News from CCSD15
August 6, 2021
From the Desk of Dr. Laurie Heinz
Hello District 15 Families!
The final days of summer are upon us -- a bittersweet time for educators and students everywhere! I hope you have had a wonderful summer and are beginning to prepare your child(ren) for the upcoming school year ahead.
We are gearing up for the opening days of the school year -- it is hard to believe we will welcome back our wonderful staff for opening Institute Day on Monday, August 16 -- a mere 10 days away!
Our first through eighth graders will kick-off their school year on Wednesday, August 18, and our pre-K and Kindergarteners on Thursday, August 19. Our schools look amazing and our staff are being very intentional about the importance of welcoming students back with an even greater level of warmth and enthusiasm due to the intensity of the year we had last year.
As a reminder, at our upcoming Board of Education meeting on Wednesday, August 11, I will share our draft 2021-22 Return to Learn, Reconnect and Re-engage Plan. I look forward to providing you with the details of our plan by Friday, August 13.
We cannot wait to see our students and staff so soon! Below we have included important information for the upcoming school year.
All Families Need to Register for the New School Year
If you have already registered your child for the 2021-22 school year, thank you - your child has been sectioned into a classroom at the elementary level or a junior high schedule has been created -- no further action is required. If you have not registered, please do so. We have 12,000 students and want to make sure we know who is returning to school and that we have updated contact information for everyone within our schools.
The start of the new school year is quickly approaching and we want to remind our families with incoming Kindergarten, fourth and seventh graders of our new residency verification process. If you have not yet provided proof of residency at your child(ren)’s school, please do so this week so your child(ren) is able to start school on the first day of school.
If you have not already started the registration process for your child(ren), please visit our registration page to begin.
Infinite Campus
Infinite Campus' Campus Parent is designed to provide parents real-time access to student information. The easy-to-use design displays what is currently happening in the classroom so you can understand, monitor, and participate in the educational process. This portal also gives parents access to check for teacher placement and student schedules once their student is registered. District 15 has also used IC to gather parent survey responses. Make sure you have your account set up for the new school year! To learn how to set up your account, watch tutorials, or access a help center, please visit our website.
Welcome New Staff!
We are thrilled to welcome 95 new teachers to the District this year! District 15 is still hiring bus drivers and substitute teachers, along with a few other positions. If you or someone you know is interested in applying to join the D15 team, please visit our website!
Board Meetings for the 2021-22 School Year
- Wednesday, August 11, 2021
- Wednesday, September 8, 2021
- *Committee of the Whole -- Wednesday, September 22, 2021
- Wednesday, October 13, 2021
- Wednesday, November 10, 2021
- Wednesday, December 8, 2021
- *Wednesday, January 19, 2022 (to accommodate Winter Break)
- Wednesday, February 9, 2022
- Wednesday, March 9, 2022
- Wednesday, April 13, 2022
- Wednesday, May 11, 2022
- Wednesday, June 8, 2022
Beyond Just Boundaries
We will provide the Board with an update about our summer progress with our Beyond Just Boundaries project on August 11. Please watch for the update following the Board meeting.
Operations & Maintenance
Immunizations & Health Exams
For the purpose of safeguarding the health of children, District 15 enforces Illinois student health requirements. These requirements consist of health, dental, and eye exams and immunizations specific to grade and age.
Health Exams are required for students entering preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and those who are new to the school. Students who received only virtual instruction last year were granted deferral of the Illinois student health requirements. Students who attended preschool, kindergarten, sixth grade, and those who were new to Illinois schools last year virtually will be required to meet last year’s Illinois student health mandates when returning to school this year. The Certificate of Child Health Examination form is available online and in the school office. Please reach out to your school nurse if you have any questions.
Welcome Exchange Teachers!
We are very excited to welcome our first cultural exchange teachers from Columbia and Argentina to D15 in the 2021-22 school year! These teachers are in the process of arriving to the US and setting up their new homes. If anyone has any furniture items (bed, couch, table, chairs, etc.) in good condition that they would be willing to donate, please send an email to urbanskr@ccsd15.net. Thank you for your kind consideration!
Meals Will be Offered Free for 21-22 School Year
Meals (breakfast and lunch) are again free for all students at all schools for this school year. Meals will only be served in school and further information will come directly from your school principal. At this time, meals will no longer be offered in the community on buses or curbside at any schools during the 21-22 school year. The last day for bus/curbside meal pickup is Tuesday, August 10th.
Free & Reduced-Price Meal Application
While we know meals are free for the upcoming year, we need parents who qualify to fill out a Free & Reduced Meal Application for the upcoming school year. The application provides families with the eligibility for school fee waivers as well as other benefits.
If a child attends a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) school (JA, LL, VL, WCJH, and CLA), and their household meets federal guidelines, they may be eligible for a school fee waiver. To apply, fill out the Application for Educational Benefits form. See Community Eligibility Provision for more information.
If a child attends a non-CEP school (CR, FCW, GMS, HR, KH, LS, MJ, PH, SRP, TJ, WB, WCE, CSJH, PGJH, WRS), and their household meets federal guidelines, they may also be eligible for a school fee waiver. To apply, fill out the Free & Reduced-Price Application form.
Income eligibility information and FAQs for the Free & Reduced-Price Meal Program can be found on our website. Applications can be submitted at any time during the school year. Households should answer all applicable questions in the form. Applications that do not contain all required information will not be processed or approved.
SchoolCafé
District 15 is now using SchoolCafe for meal payments and to apply online for meal benefits. At this time, we are not utilizing the meal payment portion since meals are free this upcoming school year.
SchoolCafé allows parents to make secure payments with Visa, MasterCard, or Discover Cards for school meals, monitor student account balances, transactions, and request low balance notifications online.
The SchoolCafé website uses the most up-to-date security available. The online payment plan is an enhancement to the district’s existing pre-pay meal program. Cash or checks will still be accepted.
The SchoolCafé apps for both iOS and Android are available for download. They're free to install and they make your favorite features even easier to use. Download the SchoolCafé app today on the AppStore or Google Play.
View the SchoolCafé Quick Card for instructions on setting up your account, adding students, making payments, and setting up low-balance alerts. Search for Community Consolidated School District 15 to find our district.
For answers to frequently asked questions, and to get the most up-to-date help with this or any other information not covered here, please visit https://www.schoolcafe.com and select FAQs, or contact D15 School Nutrition Services at 847-963-3928.
Vaccination Clinic
District 15 partnered with IDPH to offer a drive up COVID 19 vaccine clinic for individuals 12 and up on Friday, July 23rd at Winston Campus from 11 am - 7 p.m. There will be a second clinic on Friday, Aug. 13th to distribute the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine. If someone shows up for their first dose, the clinic team will direct them as to where they can go to receive their second dose.
Calendar
- August 11 - Board of Education Meeting
- August 16 & 17 - Teacher Institute Days
- August 18 - First Day of School for Grades 1-8
- August 19 - First Day of School for Preschool & Kindergarten
Community Consolidated School District 15
Email: d15communications@ccsd15.net
Website: www.ccsd15.net
Location: 580 North 1st Bank Drive, Palatine, IL, USA
Phone: 847-963-3000
Facebook: facebook.com/CCSD15
Twitter: @D15Schools