A Message from Dr. Kelley Gallt
September 25, 2022
Dear District 95 Families,
The first days of fall have arrived and with them the full schedules of eight schools and 5,600+ students fully engaged in a wide array of student learning activities. What a pleasure it is to visit classrooms filled with energy and excited students, watch students participate in extra-curriculars, and see students enjoy collaborative activities and communal lunches again after the strain of the pandemic over the past few years.
Along with our regular daily work, activities, and events, the district continues to work towards the completion of our current strategic plan (24 individual action plans), Forward95, while also engaging in a new strategic planning process this fall, bringing together two committees of stakeholders (including students, parents, community members/community partners, staff, administrators, and board members) all working together to develop guiding plans for our district. For more information about this process, please read the article below. Please also note that the entire community will be asked to provide feedback on the work of these committees, with the first opportunity coming this week. Be on the lookout for a communication!
Finally, I could not be more proud to share that our District 95 Board of Education has earned the "2022 School Board Governance Recognition" designation. This prestigious recognition is being awarded to only 33 school districts out of the more than 800 districts in the State of Illinois, and is designed to acknowledge those school boards who have engaged in activities and modeled behaviors that lead to excellence in local school governance in support of quality public education. Our board members will be recognized at the next Illinois Association of School Boards meeting for the Lake Division in October (being hosted here at District 95!). Please be sure to thank our board members for their service!
Sincerely,
Dr. Kelley Gallt
Strategic Planning & Portrait of a Graduate
Two committees have been formed. One is the Strategic Planning team, which will see through the process of reaffirming/defining our mission, vision, values, along with strategies and goal areas. As a part of this process another group, the Portrait of a Graduate team, is working to define the attributes or characteristics of a District 95 graduate. Both teams consist of a wide range of stakeholders including students, parents, community members/community partners, staff, administrators, and board members.
Throughout the process of strategic planning, we will periodically be reaching out to the broader community to gather feedback or validate ideas. The Portrait of a Graduate team has already come up with a list of possible attributes that could describe a District 95 graduate. As they continue to develop, refine, and shorten this list the team needs feedback from all stakeholders.
Watch for a communication this week asking for your feedback - it will only take about 5 minutes and your input is INVALUABLE!
Appreciation Days
Once again this year we are highlighting appreciation days for various staff roles throughout the district. By sharing these dates with you via this newsletter and social media, we hope you will take a moment to share your appreciation with the individuals who serve our district in these roles. A card, email, post, or a simple thank you in person means so much!!
- October - National Principals Month (October 29th is Principals Day)
- October 2nd – School Custodian Appreciation Day
- October 5th - World Teachers Day
- October 6 - National Instructional Coaches Appreciation Day
- October 16th - National Boss’s Day
- Oct. 27 - World Occupational Therapy Day
School Safety & Security
District Standard Response Protocol
In previous communications, we shared that the District has adopted the Standard Response Protocol (SRP) from the "I Love U Guys" Foundation. This protocol uses an all-hazards approach to safety and security, and is based on the following actions: Hold, Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, and Shelter.
As part of our commitment to safety and security the District also conducted a parent forum in August to review the protocol and to answer any questions. If you were unable to attend, the forum was recorded and is available on our Safety & Security Webpage under the "Safety Forum - August 2022" section.
General Student Safety and Well-being
As with the start of any new school year, we always expect an adjustment period during which students re-acclimate themselves to the rules and expectations associated with the school community. In some cases, it may take some students more time to adjust than is typical.
We have so appreciated our families and community providing exceptional levels of support and partnership, and would like to take this opportunity to ask that families take a few moments to help us to ensure a safe school year. Specifically, we are asking that each family discuss the following school expectations in a way that your student(s) understands - and in a way that is aligned with your family values:
- Demonstrating kindness and respect towards each other
- Participating in discourse (i.e., providing feedback to someone, stating disagreement in productive ways) with classmates
- Reporting unsafe behaviors/situations or get help (i.e., talk with a trusted adult, complete the anonymous reporting tool on our website)
Please also note that additional safety and social-emotional wellness resources may be found at: www.lz95.org/parents/safety-security. The District is confident that in partnering together, we will be able to provide a safe and welcoming learning environment for all of our students this school year.
Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest - "Celebrate Life. Live Drug Free."
Attention All Artists!
Express your creative talents and pledge to be drug free for the Red Ribbon Week Poster Contest!
“Celebrate Life. Live Drug Free.”
Prizes will be awarded, and the winning poster will be reproduced and displayed
throughout the community.
- Your poster must portray a clear message about this year’s Drug Free Theme.
- The poster may include words, color, or a graphic black and white composition.
- Open to all 2D Medias: i.e. computer designs, color pencils, markers, graphite, etc. (no 3D elements due to ability to reproduce finished work).
- Format must not exceed 11x17.
- This contest is open to high school and middle school students.
- Your design must include your name, school and grade on the back of your piece.
- Submit your final design to your school office by the end of the school day October 13, 2022.
- Final judging will be done by the Red Ribbon Week Committee.
District 95 Educational Foundation Support
The District 95 Educational Foundation continues to support the students and families of Lake Zurich District 95 in so many ways. One of its greatest services is Joanie’s Closet, which has become a household name as it supports hundreds of families providing school/home supports to families in need (i.e., school supplies, backpacks, coats, boots, food).
Another valuable aspect of our Educational Foundation is its support of District 95 staff and students through grant opportunities. The District 95 Family Resource Center (FRC) is the most recent grant approved by the Foundation, which was requested by Ms. Brittany Yates and Dr. Lauren McArdle. The Foundation is providing the necessary start up monies of more than $2,000 to support this effort. The Family Resource Center (FRC) will provide a central location where families of students with special needs can explore resources to support their student’s functioning - and where they can borrow/”check out” resources for use in their homes. The FRC very clearly aligns with District values of collaboration, continuous improvement, and equity.
A few examples of resources that families would be able to access include:
- Resource binders (i.e., how to create visual schedules at home, healthy nighttime routines, responding to student sensory needs)
- Sensory items to try before buying
- Books, materials, and games to check out
- Other items, as requested by families
Additionally and important to note, students in the District 95 Transition Program (ages 18-22) will further develop their own career/life skills by helping develop materials for this center, will catalogue and operate the center (i.e., receiving requests for materials, facilitating “check-outs” and deliveries), and will conduct other operational tasks under the supervision of program staff. The central location for all resources will be the Student Services Department at the District Administrative Building; we are excited to share more information in the coming months!
Mass Communication System Update
As a follow-up to previous communications, the district is replacing School Messenger with a new mass communication tool, Blackboard, that will be used for important district and school messages to parents/guardians and staff. Blackboard has a 99.9% "up" time for their communication system and offers great flexibility in messaging.
The transition to Blackboard will begin in October, but School Messenger will remain fully in place until the full transition to Blackboard is complete. During the transition period you may receive messages from either system.
District 95 Job Openings
In addition to an ongoing need for bus drivers (see below for more information), District 95 also has many other current employment needs including playground/lunchroom supervisors, classroom aides, and more. For a current list of openings, please visit our online job listings by clicking here.
Bus Drivers
Looking for an opportunity to give back to the community? Retired and looking for a way to stay active and connected? A parent wanting to have the same schedule as your children? Want to bring your preschool aged child to work with you? Join our amazing team of bus drivers. NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY.
Benefits Include: · Paid Behind the Wheel Training · Partial Paid Health Insurance · Retirement Benefits · Sick Leave · Personal Days· Competitive Pay including pay for prior experience
Qualifications: · Good Driving Record · Minimum of 21 years old (Drivers) · Pass required Federal Background check · Pass a pre-employment/ annual physical & drug test · Enjoy working with kids!!
If you have any questions, contact the District 95 Transportation Department at 847-438-2834.
Click here to apply online by visiting our website or go to www.lz95.org/jobs ~ Click on Job Openings ~ Select Transportation ~ Select Apply button