• Social media survey
• Social and emotional learning (SEL) resources
• Some tips for parent-teacher conferences
• Board of Education news
  
• Curriculum Corner

If you are unable to view the video here, you can find it on our Vimeo page.

North Shore 112 is currently conducting a review of social media policies and practices. As part of this review, we're asking parents, guardians and staff members to share your thoughts. Please consider participating in a quick survey by visiting https://tejoin.com/scroll/409650025. The survey will be open until Wednesday, November 8.

Thank you for your partnership!

11/08: BOE Facilities Committee Meeting

11/09: Early Dismissal

11/10: No School (Veterans Day Observance)

11/14: Regular BOE Meeting

11/20: Parent-Teacher Conferences (No Student Attendance)

11/21: Parent-Teacher Conferences (No Student Attendance)

11/24-11/26: Thanksgiving Break (No School)

We are pleased to report that the active threat drills conducted at all nine North Shore District 112 schools were a success in assessing our preparedness and response capabilities. While there were areas identified for improvement, the performance of our school leadership teams, staff, students, and first responders was commendable.

I will be working closely with district and school leaders to address and act upon the valuable insights gained from these exercises. The goal is to continue enhancing our readiness and ability to manage any potential threat.

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in keeping our schools safe.

There will also be Facilities Committee meeting on November 8. At this meeting, the Board will review bids for the construction at Ravinia Elementary School.

Meeting agendas can be found on our website.

Livestream feeds for regular meetings can also be found at nssd112.org.

We extend our deepest gratitude to the committed individuals serving on the North Shore District 112 Board of Education. Their unwavering commitment and tireless efforts are actively molding our educational landscape, fostering positive change within our community. Our district is truly blessed to benefit from their volunteer service and steadfast dedication.

Thank you to President Lisa Hirsh, Vice President Dan Jenks, Secretary Melissa Itkin and members Alex Brunk, Jenny Butler, Art Kessler and Bennett Lasko!

In this section, you will find several events and programs for parents/guardians and students. You can also find more information about these and other social and emotional learning (SEL) resources on our website.

Throughout the year, our district is partnering with ParentGuidance.org and the Cook Center for Human Connection to deliver presentations developed by licensed therapists. These events are virtual, interactive and designed to help parents and guardians support students. Registration, attendance and interactions are kept completely anonymous from other viewers. Recordings of these events will be shared with out parent/guardian community, as well.

In November, there are two scheduled events in this series. You can register for both by clicking the images below or by scanning the QR codes. If you have any questions about these events, please contact Dr. Holly Colin at hcolin@nssd112.org.

• English recording of "Supporting Your Child's Mental Health"
  
• Spanish recording of "Supporting Your Child's Mental Health"
• English recording of "Bullying - Stop the Cycle"
• Spanish-subtitled recording of "Bullying - Stop the Cycle"
• English recording of "ABCs of Substance Abuse and Vaping"
• Spanish recording of "ABCs of Substance Abuse and Vaping"

ReferralGPS is a web-based service focused on assisting our students, staff and community in finding local mental-health and substance use related treatment. The service complements the district's existing systems of support as a tool for student service teams and families to connect with treatment. Along with a searchable database of treatment options, ReferralGPS provides Care Navigation to assist families in triage, appointment setting, and follow up care.

School families may access ReferralGPS in two ways:

• Contact Student Services (social workers, psychologists, counselors) to seek out treatment options.
• Visit this link at https://referralgps.com/find-help/NSSD112 to search for treatment resources or connect with a Care Navigator anonymously.

The State of Illinois has developed a school safety program called Safe2Help Illinois in an effort to raise awareness of 21st-century threats facing schoolchildren in Illinois. It is available 24/7 and offers students a safe outlet to share information on school safety issues in a confidential environment. It can be accessed via a free app, text/phone, and website (Safe2HelpIllinois.com).

The Deerfield Parent Network, in partnership with our district, District 109 and District 113, is hosting an event on November 30 called "How to Raise Successful Kids." The event will be held at Deerfield High School and District 112 parents/guardians are invited. Check out the image below for more details.

