- Cass School District 63
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The Cass63 Connections is communicated to parents and published on Cass School District 63's website weekly throughout the school year.
Cass63 Connections
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Cass63 Connections - November 30, 2023
November 30, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
As we round the corner into the holiday season, it will not be as quiet in our schools during the upcoming winter break this year. Asbestos abatement work will be taking place in certain areas of both Concord Elementary and Cass Junior High Schools over the break. Asbestos removal will take place at both schools over the spring break in late March as well.
Obviously, this work will all be completed when students are not in session. There are absolutely no safety concerns as we will work with our abatement consultant and contractors to ensure that we are 100 percent in compliance with all health and safety requirements for a project of this nature. In fact, one of the purposes of our work is ultimately to improve the overall health and indoor air quality of our schools once the project is complete next summer.
The abatement projects are a necessary part of our geothermal HVAC project, but I wanted to share this information with you to be transparent and also welcome any questions. We will be providing the required notices as well, but I wanted to share some details in advance regarding what is taking place.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns at all. Thank you!Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
3rd grade performing during their recent music program.
Write-On Competition at Indian Prairie Public Library
Some of our students recently submitted works to the Write-On Competition at Indian Prairie Public Library with five of our Cass Junior High students placing in the top three. The winners were treated to a dinner with award-winning young adult author Celia C. Perez (First Rule of Punk and Tumble) where they were able to speak with her one-on-one about the writing process. This was followed up by a presentation open to the public where the author spoke about her career and where the winners were announced. Our Cass winners were 5th graders Kaitlyn Ghrist, Lucy Krenn, and Aroush Qureshi, 6th grader Matteo Vitagliano, and 7th seventh grader Maksymilian Mirowski. Each were given a signed copy of the author's latest book as well as a cash prize.
3rd Grade Music Program
Just before our Thanksgiving break, Concord held the 3rd grade music program which also tied into Veterans Day. Thank you to choral teacher Angela Zurawski and our talented 3rd grade students for a wonderful performance.
80s Bowling Night - Last Chance to Register!
CARE’s 80s Bowling Night fundraiser is this Saturday, December 2! Check out the CARE Shop to purchase raffle tickets for some amazing prizes including Chicago Wolves and White Sox tickets, MSI and Urban Air passes, and more!! On-line raffle ticket purchases can be made through Friday, December 1. In-person raffle ticket purchases can be made at the event. You do not need to attend the Bowling Night fundraiser to be a winner!
Staff Spotlight - Mr. Etherington
Mr. Matt Etherington was a speaker at the Illinois Art Education Association State Convention recently. His presentation was “Comics in the Classroom”, which focused on how social emotional learning (SEL) can be related to sensitive issues like bullying, poverty, dealing with difference, poverty, gender identity, and even mental health. Although educators are aware of the importance of SEL, it can be difficult to address in the classroom and genres like sequential art, comics, and graphic novels can be integrated into art and design classes to help address SEL issues and create teachable moments. Congratulations and thank you to Mr. Etherington for sharing his expertise!
Concord Pajama, Book, and Toy Drive
Concord students are learning to make a difference in the lives of others, and this year our service project focuses on working with the Pajama Program to help those in need to receive new pajama sets and new books to promote a good night’s sleep. The Pajama and Book Drive will be held through December 7 and our hope is that we will be able to help many families this winter. Here is more information if you are interested. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!
Concord Comets Shining Bright
Concord Elementary physical education teachers are looking to celebrate our students who are staying physically active outside of school through their Comets Shining Bright initiative. We have had some great responses, but would like to highlight as many of our students as we can. If you have not already done so, please take a moment to read the information on this program and submit your child’s activities on the form.
Dine to Donate on Wednesdays in December
CARE has partnered with Burrito Paradise for Dine to Donate in December. Every Wednesday in December families can take a day off of cooking and enjoy some great Mexican food! Just print this flyer to bring with you or you can show it on your phone to make sure 15 percent of the sale goes back to CARE.
We partner with Aramark to provide our school lunches. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.
Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.
Holiday Sock Drive Supporting Metropolitan Family Services
Chicago Youth Orchestra Auditions
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.
December 21, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.December 22, 2023 through January 5, 2024
No School - Winter BreakJanuary 8, 2024
No School – Staff Institute DayJanuary 9, 2024
School Resumes
Archives
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Cass63 Connections - November 16, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
This was an exciting week as we officially broke ground on our geothermal HVAC project. We have worked hard for the last two years to make this happen, and it was a beautiful day. Mrs. Susan Paszkowski will be incorporating some of the project into her 8th grade science curriculum, so it was awesome having some of our students involved in the groundbreaking as well! More information on this innovative project along with some pictures from the event are provided below.
At Tuesday’s Board meeting, the principals and I shared information on the 2023 School Report Cards. This was an excellent discussion on areas in which we have excelled, as well as areas in which we need to grow. Overall our students perform very well, but we are of the belief that we will continue to focus on our overall growth and areas in which we can improve. More information is provided below, and I will share more on this in a later communication.
I also want to mention two upcoming events. Tonight, Cassapalooza will be held at QBar. Even though you could purchase tickets in advance, you can also show up at the door and enjoy the performances by our local bands! CARE is also sponsoring the 80s Bowling Night Fundraiser on December 2. Details on both events are below.
I hope you have meaningful conferences with your children’s teachers Monday and Tuesday. On behalf of all of us in Cass 63, we also wish you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving and safe travels over the holiday break!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Breaking ground for the geothermal project!
No School Week of November 20
Due to Parent-Teacher Conferences on November 20-21, following by Thanksgiving Break November 22-24, there will be no student attendance next week. The Cass63 Connections will resume on November 30. We wish you and your families a wonderful Thanksgiving!
2023 School Report Cards Released
The Illinois School Report Card is an annual report released by the Illinois State Board of Education that shows how schools and school districts are performing in a wide variety of areas. The Report Card also serves as a tool to keep our parents and school community informed of our progress and areas in which growth is needed. Here is a link to the 2023 highlights with more detailed explanation provided by the school district, as well as current and interactive past report cards for the district and both schools.
Celebrating Our Staff in D63!
This week is American Education Week and we want to use this opportunity to thank our wonderful staff in D63. You will not find a more committed, child-centered, and truly dedicated group of teachers, teacher assistants, bus drivers, custodians, administrative assistants, clerks, nurses, building administrators, and district office staff in our profession. Thank you all for all that you do!
School Board Members Day
November 15 was School Board Members Day in Illinois and we want to thank these seven individuals who serve in this important and voluntary position in our community. Our Board of Education members are President Lana Johnson, Vice President Dr. Rinku Patel, Secretary Urszula Tanouye, and Members Steve Wyent, Chris Green, Katie Marinelli, and Liz Mitha. Thank you all!
Geothermal Project Breaks Ground
On a beautiful day earlier this week, some of our 8th grade science students and teacher Susan Paszkowski joined members of the Board of Education, along with Alderwoman Mary Sullivan, district administrators, facility planning committee members, and school district architects, engineers, and contractors in the groundbreaking for our geothermal HVAC project. Here are some pictures from the groundbreaking event.
Once the new GeoExchange system is complete, there will be 40 wells at Cass and 32 at Concord. Each is a vertical, 500 foot bore with 1,000 feet of piping, down and up. There will be about 7.6 miles of continuous underground piping at Cass and approximately 6.1 miles of piping at Concord! This closed geothermal loop will connect to our new HVAC system that is being installed in the summer of 2024 to provide the highest level of heating and cooling efficiency in our two schools for decades to come.
This project is the biggest part of a long-term facilities plan that was approved by our voters last November. Thank you to our community for your support of our students and school district.
Cassapalooza November 16!
Come out and enjoy an evening of live music sponsored by CARE and featuring local dads (and a mom) between the two bands. Dad Bods plays rock and roll and songs like Stacy’s Mom, Lightning Crashes and 867-5309. Married With Children (MWC) is a lively band that knows how to have fun. They put on an energetic show that will have you on your feet and dancing in no time. MWC plays a little modern pop, a little classic rock, and a lot of everything in between. We hope to see you at QBar!
The Board of Education held its monthly meeting on November 14 and reviewed the tentative 2023 tax levy, set a truth in taxation hearing for December 19, reviewed the 2023 school report cards, approved low bids for asbestos abatement, and approved a $50,000 matching maintenance grant application. More details can be found within the Board Briefs for anyone interested.
Absence Reporting Reminders!
Please contact us immediately by call or email from a parent email address in PowerSchool when your child will be absent. Just leave your child's name, grade level (and teacher for Concord), date of absence, reason for absence, parent name, and phone number. For Concord, call 331-481-4000, option 1 and then option 5, or email concordattendance@cassd63.org. For Cass, call 331-481-4000, choose option 2 and then option 7, or email cassattendance@cassd63.org.Boys Basketball Tryouts November 28 and 29
Boys Basketball tryouts are coming up on November 28 and 29. Your child must have a sports physical dated within the last year in order to tryout.
Cass Junior High Fall Choral Concert
Last week brought the Fall Choral Concert to Cass Junior High. Thank you to choral teacher Becky Kriz and her students for a great evening of music!
Girls Basketball Season Ends
The Cass Junior High girls’ basketball season has come to an end. Congratulations to coaches Landon Mitchell and Tim Stangarone along with their teams for all the hard work they put in to improve their individual as well as their team skills. Please enjoy these pictures of the girls in action!
Concord Pajama, Book, and Toy Drive
Concord students are learning to make a difference in the lives of others and this year, our service project focuses on working with the Pajama Program to help those less fortunate receive new pajama sets and new books to promote a good night’s sleep. Our Pajama and Book Drive will be held from November 27 through December 7. Our hope is that we will be able to help many families this winter and here is more information if you are interested. Your generosity is greatly appreciated!
80s Bowling Night December 2
Join us on December 2 for 80s Bowling Night, an event for the grown-ups and a fundraiser hosted by CARE. There will be billiards, darts, a caricature artist, raffles, and more! Don’t miss this fun evening!!
Check out the awesome on-line raffle prizes including Urban Air passes, Museum of Science and Industry passes, and tickets to a Chicago Wolves game! Support CARE by purchasing your tickets here!
We partner with Aramark to provide our school lunches. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.
Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.
Darien Woman’s Club Holiday Soap Collection
Glenbard Parent Series presents Under the Influence Vaping, Alcohol and Cannibis
Mighty Oak Athletic Thanksgiving Week Strength & Agility Camp
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.
