E-News for KCSD96

There is so much to celebrate this fall across our 7 schools! We are also delighted to see our middle school sports and after-school clubs off to a strong start. Our elementary schools are getting into an impressive routine of learning and engagement. Most importantly, we are delighted to see students face academic rigor and experience social-emotional growth. A big thank you to our incredible educators for fostering a school environment centered on opportunity and agency.

Keep up the great work!

Sincerely,

Kildeer Countryside School District 96

Tuesday, September 17th is an Early Release Day across KCSD96. Kindergarten and grades 1-5 dismiss at 2:05pm. Grades 6-8 dismiss at 1:30pm. Structured Early Childhood and Blended PM dismiss at 2:05 pm. ECSE/Blended AM dismisses at 10:10am.

Our Fall Family/Educator Conferences are coming up on October 10th and 11th. This is an opportunity we look forward to as a district, as we greatly value our collaboration with families to ensure a strong school year for each and every one of our students. KCSD96 will be sending out sign-ups on Monday, September 23rd at 5:30 pm through Meet the Teacher. Please note that all conferences will be virtual unless you specify otherwise with your child's teacher when scheduling. Looking forward to connecting with you!

Allergen Information Displaying on LINQ Connect Menus

KCSD96 parents, we want to make you aware of some important information when viewing your child's menu on LINQ Connect specifically pertaining to allergen information. LINQ Connect has an incredible feature that enables you turn on a filter of your child's allergen(s) (soy, wheat, dairy, sesame, etc.) while viewing the menu calendar. When accessing LINQ Connect menus on a desktop or laptop using your web browser, items that contain your child's specified allergen(s) will be crossed out. To do this, select the 3 bars to the right of the school name in the menu view and you will get a drop-down menu that allows you to select applicable allergens.

If you access LINQ Connect using the app, please be aware that the monthly menu will not show you which items contain your child's specific allergen(s). We advise anyone who uses the app, and has a child with allergies, to view the daily and weekly menus... as these *do* cross out items that contain your child's specified allergen(s). (You will still need to ensure that the specific allergen filter is selected to your child's needs.)

If you have any questions, please contact foodservice@kcsd96.org.

This week, September 9-13, is National Arts in Education Week! The arts are an essential part of a complete education. Thank you to all of our staff members who help elevate our students’ experience through the arts!

At Twin Groves, students made music and memories through bucket drumming. They learned the art of rhythm through every tap. Way to go, TG!

Students at Kildeer Countryside Elementary School participated in a schoolwide Fun Run this Friday! Students across all grade levels laced up their sneakers and took to the Fun Run course around the entire school. A great job to our students and staff!

KCSD96 is dedicated to fostering strong partnerships with our community, offering a range of opportunities for parent engagement. Through these programs, we empower parents to actively contribute to and enrich the educational environment for all of our students.

Technology plays an important and evolving role in your child's education. It's critical that you and your family have open discussions about your use of technology. KCSD96 is hosting its annual "Family Tech Talk” in the Educational Development Center (downstairs of Ivy Hall Elementary at 1072 Ivy Hall Lane, Buffalo Grove). This discussion is scheduled for Tuesday, September 24 at 7pm. Presenters are Director of Information Technology Services Bob Hanrahan and School Resource Officer Edyta Zuk. Mr. Hanrahan will talk about the district and its technology initiatives. Officer Zuk will discuss online safety awareness and tips.

If you have questions, contact the Community Parent Liaison, Lubna K. Andrabi, at lkhan-andrabi@kcsd96.org.

Guiding Coalition of Interculturalism

GCI is a learning community that reflects and connects the KCSD96 values of diversity and inclusion; aligns parents, educators, and students in cultural and educational experiences; and engages with a wide audience. This year our Bilingual Parent Advisory Council will merge with GCI to create a more cohesive group focused on cultural diversity, inclusion, and language support. We will align their missions to create a unified group that addresses both interculturalism and bilingual education and create one communication platform for parents, educators, and community members. GCI meeting dates for the 24-25 school year are:

• October 1st, 2024
• November 12th, 2024
• January 21st, 2025
• February 25th, 2025
• April 22nd, 2025

Meetings are at 6:30pm in the Educational Development Center at Ivy Hall Elementary (1072 Ivy Hall Lane). Please fill this Google Form to indicate your interest. For questions, please contact, Community Parent Liaison: lkhan-andrabi@kcsd96.org.

Thought Exchange Partnership

TEP offers parents the opportunity to share their thoughts and receive information about instruction, programs, and district initiatives. TEP is a committee that seeks parent feedback in developing student discipline policies and procedures related to the Student Handbook and provides information and feedback to the Board. District 96 values two-way communication, and a deep understanding of parent perception supports district planning and communication. TEP meeting dates for the 24-25 school year are:

• October 8th, 2024
• December 10th, 2024
• January 28th, 2025
• March 11th, 2025
• May 6th, 2025

Meetings are at 6:30pm in the Educational Development Center at Ivy Hall Elementary (1072 Ivy Hall Lane). Please fill this Google Form to indicate your interest. For questions, please contact, Community Parent Liaison: lkhan-andrabi@kcsd96.org.

Friday, August 2nd

Friday, August 9th
August 16th, 2024
August 23rd, 2024
August 30th, 2024

September 6th, 2024