D15 Family Newsletter

Dear D15 Community,

I hope you stayed warm during the cold weather of the last few weeks. Punxsutawney Phil has predicted we have 6 more weeks of winter– I know we will make it through the remaining cold weather days.

In the spirit of the month of February, I just wanted to share that I truly love working with and for our District 15 community. From our tremendous students and their families to our wonderful staff, I feel very fortunate to lead District 15. It is a special place that truly focuses on doing what is best for every child we proudly educate. Thank you all for all you do to make this a great school district for our community.

Below you will find a number of important reminders and notices for this month.

Our next Board of Education Meeting will be on Wednesday, February 8, 2023. We will be sharing our plan to submit a one-year e-Learning Plan for the 2023-24 school year to support construction needed to support Moving 15 Forward.

This will allow us to utilize e-Learning next winter (if needed due to inclement weather) so we do not have to tack on additional days at the end of the year since we will need every moment of the extended summer for construction during the 2024 summer break.

5Essentials Reports will be generated for schools if at least 50 percent of the teachers and students complete the survey. We need at least 20 percent of our parents/guardians from your child’s school complete this survey, a parent/guardian supplement will also be generated for the school and is an important source of information from our families.

In District 15, the Illinois 5Essentials Survey for students and teachers will be conducted from January 23 to March 31, 2022. You may take the survey between these dates by visiting the 5Essentials Survey website and selecting the appropriate survey to begin.

Our students have been having a blast enjoying the snow on days that are warm enough to go outside for recess. Please make sure you are sending your students in appropriate clothing to ensure they can enjoy outside time with their classmates!

We are excited to grow our Dual Language program next year to include programming at Winston Campus, Jane Addams, and Kimball Hill! We will host 3 dual language informational meetings for incoming kindergarten parents interested in learning more about the program which includes the specific goals of bilingualism, biliteracy, and sociocultural competency. More information can be found in this flyer!

In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, we are excited to re-ignite the “Share the Love” campaign. We are using this time to encourage everyone to share the love with a D15 staff member throughout this month!

We have a simple and fun way for you to send support and appreciation to a District 15 staff member using a digital postcard. All you need is their email address!

How to send the postcard:

1. Click this link

2. Have your recipient’s District 15 email address ready

3. Write a personalized message to the recipient

4. Click submit

We hope you take advantage of this simple way to send some love to our dedicated staff! I know they would love to hear from you!

The United Way of Metro Chicago announced the launch of 211 Metro Chicago last week! 2-1-1 is a 24/7 free and confidential helpline available for all Cook County residents. This site is useful for both residents and providers to connect those in need with resources. Trained, local support specialists connect individuals in need to health and social services, such as food, housing, utility assistance, access to health care, and other vital resources. For more information: https://211metrochicago.org/.

On Thursday, February 9, 2023, Partners for Our Communities (POC) will host a fundraising event offering wine tastings paired with chocolates and appetizers. Proceeds from this event will help the POC continue to support our families. We hope you are able to show your support for the POC and join us in this event!

Your partner in education,

Laurie Heinz
Superintendent of Schools

• February 7 - La importancia del lenguaje positivo con los hijos (Lic. Ferney Ramirez) The Importance of Positive Language with Children

• February 22 - Student Services will share Home Behavior Supports

• February 23 - A Parent's Role in Emergency Situations (Partnership with PTA Presidents' Council and the Palatine Police Department) *The location has been changed for in-person attendees to Carl Sandburg Junior High. This event will also be livestreamed to our Youtube channel.

• February 27 - Accommodations, Goals, and Parent-Input Statements in the IEP

• February 28 - MPAC - Supporting Math at Home

Details about each session and future Parent University dates can be found on our calendar or on the Parent University page on our website.

Online student registration for the 2023-24 school year is now open. If you have not already started this process for your student(s), please visit our registration page to begin.

All returning students MUST be registered by August 1, 2023 or they will be disenrolled from CCSD15. Students who have not completed their registration requirements will not receive a classroom assignment. Families that do not complete the registration by July 31, 2023 should contact their school to re-enroll their child(ren).

All students in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade take FastBridge assessments in the Fall, Winter, and Spring of each school year. FastBridge uses brief measures of early literacy and math at the Kindergarten and first grade levels. These brief assessments provide data on an early learner’s reading and math development. The FastBridge assessments typically take less than 10 minutes per student, but the data gained provides teachers with insights and suggestions to help address each child’s needs.

Fastbridge test results for students in kindergarten through second grade, from the fall and winter testing periods, will be available to parents via the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. These results will be posted mid-February. When you log into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal you will need to select "more" from the dropdown window and then select "Assessments".

To learn more about each assessment and how to interpret your child's scores please visit our district website at https://www.ccsd15.net/Page/10414.

We are still accepting Free and Reduced Meal applications for the following schools-Hunting Ridge, Thomas Jefferson, Marion Jordan, Lincoln School, Pleasant Hill, Plum Grove, Walter Sundling, Frank C. Whitely and Willow Bend for this school year. The Free and Reduced Application can be completed online on the SchoolCafe website at https://www.schoolcafe.com/CCSD15

Fee Waiver Applications for this school year can be completed for the following schools-Jane Addams, Central Road, Kimball Hill, Lake Louise, Stuart R. Paddock, Gray M. Sanborn, Carl Sandburg, Virginia Lake, Winston Campus Elementary, Winston Campus Junior High and Conyers Learning Academy. Please do not complete a Fee Waiver online, these applications should be completed manually and returned to the school. These applications can be found on the district website at https://www.ccsd15.net/Page/8635.

February 3, kicked off our first High Five Friday at Stuart R. Paddock! We have invited first responders and other local community members to greet students and staff in the morning each Friday through the end of the school year. Check out the calendar of schools below to find out when it’s taking place at your school!

The one-five Foundation’s Family Fun 1.5 Run/Walk will take place on May 20 at 9:00 am at Winston Campus! We hope to see you there!

• February 1 - Free Developmental Screening for ages birth to 3 years old
  
• February 1 - D15 Job Fair
  
• February 1 - District 15 Spelling Bee
  
• February 2 - Kindergarten Dual Language Meeting at Jane Addams
  
• February 6 - D15 Job Fair
  
• February 7 - BPAC Meeting
  
• February 8 - Board of Education Meeting
  
• February 9 - Kindergarten Dual Language Meeting at Winston Campus Elementary
  
• February 13 - Kindergarten Dual Language Meeting at Kimball Hill
  
• February 16 - D15 Job Fair
  
• February 20 - No School - Presidents’ Day
  
• February 21 - No Student Attendance - Teacher Plan Day
  
• February 22 - D15 Job Fair
  
• February 23 - Parent University - A Parent’s Role in Emergency Situations
  
• February 27 - SPARK Meeting
  

• February 28 - MPAC Meeting