November 20-21, 2023
No School – Virtual Parent Teacher ConferencesNovember 22-24, 2023
No School – Thanksgiving BreakDecember 21, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.December 22, 2023 through January 5, 2024
No School - Winter BreakJanuary 8, 2024
No School – Staff Institute DayJanuary 9, 2024
School Resumes -
Cass63 Connections - November 9, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
There are two special groups of people I would like to recognize this week. The first is our United States Military Veterans. The times in which we live are a great reminder to never take our freedom and safety for granted, as both our freedom and safety are due to the sacrifice and service of our Veterans. To our parents, grandparents, extended family, and community members who have served, thank you.
For anyone interested in joining a community event to honor our Veterans, Darien is hosting a Veterans Day Ceremony on Saturday, November 11 at 11:00 a.m. at Darien Community Park at the Veterans Memorial Monument.
The second is our teachers, staff, administrators, and Board members. This is timely because next week is American Education Week and our people in District 63 are second to none. You will not find a more committed, child-centered, and truly dedicated group of people in our profession. I am very grateful and proud to work with all of them.
So if you see a Veteran or an educator over the next week or so, please thank them for their service and show your support. It will be appreciated more than you know. Also, thank you to all of you (and your kids!) who collected over 500 items for the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans Freedom Commissary in Wheaton. More on this effort is shared below.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Thank You for Supporting Our Veterans
In honor of Veterans Day, our Cass Junior High students and staff worked together to collect over 500 items for The Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans Freedom Commissary in Wheaton, Illinois. The MSHV Freedom Commissary provides help to local low-income veterans and their families with household items, clothing, and basic needs. We honor and cherish our veterans and are so pleased that our students and staff recognize them not only on Veterans Day but throughout the year. Special recognition to Ms. Musil, Ms. Pollitz, and Mrs. Vaci's English Language Arts classes who went the extra mile by making sure that each student from the class donated at least one item to the donation drive.
1st Trimester Progress in PowerSchool
The end of the first trimester was November 3 and parents will be able to view a complete summary of your child’s progress through the trimester beginning November 9. This is when the first trimester progress reporting will be finalized, but please remember that you can review your child’s academic progress and other information in PowerSchool at any time by following these instructions. Please contact the school office with any questions.
Concord Book Fair November 13-17
CARE is hosting a book fair at Concord Elementary from November 13-17 with a Family Shopping Night from 4:30 – 7:00 p.m. on the evening of November 14. You may also shop online and/or set up an eWallet for your children to shop in person. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to get started on your holiday shopping!
Cass Junior High Master Gardeners
The Master Gardeners came to help students plant new tulip and daffodil bulbs in the garden on the south side of the school. To prepare in class, we learned about the life cycle of a tulip bulb (including the dormancy phase our bulbs experience underground during the winter months), the different hardiness zones for planting, and proper planting and care for the bulbs. Additionally, the Master Gardeners program supplied enough bulbs not only for each student to plant in the school garden, but to plant (temporarily) in a cup to take home and share with their family. We are so excited to see all of their hard work (and learning) bloom in the spring!
Concord Comets Shining Bright
Concord Elementary physical education teachers would like to celebrate our students who are staying physically active outside of school through their Comets Shining Bright initiative. Please take a moment to read the information on this program and if you would like, please submit your child’s activities on the form.
Student Council Winter Coat Drive
The Cass Junior High Student Council is holding its 2nd annual winter coat drive from November 1-17. New or gently used coats, scarves, hats and gloves for all ages and sizes are welcome.
Chess Tryouts November 13 and 14
Attention all Cass Junior High chess players! Tryouts for the team will be held on Monday, November 13, and Tuesday, November 14 in the Cass Junior High library from 3:30-4:50. You must attend both days to be considered for the team. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Mosquera kmosquera@cassd63.org.
Boys Basketball Tryouts November 28 and 29
Boys’ Basketball tryouts are coming up on November 28 and 29. Your child must have a sports physical dated within the last year in order to tryout.
Would you like front row seats to your student’s fine arts events? CARE is raffling off front row seats to select band, choir and grade level music performances. Purchase at any time on the CARE website. The next event is the 3rd grade music program on November 16. Raffle tickets are $1 and will be available for this event until November 10.
Parents Night Out with Cassapalooza November 16
Come out and enjoy an evening of live music sponsored by CARE and featuring local dads (and a mom) between the two bands. Dad Bods plays rock and roll and songs like Stacy’s Mom, Lightning Crashes and 867-5309. Married With Children (MWC) is a lively band that knows how to have fun. They put on an energetic show that will have you on your feet and dancing in no time. MWC plays a little modern pop, a little classic rock, and a lot of everything in between.
Here is the registration information if you want to join the fun!
80s Bowling Night December 2
Join us on December 2 for 80s Bowling Night, an event for the grownups and a fundraiser hosted by CARE. Even if you don't feel like bowling, there will still be billiards, darts, a caricature artist, raffles and more. Please don’t miss out on this fun evening!
Board Vacancy at District 86
Due to a recent resignation, the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board of Education currently has a vacancy. If you would like to be considered for the open position on the District 86 Board, you must submit your application by Tuesday, November 15, at 4:00 p.m. You can access the application form, which includes information about the search process and candidate qualifications, by visiting here. If you have questions about applying, please contact Deb Kedrowski at dkedrows@hinsdale86.org or 630- 655-6108.
We partner with Aramark to provide our school lunches. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.
Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.
2024 Affordable Care Act (ACA) Marketplace Open Enrollment
Glenbard Parent Series presents Update on Social Media and Teen Mental Health
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.
November 9, 2023
1st Trimester Progress Reports Available in PowerSchoolNovember 20-21, 2023
No School – Virtual Parent Teacher ConferencesNovember 22-24, 2023
No School – Thanksgiving Break -
Cass63 Connections - November 2, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
After an incredible amount of work and planning over the previous two years, we are taking a big step in our geothermal HVAC, safety, and security improvements at both schools. The geothermal installation work is a large and complex project that is taking place in two phases. We will commence phase one within the next two weeks, which is the work on the geothermal wells on the west side of Cass Junior High School.
Over several weeks, rigs will bore 40 narrow wells that are each 500 feet in depth. If all goes as planned, the rigs and geothermal well work will then move to Concord over the two-week winter holiday break. Concord’s project will include 32 geothermal wells on the south side of the property, adjacent to the playground.
While there may be some temporary inconveniences, this project will be carried out and contained behind construction fences and will not pose any safety risk for our students and staff. By next summer, the impacted ground will be returned to normal use.
We are also planning for some necessary asbestos abatement, but that work will take place inside the two schools over the winter and spring breaks in preparation for the big job next summer. At that time, Reed Construction will serve as our general contractor on the final phase of the project to replace all HVAC equipment and connect to our highly efficient geothermal system.
The Board of Education has had the foresight and vision to do this the right way, and I can assure you that we are working hard to ensure that this project is done in the most efficient, timely, safe, and transparent manner. As always, I welcome any questions or concerns along the way and will continue to keep you updated as this project develops. .
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Concord students celebrating Sloth Day!.
Sunday, November 5, ends Daylight Savings Time. Don’t forget to turn your clocks back one hour!
Helping Our Homeless Veterans - Last Chance to Donate
Cass School District 63 is conducting a school wide collection drive through November 3 for the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans. Please see this flyer for needed items and where to donate. Thank you for supporting our Veterans!
8th Grade Science Fair
On the October 31 early dismissal day, 8th grade students presented their science fair projects for both their fellow students and families. Each year we see some amazing and insightful projects from our students and this year was no exception. If you were not able to attend, please take a look at some of the great projects from the day.
1st Trimester Progress through PowerSchool
The end of the first trimester is November 3 and parents will be able to view a complete summary of your child’s progress through the trimester on November 9. This is when the first trimester progress reporting will be finalized, but please remember that you can review your child’s academic progress and other information in PowerSchool at any time by following these instructions. Please contact the school office with any questions.
Concord Picture Retake Day November 3
Concord picture retake day is November 3. Any student who has not had their picture taken yet or students who took photos last month but would like them retaken can participate. If your student is retaking their picture, please send back the original photo packet/package to turn in on retake day.
Chess Tryouts November 13 and 14
Attention all Cass Junior High chess players! Tryouts for the team will be held on Monday, November 13, and Tuesday, November 14 in the Cass Junior High library from 3:30-4:50. You must attend both days to be considered for the team. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Mosquera kmosquera@cassd63.org.
Comets Shining Bright
Concord Elementary physical education teachers would like to celebrate our students who are staying physically active outside of school through their Comets Shining Bright initiative. Please take a moment to read the information on this program and if you would like, please submit your child’s activities on the form.
Student Council Winter Coat Drive
The Cass Junior High Student Council is holding its 2nd annual winter coat drive from November 1-17. New or gently used scarves, hats and gloves for all ages and sizes are welcome.
Boys Basketball Tryouts November 28 and 29
Boys’ Basketball tryouts are coming up on November 28 and 29. Your child must have a sports physical dated within the last year in order to tryout.
Hinsdale South 8th Grade Initial Registration
Hinsdale South High School has asked us to share with our 8th grade families that it is time to submit initial registration information to District 86. Please submit soon to avoid missing important information about high school course selection and contact Hinsdale South High School with any questions.
Cass Junior High Celebrates Spirit Week
Last week was Spirit Week at Cass Junior High. Spirit week is a great way to get all the students involved in a common goal and last week our students and staff embraced the themes of each day.
Concord Fall Festival Parties
Concord held its Fall Festival parties and All School Character Assembly on October 31. Please enjoy some pictures from the day.
Alumni Accolades
Hinsdale South students Casey Fundator, Katie Joseph and Quinn Isberg were recently invited to join over 800 students from around Illinois at the Illinois Directors of Student Activities leadership conference.
Reminder - Absence Reporting Requirements
Please contact us immediately by call or email from a parent email address in PowerSchool when your child will be absent. Leave your child's name, grade level (and teacher for Concord), date of absence, reason for absence, parent name, and phone number. For Concord, call 331-481-4000, option 1 and then option 5, or email concordattendance@cassd63.org. For Cass, call 331-481-4000, choose option 2 and then option 7, or email cassattendance@cassd63.org.
Parents Night Out with Cassapalooza November 16
Come out and enjoy an evening of live music sponsored by CARE and featuring local dads (and a mom) between the two bands. Dad Bods plays rock and roll and songs like Stacy’s Mom, Lightning Crashes and 867-5309. Married With Children (MWC) is a lively band that knows how to have fun. They put on an energetic show that will have you on your feet and dancing in no time. MWC plays a little modern pop, a little classic rock, and a lot of everything in between. Here is the registration information. We hope you can join the fun!
