Focus on 47

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We recently celebrated the 100th day of school and it’s incredible to reflect on how far we've come since the beginning of the school year. I encourage you to take a moment with your students to reflect on their personal accomplishments and milestones achieved thus far. Whether it's mastering 100 math problems or sharing 100 acts of kindness, let's celebrate the progress and growth of each and every student!

The stories in this newsletter are truly inspiring and highlight the incredible futures our students are building for themselves. We are immensely grateful for our amazing teachers and staff for their continuous dedication to empowering every student's success.

Sincerely,

Dr. Kathy Hinz

Superintendent

February

• Feb. 20: Board of Education Meeting

• Feb. 21: Early Release for All Grades
• Feb. 23: End of Trimester 2 (Elementary) & End of Term 4/Trimester 2 (Middle Schools)

March

• Mar. 5: Dual Language Meeting for Incoming Kindergarten Families
• Mar. 13:
• Early Release for All Grades
• Final Dual Language Meeting for Incoming Kindergarten Families
• Virtual Parenting Series: Fostering Resiliency in Our Children
• Mar. 14: Sodexo Competition
• Mar. 15: Kindergarten Registration Due for Free T-Shirt
• Mar. 18: Board of Education Meeting
• Mar. 25 - Mar. 31: Spring Break
  
• Mar. 29: Last Day for 5Essentials Survey

April

• Apr. 12: End of Term 5 (Middle Schools)
• Apr. 15: Board of Education Meeting
• Apr. 17: Early Release for All Grades

Online Kindergarten Registration for the 2024-2025 school year is open! To register, visit the D47 website. Families who register before March 15th will get a free T-shirt for their incoming kindergartener!

• Interested in the District 47 Dual Language program? Families new to the dual language program with an incoming kindergartener for the 2024/25 school year must attend one of the informational meetings to be eligible to apply for the program. Click here for more information.

Congratulations to Hailey from Lundahl and David from Hannah Beardsley, both winners of their school spelling bee! The Bernotas spelling bee will take place in March.

District 47 band students participated in the annual Solo & Ensemble Festival on February 10 at Hannah Beardsley Middle School. One hundred and eleven 5th-grade students and one hundred middle school students performed for judges. Thirty-two performances received a first-place (blue) ribbon, and there were 9 perfect scores!

• Thirteen Bernotas 8th-grade students were nominated for an Illinois Principals Association Student Recognition Award. Students are nominated by teachers based on leadership, scholastic record, respect for peers and staff, thoughtfulness, honesty, and citizenship. Congratulations to this year's recipients, Eli and Candice. Lundahl and Hannah Beardsley recipients will be notified in the coming weeks.
• Congratulations to Emmie from Lundahl, who received the IESA Scholar Attitude Award. This award is given to students who have maintained a high academic standard while actively participating in their school community through IESA activities.
  

Lundahl 7th grade dual language students made it to the final round of a worldwide competition held by UNESCO called the Human Rights and Multicultural Challenge. They are the only United States school to move on to the finals. "These students were preparing their normal curriculum subjects and in the meantime, learning about human rights, all UNESCO's values, so it was difficult in the beginning, but finally with a lot of creativity, a lot of effort, a lot of hours outside of school, we prepared everything and I am super proud of them," said Ms. Ogando, Dual Language Teacher. Click here to listen to the D47 podcast episode highlighting their accomplishment.

Congratulations!

• Hannah Beardsley 7th-grade boys' basketball team and the Lundahl 8th-grade boys' basketball team won the Fox Valley Conference Championship! This marks the second consecutive year that the Lundahl team has clinched the FVC title.
• Wrestlers Aiden from Hannah Beardsley, Jackson from Bernotas, and Max from Lundahl all came in first in their respective weight classes at the Fox Valley Conference Championship!

As the winter sports season draws to a close, we take great pride in the accomplishments of our athletes!

Have you watched our Hall Pass video series? In each episode, a District 47 principal interviews a student, sharing some of the special things they do at school. In the episode above, Canterbury Elementary 2nd grader Alberto demonstrates leadership in and out of school, supporting and translating for classmates and at home with his family. Click here to watch all Hall Pass videos.

The district is excited to announce a new after-school program at Canterbury Elementary designed to provide specialized assistance to 1st and 2nd grade students during their crucial early years of development. "This grant funded program aims to provide extra support for Canterbury students selected based on assessment and classroom data,” said Aimee Kasper, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment. “Early intervention has a significant impact on a child’s development. With small class sizes and targeted instruction we hope to create an environment in which students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally." The program started on February 5 and will run through the end of the school year.

Hope Squads have been implemented in all three District 47 middle schools. Hope Squad is an evidence-based, peer-to-peer youth suicide prevention program, dedicated to spreading hope and creating a school culture that promotes connectedness and inclusivity. Each Hope Squad is comprised of students nominated by their peers, and selected by staff for their kindness, approachability, and trustworthiness. Research shows that young people who might be struggling with their mental health or contemplating suicide are more willing to talk to a peer than a teacher or a coach. Members learn the skills needed to spot signs of suicide, intervene, and refer their peers to both local and national mental health resources.

