The first full week of March is National School Social Work Week. This week-long celebration shines a spotlight on the dedicated professionals who play a pivotal role in enhancing the well--being and success of students across the nation.

In recognition of the invaluable service our VVSD school social workers provide, we visited with Tibbott Elementary Social Worker Krizia Gonzalez. Krizia’s original plan was to become a special needs teacher because of a bond she had formed with a cousin with autism. That plan changed in college when Krizia took a class in social work.

Watch the Video!

Mohammed Qurashi (left), Owner and President, Romeoville Mobil presents the Mobil STEM Program Grant to Irene King Elementary Principal April Vacik (right).

The generosity of Romeoville Mobil Owner and President Mohammed Qurashi continues in 2025 with a donation of $500 to science, technology, engineering, and math programs (STEM) in Valley View Community Unit School District 365U on behalf of the ExxonMobil Educational Alliance Program.

Irene King Elementary School is the 2025 beneficiary of ExxonMobil’s generosity and Qurashi’s dedication to supporting his community. He is the Owner and President of the Romeoville Mobil station located at 135th St. and Illinois Route 53. Irene King Elementary will use the money to help stage a STEM Night for Families later this school year.

Irene King Elementary Principal April Vacik accepted the donation on behalf of Irene King students and staff saying, “We are grateful to have such a wonderful community partner like Mr.Qurashi. For 13 years in a row now, he has supported VVSD school by securing this grant. This year’s grant will benefit both our students and families by helping fund our Family STEM Night.”

The ExxonMobil Educational Alliance Program seeks to create “aha” moments for students by providing STEM funds to schools all over the country. Since the inception of this national program, ExxonMobil has committed over $40 million to supporting STEM programs in schools.

VVSD invites parents and guardians of our students to take part in an on-line survey about your child’s school called the Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This important survey will provide valuable information about our learning community and will help guide our ongoing improvement efforts. Here is the link to the survey: www.vvsd.org/5essentials

The survey is through Fri., March 28. If you do not have access to the internet, you may stop by a school, or you can visit your local library.

Online enrollment for all returning 2025-26 students and students entering kindergarten is now open.

To be eligible to register for kindergarten, a student must be five years old on or before Sept 1, 2025, and the family must live with VVSD boundaries.

Families of current VVSD students are able to register via their Infinite Campus Parent Portal account while families new to the District will be able to register online. Click here for more details about the enrollment process.

VVSD’s Secondary Transition Experience Program hosts their annual Transition Night on Thu. March 20 from 5:30- 8 pm. Entry to the event is through the STEP Campus entrance at Door #13 on the west side of Brooks Middle School.

Transition Night is a resource for families of all VVSD students who have Individualized Education Plans. There will be numerous presenters and vendors with helpful information on how families can support students with special needs and how to prepare for a student’s eventual transition from their time as a school student. Connect with service providers, including college sponsorships, vocational programs, guardianship, benefits planning, and more.
Childcare will be provided.

Per Illinois Law (Child Health Examination Code, 77 ILL. Adm. Code 665), all children in kindergarten, 2nd, 6th, and 9th grades of any public, private, or parochial school shall have a dental examination. Each child is required to present proof of School Dental Examination or a Dental Examination Waiver by a dentist prior to May 15 of the school year.

The Will County Community Health Center provides regular exams, cleanings, fluoride treatments, sealants, fillings, extractions, and education to understand proper dental care.

Call 815-774-7300 for questions or appointments.

VVSD is still hiring for a wide range of positions for the 2024-25 school year with an emphasis on adding to our teams of paraprofessionals, lunchroom/playground aides and special education teachers.

We are also seeking new team members including guest teachers, bus drivers, operations & maintenance, nutrition services, and special education staff.

VVSD’s employment opportunities offer schedules for staff members that are in synchronization with school schedules, making VVSD a great choice for parents who need to have their work schedule match up with the school hours, and Winter and Spring Break for their children. To see all VVSD job opportunities and to apply, visit www.vvsd.org/jobs

VVSD is hosting two upcoming job fairs specifically for openings with our VVSD Nutrition Service Team. The dates for these job fairs are Fri. March 21, and Fri. April 11. All three job fairs are from

10 am- Noon. These job fairs will be hosted on the VVSD Indeed.com website.

VVSD Nutrition Services is hiring for the following positions: General Nutrition Services Team Member, Asst. Kitchen Managers.

Illinois legislation allows individuals with 60 hours of college credit to apply for a short-term substitute teacher license. The DuPage Regional Office of Education offers the required training, which must be completed prior to licensure. Topics include curriculum, classroom management techniques, school safety, and more.

For more information about becoming a VVSD Guest Teacher, visit https://www.vvsd.org/careers/be-a-substitute

The Ville Theatre at Romeoville HS presents their 2025 Spring Musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella” on stage in the David Carlson Auditorium Fri. March 7 & Sat. March 8 at 7 pm, and Sat. March 8 and Sun. March 9 at 2 pm.

We all know the story, but did you know this is the only musical Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote for television? The firs television production aired live in 1957 and featured Julie Andrews in the title role.

Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at https://romeovillehschoir.ludus.com/index.php?sections=events

The Brook Theatre at Bolingbrook HS presents their 2025 Spring Musical, “Into the Woods” on stage in the Claar Family Theatre Fri. March 14 and Sat. March 15 at 7 pm, and in a special matinee on Sun. March 16 at 3 pm.

“Into the Woods” is a musical adaptation of the book by the same name with the music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairytales.