The purpose of the NSSD112 BPAC is to advocate for academic excellence in all programs serving English learners. BPAC strives to provide family support, communication and information regarding the district’s Dual Language and ESL programs. BPAC is a multilingual space where members can access information, voice priorities and take steps to strengthen our schools and community.

Upcoming BPAC Events:

• 11/07: How to Understand Your Student's Progress and Performance (7 p.m. at Northwood)
• 02/20: Language First and Literacy Night
• 04/23: Multilingual Learner Month Celebrate

All families are welcome to attend. An interpreter, childcare and food will be provided.

Email bpac.d112@gmail.com for more information or to sign up for our mailing list. Learn more about BPAC on our website.

District 112 partners with Paper, a company that offers virtual tutoring services to all of our students in grades 6 through 8, at no cost to families.

Paper provides unlimited, 24/7 high-impact tutoring. Whether students are stuck on homework, studying for a test, or need someone to read and make suggestions to their essays, there will always be experts available online to assist students via a secure, chat-based platform. Paper tutors have been specially trained to conduct expert, academic support with a commitment to helping students learn. They will never give students answers, but rather interact with them in an encouraging tone to lead them forward.

All student-tutor interactions are recorded and accessible to teachers, and Paper provides data analytics that will provide District 112 educators with insight into learning gaps and give district administrators a better understanding of where support is needed. All tutors are Paper employees and not freelancers or sub-contractors.

This is a free service that we’re providing, so students are encouraged to use it as much as they need, whenever they need it. Paper is now available as an app in your student's Clever Learning Management System. Our teachers also have accounts and will be able to review all student activity to see what they’re working on and provide more targeted instruction as needed.

So far this year, there have been more than 100 tutoring sessions for NSSD112 students and 155 essay reviews. The most requested support topics are:

• Essay Writing
• Basic Arithmetic
• Spanish Language Arts
• Basic Algebra

Parent-teacher conferences (November 20th and 21st) are a great opportunity for parents and guardians to learn how their child is progressing from both an academic and social-emotional standpoint. Parent-teacher conferences allow for collaborative partnerships and conversations around topics such as peer relationships, classroom behavior, motivation for learning, and what parents may be seeing and experiencing with their child at home. After your child’s teacher has had an opportunity to share information about your child, the following questions may be helpful to ask:

• What do you see as my child’s strengths and areas for growth?

• Does my child foster positive relationships within the classroom with both teachers and peers?

• Does my child ask questions and advocate for themself?

• Does my child give forth their best effort?

• How does my child respond when they are confused or frustrated?

• How can I best help/support my child both in and out of the classroom?

• Is there any information I can supply to you to better understand my child as a learner?

Be on the lookout for information about how to sign up for conferences.

Our staff works hard to create schools where students want to learn and teachers want to teach. High-quality materials and technology give our staff and students the tools needed to be innovative and highly engaged. As a member of District 112, you’ll be working to advance yourself as well as fulfill a long legacy of District 112 being the home of pioneering educators, dedicated staff, and innovative instructional practices. Visit careers.nssd112.org to learn more!

We are actively seeking a qualified individual for the position of Director of Operations, Facilities, and Transportation, which will become available on July 1, 2024. Our current director plans to retire in December 2024, allowing for a transitional overlap of directors to facilitate a smooth handover. The responsibilities of this role involve overseeing the day-to-day operations of the school district, including managing facilities, contracted services, maintenance, security, construction, transportation, and more.

This position is particularly significant due to the recent success of a $114.4 million dollar referendum. This achievement has initiated the renovation and reconstruction of our schools, with Indian Trail and Ravinia currently undergoing improvements. Future plans include the renovation of Sherwood, Braeside, and Wayne Thomas schools, showcasing our commitment to continuously enhancing education. The middle schools were already modernized in 2021 and 2023, reflecting our ongoing efforts for educational improvement.

