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NSSEO Governing Board Brief

November 2024

NSSEO Governing Board Brief November 2024
NSSEO GoverningBoard BriefNovember 2024

Upcoming Events & Dates

11/25 - 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Parent Teacher Conferences (After School)


11/26 - 9:00 am - 11:00am
AM Parent Conferences - Students Not in Attendance


11/26
PM Teacher In Service - All Programs


11/27-29
Thanksgiving Break - All Buildings Closed


12/4 - 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
NSSEO Governing Board Meeting @ Central Office


12/6 - 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Kirk Holiday Dance @ Kirk Gym


12/23 - 1/3
Winter Break - All Programs

NSSEO Strategic Plan Update

The Strategic Planning Process will continue to its next phase, the writing of the plan. On December 3 and 10th, representatives from NSSEO and all member districts, along with our president and vice president of our Governing Board, will meet to review the information gathered by HYA and write the plan. The plan will be approved by the Governing Board in January or February of 2025. We are grateful to all who participated in the focus groups and online survey, providing us with the information we needed to continue to move NSSEO forward.

Shining Star - NSSEO Governing Board Members

To celebrate the incredible NSSEO Board members and Board Appreciation Day on November 15th, we reached out to NSSEO students from Timber Ridge to knit a special gift for our Board Members. Each board member received a cozy winter hat knitted and made in Kerry Beach’s art classroom by kids from all over the school. Jesus, Xavier, Mikey, and Ivan, photographed below, were a key part of the large group effort at Timber to achieve the incredible success of these winter hats. With some leftover money, Mike Wagrowski purchased two Addi Knitting machines at the end of last year. This year, students of all ages and from various classrooms have come together to participate in knitting these hats to show their appreciation for custodians, coaches, teachers, and, of course, our Shining Star Board Members. It has been a huge success on many different levels, and the students are having a blast with the knitting machines while learning various essential skills and life lessons. Many people are trying to get their hands on the next batch of hats, while many others are also looking forward to seeing what items these clever kids start creating next.


Congratulations again to our NSSEO Board Members, who make all of this possible for our students. The commitment of service to others by our NSSEO Governing Board is reflected in so many ways – through their generous gift of time, compassion, knowledge, and guidance. Board work is time-intensive volunteer work that reflects an ongoing commitment to serve others and contributes to our organizational growth in countless ways. We are so blessed with Board members who provide guidance, support, and care to our NSSEO community, reflecting their care and dedication to students.

DHH Fall Festival

Riley School hosted a wonderful Fall Festival get-together for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing students from all over NSSEO. Using a variety of themes of the season, most students came dressed up in Halloween Costumes to decorate pumpkins, make deconstructed Carmel Apple snacks, and play some fall and Halloween-themed Bingo. The event quickly picked up pace as the cars full of classic and trendy Halloween costumes started to pour in. All the kids had fun decorating pumpkins and bingo, but once all that sugar started flowing, a simple game of tag became the greatest joy. The Deaf and Hard of Hearing program, or DHH for short, has embraced events this year and is paying off immediately. The DHH community is a very lovely group of students and families who all share a unique bond and thoroughly enjoy the time they get to spend together. We all look forward to seeing these events continue to grow throughout the year and into the future. Stay tuned for updates on the next round of fun!

Timber Ridge Literacy Night - Book'O'Ween

Kicking off the evening’s event, Principal Mike Wagrowski addressed the attendees and read ‘How To Catch A Monster’ to all the families, and then all fun broke loose! There were over 15 sections and tables set up for students and families to have fun all night. Face painting, marshmallow building, bowling, popcorn, Scholastic Book store, photo booth, hot glue gun character creation, custom Rice Krispy Treats table, and so many more spots where students were having a blast. Each year and each event, Timber has seen a steady growth in visitors, along with a steady growth in laughs and learning.


Throughout the year, Timber Ridge hosts these Literacy Night events for the students and families, and we are filled with happiness and joy to see how they have grown and what they mean to everyone who attends. These literacy nights truly celebrate all of the hard work these kids put in during these days and weeks of school. We can’t wait to see everyone again and celebrate at the next one. Stay tuned for information and updates!

Sunrise Lake's Harvest Fest 2024

This years Harvest Fest was one for the record books!!! Amazing weather led to a map and itinerary filled with fun things for our families to do. While roughly 275 attendees entered the campgrounds, it was very obvious that the big draw of the day was the paddle boats. Such a beautiful way to take in the fall leaves with a relaxing paddle around the lake with your beloved family members. If the line for the paddle boats was too long, you could easily find some quick fun over at the frisbee golf hiking trail, pumpkin carving, popcorn fire pit, hotdog fire pit, apple cider, or take a jump in the leaf pile, or launch a pumpkin into the lake with the catapult!

Harvest Fest and Winter Wonderland are very special events for NSSEO and SLOEC each year. A lot of planning from a handful of extremely talented Sunrise Lake workers, mixed with an unpredictable dose of lovely weather, has led to considerable success. It’s hard to truly explain the joy many experience at these events, but some of the photos below may help illustrate that. So come visit us in February when Sunrise hosts Winter Wonderland!

Miner Open House

Miner School recently hosted an Open House event, warmly welcoming parents and families to connect with the staff and explore the school's learning environment. The event offered families a chance to tour classrooms, meet teachers, and learn more about the unique programs and services that support each student's individual needs. Families were able to see firsthand the resources and technology available to students, as well as engage with staff who provided insights into daily routines, specialized therapies, and academic goals. The open house provided a valuable time to share a collaborative conversation between Miner School and families, reinforcing the shared commitment to student growth and success.

Used Eyeglass Collections

We at NSSEO are partnering with the Lions Club of Illinois to collect used eyeglasses. These recycled eyeglasses are given to people in need, with the help of various medical missionaries, in Central and South America and around the world. When the eyeglasses arrive in these countries, doctors and technicians conduct eye exams and provide a free pair of prescription eyeglasses that are as close as possible to that person’s sight needs.


We are asking for your help to fill our collection boxes at each of our NSSEO schools. Please send in any used eyeglasses (sunglasses, prescription glasses, readers, etc.) with your student, and they will be placed in the collection box at their school. You can collect from other family members as well and send in as many as you want. We will be collecting until November 15th, 2024. If you have any questions, please contact Joy Borkowski at jborkowski@nsseo.org or (847) 463-8451

Timber Ridge Holiday Store

Recruitment and Hiring

NSSEO is looking to grow our teams with talent people, just like you! If you or know others looking for a wonderful job opportunity for the 2024-25 school year, click the link below to search our openings.

Making a Difference

NSSEO continually seeks ways to expand partnerships with parents, districts, community leaders, and legislators to join as a community committed to deepening understanding and positively impacting NSSEO students and families. To learn more about how to make a difference, visit us at Make A Difference as well as on our social media platforms:

Important Dates

11/25 - 4:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Parent Teacher Conferences (After School)


11/26 - 9:00 am - 11:00am
AM Parent Conferences - Students Not in Attendance


11/26
PM Teacher In Service - All Programs


11/27-29
Thanksgiving Break - All Buildings Closed


12/4 - 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
NSSEO Governing Board Meeting @ Central Office


12/6 - 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Kirk Holiday Dance @ Kirk Gym


12/23 - 1/3
Winter Break - All Programs

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