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Greetings BSD2 Families, Students, Staff and Community Members, 

This holiday season, I would like to reflect on our BSD2 Community’s generous spirit. The selfless giving of our staff and community emphasizes to me how much we care about each other in District 2, and how our presence in each other’s lives is one of the most important presents we can give or receive.

Each fall, our school social workers and classroom teachers work together to identify students from families that may not be able to afford gifts, and anonymously invite them to share their children’s wish lists and clothing needs. BSD2 staff then volunteer to spend about $30 purchasing gifts for each student, and return their donations wrapped and ready to deliver to the students’ families before winter break. 

This year, BSD2 staff generously donated around $6,500 in gifts for 217 students from 82 different families in need through this annual Giving Tree program.

District 2 is also one of the many supporters of the Village of Bensenville’s annual Holiday Toy Drive, which collected donations of more than 2,000 new toys this year. The Village gives these gifts to local children identified by the school districts on a need basis, and District 2 connected 175 of its families with the Village’s toy drive this year. 

Similarly, the District also supports Bensenville-Wood Dale Rotary Club's annual Coats4Kids campaign, which provided more than 500 new winter coats for BSD2 students in need earlier this fall. Again, donations came from throughout our community, and references came from District 2 staff looking to ensure that every student had a warm coat to wear this winter.

Thank you, District 2, for the powerful impact of your everyday presence in the lives of our students and families, and for so generously giving to our families in need. I wish you nothing but the best this holiday season. May 2023 be the best year yet for us all!  



Sincerely, 

Dr. Katie McCluskey

Superintendent of Schools

Bensenville School District 2

COVID claimed Tioga School's annual Holiday Sing Along the past two years, but this holiday tradition made its joyful and triumphant return Wednesday, as students gathered in the school's gym to sing some of their favorite holiday songs.

In addition a version of "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" that also included greetings for Hanukkah and Kwanzaa, students enjoyed opportunities to belt out "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer," "Frosty the Snowman," and a number of other holiday favorites.

On December 14, a group of Blackhawk Middle School band students visited Castle Towers and Bridgeway senior living communities to perform a variety of holiday favorites for the residents.

• Click here to view the performances.

There are holiday standards that most everyone knows by heart, and there are, shall we say, less familiar tunes, like "Santa the Barbarian."

This year, the BMS Holiday Sing Along featured plenty of the favorites and several surprises for students visiting from the District's elementary schools. Songs ranged from "Let It Snow" to "This is Halloween" from the movie The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Every year, second- and fourth-grade students from Johnson and Tioga schools visit Blackhawk Middle School for the holiday sing along with the BMS choir and bands. But this fun field trip is more than just a festive way for students to celebrate the holiday season. It is also a showcase of the fine arts opportunities that await these young students when they move on to middle school.

• Click here to view the performances.

Every Tuesday, following early dismissal, staff across District 2 gather for professional development activities.

Tuesday, December 20, was different, though.

To celebrate the start of winter break, staff at all three schools shifted their usual focus away from teaching and learning, and - instead - broke into teams to do team building activities.

Teams were established across departments and grade levels and their goal was to build the best gingerbread house. Students came in the next morning to find out that they were the judges of the contest.

The creations were quite inspired, and the best gingerbread houses from each school - as judged by their students - will be displayed at Bensenville Community Public Library over winter break.

• Click here to see more gingerbread house photos.

On December 15, District 2 and the Frida Community Organization wrapped up their fall RISE after-school programs with the Frida/RISE Winter Showcase at Blackhawk Middle School.

The evening kicked off with exhibits offered by students in the Culinary, Craft, Digital Art, Jewelry, LEGO and Spanish Clubs. The showcase then shifted to a packed BMS auditorium, where parents cheered performances by students in the District's Folklorico and Latin Dance Clubs, as well as its Guitar, Mariachi, K-Pop, and Yoga Clubs.

District 2’s after-school programs are presented by the Frida Community Organization and funded by a prestigious 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant from the Illinois State Board of Education.

Participation in the RISE programs has soared this year, increasing from 300 students in 2021-2022 to more than 700 this fall.

• Click here for more photos and videos.

Need new decorations for the holidays?

The Frida Community Organization has you covered!

In October, Frida - the District's 21st Century Community Schools grant partner - led a month-long workshop in which families created Catrina sculpture to celebrate Día de los Muertos.

Then, in November, Frida hosted a Thanksgiving wreath workshop.

And of course December brought Christmas decor, as Frida recently led an evening workshop for families to create colorful piñatas and papel picado - delicate perforated paper banners.

• Click here for more photos.

Johnson parents - don't look if you don't want to spoil your surprise!

Earlier this month, W.A. Johnson School students were given the opportunity to shop for their loved ones at the Penguin Patch Holiday Shop, which was sponsored by the Johnson PTA.

Penguin Patch offered a variety of inexpensive gifts ranging in price from 25 cents to $12. Working alongside parent volunteers, Johnson students budgeted the spending money, made selections from their shopping lists, and purchased and individually wrapped the gifts they selected for family and friends.

Students and their parents packed the school December 7 for Tioga's "Reading in a Winter Wonderland" Family Literacy Night.

This fun-filled evening featured a variety of craft activities related to read-alouds of holiday-themed picture books. Families could also shop the Anderson Book Fair in the LRC, and grab a sweet treat in the cafeteria.

• Click here for more photos.

It can be difficult for working parents to attend their kids' concerts during the school day.

W.A. Johnson School solved that problem this holiday season with its "Music Around the World" virtual concerts for kindergarten, first- and second-grade glasses.

These live-streamed performances allowed parents to take a peek into students' music classes in real-time or at their own convenience.

• Click here to watch the virtual concerts.

The BMS boys basketball teams tipped off their seasons December 8 with games against Bryan Middle School.

The eighth-grade boys basketball team hit the road for its first game of the season.

Meanwhile, Blackhawk's seventh-grade boys basketball team attempted a courageous comeback before a great crowd, but fell to Bryan Middle School in its home opener.

In addition to the hoops action, the school's action-packed afternoon featured outstanding performances by the BMS Cheer and Dance Teams.

It also featured the 2022 debut of Bucky the BMS mascot, who delivered a special message to all of the fans in the stands:

"GO HAWKS!"