Spirit Wear Makes the Perfect Holiday Gift!
The holidays are coming and it's time to update your Concord and Cass spirit wear! The CARE sponsored Spirit Wear Store is open for business with some really great items for both kids and adults that would make wonderful holiday gifts! This includes quality, brand name items of not only t-shirts and hoodies, but also fleece jackets, sherpa pullovers, caps, beanies, and flannel pants. Make sure your family shows their school spirit!
We partner with Aramark to provide our school lunches. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.
Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.
Hinsdale South Booster Club Holiday Artisan Fair
Glenbard Parent Series presents Congratulations: You’re Having a Teen!
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.
November 3, 2023
End of 1st TrimesterNovember 5, 2023
Turn Your Clocks Back One Hour!November 20-21, 2023
No School – Virtual Parent Teacher ConferencesNovember 22-24, 2023
No School – Thanksgiving Break -
Cass63 Connections - October 26, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Today I want to share about a very personal battle a member of our Cass 63 family is taking on. Cass Junior High Assistant Principal Michelle Roberts was recently diagnosed with breast cancer and as part of her fight, will be starting a leave of absence on November 1.
Our staff and students have rallied around Michelle and yesterday as part of our Spirit Week, we honored her with Pink Out Day. As you will see from the pictures, our students and staff wanted to show her that even outside of her own family, she is supported, loved and never alone in this battle.
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and Michelle is certainly not the first among our school community in this fight. Awareness is key, so in honor of all of you who have fought this disease, please consider visiting the National Breast Cancer Foundation link above to learn more about prevention, care, and support.
Please join all of us in wishing Michelle a successful and quick recovery. Both her and her family will be in our prayers every step of the way.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
D63 staff showing our support for Assistant Principal Michelle Roberts.
As a reminder, Tuesday, October 31 is an early release day. Concord will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.
Important! Parent Teacher Conference Registration
Parent-teacher conferences are November 20 and 21 and it is time to get registered. The general conference schedule is from 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. on Monday, November 20, and from 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 21. Following are the details and registration procedures for each school.
Concord Elementary - All grade levels at Concord will be offering both virtual and in-person conferences this year. Virtual conferences are available as a convenience to parents if that is your preference, but we decided to provide an in-person option for the parents of our younger students. All parents should have received a communication from their child’s teacher on Friday, October 20.
Cass Junior High School - Due to the number of conferences and tighter schedule for each teacher, as well as the age levels of the students, conferences for parents of junior high students will be all virtual. Junior high conferences will be scheduled online through the Meet the Teacher platform. Here is a letter from Principal Christine Marcinkewicz with the details and links for registration when the portal opens on October 30.
Please contact your child’s school office with any questions.
8th Grade Science Fair October 31
8th grade students will be participating in a Science Fair on October 31 and parents are welcome to attend! Please read this flyer for information on times and where to park for the fair.
Free Registration! Family Fun Night November 2
CARE is hosting a Family Fun Night featuring World Class Juggler Brian Pankey who will be performing. Registration is free and refreshments will be served beginning at 6:00 p.m. and the performance starts at 6:45. Please register in advance and we hope to see you there!
4th Grade is Headed to the Symphony
In preparation for their field trip to the Symphony on November 2, our 4th grade students recently had a presentation from docent Kathy Macal, violinist, from the West Suburban Symphony Orchestra.
Helping Our Homeless Veterans!
Cass School District 63 is conducting a school wide collection drive through November 3 for the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans. Please see this flyer for needed items and where to donate. Thank you for supporting our Veterans!
Cass Students Headed to ILMEA
Both Emileigh Gallagher and Mauricio Gubert have been selected to perform in the ILMEA Junior Band this year. The Illinois Music Education Association Junior Band is a select band for middle school students in our area of the State. Students must be both nominated and then audition for this group. On November 4, they will get to spend an entire day working with other students who were chosen, work with a top level director and then play a concert that evening at Unity Junior High School in Cicero. Congratulations to these talented musicians!
Chess Tryouts November 13 and 14
Attention all Cass Junior High chess players! Tryouts for the team will be held on Monday, November 13, and Tuesday, November 14 in the Cass Junior High library from 3:30-4:50. You must attend both days to be considered for the team. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Mosquera kmosquera@cassd63.org.
7th Grade Visits Springfield
On October 20, our 7th grade students enjoyed a wonderful day watching history come alive in Springfield, Illinois. Please enjoy these pictures from this phenomenal day.
80s Bowling Night December 2
Do you know every word to every Whitney Houston song? Do you miss those acid wash jeans? Join us on December 2 for 80s Bowling Night, an event for the grownups and a fundraiser hosted by CARE. Even if you don't feel like bowling, there will still be billiards, darts, a caricature artist, raffles and more. Space is limited! For those interested in attending and bowling, please register here, and for those interested in attending, but do not wish to bowl, please register here.
Stock Up on Spirit Wear!
The holidays are coming and it's time to update your Concord and Cass spirit wear! The CARE sponsored Spirit Wear Store is open for business with some really great items for both kids and adults that would make wonderful holiday gifts! This includes quality, brand name items of not only t-shirts and hoodies, but also fleece jackets, sherpa pullovers, caps, beanies, and flannel pants. Make sure your family shows their school spirit!
We partner with Aramark to provide our school lunches. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.
Alumni Accolades
- Congratulations to Anthony Cox, Andrea Crisp, Wesley Davis, Lily Levine and Sophia Zakar for earning All District from the Illinois Music Education Association (ILMEA)
- Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Wojtek Gilarski for finishing in 7th place overall in the regional cross country tournament.
Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.
Scouts BSA Troop #10 Handcrafted Wreaths & Greens Sale
Hinsdale South High School Haunted House
Glenbard Parent Series presents:
Can’t Do or Won’t Do Executive Function Skill-Building
The Power of Mindfulness to Increase Calm and Joy in Young Children
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.
October 31, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord 11:15 a.m. and Cass 12:00 p.m.November 3, 2023
End of 1st TrimesterNovember 20-21, 2023
No School – Virtual Parent Teacher ConferencesNovember 22-24, 2023
No School – Thanksgiving Break -
Cass63 Connections - October 19, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Since moving to virtual parent-teacher conferences over the last several years, we have definitely witnessed an increase in parent participation. This is natural considering how easy it is today to jump into a meeting, particularly for parents who may be traveling or working outside of our community. We have seen an increase in participation with some of our special area teachers in particular, and it seems more common that, when applicable, both parents participate. All good things!
With that said, there can be downsides to virtual meetings and we know some of you preferred the in-person format, particularly when meeting with the teachers of our younger children. Many teachers at the elementary level preferred an in-person option as well, as some of the information the teachers share may be more hands on, and obviously the classroom environment is quite different with the little ones. As a result, we are going to try a hybrid approach at Concord Elementary this year and offer the option of in-person OR virtual for parent-teacher conferences.
At Cass Junior High it is quite different and we are going to maintain virtual only conferences. Many of our junior high teachers see over 100 students a day. This makes keeping on schedule much more challenging, and the junior high is also conducive to a virtual environment when parents may want to meet with multiple teachers over the course of the day.
On October 20, Concord teachers are emailing parents conference registration details and links to the Google scheduler. Next week, Mrs. Marcinkewicz will be emailing our junior high parents the Meet the Teacher scheduler platform instructions, including reminders that scheduling will open at the junior high on Monday, October 30 at 8:30 a.m.
We think this is a win-win with the option at the elementary level, while maintaining the easy scheduling we do at both schools. Details on all of this are below. Please take a look and let us know if you have any questions.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
5th grade students creating Egyptian mummies.
At the October 17 meeting, the Board of Education accepted the low bid to complete the next phase of the geothermal project, reviewed the fiscal year 2023 audit, and approved the district e-Learning plan. Please read the Board Briefs for a more complete overview of this and other business conducted at the most recent meeting.
Parent Teacher Conference Registration Details
Parent-teacher conferences are November 20 and 21 and registration for conferences is coming very soon. The general conference schedule is from 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. on Monday, November 20, and from 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 21. We want to provide conferences in a format that allows for maximizing the time available, is appropriate for the grade level served, and is as parent-friendly as possible. Following are the details and registration procedures for each school.
Concord Elementary - All grade levels at Concord will be offering both virtual and in-person conferences this year. Virtual conferences are available as a convenience to parents if that is your preference, but we decided to provide an in-person option for the parents of our younger students. On Friday, October 20, PreK through 4th grade teachers will be sending parents the registration instructions and a link to the Google Calendar Scheduler. When you select your time with your child's teacher, there will also be an opportunity to choose an in-person or virtual conference via Google Meet.
Cass Junior High School - Due to the number of conferences and tighter schedule for each teacher, as well as the age levels of the students, conferences for parents of students in 5th through 8th grades will be all virtual. Beginning on Monday, October 30, junior high conferences will be scheduled online through the Meet the Teacher platform. Here is a letter from Principal Christine Marcinkewicz with the details and links for registration for when the portal opens on October 30. Reminders will be sent prior to registration opening.
Please contact your child’s school office with any questions. Thank you!
Help Us Honor Our Veterans!
If you, a family member, or a friend are Veterans, we are looking for you. Our 7th grade English Language Arts classes are working on a letter writing campaign to honor our veterans and we would like to start with those veterans closest to the students in our district. Please read this letter on how you can sign up to receive or have sent one of these letters.
Another way to help honor those who have served is by participating in a school wide collection drive for the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans. Please see this flyer for needed items and where to donate.
Thank you for supporting our Veterans!
8th Grade Science Fair October 31
8th grade students will be participating in a Science Fair on October 31 and parents are welcome to attend! Please read this flyer for information on times and where to park for the fair.
Calling All Advanced Math Students at Cass
All advanced math students in 5th through 8th grades are encouraged and welcome to join the Cass Math Team led by Ms. Mosquera. Meetings will be held from 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. on Wednesdays starting on October 25 in Room 153. Competitions will be held throughout the year. Come on out and sharpen your math mind! Please contact Ms. Mosquera at kmosquera@cassd63.org with questions.
5th Grade Learns About Ancient Egypt
As part of their Ancient Egypt unit of study, our creative 5th graders assembled their own life-sized Egyptian mummies. Great job working together, fifth graders!
