Grass Lake School News

What a great week to be a BRAVE! So many wonderful things happened throughout the building this week! On Wednesday, we celebrated 100 days of school, marking a milestone in our school year. It was incredible to see both students and staff reflect on all they have accomplished this year and celebrate their growth. While it’s hard to believe we’re already at this point in the year and the end of the school year will be here before we know it!

Moments like these remind us of the importance of working with our students to foster both academic and personal growth as education extends beyond academics; it's about fostering engaged, thoughtful, and respectful citizens. A framework that I lean heavily on in all my work as an educator is the Social Discipline Window. This model emphasizes the balance between high expectations and strong support, ensuring that we work "with" students rather than simply doing things "to" them or "for" them. By holding students accountable while also providing the guidance they need, we cultivate a school culture that is both structured and caring and values student voice and choice.

At Grass Lake, we know that meaningful growth happens when we work with students, families, and staff as partners in education. This means fostering open communication, building trust, and ensuring that every student receives both the support and accountability needed to thrive. When we embrace the social discipline window and work with one another, rather than doing things to or for others, we create a school environment where students take ownership of their learning, feel valued, and develop the skills necessary for success. Together, we can continue to build a strong, connected, and supportive school community and I look forward to the remainder of the year!

As we continue in this partnership, Dr. Newby will be addressing updates and taking questions regarding new regulation changes and their impact on the school community, a Parent/Community Forum will be held via Zoom today, February 6 at 6:00 PM. This session will provide an opportunity for discussion and clarification. Families are encouraged to join using the following link.

We are excited to continue to share that this year GLS launched our very own GLS Food Pantry, dedicated to supporting our students and families in need. If you would like to contribute, we welcome donations of non-perishable food items. If you’d like to help out in another way or have any questions, please reach out to our school social worker, Kelly Porter at 847-603-5160 or kporter@gls36.org. Thank you for helping us build a stronger and supportive school community!

Looking ahead, please note that there will be no school on Friday, February 14, as our staff will be participating in the 2025 FeBRRuary: Breathe, Rejuvenate, Reflect Institute Day, hosted by the Lake County Regional Office of Education. This day provides an incredible opportunity for professional growth as we collaborate with educators from across the county to reflect, recharge, and learn together. We’re excited to bring back valuable insights that will continue to enhance learning at Grass Lake!

In keeping with our mission of celebrating lifelong learning and community connections, we’re excited to introduce a new section in our updates: GLS Alumni in the Spotlight! This feature will highlight former Grass Lake students who are making a difference in their schools, careers, or communities. We believe it’s important to showcase how the strong foundation built at GLS continues to support our students well beyond their time here. See our first spotlight below!

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

At GLS, we value continuous improvement and your honest feedback! Please take a moment to share your thoughts on our school communication. Your input helps us ensure families stay informed and connected. The poll will close on February 13, and we truly appreciate your time and feedback. Thank you!

At Grass Lake School, we take pride in our history and the incredible individuals who have walked our halls. Today, we’re thrilled to celebrate one of our very own, Zackary Simonini, a GLS alum who is making waves in Hollywood!

Zack’s journey from GLS to the big screen has been nothing short of inspiring. In 2024 alone, he has appeared in three movies and a commercial, and now, he’s stepping onto an even bigger stage FOX’s game show, THE FLOOR Season 3! That’s right, he’s stepping up, stepping over, and hopefully NOT stepping off too soon!

For those who know Zack, this success comes as no surprise. His passion, perseverance, and talent have taken him far, and we couldn’t be prouder to see a GLS graduate reaching new heights. Whether he’s winning big on The Floor or lighting up the silver screen, one thing is certain: I am sure many of you who know Zach will say, “We always knew he’d be famous!”

Let’s celebrate Zack’s journey and cheer him on as he takes on this exciting new challenge. Tune in, support a fellow BRAVE, and remember that autographs are still free (for now)!

GLS Afterschool Club Pajama Party was a success and the kiddos had a great time! So many smiles and laughs were heard! See below for what is in store for this week!

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 8th graders have picked up the ukuleles once again, revisiting an instrument they first explored in 5th grade! This year, they’ve taken their skills to the next level and diving deeper into playing chords to accompany songs and mastering individual notes to create melodies. From strumming along to familiar tunes to developing their musical confidence, it’s been exciting to see their progress.

Also, We are looking for volunteers! If you would like to volunteer to sell ice cream, sign up below.

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