E-News for KCSD96

Dear KCSD96 Community,

We are so delighted to welcome our students back for another year of incredible learning starting on Thursday, August 15th! Families, please see the calendar below for more information.

Parents and guardians, please note that teacher assignments/class schedules and transportation information were emailed to you earlier today. Please check your inboxes to ensure you have received the communication that pertains to your child. For even more detailed information regarding busing, please scroll down to read the section below.

Let's have another incredible year!

Sincerely,

Kildeer Countryside School District 96

We look forward to seeing our students for the first day of school on Thursday, August 15th for a half-day. Only ECSE/Blended AM attends from (8:40-11:10am). We are so excited to see you!

This week, new KCSD96 educators attended Orientation Week to learn more about the district, meet their colleagues, speak with their teacher mentors, and receive a tour of our 7 buildings. Please join us in welcoming these incredibly talented educators across KCSD96!

Student transportation information will be available August 9, 2024. After August 1, 2024 any student transportation changes or requests will not be reviewed or processed until after September 2, 2024. If you have any questions please contact the transportation department at transportation@kcsd96.org or visit the transportation webpage.

Here are some helpful practices and expectations for the first week of school:

• Prior to the first day of school, be sure to locate your student’s bus stop location and times for pick up and drop off.

• On the first day of school best practices are to be ready at the bus stop 10 minutes prior to your specified pick up time. Willow Grove Students will need to be accompanied by an adult for pick up to school and are required to be dropped off at their bus stop with an authorized adult present to receive the student(s).

• Expect delays in the bus route schedules

• Drivers will be getting to know their students

• Getting used to their bus routes

• Adjusting to the fluctuation of traffic

• Be sure your student(s) is/are dressed appropriately for the changing weather.

• Students are recommended to stand at a visible and safe area at their assigned bus stop. Please do not approach the bus until the bus has stopped completely and the stop sign and stop arm are extended.

• When boarding, please use the hand rails and find a seat in a timely manner.

• If you have unexpected or expected changes in bus transportation for your student(s) please contact your school’s main office to let them know.

REMINDER: KCSD96 is using LINQ Connect, a new platform, for meal menus and payments, school fee payments, and free and reduced lunch application processing. Create an account before the start of the school year!

How to Register:

• Download the LINQ Connect app from your app store or visit linqconnect.com.

• Click “Register” to create your account.

Benefits of LINQ Connect:

• Convenience: View your student’s account information, make payments anytime, anywhere from your computer, tablet, or smartphone.

• Easy Account Management: User-friendly app for tracking history and setting up automatic payments. Secure Transactions: Advanced security measures protect your information.

• Quick Simple Payments: Add funds to your student’s account using Auto Pay, when funds run low, or on-demand.

• Real-Time Updates: Instant notifications on account balances and upcoming payments.

• A newly enhanced app: The new app will greatly simplify your ability to view and manage your student’s account anytime, anywhere.
  

These are some of the fees KCSD96 families can expect to pay using LINQ Connect:

1. Willow Grove Early Childhood Blended Tuition
2. Twin Groves Middle School and Woodlawn Middle School
   a. Band/Orchestra Fee
   b. Basic Participation Fee
   c. Sports Participation Fee
   d. Yearbook Fee
   *additional fees may be added throughout the school year.
   

For helpful information, including detailed step-by-step instructions and how to link your student to your account, please visit: https://www.kcsd96.org/about/menus-manage-accounts

For assistance, contact LINQ Connect support at support@linqconnect.com or 844-467- 4700. For faster response, try the new online web chat support feature at linqconnect.com.

Middle school only: Listed here is a letter from Superintendent Katie Sheridan about KCSD96's middle school comprehensive health education. This information covers health education for the 2024-25 school year; what students will learn in health in each grade; how to opt out of instruction; and how to request a review of the resources used for instruction. 24-25 health curriculum mirrors the standards that have been followed by the district for years prior, and aligns with state requirements for public school districts.

New families to KCSD96! Please ensure that you have opted-in to receiving text messages this year from our schools and the district. This service designed to keep families in the loop with all District communication throughout the school year including school closings, severe weather notifications, safety alerts, and more.

You can participate in this free service* just by sending a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number, 67587.

We miss our KCSD96 students and staff! On social media, our KCSD96 community is showing us what they've been up to this summer! Take a look at all of the wonderful memories being made by our families! #inspire96

Friday, August 2nd