Focus on 47

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I'm excited to share our new strategic plan - a true collaboration among staff, parents and guardians, community members, board members, administrators, and students. It came together through shared ideas and thoughtful conversations about what matters most.

Grow. Empower. Thrive. These three words, along with our vision, values, and goals, will guide everything we do over the next five years. They’re more than just words. Our strategic plan answers the big questions: Why do we exist? Where are we headed? What do we stand for? What do we want to achieve? I can’t wait to see all we’ll accomplish together as we bring this plan to life.

The launch of our new strategic plan also brings a fresh new look for the district. With new materials already being created for the plan, this was the right time to update our brand and reflect the new direction we're taking together.

The new design was shaped by input from staff and community members through the strategic planning survey. The clean, modern logo reflects our focus on academic excellence and professionalism. Blue and green tones represent safe, supportive learning environments and connect to our local identity—Crystal Lake and its waves. The flowing shapes highlight collaboration and the power of different perspectives coming together.

As part of the rebrand, students were invited to submit artwork. One kindergarten student’s submission from North Elementary was selected, adding a personal, creative touch that celebrates the spirit of our elementary schools.

A look at the timeline—past, present, and what’s ahead

• The Strategic Plan Committee met five times during the fall and winter of the 2024–25 school year to review current practices, analyze community survey results, conduct a SWOT analysis, and develop new mission, vision, values, and strategic goals.

• On January 21, 2025, the District 47 Board of Education approved the five-year strategic plan as presented by the committee.

• In February and March, district and school administrators were selected as goal leaders for each strategic goal area. They began working with an outside consultant to develop action steps, including measures of success, needed resources, and estimated completion timelines.

• Throughout April and May, building administrators are using the action steps to help shape their School Improvement Plans. Work with Building Leadership Teams (BLT) is now underway to align school-level goals with the district’s strategic direction.
  
  

Wondering how your voice helped shape the new strategic plan?

The committee reviewed feedback from 849 parents, guardians, staff, administrators, and community members who completed the community perception survey. This input played a key role in shaping the strategic goals. District goal leaders also used the survey data to help develop specific action steps designed to move each goal forward.

The new Strategic Plan page on the District 47 website will highlight annual progress toward each action step and strategic goal, along with survey results and other key details about the plan. Click the button below to view.

Click the District 47 calendar below for more information on these events.

April

• April 23: Progress Reports Available on ParentVue at 12 pm
• April 25: Returning Student Online Enrollment Opens! Log in to ParentVUE to complete.

May

• May 2: District 47 Art Show
• 4:00-8:00 pm at the Dole Mansion (401 Country Club Road)
• May 5: Band Parent Registration
• 3:00-8:00 pm
• May 7: Multicultural Literacy Night/20th Anniversary of Dual Language Celebration
• 5:00-7:00 pm at North Elementary (Open to all D47 families)
• May 14: Early Release Day
• Dismissal is 2 pm (grades K-5); 1 pm (grades 6-8); no attendance for PreK
• May 19: Board of Education Meeting
• May 21 & 22: Daybreak Free Mental Health Webinar: Social Media, Technology, and Cyber-Bullying
• Class in English at 7 pm on May 21
• Class in Spanish at 7 pm on May 22
• May 26: No School; Memorial Day
• May 28: 8th Grade Honors Night
• May 30: Last Day of School (PreK & Kindergarten)
• June 2: Last Day of School (Grades 1-7); Early Release
• Progress Reports Available on ParentVue at 12 pm

**The last day of school has been extended due to the school closure on January 21. Click the link below to view the updated 2024-2025 school calendar.

Online enrollment for returning families for the 2025-26 school year will be available via ParentVue from Friday, April 25 to Monday, May 5, 2025. Confirming enrollment is required for all current District 47 students in grades K-7th (grades 1st-8th next school year). A ParentVue login and password is required to complete online enrollment. Should you need assistance in obtaining your ParentVue login or password, please contact the school office. Additional assistance is also available via the parent Help Desk at hd@d47.org.

Student fees for the 2025-2026 school year are available on our website. While fees are not due at the time of enrollment, they must be paid by the first day of school.

Building leaders, one buddy at a time! Lundahl NJHS students are making an impact through Learning Buddies, a mentorship program connecting middle schoolers with South Elementary students. Read more about this partnership here!

All K-5 students will have the SAEBRS (Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener) assessment completed for them by their teacher between April 30 - May 21. The SAEBRS is a brief, norm-referenced tool for screening all students to identify those who are at risk for social-emotional behavior problems. The results of this assessment will allow us to put social-emotional support in place during the school day.

