In honor of Veterans Day (last Friday, November 11), Mr. Krueger and Mrs. Siebert's third-grade classes donated over 75 pounds of toiletries to the Evanston Vet Center. They also decorated tissue boxes with messages telling veterans how brave they are and thanking them for keeping us and the world safe. “I’m beyond proud of our third-grade teachers and students,” Principal Elizabeth Cardenas-Lopez commented on District 65’s Instagram page. “Thank you for caring for all those who have served this country.” Way to go, Washington School!

The City of Evanston and District 65 invite the public to attend an informational meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, December 6 at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center (1655 Foster St.). Attendees are invited to share their perspective on proposed site concepts for District 65’s new school as well as the future of the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center.

Attendees will also have an opportunity to discuss academic programming options for the 5th Ward School and receive an update on Phase II of Student Assignment Planning. Spanish interpretation and childcare will be provided. See more details about the meeting online!

Has your student shown interest in learning more about science, martial arts, cooking or chess? You’re in luck! In partnership with District 65, registration is now open for Right at School winter elective programming, which includes all of those activities and more! Programming runs from December 5 of this year to March 10, 2023.

Electives are held before and after school at all D65 elementary and magnet schools. Middle school students will find updated extracurricular info on their school websites. Learn more about each school’s unique offerings online.

Important dates:

• Submit scholarship requests by Wednesday, November 30.
• Register for winter session electives by Friday, December 9.

Just as students receive report cards, so too do school districts! The Illinois Report Card for D65 includes information on school and district demographics as well as progress toward educational goals.

Here’s a quick snapshot of our progress:

• Fourteen out of fifteen D65 schools earn highest designations by the Illinois State Board of Education of Exemplary or Commendable. Learn more about ISBE Summative Designations.
• D65 continues to outperform state averages in English Language Arts (ELA), Math, and Science on Illinois Readiness Assessment (IAR).
• Students of all reported race/ethnicities, low income status, and students with IEPs all show gains in reading and math.
• Black and Latinx students with individualized learning needs demonstrate pre-pandemic growth on Dynamic Learning Maps Assessment.
• Students who participate in our high dosage tutoring through our Academic Skill Centers (ASC) outperform students who are eligible but do not participate.
• Five schools surpassed 2019 IAR (pre-pandemic) data in ELA.
• Three schools surpassed 2019 IAR (pre-pandemic) data in Math.

Lastly, a note from Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton: “We also know that our student growth is reflected in so much more than just test scores. While there is certainly more work to do, we are excited by the promising trends across the District and, more importantly, to really see the joy of learning in our schools!”

To read more about the Illinois Report Card, click here.