District 90 Primer Newsletter

River Forest District 90 Primer

January 2018

Superintendent's Message


Photo Credit: Elizabeth Thomason & Tim Mellman

Dear Parents, Staff, Students, and Community Members,

Happy New Year and welcome back! January signals the start of a new year and the midpoint of the academic year. The District's students, faculty, and staff are focused on both teaching and learning, and administrators and elementary principals are busy getting ready for next year's incoming Kindergarten class. Registration for Kindergarten begins on February 2. If you have a student (or know one) who will be five years old on or before September 1, please consider attending the upcoming Kindergarten Registration and Information Night on Thursday, February 1 at both Lincoln and Willard Schools. Registration assistance will be available at 6:30 p.m. and the presentation starts at 7:00 p.m.

The District and the PTOs continue hosting events for the One District/One Book shared reading initiative. The January 11 presentation by Dr. Ann Batenburg of Mindset Works was well received by both faculty and parents. Our next event is an interactive presentation on Saturday, February 3 in the Roosevelt Multipurpose Room starting at 11:30 a.m. with a light reception. Dr. Battenburg will provide additional information about the Mindset framework for growing success principles in the classroom and other areas of life. Facilitated break out sessions will help continue the conversation. This event is free and open to the public.

Please keep reading to learn about the upcoming iScreen, You Screen, Wii All Screen parent information event, a Town Hall Forum about managing student screen time in the era of advanced technology. This Primer also continues to provide information about the search for a new Director of Special Education due to the upcoming retirement of Karen Boozell, Director of Special Education, as well as other happenings in our schools.

Best regards,

Ed Condon, Ph.D.

Superintendent

District News

Join the Conversation for D90's One District/One Book Event

Dr. Ann Batenburg of Mindset Works facilitated the first event of the One

Book/One District shared reading initiative with a discussion about the book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, by Carol Dweck. On January 11, Dr. Batenburg provided information and suggestions for faculty to adopt the growth mindset approach in the classroom. Later that evening, she spoke to families about helping students develop their growth mindset. She also held a prolonged question and answer period with members of the audience. Reports from both audiences indicated that the presentations were well received.

The entire River Forest community is invited and encouraged to attend the Saturday, February 3 Mindset presentation in the Roosevelt Multi-Purpose Room. The event will start at 11:30 a.m. with a light reception that will be followed by Dr. Ann Batenburg's interactive presentation on the benefits of a growth mindset for both adults and students. She will offer suggestions on identifying one's own current mindset and applying mindset principles for personal growth, at home, and in the classroom. There will also be facilitated breakout sessions following the address to continue the conversation. To encourage wide participation, the River Forest Public Library will hold a special story time for young children during the presentation (12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.), while older students will be encouraged to participate in the main presentation. Please join District 90 in the Mindset discussion and small group breakout sessions - even if you have not read the book. This event is free and open to the public.

The final event for the One District/One Book initiative will feature a live webinar that will be held on Wednesday, February 21 from 8:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Additional details will be forthcoming.

Please mark your calendars and plan to join the "Mindset conversation" on both February 3 and February 21!

iScreen, You Screen, Wii All Screen -- A Town Hall Forum

Are you concerned about how much time your student spends engaged with social media and other technology? Please consider attending a Town Hall Forum hosted by District 90 that will be held on Wednesday, January 31 at 7 pm in the Roosevelt Middle School Auditorium. The topic for the Forum is iScreen, You Screen, Wii All Screen: A Family Guide to Media Use.

Drs. Scott Goldstein and Rebecca Unger of Northwestern Children's Practice will provide information regarding the American Academy of Pediatrics' guidelines for screen time, introducing technology to youngsters and managing some of the issues that arise from technology and use of devices. M embers of the D90 instructional technology team will also review pertinent D90 technology practices and how the District uses technology to support classroom instruction. The presentations will provide useful information on monitoring and managing your student's screen time while also offering suggestions to help develop sound digital citizenship among students.

The Town Hall Forum will serve as the Board of Education Committee of the Whole meeting for the month. Please bring your questions, insights, and a friend. We hope to see you there!

