Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

As we head into the final week of the school year, a little bit of celebrating is in order!

First of all, Hinsdale South High School had three juniors score a perfect 36 on their ACT and two of these students are from District 63! Congratulations to all three students, including our own Gerald Bauer and Cody Splingaire. This is something to truly celebrate because across the country, only 0.22 percent of students achieve a perfect ACT score. That defies all of the odds and speaks volumes to these two young men, their families, and the teachers they had in their lives in both District 63 and 86. Congratulations, Gerald and Cody!

On the extracurricular front, congratulations to Cass Junior High 8th grader Skylar Herbert who took second in the IESA state track meet in the 400 meter run last weekend. Sky also took 10th in state in both the 100 and 200. Perhaps most importantly, she set personal records in all three events, a true testament to her hard work and dedication toward becoming an elite runner. We are all excited to see what Sky will do as a high school athlete, and we celebrate Sky and our other track and soccer athletes and coaches for their hard work this spring. Well done!

Last but not least, another great school year is always worth celebrating. We are blessed in District 63 with a great staff, supportive parents, and a school board who supports our efforts at growth and improvement. We will do whatever we can to make the end of the school year as safe and joyful as possible for our students!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

8th grade students enjoying a day at The Forge.

Preschool Summer Learning

The preschool team has created a special website just for our Concord preschool families. The website has great information about summer events and learning tools for our youngest learners. Please be sure to check out this flyer with all the information you need to take advantage of these great family and learning opportunities.

No Ivy League Kids After School on June 6

The last day of the 2024-25 school year is June 6 and Ivy League Kids will be available in the morning before school, but will not be available after school. Please be sure to plan accordingly.

For those parents interested in before and after school child care for the 2025-26 school year, Cass School District 63 partners with Ivy League Kids. Enrollment in the Ivy League Kids program is now open for the 2025-26 school year. Please review this flyer for fee and enrollment information for next school year.

Book Buddies Project at Concord

Mrs. Hyder’s 3rd grade class and Mrs. Summers’ 1st grade class are Book Buddies and they worked together to create a unique project this week! Each pair of buddies colored parts of an American flag pattern, then put it all together to make a giant American flag. It was a fun activity to celebrate Memorial Day!

Our 4th grade students put on a fantastic concert with the theme How to Be a Pirate. Thank you to music teacher Kali Sheldon and our 4h grade pirates for a very entertaining evening!

Sky Herbert Takes Second in IESA State 400

Cass Junior High School 8th grader Skylar Herbert had an awesome performance at the IESA Class 3A state track meet last weekend. After taking 1st at sectional in the 100, 200, and 400, Sky placed 10th in the 100, 10th in the 200, and an incredible 2nd place finish in the 400. All of her times were personal records. Congratulations, Sky!

Please be sure to mark your calendar for the start dates for any fall sports your child may be interested in. These sports all start before the official start of the school year. All students who wish to tryout and participate in any of the sports, must have a sports physical on file dated no more than 12 months prior to the first day of practice. Please reach out to the coach of the sport you are interested in with any questions.

Boys and Girls Cross Country – August 11 is the first day of practice at Cass Junior High

Boys Baseball – Tryouts are August 15 and 16 at 11:00 a.m. at the Eisenhower Pony Field

Girls Softball – Tryouts are August 18 and 20 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. at the Cass Junior High Softball Field

There is a community fundraising effort underway to build an accessible, safe, and fun new playground for current and future generations of kids to play, grow, and build lasting memories. All donations through our 501(c)(3) CARE organization are tax-deductible. Please take a look at the details, including the proposed new playground!

Concord Yearbook Delivery and Raffle

Concord yearbooks are here and have been distributed to all students who ordered them. There is more information under the link, and if did not order a yearbook for your child and would like a chance at obtaining one, Concord is holding a yearbook raffle on June 4. Please see this flyer for information on how to participate in the raffle.

Does Your Family Need Summer Food Options?

If you are looking for available options to help feed your family this summer, there are several possibilities to help you. Free Summer Meals are available for children 18 and under. For families, Find Food Illinois is a community food map where eligible families interested in food assistance may locate local food pantries, identify locations that accept SNAP and/or WIC, senior food resources etc. during the summer months. The Northern Illinois Food Bank also has great resources to help your family find food banks, summer lunch options, as well as assistance and resources.

Cass School District 63 is seeking a school nurse at Cass Junior High School and we are also looking for teacher assistants and drivers for 2025-26 school year. For more information or to apply for current vacancies, here is the application and information.

