Prospect Heights School District 23 March 12, 2021

How many frogs? Spanish Translation Dear Parents and Staff, Five frogs are sitting on a log. FOUR of them want to jump in the pond. How many frogs are left on the log?? The answer is FIVE...there is a difference between WANTING to do something and ACTUALLY doing it! That's where we find ourselves today. We have all wanted to take the step forward toward a return to full in person, now it is time to DO IT! This will require all of us to work together to ensure a safe and healthy environment for our students and staff. We will need to continue our mitigation efforts, mask wearing, and hand sanitization. It will be imperative for parents to continue to symptom screen and only send their child to school when they, and others in the home, are healthy. This week, the Illinois State Board of Education and the Illinois Department of Public Health released updated guidance that aligns with our plan. We are very grateful for the commitment of time and energy from our Back to School Blueprint Committee, staff, and administration as we prepared this week. It is amazing to reflect on our journey from March 13, 2020 March 12, 2021. 361 days ago, I sent this first message to our community: District 23, along with School Districts across the State, is about to embark upon an unprecedented journey together with the students and families of our community. Starting tomorrow, March 17th, we will begin a new chapter in our history as we launch our Distance Learning Plan. Throughout the final Trimester of this school year I believe our community will once again rise to the occasion in serving the needs of our students. I am so proud of the work of the faculty, staff, parents, students and administrative team throughout the last year. As this communication is likely the last prior to our Spring Break, I'd also like to wish all of our families a relaxing and fun week. I am having a tooth pulled, so mine will be more relaxing than fun! We know we all have lots to accomplish when we return, but for that week, let's all try to unplug, unwind, and recharge. Best wishes, Dr. Angelaccio We need your input... If you have not yet done so, please take a moment to complete the Illinois 5Essentials Survey linked HERE. Your feedback is essential as we review programs and performance across the District. The survey will be open through April 2nd. As part of our partnership with NSSEO, the North Suburban Special Education Organization, we invite parent feedback to their survey which can be found on the NSSEO Needs Assessment Parent Survey Document. District 23 Blood Drive - March 15 Appointments are still available for the D23 Blood Drive taking place at MacArthur Middle School on Monday, March 15. You can sign up for a time at this link. Model Selection: We are ready to welcome our students back for 4 days per week, full in person instruction next week. Parents who have selected the Distance Learning or In-Person models will continue in that mode through the remainder of the year. We need to partner with our families for regular, predictable attendance in person as we would in a typical year. Those who are participating in person should attend all four days consistently. Sick days or special circumstances should be arranged through the main office or principal. Upcoming Events March 14 - Spring forward SPRING BREAK March 22-26 No School March 29 Flex Day - Students in Attendance April 2 No School April 5 No School April 6 Institute Day No School April 12 Flex Day - Students in Attendance Check your school newsletters for specific dates for our Picture Days. Board of Education Meeting April 14, 2021 7:00 pm At Grodsky Building or Attend Virtually Quick Links Visit the D23 website

Link to: Board of Education Agendas and Meeting Highlights March 10, 2021

MacArthur School Improvement Presentation

Dr. Nystrom, Mr. Alms, and other representatives from the MacArthur School Improvement Team presented their plan/summary for 2020-21. They highlighted the enhancements to their schedule and structure including the newly design 60 minute period length, the GoMAC period, and the changes to Exploratory to provide a wider range of experiences for our students. The link to the presentation can be found HERE.

Planning for 2021-22

The Board of Education approved the staffing plan for 2021-22 and authorized the budget parameters. These two key decisions are the foundation of planning for next school year. The registration process also begins in early April and we ask all families to complete it by May 1st.

Congratulations Dr. Chrys Sroka - Asst. Superintendent

Dr. Chrystyna Sroka has been promoted to the role of Assistant Superintendent for Student Services effective 7/1/21. Dr. Sroka has served District 23 for 12 years as our Director of Special Education and this move expands her role to a 12 month position. We congratulate Chrys on this recognition of her dedicated service and the program development and enhancements that have occurred under her leadership.

Bond Issuance and Public Hearing

Mrs. Amy McPartlin, Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations, presented the process for bond issuance for capital projects over the next three years. The board approved the resolution and set the date of April 14, 2021 @ 7:00pm for a public hearing that will be held at the Grodsky Administration building.

Building Briefs

Please be patient...

With the return to full, in person instruction starting next week, we share a reminder to please be patient and follow the guidance for drop off and pick up lines. With increased traffic and higher volume, it will likely take a few days to get into the swing of things. Please also be aware of walkers and bike riders on campus and throughout the neighborhoods.

Registration for 2021-22 opens in April

Meal Distribution Update

For those returning to in person for the first time next week, we will continue to offer FREE breakfast and lunch for students. These options will remain in place through the end of the school year. Meal distributions WILL BE HELD on Wednesday, March 24, during Spring Break. During the month of April, we will continue to partner with our food service vendor, Organic Life, to provide weekly meals for any child under the age of 18, at no cost.  Meal distributions will take place on Wednesdays throughout the month of April as follows: VIP Apartments (850 Corey Lane, Wheeling) - Between 12:00-2:00 PM MacArthur Middle School Cafeteria - Between 3:00 - 6:00 PM As always, should you have any questions, please contact the Business Office directly. Durante el mes de abril, continuaremos asociándonos con nuestro proveedor de servicios de alimentos, Organic Life, para proporcionar comidas semanales a cualquier niño menor de 18 años, sin costo alguno. Las distribuciones de comidas se llevarán a cabo los miércoles durante todo el mes de abril de la siguiente manera: Apartamentos VIP (850 Corey Lane, Wheeling): entre las 12:00 y las 2:00 p.m. Cafetería de la escuela secundaria MacArthur: entre las 3:00 y las 6:00 p.m. Como siempre, si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese directamente con la Oficina Comercial.

Info from our Community Partners

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Administration: (847) 870-3850

Dr. Don Angelaccio Superintendent Dr. Amy Zaher Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction Mrs. Amy McPartlin Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations Dr. Chrys Sroka Director of Special Education Mrs. Maria Stavropoulos Director of Technology Mr. Brian Rominski Director of Buildings & Grounds