The District 25 Dish

This edition of the District Dish features the following

• Superintendent Message
  
• Need 2 Know
• Interpreters & Translators Needed!
• Food & Nutrition Services Update: Free and Reduced Priced Meals
• Calendar Updates 🔔 (UPDATE TO THE 25-26 CALENDAR) 🔔
  25-26 Calendar - UPDATED
  Calendario 25-26 - ACTUALIZADO
• Safety & Supports
  Community Safety Night
• Celebrate with Us!
  
• Community Events
  

• Feel Good Story
  An Author in Flow at Windsor! ✍🏻

• Help Needed | We are hiring!
  Scroll for positions!
• Instagram | @ahsd25social
  
• Board of Education
  Congratulations to our Board of Education!
• Strategic Plan 21-25, Dashboard
• #d25ItsPersonal

Thank you! Click around and enjoy!

Dear District 25 Community,

As we head into fall, I’ve been reflecting on just how grateful I am for our amazing community. Time and again, you demonstrate your care and support for District 25, and our staff and students feel the benefits every single day. Thank you!

This week, we celebrated our tenured teachers at the Board of Education meeting, honoring the deep roots and lasting dedication that strengthen our district. Across our schools, parent groups are organizing activities that bring our families together and highlight the energy and connectedness that make this community so special.

The ABC/25 Foundation “A Better Community” grant submissions are climbing toward their goal. We see again the powerful partnership between our families, community, and schools.

As we enter this new season, let’s continue to nurture and grow that partnership. Together, we make District 25 a place where students thrive.

Together Today to Transform Tomorrow!

Thank you, staff & community!

Dr. Brian Kaye

Superintendent

Do you speak a language in addition to English, fluently? We're looking for individuals interested in joining our school district's translation roster. This is a paid opportunity at $30/hour, with hours as needed. Help us connect with all members of our community, your skills make a difference!

Please fill out the form linked here if you're interested!

This year we’re using Amira Learning, an AI-powered reading tool that provides a district-administered 1:1 reading assessment measuring alphabetic knowledge, phonological awareness, word reading, and fluency. Amira also gives students real-time feedback, helps teachers track progress in comprehension and vocabulary, and keeps all student data securely owned by the district. This will be used for assessments throughout the year.

If you have any questions about Amira, please reach out to Kim Kusiciel (kkusiciel@sd25.org).

Help your school earn a $2,500 grant by becoming a member of the ABC/25 Foundation. Join by October 17th, and your child(ren) will be entered into a drawing to win a ride to school with the Arlington Heights Police Department!

Each school must reach 25% membership to receive the $2500 grant. See your school's status in the picture to the right!

Our District participates in the USDA funded National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs. Those families that are directly certified for free or reduced meals have been notified via email. If you are not directly certified through participation in SNAP, TANF, or Medicaid, and feel you may qualify for free or reduced meals based upon your household income, please complete an application online. You will need your student ID # to apply, which is listed above. If you are unable to complete an application online, please visit our website for our paper application.

If you qualified for free/reduced meal benefits last year AND you have not reapplied for this year, your benefits will expire on October 3, 2025. If you feel you still qualify, please fill out a Household Eligibility Application prior to October 3, 2025.

Superintendent Office Hours

• October 7, 2025 | 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

School Board Meeting

• October 21, 2025

1st Quarter Ends | Middle School

• October 22, 2025

Parent/Teacher Conferences | Staff Only

• October 23, 2025

Parent/Teacher Conferences | Staff Only

• October 24, 2025

Connection with the Board | Trunk or Treat

• October 25, 2025

Progress Reports Issued | Middle School

• October 31, 2025

At the Tuesday, July 15, 2025 Board of Education meeting, a change to the 2025-2026 school year calendar was approved. The School Improvement Day originally scheduled for Monday, April 6 was moved to Tuesday, March 17. This means:

• March 17, 2026 → No school for students

• April 6, 2026 → Students will attend school

For more details on the change, click here for a letter sent to our community on July 17, 2025.

📅 View the updated calendar here:

• 25-26 School Calendar | English
• Calendario escolar 25-26 | Español

Did you know you can feed the District and school calendars into your personal calendar? There are easy steps located on our website, and for a video tutorial watch the video above!

