KSD140 Connection

Spring has arrived, at least on the calendar!

I am pleased to report we had over 2,600 responses to our recent Strategic Planning survey. This speaks volumes as to the type of community we have. We heard from all stakeholders, including employees, parents, students, and community members. The involvement of stakeholders from every corner of the community allows us to develop a long-term framework for decision-making that builds upon the common values held by our community. The response rate was quite impressive, and I thank you all.

Work sessions with our Strategic Plan Committee are ongoing and focused on developing the District’s mission, vision, core values, strategic priorities, and objectives. A Strategic Plan report for the District will be shared at the May Board of Education meeting, with implementation set to begin during the 2023-24 school year.

If you did not have the opportunity to participate in the Strategic Plan survey, I encourage you to make your voice heard by filling out the Illinois 5Essentials Survey. The Illinois 5Essentials Survey is an important tool for measuring school climate and culture. If you have not done so already, please be sure to take the 5Essentials Parent Survey by March 31. In order to generate a report, we must have at least 20% of our parents complete the survey. We value your input and will use all of the data gathered from these surveys to help improve our District.

Before heading into Spring Break, I want to provide you with a quick update regarding our Fernway construction project. District teams continue to work closely with TRIA Architecture and the Villages of Orland Park and Orland Hills on plans for the new Fernway Park Elementary School. Steady progress has been made with the building design, but the extensive Village review process has delayed the overall construction start date of the project.

Our design team indicates that these delays in the start of construction will make the project miss the projected August 2024 opening date. The District is closely monitoring the review process and is currently projecting the new school to open at the start of the 2025-26 school year.

We appreciate your partnership and support as we work together to provide the best possible education for our students. I wish you and your family a happy and restful Spring Break!

Respectfully,

Dr. Dan Callaghan

Superintendent

If you have not done so already, please be sure to take the 5Essentials Parent Survey by March 31. We must get a 20% parent response rate for our results to be reported.

This survey assesses a school’s culture and climate and provides insight into strengths and weaknesses on the five key factors that research shows are predictive of school success - effective leaders, collaborative teachers, involved families, supportive environment, and ambitious instruction.

Your participation in the parent portion of the survey will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement. Your identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.

Thanks for your support!

Early Childhood/Preschool (EC/P), Kindergarten, and returning student registration for the 2023-24 school year opens online beginning Tuesday, April 11, 2023. An early registration discount will be given to families who register their students and pay their fees or set up a payment plan through the Business Office (708-342-5513) by Wednesday, May 31, 2023.

Please visit ksd140.org/registration for detailed information, including fees, health forms, busing, residency verification, and step-by-step directions for registering your student.

Invitations to activate your new ParentSquare account were recently sent to all District 140 parents/guardians. After receiving your invite, please follow the instructions linked here and check out all that ParentSquare has to offer!

For even greater convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices). This app centralizes District and school communications pertaining to your student(s) and allows parents/guardians to customize their notification settings.

On Saturday, March 11, the Cadet and Symphonic Bands received superior ratings for their performance at the Illinois Grade School Music Association (IGSMA) District Contest held at Central Middle School. Both bands will compete at the State Contest on Saturday, April 29, at Lockport High School. Congratulations to all of our outstanding musicians!

KSD 140’s Polar Plunge team took a dip in the frigid waters of the Manteno Sportsmen's Club on Saturday, March 4. Led by Kristy Baumgartner, Laura Cler, Ashley Krizik, Chrisie DeCarlo, and committee members from the District's seven schools, D140’s sixty-one participants raised more than $30,000 for Special Olympics Illinois athletes. Way to go team!

A BIG THANKS goes out to the 50 volunteers who had their heads shaved at the Keller Elementary and Grissom Middle School St. Baldrick's fundraisers on Friday, March 17, 2023. Together, with the support of an incredibly generous D140 community, our schools raised more than $42,000 for childhood cancer research.

We are so very grateful for the continued support of our amazing D140 community!

• Monday, March 20 - Declamation SWIC Competition - 5:30 pm @ Liberty Junior High, Burbank, IL
  
• Tuesday, March 21 - Mathletes SWIC Competition - 4:00 pm @ Century Junior High, Orland Park, IL
• Tuesday, March 21 - Committee of the Whole meeting - 7:30 pm @ Administration Building
  
• Thursday, March 23 - SWIC Band Concert - 7:00 pm @ Simmons Middle School
• Monday, March 27 through Friday, March 31 - Spring Break - No School
• Tuesday, April 4 - Election Day - No School
• Thursday, April 6 - End of Third Quarter
• Friday, April 7 through Monday, April 10 - No School
• Friday, April 14 - Report cards released via Infinite Campus at 3:00 pm
• Thursday, April 20 - Board of Education Meeting - 7:00 pm @ Administration Building
• Friday, April 21 - No School
• Wednesday, April 26 - Beginning Band Concert - 7:30 pm @ Grissom Middle School
• Saturday, April 29 - IGSMA State Contest - Lockport High School

Email: webmaster@ksd140.org
Website: ksd140.org
Location: 16931 Grissom Drive, T.P.
Phone: 7085326462
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ksd140
Twitter: @KirbySD140