Cass Junior High Halloween Dance
The first dance of the school year is coming up for Cass Junior High on Friday, October 27. Please read this letter from Principal Christine Marcinkewicz for important information about the dance.
Family Fun Night November 2
CARE is hosting a Family Fun Night featuring World Class Juggler Brian Pankey who will be performing. Registration is free!
Parents Night Out With Cassapalooza November 16
Come out and enjoy an evening of live music sponsored by CARE and featuring local dads (and a mom) between the two bands. Dad Bods plays rock and roll and songs like Stacy’s Mom, Lightning Crashes and 867-5309.
Married With Children (MWC) is a lively band that knows how to have fun. They put on an energetic show that will have you on their feet and dancing in no time. MWC plays a little modern pop, a little classic rock, and a lot of everything in between.Here is the registration information. We hope you can join the fun!
80s Bowling Night December 2
Do you know every word to every Whitney Houston song? Do you miss those acid wash jeans? Join us on December 2 for 80s Bowling Night, an event for the grownups and a fundraiser hosted by CARE. Even if you don't feel like bowling, there will still be billiards, darts, a caricature artist, raffles and more.
We partner with Aramark to provide our school lunches. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.
Dine to Donate at Chucks on Thursdays
In the month of October, take a night off of cooking on Thursdays and head to Chuck’s to dine in or carry out. Please be sure to bring this flyer with you and Chucks will donate 15 percent of the days sales back to our schools through CARE!
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.
October 31, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord 11:15 a.m. and Cass 12:00 p.m.November 3, 2023
End of 1st TrimesterNovember 20-21, 2023
No School – Virtual Parent Teacher ConferencesNovember 22-24, 2023
No School – Thanksgiving Break -
Cass63 Connections - October 12, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Last week I shared with you a brief background on Argonne National Laboratory's unique impact on our school district. Since the lab and surrounding acres are federal land, it is not taxable like normal property. A small amount may not be significant, but since the federal Argonne property makes up 37 percent of our total land, it has a major impact on our school district, our students, and our local taxpayers.
Since the federal government does not pay taxes and the total property value of this land well exceeds the 10 percent threshold for inclusion, our district receives a small amount of federal impact aid. This program partially reimburses school districts for the lost revenue associated with nontaxable federal property. Unfortunately, this revenue replaces just 8 cents of every dollar lost to federal property, which obviously has a significant financial impact. Nationally, the program funds about 7 cents on the dollar.
If you are interested in learning more, here is the information on our website, and here is the most recent impact aid handout our delegation shared with members of Congress in September. It contains some basic information about our request for funding, and you are always welcome to share your support of this program with members of Congress. Our local representatives have been extraordinarily supportive.
While we receive a relatively small amount of funding in the big scheme of things, $400,000 every year makes a huge difference in our school district and we cannot afford to lose this funding. If you have any questions about this or would like more information, please reach out anytime at mcross@cassd63.org.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Cass Junior High cheerleaders participating in the Eisenhower Cheer Clinic.
We Need Our Veterans!
If you, a family member, or a friend are veterans, we are looking for you. Our 7th grade English Language Arts classes are working on a letter writing campaign to honor our veterans and we would like to start with those veterans closest to the students in our district. Please read this letter on how you can sign up to receive or have sent one of these letters.
Public Hearing on e-Learning Plan
At their meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 17, at 7:00 p.m. the Board of Education will hold a public hearing as part of its regular meeting regarding the district’s proposed e-Learning Plan. Cass School District 63 has had an eLearning Plan in place since the 2019-20 school year, and there are no plans to make substantive changes to the existing plan the district uses for severe weather days. A public hearing is required to renew the plan. The hearing will be held during the 7:00 p.m. in the District Community Room at Cass Junior High School.Cass Junior High Halloween Dance
The first dance of the school year is coming up for Cass Junior High on Friday, October 27. Please read this letter from Principal Christine Marcinkewicz for important information about the dance.
Cross Country Season Ends
The Cass cross country team just completed a very successful season. Led by coaches Craig Damrow and Scott Kondraschow, the students competed in six regular season races, the Westview Hills Invite, and the SDEAA Conference Meet. The top seven girls and top seven boys also competed in the IESA Sectional Meet as well. The students worked hard throughout the year and many vastly improved their race times. Besides individual effort, many students on the team demonstrated leadership and team spirit by supporting their teammates and consistently demonstrating a positive attitude both at practice and meets.
Cheer Clinic
Our Cass Junior High cheerleaders participated in the recent cheer clinic held at Eisenhower Junior High. Our girls all did an excellent job learning two new cheers and stunting! Downers Grove South cheerleaders were on hand to help our girls learn these new skills and did a great job helping and teaching.
Concord Celebrates Dot Day
Students and teachers at Concord School recently celebrated International Dot Day by creating a mural and other pieces of art. Dot Day celebrates creativity and art and recognizes the ability to “connect the dots” to celebrate community and human potential. Dot Day is inspired by Peter Reynolds' picture book, The Dot.
Darien-Woodridge Firefighter Visits Cass Junior High
Cass Junior High welcomed Darien-Woodridge Firefighter Kevin Stapleton on Friday morning. He spoke to our 6th graders about fire prevention and safety. Thank you Mr. Stapleton for the important and engaging presentation!
CARE Family Fun Night November 2
CARE is hosting a Family Fun Night featuring World Class Juggler Brian Pankey who will be performing. Please see this flyer for more information.
Save the Date! CARE Bowling Night December 2
CARE will be hosting a Bowling Night fundraiser at the Tivoli Bowl on December 2. This is a fun event and fundraiser for grownups! Please see this flyer for more information and don’t forget to mark your calendars!
Alumni Accolades
- Congratulations to Hinsdale South students Adrian Folfas, Eva Maria Louis, Samuel Johnson, Parth Joshi, Lukas Simkus and Sofia Zakar who were recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program
- Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Tommy Gneiser for placing 11th overall in the IHSA Boys Golf Sectional and qualifying for state.
We partner with Aramark to provide our school lunches. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.
Scouts BSA Troop #10 Handcrafted Wreaths & Greens Sale
Indian Prairie Public Library Write-On Writing Competition
Glenbard Parent Series presents:
Dr. Sameer Hinduja Confronting Cyberbullying and Careless/Unwise Social Media Use in Tech Saavy Kids
Ana Belaval with Dr. Monica Oganes How to Support Your Child’s Health and Wellbeing (event will be presented in Spanish only)
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.
October 31, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord 11:15 a.m. and Cass 12:00 p.m.November 3, 2023
End of 1st TrimesterNovember 20-21, 2023
No School – Virtual Parent Teacher ConferencesNovember 22-24, 2023
No School – Thanksgiving Break -
Cass63 Connections - October 5, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
One very unique thing about our school district is that Argonne National Laboratory makes up 37 percent of the total land in Cass School District 63. Of the school district’s 2,807 total acres, 1,026 are federally owned land as part of Argonne. This is a wonderful thing, but it also means over one-third of the district's real estate is not subject to property taxes since the federal government does not pay taxes. As a result, our school district receives federal impact aid.
Federal impact aid partially reimburses school districts for the lost revenue associated with nontaxable federal property and ours is one of only eight school districts in Illinois that fall under this program. Despite the fact that such a large percentage of our property is federal land, federal impact aid replaces just 8 cents of every dollar lost to federal property, which obviously has a significant financial impact.
Unfortunately, we have to advocate with Congress to keep this funding source alive not only for our students and programs, but also for our local taxpayers. Next week, I will share more information on why this is important and if you are interested, how our parents and school community can help keep our impact aid funding in place.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Under Coach Trezzo, the Cass Junior High softball team grew tremendously this fall and finished with a 5-5 record. Congratulations on a great season!
As a reminder, Friday, October 6 is an early release day. Concord will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m. Please also note that there is no school on Monday, October 9 in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day.
Important! Concord Morning Drop Off
As a reminder, children at Concord may not exit cars until 7:45 a.m. when staff supervision begins and the doors open. PLEASE DO NOT DROP YOUR CHILDREN OFF BEFORE 7:45. If this time is not convenient for you, the district provides transportation or we have the Ivy League Kids before and after care program. This is very important and we appreciate your cooperation.
Concord Earns Indian Prairie Public Library Recognition
Congratulations to Concord Elementary School for earning the traveling trophy from the Indian Prairie Public Library! Our school had the most participants in the Summer Reading Program, a feat that has been repeated many times over the years. The Indian Prairie Reading Trophy will stay at Concord for the school year and will be displayed proudly in the Concord library. Incredibly, we had 141 students register for the program this year. Thank you to Mrs. Beth Dooley for helping organize and motivate our students to participate in the program. Keep up the amazing reading students!
It's time to update your Concord and Cass spirit wear! The CARE sponsored Spirit Wear Store is open for business with some really great items for both kids and adults. This includes quality, brand name items of not only t-shirts and hoodies, but also fleece jackets, sherpa pullovers, caps, beanies, and flannel pants. There is a lot of cool stuff! Make sure your family shows their school spirit and these items also make great gifts!
Concord Fall Festival and Costume Guidelines
Concord Halloween and Fall Festival Parties are coming up at the end of October and we know you as parents need to know the guidelines on Halloween costumes. In order to assist in your planning, here are the school guidelines, particularly as it relates to events taking place at school the morning of October 31. We look forward to a fun and safe Halloween!
In the month of October, take a night off of cooking on Thursdays and head to Chuck’s to dine in or carry out. Please be sure to bring this flyer with you and Chuck’s will donate 15 percent of the days sales back to our schools through CARE!
Would you like front row seats to your student’s fine arts events? CARE is raffling off front row seats to select band, choir and grade level music performances. Purchase at any time on the CARE website. The first event is the Jazz Band & Advanced Vocal Ensemble Performance on October 12. Raffle tickets are $1 and will be available until October 6.
Board Vacancy at District 86
Due to a recent resignation, the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board of Education currently has a vacancy. If you would like to be considered for the open position on the District 86 Board, you must submit your application by Tuesday, October 10, at 4:00 p.m. You can access the application form, which includes information about the search process and candidate qualifications, by visiting here. If you have questions about applying, please contact Deb Kedrowski at dkedrows@hinsdale86.org or 630- 655-6108.
We partner with Aramark to provide our school lunches. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.
October 6, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord 11:15 a.m. and Cass 12:00 p.m.October 9, 2023
No School – Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus DayOctober 31, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord 11:15 a.m. and Cass 12:00 p.m. -
Cass63 Connections - September 28, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Last week I addressed some misinformation that has been out there about the Pledge of Allegiance in schools. If you missed this, I simply clarified that we say the pledge every morning at school. Why some people say that schools don’t do so is just part of the silly world we live in, but in District 63 we always have and always will.