Email Adam Harris (aharris@sd25.org) if you have any questions!

A huge thank you to everyone who joined us at last week’s Community Safety Meeting at Thomas. Your questions and ideas make a real difference. If you couldn’t make it, no worries! You can check out the Safe25 webpage or click here to see the slides from the presentation.

Have you ever visited our SAFE25 page? We invite you to check it out!

Ensuring the safety of our students and staff is our top priority. We are committed to creating and maintaining secure environments where learning can thrive.

School safety is an ongoing process, and your input is invaluable. Share your feedback with us at safe25@sd25.org. Together, we can build a safer future for our students.

Standard Response Protocol (SRP)

As part of the commitment of safety, we are transitioning to the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) this fall. This shift, made in partnership with the Arlington Heights Police Department, will help ensure a clear, consistent response to emergencies across all of our buildings. Please check out the SRP one page guide below.

Community Camera Registration:

Residents can opt to register their security cameras with the AHPD to assist in investigations. More details: Connect Arlington Heights Camera Registration.

Link Together Coalition Mission: Promote healthy youth, families, and communities by decreasing teen alcohol and drug use through education, advocacy, and access to community resources, and policy awareness, implementation, and change.

Working with D25: South and Thomas Middle Schools are provided with prevention initiatives that are targeted at youth to empower them to be drug and alcohol free.

Lets Talk More: In the past year, 52% of Wheeling Township high school students answered YES that their parent/guardians have talked to them about not using alcohol. See attached PDF below to learn more.

For more information and resources, visit our Parent Academy page.

District 25 is a partner in the Link Together Coalition, which gives our community access to the Glenbard Parent Series. Please check out the various Glenbard Parent Series presentations that work to engage top experts, parents, and school staff to become proactive and informed in pursuit of the mutual goal of strengthening our communities. Programs are free and open to the public. No registration required.

District 25 is committed to supporting the whole child and their family. We’ve created a new webpage to share community resources that offer assistance with food, housing, health services, and more. Visit the community supports page by clicking here to explore support options.

Care Solace is a free, confidential 24/7/365 Mental Health Care Coordination Service.

Call (888) 515 - 0595, or go to caresolace.com/site/northcook to complete a brief screening to be matched with a provider. Available for students, families and staff.

For more resources, visit our parent academy page: www.sd25.org/ParentAcademy.

BEACON (Behavioral Health Care and Ongoing Navigation) is a centralized resource for Illinois youth and families seeking services for behavioral health needs. It’s common for young people to struggle with behavioral and/or mental health challenges. Please know you are not alone, and neither is your child. Click HERE for support.

Hispanic Heritage Month is a month to celebrate the rich heritage of Hispanic Americans and the many contributions they have made to American culture. Celebrated Sept. 15 - Oct 15

October commemorates the first Polish settlers as well as the leadership of General Kazimierz Pułaski and Tadeusz Kościuszko who fought in the American Revolution. We also honor the contributions of Polish-Americans in the areas of arts, sciences, culture and more.

October is National Italian-American Heritage Month. This month was first recognized by the US Congress in October 1989 as a tribute to all Italian-Americans' achievements and contributions to our nation. It is a time to highlight the cultural impact of the Italian-American community.

Yom Kippur is the Jewish holiest day, known as Day of Atonement. The 25-hour period is devoted to prayer, fasting, and repentance.

*Date changes year to year

Columbus Day is a federal holiday in the United States, which officially celebrates the anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the Americas. Columbus went ashore at Guanahaní, an island in the Bahamas, on October 12, 1492.

On Indigenous Peoples’ Day, we honor America’s first inhabitants and the Tribal Nations that continue to thrive today. It is a day for our nation to celebrate the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples and recognize the communities and cultures throughout our country.

This is a federal holiday celebrated on the second Monday in October.

Below you'll find a snapshot of upcoming events in the area that may be of interest to our students and families. This is just a sampling so be sure to visit each organization’s website for a full list of activities and details.

Celebrate the launch of Recreation Park’s brand-new Skate Park! Enjoy music from a live DJ and delicious eats from a taco truck as we celebrate this exciting new space. Remarks will take place at 6:15PM.

