- Cass School District 63
- Cass63 Connections
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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.
District Communications
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Cass63 Connections
Cass63 Connections 6.10.21
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
On behalf of all of us in Cass 63, I want to thank you for helping make the 2020-21 school year very successful. It was especially joyful finishing the year with the wonderful graduation ceremonies last week. We greatly appreciate the many positive comments and feedback, while of course looking forward to a traditional ceremony again in 2022. There were many cool things about our graduation, but one of them was reading the personal notes from teachers to each of our graduates. I can assure you that many of our kids will keep those forever.
Another wonderful event was seeing our kids' excitement with the 4th grade clap out (click on the link for some great pictures)! We had to keep it indoors due to the rain, but the kids had so much fun. We look forward to sharing the professional graduation and clap out videos with our parents as soon as they are ready. It was a great end to the school year and nothing brings excitement like a bunch of happy kids!
As it relates to COVID, we made it through the year with no known spread at school, achieving our primary goal of keeping everyone healthy and safe in the school setting. We know both anecdotally as well as from the final data this year that the efforts made at school and at home helped us achieve this important goal. I know some things were frustrating for you as parents just as it was for us here, but we tried to implement the guidelines with integrity, communicate openly and honestly, and ultimately work together to do the right thing. We got there, and the support, dialogue and feedback has been very much appreciated.
There is no doubt that there will be safety and mitigation measures in place when school opens this fall, but we continue to move forward in our planning for our students to be here in person for five full school days. Over the course of the summer and closer to the start of the school year, I will share any updates and requirements in this regard, as well as any news related to vaccinations for children under the age of 12. We will never let down our efforts of keeping everyone safe at school as our primary focus at all times, while continuing to press forward with our students and their academic, social and emotional growth.
We will communicate as needed over the course of the summer, but this will be the final Cass63 Connections of the 2020-21 school year. We will resume regular weekly communications on Thursday, July 29. The school district office is open all summer and you can always reach out to us anytime via email or just give us a call.
Thank you for all of the kindness, support and interaction we have had in this very unusual year. It is appreciated more than you know. Enjoy the summer with your families and travel safely!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Moving Forward with Ivy League Kids
Thank you to the many parents who joined our informational meeting with Ivy League Kids. The feedback received both during the meeting and after was 100 percent positive. Once we pin down some additional details, a recommendation will be made to the Board of Education that we move forward with Ivy League Kids at our next meeting on June 22. Once that is in place and things are all set, we will share the details about registering your children if you are interested. More information about Ivy League Kids can be found here.
2021-22 Transportation Needs
Planning bus routes each year takes significant time and effort. If you have not yet registered for the 2021-22 school year but intend to utilize Cass 63 bus transportation, you must, no later than Tuesday, June 15, contact mskurzewski@cassd63.org at Concord or vhirhager@cassd63.org at Cass to let them know of your intent for your child to ride the bus. This includes if your child will be taking an Encore class (early morning band or chorus) at Cass and are in need of the Encore bus.
If you inform either school of your intent to have your children utilize district transportation after June 15, it is unlikely your child will be on a bus route until after Labor Day. Thank you for your assistance with this!
Registration for the 2021-22 School Year
The deadline has passed and there are still outstanding registrations for the 2021-22 school year. If you have not already done so, please complete registration for your children as soon as possible so that we can properly plan for the coming school year. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact your child’s school office.
8th Grade Graduation
The culmination of our students’ time in Cass School District 63 occurred on Thursday, June 3 and the day could not have been better. Principal Marcinkewicz, along with many Cass staff members, did an outstanding job creating a very special day for our graduates. The video from that day will be ready in the near future and will be shared with our 8th grade families as soon as it is available.
Concord End of the Year Activities
At the end of each school year, Concord students experience many fun activities including, but not limited to, field days. Please take a look at the end of the year pictures highlighting some of the fun that was had by all.
Prekindergarten Screenings August 2
Prekindergarten Screenings are scheduled for August 2, 2021. Your child must be preregistered to participate. Please take a look at this page for information on ages of qualification and how to sign your child up for the screening.
2021-22 School Year Calendar
The 2021-22 school year calendar includes all students attendance dates for next year, including orientation day, school holidays, parent-teacher conferences and also early dismissal days. These take place approximately once per month and as a reminder, next year these will return to the normal schedule of dismissal times which are 11:15 a.m. at Concord and 12:00 p.m. at Cass.
Catholic Charities Holding Back to School Fair
Catholic Charities is holding its annual DuPage County Back to School Fair on August 4, 2021. Online registration is required.
Cass63 Connections Archives
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Cass63 Connections - June 3, 2011
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Today is a great day as we celebrate the Cass Junior High School Class of 2021 with a series of 87 graduation ceremonies with families and friends present. While elementary school is just the beginning of the educational attainment for the vast majority of our students, it is without question the most important. Our graduation is not just from 8th grade, but a culmination of at least nine years of school from either preschool or kindergarten for most of our students. When you consider the four brief years to earn a high school diploma and most college degrees, nine or more years at a child’s most developmental and critical ages, the time in Cass 63 is without a doubt the most important part of a child's learning and growth.
We are very proud of all of our graduates and wish them well as they move on to the nine different high schools they will attend this fall! Parents, as your child's first teacher, we thank you for giving us great kids to work with and prepare. The collaboration between school and home is essential to every child's success and we appreciate your support and work to make education a priority for your kids. We are very confident that our graduates are prepared and ready for the next step! Also, here is a special message from our CARE organization to our graduates.
What follows are some important reminders as we wrap up the school year. Monday, June 7 is a big day for several reasons, so please be mindful of the schedules and reminders below, particularly with registration for the 2021-22 school year. Once again, congratulations to the Cass Junior High School Class of 2021!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
11:15 and 12:00 Dismissal Monday!
Monday, June 7 is the final day of student attendance for the 2020-21 school year. On this day, we will return to our traditional early dismissal schedule, which is 11:15 a.m. at Concord and 12:00 p.m. at Cass. Please plan accordingly. Thank you!
Ivy League Kids Parent Meeting Monday at 7:00 p.m.
As a reminder, there will be a virtual informational meeting on Monday, June 7, at 7:00 p.m. for parents interested in before and after school care when school opens this fall. Details are available here and we will answer any questions at the meeting. An email with the meeting link and other details will be resent on Monday.
Important! Registration Deadline Monday, June 7
The deadline to register for the 2021-22 school year is Monday, June 7. This is very important so that we can assign students to courses and teachers, arrange bus routes and complete all of our summer work to be ready for parent-student orientation day on August 24 and the first day of student attendance on August 26!
Please contact your child’s school office if there is something we can help you with to get the process completed. Details can be found in the Residency and Registration section of our website and the Parent Guide to Registration document includes step by step instructions.
Change to June Board of Education Meeting Date
The June Board of Education Meeting date has been changed from Tuesday, June 15 to Tuesday, June 22 at 7:00 p.m. Please contact Gayle Wilson in the district office at 331-481-4000 with any questions.
Cass Junior High Band Presents Spring Concerts
One of the hallmarks of our great school district is the emphasis on fine arts, including vocal and instrumental music. Under the direction of band teacher and director Megan Duffy-Legan, Cass Junior High School parents were recently provided with some wonderful spring performances and we wanted to share their performance and our talented kids with the community.
Despite the challenges of how best to teach our children music in the pandemic, our program, teachers and kids clearly thrived! "Each band worked tirelessly to prepare the music you are about to hear in these videos. I am proud of their performance considering how far they came this year and I cannot wait to see what next year has in store for our band program. Every student, whether they were in the band room or on Zoom, played a huge role in making these concert videos happen. Their positive attitudes and perseverance are admirable!" said Mrs. Duffy-Legan.
Following are the respective performances from our students for the spring 2021 concerts.
Prekindergarten Screenings August 2, 2021
Prekindergarten Screenings are scheduled for August 2, 2021. Your child must be preregistered to participate. Please take a look at this page for information on ages of qualification and how to sign your child up for the screening.
Concord Elementary Yearbooks
Concord 2020-21 yearbooks were delivered today to all students who have ordered and paid for a yearbook this school year. For our PreK and remote students, we will have them available for “Packet Pick-Up” on Friday, June 4 from 8:00-11:00 am.
Please note that we cannot replace any lost or damaged yearbooks once they have been distributed. Thank you for another great year full of memories!
2021-22 Cass Junior High School Softball Team
For the 2021-22 school year, softball will be a fall sport and will begin prior to the start of the school year in August. If your daughter is interested in participating, please sign up on this softball interest form.
2021-22 School Year Calendar
The 2021-22 school year calendar includes all students attendance dates for next year, including orientation day, school holidays, parent-teacher conferences and also early dismissal days. These take place approximately once per month and as a reminder, next year these will return to the normal schedule of dismissal times which are 11:15 a.m. at Concord and 12:00 p.m. at Cass.
Vacancies Remain for 2021-22 School Year
At this time, the school district is still looking to fill several positions for the 2021-22 school year. Here are the current vacancies for people who may be interested.
CARE Summer Reminders
CARE has some reminders for the summer as well as important dates for back to school.
CARE Sticky Fingers Cooking Lessons
If you are looking for something fun for your kids to do this summer, CARE is offering Sticky Fingers Cooking Lessons. Please take a look at the flyer for more information.