This month we want to recognize and thank Bridget Gilmartin, who stepped in mid-year to assume the role of Cass Junior High social worker. Bridget has done a tremendous job stepping in and has such a positive attitude. Thank you, Bridget!

Two Cass Graduates Score a Perfect ACT
Two Cass School District 63 alums and current Hinsdale South High School students earned perfect scores on their ACT test. Congratulations to Gerald Bauer and Cody Splingaire who were two of the three Hinsdale South students who achieved this impressive feat!

Please take a moment to review the 2025-26 school year calendar. For the most accurate calendar, please be sure to check the district website’s live calendar, which also includes a link to the one-page school district calendar with holidays. A listing of the important back to school dates are also noted below under Important Dates to Remember.

A Summer Hangout at Activate

CARE has set up its first ever summer fundraiser by booking a summer hangout date at Activate in Oak Brook on June 26. This is a great way to get friends together and enjoy fun games and activities while also giving back. Please see this flyer for details on how to register and a code to use to make sure 50% of the cost goes back to CARE and our school.

If your child is missing any items that you think may have been left behind in school, please be sure to have them check the lost and found prior to Thursday, June 5. All items still unclaimed by the end of the school day on June 5 will be donated. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s school office.

Celebrate the Last Day of School with Dairy Queen

There is no better way to celebrate the last day of school then with ice cream at the Willowbrook Dairy Queen. Plan a trip with friends and take this flyer with you to ensure that 15% of your sales get donated back to CARE and our schools.

Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

Color Me Mine Grand Opening and Summer Camps

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

This is a very big year for retirements in our school district, and this week we are honoring each of our retirees for their years of service to generations of children in our community. Dr. Laura Anderson, Audrey Vaci, Jennifer Callahan, Joe Messina, Karen Hyder, and Becky Kriz have each made a huge difference in the lives of their students over so many years.

Just today, I received an email from a woman who graduated years ago wanting me to share her congratulations and let a teacher who was so impactful in her life know that she truly made a difference not only back then, but still today.

To me, that tells you everything you need to know. I’ve always believed that outside of parents, teachers are the most important people in the lives of so many kids. Sometimes they are the most important. All of us have at least one educator who truly made a difference in our lives that we probably still carry with us today.

Thank you to these six professionals for the countless differences they have made for their students. Congratulations, and enjoy your retirement!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Our 8th graders enjoying their trip in Washington, D.C.

There is no school on Monday, May 26 for Memorial Day in remembrance of our lost service men and women in the Armed Forces.

Recognizing Our 2025 Retirees and Years of Service
Congratulations to our 2025 retirees! The following six people are retiring at the conclusion of the school year, and all have contributed greatly to our children and school district over many years. Collectively, these individuals have 161 years of service in our district and we are proud that they chose Cass School District 63 to spend most or in some cases, all of their careers. Congratulations and best wishes to these super six!

We also want to recognize our staff reaching milestone years of service as follows:

5 Years – Pete Alt, Jessica Cahill, Jessica Chapman, Mark Cross, Kelsey Daniluk, Donna Gerren, Danielle Hosman, Taylor Latta, Tina Milutinovic, and Michelle Roberts

10 Years – Lia Lamb and Kristyn McElligott

15 Years – Lauren Holder and Scott Kondraschow

20 Years – Deb Dolehide and Karen Mosquera

25 Years – Jim Bundy and Jane York

35 Years – Becky Kriz

Thank you for your dedication to our students and families!

At the May 20 meeting, the Board of Education seated new Board Member Fiyaz Khan, as well as honored retirees Joe Messina, Laura Anderson, Audrey Vaci, Jenn Callahan, Karen Hyder, and Becky Kriz, along with staff members reaching milestone years of service. The Board also reviewed the amended FY25 budget, appointed committees, and approved taking steps toward joining an employee health insurance cooperative. Please review the Board Briefs for more details from the meeting.

There is a community fundraising effort underway to build an accessible, safe, and fun new playground for current and future generations of kids to play, grow, and build lasting memories. All donations through our 501(c)(3) CARE organization are tax-deductible. Please take a look at the details, including the proposed new playground!

