Prospect Heights School District 23
August 12, 2022
Welcome Back!!
Dear Parents
and Staff,

As we prepare to welcome our students to a new school year, we start by welcoming our new faculty and staff to District 23! We've got a great group of people to add to our amazing faculty and look forward to you all getting to know them too!

Summers in school districts are very busy times as we work with limited days to complete repair, maintenance, cleaning, and construction projects. We thank Mrs. McPartlin, Mr. Ziaja, and all of our maintenance and custodial workers for the fantastic job they did preparing our facilities for our students and staff. There are some exciting enhancements that you'll be sure to notice as soon as you're back on campus.

Of course, summer is also a time to relax a bit and enjoy time with friends and family and we certainly hope you had a fantastic few weeks. The time always goes by so quickly, but we hope you made lasting memories, laughed a lot, and recharged your batteries.

Over the next few weeks, we will meet new friends, establish new routines, and start a new school year filled with new opportunities to learn and grow.

We look forward to starting this new chapter with all of you and to an exciting and rewarding 2022-23 school year!

Best wishes,
Dr. A
COVID-19 Update

As we learn to live with COVID, we have updated our plan for prevention and response. Our priority remains to keep our students and staff safe and engaged in learning in school. The following highlights were shared at the Board meeting this week.

Masking
  • The decision to mask or not is personal, and we respect each family’s choice. 
  • Per CDC & IDPH, individuals who are COVID positive are recommended to wear a well-fitting mask for 5 full days after the conclusion of their 5-day isolation period.
  • District 23 will continue to make masks available to students and staff upon request.

Positive COVID-19 test or exhibiting symptoms
  • We all need to do our part to ensure the wellness of one another. We follow the same procedures we have always followed when students are ill.
  • Consistent with pre-COVID practices, individuals will be excluded for fever, vomiting, and diarrhea and may return to school/work if fever-free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication, and vomit/diarrhea free for 24 hours.
  • When individuals test positive for COVID, regardless of vaccination status, they will be excluded for a minimum of 5 days from onset of symptoms or from the specimen collection date from a positive viral test for asymptomatic persons. Return to school occurs after 5 days if fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication, vomit/diarrhea free for 24 hours, and symptoms are improving. Individuals should continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days after returning to school.

Physical Distancing
  • Physical distancing will return to pre-COVID norms.

COVID-19 Testing
  • It is encouraged for students and staff to check in with their doctor or get tested if they have symptoms or if they are a close contact.
  • District 23 will continue to offer SHIELD screening and testing in school and also through an option to test at home. Information on how to participate will be shared soon.

Hand Hygiene and Respiratory Etiquette
  • We will continue to reinforce appropriate hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette encouraging frequent hand washing and hand sanitization.
  • Individuals should cover coughs and sneezes with their elbow or a disposable tissue and clean hands immediately.

Cleaning, Disinfection and Ventilation
  • We have learned that transmission of COVID from touched surfaces is low. However, we believe that the cleaning of frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches, and railings is good practice. To that end, our custodial staff will continue to clean these surfaces throughout the day. 
  • Our ventilation systems have been updated to maximize outdoor air circulation and use MERV-13 filters.

Communication
  • When a positive case has been detected, our building leaders will send a communication to that classroom so that parents can monitor their child for symptoms. We ask that parents communicate with our school nurses if their child(ren) begins to display the above symptoms.

Learning While At Home
  • We have systems in place to ensure students can access assignments when home sick. Students should use either SeeSaw (PES) or Schoology (PMS) to review and complete assignments.
  • When a student is excluded due to a positive COVID diagnosis, the classroom teachers will share a link and schedule for concurrent instruction.

School Visitors
  • Visitors will be allowed in the buildings per District policy. Individuals are encouraged to stay home when sick.

