District 96 Families:
What a wild week this was ~ a dive back into the cold temps with sleet and ice on Wednesday night, dry streets the next morning, with some power outages and downed tree limbs and branches.
We hope some warmer temps return next week, just in time for the kick-off of registration for the 2023-24 school year on Wednesday.
Families of current district students and those of incoming Kindergartners who were pre-registered will receive emailed links for them to start the registration process.
Reminder: There is no school on two days coming up ~ Friday, March 3, and Monday, March 6.
Also happening …
Coming Up
- February 24: Report period ends (Willow Grove - Grade 8)
- February 27: CM/K 4th-5th Grade Orchestra Concert ~ rescheduled (7 p.m., Woodlawn)
- March 1: Registration opens for the 2023-24 school year
- March 1: “Foster Self-Care for Caregivers” (7 p.m., online and in-person, Vernon Area Public Library, Lincolnshire)
- March 3: No School (Teacher Institute Day)
- March 3: Trimester 2 report cards issued
- March 6: No School (District Holiday)
- March 8: Virtual Parent Night for Dual Language, for Parents of Incoming Kindergartners (6-7 p.m.)
Spring Conferences Coming in March
Student-Led Spring Conferences will be held on Thursday, March 23, from 5 to 8:30 p.m. and Friday, March 24 from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. For more information on conferences, please see this week's Principal Message.
Human Growth and Development
Each year, Physical Education teachers provide Human Growth and Development lessons to students in 4th and 5th grade. The materials used to teach those lessons are available for preview in the Principal Message.
Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) Planned for March
Students in grades 3 - 8 take the Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) each spring. This year, the district will be administering the IAR to students Tuesday, March 7, through Monday, March 13. Prairie Elementary and Kildeer Countryside Elementary have been selected for a field test this year, which will be administered on Tuesday, March 14.
Opening March 1: Registration for 2023-24 School Year
Registration for the 2023-24 school year opens on Wednesday, March 1. Parents and guardians of pre-registered and returning District 96 students will be emailed a link to register their child for the 2023-24 school year.
Families who will be enrolling children for the first time in District 96 schools can find registration information here: https://www.kcsd96.org/about/registration/register-a-new-student-for-the-next-school-year
Complete registration by April 15 to receive a $20 Early-Bird discount. Families with returning students who register after April 15 will pay the standard registration fee. Registering early helps us to plan for the upcoming school year.
Early-Bird registration fees for 2023-24 are:
- Early Childhood/Blended Tuition: $2,870 (or, $335.07 monthly)
- Kindergarten: $90
- Grades 1-4: $110
- Grade 5: $120
- Grades 6-8: $135
Indicate Your Interest in D96 Dual Language, Beginning March 1*
It’s time to indicate interest in the D96 Dual Language Program for incoming kindergartners!
The District 96 Spanish/English Dual Language Program was designed several years ago to implement instruction across the curriculum that provides 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.
Families interested in enrolling their incoming kindergartner in the Spanish/English Dual Language Program can indicate so on the registration form while completing the kindergarten registration process that begins March 1, 2023. This process should be completed by April 15, 2023, to be entered into the Dual Language Lottery. Please note that indicating interest in the Dual Language Program does not guarantee acceptance into the Dual Language program.
Please visit our District 96 Website to learn more about the optional:
- Spanish/English Dual Language Program: https://www.kcsd96.org/curriculum/dual-language and our
- Dual Language Lottery: https://www.kcsd96.org/curriculum/dual-language-lottery
* District 96 will be hosting a Virtual Parent Night from 6 to 7 p.m. on MARCH 8 for parents of incoming Kindergarten students who are interested in learning more about the Dual Language Program.*
5Essentials Parent Survey Available
Through April 2, District 96 invites you to share your thoughts on the inner workings of your child’s school. On behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey will be administered online by UChicago Impact at the University of Chicago. 
As a parent, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness in a survey about your child’s school. Your participation will help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide our improvement. Parent identity and survey responses will be kept completely confidential and will never be connected to you or your child.
Please visit http://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/ to begin the parent survey. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact UChicago Impact Client Services at 1-866-440-1874 or [email protected].
Fostering Self-Care Session for Parents
You have a few more days to register for the free, self-care forum for parents, hosted by three area school districts.
The session is "Self-Care for the Caregivers: Evidence Based Strategies for Fostering Personal and Family Well-Being” ~ set for 7 p.m. March 1, 2023. This forum will be held online and also in-person at the Vernon Area Public Library, 300 Olde Half Day Road, in Lincolnshire. There is limited seating for the in-person portion. .png?mask=8)
District 96, District 102, and District 103 and the Vernon Area Public Library are co-hosting this forum.
The name of each in-person attendee will be entered into a drawing for one of five $25 gift cards to local restaurants; the names of the winners will be drawn at the end of this event.
Clinical psychologist Dr. Caroline Adelman will guide this session. Dr. Adelman will “help us develop strategies for navigating our roles as parents with greater attention to self-care, self-compassion, and intentionality around our values,” according to organizers.
Register at:
- In-Person: https://selfcareforcaregivers_live.eventbrite.com
- Virtual: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/virtual-self-care-for-the-caregivers-fostering-family-well-being-tickets-480874367177
If you have questions, contact Lubna Andrabi, the district's Community Parent Liaison, at [email protected].
IN THE SCHOOLS
Prairie Students’ Exploration Day: Last Friday, students at Prairie Elementary School explored several activities, including yoga, gardening, creating optical illusions and other pursuits.This was all part of the school’s Students Exploration Day.
Congrats, to This Winning Student-Artist!
Congratulations to due the student whose artwork was select as a winner in the Chicago Sun-Times Student Mural Contest: Way to go!!
The student’s artwork could be featured on the Salt Shed, one of the Windy City’s new music venues!
In Our Virtual BackPacks
Check out the virtual backpacks for information on:
- Decorating Officer Essig’s Office (March 1-10): (tinyurl.com/DecorateD96ROOffice)
- Law Day Activities: https://19thcircuitcourt.state.il.us/1446/Law-Day-Activities
- Stevenson Math Circle: tinyurl.com/StevensonMathCircle2023
- 211 Lake County Resources: A variety of helpful resources, with information in a variety of languages: https://211lakecounty.org/
QUESTIONS?
District 96 will communicate with you every Friday through E-NEWS 96 and through Principal’s Messages from each school in which you have a student enrolled. It’s important to read these messages weekly. Questions about KCSD96 communications? Call 847.459.4260, ext. 8022, or send email to the Media & Communications Specialist @ [email protected].
The next issue of E-NEWS 96 will be Friday, March 3, 2023.