D34 Parent News
Timely news for District 34 families and the community
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Let's Talk About the Weather
We are grateful to our buildings and grounds team for ensuring that our driveways, parking lots and walkways are clear, and for keeping our building systems running in the cold so that staff and students can get to school safely on snowy days and we can keep buildings open when temperatures are frigid.
Here are our guidelines for weather-related closures. This year, with a very tight calendar to accommodate construction, we don’t have the luxury of allowing an old-fashioned snow day. We ask that students be prepared to move to remote learning on any given winter day. Teachers will give regular reminders to students to bring home their iPads and any necessary materials, and they themselves continue to show their adaptability by always being ready to pivot.
Please know that if school is open for in-person learning and you have concerns about the impact of weather on your family, you can decide to keep your child home.
Notification About Weather-Related Schedule Changes
School building closure decisions will normally be made before 6:00 a.m. the day of closure. This allows weather conditions to be monitored overnight to avoid unnecessary building closures. Closure decisions will only be made the night before if conditions are known for certain and warrant closure. In the event of a school building closing or other emergency, parents and staff can expect to receive an automated phone call, email and text message. Emergency and closing information also will be available on:
The District website (glenview34.org) and school websites
Local media outlets, including major radio and TV sources (which pull from the ECC)
If a decision is made to close schools before 5:30am, the District will send emails and post information on the website, social media, and ECC immediately, but will not make a phone call or send a text message until after 5:30am.
Parents must update their contact information during registration each year, and throughout the year if you change your phone number or e-mail address. Parents can update information by logging into your PowerSchool account and clicking on "Registration" in the left navigation bar.
Building principals and individual teachers will send emails to students and families that outline the day's schedule, along with Zoom links and links to other online resources, as soon as possible after the District-wide announcement.
Weather Doesn't Stop Tech Support!
If your child has an issue with their device or connection during a remote learning day, you can call the Tech Helpline at (847) 998-5075.
Take the 5Essentials Parent Survey
Have you taken the 5Essentials Parent Survey yet?
Your input on this statewide survey -- given to parents of all students throughout the state of Illinois -- allows us to help us improve our schools for our students. As a parent, taking the survey will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness. The statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey is administered for the Illinois State Board of Education by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago. The survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. These five indicators that affect and predict school success are:
- Effective Leaders
- Collaborative Teachers
- Involved Families
- Supportive Environments
- Ambitious Instruction
Prior research in more than 400 schools shows that schools strong on at least 3 of the 5Essentials are 10 times more likely to improve student outcomes.
Please click here to take the parent survey. We ask that you take the survey for each school in which you have a child. We will be pleasantly persistent in the coming weeks as we hope to reach 100% participation before the survey closes on March 11, 2022. We plan to use the results of this year's survey to give us a clear picture of our schools' climate and culture. If at least 20% of parents participate in the survey, a parent supplement report will be generated and we will share these results with the community.
Awaiting Ruling: Lawsuit to Remove Mandates
Last October, a lawsuit was filed seeking to remove school mandates for mask use and exclusion from in-person learning of students who are close contacts. There are 145 school districts named, including D34. The suit (Austin v. Pritzker) is pending before a trial court in Sangamon County (Springfield).
Typically we do not comment publicly on matters of pending litigation, but we want families to be aware that the ruling may have an impact on the District's health and safety protocols. Regardless of the final outcome of the case District 34 remains committed to our goal of keeping students in-school, in person, for as long as possible in the safest environment possible. The District will inform staff and families when there is a final ruling that may require changes to our health and safety protocols. Until any such time, masking and school exclusion remain part of those protocols.
Health & Safety Updates
Update from Ravinia Health
District 34 uses Ravinia Health PCR test kits for test-to-stay, symptomatic testing, and when outbreak testing is required. Ravinia Health has informed the District that they have added a CLIA certified laboratory, Zenix Labs, to their network to provide an increased ability to process incoming test kits within the committed time frame.
If your family has participated in testing through Ravinia Health in the past and have set up an account to the online portal to access your test results, you will receive information directly from Ravinia Health about how to update your account. If you have not yet set up an account and would like portal access in the event your child participates in this testing, please filll out Ravinia's Portal Access Request Form.
Positive Case in Your Home?