The process of keeping students and staff safe at school continues to evolve, and as you can see, we are taking all measures to create the safest environment possible. We will continue monitoring guidance, reevaluating and improving our plans as we learn new and better ways to keep our students, staff, and community safe.
Upcoming Events




Institute Day - 8/15 No Student Attendance

School Improvement Day - 8/16
No Student Attendance

1st Day of School for Grades 1-8 August 17

1st Day for Early Childhood
August 18

1st Day for Kindergarten
August 25





Drop off Supplies and Meet the Teacher
August 16

Eisenhower
8:00 - 8:30

Ross & Sullivan
8:45 - 9:15

Please join the PTO on the Ross Playground for treats after the Sneak Peeks.
Eisenhower Play Dates - August 20

Early Childhood 9:00-10:00am

AM Kindergarten 10:00-11:00

PM and Full Day Kindergarten
11:00-12:00




All Parent Nights begin at 6:00pm

Sullivan Parent Night
August 24

Ross Parent Night
August 25

MacArthur 6th Grade
August 30

Eisenhower Parent Night
August 31

MacArthur 7th/8th Grades
September 1



No School
Labor Day
September 5







Board of Education Meeting

September 14 7:00pm
Quick Links
PHSD23
1st Day of School Photo Ops!
We invite you to use these templates for a special 1st day of school photo! You can also tag the school and D23 on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram to share the excitement of Day 1.
Build a Better D23 Campaign!
District 23 Administration and our consultants presented an update and overview of work completed this summer on our facilities and early learning program planning.

Now named the "Building a Better D23" Campaign, the work this summer highlights the input from our Citizens' Task Force members.

The plan for our next Community Outreach Phase was presented to the Board and includes informational mailings, Open Houses at Eisenhower on Sept. 29 @ 6:00pm and October 6 @ 10:00am and 6:00pm.

The link to the full presentation can be found HERE.
Tentative Budget Approved and Posted for Inspection
Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations, Mrs. Amy McPartlin, presented and reviewed the Tentative FY23 Budget. This is a balanced budget and includes financing for current programs and operational needs.

The Board of Education approved the tentative budget and set September 14 @ 7:00pm as the date and time for our public hearing. The tentative budget is now available for review at the District office.
Curriculum and Instruction Overview
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, Dr. Amy Zaher, presented an overview of initiatives for the 2022-23 school year.

We are excited to launch our new Reading/Language Arts curriculum and have planned informational "coffees" for parents to learn about these new materials.
K-2nd grade: Sept. 6 @ Eisenhower, 9:00am
3rd-5th grade: Sept. 13 @ Sullivan, 9:00am
6th-8th grade: Sept. 16 @ MacArthur, 9:30am

Also this year, our staff will investigate the Social Studies and Civics standards and review materials for a curriculum adoption next year. Along with this work, Dr. Zaher reviewed the committees and professional development themes that will support our faculty.

A link to the memo and information can be found here.
Safety and Security Audit
Dr. Angelaccio provided an overview of the safety and security audit process that began this Summer. In partnership with our local first responders, administration and staff, we have begun a formal review of our polices, procedures, and practices to maintain a safe and secure learning environment.

This Fall, we will invite parents and 4th-8th grade students to participate in this process. If you are interested in serving on this Safety Team, please contact Dr. Angelaccio at dangelaccio@d23.org.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Scan
Dr. Angelaccio provided an overview of the Equity Scan process being conducted this Fall and facilitated by the Consortium for Educational Change.

This Fall, we will invite parents and 4th-8th grade students to participate in this process. If you are interested in serving on this Equity Team, please contact Dr. Angelaccio at dangelaccio@d23.org.
2022-23 SCHOOL YEAR - FOOD SERVICE
Through a collaborative solicitation with Community Consolidated School District 21 (CCSD21) in Wheeling, District 23 has partnered with Organic Life, LLC, to provide quality, nutritious, and satisfying meals to our students for the 2022-23 school year. 
 
As a reminder, the US Department of Agriculture has not extended the waivers for the 2022-23 school year. Breakfast and lunch will now be available for daily purchase. Account deposits may be made in advance in the respective school office or online through www.MyMealTime.com, using a credit card. Cash will no longer be accepted in the cafeteria lines. We encourage parents to log into their student’s MyMealTime.com account before the start of the school year to deposit funds for these purchases. Please see the below section for more about using Meal Time. And, as always, students are welcome to bring a lunch from home. We ask that parents make sure students can open all of their lunch components with little/no assistance.