This week I am addressing prayer in schools. This is a different matter and the answer is actually fairly simple, depending on the question asked. To help explain this, I will answer two different prayer-related questions that I have heard over the years.
Can students pray in school? The answer is absolutely yes. Children can pray at school, so long as the activity does not disrupt school or interfere with the rights of others. While I am certain we have both students and staff who pray regularly, that may not always be obvious to someone else. But we also have children who pray openly and if needed, we happily accommodate the practices that may go with this.
Can the school or staff lead students in prayer? The answer here is pretty clearly no, and this is based on 60-year old Supreme Court rulings that found schools leading prayer ultimately violated the Establishment Clause. Public schools are a local unit of government, and the United States Constitution prohibits the government from “establishing” a religion. With that said, the exact definition of “establishing” is not always clear, but this clause also prohibits government actions that may favor one religion over another.
This ultimately leads to the implementation of just good common sense. We welcome our children to pray and practice their faith, so long as it is not disruptive to the educational environment or the rights of others. At the same time, as a school and staff, we are not going to tell children how to pray, who to pray to, or if they should or should not do so. This is the role of parents, and we celebrate the fact that even in our small school district, we have a wide range of different beliefs, faiths, and customs.
I know we have quite a few lawyers among our parents and school community who can probably explain this more eloquently than me, but this is the simple overview. As always, please don’t hesitate to contact the principals or me if you have any questions.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
6th grade MAP students enjoying a day in the city.
Important! Concord Morning Drop Off
As a reminder, children at Concord may not exit cars until 7:45 a.m. when staff supervision begins and the doors open. PLEASE DO NOT DROP YOUR CHILDREN OFF BEFORE 7:45. If this time is not convenient for you, the district provides transportation or we have the Ivy League Kids before and after care program. This is very important and we appreciate your cooperation.
The Board of Education held its most recent meeting on September 26. At the meeting, the Board approved the fiscal year 2024 budget, reviewed the status of summer 2024 facility project planning for the geothermal HVAC project, and reviewed the importance of Federal Impact Aid in Cass 63. For more information from the meeting, here are the Board Briefs to review other items discussed and acted on at the meeting.
Junior High Picture Retake Day October 3
Cass Junior High Picture retake Day is Tuesday, October 3. Students who did not have pictures taken on Orientation Day or who would like to have their pictures retaken may participate. Order forms are available in the Cass Junior High Office or you may order online at mylifetouch.com using the Picture ID Code EVTT8KCJZ. Students who are retaking their pictures must return the original photos on picture retake day so that new photos may be taken.
Girls Basketball Tryouts October 2 and 3
Girls basketball tryouts are coming up. Please be aware of the dates and don’t forget that the proper physical is required.
Last Change to Register for Preschool Screenings
There is a prekindergarten screening scheduled on Friday, October 6. Your child must be preregistered to participate. Please click here for more detailed information and to learn how to register.
It's time to update your Concord and Cass spirit wear! The CARE sponsored Spirit Wear Store is open for business with some really great items for both kids and adults. This includes quality, brand name items of not only t-shirts and hoodies, but also fleece jackets, sherpa pullovers, caps, beanies, and flannel pants. There is a lot of cool stuff! Make sure your family shows their school spirit and these items also make great gifts!
Concord Fall Festival and Costume Guidelines
Concord Halloween and Fall Festival Parties are coming up at the end of October and we know that a hot topic revolves around what Halloween costumes will be worn. In order to assist in your planning, Dr. Anderson is sharing our school guidelines, particularly as it relates to events taking place at school the morning of October 31.
Music Concert Front Row Raffle
Would you like front row seats to your student’s fine arts events? CARE is raffling off front row seats to select band, choir and grade level music performances. Purchase at any time on the CARE website. The first event is the Jazz Band & Advanced Vocal Ensemble Performance on October 12. Raffle tickets are $1 and will be available until October 6.
SAVE THE DATE! CARE Bowling Night December 2
CARE will be hosting a Bowling Night fundraiser at the Tivoli Bowl on December 2. This is a fun event and fundraiser for grownups! Please see this flyer for more information and don’t forget to mark your calendars!
We have added more quality food items to our school lunches this year with our food service partner Aramark. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.
Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.
October 6, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord 11:15 a.m. and Cass 12:00 p.m.October 9, 2023
No School – Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus DayOctober 31, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord 11:15 a.m. and Cass 12:00 p.m. -
Cass63 Connections - September 21, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Sometimes I get asked if our students still recite the Pledge of Allegiance at school. While not referring to our school district specifically, I've also noticed statements on social media that kids are no longer allowed to recite the pledge. I'm sure some of you have witnessed some of these comments as well.
Just to be clarify, we say the Pledge of Allegiance every morning at the start of the school day. This is led by the school staff, and we also have the American flag proudly displayed in every classroom. Of course, we will never single out anyone who chooses not to participate due to their family’s religious beliefs or right to free speech, and the Supreme Court ruled in a landmark 1943 decision that we cannot compel a child to do so for these reasons.
However, nothing prevents us from saying the pledge at school. We always have in our district, and we always will. Also, while I cannot speak for other school districts, I am not aware of any that do not follow our practice. Despite that fact, there are people out there who incorrectly argue otherwise, which could only be for one of two reasons. Either they have been provided incorrect information, or they have another agenda.
Whatever the reason, sometimes it is just good to share the truth of what is taking place. Perhaps you will also find this helpful if you see or hear comments of this nature. Next week, I will share some factual information regarding prayer in schools.Should you ever have questions on this or any topic, please don't hesitate to reach out. Thank you!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Students taking part in the Patriotic Assembly at Concord.
Cass Junior High MAP Architecture Tour
Our 6th grade Mind Adventure Program (MAP) students and enrichment program teacher Audrey Vaci recently enjoyed an authentic day of learning through the Chicago Architecture Center. The Chicago: City of Architecture tour, led by knowledgeable and engaging docents, took our students to various buildings in the city including, but not limited to, Marina City, One Illinois Center, the Carbon and Carbide building, and Aqua Tower. Throughout the tour, the students learned how to “read” a building with an explicit focus on visual literacy and the rich Chicago architectural history. Check out these pictures from their day.
Junior High Picture Retake Day October 3
Cass Junior High Picture retake Day is Tuesday, October 3. Students who did not have pictures taken on Orientation Day or who would like to have their pictures retaken may participate. Order forms are available in the Cass Junior High Office or you may order online at mylifetouch.com using the Picture ID Code EVTT8KCJZ. Students who are retaking their pictures must return the original photos on picture retake day so that new photos may be taken.
Girls Basketball Tryouts October 2 and 3
Girls basketball tryouts are coming up. Please be aware of the dates and don’t forget that the proper physical is required.
Preschool Screenings October 6
There is a prekindergarten screening scheduled on Friday, October 6. Your child must be preregistered to participate. Please click here for more detailed information and to learn how to register.
Absence Reporting Requirements
Please contact us immediately by call or email from a parent email address in PowerSchool when your child will be absent. Leave your child's name, grade level (and teacher for Concord), date of absence, reason for absence, parent name, and phone number. For Concord, call 331-481-4000, option 1 and then option 5, or email concordattendance@cassd63.org. For Cass, call 331-481-4000, choose option 2 and then option 7, or email cassattendance@cassd63.org.
Cass Junior High Book Fair September 26-28
CARE is hosting a book fair at Cass Junior High from September 26-28. Parents may shop online and can set up an eWallet for their students to shop at school. Please see this flyer for more information on how to do either of those things.
It's time to update your Concord and Cass spirit wear! The CARE sponsored Spirit Wear Store is open for business with some really great items for both kids and adults. This includes quality, brand name items of not only t-shirts and hoodies, but also fleece jackets, sherpa pullovers, caps, beanies, and flannel pants. There is a lot of cool stuff! Make sure your family shows their school spirit and these items also make great gifts!
We have added more quality food items to our school lunches this year with our food service partner Aramark. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.
Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page .
October 6, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord 11:15 a.m. and Cass 12:00 p.m.October 9, 2023
No School – Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day -
Cass63 Connections - September 14, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Raising our children is the most important thing that we do, and yet there is no training required to be a parent. You have to have a license or permit to do just about anything else, but not with children. Kids don't even come with an owner's manual! I really don't think there is a magic formula to raising kids.
However, just as my parents taught me and I worked to instill in my own children who are now raising their own kids, I believe there are five essential things that are so important for kids to learn throughout their childhood. These are simply to do the right thing, to work hard at whatever they do, to learn and grow as much as possible from any situation, to take total responsibility for themselves and their actions, and to treat other people with respect. Here are the five things with a few additional comments.
1. Do the right thing. This could be sticking up for someone who is being mistreated, picking up a piece of litter, keeping your mouth closed when nothing good is going to come out, or opening the door and letting someone in before you. It is saying please and thank you. It is being empathetic and kind. Big or small, just do it if it is the right thing to do, all of the time, and every time.
2. Work hard. Grit and perseverance are two of the most underrated traits of successful people, and it is a skill kids need as much today as ever. It is too easy to quit if something is hard, so teach the importance of finishing a task once started. Embrace hard work. Make it fun and teach them to never rely on someone else to do something that they can do for themselves.
3. Learn and grow at every opportunity. Sure, this can be a class or school. Don't like a teacher or a subject? Learn what you can from it. But it can also be life. History is filled with geniuses who failed countless times before changing the world forever. Thomas Edison says he failed 2,774 times before reaching a working design of a light bulb. Abraham Lincoln lost several elections before becoming the Great Emancipator. Michael Jordan got cut from his high school basketball team before becoming the most famous athlete of all time. The key is these three never stopped learning and growing. Neither should we, and neither should our kids.
4. Take total responsibility for yourself. We live in a world in which it is fashionable to blame others for our outcomes, or feel that we need to protect and defend our kids from any bad experience. While life isn't always fair, we need to teach kids just that. We can't let the things we cannot control be the things that define us. Likewise, if a child makes a mistake, it is okay to teach them to own it. Admitting a mistake is healthy. Saying I am responsible and sorry is a good thing.
5. Treat other people with respect. This means everyone, regardless of their background or beliefs. Imagine a world in which people with different political backgrounds, religious beliefs, or views on a topic could have a conversation, disagree, perhaps learn something new, and then move on. Wouldn't that be something? Watch most adults on social media try to have conversations on any of these topics for 30 minutes, and then teach your children the exact opposite. You won't go wrong.