Willard and Lincoln Hold Kindergarten Registration and Information Night

Do you have a youngster (or know of one) who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2018? If so, it's time to begin the kindergarten registration process. To help with registering children for kindergarten, Willard and Lincoln Schools will host a Kindergarten Registration and Information Night on Thursday, February 1, 2018. Kindergarten registration starts at 6:30 p.m. and the presentation starts at 7:00 p.m. This is an opportunity to learn more about the District's kindergarten program and start the registration process. There will be presentations from kindergarten teachers, the school nurse, the principal, and leaders from the PTO. The evening will also feature a tour of kindergarten classrooms. Families who reside north of Chicago Avenue should plan to attend the Willard program, while families who live south of Chicago Avenue should plan to attend the Lincoln event. Registration for kindergarten begins on Friday, February 2. For more information about registering for kindergarten, please visit www.district90.org after February 2.

Willard Construction Starts in Summer

Construction of additional classroom space at Willard Elementary School will begin this summer. Willard needs this additional space because of changes in how student services are being provided, such as for therapy or counseling. The construction will add several learning spaces and offices to the building that will create an improved instructional environment for students and staff members. At the same time, the building's renovations are designed to maintain the school's current footprint and overall aesthetic. For more information about the construction plans, please go the District 90 website or click here.

Board of Education Approves Ad Hoc Gender Inclusion Committee Formation

The Board of Education recently approved the formation of an Ad Hoc Committee on Gender Inclusion. Board members Barb Hickey and Rich Moore will co-chair the investigatory committee, which will have representatives from D90 administration, parents, staff and community members. Once formed, the Gender Inclusion Committee will investigate the potential development and/or modification of Board policies and school practices pertaining to gender inclusion. Additional information will be forthcoming.

District 90 and Village of River Forest Collaborate on Safer School Routes for Students

District 90 and the Village of River Forest have joined together to investigate the safest routes for students and pedestrians to traverse throughout the Village. An audit will be conducted by a certified traffic analyst to assess current routes students use to walk to school and offer recommendations for safer walking routes for students attending District 90 and private schools. The company conducting the audit will assess traffic flow, crossing guards placement, parking lots, viaducts, and other related elements.

Roosevelt's National Geographic Bee Winner Advances to Next Level

Fourteen Roosevelt students in grades 5-8 (including alternates)


Photo Credit: Tim Mellman and Elizabeth Thomason

participated in the recent National Geographic Bee competition. After several close rounds, two 8th grade students, Luca Lissuzzo and Charles Roeger, competed in the "best of three" championship rounds. The winner was Charles Roeger who advances to the next level where a written exam determines the statewide competitors. All school champions are eligible to win the national championship and its first prize, a $50,000 college scholarship. The national championship is scheduled for May 20-23 in Washington, D.C.

Lincoln and Willard Students Share the Holiday Spirit

Lincoln's Heartworks students and Willard's Kindly Wizards both held clothing drives to help others during the recent holiday season. Students participating in Lincoln's Heartworks Service Club collected winter hats and gloves for a local service organization. Willard's Kindly Wizards held an adult sock drive for Sarah's Inn. Activities such as these and other service projects increases students' social emotional skills through the giving to others.

"Success of All Youth" Initiaitve is Surveying How Youth Use Out-of-School Time

The Success of All Youth (SAY) initiative, in collaboration with Roosevelt University's Policy Research Collaborative, is conducting a survey about the needs of young people during times when school is not in session. The survey will assess the barriers and challenges as well as the opportunities and solutions that families encounter as they search for activities and resources that are designed to engage young people during periods when school is not in session. These out-of-school periods include before and after school, regularly scheduled school breaks, summer vacation, and other times when school is not in session. If you are currently seeking or using out-of-school activities and services for your child, please consider participating in this survey. To participate, click here.

Visit D90 on Facebook and Twitter

Be sure to check out District 90 on Facebook and on Twitter. The District's Facebook page and Twitter feed provide families with information about the District, instructional activities, and school events. The Facebook page provides photos and notices about extracurricular events, instructional supports, and upcoming activities. The Twitter handle #D90Learns provides a teacher-generated look into classroom activities, professional collaboration, and other instructional matters.