• New Indian Trail is open!
• Other Phase 2 information
• Update on the Dual Language Program review
• Family resources
• And more!

12/03: Board of Education Policy Committee Meeting

12/13: Early Release (No Early Childhood)

12/17: Board of Education Regular Meeting

12/20: No School -- Winter Break Begins

01/06: School Resumes

01/14: Dual Language Program Information Night at Northwood (in English)

01/16: Dual Language Program Information Night at Oak Terrace (in Spanish)

Today, we celebrated an extraordinary milestone as students and staff stepped into the newly renovated Indian Trail School for the first time! This transformation represents the district’s commitment to creating exceptional learning environments and is the first project funded by our community-supported referendum.

Thank You to Our Partners and Community: This incredible accomplishment would not have been possible without the expertise of Wight & Company, Gilbane Building Company, and the dedication of Indian Trail’s teachers and staff.

A Space Designed for Success: The new Indian Trail School boasts spacious classrooms that foster collaboration, open common areas (including a stunning new library) to spark creativity, and flexible spaces that meet the needs of every learner. Modern HVAC systems improve air quality and climate control, while new accessibility features ensure all members of the school community can fully engage in this innovative space.

Setting the Bar for Phase 2: Indian Trail is just the beginning. As the first project completed through the referendum, it sets a high bar for the next Phase 2 projects at Ravinia, Sherwood, Braeside, and Wayne Thomas. These upcoming transformations will build on the success of Indian Trail, further demonstrating our community’s shared commitment to excellence in education.

Welcome to your new Indian Trail School! It’s a proud day for District 112, and the best is yet to come!

Check out the video below to see how the new Indian Trail library was completely transformed through this project!

Indian Trail is just the beginning of the district's ambitious Phase 2 of our Long-Range Facilities Plan. Currently, Ravinia is under construction, with completion anticipated in the spring. Students and staff will return to a fully modernized Ravinia in August 2025 for the 2025-26 school year.

With Indian Trail now complete, Sherwood students and staff will relocate to the former Elm Place Middle School in January, paving the way for construction to begin at Sherwood in February. This extensive project is expected to take approximately 15 months.

In summer of 2025, construction will begin at Braeside, where design planning is already well underway. Modernization efforts at Wayne Thomas will follow in early 2026, marking the final phase of this ambitious initiative to transform our schools.

Be a part of the NSSD 112 Equity Journey through our Community Book Study, led by Dr. Gloria McDaniel-Hall from National Louis University. Our final session of this series will take place tonight, Monday, December 2, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Northwood Middle School, where we’ll discuss The Four Pivots by Dr. Shawn A. Ginwright.

Pizza will be provided, so come hungry for both great food and meaningful conversation!

Attendance at previous sessions is not required to join this one. RSVP and secure your spot. We look forward to seeing you there!

The next regular board of education meeting is Tuesday, December 17 at 7:00 p.m. It will be held at Northwood Middle School (945 North Avenue). A link for the livestream feed of the meeting will be available at nssd112.org. Meeting agendas can also be found on our website (Posted at least 48 hours prior to a meeting). A Spanish interpreter will be in attendance at the meeting as the Dual Language Program evaluation will be on the agenda.

A Policy Committee meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, December 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the district office, located at 445 Sheridan Road in Highwood.

In November, Dr. Lubelfeld provided an update on the ongoing discussions about the Dual Language Program. As part of this update, he announced plans to gather additional feedback on the program to support a comprehensive evaluation.

Are you interested in being part of this evaluation? Fill out a quick interest form:

• Interest Form in English
• Interest Form in Spanish

As winter settles in, we’d like to remind families about how we make decisions regarding school closures due to inclement weather.

Our district carefully evaluates weather conditions, facility readiness, transportation safety and input from local officials and meteorologists when deciding on weather-related closures. Families will be notified by 5 a.m. on the day of a closure, with efforts made to communicate the evening before when possible. Key factors include air temperature, wind chill, snow and ice accumulation, building accessibility and transportation safety. Regular maintenance ensures heating systems function properly, and snow removal plans keep sidewalks, walkways, and parking lots clear.

For more details, visit our Emergency Closings page.

In this section, you will find events and programs for parents/guardians and students. You can also find more information about these and other parent/guardian resources on our website.

Cartwheel is a national mental health provider for students/adolescents. They provide rapid access to care for students by providing them access to a licensed clinician within seven days of referral (virtually). Clinicians are available during school hours, after school, nights, weekends, and breaks. Additionally, Cartwheel offers the ability for psychiatric evaluations and medicine management.

To learn more about Cartwheel, please reach out to your child's school or to Dr. Holly Colin, assistant superintendent for student services, at hcolin@nssd112.org.