CARE Dairy Queen Fundraiser – June 7
What better way to celebrate the end of the craziest school year ever than to treat your family to ice cream at the Willowbrook Dairy Queen and give back to Cass 63 at the same time. Information on how to benefit the students of Cass 63 through CARE can be found here.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects known information for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year. There will be no further updates on the district website for the summer.
Opportunities for Summer Coding Classes
Please take a look at these great opportunities for coding classes run by students for students through Codivate.
Congratulations to the Class of 2021! -
Cass63 Connections - May 27, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
While the celebrations of our students are obviously quite different this year, none of our enthusiasm for their talents and accomplishments has been diminished in the least! Every chance we get, our staff is finding a safe way to make special things happen for our kids and to share that with parents or publicly whenever we can.
As recent examples, Mrs. Zurawski recently held her "Summer Fun and Sports!" themed fourth grade virtual choral concert and it was fantastic. Parents who watched will know what I am talking about, but we think our fourth grade could have both future Olympians and professional singers in the mix!
Earlier this week, Mrs. Paszkowski's 8th grade students held their annual science fair. I was amazed at not only their scientific knowledge, but also the ability of our students to research and present. Many of our students are also very passionate about their chosen topics. Please see below for more information as well as some pictures from the 8th grade science fair.
And just yesterday morning, the Cass Junior High staff was treated to a personal early morning mini-concert from Ms. Kriz's chorus students. Their numbers have been limited this year, but their singing is most definitely not! I'm also going to take the liberty of recognizing Gerald Esteban, who might play the piano as beautifully as anyone I have ever heard. Here is a photo of Mrs. Kriz and her talented students right after the mini-concert.
Still coming up, we have the Cass Junior High School Recognition and Awards Ceremony, which will be in the form of a student assembly during the school day on June 1. Our award winners will be announced and recognized publicly after the ceremony. Concord Elementary School's 4th grade clap out will take place on June 7. This special event celebrates our children ending their time at Concord and moving on to Cass. The district has arranged to record both of these special programs, and the videos will be provided to parents at a later date.
Last but not least, the capstone moment of a child's nine or more years in Cass School District 63 will take place on Thursday, June 3 with our 8th grade graduation ceremonies. Principal Christine Marcinkewicz, as well as the staff, Board and myself are very excited to welcome our graduates and families in one group at a time in what we hope is a special day for our graduates and families. And thank you to CARE for making this day even more special.
Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend, and let's not forget the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice to allow for the freedoms we can too easily take for granted. As always, never hesitate to reach out if you have any questions at all.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
2021-22 Registration Deadline Almost Here
The deadline to register for the 2021-22 school year is Monday, June 7. If you have questions about how to register the answers can be found on the Residency and Registration section of our website and the Parent Guide to Registration document includes step by step instructions. If there is a reason you have not yet registered, please contact your child’s school office to see if there is something we can help you with to get the registration process completed.
Attention Incoming 5th Grade Parents!
Cass Junior High is so excited to welcome your students to our school next year! We are hopeful that the new school year will bring back some of our past traditions and students will be able to attend Orientation Day in August to walk the halls and find their classes.
Today, the 4th graders came to visit Cass Junior High, have a tour, meet teachers and ask questions. Here is a video presentation which provides a great deal of information for students and parents.
We look forward to a great year. Please feel free to email any questions to Principal Christine Marcinkewicz at cmarcinkewicz@cassd63.org.
Last (Half) School Day for Most Students June 7
As a reminder to parents, the last day of school for most students will be Monday, June 7. This is a half day schedule with Concord dismissing at 11:15 a.m. and Cass 12:00 p.m. Our preschool and 8th grade classes have a different schedule. The end of year schedule contains the highlights of the main activities at each school and our school calendar page also has the various activity dates. Just let us know if you have any questions.
Ivy League Kids Before and After School Parent Meeting June 7
As shared in a communication to parents earlier this week, there will be a virtual informational meeting on Monday, June 7, at 7:00 p.m. for parents who might be interested in before and after school care when school opens this fall. More details are available here and additional information will be sent prior to the meeting.
The Garden - Cass Junior High's Living Classroom
Master Gardeners, affiliated with the University of Illinois, have been volunteering their time to educate and give guidance to the 7th grade students at Cass Junior High in the care and maintenance of our living classroom for the past 15 years. Known as the garden, this is a green space located on the south side of the building that allows students to reconnect with nature and learn about native, exotic and invasive plant species.
Here is more information on the program, several pictures and some great quotes from our students!
8th Grade Science Fair
On Tuesday, May 25th the annual 8th grade science fair took place under the guidance of Mrs. Susan Paszkowski. While there were many, here are pictures of several great projects!
Advanced Art Students Visit Waterfall Glen!
Cass Junior High art teacher Matt Etherington and his 7th and 8th grade advanced art students recently visited Waterfall Glen to conduct observational nature drawings. The purpose of this particular lesson and visit was to focus on perspective, composition, and realism.
Spring Sports Teams Wrap Up Seasons
The pandemic certainly impacted our athletic programs earlier in the year, but our spring sports seasons were successful. Our Cass Junior High School girls soccer team finished 2-4 and ended the season with a win. The boys’ soccer team had a solid season, finishing with a record of 3-3. Our teams had a great attitude and with several 5th and 6th graders on the squads, the future looks bright!
Track season also recently wrapped up. Thirty student-athletes participated this spring and they were incredibly resilient as they practiced using extra safety precautions in an already physically demanding sport. We only ended up competing in two meets this season, with several athletes placing and scoring points in the SDEAA Conference meet. We are looking forward to more kids participating next spring and an even more successful season.
CARE Bentgo Lunchbox Sale – Sale Ends June 14
Time is running out to order Bentgo Lunchboxes for your children to be ready for lunches when school starts in the fall. These lunch boxes offer a convenient and eco-friendly option for packing school lunches. Please take a look at this Bentgo Lunch Box flyer and see what Bentgo has to offer.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects known information for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year. Please continue to self-report any close contacts and symptoms over the final two weeks of the school year.
Community Connections
Darien Lions Club 2021 4th of July Parade Best Decorated Bike Award
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Cass63 Connections - May 20, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
As the 2020-21 school year winds down, our staff is working to make the end of this very unusual year as memorable as possible. We need to continue to follow the health guidance to keep everyone safe, but the teachers and staff are being as creative as they can to make the end of the year fun for our kids!
You will see much of this referenced below and in case it helps, this end of year schedule contains the highlights of the main activities at each school. Our school calendar page also has the various activity dates.
While we know it is frustrating to miss certain events as parents particularly when the health guidance is changing for much of our world, please keep in mind that the guidance has not changed inside of our schools. Our students are not yet vaccinated, and we will continue to follow the rules that are in place as we have all year. On behalf of our staff, students and families, thank you very much for your understanding.
Last but not least, we have never quit working on a solution for providing a before and after care program for our kids and families and have made great progress in this regard over the last couple of weeks. In fact, all of us who have worked on this think that Ivy League Kids is an extraordinarily high-quality program to offer our parents and we will have the same hours as before. A brief explanation is provided below and over the course of the coming days, I will provide a separate communication with more details, as well as an opportunity for a virtual meeting to learn more if you are interested.
Thank you and as always, never hesitate to reach out to me or your child’s principal or teacher if you have any questions as we wind down the school year. Have a great weekend and enjoy the warm weather!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Recognition of Cass 63 Staff and Retirees
(pictured from left to right: Christine Marcinkewicz, Matt Etherington,
Bob Sniegowski, Maggie Adelman and Angela Zurawski)At its most recent meeting, the Board of Education recognized retiring staff members Bob Sniegowski and Theresa Murphy. Mr. Sniegowski retired in January after nearly 41 years of service as a custodian at Cass Junior High School, while Mrs. Murphy is retiring at the end of the current school year after 19 years as a speech pathologist at both schools. We wish both the very best as they begin their retirement!
The Board also recognized staff members Maggie Adelman, Matt Etherington, Jeff Grand and Christine Marcinkewicz for reaching 10 years of service in the district. Also recognized was Mary Kate Favia and Ginny Hirhager for reaching 15 years of service and Kristie Miller, Susan Paszkowski and Amy Pollitz for 20 years of service to our students. Thank you and congratulations to these dedicated employees of Cass 63!
Also recognized at the meeting was Concord music teacher Angela Zurawski and former technology assistant Dana Dolehide for receiving the Those Who Excel awards through the Illinois State Board of Education. Congratulations to these two exemplary staff members on receiving this well-deserved honor!
Please see the Board Briefs for more information about discussions and actions that took place at the meeting that was held on Tuesday, May 18.
Potential Before and After School Program
What appeared to be a difficult problem to solve seems to be turning into a great opportunity. After researching options to offer our parents a high quality before and after school care program, the school district is working on plans with Ivy League Kids. This is a private program utilized successfully by a number of other school districts. If we move forward to form a partnership with Ivy League Kids, it would be in place at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year.
Sometime soon, Mr. Cross will share additional details with parents, and will also arrange a virtual meeting for those interested to meet with representatives. Please watch for more information that will be coming soon!
Concord 4th Grade Clap Out
For our 4th grade parents, probably the most anticipated end of the year event is the 4th grade clap-out which celebrates children ending their time at Concord and moving on to Cass. While parents will not be able to attend this year, we do not want you to miss out! The district has arranged to have the clap-out celebration videotaped, and a link to that video will be provided to parents after the conclusion of the school year.
