Forest School News (3.31.25)
Dear Forest Families,
I hope everyone had a wonderful and refreshing spring break! As we enter the final stretch of the school year, there is so much to look forward to here at Forest. The next ten weeks will be filled with exciting events, including field trips, state assessments, family nights, end-of-year celebrations, and, of course, lots of learning. This is a special time for our students and school community as we make the final weeks of the school year both meaningful and memorable.
Please be sure to check upcoming newsletters for important dates and details. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to finish the year strong!
Sincerely,
Ms. Soike
Parking and No Parking Zones
- ✅ Parking is permitted/allowed on 5th Avenue between Forest School and Algonquin Middle School.
- 🚫 Parking is NOT permitted/NOT allowed in the Forest Staff Parking Lots or on 5th Avenue in front of Forest. The Des Plaines Police Department will begin ticketing those who are parked or idling in an area where parking is not permitted.
Blacktop Use at Dismissal
As the weather is beginning to warm up, we love to see so many students and families connecting after school at the playground! We also need to make sure that everyone is safe. To increase student and family safety at dismissal, please refrain from using the blacktop area while there are still one or more buses in the bus lane. Once all of the buses have left, families are welcome to use the entire blacktop area in addition to the playground and field.
📝 State Assessments: IAR and ISA
After spring break, all students in grades 3-5 will complete the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR). All 5th graders will also complete the Illinois Science Assessment (ISA). Please see the information below regarding who will take each assessment and when.
Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR)
- Who? Students in grades 3-5
- When? April 7-11 during the school day
- Students will take the reading assessments on April 7-8.
- Students will take the mathematics assessments on April 9-11.
- What if my child is absent? Missed assessments will be made up from April 14-17.
Illinois Science Assessment (ISA)
- Who? Students in 5th grade.
- When? April 21-23 during the school day
- What if my child is absent? Missed assessments will be made up from April 24-30.
🍏 March 7-April 30: Online Registration for the 2025-2026 School Year
How to Register
Online registration for all families, including incoming students, beginning Friday, March 7 fore the 2025-2026 school year. We ask that you register your child(ren) by Wednesday, April 30. District 62 will begin collecting next year's fees during registration. All of next year's fees remain unchanged.
Helpful Links for 2025-2026 Registration
- Kindergarten Registration
- New Student Enrollment
- Annual Online Registration (for existing families)
D62 Registration Events
District 62 will host a series of events to support families with the registration process at Algonquin Middle School at the following dates and times:
- Wednesday, April 2 from 5:30-7:30 PM
- Thursday, May 22 from 5:30-7:30 PM
- Tuesday, August 5 from 5:30-7:30 PM
💬 April 10: Dr. Devorah Heitner Visiting District 62
We invite you as we welcome author Dr. Devorah Heitner from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on April 10 at Chippewa Middle School, 123 N. 8th Avenue, Des Plaines.
Dr. Heitner is a researcher and author of Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World and Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World.
Join us to learn:
- How caregivers can mentor children as they grow up with Roblox, Youtube, Instagram, TikTok, Discord, and more.
- How caregivers can help kids be thoughtful about their digital footprint and reputation (including what we share about our children on our own social media).
- Strategies for teaching tweens and teens to recognize how social media affects their mood and mental health and when to take a break;
- How to assess readiness for a new tech milestone like a smartphone
- How to work on sleep habits at every age to balance screen time and getting enough rest;
- Should we "track" our kids online?
Bring your questions about raising kids in the digital age!
Dr. Heitner’s work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, TIME magazine and Education Week. She also has a Ph.D. in Media/Technology & Society from Northwestern University and has taught classes at Northwestern and DePaul.
This event is open to District 62 staff and parents.
📰 Virtual Bulletin Board
Did you know that the District 62 website has a Virtual Bulletin Board? Check out the community flyers that are updated regularly. When you go to the Virtual Bulletin Board, be sure to click the flyer or link to get more information about whichever community flyer(s) you're interested in!
The current community flyers are for:
- Baby Talk Mini Star Program
- Des Plaines Youth Baseball - Registration is open!
- New Girl Scout Troop for Girls with Disabilities in D62
- Join Girl Scouts of America
- Fairy Fest at Arndt Park Fieldhouse
- Floating Egg Hunt at Prairie Lakes Aquatic Center
- Craft Fair at Orchard Place School
- H2O Middle School Pool Party
- Des Plaines Community Concert Band
- MaineStay Youth and Family Services - Counseling available for all ages!
- Maine Township Youth Pride Program
🤩 Upcoming Opportunities through MaineStay Youth & Family Services
Anxiety Coping Skills Group (Grades 3-5) - Registration Link
This group helps participants learn effective ways to deal with stress and anxiety and emphasizes putting these skills into practice in real life situations.
- Begins April 1st from 4:15-5:00 PM
- 10 weeks
- $40
YAM Squad: Frustration Tolerance Group (Grades 3-5) - Registration Link
This group teaches practical skills on how to deal with anger and frustration in a healthy manner.
- Begins April 1st from 4:15-5:00 PM
- 10 weeks
- $40
Family Connections: A Play-Based Parenting Program (Ages 2-10 plus Parents) - Registration Link
This ten-week play-based parenting program is an instructional group designed to enhance and strengthen the emotional bond between parents and their children between ages 2-10. This evidence-based program empowers parents with the skills to respond effectively to their child's emotional and behavioral needs, fostering a nurturing and supportive environment.