Sky Herbert Qualifies for State, Track Team Finds Success at Sectionals

After a wonderful season, several members of our Cass Junior High Boys and Girls Track and Field team participated in sectionals this past Saturday. Congratulations to the following athletes:

Maeda Schofield - 2nd in 8th grade hurdles and 800
Tra’Darian Rogers - 2nd in 8th grade hurdles
Geno Arnold - 3rd in 7th grade 800
Alyson Koh - 3rd in 7th grade 400
Olivia Moon - 3rd in 7th grade discus
Decker Kuntz - 3rd in 7th grade 1600
Skylar Herbert - 1st in 8th Grade 100, 200, and 400

A special congratulation to Sky Herbert not only for her three first place finishes, but also for competing in all three events this coming weekend at the IESA State Track Meet. Good luck, Sky!

Cass Spring Band Concert

The Spring Band Concert was held on April 23 and our talented students, led by band teacher Daniel Murphy, gave a stellar performance. Our students from beginning, concert, symphonic, and jazz band each had an opportunity to show off their skills and incredible growth over this school year.

Does Your Family Need Summer Food Options?

If you are looking for available options to help feed your family this summer, there are several possibilities to help you. Free Summer Meals are available for children 18 and under.

For families, Find Food Illinois is a community food map where eligible families interested in food assistance may locate local food pantries, identify locations that accept SNAP and/or WIC, senior food resources etc. during the summer months. The Northern Illinois Food Bank also has great resources to help your family find food banks, summer lunch options, as well as assistance and resources.

If you want to beat the crowd and ensure the best seat in the house at graduation, now is your chance. CARE is raffling off premium seats for graduation. Four winners will be chosen. Tickets are on sale until May 30, so don’t miss your chance!

Mark Your Calendars for the 2025-26 School Year

Please take a moment to review the August 2025 calendar and be sure you mark your calendars so you do not miss anything at the start of the 2025-26 school year!

Cass School District 63 partners with Ivy League Kids for before and after school child care. Enrollment in the Ivy League Kids program is now open for the 2025-26 school year. Please review this flyer for fee and enrollment information for next year.

A Summer Hangout at Activate

CARE has set up its first ever summer fundraiser by booking a summer hangout date at Activate in Oak Brook on June 26. This is a great way to get friends together and enjoy fun games and activities while also giving back. Please see this flyer for details on how to register and a code to use to make sure 50% of the cost goes back to CARE and our school.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Elias Carder who placed 2nd in the Nation for Python Programming and 3rd in the Nation for Java Programming at National Business Professionals of America competition! Kudos also go out to Amanda Chen and Phoung Vu who also competed at nationals. 

Celebrate the Last Day of School with Dairy Queen

There is no better way to celebrate the last day of school then with ice cream at the Willowbrook Dairy Queen. Plan a trip with friends and take this flyer with you to ensure that 15% of your sales get donated back to CARE and our schools.

If your child is missing any items that you think may have been left behind in school, please be sure to have them check the lost and found prior to Thursday, June 5. All items still unclaimed by the end of the school day on June 5 will be donated. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s school office.

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Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

Summer Reading at Indian Prairie Library

Summer Scholars Tutoring Program

Reality Illinois Teen Advisory Board Opportunity

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Earlier this week, the Board of Education held a special meeting to interview candidates and select a new member. I am very pleased to share that Mr. Fiyaz Khan will be seated on the Board at the next regular meeting on Tuesday evening. He will replace Liz Mitha, following her recent election to the Board in District 86. Mr. Khan has served on our Finance Committee, and will be another outstanding school board member in District 63. We are very fortunate to have a Board that understands the role and functions at a high level as we keep moving forward in such a positive direction.

Also at next week's Board meeting, we will be honoring our retirees and employee years of service. We have six legends retiring this year, including teachers Audrey Vaci, Becky Kriz, Jen Callahan, and Karen Hyder, as well as principal Laura Anderson and bus driver and Concord lunch custodian Joe Messina. All six of these individuals have contributed greatly to the education of our children in D63 for decades. We will share more on their contributions of our retirees next week!

With that said, we are down to the final three weeks of school. Summer is coming quickly, so let's all work together to make sure we have a safe and joyful ending to another very successful school year. Thank you!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

There is a community fundraising effort underway to build an accessible, safe, and fun new playground for current and future generations of kids to play, grow, and build lasting memories. All donations through our 501(c)(3) CARE organization are tax-deductible. Please share the to a community fundraising details, and take a look at the proposed playground!

In honor of National Speech Pathologist day, we want to recognize our outstanding speech pathologists Jane York, Jessica Andujar, and Sharon Chacko. These three professionals provide outstanding service to our students in need of their services!

