D15 Family Newsletter

Last week, we shared a lengthy and informative “Home School” email with families. As a reminder, the home school shared is your school assignment based on your home address. There were several, for lack of a better word, disclaimers, for some students in specific EL and/or special education programs included within the email. If you have questions about your child(ren) Home School placement, please submit questions here. We are working through questions submitted as quickly as possible. We thank you in advance for your patience!

Online student registration for the 2023-24 school year is now open! If you have not already started this process for your child(ren), please visit our registration page to begin.

All returning students MUST be registered and student fees must be paid by July 1, 2024, or they will be unenrolled from CCSD15. Students who have not completed their registration requirements will not receive a classroom assignment. Families that do not complete the registration by July 1, 2024, should contact their school to re-enroll their child(ren).

The Thomas Jefferson Elementary community welcomes past TJ alumni (students and staff) to come see their school one last time before it becomes a middle school! Join TJ on April 25 from 6:30-7:30 pm.

We will host 3 dual language informational meetings in February for incoming kindergarten parents interested in learning more about the program which includes the specific goals of bilingualism, biliteracy, and sociocultural competency. More information can be found on the Dual Language Program webpage and in this flyer!

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we are excited to re-ignite the “Share the Love” campaign. We are using this time to encourage everyone to share the love with a D15 staff member throughout this month!

We have a simple and fun way for you to send support and appreciation to a District 15 staff member using a digital postcard. All you need is their email address!

How to send the postcard:

1. Click this link

2. Have your recipient’s District 15 email address ready

3. Write a personalized message to the recipient

4. Click submit

We hope you take advantage of this simple way to send some love to our dedicated staff! I know they would love to hear from you!

Your partner in education,

Laurie Heinz

We are still accepting Free and Reduced Meal applications for the 2023-2024 school year for the following schools-Hunting Ridge, Thomas Jefferson, Marion Jordan, Lincoln School, Pleasant Hill, Plum Grove, Walter R. Sundling, Frank C. Whitely, and Willow Bend. The Free and Reduced Application can be completed on the SchoolCafe website at www.schoolcafe.com/CCSD15.

Fee Waiver Applications for the 2023-2024 school year can be completed for the following schools-Jane Addams, Central Road, Kimball Hill, Lake Louise, Stuart R. Paddock, Gray M. Sanborn, Carl Sandburg, Virginia Lake, Winston Campus Elementary, Winston Campus Junior High, and Conyers Learning Academy. Please do not complete a Fee Waiver online, these applications should be completed manually and returned to the school. These applications can be found on the district website at www.ccsd15.net/Page/8635.

District 15 is hiring bus drivers! View the flyer to find out more about the position and how to apply!

Each year, District 15 students in Grades 4-8 participate in Spelling Bees in their classrooms. The winners progress to their School Bees, and the winner from each school participates in the District 15 Annual Spelling Bee. All School Bees were held prior to Winter Break.

This year’s annual District 15 Spelling Bee will be held on Monday, February 5, 2024, at 7 p.m.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee organization incorporates both spelling and vocabulary components in their competition. In District 15, we also have vocabulary rounds at the School and District levels of competition. Rounds 5, 10, and 15 are vocabulary rounds. In those rounds, students are given a word and two choices of the definition. Students who respond with the correct definition continue on in the Bee.

The District Spelling Bee will be streamed live on Monday, February 5, 2024, at 7 pm. Click here for the live stream!

World Read Aloud Day, founded by LitWorld, is an international advocacy day celebrated by over 170 million people worldwide. District 15 will be celebrating all week on February 5th-10th, 2024. Storytelling creates connections among people, and communities that exchange stories and engage in reading aloud together become stronger and show improved family health and nutrition, civic engagement, and participation in the labor market. District 15 is proud to participate in fostering a love of reading! If you are interested in participating at home, check out activities, read-alouds, and live events from around the world here.

Free developmental screenings for children ages birth to 33 months old are offered to families who live in District 15 through the District's Early Intervention Program. Please visit the Free Developmental Screenings webpage or contact Genna Guttman, at 847-963-3434.

Our next BPAC meeting will take place next Thursday, February 8th, at Kimball Hill Elementary School from 6:30-8:00 pm.

Important Details:

• Parent Selected Theme: "Neurolinguistic Programming: Techniques to Empower and Motivate Children to Study"/"Programación neurolingüística: Técnicas para empoderar y motivar a los hijos a estudiar"

• Light refreshments and childcare provided

• Transportation provided for those with a need (see flyer for number to call)

• Presentation will be in Spanish with headphone translation to English

• Evening will conclude with "Emotions Bingo" and raffle prizes! (This was a really big hit at our last meeting so we're bringing it back!)

Please see the flyer linked here, and we look forward to seeing everyone on February 8th at Kimball Hill!

D15 parents are invited to join us to learn more about Dual Language Programming for potential incoming kindergarten students. Our first meeting was held at Jane Addams on February 1. Additional meetings will take place at Winston Campus on February 8 from 6:30-8:30 pm and at Kimball Hill on February 13 from 5:30-7:30 pm. Meetings will be held during the first hour in English and the second hour in Spanish. If you would like to learn more about our Dual Language program, please plan on attending one of these meetings and watch our Dual Language Informational Video.

• February 3 - IGSMA Solo and Ensemble Contest
  

• February 5 - CCSD15 Spelling Bee

• February 7 - D15 Job Fair

• February 8 - BPAC Meeting

• February 8 - Winston Campus Elementary Spanish Dual Language Informational Meeting

• February 12 - Free Developmental Screening

• February 13 - Boys’ 6th Grade 2-Ball Contest from 4:15-6 pm at Falcon Park

• February 13 - Kimball Hill Spanish Dual Lanagugae Informational Meeting

• February 14 - D15 Job Fair

• February 14 - Girls’ 6th Grade 2-Ball Contest from 4:15-6 pm at Falcon Park

• February 15 - Kindergarten Kick-Off Night

• February 19 - No School (Presidents Day)

• February 20 - No School (Teacher Plan Day)

• February 21 - D15 Job Fair

• February 21 - Board of Education Meeting

• February 26 - SPARK Event

• February 28 - D15 Job Fair