Fremont Focus

We are looking forward to welcoming our students, staff, and families to Fremont School District 79 for the 2023-2024 school year! As shared on June 28, we are excited to launch our 2023-2027 Strategic Plan as we advance our ambitious shared vision, “empowering the next generation of resilient lifelong learners, responsible citizens and courageous leaders.”

The following are a number back-to-school updates to get you prepared for the start of the new academic year. Parents and guardians can expect to receive this email update from the District twice a month. This will be in addition to the principal's e-newsletter that you will receive from the schools each week. We hope that you find the information provided to be informative and helpful.

Please read the following newsletter for detailed information, but here is a summary of key dates for quick access:

• August 4 - Teacher assignments emailed for PK - Grade 8
• August 8 - Sixth-Grade Tech Boot Camp
• August 8 - Kindergarten practice bus ride; 9:30 a.m. (ES/IS parking lot)
• August 16 - Meet & Greet for K - Grade 8 (last name A-L - 1:00-2:00 p.m.; last name M-Z - 2:00-3:00 p.m.)
• August 17 - First day of school for K - Grade 8
• August 18 - Meet & Greet for Preschool/Early Childhood
• August 21 - First day of school for Preschool/Early Childhood
• August 21 - Board of Education meeting; 7:00 p.m. (Middle School Media Center)
• August 22 - Elementary School Curriculum Night; 6:30 p.m.
• August 23 - Intermediate School Curriculum Night; 6:30 p.m.
• August 24 - Middle School Curriculum Night; 6:30 p.m.

• Students in Kindergarten - Grade 8 are invited to drop off supplies and meet their teacher(s) on Wednesday, August 16. Please click here to view school supply lists.

• NEW THIS YEAR -- To relieve congestion, we respectfully ask families to adhere to the updated plan.

• Students whose last names begin with A-L should come between 1:00-2:00 p.m.
  

• Students with last names that begin with M-Z should come between 2:00-3:00 p.m.
  

• Parents may pay for school lunches during their visit (bring a check or pay online).

• Grades K-5 may also pick up bus tags in the Intermediate School gymnasium at this time. Grades 6-8 do not need bus tags.

• The first day of school for Kindergarten - Grade 8 is Thursday, August 17.

• Middle School runs from 7:55 a.m. to 2:43 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Elementary and Intermediate Schools run from 8:55 a.m. to 3:38 p.m. on those days.

• Each Wednesday will be an early release day so that teachers and staff may participate in professional learning.

• Middle School students will be released at 2:13 p.m. each Wednesday.

• Elementary and Intermediate School students will be released at 3:08 p.m.

A weekly Early Release plan was approved for implementation starting this school year. This plan increases teacher collaboration and professional learning without reducing student instructional time.

• Students will be released 30 minutes early on Wednesdays.
• K-5 dismissal at 3:08 p.m. (instead of 3:38 p.m.) on Wednesdays
• 6-8 dismissal at 2:13 p.m. (instead of 2:43 p.m.) on Wednesdays
• A no-cost after-school child care option with transportation is available via Right at School on Wednesdays. Sessions will be offered in four-week implements starting on August 23. Families do not need to be registered for regular Right at School care in order to participate in the no-cost Wednesday option. However, registration is required. Parents will be able to register via the Right at School website.
• As an alternative, a fee-based enrichment program will be available for students on Wednesdays beginning in early September. More information on this opportunity will be available soon.
• Students who take part in the Wednesday Right at School program or the enrichment program will be offered bus transportation home at 4:08 p.m.
• This bus service will be for K-5 students participating in the no-cost Right at School program or the fee-based enrichment program.
• Registration will occur in 4-week block sessions. This is done to maximize our ability to safely transport students home; knowing who is expected to ride the bus and to route them appropriately takes time and planning.
• All students who will need late bus service on Wednesdays need to be registered with both the Transportation Department and Right at School at least one week prior to the start of the session. For this first session (August 23 - September 13), registration needs to be completed by August 16.
• These routes will be run similar to activity buses with neighborhood group stops.
• Last-minute requests or changes will not be able to be accommodated in order to meet our standards for safety.
• To register your student(s) for the 4:08 p.m. late bus service, please contact transportation@fsd79.org.