- Isolate the positive case as best you can and maintain distancing as much as possible.
- Wear masks. At this time, double masking or KN95 use is recommended. If you need additional masks for your family, please reach out to your school.
- Keep windows open to increase air flow.
- Reach out to your school health office if you have questions.
- Get family members vaccinated/boosted when eligible. With the Omicron variant, data has shown that vaccinated individuals who test positive have mild cases, and vaccinated students have more options to remain in school when they are close contacts.
Providing Proof of Vaccination
In order to facilitate contact tracing and reduce any unnecessary long-term absences, District 34 requests that families of students who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 provide proof of vaccination. There is no need to submit paperwork; simply log into PowerSchool and enter the dates your child received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine, and upload an image of your child's vaccine card. The District will verify this information through the state's I-CARE system.
Here's how it works:
After you log into the Parent Portal, click on COVID19 (21-22) on the left.
Under Student Vaccination, fill in dates for when the first dose was received and when the second dose was received. Then upload a picture of the card by selecting Browse. The format of the picture uploaded MUST be jpg, png, gif, or heic (no PDF).
If you are doing this directly from your phone, you will be able to take the picture directly from the parent portal rather than taking one and having to browse for it.
You must include both dates of vaccination and the photo of the card to complete the process.
Middle school families who previously submitted proof of vaccination without their child's vaccine card do not have to go back and provide the image of the card. All previously submitted information has been verified. But, if your child has received a booster, you now can update information with the booster date, and add the photo of the completed card.
Family Programs & Resources
Parent Program with Dr. Justin Patchin
Kids & Tech: Strategies to Stop Cyberbullying
In February, all students in grades 3-8 will attend a virtual program with Dr. Justin Patchin, co-founder of the Cyberbullying Research Center, professor of criminal justice and author of eight books on child and adolescent online behavior, including “Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying” and “Words Wound: Delete Cyberbullying and Make Kindness Go Viral.”
To connect that information with parents so that you can support your child's learning, join Dr. Patchin for a virtual parent program on Wednesday, February 16 from 7-8:30pm. He will define and provide examples of cyberbullying and discuss the role of parents in preventing and responding to inappropriate online behaviors. The presentation also will describe many of the online environments popular among adolescents today and provide strategies you can use to help your children navigate those environments safely and responsibly. There will be time for questions.
Zoom Link: tinyurl.com/D34Tech
Passcode: D34Tech
You can view a range of parent resources from the Cyberbullying Research Center here.
If you would like interpretation, please let us know.
These programs are co-sponsored by the Glenview Education Foundation and the Debra Gelfand Children's Foundation.
Wed, Feb 16, 2022, 07:00 PM
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Family Service Center: Resilience Builder Program
Family Service Center (FSC) is accepting applications for 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students for their Spring 2022 Resilience Builder Program.
This evidence-based group program is lead by FSC Resilience Builder trained and certified clinicians and is designed to support middle school students bolstering their resilience by enhancing their ability to adapt well to life and its challenges (especially now - in response to COVID-19 pandemic). The group format will assist youth with developing social competencies as well as self-regulation skills. Parent sessions are incorporated into the curriculum (once or twice) to support generalizability of skills into real world practice.
Qualifying Glenview and Northbrook resident
participant scholarships generously funded by:
GNCY: HOW TO Understand the Developing Brain
- Substance use during adolescence can greatly hinder the brain by slowing or changing the way the brain develops.
- The adolescent brain is also more susceptible to addiction which can have significant long-term effects.
- Over the next few months, we will be showcasing how different substances impact the teen brain.
- Use these facts to talk with your child about the risks of use and the importance of making healthy decisions.
Just like in early childhood, the period of adolescence (ages 10-19) is a time of significant brain development and growth. The brain continues to develop until the mid-20’s with the prefrontal cortex being the last part of the brain to fully develop. These changes allow adolescents to make and carry out decisions that will help them be successful now and in the future.
During this period, the brain changes in three different ways:
Growing new brain cells:
the brain produces a large number of cells at a very fast rate which allows adolescents to learn a lot of new things at a much fast speed than adults.
Pruning some of the extra growth: As adolescents go through their teenage years, the brain prunes or eliminates the brain cells that are not actively used making their brains better at accessing the information or skills they use the most.