Cass Recognition and Awards Ceremony
All of our students and teachers deserve a resilience award after this pandemic school year! It looks like there may be a light at the end of the tunnel for next school year, but current health guidance remains and no more than 50 persons are allowed in one space in the school setting.
Therefore, we will modify our Recognition and Awards Ceremony this year by having the ceremony during the school day and students will receive awards in front of peers who also will earn awards. The assembly will be held during the school day on June 1 and student award winners will be announced and recognized publicly after the ceremony! While parents will not be able to attend this year, we do not want you to miss out! The district has arranged to have the ceremony videotaped, and a link to that video will be provided to parents at a later date.
Congrats to the Class of 2021!
If you are an 8th grade parent, please read the letter from Principal Christine Marcinkewicz for the most up to date information on graduation.
CARE is also helping to make the end of 8th grade special for our graduates. Here are more details for parents who are interested. Thank you to CARE for helping to make this a special time for our 8th grade students!
CARE Spin it to Win it and Dine to Donate
Now is the final week to take part in the Spin it to Win it Raffle and try to win the very last prize. Please take a look at the “Spin it to Win it” flyer to learn more about how to participate in this fun end of the year activity.
Also, next Wednesday is the last day for Dine to Donate from Chuck’s! Every Wednesday throughout the month of May, Chuck’s has been donating up to 20 percent of the day’s sales back to our schools through CARE. All you need to do it present them with the flyer above to ensure that your order is a part of this great fundraiser.
CARE School Supply Kit Orders
The last thing anyone wants to think about right now is preparing for the next school year, so why not take one thing off of your to do list and order the School Supply Kit? Take a look at the flyer for information on how to order yours today!
COVID-19 Dashboard
Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects numbers for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year. Please keep up the excellent self-reporting of household symptoms and close contacts so we can stay healthy and finish the year strong!
Community Connections
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Cass63 Connections - May 13, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
First of all, on behalf of our teachers and staff, thank you for the many notes and gifts that were shared with our employees for Teacher Appreciation Week. I also want to say a special thank you to our wonderful CARE organization for their support and the awesome lunch and dessert that was provided. Your support means more than you know and while never expected, it is truly appreciated. Thank you!Earlier this week, the Food and Drug Administration announced that the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is now available for our 12-15 year old youth. An email was sent earlier today to Cass Junior High School parents with information on how to register their eligible children for the vaccine.
Vaccines are something you should discuss with your child's pediatrician or family physician, and as a school district we want to make sure that you as parents are aware of the benefits of the vaccine and have good information. This is true not only for the kids 12 and up, but also as the vaccine becomes available for younger kids in the months to come. It has been a game changer for our staff here in the school environment and its impact is evident in the community as well. The numbers continue to drop and we are seeing the lowest positivity rate in a long time, with a 7-day rolling average below three percent in the combined zip codes of Darien and Willowbrook.
This is wonderful news, and vaccines are the key to a return to normal in our schools, just as in society. I still cannot emphasize enough the importance of avoiding close contacts and doing everything we can to keep COVID-19 out of our schools by keeping children at home if any household symptoms are present, or in the event of any potential close contacts. I say this not only for the health and safety of all, but also so that we minimize disruptions to teaching and learning when 14-day quarantines are required for close contact situations. Our number of students isolated or quarantined are at their lowest level in months, so let's keep it that way!
In the meantime, we will continue to follow and monitor the health guidance as we make our plans for the 2021-22 school year. I will continue to update you on those details as we move into the summer months.
Please feel free to reach out with any questions at any time. Thank you!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
2021-22 Registration Deadline is June 7
Registration for the 2021-22 school year is underway and the deadline for returning families to complete the registration process is Monday, June 7. If you have questions about how to register the answers can be found on the Residency and Registration section of our website and the Parent Guide to Registration document includes step by step instructions.
Help Wanted - BASE Director and School Nurse
Cass School District 63 is working on potential options for a before and after school care program for next school year. As part of that process, we are advertising for the part-time position of BASE Program Director. BASE hours are from 6:45 - 8:00 a.m. and 2:45 - 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday on school attendance days at Concord Elementary School. The position requires management of both program staff as well as the students attending the program. Responsibilities include but are not limited to: scheduling employees, student discipline, after-school snacks, management of hours for students and communication with parents or guardians. Here is additional information and a link to apply for the position.
The school district has also posted a potential full-time school nurse position beginning with the 2021-22 school year. This position will primarily manage the medical needs and generally assist with students in a cross-categorical classroom at Cass Junior High School, and will also conduct general school nurse duties at both Cass Junior High and Concord Elementary School. Applicants must be a registered nurse with a bachelor's degree in nursing, education or a related field. The successful candidate must be willing to complete either the certified school nurse program, or a state-approved nursing examination or web-based special education course in order to conduct a student medical review. Here is additional information and a link to apply for the position.
CARE Bentgo Lunchbox Sale
CARE is holding a Bentgo Lunch Box sale. These lunch boxes offer a convenient and eco-friendly option for packing school lunches. Please take a look at this Bentgo Lunch Box flyer and see what Bentgo has to offer and don’t miss your opportunity to get one for your kids. Sales end on June 14, 2021.
CARE Spin it to Win it
Grilling, picnics and video games - all great ways to enjoy your summer! CARE is hosting a “Spin it to Win it” Raffle offering you an opportunity to win prizes to make those activities a reality. Please take a look at the “Spin it to Win it” flyer to learn more about how to participate in this fun end of the year activity.
CARE Virtual Book Fair Closing May 16
Don’t miss out on the final days of the CARE Virtual Book Fair which closes on May 16. If you have not already done so, please do not miss this great opportunity to get this done by supporting the CARE Virtual Book Fair.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects numbers for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year. There is only a little over three weeks left of school, so please be sure to remain diligent in reporting symptoms and positive or possible cases so we can finish the school year strong.
Community Connections
Hinsdale South High School Softball Camp
Sun Times Graduation Shout Out -
Cass63 Connections - May 6, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Earlier today, Governor JB Pritzker announced that we are entering the "bridge phase" of the Illinois reopening plan. Assuming that we avoid a spike in cases, the state could fully reopen as early as June 11. This is wonderful news for many people as more of the population is fully vaccinated. According to IDPH data, more than a third of the state population is fully vaccinated and over 60 percent of the general population and 85 percent of senior citizens have received at least one dose.
The Illinois positivity rate is around three percent, which is consistent with our current data in Darien and Willowbrook. These are the lowest rates in quite some time as the impact of the vaccine takes hold. Obviously, we will continue with our current mitigation efforts for at least the remainder of the current school year not only to do our part to limit the spread of COVID, but also because vaccines are not yet available to children.
The good news is that in the coming days, the FDA is expected to approve the Pfizer vaccine for youth as young as 12 years of age. This will be wonderful for many of our junior high age students and families. Recent news reports also indicate that Pfizer expects to have a vaccine ready for children between the ages 2 and 11 by late summer. Hopefully, other manufacturers will also be in the mix. This is something we will monitor carefully.
In the event there is any specific information I can share from the DuPage County Health Department or other local health providers regarding potential vaccine opportunities for children, you will be the first to know. If feasible and timely, we might even make that happen right here in Cass School District 63 as a convenience to our parents who wish to have their children vaccinated. Obviously, this is something you should discuss with your child's pediatrician in advance, but the vaccine for children is coming. I share all of this good news with our eye on two things: (1) not letting our guard down so that we keep COVID out of our schools, and (2) looking forward to a much more normal 2021-22 school year.
On the first one, please keep up the great work! Our numbers are at the lowest they have been for quite some time and this is because we have kept COVID out of our schools and also because of the effective mitigation efforts we have in place. I have asked local health officials repeatedly and at this time, there is no allowance for reducing the 14-day quarantine period for a close contact. As I have shared, this is not our rule and we have no choice but to enforce it until this particular guidance changes for unvaccinated people. In addition to doing the right thing for public health, keeping our students in our schools is a really good reason to keep household symptoms and close contacts out of our schools.
On the second item, our leadership team and staff is making plans for next year and we will monitor the ever (and quickly) changing health guidance in the coming weeks and months. There is no question that we will probably need to continue some of our mitigation efforts, but that will depend on health guidance at the time and we fully expect and plan to have 100 percent of our students in school. There are no words to describe how much we are looking forward to that and I will keep you posted on this as we move forward.
Until then, thank you for the excellent cooperation with keeping our kids safe and in school. Please reach out with any questions or concerns and have a wonderful weekend!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
2021-22 Registration Is Open
Registration for the 2021-22 school year is officially open! Thank you to those of you who have already completed registration. If you have questions about how to register the answers can be found on the Residency and Registration section of our website and the Parent Guide to Registration document includes step by step instructions. The 2021-22 registration deadline is Monday, June 7.
If you have any further questions, please contact us at Concord Elementary School 331-481-4010, Cass Junior High School 331-481-4020 or the district office at 331-481-4000. Thank you!
CARE Thanks Our Teachers and Staff
CARE has asked to publicly share a special message with the Concord Elementary School and Cass Junior High School staff.
CARE Dine to Donate at Chuck’s Cafe
Chuck’s Southern Comforts Café is once again supporting CARE’s Dine to Donate. Every Wednesday during the month of May, Chucks will give up to 20% of the day’s sales back to our schools. Please be sure to bring the flyer with you when you dine in or pick up to ensure that your purchase benefits CARE.
