Good afternoon Kildeer Families,
As we wrap up January, we’re finally getting a break from the frigid temperatures! While winter is still with us, this week brought a welcome warm-up, and we’re looking forward to more fun ahead. Our 1st graders also had a fun week enjoying the 100th day of school and beach day.
With February just around the corner, we have exciting events coming up, including our Valentine’s Day Party! Be sure to check the Principal’s Message each week for important updates and details on upcoming activities.
Even with the recent warm-up, please continue to send your child to school with appropriate winter clothing, as temperatures can change quickly. If your child is missing any hats, gloves, or coats, please remind them to check the Lost and Found, as it’s filling up again!
Thank you for your continued support—stay warm, and have a wonderful weekend!
Until our next adventure.
Mrs. Karen Cumpata
*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
NEW *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.
New *Cougars on the Run*
Calling all Cougars in grades 3-5 to participate in a fun after school running club!! We will focus on positive relationship building, friendships, and healthy habits. This club will run on Thursdays from 3:05-4:05 starting March 13- May 22, 2025. Please contact Miss Sadowski ([email protected]), Miss Goldfein ([email protected]), or Mrs. Lushpynskyj ([email protected]) with any questions! Sign up. The sign-up will close on February 27, 2025 or when 25 students have signed up for this running club.
REPEAT *Coming February 3rd: Simplifying Stevenson*
Save the Date: Monday, February 3rd at 7pm at Twin Groves, is the date for the next “Simplifying Stevenson,” featuring SHS Principal Troy Gobble and current SHS students in a Q&A about the school. This is designed for parents of Twin Groves and Woodlawn 8th graders who will be SHS freshmen in fall 2025.
This event will be held in the cafeteria at Twin Groves Middle School, 2600 N. Buffalo Grove Road, Buffalo Grove.
This event does not require participants to register. It is free and open to parents.
REPEAT *Reminder: School Closure Communication*
With our first significant cold snap of the winter officially behind us, it's important for us to revisit our Inclement Weather Procedures when it comes to communication. You likely read a message from Superintendent Katie Sheridan this week explaining that school would be OPEN on Tuesday, January 21st. Please note that communicating a decision to stay open was under a special circumstance. Since it was our first weather event of the year, Superintendent Sheridan and her team wanted to put an extra layer of proactive communication in parents' inboxes.
Moving forward, KCSD96 families will only hear from the district if there is a school closure, delayed start, or planned early dismissal. If a decision to close access to our schools is reached, the District will:
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Send a robocall/text/email home to families (please be sure you are signed up or subscribed to receive text notifications)
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If your contact information changes, please be sure to notify the administrative assistant at your student’s school to update our database with your new email/phone number.
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Post on our KCSD96 Facebook, Twitter (X), and Instagram accounts
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Post a banner with a notification of school closing on the KCSD96 website
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Alert School Closures for local news/media outlets
REPEAT *KCSD96 Parent Network: Please Join Us!*
To sign up for the digital presentation of The 5 Principals of Parenting with New York Times bestselling author Dr. Aliza Pressman on February 5th at 7pm, please visit this link. This event is free and open to the public! Learn more about charting a manageable course for raising good humans, aligning with your own values and your child's temperaments.
https://3bca.edulnk.com/e/v8ypm/nPMBHZ?__$u__&nk=Njc5MDI5ZjE3OGRkYmEzOTVjNThmYzM4LGxkZWxhaGFudHlAa2NzZDk2Lm9yZzo6Omtpd3V6amJ2N2p5Nms1M28.
REPEAT *ACCESS Testing*
Parents and guardians, please be aware that the state of Illinois requires identified English Learner (EL) students to annually participate in the ACCESS testing to determine current English language proficiency in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing. Our ACCESS testing window will occur in the coming weeks. Each school’s testing schedule is unique and will only impact students who take the ACCESS test.
It's important that students taking any testing, including ACCESS testing, get a good night's rest the night before and eat a good breakfast that morning. We encourage our students to always try their best. Students do not need to prepare anything ahead of time, however, it's encouraged that they come to school ready and willing to challenge themselves.
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 *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!
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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.
REPEAT *Updated Approved Snack List*
KCSD96 families, please view the newly updated Approved Snack List. This can be found on our website at https://campussuite-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/prod/750226/93147715-c5f6-11e6-b7b7-22000bd8490f/2901176/03c4c242-ced2-11ef-b23f-0afffba8b1b9/file/Approved%20Food%20&%20Beverage%20List%2012.20.24%20(1).pdf