E-NEWS 96, April 28, 2023

District 96 Families:

Next week we move into our final full month of this school year!  It is hard to believe that the year sped by so quickly!

Our final month will be filled with celebrations, final musical performances and transitions, such as New Parent Coffees and 5th graders visiting their new middle school.

Here’s what’s ahead: 

Coming Up

• April 28:          5th Grade Night Out (6-8 p.m., Woodlawn Middle School)
• May 4:             “Annie Jr.” Twin Groves Musical  (7 p.m., Twin Groves Middle School)
• May 7-13:        Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week
• May 9:               Student Recognition (Board of Education meeting, 7 p.m., Ivy Hall ES)
• May 9:               Board of Education meeting (7 p.m., Mat Room, Ivy Hall Elementary School)
• May 10:             CM/K 4th-5th Grade Orchestra Spring Concert  (7 p.m.)
• May 11:              6th-8th Grade Orchestra Concert @ Twin Groves  (7 p.m.)
• May 11:              Woodlawn 6th-8th Grade Orchestra Concert (7 p.m.)
• May 12:              Kindergarten Music Performance (during school day)
• May 15:              Proof of Dental Exam due (for Kindergarten, 2nd and 6th Graders)
• May 16:              New Parent Coffee (8:45 a.m., Woodlawn)
• May 23:              Early Release Day
  • Early Release Dismissal Times are:
  • Grades 1-5 dismiss at 2:05 p.m.
  • Grades 6-8 dismiss at 1:30 p.m.
  • Kindergarten dismisses at 2:05 p.m.
  • Structured: 8:30 a.m. to 2:05 p.m.
  • Blended AM: 8:30 to 10 a.m.
  • Blended PM: 12:35 to 2:05 p.m.

May 15:  Dental Exams Due for Kindergartners and 2nd and 6th Graders

For Parents/Guardians of District 96 Kindergarteners, 2nd, and 6th Grade Students Who Have Not Turned in Dental Exams for this School Year:  Please note that your child’s completed dental examination is due by May 15, per Illinois school law.  (Proof of this required dental examination must have been completed within eighteen months prior to the May 15 deadline.)

If you haven’t already done so, please make an appointment with your child’s dentist for a dental examination and request that he/she complete the required form and return it to your child’s school nurse. 

• State of Illinois Proof of Dental Examination Form

In the event that you are unable to fulfill this requirement, the state of Illinois does permit a waiver of the examination.

• State of Illinois Dental Waiver Form

Cross-Cultural Expert Speaks May 23

An expert in the raising of children cross-culturally will share her wisdom with District 96 families at the end of next month.  Author Ruth E. Van Reken speaks virtually on “Raising Children Cross-Culturally: Maximizing the Benefits, Minimizing the Challenges'' on May 23, 2023 (7-8:30 p.m.).  She is the author of “Third Culture Kids: Growing Up Among Worlds (3rd edition).”

Here’s what she will discuss:

“There is no question that there are many gifts for those who grow up interacting with different cultural communities. Learning to ‘code-switch’ positively in certain situations can be a great asset in today’s globalizing world. Being a cultural bridge is another gift that can come with such a childhood. But the realities of juggling the differing expectations between different cultural contexts can also introduce certain challenges. Questions related to identity, attachment, and belonging are often common during this process. This session will not only help to normalize why these challenges frequently arise, but also share practical strategies for how parents and other caregivers can help children maximize the gifts and grow from the challenges as well.”

To pre-register, please visit: https://kcsd96.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZArduCsrTwrGNL2dHxfbVHDgroIyXKYP1hP.

For questions, please contact Lubna Andrabi, Community Parent Liaison, at [email protected].

5th Grade Parents Night Video Coming

5th Grade Parents: On Monday, look for a link to a "Parent Night: Fifth-Grade Transition" video to be emailed to you.

IN THE SCHOOLS

Pretty Fancy Prairie:  Prairie Elementary School celebrated Spirit Week this week, observing “Fancy Day” on Thursday. Here's a peek at their ‘fancy.’

See the Fancy Day Photo Gallery:  https://www.kcsd96.org/p/prairie-photo-gallery/gallery/1614636/fancy-day-spirit-week-2023

Congrats, New District 96 Administrators!  Congratulations to the next Principal and Assistant Principals hired this week by the District 96 Board of Education.  Pictured here, with Supt. Kathryn E. Sheridan (third from left) are: Kasie Dolan, next Assistant Principal at Twin Groves; Asuka Lempke, next Principal of Country Meadows Elementary School; and Brigitte Lyman, incoming Assistant Principal at Woodlawn Middle School.

In Our Virtual BackPacks

Check out the virtual backpacks for information on the following activities (this list is not exhaustive).

Camps:

• College of Lake County Summer Camp:  https://learn.clcillinois.edu/upload/CampBrochure2023_FINAL.pdf
• NWSRA Day Camps: https://www.nwsra.org/brochure
• Chicago Rush North Summer Programs:  https://tinyurl.com/ChicagoRushNorthSummer2023

211 Resources:

• 211, Lake County Resources (in a variety of languages):  https://211lakecounty.org/
• Crisis Help (including Domestic Violence): https://211lakecounty.org/index.php/crisis
• Rent & Utility Assistance:  https://www.lakecountyil.gov/DocumentCenter/View/48424/LCRA-Flyer-English-March-13-2023?bidId=

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, May 5, 2023.