Grass Lake School News

Your Voice Matters! Take the Illinois 5Essentials Survey

Parents, teachers, and students across Illinois can participate in the Illinois 5Essentials Survey, helping improve schools by identifying strengths and areas for growth. This year, at least 30% of parents must respond for our school to receive a report—this is an increase from the previous 20% requirement. We need your feedback more than ever!

The survey, conducted by the University of Chicago on behalf of ISBE, focuses on five key areas proven to impact student success:

Effective Leaders
Collaborative Teachers

Involved Families
Supportive Environments
Ambitious Instruction

Why is this important?
Schools strong in these 5 areas are 10 times more likely to improve student learning! Your input directly helps guide improvements at your child’s school.

How does it work?

• The survey is online and confidential—your identity will not be linked to your responses.
• If at least 30% of parents participate, the school will receive a report in June with summary results.
• Results will also be included in the Illinois School Report Card in October and made public.

What a great week to be a BRAVE! With Spring Break upon us next week, I am so excited to share how you and your family can stay connected to GLS while enjoying the time with family and friends. We are excited to kick off our One School, One Book reading project featuring Frindle! From March 21 through April 11, students, teachers, and staff will be reading and discussing this engaging book, and we encourage families to join in at home. One of our goals at GLS is to build a community of lifelong readers, and we believe that when families and schools work together, the impact is even greater. By setting aside time each day to read together, discussing the story, or encouraging independent readers to maintain a reading schedule, you help reinforce the joy and importance of reading.

To enhance this shared experience, we have created a collection of read-aloud videos featuring GLS students, staff, and Antioch community members, which can be accessed on our GLS website at gls36.org. You’ll also find the Frindle reading calendar and additional resources to help guide your family’s participation. We can’t wait to see how this book sparks conversations, curiosity, and a love of reading throughout our school community. Happy reading, and a huge thank you to our Grass Lake PTO for supporting this endeavor! Please see a copy of the calendar below and I look forward to seeing you on Facebook on Wednesday, March 26 as I read Chapter 6: The Big Idea at 6:30 pm.

Club Pictures will be taken on Wednesday, April 2nd, 2025 promptly at 7:45 am-8:45 am. We ask that any club attire be worn to school and that they are picture ready! Students will have time to change into school clothes after the picture is taken but not before. Ed Clark will also share a link with us that we will share with everyone in case you want to order these pictures as well. What a great BONUS!!! Please be aware that the link will be shared once the pictures are processed.

Last Wednesday, Steller Athletics—the team behind our brand-new 9-week Summer Camp at GLS—joined me for a Parent Forum (to watch the presentation, follow this link) to share all the details about this dynamic program and the thoughtful decision to transition from our traditional Summer School. This camp is designed to keep kids active, engaged, and having fun all summer long at GLS! Whether you’re looking for a one-week adventure or want to join for all nine weeks, there’s something for everyone. To register your child(ren), please follow this link, which will redirect you to the Steller Athletics website.

Our PTO is hosting its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday, April 13, at 11:00 a.m. Families are encouraged to arrive prior to 11:00 a.m. as the hunt will begin promptly. This is not a drop-off event, so please plan to stay and enjoy the fun with your child. The Easter Bunny will also be making a special visit, adding to the excitement of the day.

Additionally, please see this letter regarding important updates on IAR testing and the 5Essentials Student Survey. This information is relevant for families of students in grades three through eight and provides details on upcoming assessments.

I hope everyone enjoys their Spring Break and I look forward to welcoming everyone back on Monday, March 31. Enjoy reading Frindle and you can also, see below for the video of last week's production of Willy Wonka Jr. Thank you, as always, for your help and support and I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Warm Regards,

Ryan Wollberg

Principal/Grass Lake School

After a thorough review of student data, a cost analysis, and valuable input from students, staff, and parents, Grass Lake School will not be offering an academic summer school program this year. Instead, we are refocusing our efforts on enhancing our school-year schedule to better meet student needs year-round, rather than just through a three-week summer program. While GLS will not be hosting a summer school program, we’re excited to share that Stellar Athletics (who currently runs our Friday Afterschool Club) will be offering a summer camp opportunity right here at GLS!