CARE Spin it to Win it
CARE is hosting an end of the school year “Spin it to Win it” Prize Raffle. There are some great prizes so please take a look at the “Spin it to Win it” flyer to learn more about how to participate in this fun end of the year activity.
CARE Virtual Book Fair May 3-May 16
If you have not already done your summer reading shopping, please do not miss this great opportunity to get this done by supporting the CARE Virtual Book Fair running now through May 16.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects numbers for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year. As we enter the home stretch of the school year, let's keep up the great effort to keep COVID out of our schools!
Hinsdale South High School Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee
Hinsdale South High School is looking for parents of future Hinsdale South students who are interested in being a part of the Parent-Teacher Advisory Committee for the 2021-22 school year. Any parents/guardians who will have students in grades six through eight next year are welcome and encouraged to apply at https://forms.gle/
Au2BekgZosuvEgF59. The deadline to apply is May 14 at 4:00 pm.
Community Connections
One Day One Shot Walk-In Vaccine Clinic
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Cass63 Connections - April 29, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
In recent communications, I have shared some of our concerns with being able to staff the Before and After School Experience (B.A.S.E.) program next year. I've discussed this with our Board of Education as well as several parents who have asked questions along the way. I welcome those questions and we are fully aware that before and after school care is important to some of you, which is why I wanted to share additional details at this time.
First and foremost, returning the B.A.S.E. program is a top priority for this fall, if we can offer a safe and properly staffed program. I have been sharing this with you to be transparent with the concerns, but also to see if any of you are able to assist (more on that below). This issue has not arisen from a lack of desire, effort or planning, but a matter of staffing. While we have had some core people run this program in the past, they had indicated over a year in advance that the current year would be their last. We have started planning for the change since last fall, but the vast majority of our employees cannot work the additional hours in a program like this.
Why is this the case? It is for the same reasons most people can't, as our employees also have their own busy lives with their families, child care issues and other schedules and jobs which extend far into the B.A.S.E. schedule. This impacts their ability to start the day at 6:45 a.m. or work after school hours until 6:00 p.m. Do we have staff willing to work? Yes, we do, but not enough and we need people who are able to commit to administering the program on a daily basis. Running this program is far more complicated than rounding up some paid volunteers and keeping our eyes on a few kids.
We are fully aware that our district has offered this program for a number of years and it is our goal to continue to do so. Having said that, times have changed, people are very busy and staffing is always a challenge. We want to offer this program as a service to you as parents and will continue to work toward making that happen, but I cannot make any promises and I would rather tell you that sooner rather than later. So again, we could use your help.
Our weekly messages reach hundreds of households and over a thousand parents, but to date we have had absolutely no interest from the greater school community. I apologize that our link was not accessible to everyone before, so here is the 2021-22 B.A.S.E Employment Interest Form if you are interested or would like to share this with others. We are also extending the deadline for anyone to express interest to next Friday, May 7. Please also feel free to contact either me or Gayle Wilson at 331-481-4000, or email Gayle at gwilson@cassd63.org. Due to the unique nature of the program schedules and work hours, we are not posting this as an employment vacancy but all anyone interested needs to do is complete the simple form above and we will reach out.
In addition to the opportunity given to parents to find community interest in working in the program, I have also been in contact with the Darien Park District to consider a partnership, and they are facing the same staffing issues we are. We are also open to other community partnerships, and I am in the process of researching outsourcing the program to a third-party entity. We will continue to explore options and will communicate with you as we go forward.
I hope this helps address some of the questions, but never hesitate to contact me if you would like to talk. In the meantime, we will continue to seek potential solutions and continue to do whatever we can. Your suggestions are welcome. Take care, have a great weekend and thank you for your support.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Appreciating Our Teachers and Staff!
Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week and in Cass School District 63, we love celebrating all of our wonderful teachers and staff. Our people have put in many additional hours to make certain that our students continue to receive the very best education, in spite of the challenges put in front of them. Many occupations have faced huge challenges, but this next week is a great time to give educators an extra pat on the back. I know every single staff member would appreciate you or your child taking a moment to tell them exactly how much they are appreciated. Never has there been a year where they deserve that appreciation more.
Board Members Recognized
At its meeting on April 27, the Board of Education recognized outgoing Board of Education member Michael Ockrim, along with former members Jeff McCollian and Brad Carrino. Mr. Ockrim served on the Board of Education from 2013-2021, Mr. McCollian from 2015-2021 and Mr. Carrino from 2019-2020. We appreciate the dedicated volunteer service these three individuals brought to Cass School District 63!
New Members Seated, Officers Elected
At the April 6, 2021 Election, Urszula Tanouye and Steve Wyent were elected to four-year terms and Rinku Patel to a two-year unexpired term he already holds after his appointment to the Board in November. At the April 27 meeting, our two newest members took their Oath of Office and after being seated. Congratulations and welcome to Mrs. Tanouye and Mr. Wyent!
The Board also commenced with electing officers, which will continue to be Shelly Camden as President, Kent Absalonsen as Vice President and Alice Esposito as Secretary. Gayle Wilson was appointed as the Board’s Recording Secretary and Michael McLean as Treasurer. All terms of offices and appointments are for two years.
The Board will continue to hold its monthly meetings on the third Tuesday of each month unless otherwise noted, and starting in May the Board will hold its monthly meetings beginning at 7:00 p.m. For those interested, the Board Briefs include a summary of what takes place at each meeting.
2021-22 Registration Opens May 3
We apologize to those of you who received registration invoices yesterday. We believe that those who received this notification had selected the option in your personal preferences to be notified anytime there is a change to your My School Bucks account. We cannot control this on our end, so we just ask that you please disregard if you receive similar notices until we send out our official 2021-22 online registration information.
We anticipate opening our online registration on Monday, May 3. A message will be sent out once this happens, and we hope you find the new process to be convenient and user friendly. Please contact the District Office at 331-481-4000 with any questions.
8th Grade Graduation Details
Details and plans for graduation will be emailed to 8th grade parents on Friday, April 30, including an explanation of how parents will be able to request your graduation time. The online registration for time slots for graduation will be sent out early next week, and the district will communicate in advance exactly when the online registration process will open and how it will work.
Graduation is scheduled for Thursday, June 3, in individual family and friend ceremonies starting at noon and going until 9:00 p.m. The decision to not conduct a larger outdoor ceremony was based on ensuring the full participation of our students and families, avoiding a situation in which students cannot participate due to close contacts in the two weeks prior to the ceremony, and also to avoid weather-related postponements since the move indoors with a large group of people is not an option.
While our ceremony will not be traditional, it will be much more personal and will allow for the inclusion of family and friends of up to 12 guests per student! It would be hard to find a graduation ceremony anywhere – junior high, high school or college – that will be this inclusive for students and families. We think it will be a very special day for the class of 2021!
CARE Virtual Book Fair May 3-May 16
Summer break is coming and now is your chance to stock up on reading materials for your children. CARE is holding their Virtual Book Fair from May 3 through May 16. Make sure to take a look and take advantage of this wonderful opportunity.
CARE Bentgo Lunchbox Sale
If you have been looking for a great, more convenient and easy way for your children to bring their lunches to and from school, CARE has found your solution! CARE is holding a Bentgo Lunch Box sale. Please take a look at this Bentgo Lunch Box flyer and see what Bentgo has to offer and don’t miss your opportunity to get one for your kids.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects numbers for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year. We have had a great week, which is testament to you and your diligence and cooperation in keeping your children at home when they are exhibiting symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19. We hope that it is also a trend that we continue to see in keeping our community numbers flat as more of our population is vaccinated.
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Cass63 Connections - April 22, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
We are in that final stretch of the school year with the sun shining brighter and the days getting warmer. Our staff in Cass 63 is working hard to finish the year positive and strong, and I truly appreciate the diligence many of you have shown this past week with keeping kids home when household symptoms arise, or close contacts are potentially in the mix. Thank you for working on this together!
I know there have been questions about the guidance as it pertains to the time a student is out due to a close contact. The DuPage County Health Department has stated that we must maintain a 14-day exclusion period for any close contacts at school and there is still no way to test out of this. Also, school guidance does allow for 3 feet of distance between students while at school, but still defines close contacts as “within 6 feet of a confirmed case of COVID-19… beginning two calendar days before the onset of symptoms (for a symptomatic person) or two calendar days before the positive sample was obtained (for an asymptomatic person).”
As a result, it is still a 14-day exclusion for any close contact to a positive case, with the close contact still defined as within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more over the course of the day. Students with symptoms and no close contacts can return to school after receiving a negative RT-PCR test and remaining symptom free for 24 hours. In the absence of a negative test after the onset of symptoms and assuming no close contacts, it is a 10-day exclusion from school. There is some allowance for a 10-day return to learning if schools are assuring the 6 feet of social distancing, but we are not with the high percentage of students in person in Cass 63. Otherwise, nothing has changed with this guidance since the beginning of the school year.
In addition to the obvious health and safety reasons, this is why I will continue to emphasize the importance of keeping any potential close contacts out of the school setting. It is very disruptive for both students and families when kids have to be out for such a long timeframe. We want our kids at school every day and it is beyond frustrating when we have to exclude anyone, but these are not our rules. As a school district, we need to maintain this policy until such time the guidance is adjusted. When that happens and we can make a change, you will be the first to know!