Tickets are $12 each and can be purchased at https://www.thebrooktheatre.org/tickets-payments

The A. Vito Martinez Middle School Drama Club presents the Charlotte Nixon play “Dr. Experimentor and the League of Evil on the AVM stage Fri. March 21 at 6 pm and Sat. March 22 at Noon.

Dr. Experimentor, a mastermind supervillain, must fight to maintain his membership in the infamous League of Evil. There’s just one problem — membership means defeating superhero Extremo, who happens to be his best friend!

Tickets will be sold at the door: $5 for adults, $3 for students (of any age), AVM students and children 6 years or younger will get in for free. Please bring cash for ticket purchase and snacks.

Bolingbrook HS 11th grade student Alejandra Flores earned a fourth-place finish in the 115-pound weight class at the IHSA Girls Wrestling Championships. Alejandra advanced to the semifinals in the winner’s bracket before her first defeat and then won her first consolation match to advance to the consolation final.

VVSD has nine student-athletes competing in the IESA Wrestling Championships Fri. March 7 and Sat. March 8 at the Northern Illinois University Convocation Center. Jane Addams Middle School has two 8th grade students, Troy Houston and Arik Thompson qualified in the 275-pound class in the Class A Championships. The other seven VVSD qualifiers will compete in the Class AA Championships. Representing Brooks Middle School are 6th grade students DeShaun Wilder in the 95-pound class, 7th grade student DeAndre Wilder in the 112-pound class, and 8th grade students Alex Aparicio in the 119-pound class and Jay Wu in the 215-pound class. Representing Lukancic Middle School are 8th grade students Luis Gonzalez in the 185-pound class and Jonathan Rivera in the 215-pound class. Humphrey Middle School 7th grade student Dominic Budzyk will compete in the 85-pound class.

Wood View Elementary School Principal Loretta Furtute is a finalist for the 2025 Illinois Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership. The Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Leadership honors exemplary performance in school leadership by a principal or head of school who has had a significant and sustained positive impact on the school, created a culture of inclusivity, and delivered dramatic student growth.

Bolingbrook HS Principal Dr. Jason Pascavage is the recipient of an award from Bolingbrook Sanskriti for his continuing support of students of Indian heritage. Sanskriti is a non-profit organization based in Bolingbrook that is dedicated to organizing cultural events and activities that bring people together. Founded with a mission to promote and preserve India's rich cultural heritage, Sanskriti strives to create a platform that allows individuals to come together and celebrate their shared heritage.

In accordance with the Open Meetings Act, the Agenda for the meeting will be posted no later than 48 hours prior to the start of the meeting. Click here to view the Agenda The Meeting is available via live stream on the VVSD YouTube Channel, VVSD365U

Upcoming Important School Calendar Dates

Mon. March 10

Third Grading Period Ends

Wed. March 12

Early Release (Elem 2:15, MS 1:20, HS 12:43)

Wed. March 26

Early Release (Elem 2:15, MS 1:20, HS 12:43)

Events for the Coming Week

Fri. March 7

Romeoville HS Spring Musical “Cinderella” 7 pm

Sat. March 8

Romeoville HS Spring Musical “Cinderella” 2 pm

Romeoville HS Spring Musical “Cinderella” 7 pm

Sun. March 9

Romeoville HS Spring Musical “Cinderella” 2 pm

Fri. March 14

Bolingbrook HS Spring Musical “Into the Woods” 7 pm

Sat. March 15

Bolingbrook HS Spring Musical “Into the Woods” 7 pm

Sun. March 16

Bolingbrook HS Spring Musical “Into the Woods” 3 pm

Bolingbrook Park District residents and Valley View School District students are now able to register for the REACH All-Day Care program. All the information and how to register is located at the following: http://www.bolingbrookparks.org/en/programs/reach-extended-school-care/

Fountaindale Public Library

Take flight with Reading Dragons & Friends. Earn unique trading cards and battle your friends. For every 30 minutes you read, you will receive one card. The more you read, the more cards you earn. You can also earn cards by attending special events and completing reading challenges throughout the year. For kids in grades K–5. Stop by Fountaindale Library's Children's Services Desk to sign up today! Learn more at fountaindale.org/dragons.

West Suburban Community Pantry

West Suburban Community Pantry provides emergency food services to people in DuPage and Will Counties through both our in-person and virtual food pantries. We also connect families with other vital resources so they can pursue a brighter future. We are breaking down barriers that prevent our neighbors from getting the nourishment they need to succeed by offering a variety of services. Find out more at WSCPantry.org, or shop for groceries online at VirtualFoodPantry.net

Romeoville Community Pantry

The Romeoville Community Pantry is a community service organization operated by volunteers in the Romeoville community. The Pantry serves anyone who lives in Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Lockport, Plainfield, Lemont, and Crest Hill. The pantry is open every Saturday 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Clients are asked to provide a current photo ID and proof of residence in order to participate in our services. The location is inside the United Presbyterian Church located at 2 Belmont Drive in Romeoville. Please check the Romeoville Community Pantry Facebook page for any further updates https://www.facebook.com/romeovillecommunitypantry/

Northern Illinois Food Bank

The Northern Illinois Food Bank is conducting mobile food banks and micro pantries in the vicinity in the near future. Please bring bags or boxes. Micro Pantries are designed to allow anonymous food pick-up for those in need and a drop-off point for those who wish to help. Micro pantries are accessible 24 hours a day. To find a Micro Pantry near you visit: http://arcg.is/04LijC

Will County MAPP Food Micro Pantries

Will County Mobilizing for Action through Planning and Partnerships conducts micro and mobile food pantries throughout Will County. Click here for more details and a map of locations.