Fiyaz Khan Selected as New Board Member

After the recent resignation of Member Liz Mitha since she is now a member of the District 86 Board, the Board of Education recently conducted a search process to appoint a new member as her replacement. After screening and interviewing three applicants, the Board is happy to announce that at the May 20 meeting, Fiyaz Khan will be appointed to the vacant seat. Welcome to Mr. Khan and thank you to Mrs. Mitha for their service to the students, staff and community of Cass School District 63.

Cass Math Team Success

Congratulations to the 2024-25 Cass Math Team who solved tough math questions for the Fall and Spring Noetic Learning Math Contests as well as Math Con. NLMC is a semiannual problem-solving contest for elementary and middle school students. The contest is designed to promote students' problem-solving skills and math interest. Students are asked to solve 20 problems independently within 45 minutes. James Hetue tied for 4th in state for the 7th grade Fall Noetic contest and Ryan Gallagher tied for 4th in state for the 7th grade Spring Noetic contest which earned them both a National Honor Roll title. Great problem solving Warriors!

Preschool Family Day

On May 9, our preschool families and staff came together to enjoy a fun filled family day at Harvester Park in Burr Ridge. Please enjoy these pictures from the day.

Fifth Grade Learns About Space Travel

Ms. Newton’s 5th grade science class students are learning about the solar system and space travel. Over the past week they spent talking about rocket flight and how NASA rockets are designed and how they work, which of course led the class to an assignment designing and testing their own rockets! 

8th Grade End of the Year Information

Cass Junior High does an amazing job celebrating our 8th grade students as they prepare to leave Cass Junior High. Here is important information from Principal Marcinkewicz that outlines all of the dates and events coming up between now and the end of the school year.

The 5th grade outdoor education trip to Iron Oaks Adventure Center is on Thursday, June 5. Here is more information on the trip as well as the waiver form required for your child to participate. Registration and fees are due no later than May 19.

Free Summer Scholars Tutoring Program

Summer Scholars is a student-run nonprofit that provides free, one-on-one tutoring in reading and literacy for students in grades 3-8 founded by Hinsdale South and Cass Junior High School alum Sam Johnson. Each child is paired with a trained high school or college tutor who offers personalized support to boost academic skills, confidence, and motivation. They also offer flexible scheduling based on your availability. Whether your child could use a confidence boost, extra reading practice, or structured academic time this summer, Summer Scholars is here to help. Visit the Summer Scholars website to learn more and register your child.

Cass School District 63 partners with Ivy League Kids for before and after school child care. Enrollment in the Ivy League Kids program is now open for the 2025-26 school year. Please review this flyer for fee and enrollment information for next year.

Alumni Accolades

Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Lexi Fedinec who took 2nd place in shot put and Katie Joseph who was part of the 4x400 relay team who took second in the girl’s track and field conference meet.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South baseball player Brandon Elting on being named Suburban Life Athlete of the Week.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South students on being named student of the quarter in a specific department, Nicholas Ockrim in CTE, Asmitha Pallath in Science, and Ben Wyent in Social Studies.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South’s Social Studies students of the month Claire Moon and Erin Menako.

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Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

Darien Police Department’s 1st Annual Cops N’ Bobbers Fishing Event

Fishing Derby hosted by Senator Curran and Representative La Ha

American Music Institute Summer Music Camp

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

This is Teacher Appreciation Week, which is always a good time to recognize our wonderful people in District 63. Every day, I am amazed by our teachers and staff and their incredible work with and for our students. They are child-centered, maintain high expectations for academic achievement, and expect our students to learn and grow, while also just being a super group of human beings.

I am personally honored to lead and do what we can as a district to support them in this critical work of educating our children. We are also very fortunate to have such supportive parents in our community who share those same values. It is ultimately this relationship between school and home that makes it all work. I have always believed that the more the adults in the lives of our students are on the same page, the better outcomes they will have down the road.

Thank you for your support of our D63 staff not just during Teacher Appreciation Week, but throughout the entire year. This is appreciated more than you know!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Concord Junior Chorus students putting on a great performance.

There is a planned early release day scheduled for Friday, May 9 for school improvement planning. Concord will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.

2025-26 Registration Deadline Tomorrow

The deadline for 2025-26 registration is Friday, May 9. Parents will need to re-enroll your child in August if you do not meet the deadline, as there is no way to include current students for next year who are not registered due to the changeover to our new student management system this summer. If making the registration payment or proof of residency is a concern, please contact your child's school office or email cassd63registration@cassd63.org.