- Begins April 1st from 7:00-8:00 PM
- 10 weeks
- $25
Workshop Improv Theater (Ages 8-13) - Registration Link
This program focuses on confidence-building and expressiveness, as participants step outside their comfort zone and learn skills such as listening, public speaking, problem-solving, and teamwork.
- Begins April 2nd from 6:00-7:00 PM
- 8 weeks
- Free
Parenting Class - Registration Link
This class uses an informative blend of video and discussion to help parents learn fun and practical ways to parent with more energy and less stress.
- Begins April 3rd
- 6 weeks
- $40
Youth Mentoring (Ages 8-12) - Registration Link
Our award-winning Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program meets in a structured group setting and helps children enhance their social skills, confidence, and academic success. We have immediate openings available for girls wanting to be matched with a positive female adult role model.
🧤 In Need of Resources?
If you are experiencing financial hardship, food insecurity, looking for community resources, or exploring opportunities for parent learning, look no further. Our SEL team created a Google Form you can fill out so they can be notified to follow up with you about any/ all areas you are looking for support. The responses to this form are confidential, and will only be seen by the SEL team unless you specify otherwise.
You can contact them here:
- Gina Biancalana, School Social Worker
- McKenna Corcoran, School Social Worker
- Mary McInerney, School Psychologist
📋 4/8: April PTC Meeting
🌏 April 10: Multicultural Night
We are still looking for families to host a table that represents their culture and country. We're also still looking for performers for our 2nd Annual Forest Family Arts & Multicultural Night on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 6:00–8:00 PM!
🎉 We NEED Table Hosts & Performers! 🎉
We’re looking for families to host a table showcasing their culture and heritage. This is a fantastic opportunity to share your heritage, traditions, and pride with others! Your display might include:
- 📷 Photos, maps, or flags
- 👗 Traditional clothing or artifacts
- 🎲 Games or crafts
- 🍬 Pre-packaged snacks or candy
- CLICK HERE TO HOST A TABLE!
🎤 We NEED Performers! 💃
We're also seeking performances to showcase cultural music, dance, or art! If you're interested in performing, please CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP AS A PERFORMER!
Thank you for helping us celebrate the incredible cultures that make Forest School so special. 💙🌟
📅 April 17: Deadline to Purchase Yearbooks!
The deadline to purchase Yearbooks is April 17th.
🎨 April 25: Student Art & Stories Exhibit @ the Talent Show
Talent is found in many places! We want to showcase student talent in art and writing during the Talent Show. Submit your artwork, short stories, and poems to the Student Art and Stories Show which will take place in conjunction with the Talent Show on April 25th.
For this exhibit:
- Please have students submit work we can hang up!
- Artwork should have the student name and teacher name somewhere so it can be returned in May.
- Submissions are due to the Main Office by Monday, April 21st.
💚 Forest Spirit Wear
Spirit Wear is a great way for your family to show their Forest pride. Spirit Wear is available to purchase on our website, and it will be delivered straight to your child's classroom.
👍 Join the PTC!
Do the events above sound fun but don't line up with your schedule? Or would you like to learn more about what we can do for our students? Please consider joining the PTC! Membership gives you our meeting minutes and the first opportunity to volunteer at school events! You can join us here: Membership Form You can also check out our website: https://forest-ptc.square.site
Upcoming Events
This Week:
- 3/31: NO SCHOOL - Spring Break
- 4/1: NO SCHOOL - Professional Learning Day
- 4/2: Coding Club begins with Mr. Peebles from 3:30-4:30 PM
- 4/2: D62 Family Registration Event from 5:30-7:30 PM at Algonquin Middle School
- 4/3: Book Club begins with Ms. Casey from 12:35-1:00 PM
- 4/3: Drama Club begins with Ms. Casey from 3:30-4:15 PM
- 4/3: Art Club begins with Mrs. Earl from 3:30-4:30 PM
- 4/4: School Librarian Appreciation Day
- 4/5: Craft Fair at Orchard Place School from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
- 4/5: Fairy Fest at Arndt Park from 12:00-1:30 PM
- 4/5: Floating Egg Hunt at Prairie Lakes Aquatic Center from 1:00-4:30 PM
Next Week:
- 4/7-4/11: IAR Testing for all students in grades 3-5
- 4/7: Art Club begins with Mrs. Bresnak and Ms. Polovitch from 12:10-1:00 PM
- 4/8: 2nd Grade Friendship Club begins with Ms. Clavien and Ms. Fortier from 12:10-1:00 PM
- 4/8: Art of Science Club begins with Mrs. Bergstrom and Ms. Peters from 3:30-4:30 PM
- 4/8: Forest PTC Meeting at 7:00 PM
- 4/10: Multicultural Night (presented by the PTC) from 6:00-8:00 PM
In 2 Weeks:
- 4/14-4/17: IAR Testing Make-ups
- 4/14: SEL Parent Night from 6:00-7:00 PM
- 4/15: Planned Fire Drill in the afternoon for Forest and the Westerhold ELC
- 4/18: NO SCHOOL
Contact Us
Website: http://forest.d62.org
Address: 1375 South 5th Avenue Des Plaines, IL 60018
Phone: (847) 824-1380
Facebook: Forest Facebook
Principal: Ms. Amber Soike
Assistant Principal: Ms. Traci Reiner