About Us
About KCSD96
The Mission:
Ensure every child achieves his or her maximum potential
The Vision:
Become the premier elementary school district in the nation
Collective Commitments to each Value statement below represent the culminating work of a multistakeholder group in Apr. 2019. Their focus was establishing understanding of each value as it applies in our diverse culture today.
The Values:
Model for others what we expect from others
Every child, every school, every day
Best practice, not first practice
Learning has no boundaries
Celebrate success
Collective Commitments:
We embed creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, and communication continually into instruction.
We engage in thoughtful reflection on data to make informed choices about instruction and programming.
We commit to continuous improvement and innovation and adjust our practices accordingly.
We learn collaboratively as adults and students.
We challenge one another respectfully.
We commit to rigor and productive struggle.
We lean in to discomfort.
We trust and believe in the power of our collective efficacy.
We embrace growing and learning through taking risks.
We learn from our mistakes and our failures.
U.S. Department of Public Education Blue Ribbon Schools
KCSD96 is home to 5 schools that have received Blue Ribbon Awards on behalf of the United States Department of Education.
Illinois Green Ribbon District
In 2025, KCSD96 was recognized as a Illinois Green Ribbon honoree on behalf of its green and eco-conscious initiatives across the district.
In 1946, four one-room school districts merged to form Kildeer Countryside Community Consolidated School District 96. Since then, the community has changed from rural farmland with few urban regions to well-populated suburban areas.
History of KCSD96
Comprising approximately 3,200 students and 500 certified and educational support personnel, Kildeer Countryside School District 96 is an elementary school district covering about 20 square miles in southern Lake County, Illinois. The District includes portions of Buffalo Grove, Hawthorn Woods, Kildeer, Lake Zurich, Long Grove, and Vernon Hills. Most District 96 students continue their education at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, ranked #171 in U.S. News Best High School 2021 national rankings and ranked #6 in U.S. News Best Illinois High Schools 2021.
In 1999 the District constructed an elementary school and a middle school and made major renovations to three of its existing school buildings. In a districtwide reorganization implemented in 1999, one building was designated as an Early Childhood/Kindergarten Center, four buildings as elementary schools housing grades 1-5, and two buildings as middle schools housing grades 6-8.
Generally, middle-to upper-class communities comprise District 96. The student community is predominantly White (48.7%), with 36.3% Asian. A small percentage of students are Black (1.6%) or Hispanic (9%). Low-income families make up 5.4% of the student population and 18.2% of students are categorized as English Learners. In District 96, 67.4% of the teachers hold master’s degrees or higher. The pupil/teacher ratio is 14:1. Regarding the financial strength and stability, the District continues to receive exemplary ratings for fiscal stability, as evidenced by the Financial Recognition status awarded by the Illinois State Board of Education for the 14th consecutive year and the District's "Aaa" bond rating.
District academic performance is strong. View District 96 Illinois School Report Cards here.
Twin Groves Middle School, Ivy Hall Elementary School, Woodlawn Middle School, Kildeer Elementary School, and Prairie Elementary School have earned national Blue Ribbon recognition from the U.S. Department of Education. In 2013, Twin Groves earned Blue Ribbon recognition for a second time. In 2016, Woodlawn Middle School was awarded a second Blue Ribbon. In 2019, Ivy Hall was awarded a second Blue Ribbon. Also, each of the four elementary schools has been awarded Blue Ribbon recognition status for its physical education program. Five of the District 96 schools have been recognized by the Chicago Sun Times (March 2009) in the Top 50 Suburban Public Schools list. In October 2006, Ivy Hall, Kildeer Countryside, and Prairie Schools were recognized in Chicago magazine as among the Top 15 Public Schools in Lake County. In Chicago Magazine's 2016 Best Public Schools issue, Country Meadows ranked #3 in the Lake County Top Ten Elementary Schools. In 2018, Woodlawn was recognized with the distinguished DuFour Award as the nation's exemplary Professional Learning Community.