I hope this helps clarify the exclusion guidance, but never hesitate to reach out if you have any questions at all. I’m easy to find and happy to talk to you. Thank you!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
No Live Instruction Friday, April 23
As a reminder, there is no live instruction on Friday, April 23 due to scheduled school improvement day activities. This is the last calendar disruption for the remainder of the school year until Memorial Day on May 31.
Last Call! B.A.S.E. Staff Needed to Offer Program Next Year
To date, interest in working the B.A.S.E. program next year has been very limited and at this time we do not have enough staff to run the program. In order for the district to make a decision about the future of this program, we need to know if you are interested in the possibility of working B.A.S.E. no later than this Friday, April 23. Please complete the 2021-22 B.A.S.E Employment Interest Form if you are interested. If you have any questions, please contact Gayle Wilson at gwilson@cassd63.org.
Save the Date! 8th Grade Graduation June 3
Please mark your calendars for 8th grade graduation, which is scheduled for Thursday, June 3. We have been working with our staff and some parents on creating a great experience for our 8th grade students at the end of the year, including graduation. While there are things we can do and things we can’t during the pandemic, what we are doing is thinking outside of the box and in the end we think it will be more memorable for our kids and our parents, because that is what graduation is about. Things will be different, but it doesn’t mean it can’t be awesome.
What we are not going to do is be dependent on perfect weather and then be forced to change to something that excludes family and friends from being a part of this moment. Also as some people have asked, the Hinsdale South stadium is not an option due to construction and renovation that begins immediately after the high school graduation in mid-May. More information will be shared with 8th grade parents soon!
CARE Dine to Donate – Every Wednesday at Broosters
For the month of April, Broosters Char-Broiled Chicken is participating in the CARE Dine to Donate by donating 20% of the day’s sales back to our schools! Don’t miss your opportunity to take a night off of cooking and benefiting your child’s school at the same time.
CARE Spring Plant Sale - Ordering ends April 23
This is your last chance to take advantage of the CARE Spring Plant Sale. Ordering closes on April 23. Curbside pick-up is scheduled for Saturday, May 8. This is a wonderful way to support CARE while also taking care of your Spring gardening all at the same time.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects numbers for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year. We have had a great week, which is testament to you and your diligence and cooperation in keeping your children at home when they are exhibiting symptoms or have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19. We hope that it is also a trend that we continue to see in keeping our community numbers flat as more of our population is vaccinated.
Community Connections
For those interested, Lewis University is hosting a girl’s volleyball camp this summer.
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Cass63 Connections - April 15, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
While there are so many things to be proud of this year, one of those things is how hard our teachers, administrators and staff have worked to keep our students safe at school throughout the pandemic. This has always been our greatest priority and we continue to have zero known cases involving the spread of COVID-19 in the school setting.
With a high percentage of students at school, this continued success will require everyone to maintain great vigilance over the remaining seven weeks of the school year. The best way our parents can assist with this is by keeping your children at home if there are any COVID-19 symptoms in your household, or if there is a possibility of any recent close contacts, travel or other risky behaviors. When in doubt, our standard is a negative RT-PCR test result.
Unfortunately, a negative test result does not supersede a close contact to a positive case. People who have been vaccinated or who have been identified as a confirmed positive case in the previous 90 days are the exception to the current exclusion guidance. We know it is frustrating when children have to quarantine as a result of a close contact and we share that frustration here at school, so the best way to avoid this situation is to keep any risk outside of the school setting.
Thank you for your assistance and cooperation with not only keeping people safe and healthy, but also keeping our students in school where they belong. I know you understand that we don’t make the rules when it comes to health protocols, but we will continue to follow the guidance. All we ask is that you do the same and we will finish the year strong!
Thank you and as always, never hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Save the Date! 8th Grade Graduation June 3We are planning an in-person graduation ceremony for our 8th grade students on Thursday, June 3. Please note that there is not a time mentioned for graduation because there will be graduations throughout the day and evening! This is due to the current health guidance and limitations that unfortunately applies to both indoor and outdoor activities. Despite this challenge, we are going to have a series of small in-person ceremonies throughout the day that we think will be very special and personal for your graduate and family. More details are coming soon as we work to make this a special day for our 8th grade families.
Planning for Spring ActivitiesWe are also working on plans for a number of other spring activities for all of our students. Some things will be difficult and most will look different, but we are working on providing as many fun end-of-year activities as possible for our kids in Cass 63. We do want parents to know that we have to follow the guidance which will limit group sizes and parent participation, but we will do whatever we can to make the best of it for our students. More information will be shared from your child's school!
6th Grade Parents - Advanced English Language Arts Enrollment
As we prepare for the 2021-22 school year, we are considering placement for our incoming seventh grade students in an Advanced English Language Arts Class (ELA). For more information on the Advanced ELA Class and how to submit your interest in having your child be enrolled in this class, please see Advanced English Language Arts Information.
4th Grade Parents - High Math Information and Enrollment
In preparing for the 2021-22 school year, we are considering placement of our incoming 5th grade students in our high math program. More information can be found here, along with an opportunity to let us know if you think your child would qualify for this program.
B.A.S.E. Staff Needed to Offer Program Next Year
Cass School District 63 has offered a before and after school child care program for many years Over the past few years it has become increasingly difficult to staff the program and while we would love to continue to offer this opportunity for our families, we cannot do so without the necessary staff. If you are interested in working the Cass 63 B.A.S.E. program, please complete the 2021-22 B.A.S.E. Employment Interest Form by Friday, April 23. If offered, the B.A.S.E. program will run Monday through Friday every day school is in session from 6:45 a.m. until school starts and after school until 6:00 p.m.
2021-22 Registration Coming Early May
We greatly appreciate your patience as we work to update our registration process. While we had planned to do so sooner, we expect to open online registration for the 2021-22 registration by the first week of May. If you have any questions, please contact the District Office at 331-481-4000.
CARE 2021-22 Supply Kit Orders
CARE is selling School Supply Kits for the 2021-22 school year. Order information and more details are under the link. Thank you to our wonderful CARE organization for offering this opportunity for our parents and families!
CARE Spring Plant Sale
Don’t miss out on your opportunity to plan your garden and help support CARE and the students of Cass School District 63! CARE is holding its annual Spring Plant Sale, but ordering is closing soon on April 23. Curbside pick-up is scheduled for Saturday, May 8. Please see the CARE Spring Plant Sale flyer for more information and the opportunity to order your plants by next Friday!
COVID-19 Dashboard
Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects numbers for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year. To help ensure that there is no spread of COVID-19 at school, we ask that our parents report any symptoms and positive close contacts immediately and if there is any possibility that your child has been a close contact to someone who has COVID-19, please keep them at home.
Community Connections
The Community Speaker Series presents Mindwise: A Guide to Understanding the Minds of Others.
Glenbard Parent Series presents Mindfulness – Use Your Breathing to Transform Stress Into Strength.
Buddy’s Place presents A Program for Bereaved Families and Children.
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Cass63 Connections - April 8, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
I hope you had a great spring break as a family, and your kids enjoyed a little time away from school! Education is important, but so is time together as a family.
This past Tuesday, local school board elections were held. Congratulations to Board Vice President Kent Absalonsen, who retained his seat on the Board with another four-year term through April 2025. Mr. Absalonsen was originally appointed to the Board in 2015 and has now won subsequent four-year terms in 2017 and 2021. Also congratulations to Dr. Rinku Patel, who was officially elected to fill an unexpired two-year term. He was appointed to the Board in November to replace Brad Carrino, who moved out of state with his family last fall. And finally, congratulations to Steve Wyent and Urszula Tanouye! Both Mr. Wyent and Ms. Tanouye were elected to four-year seats, with terms running through April 2025.
Mr. Wyent and Ms. Tanouye will replace Michael Ockrim and Jeff McCollian, who both decided not to seek re-election. Mr. Ockrim served two full terms after originally being elected to the Board in 2013, but this time decided to pursue election as a Downers Grove Township Trustee. Mr. Ockrim's election was successful, and we wish him the best in his new role! Mr. McCollian was appointed to the Board in 2015 and was elected in 2017. Mr. Ockrim and Mr. McCollian gave 14 years of total service between them and we truly appreciate their effort and time to the Board, school district and community.
The next Board of Education meeting will be held on April 27, at which time the Board of Education will take their Oath of Office and those newly elected will become official members. The meeting is one week later this month to accommodate the legal timelines for swearing in and transitioning with the new Board. At this meeting, we will also recognize Mr. Ockrim and Mr. McCollian for their service, as well as Mr. Carrino who plans to join virtually. The meeting will be held in person in the Cass Junior High School gymnasium at 7:30 p.m.
Thank you to all of our Board members for their outstanding service, both in the past and as we go forward. I have no doubt that we will make a seamless transition for Cass School District 63 as we all work together to maintain the focus on our children and keep this wonderful school district moving forward. Please let me know if you have any questions at all.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
6th Grade Parents - Advanced English Language Arts Enrollment
As we prepare for the 2021-22 school year, we are considering placement for our incoming seventh grade students in an advanced/accelerated English Language Arts (ELA) class.
Here is detailed information and a parent survey for the Advanced ELA class and how to submit your interest in having your child be enrolled in this class.
Thank you!