Students in Glacier Ridge’s Adjusted Learning program took a fun-filled field trip to Prairie Ridge High School, where they played games, raced around on scooters, and teamed up with high schoolers for an unforgettable day!

We are delighted to announce the 2024-25 District 47 student art show at The Dole featuring select artwork from District 47 students in kindergarten through 8th grade. The exhibit is free and open to the public and will be available for viewing weekdays (9am to 5pm) from Friday, May 2, 2024 through Thursday, May 15. There will be one open house event this year on Friday, May 2 from 4:00 p.m.- 8:00 p.m. for all schools, at The Dole, 401 Country Club Rd, Crystal Lake.

Fifth graders across the district are bringing history to life through hands-on learning! At Coventry, students stepped back in time for Colonial Day, rotating through immersive stations like Music & Dance, Mealtime & Manners, and more. Meanwhile, West students became legendary figures in a Living Museum, turning stories into real-life experiences.

The purpose of Faces of D47 is to highlight any individual who serves District 47. We know we have a strong community in our district and want to learn more about the individuals who make District 47 a great place to work, learn, and volunteer. Be sure to check out our most recent posts!

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 39 nominations, 10 winners were chosen by a committee of peers. To read more about our Elevate winners click here. District 47 would also like to thank all the businesses that have chosen to sponsor our Elevate program this year.

We're excited to honor and celebrate our employees achieving significant work anniversaries: 10, 20, 25, 30, and 35 years. Read more about it here!

At Turning Point’s annual Paint the Night Purple Gala, Bernotas Middle School’s Nicole Thompson was honored with the very first Turning Point Heart Award. Read more about this special award here! (Pictured above left to right: Lexie Zeppos, Turning Point Outreach and Prevention Advocate, Nicole Thompson, Elissa Crowley Turning Point Director of Outreach and Community Engagement)

District 47 is proud to highlight the inspiring journey of two dedicated staff members who transitioned from support roles to full-time teaching positions through the Teacher Vacancy Grant. This grant has played a pivotal role in helping fill critical teaching positions while investing in the growth and development of District 47 staff.

• Read more about the grant here
• Click here to watch the video

Is a 3 minute passing period enough time? How do lockers actually work? Bernotas 6th graders Joey, Finnley, Gael, and Rosalyn join Dr. Hinz to answer the questions every soon-to-be middle schooler is wondering. From navigating new schedules to calming those first-day nerves, they’ve got the inside scoop—and some solid advice—for current 5th graders gearing up for the big leap! Whether you're a student, parent, or just curious, this episode is packed with real advice and tips. Click here to listen!

• North Elementary School - 500 W. Woodstock St
• 5:00-7:00 pm
• This is a district-wide event - everyone is welcome!

Enjoy:

• FREE books in multiple languages for every student
• Live music and entertainment
• Games and activities for all ages
• Food trucks, including Kona Ice and a taco truck

We are excited to share that District 47 will begin using ParentSquare as our primary communication tool starting in the 2025-26 school year. ParentSquare allows families to receive all communications from the district, schools, and teachers in one place. Click here to learn more about ParentSquare.

If you did not receive an email to activate your ParentSquare account, please reach out to communications@d47.org.

District 47 is continuing its partnership with Daybreak Health to offer free teletherapy services for students. Families can now refer their children directly for 12 weeks of unlimited teletherapy with licensed clinicians. Click here for more information or to sign your child up for the Daybreak teletherapy program.

BoardDocs has now transitioned to Diligent Community. Families can continue to access board meeting agendas, minutes, and policies—just in a new location. You can find the updated link on our district website under the Board of Education section.

View Meeting Agenda

Meeting Highlights

• The Board recognized our Spring Elevate Award nominees and winners. Read more about our Spring winners here.
• District 47's Strategic Plan goal leaders provided an overview of the key actions that will guide the District's work toward achieving its strategic goals over the next 5 years. Click here to view the Strategic Plan website page.

The next regular board meeting is scheduled for Monday, May 19, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. at CORE Center (300 Commerce Dr., Crystal Lake) and virtually via Zoom.

This board update is a summary that includes brief highlights of selected topics and items from the meeting. This summary is not meant to replace minutes. The minutes for each meeting are approved and posted after the next regularly scheduled meeting. The complete Board packet of information, including presentations and reports, is available online.

Last night was the final business meeting for the 2023-2025 Board of Education. We would like to thank the entire Board of Education for their dedication and service to our district and community. We extend a special thank you to the three board members who chose not to seek re-election this spring and are concluding their time on the board:

• Jonathan Powell - 8 years of service (2017-2025)

• Tim Mahaffy - 4 years of service (2021-2025)

• Courtney Hand - 2 years of service (2023-2025)