109 News

Thank you to everyone for your patience and grace this morning as we battled icy conditions. The weather forecast is looking like it may present some more slick conditions tomorrow and Thursday, so please make sure to leave enough time so that no one is in a rush!

In the past, we have only notified families if school is NOT happening in a traditional fashion. This winter, we have experimented with morning email and text only notifications (like today) to tell you that yes, school is happening! We only do this if we think there are enough questions/concerns to warrant a status update or if other districts start adjusting their schedules. Do you like the change? Cast your anonymous vote below or contact communications@dps109.org with your feedback. We will share results in the next 109 News.

1st Semester Report Cards will be available in Skyward Family Access under the Portfolio tab this Friday at 3:00 PM. Returning families will notice some changes from past years. A committee of teachers and administrators have worked together throughout the year to make improvements. They focused on the goal of making the report card a more meaningful tool for families. Look for more information from your child's school about the changes this week.

A HUGE thank you to those who were able to join us for this event on January 9th! We were thrilled to bring together so many DPS 109 staff members along with the police and fire departments. LEAD, and Be Smart to connect families with resources and information.

Have no idea what Twitch or Discord is or what to watch for? Solveig Jurmu (Director of Safety & Security) has you covered.

Looking for some parental monitoring tools for your teen's smartphone? We have some ideas for you!

Also, how do you talk about this appropriately with your 7-year -old AND your 12-year-old? We have advice on how to tailor the conversation.

Click below to check out our assembled resources and the recording of the evening's presentation. You can also watch the video below for highlights and insights from each board member.

The Board of Education held their January meeting last Thursday at the District Office. Two things of note in the recap below:

Joanna Ford, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services, and a number of other staff members gave an important update on Goal 3 of the Strategic Plan on how DPS 109 is working towards equitable outcomes for all kids.

We were also honored to welcome the Walden 5th grade Student Council leaders, who have taken the district's new four-point strategic plan and formed subcommittees around each of the goals to see how students can help implement them at Walden. Great job, Wildcats!

Inclusion: What Every Parent Should Know

January 30, 2024 at 6PM

District 109 Board Room

517 Deerfield Rd., Deerfield, IL 60015

Click below to register.

Registration will close tomorrow: January 24, 2024

A virtual option is available. We encourage attendees to attend in-person to maximize their learning experience.The first 50 attendees will receive a $10 Amazon gift card.

QUESTIONS? EMAIL NICOLE MAGESIS, PARENT ENGAGEMENT FACILITATOR

NMAGESIS@TRUENORTH804.ORG

Growing Up In Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World

February 6, 2024 @ 7 p.m.

Highland Park High School Auditorium

Click below to register.

Drawing on her extensive work with parents and schools as well as hundreds of interviews with kids, parents, educators, clinicians, and scholars, Devorah Heitner offers strategies for parenting our kids in an always-connected world. With relatable stories and research-backed advice, Growing Up in Public empowers parents to cut through the overwhelm to connect with their kids, recognize how to support them, and help them figure out who they are when everyone is watching

The Deerfield Park Foundation is a nonprofit whose mission is to make Deerfield Park District Camps and programs accessible to all families, regardless of their financial position. If you would like your child to attend a Deerfield Park District Summer Camp or program, but you are experiencing financial hardship, please reach out to the Deerfield Park District, registration@deerfieldparks.org, and inquire about Deerfield Park Foundation assistance.

This membership is for middle and elementary school students ONLY. For only $10, it provides FREE Admission to ALL Deerfield High School HOME Football games, ALL HOME Basketball games (girls & boys) & ALL HOME Wrestling matches (IHSA events, playoffs and tournaments not included). Register at www.d113boosters.org and include your student’s name, and a digital download fast pass will be emailed.

Get your family calendars out because the 24-25 school calendar is officially here!

There are so many GOOD things going on in our buildings and around our district each day... we do our best to try and capture it and bring it to you! Wilmot held their spelling bee this afternoon... congrats to 4th grader Tamar (pictured below) for winning it by spelling sphagnum.

Kipling 5th graders in Ms. Guest's class held a very classy get-together this morning to showcase the poetry they have been writing. They set up their room cafe style and invited a number of special guests to listen, including Superintendent Simeck!