Dear Country Meadows Families,
We had a great start to the month of February. We will keep this momentum going with full learning ahead.
We will be celebrating Valentine’s Day on Friday, February 14. If you choose to send valentines to school and include an item with your child's valentines, please note for the safety of our students only non-food items are allowed. As a reminder, next Friday, February 14, is a half-school day. Students will be dismissed at 11:45am.
Kindly,
Aska Lempke
*Upcoming Dates*
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Friday, February 14 - HALF DAY - School Improvement Day Only Blended PM attend (8:40 - 11:10 a.m.)
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Monday, February 17 - NO SCHOOL | District Holiday
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Tuesday, February 18 - EARLY RELEASE DAY
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Friday, February 21 - Report period ends, EC-Grade 8
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Friday, February 28 - NO SCHOOL | Institute Day Trimester 2 report cards issued
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Wednesday, January 15 - Tuesday, March 4 - ACCESS Testing
2024-25 School Year Calendar & Hours
REPEAT *Middle School Choice*
We are delighted to share some exciting news starting the 25-26 school year impacting all KCSD96 middle school students at both Twin Groves and Woodlawn. Whether or not you have children who are soon making the transition to middle school, it’s important for all KCSD96 parents to read this information and become acclimated with what’s to come for their children in the future.
The KCSD96 Board of Education recently approved the district’s recommendation to allow middle school students to have a choice in their elective courses. Giving students the choice in their electives offers several key benefits that positively impact their academic, personal, and social development– providing a well rounded educational foundation as we prepare students for high school and beyond.
This means, all middle school students will have choice in taking two of the five options based on their selections: Choir, Band, Orchestra, Spanish, and Exploratories (Music, TASOL which stands for The Art of Science and Living, and Art).
Middle School Families Only: The week of February 10th 2025, incoming middle school families will receive digital information on each course option offered by the district. We encourage families to spend time together to discuss the different elective options with their students and identify their preferences. The week of March 3rd, students will make their selections during the school day.
Please keep in mind that our primary goal is to create a well-balanced schedule that supports each student’s success across all classes. While we strive to accommodate students' elective choices, scheduling constraints may limit availability in some cases. Thank you for your support as we work to provide meaningful learning experiences for all students.
REPEAT: Valentine’s Day
Valentine's Day will be celebrated during PTO classroom parties at all elementary schools (Country Meadows, Ivy Hall, Kildeer, and Prairie) on Friday, February 14th. Since February 14 is a half-day, classroom parties will take place from 10:45-11:30am. Your child's teacher will send home any classroom-specific information related to Valentine's Day. Valentines are already popping up in stores. If you choose to send valentines to school and include an item with your child's valentines, please note for the safety of our students only non-food items are permissible. This practice is consistent for all classrooms in District 96 elementary schools, including Willow Grove.
REPEAT: Who We Are Night
Country Meadows is hosting a Who We Are Night on Thursday, April 24 from 6-7:30pm. The purpose of this event is to cultivate a sense of belonging with our staff, students, and community members. We are excited to learn from and about our Country Meadows families! This night includes everything that makes us special.
We will need your family’s help! How? Does your family have:
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A special recipe?
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Talent?
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Language?
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Customs?
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Traditional attire?
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Tradition?
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Activities you do as a family?
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Art?
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Music?
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Ability?
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Anything else that makes your family special?
Families are invited to create a booth to showcase what makes them special! You don't have to be an expert to run a booth. We want to learn about your experience!
For those interested, please fill out this Google Form to provide us with some details related to your family’s booth presentation. We encourage everyone to share in a way that feels comfortable to them. Families may choose to bring in a trifold with information, share photos, play music, lead an activity, or think of another creative avenue. In addition, if you would like to work with other families who share similar interests or experiences, please feel free to indicate that in the linked form. Forms are due by Tuesday, April 1st.
If you would prefer to not share anything, we would still love to see you at this event to learn! All students and families are welcome! Students must be accompanied by their adult (this is not a drop-off event).
We are excited to have many different representations from families and learn Who We Are! See you there!
REPEAT: Begin Kindergarten Registration Today!
Kildeer Countryside School District 96 is excited to welcome kindergarteners for the 2025–2026 school year! Get the process started TODAY! To ensure all students have the opportunity to build a strong and consistent educational foundation, children who are five years old on or before September 1st of a given school year will be enrolled in Kindergarten. Children who are six years old on or before September 1st of a given school year will be enrolled in first grade. For more information, please visit: https://www.kcsd96.org/wg/kindergarten-registration Please note, registration for all other grades at KCSD96 will begin on March 4th.
Registration Timeline:
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January 2025: Begin the registration process by emailing all required documents to Cristina Castro, Administrative Assistant at Willow Grove Early Learning Center, at [email protected]. If you have a student currently enrolled in Pre-K at Willow Grove, you do not need to resubmit these documents.
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March 4, 2025: Registration opens for all KCSD96 students. For incoming Kindergarten families, the district will send online registration links to Kindergarten families who have had their documents approved.
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March 18, 2025: Dual Language Program Virtual Parent Night from 6-6:30pm. This is for parents of incoming Kindergarten students who are interested in learning more about the program. Meeting link to be provided.
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April 15, 2025: Early Bird Discount Ends for Registration. Dual Language Lottery due date.
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April 29, 2025: Virtual Dual Language Lottery at 5pm. Meeting link to be provided.
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April 30, 2025: Complete registration by this date to attend the Kindergarten Kick-Off event at Willow Grove Early Learning Center. Registered families get the sign-up right away once they are fully registered.
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May 14, 2025: Kindergarten Kickoff will be held at Willow Grove. This event is sign-up only for families who are fully registered by April 30. Students will receive a free t-shirt!
Required Documents:
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Child's birth certificate, passport, or visa
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Parent/guardian driver's license or passport
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Recent (within 30 days) mortgage statement, signed lease, or property tax bill
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Recent (within 30 days) utility bill
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Completed Enrollment Form, Residency Form, and Home Language Survey (available in multiple languages)
Please review the Health Requirements and submit the necessary health forms by the specified due dates.
For questions, contact Cristina Castro at [email protected] or call (847) 541-3660.
Dual Language Opportunity
Interested in having your child obtain a bilingual education? The KCSD96 Spanish/English Dual Language Program is a unique and enriching opportunity in our region-- providing an opportunity for students to develop a deep academic proficiency in two languages. In the Dual Language Program, 50 percent of the academic curriculum is delivered in Spanish, and 50 percent of the academic curriculum is delivered in English.
If families are interested in the Spanish/English Dual Language Program Lottery, they must indicate so during the virtual registration process starting in March. The deadline is April 15th. The lottery will be hosted virtually on May 5th. For more information, please visit: https://www.kcsd96.org/curriculum/dual-language-lottery
KCSD96 will be hosting a Virtual Parent Night from 6 to 6:30 p.m. on March 18, 2025, for parents of incoming Kindergarten students who are interested in learning more about the Dual Language Program.
Principal's Message Raffle Winner!