When: October 2, 2025 | 5:00 P.M. - 6:30 P.M.

Where: Recreation Park, 500 E. Miner St.

Learn more here.

Come learn the art of paper quilling by rolling, shaping, and gluing thin strips of paper to make a beautiful autumn tree.

When: October 7, 2025 | 4:00 P.M. - 5:00 P.M.

Where: Kids World, Tween Space

Who: Grades 4-6

Learn more here.

You're invited to attend Autumn Harvest on Saturday, Oct. 11th, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. at North School Park! Enjoy free crafts, a scarecrow decorating competition with prizes, a petting zoo, photo opportunities, live music, dancing and more! This family friendly event is brought to you by the Village's Special Events Commission.

When: October 11, 2025 | 11:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.

Where: North School Park, 307 N Evergreen Avenue Arlington Heights, IL 60004

Learn more here.

Learn more about adult education offered by District 214!

Click here to learn more: https://www.ce.d214.org/

We caught up with one of our awesome young writers who always has a notebook in hand and a story to tell. 📚✨

She’s currently working on a narrative, but her favorite thing to write is fiction, as imagination is her superpower! Her advice for anyone who’s nervous to start writing? Just begin…don’t overthink it. Your writing is for you! Once the words start flowing, the story will follow. We’re so inspired by her love of storytelling and can’t wait to see where her writing takes her! 🌟

#d25ItsPersonal

District 25 is a great place to work — with opportunities to inspire, support, and impact students in a variety of roles. Whether you're in the classroom, behind the scenes, or on the front lines of support, there's a place for you here.

Explore opportunities at www.sd25.org/apply and see how you can make a difference in our schools and community!

🌟 Wednesday Wellness is back! 🌟

Every month, our SMS students enjoy a quick Wellness moment in morning announcements.

This October, they’re practicing a Safe Place, imagining a space where they feel calm, safe, and relaxed. 💛

#WednesdayWellness #SMSCares #SocialEmotionalLearning #d25ItsPersonal

🌙✨ Our first graders explored the moon, and their curiosity and ideas were out of this world! From thoughtful observations to big questions, they brought the best first-grade energy. 🚀💫

#D25Learns #FutureExplorers #MoonMagic #d25itspersonal

Our Board Agendas are made public 48 hours before each Board meeting and can be accessed via our BoardDocs online program. To access BoardDocs, visit our website: www.sd25.org/BoardAgenda or click here.

What: School Board Meeting

When: Tuesday, October 21, 2025*

Where: Dunton Administration Building, 1200 S. Dunton Avenue, Arlington Heights

*The meeting will begin at 6:15 p.m. at which time the Board will move into Closed Session until approximately 7:00 p.m. Following Closed session, the Regular Open meeting will begin.*

Description

This meeting will be live streamed via YouTube. The link for this can be found on the Board Agenda page (www.sd25.org/BoardAgenda#Livestream) the week of the meeting.

This meeting will allow audience members in the room. Please note each individual agenda can be viewed on our BoardDocs program.

Public Comments:

Anyone who wishes to make a public comment can do so, in person, at our Board of Education meetings. The Board hosts two public comment opportunities on their agenda: 1) at the beginning of the meeting, prior to any agenda items; 2) at the end of the meeting after the agenda items have been discussed/presented.

The Board can be reached outside of Board meeting hours by emailing boardfeedback@sd25.org.

Follow along with our progress on the following goals within our Strategic Plan, 21-25:

• Student Achievement
• Family & Community
• Learning Environment
• High-Quality Staff
• Stewardship of Resources

You can stay up to date on the progress of our goals and strategies that guide us in our everyday work: www.sd25.org/StrategicPlan.

Our teachers teach from a personal place. #d25ItsPersonal has become a way for our teachers and staff to share daily occurrences, and reasons why they do what they do for a living, and why it's fulfilling, right here in District 25.

Together Today 2 Transform Tomorrow

Website: www.sd25.org
Location: 1200 South Dunton Avenue
Phone: (847) 758.4900
Facebook: facebook.com/ahsd25
Twitter: @ahsd25

Instagram: @ahsd25social