Forest School News (3.1.26)

The Illinois 5Essentials Survey has been open for a couple weeks. Family participation plays an important role in shaping our school's improvement efforts. Your voice matters! We need to reach a minimum parent participation rate of 20%. We are currently at 11% participation.

To complete the survey:

• Visit the 5Essentials Survey website
• Choose the Parent Survey (English or Spanish) on the right side

The flyer below should have come home with your child last week. After you complete the survey, you may choose to send the bottom portion back to school for your child to earn 3 raffle tickets for an upcoming raffle!

Forest Elementary School is very excited to welcome author Ruth Spiro to Forest on Wednesday, March 18th. Ruth is a local author who has written more than 30 children's books! Ruth will spend the entire day at Forest, interacting with students through classroom read alouds, a writing workshop, lunch with a select group of students, and assemblies.

Interested in purchasing one of Ruth's books to be autographed and/or personalized?

• Visit the Ruth Spiro Author Visit Book Order to purchase.
• All orders must be completed digitally through the website.
• Any books purchased digitally will be autographed and have the option to be personalized for your child.
• Please follow the directions on the website.
• Autographed and/or personalized books will be delivered to school.

The deadline to order is Wednesday, March 11.

Please save the date for Family Literacy Night on Wednesday, March 18 from 6:00-7:00 PM! This year's theme is Literacy is Our Superpower! There will be interactive games, activities, prizes, and more!

Thank you to everyone who has already signed up to participate in the Kids Heart Challenge! Our initial fundraising goal was $2,000 which we surpassed the first evening the challenge opened. 🤯 Currently, Forest families have raised over $5,800 to benefit children with special hearts. This is AMAZING!

It's not too late to join! Register online by clicking here.

• Complete Finn’s Mission by finishing all 7 steps and learning Hands-Only CPR for a chance to be entered into a raffle to win tickets to the 2027 Super Bowl.

• Fundraise certain amounts (look at the flyer below) to earn special prizes. All prizes earned will be distributed during P.E. by Mr. Sloma and Mr. Sloan.

• The Kids Heart Challenge will be open until Friday, March 6.

Online registration will open for all families, including incoming students, beginning March 10 for the 2026-2027 school year. We ask that you register your child(ren) by May 6.

District 62 will begin collecting next year's fees during registration. Our fees remain unchanged, however the cost to ride the bus for 2026-2027 is $430 per student each school year. For example, a family with two students riding the bus would pay $860 per year to transport both children.

Information about District 62’s online registration process can be found on the Enrollment page, including:

• Annual Online Registration (returning students)
• New Student Enrollment (new to D62 students)
• Kindergarten Registration (kindergarten students)

MaineStay Youth & Family Services provides FREE or affordable programs for youth of all ages, with a focus on social-emotional learning opportunities that aim to maximize each child's full potential. To learn more about current offerings, check out the Spring 2026 Flyer Catalog!

Calling all Forest students to participate in the 5th Annual Kiwanis Cup! Students will have the opportunity to compete alongside their classmates to race against challengers from other local schools. Race distance is approximately 1 mile around the beautiful Lake Opeka.

Each runner will receive a t-shirt representing their school color. Let's make a Forest team!! Register by the April 24th deadline to receive a shirt.

More information about how to register will be shared soon! Please see the information below for more details.

Talent Show is back for 2026! The flyer/permission slip has been sent home. The deadline to return the permission slip is Friday, March 6th.

Talent Show Important Dates

• Thursday, March 12th: In-Person Auditions
• Friday, March 20th: Video Auditions Due
• Tuesday, May12th: Tech Rehearsal
• Thursday, May14th: Talent Show Day

The March Dine and Share is on Thursday, March 19th at Raising Cane's in Des Plaines. Check out the flyer for all of the details.

Save the date! This year Multicultural Night is on Friday, April 16th. We’re seeking families to host a table representing their culture. Hosting a table is a wonderful way to share your heritage, traditions, and pride with others! Your display might include:

• Photos, maps, or flags
• Traditional clothing, artifacts, or crafts
• Interactive games or activities
• Pre-packaged snacks or candy reflecting your culture

To host a table, please fill out this form. Together, let’s make this evening a meaningful and memorable celebration for everyone!

Spirit Wear featuring the new Falcon logo is now available on our website.

Week of March 2

• 3/4: Sports Club for 2nd Grade begins from 3:30-4:30
• 3/5: Robotics Club begins from 3:30-4:30 PM
• 3/6: Trimester 2 Report Cards released on Infinite Campus
• 3/6: Permission Slips for Talent Show are DUE
• 3/6: Last Day of the Kids Heart Challenge fundraiser

Week of March 9

• 3/10: PTC Meeting at 7:00 PM
• 3/11: PTC Pool Party at Prairie Lakes Aquatic Center
• 3/12: Talent Show Auditions (in-person) from 3:30-4:30 PM

Week of March 16

• 3/16: Board of Education Meeting at 7:00 PM at Forest
• 3/17: NO SCHOOL - Family Conferences in the PM (Teachers will reach out to you)
• 3/18: Ruth Spiro Author Visit
• 3/18: Family Literacy Night from 6:00-7:00 PM
• 3/19: PTC Dine & Share at Raising Cane's from 3:30-8:00 PM
• 3/20: Early Dismissal for K-5 at 3:15 PM

• District 62 Community Partnerships & Resources - A full list of D62 community partnerships.
• Virtual Bulletin Board - View community flyers on the D62 website. Updated regularly.
• MaineStay Youth & Family Services - Click on the MaineStay tab for Youth Programs.
• MaineStay Spring Program Guide - Click to view various flyers for winter programs!
• Self-Help Closet & Pantry of Des Plaines - Learn more about available community resources.
• Community Backpack Project - Weekly backpack program - Contact Forest if interested.
• Des Plaines Public Library - A calendar of events at your local public library.

District 62, Forest, and the Des Plaines community have so many wonderful resources available for families. If you are experiencing financial hardship, food insecurity, looking for community resources, or exploring opportunities for parent learning, we are here for you!

To help the Forest SEL Team better understand what resources to connect you with, please fill out the Forest Family Resources form for us to follow up with you about any resources needed. Responses are kept confidential and will only be seen by the SEL team unless you specify otherwise.

Website: Forest Elementary School

Address: 1375 South 5th Avenue Des Plaines, IL. 60018

Phone: (847) 824-1380

Social Media: Facebook & Instagram

Principal: Ms. Amber Soike

Assistant Principal: Ms. Traci Reiner