• The 2023-2024 school calendar was amended to reflect the early release plan, including discontinuing the six half-day SIP days.
  

• Preschool/Early Childhood students and their parents are invited to meet their teachers on Friday, August 18.

• 9:00-10:00 a.m. for A.M. Preschool/Early Childhood (practice bus ride at 9:30 a.m.)

• 1:00-2:00 p.m. for P.M. Preschool/Early Childhood (practice bus ride at 1:30 p.m.)

• The first day of school for Preschool/Early Childhood is Monday, August 21. The morning session runs from 9:00-11:30 a.m., while the afternoon session goes from 1:00-3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Incoming kindergarteners will have the opportunity to take a practice school bus ride at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, August 8. Buses will depart from the parking lot located between the front of Fremont Elementary and Intermediate Schools. Students will be introduced to bus safety, as well as how to load and unload the bus. A short route also will be performed.

Parents should expect to receive an email from their respective building(s) by the end of the day on Friday, August 4 regarding their child’s teacher assignment(s) and schedule(s).

Tech Boot Camp is required for all incoming sixth-graders and new students. Fremont Middle School will be hosting its annual tech boot camp on Tuesday, August 8. All sessions are being led by student leaders and supervised by teachers. At Tech Boot Camp, students are given their Chromebooks and taught how to access applications and textbooks they will use at the Middle School. The morning session will run from 8:30-11:30 a.m., while the afternoon session is from 12:30-3:30 p.m. Students unable to attend these sessions are required to attend a session after school on August 17 until 3:30 p.m. Registration has already taken place. Please contact Emily Loerakker, Middle School Principal, with any questions.

Health information and medical forms are available on the FSD79 Health Services website page. Please drop off forms at your child’s school.

• Kindergarteners must show proof of current physical/immunizations, as well as dental and eye exam forms.

• Second graders must complete a dental examination prior to starting school.

• Sixth graders must provide a dental examination form and a health examination form with proof of up-to-date immunizations.

If you do not want your child’s name or photo used for school publicity purposes, please fill out the non-consent photo form and return it to your child’s school.

Right at School offers before and after school child care at FSD79, for Grades K-8. Please visit the Right At School website for information and to register your child(ren) for the program. Information regarding a no-cost after-school option for students on early release Wednesdays can be found above.

Parents and guardians should have received an email from the Transportation Department last week asking for their busing needs for the upcoming school year. Bus route information for the upcoming school year will be disseminated the week of August 7. If you have any questions, please contact transportation@fsd79.org.

Lunch menus for the month of August are available and can be found here. For more information on the school lunch program, please click here.

With the new school year starting, parents will find that there is a slight increase in lunch pricing this year. This is the first year that the District has had a lunch price increase in six years and it is due to inflation and increases in food costs. Parents occasionally inquire why FSD79 does not participate in the National School Lunch Program. By not participating in the program, the District is able to offer a wider variety and improved quality food options to our students. We will continue to be mindful of competitive pricing in order to best serve our families.

On the heels of rolling out our new mascot logos in the spring, families will notice brand-new District branding and logos. We hope this refreshed look exemplifies where we are as a District today as well as our future course.

Coinciding with the District's rebranding efforts, FSD79 is set to launch a redesigned website in time for the start of the school year. Please be aware that this may cause certain website links that have been utilized in the past or bookmarked to change. However, the website navigation structure will remain very similar. Thank you for your patience during the transition process. We hope the new website will be a benefit for all!

FSD79 offers local groups and organizations the opportunity to advertise their upcoming events in the Virtual Backpack. To submit your group's event for consideration, please submit a PDF flyer to publicrelations@fsd79.org. Check back regularly for upcoming offerings.

Address: 28855 North Fremont Center Road, Mundelein, IL

Phone: (847) 566-0169

Website: fsd79.org

Facebook: facebook.com/FremontSchoolDistrict79

Twitter: @FSD79

Instagram: @FSD79

YouTube: youtube.com/FSD79