This nine-week program, running from June 4 to August 1, will provide structured and engaging activities for students in grades K-8. Families will have flexibility with daily or weekly sign-ups so you can take those summer vacations and still allow the students to join the camp. Stellar Athletics operates independently from GLS, meaning families who choose to participate will be responsible for the cost. GLS is not financially responsible for the program, but we’re excited to share this opportunity with our school community as it was designed with you in mind! See below for more details:

Things to know about Steller Summer Camp:

• 9 week Summer Camp June 4th through August 1st
• Camp operates Monday-Friday 7:30 am - 4:00pm
• Early Bird Drop off and Extended Day Pickup available
• Early Bird- 6:30 am-7:30 am
• Extended Day- 4:00 pm- 5:00 pm
• Campers will be dropped off and picked up by their parents. NO BUSSING available.
• Campers will need to bring their own sack lunch, snack and water.
• Early Bird Registration ends March 21st for a guaranteed spot!

Things to expect from Steller Summer Camp:

• A safe, fun and socially engaging environment for all campers to participate
• Each week will be themed with all activities following the theme!
• Campers will have the opportunity to:
• Participate in small group activities
• Be creative with art projects & crafts
• Explore with experiments to stimulate learning
• Utilize STEM Centers
• Enjoy outdoor activities- weather permitting
• Participate in water activities- weather permitting
• Recieve movement breaks with sports and open play
• Watch themed and purposeful movies
• Have FUN Fridays!

Please see below for Steller Athletics' next Friday Afterschool offering for this week. Steller Athletics has shared that they are temporarily capping numbers to ensure the program runs smoothly, safely, and with purpose. The goal is to create a positive and meaningful experience for everyone involved—students, staff, and workers alike. Once they reach capacity, the link will automatically close. Thank you for your support and understanding!

Join the After School Club this Friday, March 21 for Backyard games. Dress in your best BBQ Dad gear! Register here: https://forms.gle/x6MddnJoAoXYCeT9A

Each week throughout the school year, families enrolled in our Backpack Program will go home with pre-bagged, shelf-stable, nutritious food items. Items may include: milk, pasta, canned fruit, canned vegetables, cereal, tuna, beans, rice, and more! Please complete this form if your family would like to be enrolled. The food will come home with your student once a week. If you decide your family would no longer like to be part of the program, or if you have any questions, please contact Kelly Porter at 847-603-5160 or kporter@gls36.org. This form and program are confidential.

Our PTO is hosting its annual Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday, April 13, at 11:00 a.m. Families are encouraged to arrive prior to 11:00 a.m. as the hunt will begin promptly. This is not a drop-off event, so please plan to stay and enjoy the fun with your child. The Easter Bunny will also be making a special visit, adding to the excitement of the day.

In a world where the magic of the silver screen often overshadows the stage, Grass Lake School’s production of Willy Wonka Jr. was a dazzling reminder that live theater still holds an irresistible charm. This past weekend, the students of GLS transformed their school auditorium into a candy-coated dreamscape, proving that imagination, talent, and a sprinkle of pure theatrical joy can create a show worthy of its own golden ticket.

From the moment the curtain rose, it was clear that the young cast had immersed themselves fully in Roald Dahl’s whimsical world. The performances were as rich as Wonka’s finest chocolates, with each character bringing an energy that was both authentic and delightfully over-the-top. Whether it was the eccentric Willy Wonka, the ever-hopeful Charlie Bucket, or the parade of the child winners, every performer shined like a freshly unwrapped Everlasting Gobstopper.

But what truly elevated this production was the behind-the-scenes magic woven by directors Mrs. Neihengen, Mrs. Modica, and Mrs. Renna. Their dedication to fostering a love of the performing arts was evident in every polished scene, every well-timed cue, and every moment of pure theatrical delight. Under their expert guidance, the young actors not only embraced their roles but carried the audience along for a joyride through a chocolate factory that felt as real as any Hollywood set.

The sneak peek on March 14 offered students and staff a first taste of the spectacle to come, while the full performances on Friday and Saturday welcomed the entire community into this world of pure imagination. And the audience? Enthralled. Laughing, clapping, and maybe even shedding a tear or two for Charlie’s journey, they bore witness to a production that was both heartfelt and hilariously entertaining.

If there’s one takeaway from Willy Wonka Jr., it’s that the magic of theater is alive and thriving at GLS. This production was more than a show. It was a celebration of creativity, hard work, and the power of storytelling. And in the world of school productions, Willy Wonka Jr. was nothing short of golden.

Final verdict: Five out of five Wonka Bars and see below for those of you who missed the production.

Please follow the link below for more information about our Winter Athletics.

Please follow the button below to be directed to our GLS website for more details related to our Breakfast/Lunch menus and ordering information. If there are any questions, please contact our main office. As a reminder, our lunch fees are $3.75.