Upcoming Cartwheel Webinars:

• December 4 (6 p.m.): Raising resilient and confident kids in the age of achievement culture
• January 14 (11 a.m.): Understanding Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI): What It Is, How to Spot It, and How to Help

ParentGuidance.org is a free online resource that offers parents and guardians support and guidance on various mental health and parenting topics. The platform provides expert-led courses, coaching, and tools to help parents navigate challenges related to child behavior, emotional health and family dynamics.

Explore the December ParentGuidance.org newsletter, which focuses on the profound impact of parental kindness and how it shapes the lives of kids and teens.

• December newsletter (English)
• December newsletter (Spanish)

ParentGuidance.org knows the holiday season can bring added stress. Parent Coaching is a FREE resource where you can meet with a coach to get personalized support for any challenges you or your child may be facing. Whether it's behavior issues or holiday stress, a coach can help guide you through it. To register for support from a coach, visit https://cookcenter.info/coaching.

ReferralGPS is a web-based service focused on assisting our students, staff and community in finding local mental-health and substance use related treatment. The service complements the district's existing systems of support as a tool for student service teams and families to connect with treatment. Along with a searchable database of treatment options, ReferralGPS provides Care Navigation to assist families in triage, appointment setting, and follow up care.

School families may access ReferralGPS in two ways:

• Contact our Student Services (social workers, psychologists, counselors)
• Visit https://referralgps.com/find-help/NSSD112 to search for treatment resources

Safe2Help offers students a safe, confidential way in which to share information that might help prevent suicides, bullying, school violence or other threats to school safety. It is available 24/7 and offers students a safe outlet to share information on school safety issues in a confidential environment. It can be accessed via a free app, text/phone, and website (Safe2HelpIllinois.com).

• Call: 844-4-SAFEIL
• Text: SAFE2 (72332)
• Email: help@safe2helpil.com

TrueNorth is a special education cooperative that partners with local schools and districts, including District 112, to provide comprehensive support services for students with diverse learning needs. Learn more at www.truenorth804.org.

Upcoming TrueNorth Events/Webinars:

• 11/07: Toilet Training Children (In Person)
• 11/14: An Overview of Government Benefits (Online)
• 11/19: Moving Toward Connection and Emotional Regulation (Online)

Founded in 1995 and celebrating its 30th anniversary, the 112 Foundation is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization committed to enriching and enhancing educational opportunities for all students in North Shore School District 112. Since it operates separately from the district and doesn’t receive tax revenue, the Foundation relies on community support and fundraising to bring innovative programs to D112 schools.

The 112 Foundation has donated more than $1.5 million to support students and schools in D112. Through exclusive partnerships with all nine schools in the district, the Foundation funds a range of signature programs that create meaningful, engaging learning experiences, including:

• FUNd Run – a community-based run for students and families
• Robot Revolution – an interactive robotics program
• iRead Read-a-thon – a schoolwide reading initiative
• Reel 112 Film Festival – a student-centered film event
• Art in Bloom – an arts celebration
• Kids Go Classic – an interactive concert at Ravinia Festival
• Author visits – inspiring sessions with published authors
• And a whole lot more!

• Robot Revolution Robotics Competition
  Stop by the Northwood gymnasium on Saturday, December 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. to watch school teams compete in the Robot Revolution Robotics Competition! The foundation is proud to fund and organize the district's robotics program.
  
  

• High Five a Teacher Cards
  Looking for a meaningful holiday gift? Honor a teacher with a High Five a Teacher card! Make a donation to the Foundation in the teacher’s honor, and they'll receive a personalized card with your message. It’s a wonderful way to show appreciation while supporting enrichment programming in the district.
  
  

• iRead Kickoff Event
  Save the date for the annual iRead kickoff event on Saturday, January 25, at the Highland Park Public Library from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Enjoy teacher readers, local authors, storytelling performances, crafts and more. Additional iRead events will be held at the Highwood Public Library and Community Center on February 1, 5, 12 and 17. Watch for more details and materials sent home with students after winter break.
  
  

Stay connected with the foundation on Facebook and Instagram for updates and links to participate in these activities!

Join the Day of Giving this holiday season to support hundreds of local families! On December 7, 2024, families in need will receive bags of groceries and personalized holiday gifts.

You can help by donating food, clothing, essential items, or gift cards to stores like Jewel, Osco, Walgreens, and Target. Visit the donation registry or drop off items at Northwood (945 North Ave, Highland Park, IL 60035).

This event is made possible through partnerships with the North Shore School District 112 PTOs, the 112 Education Foundation, SaLT (Service and Learning Together), and the Highland Park/Highwood Rotary Club.