4th Grade Parents - High Math Information and Enrollment
In preparing for the 2021-22 school year, we are considering placement of our incoming fifth grade students in our high math program. Here is more information and a parent survey, which includes an opportunity to let us know if you think your child would qualify for this program.
Interested in Working the B.A.S.E. Program Next Year?
Cass School District 63 has offered a before and after school childcare program for many years. In recent years, it has become increasingly difficult to staff the program and while we would love to continue to offer this opportunity to our families, we cannot do so without the proper number of staff. If you are interested in working the Cass 63 B.A.S.E. program, please complete the 2021-22 B.A.S.E. Employment Interest Form and we will follow up with you. The B.A.S.E. program would normally run Monday-Friday every day school is in session from 6:45 a.m. until school starts and after school until 6:00 p.m.
Help Wanted in Cass 63!
We are currently looking for full-time teachers and teacher assistants for next year, a part-time substitute nurse and either substitute or part-time bus drivers for the remainder of this year. Please visit Career Opportunities in Cass 63 for more information or to apply for any of the positions.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects numbers for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year. With students returning from Spring Break and the potential for exposure elevated from recent trips and activities, it is very important that parents report any symptoms or any close contacts to the school immediately to help avoid an outbreak in the school setting. Your cooperation in reporting has and will continue to have a positive impact on our school community.
CARE Dine to Donate at Broosters
Every Wednesday during the month of April, Broosters Char-Broiled Chicken in Darien is offering 20% of your order back to CARE. Please remember to mention this fundraiser or provide this Dine to Donate flyer in person when ordering.
CARE Spring Plant Sale
Spring is here and it is the perfect time to start planning your garden. CARE is holding its annual Spring Plant Sale. Ordering is open now through April 23 with curbside pick-up on Saturday, May 8. Please make sure to see their Spring Plant Sale flyer for more information and the opportunity to order your spring plants.
Community Connections
Hinsdale South High School is holding their Danceline Tryouts for the 2021-22 school year.
Glenbard Parent Series presents Thrivers: Why Some Kids Struggle and Others Shine.
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Cass63 Connections - March 25, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Despite a setback at the beginning of the week, we had a very successful start to School Reimagined 3.0. It was wonderful seeing more students at school and we are grateful to have them here where they belong!
To keep that going for the rest of the spring, we truly need YOUR assistance to make this happen. This includes not letting your guard down with any potential close contacts OR symptoms in your household. If there is any doubt with symptoms, please keep your kids at home until they can get the appropriate PCR test results. The greatest difference maker in our success has been and will continue to be keeping COVID-19 outside of the school setting so we can avoid close contacts and any chance of spread.Along those lines, we know many people are understandably excited about the break and are looking forward to enjoying a wide range of activities. All that we ask is for your continued vigilance with following the rules and considering the travel guidance outlined below and contained in School Reimagined 3.0. Perhaps at no time since the winter holidays has the importance of self-reporting of household symptoms, potential close contacts, travel, social or other activities been more important. This past week, the parents of 15 students experienced the frustration of having their children required to remain at home and monitored for symptoms and waiting for test results. This is not only disruptive, but it is also a potential health concern and it illustrates exactly why your follow through is so important.As a reminder, there is no live instruction on Friday, March 26. Also, we will not be providing the Cass63 Connections during the district spring break and will resume our weekly communication on Thursday, April 8. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach you if you have any questions or need anything at all. Thank you for your patience and support throughout the many recent changes and your many kind words are beyond appreciated! If you are traveling, please do so safely and be mindful of the guidance. Otherwise, we look forward to seeing your kids again on Tuesday, April 6!Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Spring Break Travel Recommendations
Travel increases the chances of spreading and contracting COVID-19, particularly for unvaccinated people when travel takes place in higher risk locations. The CDC currently requires testing of all international travelers before they enter the United States.
Utilizing CDC Travel Guidance, the school district strongly encourages parents to have all family members tested three to five days after travel AND stay home for seven days after travel. If no test is pursued, CDC guidance states that it is safest to stay home for 10 days after travel. The remote option will remain available using these timelines after travel to provide seamless instruction while the child is at home and while parents watch for symptoms and obtain testing results.
These are not requirements, but recommendations for parents to seriously consider as you look at how and where you are travelling as a family. As a reminder, the school district does require that parents self-report any COVID-19 symptoms, exposures, and positive test results to the school district staff immediately. Thank you!
Spring Break Schedule Reminders
As a reminder, there is no live instruction on Friday, March 26. Spring Break is Monday, March 29 through Monday, April 5 with students returning on Tuesday, April 6. Please note that students will be in person the week of April 6, Tuesday through Thursday and remote on Friday. Here is the current school year calendar in case that is helpful.
Last Chance - Eighth Grade Diploma Information Needed
Eighth grade parents, diploma information is needed for your student if you have not already submitted the information. Please email Ginny Hirhager at vhirhager@cassd63.org and let her know the name you would like printed on your child’s diploma (i.e. Jonathan Smith). We only ask that no nicknames be used and the deadline to submit the name for your child’s diploma is Friday, March 26.
Junior High Track & Field Registration
Parents who have not already done so, please complete the Track & Field Survey prior to the first day of participation. Also, your child must have a current IESA Pre-Participation Physical Examination completed and on file in the Cass Junior High School office prior to the first date of participation.
Cass 63 is a Nut Free District
With more students back in the buildings this week, we have noticed some of our students have been bringing lunch items that include nuts. Please help us to keep all of our students safe and avoid sending food items that include nuts of any kind, including peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. For the health and safety of all, we appreciate your cooperation!
COVID-19 Dashboard
Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects numbers for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year. With more of our students back in school, it is critically important that students in households with symptoms or potential close contacts remain at home to prevent any potential spread of COVID-19 at school. We will help our parents navigate this, and when in doubt with symptoms, we highly recommend PCR testing to not only identify COVID cases, but also to safely bring our students back to school when the test results are negative.
Help Wanted in Cass 63!
We are currently looking for full-time teachers and teacher assistants for next year, a part-time substitute nurse and either substitute or part-time bus drivers for the remainder of this year. Please visit Career Opportunities in Cass 63 for more information or to apply for any of the positions.
2021-22 School Year Registration Coming Soon
Registration for the 2021-22 school year is not quite ready to open just yet but will be soon! We are working on updating and streamlining this process with the addition of an easier way to provide proof of residency and a much more user friendly payment portal for our families. We hope to have registration ready to bring online by mid-April so please keep an eye out for more information.
CARE Dine to Donate at Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket
Don’t forget that Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket is supporting CARE for their Dine to Donate March event. You can visit or order take out anytime during the month of March and Dell Rhea’s is giving 10 percent back to CARE. Please be sure to read the Dine to Donate flyer for how this program works!
Community Connections
College of DuPage STEMCON is a virtual STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) event taking place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. from Friday, April 23 to Sunday, April 25.
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Cass63 Connections - March 18, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
It is with great anticipation that we bring our students back to a four-day in-person schedule next week! I want to thank our parents for the questions, suggestions and support of our teachers, administrators and staff as we have worked through the transition, particularly with the schedule modifications and bus stop changes required to make this work.What we need now more than ever is to not let our guard down. We will do our very best to not let that happen at school, and we really need your help with this at home as well. I believe that the single greatest reason for our success in not having any known situations involving the spread of COVID-19 in the school setting has been the self-reporting of close contacts and symptoms by our parents and families. This is critically important in keeping COVID outside of our doors and with more students back, I am asking on behalf of everyone in the Cass 63 community to make sure to check your kids each morning and complete our daily parent certification process. This is explained in more detail below and starting on Monday you wil find the electronic form quicker and easier to complete.Finally, I ask for your patience and apologize in advance if we run into any glitches next week or if buses are running behind. We will iron out any issues as they occur and will continue to communicate with you. Thank you for your support and never hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns. We look forward to seeing more of our students here next week. Thank you and have a great weekend!Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
School Reimagined 3.0 Approved
Earlier this week, the School Reimagined 3.0 Return to Learn Framework was approved by the Board of Education. The content is unchanged from what was provided to parents previously.
Board Briefs
The Board of Education held its monthly meeting on Tuesday, March 16. For those interested, the Board Briefs include a summary of what takes place at each meeting.
Daily Parent COVID Certification Required
Parents, please be sure to check your children for symptoms each morning and follow through via our parent certification process. There will be some adjustments to the electronic certification form to make it easier to complete and if possible, we appreciate you doing so by 7:15 a.m.
Bus riders must have the completed paper symptom certification form upon boarding the bus each morning. This takes only a couple of minutes at home and you know your child’s health situation better than anyone. Thank you for keeping our kids safe and supporting our office staff by getting this done each day!
Bus Routes and Stops
As previously communicated, at this time we are no longer able to make bus route additions or changes. If parents wish to decline the bus after learning of your child's pick up and/or drop off location and time, please contact the school office. Otherwise, no further action is needed on your part.
As a school district, we are not obligated to provide transportation unless it is over 1.5 miles from your child’s school, or if a child would have to cross what is approved as a serious safety hazard by the Illinois Department of Transportation when a crossing guard is not available. Many districts do take care of this with a crossing guard on busy roads and still do not provide a bus for those students.
In Cass 63, we provide a transportation opportunity for all parents who prefer this for what amounts to a nominal daily fee. Our changes are minor and our routes are still far more inclusive than what most school districts are able to provide. We truly appreciate everyone’s understanding for this final change of this unusual year.
