook for All! This year, all three schools in our District will be following a single, unified handbook. This means clearer, consistent expectations for everyone.

We will continue to highlight components of the student handbook throughout the year. However, one of the notable changes this year is in regards to student cell phones, smartwatches, and other electronic devices. To ensure a focused learning environment, student cell phones, smartwatches, and other electronic devices will not be allowed during school hours starting this school year. Students can bring their electronic devices to school, but they must be powered-off and kept in a designated location for safekeeping until dismissal unless (a) permission is granted by an administrator, teacher or school staff member; (b) use of the device is provided in a student’s individualized education program (IEP); or (c) it is needed in an emergency that threatens the safety of students, staff, or other individuals.

We appreciate your continued support and commitment to creating a safe, inclusive, and productive learning environment for all our students.

Timely attendance plays a vital role in maximizing instructional time and overall academic progress. Your student being a few minutes late impacts their learning by missing instruction and interrupting the activities of the classroom. Not only have they missed learning opportunities, but the learning experience of their peers is interrupted due to the distraction. Each student will be allowed five (5) tardies per quarter. These will reset each quarter. The following will be disciplinary actions for tardies:

• 1-5 tardies will be a warning

• 6 tardies will result in a lunch detention and a letter home regarding tardiness

• 7 or more tardies will result in a lunch detention per additional tardy in addition to a parent meeting

CCSD66 Policy 7.70, Attendance and Truancy

Individuals seeking to volunteer must complete and submit the Volunteer Information Form - Agreement and Release, at the time he/she first seeks to serve as a volunteer and at least annually thereafter.

By completing this form the individual agrees to:

• Comply with the provisions of District policy and all volunteer guidelines

• Authorize background checks, including fingerprinting - if necessary

All information regarding serving as a Volunteer can be found by clicking on the following link:

• Parent Volunteer Handbook & Guidelines - Volunteer Policy 6.250

Anyone interested can click on the following link to apply: https://www.applitrack.com/ccsd66/onlineapp/jobpostings/view.asp?internaltransferform.Url=&category=Support+Staff. For more information or questions, please have them contact me directly.

Get ready to join BAMtheatre at Elizabeth Ide this fall, where we're bringing the magic of theatre to your after-school routine! This term, unleash your inner star in "We're All in This Together: Hits of High School Musical," featuring all your favorite songs from the iconic movie series. Save the date - classes kick off on Tuesdays starting September 17. BAM's comprehensive structure features a blend of captivating activities, games, and rehearsals, all culminating in a showcase on the final day for friends and family to enjoy.

Secure your spot pronto—availability is limited, and this class is known to fill up fast! #AfterSchoolTheatreMagic #highschoolmusical #afterschoolenrichment

Contact Sgt. Doug Rumick 630-353-8304 or drumick@darienil.gov. Ofc. Lauren Throm 630-353-8303 or lthrom@darienil.gov if you would like to represent your business or group at the event.