There may be no magic formula, but these five things, taught consistently over time, will almost always lead to really good outcomes as your kids grow from little people, to adolescence, and into adulthood. We all wake up every day with a chance to do better, to improve, and to grow as a human being. Let's not deny our children the same opportunity. I'm not here to tell anyone how to parent and many of you could probably come up with a better list (or many even an owner’s manual!) but today I wanted to share mine with you. Thank you for listening!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Preschool students enjoying their first family day of the school year.
Concord Patriotic Assembly
Principal Laura Anderson will be sharing more with Concord parents soon, but here are some pictures from our Annual Patriotic Assembly that was held last week.
Dot Day Friday at Concord!
This week at Concord students and staff have been Celebrating Dot Week, inspired by the book titled The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. It is a story about creativity and overcoming that has inspired people around the world and is celebrated globally each year on September 15 with International Dot Day. Concord students have been celebrating with various dot-themed learning activities in their classes. Students are also welcomed and encouraged to join us in wearing their favorite dotted outfits this Friday September 15 for International Dot Day.
We have added more quality food items to our school lunches this year with our food service partner Aramark. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.
Team Tryouts Coming to Cass Junior High
Cheer team and girls basketball tryouts are coming up. Please be aware of the dates and don’t forget that the proper physical is required.
7th Grade Springfield Trip Registration Deadline September 20
The 7th Grade annual visit to Springfield, Illinois is scheduled for Friday, October 20. This is a one-day trip that includes visits to many historic Springfield sites including Abraham Lincoln’s home and the Lincoln Presidential Museum. This trip coincides with the 7th grade social studies curriculum.
Registration closes in six days on September 20 so please be sure to register so your student does not miss out on this great opportunity. Please see this flyer for registration information and contact Mr. Kohnke at kkohnke@cassd63.org with any questions.
Preschool Screenings October 6
There is a prekindergarten screening scheduled on Friday, October 6. Your child must be preregistered to participate. Please click here for more detailed information and to learn how to register.
With the new school year underway, it is time to update your Concord and Cass spirit wear! CARE has opened the spirit wear store so that you can make sure your kids are ready to show their school spirit. Lots of cool stuff!
High School Extracurricular Event Supervision
Middle school students and younger must be accompanied by a guardian at all events at Hinsdale South High School. If you or your children are planning on attending any sports or other activities at Hinsdale South High School this year, please take a moment to review their current procedures.
Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page .
October 6, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord 11:15 a.m. and Cass 12:00 p.m.October 9, 2023
No School – Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day -
Cass63 Connections - September 7, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Prior to the start of the school year, I had shared that we were returning to an emphasis on excellent school attendance, because we believe this is important to achieve the highest academic performance. This point is really driven home as I begin to visit some classrooms and see the kids back in their routines. High expectations along with discipline, schedules and structures are good things!
With this said, children should obviously not be in school when they are sick or have not been fever free for the previous 24 hours. Reporting absences first thing in the morning is very important, not only for safety but also to limit the need for us to locate you. Reporting options are provided under the “Attendance Matters” heading below. We have made this process as easy as possible for you and greatly appreciate your assistance and cooperation.
In case you missed it previously or the QR code didn’t work for you, there is a volunteer sign up form under the CARE update below. Don’t forget we have an early release schedule on Friday, September 8. Thank you!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Concord students having a great time at the ice cream social.
As a reminder, Friday, September 8 is an early release day. Concord will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.
It is very important that parents contact the school first thing in the morning when your child will be absent. To make this as easy as possible, parents can either call the attendance line or send it via email and leave the necessary information. To email your child’s absence, the email must come from a parent’s email and it must be one of the emails noted in PowerSchool for your child.
For Concord absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 1 and then option 5, or email concordattendance@cassd63.org.
For Cass absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 2 and then option 7, or email cassattendance@cassd63.org.
For both calls or emails, please leave your child's name, grade level (and teacher for Concord), date of absence, reason for absence, parent name, and phone number.
Cass Junior High Softball Update
The softball season is underway, and the Warriors are 2-2. The team is off to a great start, and they are improving and learning each game. We have seen some great pitching, big hits, tough defense, and smart base running this season, and are looking forward to adding some more wins to our record. Coach Trezzo is extremely proud of how much they have come together as a team!
Junior High Vision and Hearing Screenings September 11
Vision and hearing screenings will be conducted at Cass Junior High School on September 11, with September 22 as the rescreen date if needed. At this age level, both vision and hearing screenings are required for students with IEPs, teacher referred students, transfer students, and foster students, while vision only screenings are required for students in 8th grade. Parents will be notified if your child does not pass a screening test.
Please note that vision screening is not a substitute for a complete eye and vision evaluation by an eye doctor. Your child is not required to undergo this vision screening if an optometrist or ophthalmologist has completed and signed a report form indicating that an examination has been administered within the previous 12 months. Please contact the school office with any questions.
Concord Picture Day September 14
Picture day is coming on September 14. Order forms were sent home with your child or you may order online at www.mylifetouch.com using the specific Concord Picture Day ID: EVT44MM7Q.
7th Grade Springfield Trip Registration Deadline September 20
The 7th Grade annual visit to Springfield, Illinois is scheduled for Friday, October 20. This is a one-day trip that includes visits to many historic Springfield sites including Abraham Lincoln’s home and the Lincoln Presidential Museum. This trip coincides with the 7th grade social studies curriculum.
Registration closes on September 20. Please see this flyer for registration information and contact Mr. Kohnke at kkohnke@cassd63.org with any questions.
Preschool Screenings October 6
There is a prekindergarten screening scheduled on Friday, October 6. Your child must be preregistered to participate. Please click here for more detailed information and to learn how to register.Interested in Volunteering?
There are a number of ways to volunteer, so if you are interested, here is the CARE Volunteer Form. This is the same form from curriculum night in case you missed the opportunity. The next CARE meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 11, at 7:00 p.m. in the District Community Rooms at Cass Junior High School. All are welcome!
Cass School District 63 partners with Aramark for our student lunch program. Lunches for the 2023-24 school year are $3.60 and milk is $0.75. Lunch menus will be updated weekly prior to the release of the Cass63 Connections and are available on the District website.
Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.
Darien Youth Club (DYC) Volleyball
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page .
September 8, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.October 6, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord 11:15 a.m. and Cass 12:00 p.m.October 9, 2023
No School – Indigenous Peoples’ Day and Columbus Day -
Cass63 Connections - August 31, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
We need your assistance with two very important safety matters, specifically at the times of drop off and pick up of our students. It is very simple:
- DRIVE SLOWLY AND CAREFULLY.
- DO NOT TEXT OR USE PHONES WHILE DRIVING.
Like I said, really simple and yet critically important for the safety of our kids. Our staff at Concord in particular has tried to give some friendly reminders, but, unfortunately, those reminders are not always met with kindness.
That's unfortunate and not at all typical of our school community, but I'm going to call it out and ask for everyone's cooperation. Slow down. Drive carefully. Use total hands free if you must talk on your phones while driving in a school zone or through our parking lots. Whoever you are talking to or wherever you are going is not more important than the health and life of a child.
We have shared this with the Darien Police Department, who will enthusiastically support the enforcement of this law for the safety of our children. I am sharing this with all parents today so everyone is aware that going forward this will be enforced. Additionally, we are also repeating the bus stop arm reminders below. There are no exceptions and our drivers have the ability to report to the police who will then issue citations.
Drive safely, and I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Concord students enjoying their 1st assembly of the year.
Click here to enjoy more pictures from this great program.
In observance of Labor Day, there is no school on Monday, September 4, 2023. Enjoy your holiday weekend!
A reminder to all parents that you now have choices on how to report your child’s absence. You may submit an absence through voicemail or email at the following:
For Concord absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 1 and then option 5, or email concordattendance@cassd63.org.
For Cass absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 2 and then option 7, or email cassattendance@cassd63.org.
Please be aware that if you are submitted through email, the email must come from a parent email that is listed in PowerSchool for that student. Please contact the school offices if you have a question.
Important Bus Stop Arm Reminders
The following diagram explains when drivers are required to stop for a school bus. Simply put, the only time a vehicle is not required to stop for a school bus with red flashing lights on is when both vehicles are on a 4 (or more) lane roadway and the bus is stopped in the opposite direction from which the driver is traveling. Any other time you must stop, even if on private property like a parking lot. The following guide may be helpful. Violations will be reported immediately to the Darien Police Department.
7th Grade Springfield Trip Registration Open
The 7th Grade annual visit to Springfield, Illinois is scheduled for Friday, October 20. This is a one-day trip that includes visits to many historic Springfield sites including Abraham Lincoln’s home and the Lincoln Presidential Museum. This trip coincides with the 7th grade social studies curriculum. Please see this flyer for registration information. Registration closes on September 20. Please contact Mr. Kohnke at kkohnke@cassd63.org with any questions.
8th Grade D.C. Trip Information Meeting September 5
An informational zoom meeting will be held on September 5th at 6:30 p.m. for parents interested in their 8th grade student participating in the trip to Washington, D.C. in the spring of 2024. Please see this flyer for more information.
Vision and Hearing Screenings Coming Soon
Vision and hearing screenings will be conducted at Cass Junior High and Concord Elementary School on the following dates:
Concord Elementary September 6 & 7, 2023 (September 26, 2023 rescreen date)
Cass Junior High September 11, 2023 (September 22, 2023 rescreen date)Required Annual Screenings by Grades and Groups
Vision and Hearing Screenings - Preschool, Kindergarten*, 2nd Grade, Special Education Students, Teacher referred students, transfer students and foster students
Hearing Screening Only - 1st and 3rd Grades
Vision Screening Only - 8th GradeParents will be notified if your child does not pass a screening test.
*Kindergarten vision screening is not required if an Eye Exam was completed within the previous 12 months and the signed report is on file with the school.
Vision screening is not a substitute for a complete eye and vision evaluation by an eye doctor. Your child is not required to undergo this vision screening if an optometrist or ophthalmologist has completed and signed a report form indicating that an examination has been administered within the previous 12 months. (Section 27-8.1 of the School Code)
Concord Picture Day September 14
Picture day is coming on September 14. Informational flyers and order forms are being sent home with your child or you may order online at www.mylifetouch.com using the specific Concord Picture Day ID: EVT44MM7Q.
Interested in Volunteering?
