Congratulations to Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton, who was named Superintendent of the Year! The National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE) awarded him this honor for his contributions to the educational advancement of African Americans. The Joseph E. Hill Superintendent of the Year Award is named after D65’s first Black superintendent, who was also a founding member of the NABSE.

"He is a visionary leader who is not afraid to try new approaches to make systemic change,” said School Board President Sergio Hernandez.

Dr. Horton accepted this prestigious award at the annual NABSE Conference this week. For more, head to our new D65 website. Thank you, Dr. Horton, for advancing the educational experience of all D65 students!

The City of Evanston and District 65 invite the public to attend an informational meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. next Tuesday, December 6 at the Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center (1655 Foster St.). Attendees will get the chance 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 Fifth 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!

Haven Middle School started a Student Ambassador program as part of its initiative to enhance the school’s culture and climate and bring student voice to the table. Chosen for their demonstration of Haven’s core values of STARS (Safe, Timely, Aware, Respectful, and Successful), Student Ambassadors meet once every other week to collaborate on decisions and school events. One of their recent projects was the school’s first spirit week, which included the themes “Dress Like a Celebrity” and “Adam Sandler Day.” Here, you’ll see competition was fierce but friendly in this spirit week activity: a students v. staff volleyball game. Nice job, North Stars!

The start of kindergarten is an exciting new adventure! If your child will be five years old on or before Sept. 1, 2023, it’s time to register for kindergarten! Registration for the 2023-2024 school year begins next Monday, December 5.

The Registration Team hosts monthly orientation sessions in English and Spanish; learn more and find the Zoom links on D65’s Kindergarten Registration webpage. The remaining three sessions are scheduled for:

• January 18, 2023, 7 p.m. via Zoom
• February 15, 2023, 7 p.m. via Zoom
• March 15, 2023, 7 p.m. at Joseph E. Hill Education Center, 1500 McDaniel Ave., Evanston

Applications also open for selective enrollment programs and magnet school lottery. These include the African Centered Curriculum (ACC) and Two-Way Immersion (TWI) programs as well as King Arts and Bessie Rhodes magnet schools (K-8). (For parents of future kindergarten students, this will be part of the online registration process.) Lottery applications for next school year will be open from December 5, 2022, through March 31, 2023. Learn more about these opportunities and find the application on our website.