 Dear Parents, Staff, Students, and Community Members,
The 2016-17 school year has now been in session for a few weeks. Students, faculty, and staff are settling in to their normal school routines. For this school year, District 90's focus will continue to concentrate our efforts on being an effective, efficient, and child-centered school district. To support that goal, our focus will remain on four key areas, which are outlined below.
Focus 1: Continue to support, and implement anew when necessary, those innovative instructional programs and systems that provide each child with the development of critical thinking skills and equitable opportunities to achieve at their highest potential. A key action to support this focus is to continue implementing the District 90 Strategic Plan.
Focus 2: Work together to foster an increasingly collaborative and inclusive culture in which communication is genuine, open, and transparent. We plan to r
e-institute the District 90 Communications plan to ensure consistent use of established communications channels and improved information-sharing with all stakeholder groups.
Focus 3: Ensure facilities for all students and staff are safe and appropriate for high-quality instruction. Annual review of the District's
5-Year Facilities Plan ensures that our buildings provide an appropriate environment for student learning and instructional activities.
Focus 4: Maintain financial stability and remain responsible stewards of the financial resources with which we have been entrusted. One of the key objectives in this realm is to review and refine
the "resident friendly" D90 financial reporting document that is designed to expand transparency with taxpayers and other key members of the River Forest community.
By emphasizing these four areas, District 90 intends to support the kind of classroom instruction that enables all of our students to flourish. We remain deeply appreciative of your support as the District strives to advance our tradition of educational excellence.
With warm regards,
Ed Condon, Ph.D.
Superintendent
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District 90 Develops Student/Family Privacy Resource Guide
In advancing student learning, District 90 is increasingly using online and cloud-based instructional resources. These digital tools raise important issues of privacy, confidentiality, and security. Consequently, District 90 has released the
District 90 Student/Family Privacy Resource Guide. This Resource Guide informs families about the procedures the District uses to protect the privacy of our students and their families. It also provides an overview of the platforms, software, and apps used in our classrooms. While student and family privacy has always been a priority, this issue has become more pronounced with the increasing use of advanced technology for instruction. Click the link to view the
Resource Guide, including an overview of the apps and software used in the District's classrooms.
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District 90 Tests for Water Quality
Lead and copper have been in the national and local news lately for their presence in school facilities' water outlets. The growing number of these news reports, along with an ongoing concern for students and faculty, prompted District 90 administrators to test the quality of water in our buildings. Working with the environmental consulting firm JMS Environmental Associates, Ltd., we conducted water quality testing for the presence of lead and copper on all of the sinks, faucets, spigots, and water fountains across the District (131 water sources in total). The final results indicated that the water from 10 water sources had amounts of lead and/or copper that exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) action level.
The majority of fixtures with elevated lead levels are located at classroom sinks that are used primarily for cleaning and/or handwashing. Because skin does not absorb lead in water, the EPA notes that handwashing in water with elevated lead levels "should be safe." It should be noted that elevated lead or copper levels were not indicated in any of our existing water fountains or fixtures in teachers' lounges.
All of the affected water sources have been disconnected until repairs are completed by certified and licensed plumbing contractors in the coming weeks. The affected fixtures will be returned to service only after additional water quality testing confirms that elevated lead and copper levels are safely below the EPA action level thresholds. More information about the water quality tests and a
Frequently Asked Questions are available on the
District 90 website.
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District 90's Vision for Equity
As part of the National Equity Project's (NEP) ongoing work with District 90, the organization held several
Leading for Equity seminars during the summer for faculty and staff, families and community members, and Board members. One outcome of those workshops was the decision that the District develop a
Vision for Equity to guide future planning. A sub-group of
Leading for Equity participants volunteered and collaborated on a draft statement. With minimal revisions, the statement was adopted at the August Board of Education retreat. District 90's
Vision for Equity is as follows:
"To ensure that every student feels empowered to achieve to his or her full potential, we commit to provide equitable opportunities for all learners, grow an inclusive school community, and demonstrate we value diversity."
Going forward,
District 90's equity vision is intended to guide our coordinated and complementary approach to the issues of diversity, inclusiveness, and educational equity. Please click here to see the Vision for Equity statement that is embedded as one of the District's Core Values in the D90 Strategic Plan.
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State Superintendent Tony Smith
Welcomes Families Back to School
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Welcome Back Video for Families from State Superintendent Smith
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Please take a moment to view Illinois State Superintendent Tony Smith's
Welcome Back to School
message.
This five-minute video discusses several key ways that families can support their student's learning in the 2016-17 school year. Click the video to view it.
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It's Time to Verify Your Information in the Online Student Directory 
Families are requested to take a moment to verify their contact information in the electronic AtoZ Directory, which is District 90's online student directory. The AtoZ Directory includes contact information of students' classroom friends and teachers. Families can update their own information through a secure format that uses a simple password system.
The directory currently contains information that families provided during the online registration process. Verifying the directory data should not take more than 5 minutes. Data verification must be done from a desktop or laptop computer. Chrome or Firefox are the recommended browsers for accessing the directory. The AtoZ Directory can be accessed through the District's website on the Parent Resources tab or click here. Once on the AtoZ site, you can verify your information or register as a new family.
An important feature of the AtoZ Directory is that families can easily access the directory from cell phones, tablets, and computers by using the School Directory app.
The app is now available in the App Store and Google Play!
1. iPhones or iPads -
Click here to find the school directory app in the App Store.
2. Android devices - click here to find the school directory app in Google Play.
3. Enter your username and password to verify your information or register as a first time user.
Voila! You're in!
If you have any problems with the software, you can email info@atozdirectories.com and they will be sure to respond quickly to your concerns.
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Devorah Heitner Encourages Families to Think Through Their Digital Values
 Author Devorah Heitner recently visited Roosevelt Middle School to speak with families about, "Raising Digital Natives." Dr. Heitner's presentation, which is based on her book,
Screenwise: Helping Kids Thrive (and Survive) in Their Digital World, encouraged parents to help their students navigate the many issues that advanced communications and social media present. Along with meeting with parents, Dr. Heitner also gave presentations to groups of students about the digital environment. Approximately 55 parents were on hand to hear Dr. Heitner's advice on mentoring vs. monitoring students as they navigate the digital world. The District would like to thank the Roosevelt PTO for sponsoring this excellent program for our students, families, and community.
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Photos from the First Day of School
Students returned to school August 25 for the 2016-17 school year.The day got off to a good start with sunny and comfortable weather, and progressed to a day of greeting new and returning friends, meeting classroom teachers, learning about classroom expectations, and getting acclimated to a new school year. Here are few pictures selected from that day. You can view others on the District's
Facebook page.
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Open Houses Held at Lincoln and Willard
Both Lincoln and Willard Schools recently held their Open Houses for families. The Open House event is an opportunity for families to meet their student's teacher, visit classrooms, and learn about each teacher's classroom goals for students. Principals Casey Godfrey and Diane Wood welcomed families and provided insights into each school's environment. Teachers gave presentations about their plans for classroom instruction and expectations for students. You can view additional pictures from Willard and Lincoln's Open House on the District's
Facebook page.
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Important Dates
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Board of Education Meeting
September 23
Early Dismissal
at 11:25 a.m.
No Afternoon Kindergarten
October 3
Walk to School Week Starts
October 4
Committee of the Whole Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Roosevelt LLC
Non-Attendance Day
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Our
Mission
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To inspire a love of learning and ensure educational excellence for every child.
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