If you are interested in applying for this role, please use the provided link to submit your application. https://www.generalasp.com/nssd112/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Administration

Do you want to choose your own hours and make a difference in our students' lives? Consider becoming a guest teacher (substitute) for North Shore School District 112. Rates were recently increased to $150 a day for guest teachers. Please feel free to reach out to Patty Samuelian (psamuelian@nssd112.org) with any questions or apply to be a guest teacher today!

It is hard to believe the Holiday Season is almost here! Join us for the 13th Annual Day of Giving 2023 on Saturday, December 9. Let's keep the tradition alive, supporting 200+ families in Highland Park and Highwood.

Day of Giving 2023 will be co-facilitated by Northwood Gives Back (NW), SaLT, D112 Parent-Teacher Organizations, along with support from the 112 Education Foundation. The Day of Giving 2023 goal is to serve approximately 800 people in 200 families.

Each family will receive:

• 2 grocery bags of Food Items

• 1 grocery bag of Toiletries, Personal and Household Items

• 1 laundry basket filled with customized Winter Clothing Items and Toys

• Baby Items if appropriate

Families and staff members can donate to Day of Giving 2023 in the following ways:

• Contact your PTO Presidents to contribute to the item(s) your school selected.

• Sign up on the Day of Giving list for Food, Toiletries, Personal, and/or Household Items.

• In addition, Winter Clothing Items or Baby Items may also be purchased from the Amazon Day of Giving Wishlist. All donations purchased on the Amazon Wish List will be shipped to Northwood Middle School - 945 North Ave. Please make sure orders are in by December 7.

Families or staff can also make a financial contribution and let us do the shopping.

Make a financial contribution by December 3rd to North Shore School District 112.

Please indicate that your donation is for Day of Giving 2023 and send it to:

Attn: Day of Giving Committee/Northwood945 North Ave.

Highland Park, IL 60035

Thank you, in advance, for your generosity and collaboration as we try to provide support for our local community this Holiday Season. Your Kindness matters!

Please contact Jamie Cohn (jcohn@nssd112.org) with any questions or concerns and THANK YOU in advance for your support!

The City of Highland Park will host a live, in-person Veterans Day Observance on Saturday, November 11 at 11 a.m. Representatives from the local veterans groups will be present. Former American Legion Post Commander Lawrence Sassarossi will be recognized as a "Hero Among Us." Mayor Nancy Rotering and other special guests, including Commander Terry N. Traweek, Executive Officer at Great Lakes Naval Station, will speak. The Highland Park High School Brass Quintet will perform.

The ceremony will be held in the Adult Services Section of the Highland Park Public Library, 494 Laurel Avenue. Plentiful parking in city lots at Central Metra Station or the Central Business District Parking Deck with entrances on St. Johns Avenue.

The Veterans Day Observance will be livestreamed.

Throughout the year, we are highlighting some of our incredible teachers and staff in a series called Meet 112! In October, we learned about Wayne Thomas 4th grade teacher Annie Hoffman.

If you are unable to view the video here, you can find it on our Vimeo page.

Having an issue with your student's device? Need assistance with district software, such as Infinite Campus? Submit a support ticket and a member of our tech team will reach out as soon as possible.

As we enter cold and snow season, please be aware of our guidelines for emergency closings. The decision to close school or to change start or dismissal times because of inclement weather or other unanticipated emergencies will be based upon available information from local law enforcement agencies, weather forecast services, and neighboring school district administrators.

If school will be closed, every effort will be made to finalize the school closing decision by 5 a.m. of that school day. Roadway conditions and the possibility of dangerously unsafe temperatures are the main factors that drive the decision.

In these situations, you will be notified via email, text and phone. A message will also be posted on our website at nssd112.org.

ParentSquare is North Shore School District 112’s primary communication tool. It is used by the district office and schools to send emails, text messages and phone calls to parents/guardians, staff members and the community.

Visit the ParentSquare page on our website to learn more or access your account.

Address: 445 Sheridan Road, Highwood, IL 60040

Phone: 224-765-3000

Website: nssd112.org

Facebook: facebook.com/nssd112

Instagram: instagram.com/nssd112

Twitter: @nssd112

If you have any questions about the newsletter, please contact Ben Finfer at bfinfer@nssd112.org