Lincoln at a Glance

• T 2/4 -GVB vs. Iroquois 3:30 (home); District Spelling Bee 4:00 DO

• W 2/5 -Early Release 2:10

• H 2/6 - Team Leaders 7:20; D64 Solo/ Ensemble 3:30-7:00 at Lincoln; GVB @ Chippewa 3:30 (away)

The District 64 1:1 Digital Learning Program started in 2014. The purpose of our 1:1 Digital Learning Program is to provide tools and resources to our 21st Century learners.

District 64 is now conducting a comprehensive Student Device Evaluation as part of our 1:1 Digital Learning Program. The goal of this evaluation process is to ensure that our student devices support the district’s vision, mission, and strategic plan, provide learners with access to needed curriculum, and are affordable and sustainable for the future.

We are asking families to complete this survey. Your responses will help inform the District's next steps in regards to our 1:1 Digital Learning Program and student devices.

Elective selection for the 2025-26 school year for current 6th and 7th grade students/parents were due TODAY. Please complete these as soon as possible.

Overview:

Last week, current sixth- and seventh-grade students and parents will complete the elective selection process as part of our planning and preparation for the 2025-26 school year. This process will look very similar to last year’s process for those with returning students. More specifically, we will continue to use electronic elective selection as part of the process (please read below) that parents will have to complete. However, we will still provide our students with guidance and direction on how to make their elective course selections.

Overview
Students have been provided direction and practice in completing the elective selection process during their social studies and homeroom classes. Students were provided and completed a hard-copy practice selection sheet. Additionally, students practiced with the electronic elective selection Google form that parents will submit for final selections (see below).

Timeline
The elective selection process for 6th and 7th grade students began earlier this month:

• 1/16: Elective Open House

• 1/17: Elective Selection Practice/Direction via Social Studies/Homeroom; Google Forms Sent to Parents

• 1/24: Completed Google Forms Due from Parents

Please refer to this document for descriptions of electives, tip sheets, and links to the final elective selection form.

Enrollment opened for all District 64 students on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, including kindergarteners and children returning to preschool. The registration deadline will be noon on Friday, March 14, and if you register your child and pay the fees by then, you will receive the early bird discount. You must fill out and submit registration forms by Monday, March 10, at 3:00 pm to take advantage of the fee discount. This allows our staff time to verify documents and send out invoices so you can pay them by noon on Friday, March 14. Any families who do not register by this date will receive a records release, as we assume you’re going to another district.

Please see this flyer for more information.

Your timely registration helps us tremendously as we prepare for everything that goes into a new school year. It helps us accurately plan staffing throughout the District, consider classroom arrangements, organize transportation, and get the materials needed to support your child.

Thank you for your continued partnership as we prepare for an exciting upcoming school year!

In preparation for this spring's 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony, we need to gather the necessary information to purchase gowns and certificates due to the time it takes to receive the orders. More details about the ceremony will be provided in the months leading up to the end of the year. For now save the date for Tuesday, May 27th.

Promotion Certificates: Please enter the correct spelling of your child's name if it differs from the name listed in PowerSchool (ie., “Obrien” is actually “O’Brien”). Students will be listed as and announced by the first and last names listed in PowerSchool unless otherwise notified.

Gown Sizing: Please choose your child's homeroom and enter your child's height. This measurement will be used for the promotion gown sizing.

Note: If you have more than one child, please complete multiple forms. Thank you.

Class of 2025 Promotion Gown and Certificate Form

If you have any questions, please contact the Lincoln front office at (847) 318-4215.

The Lincoln PTO is excited to present a night geared just for middle school students. Students, families, and friends are invited to a fun night of ice skating at the Niles Iceland Ice Arena on Saturday, February 2nd. See this flyer for more information.

Parent-Teacher Conferences are set for the afternoon-early evening of Thursday, February 13h. These conferences are scheduled at the request of the teacher. More information will be communicated in the coming weeks.

The D64 Young Authors Contest is an independent, voluntary at-home project for students interested in writing and publishing their work for others to read. Here is a more detailed overview of this year's guidelines. Submissions are due by February 28th.

We will be starting up our second trimester after-school clubs and activities.We want all of our students to get involved, so take a look at the teen leisure club offerings and encourage your son or daughter to join in on the fun.

Second Trimester TLCs

School Closings
District 64 relies on a variety of factors when making the decision to close schools. Please read the guidelines for 2024-25 HERE.

Recess Guidelines

Additionally, we follow specific guidelines when making determinations for outside recess. You can see that information HERE.

We currently only have 30% of our families signed up to be a part of this awesome organization.

We are very fortunate to have a supportive and collaborative partnership with our Lincoln PTO. Throughout the year, we will be working together to provide opportunities for our families and students. If you are not a member already, please consider joining this awesome organization. You can find information on starting or renewing your membership by visiting the Lincoln PTO website.

All Lincoln students and parents are provided access to schedules via the PowerSchool parent and student portals. The PowerSchool Parent Portal allows you access to your student’s academic information, including student schedules and grades. To gain access to the Parent Portal, please go to ps.d64.org. If you have any questions on how to login, please contact the Lincoln Main Office for assistance (847) 318-4215.

Schoology will be utilized by students to help navigate their remote learning day and will include links to students’ virtual class meetings. Parents can also access students’ classes and monitor student assignments. To assist, we have created THIS VIDEO to assist in navigating this new learning platform.

Not connected to Schoology yet? Follow the directions here!

Updated D64 Calendars for ‘25-26 & ‘26-27

Now that the referendum has passed, the plan is to finish construction within two years. To help with this, we have adjusted the school calendars for 2025/26 and 2026/27 to allow crews more time to work in the buildings.

D64 Yearly Calendars

District 64 continues to utilize many different platforms to ensure you have important information delivered to you in the most convenient way. One of those ways is through our SMS Text Messaging Service.

Getting messages delivered to your mobile device is a helpful tool, and District 64 is reenergizing our efforts to bring this to you. Starting on Monday, October 31st, you might periodically receive text messages from either the District or your child’s school.

These alerts will be info about events, school closings, safety, and more. That said, our SMS Text Messaging Service will be used supplementally in our communication efforts and does not replace any school emails or calls you are receiving.

How to receive text messages:

• You must opt-in to receive text messages. To do so, you will need to text “Y” or “Yes” to 67587.

• If you’d like to no longer receive District 64 text messages, you have to send “Stop” to 67587.
  
  

If you have any questions regarding the use of text messages to communicate District/School messages, please email me at clilly@d64.org.

School hours for student classes are from 8:05 a.m.- 3:00 p.m. Please note that each Wednesday, students are dismissed at 2:10 p.m. for staff professional development activities.

Doors to the school open for students each morning at 7:58 a.m. Homeroom begins at 8:05 a.m.

School office hours are from 7:20 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Remember that our student absence line (847) 318-4215 is available 24 hours a day. Please let the Lincoln Office know as soon as possible if your child will not be in attendance. Please do not rely on e-mail notification for reporting absences as it may not be seen until later in the day.

Lincoln Middle School, along with all District 64 schools, operates in accordance to policies and practices that have been reviewed and implemented by the District 64 Board of Education. Please review the D64 Student-Parent Handbook prior to the start of the school year to familiarize yourself with the information contained in it. We want to work in partnership with you to ensure a positive school year, and having an understanding of this information will help to promote a successful school year. This handbook is intended as a convenience for District 64 families and staff by summarizing selected information about procedures, services and programs. It also provides a quick reference for contact information and District timelines.