District Digest

Glen Ellyn School District 41

February 11, 2021

In this issue…


  • SIP DAY/President's Day
  • Update from Superintendent
  • Saliva Sample Collection Schedule
  • District 41 Educator of the Year
  • 5Essentials Survey
  • Returning & Kindergarten Registration
  • Dual Language Program Information
  • Air Force Band Members Virtually Visit Hadley
  • Hadley Celebrates Diversity and Black History Month
  • GPS

SIP Day Feb. 12 / No School Monday, Feb. 15

Friday, February 12 is a scheduled SIP Day in District 41. There is no Pre-K, Early Childhood or Kindergarten student attendance on this SIP Day. Blended and Remote students in grades 1-8 who attend the AM session will NOT have morning classes on February 12. Blended and Remote students in grades 1-8 will have their PM classes from 1:00-3:30 p.m. on February 12.
All students will then have No School on Monday, February 15 for President’s Day.

Update from Superintendent Kaczkowski

At the Board of Education meeting on Monday evening, Superintendent Melissa Kaczkwoski provided an update about a number of topics related to COVID-19 and District 41 school plans.

Click here for the presentation slides.

Saliva Collection Schedule - Week of February 15

Monday, February 15

No School

Tuesday, February 16

8th, 5th, Kindergarten

Wednesday, , February 17

7th, 4th, 1st

Thursday, February 18

6th, 3rd, 2nd, PreK/Early Childhood

Glen Ellyn Community Awards District 41 Educator of the Year

Congratulations to Forest Glen First Grade Teacher Mrs. Rebecca VanDyke! Superintendent Dr. Melissa Kaczkowski and Forest Glen School Principal Scott Klespitz surprised her at school last week with the news. Click here for a video of the announcement and her reaction.

Mrs. VanDyke has worked in District 41 since 2013. Prior to coming to District 41 she was a 3rd grade teacher in Oswego CUSD 308 for six years. She earned her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and her master’s degree as a reading specialist from Illinois State University.

We Want to Hear from You!

District 41 relies on parent feedback when planning for the future. Please share your thoughts about your school community through the annual Illinois 5Essentials survey! Taking this survey allows you to share your views on school effectiveness. The survey is administered by UChicago Impact and is based on the Five Essentials for School Success, an evidence-based framework developed by the University of Chicago.

  • The 5Essentials are:
  • Effective Leaders
  • Collaborative Teachers
  • Involved Families
  • Supportive Environment
  • Ambitious Instruction
Each school needs a parent response rate of at least 20% to receive a results report. Thank you for your participation!

CLICK HERE to take the survey!
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Returning Student Registration for 2021-2022

Returning Student registration for District 41 begins Monday, February 15. Any student currently enrolled in District 41 or is receiving services in the district is considered a returning student. We ask that returning student registration be completed by Thursday, March 25, 2021 in order to be able to plan and to schedule for next school year. Please visit your Skyward Family Access account to register your student. For help CLICK HERE.

Kindergarten Registration for 2021-22 School Year

The District 41 online kindergarten registration process for the 2021-2022 school year begins February 15, 2021. We ask that you enroll and register your student by Thursday, March 25 to ensure you will be included in future communications for the 2021-22 school year.


PLEASE NOTE: Children must be 5 years of age on or before September 1, 2021 to register.


The process to enroll and register is as follows:

New Families

1. Go to www.d41.org/registration and click on the Kindergarten Registration button

2. Submit your Online Enrollment Account Request

3. Use your emailed login and password to complete the Kindergarten (New Student) registration process

Current Families

1. Sign into Skyward Family Access (contact your school if you need sign-on assistance)

2. Click on the Returning Student Registration button to complete the process


Your Kindergarten registration will be complete only after you have completed the online process and provided the school with the appropriate documentation. This includes birth certificate information, residency information and health records. Please CLICK HERE for more details.

Dual Language Incoming Kindergartners 2021-22
District 41 will post and announce a parent video with information about our Dual Language Program for incoming kindergarteners. The video (in English and Spanish) will provide an overview of our Dual Language Program, introduce Dual Language teachers, and offer details about how to apply for the program. Due to pandemic practices this year, the video is replacing the traditional in-person meeting. The video’s availability will be announced in next week’s District Digest newsletter.
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Members of Air Force Band Join Hadley Students Online

Hadley 8th Grade Band students welcomed members of the Air Force Band of Mid-America into their Google Meets classes on Friday, February 5. SrA Evan Sankey (trombone), SrA Claire Workinger (oboe) and TSgt Laura Pojar (percussion) presented masterclasses specific to the instrument families as well as shared their experiences as professional musicians in the armed forces. The band students engaged in discussion about their instruments and learned a lot from these service members. The Hadley Bands would like to thank the Air Force Band of Mid-America for sharing their time and expertise with our students.

Hadley Celebrates Diversity and Black History Month

The Hadley Advisory Committee has been working hard to create timely lessons for students focused on equity and diversity. Over the past year, our students have been faced with tremendous obstacles and have seen a changing world. Hadley recognizes that there is a need for students to understand how the acceptance of others can lead to the promotion of diversity. From defining, recognizing and applying the concepts of acceptance and diversity, Hadley believes we can positively impact our students.


Through the month of February, students will participate in discussions and activities centered around the theme of people having more than a “single story.” They will apply the ideas of perspective and tolerance to the work they do both within Advisory and their other courses. Students will also examine the different types of bias humans hold, and how recognizing them can prevent making incorrect assumptions about others.


Last, Hadley looks forward to celebrating Black History Month by highlighting African-Americans who have made tremendous impacts on society and helped to shape our country’s history. Hadley will be hosting our first Virtual Family Movie night, where we will stream “Hidden Figures,” the true story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, and Mary Jackson, three brillant African-American women at NASA. These inspiring women worked on the launch of John Glenn into orbit, while being hidden away from their co-workers at NASA and the public. The contributions that these women made during the Space Race helped to revolutionize our world. This event will be held on Thursday, February 25th beginning at 6:30 P.M. Details of how to sign up will be sent out soon to Hadley families.

UPCOMING GLENBARD PARENT SERIES EVENTS

Live Life Well Week: Being T.H.E.R.E. – Five Ways to Engage Young People

Shaun Derik

Thu, Feb 18 @ 7:00 pm MORE HERE


Community Read – Educated: A Memoir

Tara Westover, author

Tue, Feb 23 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm MORE HERE


Uplifting All Children to Cultivate Critical Wellness: Race and Culture Matter

Dr. Tyrone Howard - Black History Month Special Event

Thu, Feb 25 @ 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm MORE HERE

Receive Text Messages from District 41

District 41 will use text messaging to share timely information and emergency communications. You can now opt in to receive these important text messages from District 41. Text Y or Yes to 67587.

CLIC PARA ESPANOL

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