There are a number of ways to volunteer, so if you are interested here is the CARE Volunteer Form. This is the same form from curriculum night in case you missed the chance at curriculum night.
The next CARE meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 11, at 7:00 p.m. in the District Community Room in Cass Junior High School. All are welcome!
Cass School District 63 partners with Aramark for our student lunch program. Lunches for the 2023-24 school year are $3.60 and milk is $0.75. Lunch menus will be updated weekly prior to the release of the Cass63 Connections and are available on the District website.
Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.
Indian Prairie Public Library Back to School Information
Glenbard Parent Series presents the Emotional Lives of Teens
Chicago Youth Orchestra Chamber Music Program Auditions September 3, 2023
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page .
September 4, 2023
Labor Day – No SchoolSeptember 8, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m. -
Cass63 Connections - August 24, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Even the oppressive heat can't stop the start of a great school year! Parts of Concord have been warm as our old HVAC system is tapped out, but we are thankful to have made it through the heat wave and look forward to cooler days and more sunshine ahead.
We are always looking for ways to improve how we communicate with you as parents. As part of that effort, Principals Laura Anderson and Christine Marcinkewicz will be sending periodic updates to keep you informed of some of our building specific activities. You already saw an example of this with the curriculum night reminders they provided this week.
Communications from our principals will not be on a specific schedule, but on an as needed basis when there is something timely or important to share. The topics will vary, with the intention of simply providing helpful information so you have a better connection with what is taking place at your child's school. Nothing will change with the Cass63 Connections here, which will continue to be the primary weekly source of district information, including both schools.
Speaking of communication, we are planning to provide updated bus route information prior to the weekend. There will be no changes for the vast majority of stops and times, but we have a few items that need to be cleaned up and any changes that impact your child's stop will go into effect on Monday, August 28. That will set our routes for the year, aside from any changes that are absolutely necessary when students may be added to a route.
Have a good Friday and a great weekend!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Our 1st graders showing that “Together We are a Rainbow of Possibilities!”
The Board of Education held its most recent meeting on August 22. Please review the Board Briefs for more information from Tuesday’s meeting.
Cass Junior High School’s Curriculum Night was a success, but Concord’s begins tonight and concludes next week. Here are the dates, times, and locations for each grade level.
August 24, 2023
Prekindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:00 p.m.
3rd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:30 p.m.
4th Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 7:00 p.m.August 29, 2023
Kindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:00 p.m.
1st Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:30 p.m.
2nd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 7:00 p.m.8th Grade D.C. Trip Informational Meeting September 5
An informational zoom meeting will be held on September 5th at 6:30 p.m. for parents interested in having their 8th grade student participate in the trip to Washington, D.C. in the spring of 2024. Please see this flyer for more information.
Vision and Hearing Screenings Coming Soon
Vision and hearing screenings will be conducted at Cass Junior High and Concord Elementary School on the following dates:
Concord Elementary September 6 & 7, 2023 (September 26, 2023 rescreen date)
Cass Junior High September 11, 2023 (September 22, 2023 rescreen date)Required Annual Screenings by Grades and Groups
Vision and Hearing Screenings - Preschool, Kindergarten*, 2nd Grade, Special Education Students, Teacher referred students, transfer students and foster students
Hearing Screening Only - 1st and 3rd Grades
Vision Screening Only - 8th GradeParents will be notified if your child does not pass a screening test.
*Kindergarten vision screening is not required if an Eye Exam was completed within the previous 12 months and the signed report is on file with the school.
Vision screening is not a substitute for a complete eye and vision evaluation by an eye doctor. Your child is not required to undergo this vision screening if an optometrist or ophthalmologist has completed and signed a report form indicating that an examination has been administered within the previous 12 months. (Section 27-8.1 of the School Code)
Important Reminders for Student Drop Off and Pick Up Times
To assist in making certain your children are safe during drop off times, children at Concord will not be allowed to exit cars until 7:45 a.m. when staff supervision begins and the doors open. This is not a change, but for safety reasons it will be enforced. At Concord, the school day starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 2:45 p.m.
At Cass Junior High School, students cannot exit cars until 8:30 a.m. when the school doors open and staff supervision begins. With the exception of Encore which starts earlier, the Cass school day starts at 8:45 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m.
We request your patience and cooperation and ask that you not pass other cars while waiting to drop off or pick up each day. Students, especially our youngest students, cannot be seen over the tops of or around cars and we don’t want someone’s impatience to cause a child harm. Additional details on drop off and pick up procedures and times is available under the Bus Routes, Pick Up, and Drop Off.
Directory Spot Launched
Directory Spot, the district’s parent directory app, was launched last Friday. If you did not receive an email from Directory Spot letting you know that the 2023-24 school year information is available, please contact Gayle Wilson at gwilson@cassd63.org and she will share information on how to access the directory.
Ice Cream Social Success!
Last Friday evening, CARE hosted their Ice Cream Social and it was a great success! More families than ever attended this welcome to the school year event and a great time was had by all. Please see these pictures from this highly anticipated annual event.
Cass School District 63 partners with Aramark for our student lunch program. Lunches for the 2023-24 school year are $3.60 and milk is $0.75. Menus will be updated weekly prior to the release of the Cass63 Connections and they will be available on the District website here.
Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.
Glenbard Parent Series presents the following upcoming events:
Let’s Talk About It Suicide and Other Destructive Self-Harm Behaviors
Financial Aid Workshop: Discovering the Best College Fit at the Best Price
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.
August 24, 2023
Prekindergarten Curriculum Night, 6:00 p.m.
3rd Grade Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m.
4th Grade Curriculum Night, 7:00 p.m.August 29, 2023
Kindergarten Curriculum Night, 6:00 p.m.
1st Grade Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m.
2nd Grade Curriculum Night, 7:00 p.m.September 4, 2023
Labor Day – No SchoolSeptember 8, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m. -
Cass63 Connections - August 17, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
If it weren't for bus issues, it was a great first day! Bus parents, I will continue to communicate with you until every issue is resolved. We are so grateful for your patience. Otherwise, it was great seeing so many happy kids getting the new school year started and bring our schools back to life!
Our three curriculum nights kick off with all of Cass Junior High School on August 23, PreK, 3rd and 4th grades on August 24 and finally, Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd grades on August 29. We look forward to seeing you there!
We also look forward to seeing many of you at the CARE ice cream social Friday evening! As always, please reach out if you have any questions or need anything at all. Thank you!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Most of our Cass School District 63 staff!
Welcome New Staff!
We are excited to welcome 15 new staff members to the Cass 63 faculty and staff! All of the new staff are pictured above, with the exception of Amy Perez. Following are our new employees, listed in the order they appear in the picture, for the 2023-24 school year.
Bryann Poskonka, 1st Grade Teacher
Tina Nure, Cass Junior High EPIC Program Assistant
Katie Paljetak, Concord Elementary Teacher Assistant
Maria Raush, Concord Elementary Teacher Assistant
Candy Papanicholas, Concord Elementary Teacher Assistant
Pete Pauley, Cass Junior High Custodian
Monique Bell, Cass Junior High Learning Center Assistant
Mary DeGroot, Cass Junior High Permanent Substitute Teacher
Jenny Amezquita, Cass Junior High Teacher Assistant
Liz Saucedo, Cass Junior High Spanish and ELL Teacher
Daniel Murphy, Band Teacher
Sue Binder, Cass Junior High Speech Pathologist
Jaclyn Stachorek, Cass Junior High Special Education Teacher
Bella Dahlheimer, Cass Junior High Social Worker
Amy Perez, Concord Elementary Administrative Assistant
CARE Family Ice Cream Social August 18
CARE is hosting its annual Ice Cream Social at Concord on Friday evening, August 18, to welcome all students and families back to school! This is a great opportunity for parents and students alike to see old friends and meet new ones while celebrating the new school year. The event starts at 6:00, but kindergarten and preschool families are welcome to come at 5:30 to meet other new friends.
Our annual curriculum nights will be held beginning next week. Please mark your calendars for the following evenings and times for each grade level.
August 23, 2023
Cass Junior High Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m.August 24, 2023
Prekindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:00 p.m.
3rd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:30 p.m.
4th Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 7:00 p.m.August 29, 2023
Kindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:00 p.m.
1st Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:30 p.m.
2nd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 7:00 p.m.Important! Bus Stop Arm Reminders
The new school year is a great time for a reminder of the need to stop for a school bus. Simply put, the only time a vehicle is not required to stop for a school bus with red flashing lights on is when both vehicles are on a 4 (or more) lane roadway and the bus is stopped in the opposite direction from which the driver is traveling. Any other time you must stop, even if on private property like a parking lot. The following guide may be helpful. Violations will be reported immediately to the Darien Police Department.
Sunrise and Bus Route Contact Information
Regular bus routes, pick up, and drop off times through Sunrise Transportation, our regular school bus service, have been established and communicated. Parents should contact Sunrise Transportation dispatch directly at 630-541-3414 should your child’s bus be late, appears to have missed your stop, or if your child did not arrive home on the bus. Please contact transportation director Keith Monaco at kmonaco@cassd63.org should you have any questions about your child’s bus stop.
For safety reasons, students are only permitted to ride the bus to which they are assigned and parents, or another responsible adult, of children from PreK through 2nd grade must be at the stop when your child is picked up or dropped off. Please remember that it is the responsibility of parents to get children safely to and from the bus stop, and it is the district's responsibility to get our children safely from the bus stop to school!
Important Clarifications for Student Drop Off and Pick Up Times
To assist in making certain your children are safe during drop off times, children at Concord will not be allowed to exit cars until 7:45 a.m. when staff supervision begins and the doors open. This is not a change, but for safety reasons it will be enforced. At Concord, the school day starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 2:45 p.m.
At Cass Junior High School, students cannot exit cars until 8:30 a.m. when the school doors open and staff supervision begins. With the exception of Encore which starts earlier, the Cass school day starts at 8:45 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation with this important matter. Additional details on drop off and pick up procedures and times is available under the Bus Routes, Pick Up, and Drop Off.
Reporting Student Absences
An important parent responsibility is to contact the school first thing in the morning when your child will be absent. This is important not only for safety, but also to limit the need for us to locate parents to find this information.
To make this as easy as possible for you, parents can either call the attendance line and leave the necessary information, or send it via email, whichever works best for you prior to the start of the school day.
For Concord absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 1 and then option 5, or email concordattendance@cassd63.org.
For Cass absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 2 and then option 7, or email cassattendance@cassd63.org.
