109 News

Parenting is stressful—and these days, it may even be harmful to your health. Just a few months ago, the U.S. Surgeon General issued a warning about the mental and physical toll of parenting, and we’re seeing those challenges right here in Deerfield. There’s growing pressure on parents to give their children a leg up by overscheduling them and keeping up with what they think everyone else is doing.

All of this is happening in an age where smartphones and technology amplify comparison and scrutiny—for both kids and adults—while reducing valuable face-to-face interactions.

This is a growing problem that requires a local solution. Join us on Tuesday, March 18, at Caruso Middle School, as we:

• Hear from medical professionals about trends and behaviors they are observing related to dependence on technology—for both adults and children.

• Collaborate on ideas our community can implement to foster greater independence.

This important discussion will take place in the Caruso Auditorium from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. More details will be shared in the coming weeks, but we wanted to put it on your calendar now! Click below to RSVP.

Again this year, parents/guardians across Illinois have an opportunity to participate in the annual survey to provide feedback about the schools their children attend. District 109 is fortunate to be able to use the Panorama platform for this survey, which is the same as the one used for students. Ultimately, the family survey is designed for you to share your thoughts on the home-school partnership and other important elements of school effectiveness. Your responses help guide our improvement.

To take the survey, please click on the button below and select your child’s school. The survey should take no more than 10 minutes to complete and will close on March 21st.

If you have children in multiple schools, we encourage you to provide feedback on both schools. Please know that your identity and responses are confidential and will not be connected to you or your child. Thank you in advance for taking the time to give us this important feedback.

District 109 participates in a Consortium for Interdistrict Collaboration (CIC). The CIC is a group of educators from neighboring North Shore districts who discuss and explore instructional practices that make districts high-performing. As part of their work, they visit one another’s schools to observe, benchmark practices, celebrate successes, and offer recommendations for continuous improvement.

As part of this process, we’re seeking parent volunteers to participate in a focus group during the CIC’s site visit on Wednesday, March 12th, from 1:50 to 2:25. The information provided in the focus group will not be associated with an individual name; it will simply help the team identify trends across our school settings.

If interested, please complete the one-minute form below no later than TODAY, Wednesday, February 26th. If more than 15 parents/guardians express interest, we will select by lottery. A confirmation of your selection will be sent no later than Wednesday, March 5th. Thanks in advance for considering. We are really proud of our district and can’t wait to share it with other educators!

Each year, we as a district consider how we can improve each family's experience when registering their kindergartener. We know this can be an intimidating experience for new families, and we want to ensure everybody feels equipped!

If you are a newly registered kindergarten family, we would appreciate your input on the question "What ideas do you have to improve the Kindergarten Registration event and process?" To gather your feedback, we're using a tool called ThoughtExchange. You'll be asked to respond to four Likert scale questions and one open-ended question. Your thoughts and ratings are confidential. You can come back as often as you'd like to participate, and, in fact, we ask that you do come back to rate some of the new ideas shared since you first participated. The ratings will help us understand the most important areas to focus on. Please click on the button below to participate!

If you still haven't registered your kindergartener, please visit our registration page to begin the process today.

We’re seeking participants to lead interactive sessions at our Culture Fair on Friday, May 16, 2025. This event will allow you to showcase something meaningful from your cultural or religious background, such as a traditional dance, craft, ritual, or clothing. Let’s give students a hands-on experience with the richness of our world’s cultures! Does this sound like an opportunity right up your alley? Fill out the interest form below!

We held our February Board of Education meeting two weeks ago. We were excited to welcome not only our Walden Wax Museum figurines but also celebrate our District 7 Junior ILMEA Band, Choir, and Orchestra members. You can read about the meeting by reviewing our BOE Recap. To watch the meeting, please click on the button below the image.

As our middle schools prepare for your student's arrival, they would like to gather your child's world language preferences. Please fill out the Google Form linked here to share your child's first and second preferences with us. You can find more information in the presentation linked here. Preferences are due by March 5, at 8:00 a.m. Please be advised that minimum enrollment numbers are required to run world language sections in 6th grade.

If you have any questions, please contact Principal Mark Schwarz (mschwarz@dps109.org) at Caruso or Principal Rob Wegley (rwegley@dps109.org) at Shepard. We can't wait for our incoming Blue Jays and Spartans!

Take a look at some short introductory videos featuring the three languages available to incoming 6th graders at Caruso & Shepard.

A Walden second-grade class took it upon themselves to spread love and kindness this Valentine's Day season. They made over 30 Valentine's cards for the residents of the Whitehall of Deerfield. The cards were delivered later that week, and the residents were enthusiastic over the kind messages spread!

The Caruso wrestling team competed in the Mid-Suburban Middle School Conference meet on February 17, earning an impressive 3rd place overall. Jake Pechter and Eli Katz claimed individual championships, while Besseggen Stowell made Caruso history by placing second—becoming our school’s first female All-Conference wrestler! Outstanding job, Blue Jays!

Over the weekend, 7th grader Tommy Heath proudly represented Shepard Middle School at the "Lifetime of Music" Concert, hosted by the Northshore Concert Band at Northwestern University's Pick-Staiger Concert Hall. Under the baton of Dr. Mallory Thompson, Tommy played the trumpet alongside other selected middle school musicians and professional members of the Northshore Concert Band, including Deerfield High School's own band director, Ms. Pam Holt.

Nominated for this opportunity by Shepard Middle School’s band director, Mrs. Emily Dykema, Tommy was honored to participate in this unforgettable evening of music and community. Bravo, Tommy!

Every year, our third-graders dress up and remain still as they emulate wax figurines. Parents, staff, and peers wander through the museum, pressing a button to hear the story behind each figurine. These figurines represent the first family member in the student's family to migrate to America!

District 113 is excited to announce they are embarking on the strategic plan journey. They are offering four in-person focus group sessions to be held on March 10 and March 11. All are invited, but space is limited to 30 people per session. Spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis through this registration form. Focus group sessions are below:

• Monday, March 10
• Highland Park High School Library
• Session 1: 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
• Session 2: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, March 11
• Deerfield High School Library
• Session 3: 5:00 - 6:00 p.m.
• Session 4: 6:30 - 7:30 p.m

The Deerfield Public Library has a variety of crafty kits for you to pick up and do with your family! They are organized by age group, so you can find the perfect kit for your kiddo! Check them out here!

The Park District has published their Summer Camp Program Guide for you to view. In the coming weeks, you should see the Spring/Summer Program Guide that will have the before/after school club dates and fees included. After-school enrichment registration will open in July. Below are the before/after school club registration dates to keep an eye out for:

Resident: Monday, 9 a.m. April 28, 2025

Non-Resident: Wednesday, 9 a.m. April 30, 2025

The Village of Deerfield has released its 2025 Special Events Calendar! Head to their Facebook page and check out the many family-friendly activities planned for the year. Don’t miss out—mark your calendars now!