• For questions, contact Jamie Cohn at jcohn@nssd112.org.
• Interested in volunteering? Email Ida Fiore at ida@saltservice.org.

The City of Highland Park is undertaking a trauma-informed planning process to create a permanent place of remembrance that will pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Highland Park shooting, create a space(s) for reflection, remembrance, and solace, and honor the community’s resilience, especially those who were injured. As part of the planning process, the City seeks community feedback on three potential locations for the permanent place of remembrance:

• Port Clinton Plaza

• Rose Garden adjacent to City Hall

• Southwest corner of Central Ave. & St. Johns Ave.

A survey with guided and open-ended questions regarding these potential locations and the future permanent place of remembrance is available at hpremembrance.org/survey. The survey is available in English, Spanish, Russian, and Polish, and will be open through January 31, 2025.

Survey responses are anonymous, and open-ended responses will be provided to the working group planning for a permanent place of remembrance and City Council in their entirety. Please do not complete the survey more than once.

For more information about the planning process, visit hpremembrance.org or email remembrance@cityhpil.com. To talk more about the permanent place of remembrance and survey, or to learn more about mental health support, please contact Resiliency Manager Madeline Kati, LCSW, at mkati@cityhpil.com or 847.875.1043. For mental health support in Spanish, please contact Place of Remembrance working group member Gaby Valverde Strobehn, Donor Relations Manager at Josselyn, at 224.489.7632 or gstrobehn@josselyn.org.

Holiday breaks are a perfect time to reconnect with your child while engaged in a variety of activities and experiences. CTAD's Holiday newsletter offers many suggestions (ask your child too!) on ways to enjoy quality time together. It's not so much what you do, but the time you spend doing it together that counts!

Edgewood and Northwood Middle Schools are proud to partner with the Lake County Health Department on an underage drinking prevention campaign designed to support both students and parents. Throughout the year, students engage with key messages through posters, newsletters, and interactive activities, all tailored to promote awareness and healthy decision-making.

The campaign is guided by a Youth Advisory Committee, ensuring student voices play a central role in shaping the initiative. For a deeper dive into parent resources and additional prevention information, visit Prevention112.com.

Parents and guardians, discover how District 112 is exploring generative artificial intelligence tools. We're evaluating Magic School AI and School AI, two leading providers in the Gen AI education space that prioritize student data privacy and ensure ethical and safe usage for staff.

Explore the Magic School AI Student Space to learn more about generative AI and its potential. We also invite you to dive into the School AI Space’s "AI Parent Portal: Unlocking the Future of Learning."

Magic School AI:

• Student Room - Check out several student AI tools and a chat bot for parents/guardians
• https://student.magicschool.ai/s/join?joinCode=Da8X8g

School AI:

• Engage with a Parent Education/Information Space
• https://app.schoolai.com/student-space?code=J6J0

Having an issue with your student's device? Need assistance with district software, such as Infinite Campus? Submit a support ticket and a member of our tech team will reach out as soon as possible.

This year, our district has implemented a new standard response protocol. What does that mean? Check out the video below from Solvei Jurmu, our director of safety and security.

Our staff works hard to create schools where students want to learn and teachers want to teach. High-quality materials and technology give our staff and students the tools needed to be innovative and highly engaged. As a member of District 112, you’ll be working to advance yourself as well as fulfill a long legacy of District 112 being the home of pioneering educators, dedicated staff, and innovative instructional practices. Visit careers.nssd112.org to learn more!

North Shore School District 112 is seeking full-time special education paraprofessionals (1:1) to support individual students across various schools. These roles involve working closely with certified staff to assist students with academic, functional, and physical needs, implementing IEPs, and providing behavioral support. Responsibilities include offering direct supervision, assisting with daily tasks, and participating in professional development. Candidates must hold a state paraprofessional or substitute license. These positions offer competitive pay, excellent benefits, and IMRF retirement. Apply or learn more

Do you want to choose your own hours and make a difference in our students' lives? Consider becoming a guest teacher (substitute) for North Shore School District 112. Rates were recently increased to $150 a day for guest teachers. Please feel free to reach out to Valerie Kilen (vlariviere@nssd112.org) with any questions or apply to be a guest teacher today!

Address: 445 Sheridan Road, Highwood, IL 60040

Phone: 224-765-3000

Website: nssd112.org

Facebook: facebook.com/nssd112

Instagram: instagram.com/nssd112

Twitter: @nssd112

Contact Us: nssd112.org/contact

If you have any questions about the newsletter, please contact Ben Finfer at bfinfer@nssd112.org.