With spring sports coming back to Cass after Spring Break, we also wanted families to be aware that we will no longer be able to provide an activity bus. If your child will be participating in an after school activity, please be sure to make arrangements for your child to be picked up on practice days at 5:00 p.m. unless otherwise communicated. Thank you!
Cass Junior High School Soccer and Track & Field Registration
We are asking for parents to register their children and complete a short survey to participate in Soccer or in Track & Field. Please complete the appropriate form prior to tryouts or the first day of participation.
Track & Field Registration 2020-21
Girls & Boys Soccer Tryout Registration 2020-21
Please remember that in order for your child to participate, your child must have a current IESA Pre-participation Examination Form. The form must be turned into the Cass Junior High School Office prior to tryouts or first date of participation.
Reminder - Eighth Grade Diploma Information Needed
Attention all eighth grade families! Diploma information is needed for your student. Please email Ginny Hirhager at vhirhager@cassd63.org and let her know the name you would like printed on your child’s diploma (i.e. Jonathan Smith). We only ask that no nicknames be used please. The deadline to submit the name for your child’s diploma is March 25, 2021.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Our community numbers continue to remain low. As we gear up to welcome students back into buildings, we count on the continued parental support with the self-reporting of any symptoms, potential close contacts or travel, social or other activities to help these numbers remain low. Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects our numbers for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year.
Last but not Least…Spring Break!
As a reminder, Spring Break is Monday, March 29 through Monday, April 5 with students returning on Tuesday, April 6. Please note that students will be in person the week of April 6, Tuesday through Thursday and remote on Friday.
We hope our Cass 63 families enjoy the break!
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Cass63 Connections - March 11, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Included in tonight’s Cass63 Connections is the final draft of the Return to Learn 3.0 Framework. Any significant changes are highlighted in red, and I hope what is included answers most if not all of your questions. We remain on track to implement 3.0 on Monday, March 22. As I shared before, most of this is straightforward, but you know that your questions are always welcome.
Reach out anytime to your children’s teachers, principals or me if you need anything at all. Thank you and have a great weekend!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Return to Learn 3.0 Starts March 22
The Return to Learn 3.0 Framework is available here and explains everything parents should need to know. Please contact us with any questions at all!
Accessing Your Child's Report Cards
As you know, the 2nd trimester ended last Friday. Hard copies of report cards are no longer being sent home. In order to check your child’s progress and see their report cards, follow these instructions and let us know if you have any questions!
Eighth Grade Diploma Information Needed
Attention all eighth grade families! Diploma information is needed for your child. Please email Ginny Hirhager at vhirhager@cassd63.org and let her know the name you would like printed on your child’s diploma (i.e. Jonathan Smith). We only ask that no nicknames be used and the deadline to submit the name for your child’s diploma is March 25, 2021.
Cass Junior High School Spring Athletics
Cass Junior High School will be offering Boys & Girls Soccer and Track & Field this spring. In order for your child to participate, please make sure your child has a current IESA Pre-participation Examination Form. The form must be turned into the Cass Junior High School Office no later than April 6 to be eligible to participate and the form must be dated no more than 395 days prior to April 6, 2021. Please contact that Cass School Office at 331-481-4020 with questions.
Cass 63 is Hiring!
Long-Term Substitute Part-Time Nurse – Cass School District 63 is seeking a part-time substitute school nurse through the close of the 2020-21 school year. The hours and work schedule are flexible and will be negotiated with the final candidate. The qualified candidate must be a Licensed Registered Nurse with a Bachelor's Degree or above. Qualified individuals should complete an online application for consideration.
Teacher Assistants – Cass School District 63 is multiple Teacher Assistants for the 2021-22 school year. The qualified candidate must hold, or be willing to obtain, a Professional Educator License to serve as a Teacher Assistant.
Bus Driver – Cass School District 63 is seeking a part-time Bus Driver. The qualified candidate must possess a current passenger CDL/Bus Driver license with no moving violations.
Please see the career opportunities page on the District’s website to apply for any of these positions.
Daylight Savings Time
Don’t forget to move your clocks ahead one hour this Sunday, March 14, 2021 at 2:00 a.m.
COVID-19 Dashboard
The positivity rate across Illinois and in this area continues to decline, which continues to be reflected in our low numbers in the school setting as well. We appreciate the continued parental support with the self-reporting of any symptoms, potential close contacts or travel, social or other activities that could bring any risk into our schools. Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects our numbers for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year.
CARE Fannie May Fundraiser – Last Chance to Order
The CARE Fannie May Spring Fundraiser ends on March 15 so please make sure you get your orders in before time runs out!
CARE Dine to Donate – Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket
Don’t forget that Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket is supporting CARE for their Dine to Donate March event. If you haven’t gone already, you can visit or order take out anytime during the month of March and Dell Rhea’s is giving 10 percent back to CARE. Please be sure to read the Dine to Donate flyer for information on how to make sure that 10 percent of your order gets donated back to CARE.
Community Corner
Please see the links below for information on local events and webinars:
Glenbard Parent Series presents How to Raise and Adult and How to Be and Adult
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Cass63 Connections - March 4, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
Not only are we finalizing our planning for Return to Learn 3.0, but we are also developing new bus routes both for this spring and next year, planning spring activities, reviewing student assessment data, getting ready for fall registration, determining 2021-22 school year staffing needs as well as a host of other things. While this year has brought forth many challenges, we couldn't be any more excited about the opportunities before us and the bright future that lies ahead in Cass School District 63.
As explained below, no later than Tuesday, March 9, I will be providing parents with the details of our 3.0 plan that will go into effect on March 22. While I wanted to provide this to you this week as planned, we need to give our staff and Board of Education a chance to review this in more final form behind the scenes before it is shared publicly. Having said that, most of it will be pretty straightforward and any changes will be highlighted so that it is clear to you.
As far as we are concerned, March 22 can't come soon enough! Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions at all. Have a wonderful weekend!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Reminder - Second Trimester Ends March 5
The second trimester ends tomorrow. In next week’s Cass63 Connections there will be information on how to view your child’s report cards, so please watch for that information.
Staff Vaccination Schedule
It's a great day in Cass 63! We are very excited that all of our staff who wanted the vaccine will be receiving their second doses today, tomorrow or Saturday. While we have made every effort to plan for this with the timing of the doses, we ask for reasonable parent flexibility in the event we have some staff out with the number of people being vaccinated and potential side effects. We have tough people in Cass 63 but it certainly impacts people in different ways! Hang with us and we will do whatever we can to make it all work.
Four Day In-Person Schedule Begins March 22
Plans are being finalized for moving our students to four full days of in-person learning starting on Monday, March 22. Superintendent Mark Cross will provide district parents with the updated School Reimagined 3.0 Framework no later than Tuesday, March 9. The updated document will show any changes from the current plan. While feedback will be welcome, everything remains on track for the new schedule to begin in just over two weeks.
Part-Time School Nurse Needed
Cass School District 63 is seeking a part-time substitute school nurse through the close of the 2020-21 school year. The hours and work schedule are flexible and will be negotiated with the final candidate.
The qualified candidate must be a Licensed Registered Nurse with a Bachelor's Degree or above. Qualified individuals should complete an online application on the Career Opportunities section of the District’s website to apply.
2021-22 Registration Coming Soon
Prior to spring break at the end of March, the school district will be providing online registration information for the 2021-22 school year. As most school districts already do, Cass School District 63 will now require annual proof of residency for each child at the time of registration. This will be explained to parents in detail when registration information is provided.
Spring Break March 29 - April 5
As a reminder, students will be on spring break beginning Monday, March 29 and continuing through Monday, April 5. The last day prior to spring break on Friday, March 26 will be an independent learning day for students with no live instruction due to a planned school improvement day. School will resume on Tuesday, April 6. Please refer to the updated 2020-21 district calendar for any clarification of attendance days for the remainder of the school year.
COVID-19 Dashboard
The positivity rate remains low within our school community. We appreciate the continued parental support with the self-reporting of any symptoms, potential close contacts or travel, social or other activities that could bring any risk into our schools. Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects our numbers for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year.
Community Corner
Please see the links below for information on local events and webinars:
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Cass63 Connections - February 25, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
It is wonderful to have the snow melting and the sun shining! With the hope of spring just around the corner, we are also very excited about having our students at school for more in-person instruction. Several updates on our Return to Learn 3.0 planning follow, but much more information will be shared later next week.
In the meantime, never hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns at all. Have a great weekend!
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
No School February 26
As a reminder, there is no school on Friday, February 26 due to a planned teacher institute day. This is our last school holiday until spring break. We hope our students enjoy the nice day and weekend and we will see everyone again on March 1!
Second Trimester Ends March 5
Next Friday we will be completing the second trimester. Look for an email from your child’s school in the week or so following the close of the trimester informing parents when report cards are available for viewing.
Return to Learn 3.0 Begins March 22
We are on track with our planning to commence with our Return to Learn 3.0 Framework on Monday, March 22. The key change in the schedule is combining our in-person students into one group who will now be in-person full days Monday through Thursday, while continuing to maintain each Friday as a remote learning day. Full remote learning remains available for any families who prefer this option.
In terms of overall numbers, around 14 to 15 percent of our students are planning to be fully remote for the remainder of the school year. This does not include students who are absent on a given day, or any students who may be self-quarantined or isolated at a particular time.