This year, you will continue to see important updates from me regarding the importance of attendance every day at GLS. More information will be forthcoming in upcoming newsletters but we wanted all of our students to start the year off headed in the right direction. Please follow this link to view our Academic Calendar for the upcoming school year and we encourage all of our families, to the greatest extent possible, to schedule doctor and dentist appointments, vacations, etc. on days off. While we understand there may certainly be extenuating circumstances out of your control, your help in sending your child to school every day will help them continue to excel at GLS.

As a reminder, Grass Lake encourages you to send your child to school every day, unless they are exhibiting one or more of the following symptoms:

1. The student has a temperature consistently above 100 even when taking medication in the last 24 hours.
2. The student is throwing up or experiencing diarrhea in the last 24 hours.
3. The student has pink eyes that are crusty and not receiving medication for them for 24 hours.

While this list is not all-inclusive your help is appreciated as even missing 2 days a month equates to missing almost 10% of the school year. Also, as a reminder, any absence due to illness that lasts for more than three consecutive days may be verified by a medical note, which must be produced within two days of the student’s return for the absence to be considered excused. Thank you for your help and support!

Grass Lake School hours of attendance are 7:45 a.m. until 2:45 p.m. on regular schedule days and 7:45 a.m. until 1:15 p.m. on early release late-start days. When reporting an absence please indicate the reason for the absence and if it is due to illness, please report symptoms including if your child has a fever, cough, or sore throat. This will assist the district in assessing when a student will return and whether it must comply with any reporting or notice requirements.

Please report absences by phone OR by email:

• Call (847) 395-1550, or
• Email attendance@gls36.org

If the school has not heard from you and your child is absent, you will receive a call to verify the absence. School code provides that parents/guardians/other persons having legal custody of a child provide telephone numbers at the time of enrollment to enable the school to notify the parent/guardian/other person with legal custody of the child’s absence from school. Accordingly, this verification of absence call will be made to the numbers provided at registration and not necessarily the parents’ places of employment.

This year, we have adjusted and included bus information in Infinite Campus. You can view your child(rens) bus information by following these steps or going to our website by following this link:

1. Sign into Infinite Campus
2. Select your GLS Student(s)
3. Select "More"' in the column on the left
4. Select "Transportation"
5. Under "Bus" it will read one of three numbers GLS00# (# indicates what bus 1, 2, or 3) to indicate if they are on bus 1, 2, or 3. This year we are running three routes for K-8.
6. If you are a Pre-Kindergarten parent it will read GLSPK# (# indicates what bus 1(AM), 2(AM), 3(PM), or 4(PM).

As a reminder, for Friday early release, please plan for students in grades K-8 to be home 1.5 hours earlier than Monday through Thursday.

We’ve also posted this information on our website, which you can access by following this link. As a reminder, during the first few days, the buses may run approximately 5-10 minutes off schedule, so we kindly ask for your patience. Additionally, all Pre- K and Kindergarten families, please plan on meeting your child at the bus stop, as the drivers will not release them unless an adult is present for safety purposes. We truly appreciate your cooperation in this matter.

Below, you’ll find a map for your convenience, detailing our drop-off and pick-up procedures. We ask that parents remain in their cars during drop-off and pick-up to ensure smooth traffic flow and student safety. The only exception is for Pre-K families, who may require the need to get out to get their child(ren) out of a 5 point harness car seat.

Please note the following morning waiting areas for students:

- Pre-K: Will enter in the main entrance but have a separate waiting area in our main foyer/hall.

- K-3: Library

- 4-6: MPR (Multi-Purpose Room)

- 7-8: Basement near their lockers

If you plan to pick your child up early from school, kindly email your child's teacher as well as Cristina Monroy, our administrative assistant. Early pick-up and late drop-off should be done through our main entrance. Please remember to bring your ID when picking up your child, as we want to ensure they are sent home with an approved individual.

When your child is dropped off in the morning, they will enter through the main entrance. In the afternoon, they will exit through the same doors (marked by the yellow box below). Please wait in your car, and we will release students to you as quickly as possible. Again, we ask for your patience at the beginning of the year as we refine our procedures—rest assured, the process will become faster as everyone gets accustomed to it. Additionally, please do not drop off your child until the front doors open at 7:30 am.

Thank you for your continued support!

GRASS LAKE SCHOOL

26177 W. Grass Lake Rd. Antioch, IL 60002
Phone: (847) 395-1550 | Fax: (847) 395-8632

Email: rwollberg@gls36.org
Website: www.gls36.org
Location: Grass Lake School District 36, West Grass Lake Road, Antioch, IL, USA
Phone: 847-395-1550