Monthly menus will continue to be posted on the District’s website. Organic Life will be incorporating additional meal and a la carte choices during the coming year. The daily menus include breakfast and lunch options that include protein, grain, vegetables, fruit, and dairy and include one milk.

MAKING MEAL ACCOUNT DEPOSITS
Students will be able to use their MealTime accounts to make meal or snack purchases. Parents will be required to make advanced periodic deposits into their child’s meal account to eliminate cash handling and to avoid lunch line delays. No cash is allowed in line at the elementary schools. To make a deposit using a credit card, you can use My MealTime Online. My MealTime Online also permits parents to view their child’s purchase history and their current balance. Convenience fees apply.

If you prefer, you can simply send cash or a check to the school in an envelope marked “Lunch Deposit” with the child’s name, ID number, and amount of deposit. Checks should be made payable to Prospect Heights School District 23 OR PHSD 23. Please feel free to contact the Business Office with any questions.

FREE/REDUCED LUNCH INFORMATION
Should you believe that you may qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch, please fill out the 2022 Free/Reduced Meal Application in either English or Spanish and return it to your school office or the Business Office.
New Traffic Pattern at Ross and Sullivan
As you may remember, last Spring we conducted a traffic trial to test a new pattern at Ross and Sullivan. Our goals were to improve safety and efficiency. Based on that trial and the feedback received, we have modified our traffic plan for Ross and Sullivan.

  • The North Schoenbeck entrance will be closed from 8:00am to 8:30am for drop-off and 2:00pm to 2:30pm for pick-up at Ross and Sullivan. This will result in all traffic entering the parking lot by the main school entrance at Ross.
  • The new traffic pattern can accommodate two lines, one for each school, to improve efficiency and ease of pick-up after school.
  • Bus drop-off and pick-up for both Ross and Sullivan will be at the South end of the property by the Ross playground. No car traffic is allowed in this area during the school day.
  • Ross parent drop-off and pick-up occur in front of Ross with traffic entering the lot, turning right, looping around the island, and dropping off with the passenger side along the sidewalk. Please ensure that your child(ren) enter and exit your vehicle from the sidewalk.
  • Sullivan parent drop-off and pick-up occur in the bus lane area between MacArthur and Sullivan as it has in the past. After dropping off, Sullivan traffic will proceed to the second lane, left of the Ross traffic, and exit at the midpoint of the lot.

As we all get back into the routine of schools and adjust to this new traffic pattern, please pay additional attention to children walking in the neighborhood and in the parking lots. Please be patient and considerate so that we can maintain a safe and efficient process.
Support our D23 PTO
Sneak Peak Treats
Following the classroom sneak peak and supply drop offs join the d23 PTO for treats on the Ross playground on Tuesday August 16th at 9:15 AM.
Come Join the PTO
The first meeting for the d23 PTO will be on Thursday, September 15th at 7:00 PM in the Eisenhower library. Come and find out what we are all about. There are many ways to be involved in PTO. Volunteers are what make it happen. We are looking to put together a list of volunteers for different events, if you have a few hours to donate of your time and you want to be on that list email d23pto@gmail.com.
PTO Dining Night Out
Back to school and are you running around already? Looking for something easy as you settle into the year? Join us for our monthly D23 PTO Dining Night Out fundraiser at Jimmy John’s (by Target, 1299 E Rand Road) for delivery, catering, dine-in, or carry out on Monday, August 29th all day. Simply mention d23 at time of ordering and Jimmy John's will contribute 20% of the proceeds to the d23 PTO! Thank you for your support.
6th Annual PTO Golf Outing
Registration is now open for the annual PTO Golf outing being held at Arlington Lakes Golf Course on Friday, October 7th. Click HERE for more information.
Connect With Us
Administration: (847) 870-3850
Superintendent

Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction

Assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations
Assistant Superintendent for Student Services

Director of Technology and Information Services

Mr. Mike Ziaja
Director of Operations