For both calls or emails, please leave your child's name, grade level (and teacher for Concord), date of absence, reason for absence, parent name, and phone number. Please note that should you email an absence, the email must come from a parent email that is noted in PowerSchool.
The district shares information about social media safety with parents to keep our children safe. Please always remember no child under the age of 13 should be on any form of social media. Following is a recent communication from the Mokena, Illinois Police Department.
Does your child use Snapchat? It's popular with teenagers and while the premise behind the app seems innocent, it can lead to problems if used inappropriately. With school about to start, be sure you are up to speed on all that Snapshot offers, both good and bad.
Snapchat offers extra protections for 13-to-17-year-olds, including requiring teens to be mutually connected or in their respective phone contacts before they can start communicating. Snap has a set of in-app parental tools called Family Center to help parents get insight into how their teens are using Snapchat, including who they are communicating with and what public content they are viewing. Kids and parents can easily report concerning accounts to Snap’s 24/7 Trust and Safety Team.
Here is a list of important actions to help protect your teens on Snapchat.
- Family and Friends Only – Tell your teen to only invite and accept Friends on Snapchat if they are friends in real life or family members. Encourage them to check their Friends List regularly to make sure they still want to be in touch with each friend.
- Location and Privacy Settings – Talk to your teen about their location and privacy settings. At Snapchat, privacy settings are turned on by default, so people can only see the things you want to share, for as long as you want to share them.
- In-App Reporting – Make sure your teen knows how to use our in-app reporting tools and that we don’t tell Snapchatters who reported them. These reports go directly to our 24/7 Trust and Safety team to investigate and take appropriate action. We also offer reporting tools on our website for those who don’t use Snapchat – which any parent can easily use.
- Think Before You Send – Remind your teen that, as with sharing anything online, it’s important to be really careful about sending anyone – even a partner or close friend – personal or sensitive images and information. Snaps and Chats may delete by default, but there are ways to capture images from a phone or other device without a person’s consent. This is true despite Snapchat sending a notification in some instances when a screenshot is taken.
- Join Family Center – Make sure you and your teen are signed up for Snapchat’s Family Center.
Cass School District 63 partners with Aramark for our student lunch program. Lunches for the 2023-24 school year are $3.60 and milk is $0.75. Here are more details and the menus through August 25 for both schools.
Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.
Glenbard Parent Series presents the following upcoming events:
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.
August 22, 2023
Prekindergarten First DayAugust 23, 2023
Cass Junior High Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m.August 24, 2023
Prekindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord Elementary School, 6:00 p.m.
3rd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord Elementary School, 6:30 p.m.
4th Grade Curriculum Night, Concord Elementary School, 7:00 p.m.August 29, 2023
Kindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord Elementary School, 6:00 p.m.
1st Grade Curriculum Night, Concord Elementary School, 6:30 p.m.
2nd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord Elementary School, 7:00 p.m.September 4, 2023
Labor Day – No SchoolSeptember 8, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m. -
Cass63 Connections - August 10, 2023
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
There is a strong correlation between school attendance and academic performance, but that seems to have been lost somewhat with the pandemic, and perhaps the increased nature of remote work and flexibility for parents. While this is understandable, it doesn’t change how learning is impacted when kids are not at school.
As a district that strives for academic excellence, we are going to return to an emphasis on school attendance. Of course, kids should stay home when they are sick or have a fever, but aside from illness or family emergencies, we want our students in school every day, as much as possible. This also teaches our children the importance of daily commitment, discipline, and responsibility. Good habits start young!
Reporting absences first thing in the morning is also very important, not only for safety, but also to limit the need for us to locate parents to find this information. Reporting options are provided below and we have made this process as easy as possible for you. Thank you in advance for your assistance!
Parent-Student Orientation Day is August 15, so please review this information carefully. Our lunch menus for the first two weeks of school are also provided below. For parents who registered and paid for a bus, we will be emailing you with information to determine which route and stop your child will utilize.
Let’s get this school year off to a great start! Please reach out with any questions, and we will see you next week.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Cass Junior High students enjoying Field Day last spring!
Important Information for August 15 Orientation Day
Parent-Student Orientation Day is Tuesday, August 15! Please check the link for the time you and your children are scheduled to attend. This helps with managing the flow of people, so we appreciate your cooperation as much as possible. Please also note that the schools and offices will be closed between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on that day.
Assuming the registration process has been completed, Concord parents should be receiving an email from their child’s teacher with details and links to the information you will need. Our junior high students have a number of teachers, so all information will be provided on site the day of orientation at Cass Junior High. Registration must be completed and outstanding fees paid prior to receiving your child’s teacher assignments or schedule. If this process has not been completed, you will be redirected to the office.
This is also school picture day for our Cass Junior High students. We look forward to seeing you on August 15!
Family Directory Opt Out Deadline August 11
Our school district partners with DirectorySpot, an app that houses a directory to help our families to connect. The online directory of families can be sorted by classroom or grade, and unless parents opt out, the directory will include names, addresses, emails and phone numbers for parents and students.
The deadline to fully opt out of the initial roll out is Friday, August 11. If you plan to have your family information included in the initial rollout of the 2023-24 directory (including if you are already in the current one), there is nothing you need to do. However, if you wish to opt all of your family information out of inclusion in the initial roll out of the directory, then please respond under the link above by August 11.
Cass School District 63 partners with Aramark for our student lunch program. Lunches for the 2023-24 school year are $3.60 and milk is $0.75. Here are more details and the menus through August 25 for both schools.
For any families in need of financial assistance, the 2023-24 Fee Waiver and Free and Reduced Lunch applications are available. To apply, please complete the appropriate form and submit to the district office for review. If hard copies of these forms are needed, they are available at either school or the district office. If you have any questions, please reach out to Amy Underhill at aunderhill@cassd63.org or Gayle Wilson at gwilson@cassd63.org.
An important parent responsibility is to contact the school first thing in the morning when your child will be absent. This is important not only for safety, but also to limit the need for us to locate parents to find this information.
To make this as easy as possible for you, parents can either call the attendance line and leave the necessary information, or send it via email, whichever works best for you prior to the start of the school day. If you choose to email your child's absence, the email must come from a parent's email and it must be one of the emails noted in PowerSchool for your child.
For Concord absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 1 and then option 5, or email concordattendance@cassd63.org.
For Cass absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 2 and then option 7, or email cassattendance@cassd63.org.
For both calls or emails, please leave your child's name, grade level (and teacher for Concord), date of absence, reason for absence, parent name, and phone number.
August Board of Education Meeting Change
The August 15 Board of Education Meeting has been changed to August 22, 2023 in the District Community Room at 7:00 p.m. Please call the district office at 331-481-4000 with questions.
2023-24 Before and After School Care Program
Cass School District 63 partners with Ivy League Kids to provide our kindergarten through 8th grade parents with before and after school childcare. To register for the program, go to the link above, which includes their registration portal and click on Register Now under Before/After School to complete the registration form online. Please note that each child will need a separate registration packet. Fee information is also included, and Ivy League Kids accepts Illinois Action for Children Child Care Assistance Program. If you have any questions, please contact the main Ivy League Kids office at 815-464-1265 or email contact@ivyleaguekids.org.
Important 2023-24 Bus Route Information
Regular bus routes, pick up, and drop off times through Sunrise Transportation, our regular school bus service, have been established and will be communicated very soon. If your child is signed up for a bus route, please review the information that will be provided via email to determine which route your child will utilize and locate the appropriate pick up and drop off location nearest to your home.
Parents should contact Sunrise Transportation dispatch directly at 630-541-3414 should your child’s bus be late, appears to have missed your stop, or if your child did not arrive home on the bus. Please contact transportation director Keith Monaco at kmonaco@cassd63.org should you have any questions about the bus routes or stops.
For safety reasons, all children must have a consistent pick up location every morning and a consistent drop off location every afternoon. There will not be different pick up and drop off locations for different days of the week. Also, students are only permitted to ride the bus to which they are assigned.
A parent or other responsible adult of children from PreK through 2nd grade must be at the stop when your child is picked up or dropped off. Pick up and drop off locations are not necessarily adjacent to or near a child's home, so please plan accordingly.
Last but not least, please remember that is the responsibility of parents to get children safely to and from the bus stop, and it is the district's responsibility to get our children safely from the bus stop to school, and back to the bus stop at the end of the day.
Important Clarifications for Student Drop Off and Pick Up Times
To assist in making certain your children are safe during drop off times, children at Concord will not be allowed to exit cars until staff supervision begins and the doors open at 7:45 a.m. This is not a change, but for safety reasons it will be enforced. At Concord, the school day starts at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 2:45 p.m.
At Cass Junior High School, students cannot exit cars until 8:30 a.m. when the school doors open and staff supervision begins. With the exception of Encore which starts earlier, the Cass school day starts at 8:45 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m.
We appreciate your patience and cooperation with this important matter. Additional details on drop off and pick up procedures and times is available under the Bus Routes, Pick Up, and Drop Off.
Our annual curriculum nights will be held later this month. Please mark your calendars for the following evenings and times for each grade level.
August 23, 2023
Cass Junior High Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m.August 24, 2023
Prekindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:00 p.m.
3rd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:30 p.m.
4th Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 7:00 p.m.August 29, 2023
Kindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:00 p.m.
1st Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:30 p.m.
2nd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 7:00 p.m.
CARE Family Ice Cream Social August 18
CARE is hosting its annual Ice Cream Social at Concord on Friday evening, August 18, to welcome all students and families back to school. This is a great opportunity for parents and students alike to see old friends and meet new ones while celebrating the new school year. In order for the ice cream social to be a success, CARE is in need of volunteers. If you can help, please sign up here.
Also, please do not miss out on the first CARE meeting of the school year. It is scheduled for August 14 at 7:00 p.m. in the District Community Room at Cass Junior High School. All parents are welcome!
Important Dates to Remember
For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.
August 15, 2023
Parent Student Orientation DayAugust 17, 2023
First Day of School (K-8)August 22, 2023
Prekindergarten First DayAugust 23, 2023
Cass Junior High Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m.August 24, 2023
Prekindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord Elementary School, 6:00 p.m.
3rd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord Elementary School, 6:30 p.m.
4th Grade Curriculum Night, Concord Elementary School, 7:00 p.m.August 29, 2023
Kindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord Elementary School, 6:00 p.m.
1st Grade Curriculum Night, Concord Elementary School, 6:30 p.m.
2nd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord Elementary School, 7:00 p.m.September 4, 2023
Labor Day – No SchoolSeptember 8, 2023
Early Release Day – Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.