Strengthening connections:
Brain connections that are used frequently are strengthened by a fatty tissue called myelin which surrounds the cells to protect and insulate them. These changes help the adolescent recall information and use it efficiently.
Next Month:
HOW TO Understand E-Cigarettes & the Developing Brain
It's Lunar New Year!
Many communities will celebrate a variety of Lunar New Year traditions this week. Please visit Glen Grove's Community Project Site and specifically the videos and information about Lunar New Year celebrations to learn more about how D34 families will be celebrating throughout this week. Here are some highlights:
- Videos on Uttarayan, Lunar New Year and Tsagaan Sar
- Videos of how Tsagaan Sar is celebrated in a traditional Mongolian home
- UNESCO collection of pictures of Tsagaan Sar celebrations
- Ted-Ed video on Chinese Zodiac
Register NOW for 2022-2023 Kindergarten!
Help D34 Plan Staffing & Make Program Decisions: Register NOW!
If you have a child who will be 5 by September 1, 2022, we need you to register online as soon as possible! The District will make staffing decisions, and plan for half-day programming, based on enrollment numbers in March.
We are looking forward to welcoming D34's first full-day kindergarten students in the fall! Thanks to the successful referendum, there is space for all families who wish to select FDK! A half-day option also is available. To learn more about kindergarten in District 34, visit glenview34.org/fdk.
Fees
At the November 15 meeting, the D34 Board of Education approved the FDK fee for the 2022-2023 school year. If you register before March 31, 2022, the fee is $3,300; it will automatically be set in 10 equal installments. When you register, you will be asked to make an initial payment of $330; then, nine monthly payments will be set in e~Funds for Schools, the District’s payment processor. The first monthly payment after the deposit will be due by September 1, 2022. You will have the option of making those monthly payments, or you can pay multiple installments at any time. For registrations after March 31, 2022, the FDK fee is $3,600. The early registration rate for half-day kindergarten is $127.
Fee Waivers & Reduced Fees
Families who need financial assistance can apply for an income-based fee waiver. Those who apply must provide proof of income to be considered for free or reduced FDK fees. The reduced fee is $580. The criteria for receiving a fee waiver are the same as the National School Lunch Program.
Registration Assistance
Online registration is quick and easy. In-person help will be available at the D34 Admin Building (1401 Greenwood Rd., next to Westbrook) on January 26, February 24 and March 31 from 4:30pm-7:00pm. You also can call 847-998-5063 or email residency@glenview34.org with questions.
Join the D34 Family
At our primary (K-2) and intermediate (3-5) schools, principals are working on staffing plans to provide the required supervision at lunch. So, we are hiring! If you are interested and available to work for District 34 as a regular lunch supervisor, please apply! And, if you have friends or family or run into strangers at the grocery store who may be interested, please send them our way. Here’s the link to our online application system.
We also are hiring associates (teaching assistants/teacher aides) and substitutes. Learn more from our Human Resources department.
From the Community
Glenview Park District - 4th of July Committee
If you want to get more involved in the Glenview community, meet new people and make a difference, the Glenview 4th of July Committee wants YOU! Help plan activities and raise funds for our community’s annual July 4th celebration -- Glenview’s biggest party of the year! Download and complete an application today! https://bit.ly/July4thCommittee
About Us
Email: news@glenview34.org
Website: glenview34.org
Location: 1401 Greenwood Road, Glenview, IL 60026
Phone: (847) 998-5000
Facebook: facebook.com/glenview34
Twitter: @glenview34
Glenview School District 34 is a diverse, inclusive school district that serves approximately 4,700 students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade across three primary schools (Henking, Lyon and Westbrook), three intermediate schools (Glen Grove, Hoffman and Pleasant Ridge), and two middle schools (Attea and Springman). The primary and intermediate schools are organized in three clusters: Henking-Hoffman; Lyon-Pleasant Ridge; and Westbrook-Glen Grove. The early childhood program serves a blend of students with special needs and typically developing peers and is housed within Westbrook School. D34 enjoys support from parents and community members. Four Parent Teacher Organizations (one from each cluster, and one for the middle schools) provide volunteers, programs, and financial support to the schools they serve. The Glenview Education Foundation provides generous District-wide financial support for innovative initiatives that reach all students and the Debra Gelfand Children's Foundation supports students and families in need.