As we speak, we are working on changes with the bus routes as well as planning for layered mitigation measures at school. Our leadership team and staff will continue to work through these details and keep you updated as we go forward. This will include highlighted and clear changes to our 3.0 Return to Learn Framework.
Important - IDPH Travel Guidance
With spring getting closer and soon more students in our schools, it has never been more important for our parents to self-report symptoms, close contacts and any potentially risky social or travel situations that could result in the spread of COVID-19. Part of what has made our plan so successful is the level of self-reporting our parents have been providing, because we know the best way to avoid the spread of COVID at school is to keep COVID out of school. With more families likely to travel in the coming weeks and months, we wanted to share guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health that might be helpful in your planning.
Here is the current IDPH Travel Guidance, which includes a travel advisory map, guidance as it relates to domestic and international air travel and also guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control. We will determine in our 3.0 plan if we are going to utilize specific metrics, but for now we are asking that prior to traveling our parents read these guidelines carefully, consider locations of lower risk if travel is necessary and either self-quarantine or get a PCR test upon return from any higher risk locations, or after engaging in any higher risk social activities.
Parents are encouraged to use their best judgment and voluntarily self-quarantine and/or test your children and family if there is any chance that there could have been exposure in a social situation, with unknown contacts or any travel to higher risk locations. The remote option will always be available to provide seamless instruction with the child at home while parents watch for symptoms and consider testing. We truly appreciate your assistance and cooperation with this important matter.
COVID-19 Dashboard
The positivity rate across Illinois and in this area continues to decline, which continues to be reflected in our low numbers in the school setting as well. We appreciate the continued parental support with the self-reporting of any symptoms, potential close contacts or travel, and social or other activities that could bring any risk into our schools. Our COVID-19 Data Dashboard reflects our numbers for the previous two weeks, as well as the cumulative information for the 2020-21 school year.
2021-22 District Calendar ReleasedThe Board of Education recently approved the 2021-22 school district calendar. Next year’s calendar includes the assumption of a return to full in-person learning. Obviously, this could be impacted by health conditions and guidance at the time the new school year begins, but at this time we are planning for a normal attendance schedule. Regardless, the holidays and dates are something our parents can plan on for next year!
Reminder - State 5Essentials Parent Survey
If you have not already done so, please take a moment to participate in the Illinois State Board of Education 5Essentials Parent Survey to provide feedback about your children’s schools. If you have any questions, please contact the District Office at 331-481-4000.
CARE Dine to Donate at Dell Rhea's
Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket is supporting CARE for their Dine to Donate March event. Anytime during the month of March, Dell Rhea’s is giving 10% back to CARE. Please be sure to read the Dine to Donate flyer for information on how to make sure that 10% of your order gets donated back to CARE.
CARE Fannie May Fundraiser - March 1-15, 2021
Spring and Easter celebrations are right around the corner and here is a perfect opportunity to fulfill your candy needs and support CARE at the same time. The Fannie May Spring Fundraiser runs from March 1-15 so please make sure you get your orders in before time runs out.
Community Corner
Please see the links before for information on local events and webinars:
Cub Scout Pack 97 BBQ In the Snow – March 23, 2021
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Cass63 Connections - February 18, 2021
Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,
At Tuesday evening’s meeting, the Board of Education unanimously approved the recommended School Reimagined 3.0 Framework. This came after a detailed explanation of the key elements and a presentation on the results of the successful parent survey. There were many excellent questions, and it was an open and honest discussion.
As a result, we are moving forward with a full-day, Monday through Thursday in-person schedule, with Fridays remaining as fully remote instruction. Prekindergarten and kindergarten will be half days for the same four days. Parents will also maintain the option of full remote instruction, so nothing has changed in that regard, but we will no longer offer the two-day cohorts under the new 3.0 model.
We had very strong parental support for the change to 3.0 with 71.8 percent supporting a four-day in-person model, 15.1 percent supporting the current blended option, and 13.1 percent supporting full remote learning. When presented with the two options that have been approved under the new framework, 83.8 percent chose in-person attendance on Mondays through Thursdays and 16.2 percent chose the full remote option. This means that when presented with a choice, 4 out of 5 parents who would otherwise choose the blended option chose the four-day full in-person option over the full remote option. With roughly 800 responses, the survey represented a very high percentage of our students and households and provided actionable data that allows us to move forward in light of our current and future mitigation efforts, the low rate of spread in our community and the fact that our staff who will provide in-person instruction is in the process of getting vaccinated.
We are moving forward with even greater effort and vigilance regarding the safety of our students and staff, and it is incumbent upon us to do so particularly when more students will be in person, which will result in less social distancing in some cases. We are reviewing the numbers for each grade level and class and will continue to look at specific situations and plan accordingly. Some details are also provided under the Board Briefs below, but I will provide more information to parents over the next two weeks. We have much work to do as it relates to our planning and changes with our bus routes and procedures that will also be explained. Last but not least, be sure to review the calendar for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year below.
The new framework will commence on Monday, March 22. We will continue to plan, and I will continue to communicate the details of our planning with you as we go forward, just as we have all year. In the meantime, please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any specific needs or questions at this time. Also, please know that every comment and concern from the survey has been read and heard, and we will continue to do our very best to make this safe and successful for your children at school.
Thank you very much for your support as we make plans for this important next step to School Reimagined 3.0.
Mark R. Cross, Superintendent
Board Briefs
The Cass School District 63 Board of Education meeting was held on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. Please review the Board Briefs to get updates on what was discussed at the meeting.
Updated 2020-21 School Year Calendar
With the plan to bring students back to school four days a week starting March 22, please review the updated 2020-21 School Year Calendar. This reflects the new in-person attendance schedule, as well as several changes with in-person attendance days on certain Fridays.
Prekindergarten Screening - March 5
Concord Elementary School will be conducting Prekindergarten Screening for children aged 3, 4 and 5 on March 5, 2021. If you are interested in having your child participate in this screening, please go to Prekindergarten Screening for more information and learn how to registration.
Concord Elementary Yearbook Order Reminder
Time is running out to get your child’s copy of the 2020-21 School Year Yearbook. If you have not already done so, please visit here for more information and the order form. The final deadline for orders is Thursday, February 25.
School Picture Retakes - February 25 and 25
Picture Retakes will take place for all students on Wednesday, February 24 and Thursday, February 25. For your child's specific date, time and instructions, see the links below:
Concord Elementary Picture Retake Schedule
Cass Junior High Picture Retake Schedule
Cass Junior High Remote Student School Picture Pick-Up
Remote students in 5th, 6th and 7th grades who are fully remote may pick up their pictures from the Cass Junior High School office during the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. If you have any questions, please contact the Cass Junior High School Office at 331-481-4020.
Cass Junior High Graduation - June 3, 2021
The Cass Junior High School Eighth Grade Graduation is Thursday, June 3, 2021. In a previous communication, the wrong date was communicated. Please mark your calendars accordingly and we will update you on the format and times as we get closer to the big day!
Chess Team in First Place!
The Cass Junior High School Chess Team is currently in first place. The conference tournament will be held virtually the last week in February. There are 17 students on the chess team and the top ten chairs compete in the meet. Year after year, Cass always has a good turnout of students that want to participate and that helps us build a strong team for years to come.
We have also recently learned that the Hinsdale South High School Chess Team is going to state this year and that team includes many Cass Junior High School alumni. Congratulations and good luck!
Class of 2025 (4th Grade) T-Shirt Order
If you would like to commemorate your students last year at Concord Elementary School, now is your chance. CARE is selling Class of 2025 t-shirts. Don’t miss this opportunity to have a fun memory from your child’s fourth grade year.
COVID-19 Dashboard
Here is the updated COVID-19 Data Dashboard, which continues to show a weeks long downward trend in our numbers. Our community spread is also very low and we are in the green with a 7-day rolling average positivity rate now under 5 percent in the Darien and Willowbrook zip codes. This is wonderful news and we hope to keep this up locally for the health of our community, as well as keeping our students in school as much as possible.
5Essentials Parent Survey
The Illinois State Board of Education invites parents to participate in the 5Essentials Parent Survey to provide feedback about your children’s schools. This survey is designed to help our leadership team improve our schools the best that we can. All responses are completely anonymous. Additionally, your responses will be combined with other parents from your child's school and summarized in a school report to further protect your anonymity. Your participation in this survey is voluntary and you have the right to discontinue participation at any point in the process. If you have more than one child at that school, you may elect to participate multiple times. You may also respond separately to the same link if you have children at both Concord and Cass.
This survey gathers data related to five indicators that can predict important student outcomes, including improved attendance and larger test score gains. These five indicators that affect and predict school success are: (1) Effective Leaders; (2) Collaborative Teachers; (3) Involved Families; (4) Supportive Environments; and (5) Ambitious Instruction. Prior research has shown that schools that were strong on at least three of these “5Essential” indicators were 10 times more likely to improve student learning gains in math and reading than those that were weak on three or more essentials.
Our teachers along with students in grades 4 through 8 will be responding to this survey. 5Essentials Reports will be generated for schools if their teachers and/or students meet the response rate threshold of 50 percent, while the parent response threshold is 20 percent. These reports will be sent to school districts and will also be included in the State School Report Card, assuming these thresholds are met. Thank you for your participation, and please let us know if you have any questions!