Experience firsthand how our Glacier Ridge Adjusted Learning students apply their classroom knowledge on field trips like this one to McDonald's. These outings provide invaluable opportunities for students to practice real-life skills in authentic environments, empowering them with a sense of independence and accomplishment as they navigate the process of ordering and paying for food, reinforcing what they've learned in class and preparing them for independent living.

The 5Essentials parent survey is intended to help school districts understand the conditions at each school and guide improvement. Parent identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will not be connected to their student(s). If at least 20 percent of families complete the survey, a parent supplement report will be generated for the district. To take the survey, visit http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/ and select the appropriate survey to begin. Families can submit one survey for each child.

District 47's Elevate program recognizes employees who uphold and exemplify the district's mission and core values and go above and beyond to make a difference in the lives of students, schools, and the community. Nominations are submitted by parents, staff, and community members. Out of 36 nominations, 10 winners were chosen by a committee of peers. Click here to read more about our Elevate winners. District 47 would also like to thank all the businesses that have chosen to sponsor our Elevate program this year. Do you know a deserving D47 staff member? Click here to nominate.

Using a branch of ESSER funds, the district was able to provide 36 staff members with 30 hours each of training in the Orton-Gillingham ‘decoding reading’ technique to utilize in class, aimed to address students struggling with reading disabilities. Listen to the D47 podcast, where special education teachers Julia Lambert from Husmann Elementary and Erin Blake from Hannah Beardsley Middle School share specific ways they apply these techniques in class and the growth they've seen as a result.

Faces of D47 shines a light on the incredible people that work in the district, why they chose D47, and what makes them feel at home here. Get to know our staff members by clicking here to read some recent 'Faces of D47' features.

District 47 student councils are making a positive impact in and out of school! The Husmann Cougar Council initiated a revamped approach to their mitten tree, aiming to extend its reach within their immediate community. They now package sets of warm wear and hang them on the fence outside of the building, accessible for anyone in need. Meanwhile, Hannah Beardsley Student Council Vice President, Theola, highlighted one of their winter initiatives supporting CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates). They orchestrated a spirit week, with each day dedicated to collecting different denominations of coins for CASA: pennies on Monday, nickels on Tuesday, ending with dollars on Friday. Their efforts last year resulted in them becoming the top school sponsor for CASA. Click here to listen to the District 47 podcast episode featuring student council.

Calling all future chefs! This year's theme is "your favorite food" and District 47 students in 3rd-5th grades are invited to submit recipes! Click here for a recipe card. Recipes will be reviewed by Sodexo and one winner from each school will be chosen to participate in the competition. In addition, this year kindergarten - 2nd graders are invited to participate in a culinary coloring contest. 2024 Coloring Sheet and Coloring Sheet Instructions The 2024 Sodexo Future Chef competition will be held Thursday, March 14 at 4:15 p.m. at Hannah Beardsley Middle School. All recipes and coloring sheets must be submitted to school cafeteria managers by March 1, 2024. Questions about Sodexo Future Chef events can be directed to Terry Wenzel, Sodexo general manager, at twenzel@d47.org.

Supporting Children's Mental Health- In the January 24th session, Jackie Rhew, clinical consultant, keynote speaker and co-founder of the Center for Emotional Wellness, focuses on understanding and responding to your child's mental heath needs. What are some warning signs to look for in regard to your child's mental health? What is the difference between stress and anxiety, and how can you respond and support a child who is struggling? Jackie answers these questions and more.

Annually, the Crystal Lake Chamber of Commerce hosts the State of the Community luncheon, where community leaders and business owners come together to celebrate past accomplishments and discuss future developments. District 47 has proudly shared its achievements from the past year- Click here to view the 2024 State of the Community digital book and look for District 47 on pages 49-55!

On behalf of TJA, District 47 and District 155 have successfully secured approval for a substantial grant totaling $1,686,200 for the purchase of 4 electric buses and corresponding chargers. Planning is in progress for necessary infrastructure updates, including electric connections and concrete work at TJA. Anticipated to be operational by June 2026, these state-of-the-art electric buses will significantly contribute to our commitment to sustainable transportation solutions.

The weather had other plans for our return from winter break: showering over a foot of snow, followed by freezing temperatures. For the D47 Operations team, this meant long hours clearing walkways, parking lots, and making sure the buildings were safe for staff and students to return. What many didn't see was the constant maintenance inside the buildings during this time: monitoring heating systems, checking for possible frozen pipes and sprinkler systems. Anything out of the ordinary was caught early, avoiding any major issues or damage.

At the December Board of Education meeting, Bernotas Middle School Peer Council Members shared how they work together to EMPOWER other students to understand the impact of their actions. Working and training with Peer Council Sponsors Lori Humbles (Dean of Students) and Colleen Edwards (7th Grade Math Teacher), these student leaders are positively impacting the culture at school through these peer interactions.