We will also accept registration without payment of fees until a later date if this allows you to complete registration by the deadline. Here are the registration instructions, and we truly appreciate you completing registration by this Friday May 9. Thank you!

In a proud partnership with our 501(c)(3) charitable organization CARE, we are committed to a community fundraising effort to build a needed playground at Concord. Our goal is to provide our children with an accessible, safe, and fun space to play, grow, and build lasting memories for current and future generations of kids. All donations are tax deductible through CARE, and there are five tiers of giving to recognize our bigger individual, family, and corporate donors. More details are under the link, including a rendering of the proposed playground!

Honoring Ms. Kriz at the Spring Choral Program

Last Thursday, Becky Kriz led the choir in her final concert at Cass Junior High after 35 years in District 63. The 5th and 6th grade chorus, 7th and 8th grade chorus, and the advanced vocal ensemble did Ms. Kriz proud by giving wonderful performances. A number of her former students also came back to sing for her after the concert. It was a fabulous evening of music for the audience and a wonderful final curtain call for Ms. Kriz.

Fourth Graders Learn About Engineering

Elizabetha Stojanovska, one of our 4th grade parents, recently gave a presentation on Civil Engineering to the students. The kids watched a slideshow, engaged in engineering activities, and had a great time learning! Here are some pictures from the memorable learning experience.

Chemical Reactions at Cass

Our 8th grade students are currently studying chemical reactions in their science classes. By mixing a solution of calcium chloride with a solution of sodium bicarbonate, the students created a precipitate, which is a solid formed when two liquids react. They were quite surprised when they discovered that this precipitate was chalk! 

4th Grade Parent Night May 15

There is a 4th grade parent night at Cass Junior High on Thursday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m. to talk about the transition to Cass Junior High for the 2025-26 school year. For those interested, there is also a beginning band meeting immediately following. We hope to see all of our 4th grade parents there!

8th Grade End of the Year Information

Cass Junior High does an amazing job celebrating our 8th grade students as they prepare to leave Cass Junior High. Here is important information from Principal Marcinkewicz that outlines all of the dates and events coming up between now and the end of the school year.

Students Participate in Taste Testing

Some of our Cass Junior High Student Council members recently participated in a taste test to try out some new items for next year’s menus with our lunch vendor Just A Dash. Students tried items such as pancake muffins, Korean BBQ plant-based steak, and fava bean crisps among others. Students were given an opportunity to provide feedback, score items, and offer suggestions. We appreciate this collaborative opportunity offered by Just A Dash, and to our students for giving honest and helpful feedback so we can continue to improve the quality and options in our lunch program.

Cass School District 63 partners with Ivy League Kids for before and after school child care. Enrollment in the Ivy League Kids program is now open for the 2025-26 school year. Please review this flyer for fee and enrollment information for next year.

Alumni Accolades
Congratulations to Hinsdale South seniors Quinn Isberg who was chosen as Master of Ceremonies and Andrea Crisp Honors Orator at their upcoming graduation!

Congratulations to Hinsdale South senior Jeremy Fung for being chosen as the 2025 Prom King.

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Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

Hinsdale South Bowling Camp

Hinsdale South Girls Golf Camp (3rd-8th Grade)

Hinsdale South Girls Golf Camp (9th-12th Grade)

Darien Lions Club 1st Annual Meat Raffle

Introduction to the DGC Sprouts Learning Garden

We are very excited to announce our plans for a new playground at Concord Elementary School! After much planning and effort among some very dedicated volunteers and staff and through a partnership with CARE, it is our intention to have the new playground in place when school opens in August. Our goal is simply to provide both current and future generations of children with an accessible, safe, and fun space for kids to play, grow, and build lasting memories.

Playgrounds of this nature are typically provided through a cooperative fundraising effort in the community, and we will gratefully accept all of the help we can get. CARE not only acts as our parent organization, but is also a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, which means that all playground donations are tax-deductible. We also plan to recognize various levels of individual, family, and corporate support for this project.

Here are our fundraising campaign details, as well as a rendering of the proposed playground! Of course we welcome contributions of any size, and we encourage you to share this link with family, friends, grandparents, neighbors, and places of business. In case it helps, here is a printable flyer with a QR code that can be easily distributed as well. Our goal is $150,000 for the playground equipment itself, and we are already off to a great start with a $50,000 pledge from CARE and another $10,000 raised before we even formally announced this campaign.

Thank you for helping us get there! This only happens once in a generation, as the new playground will be in place for decades to come. We appreciate your support of this cause for our kids, and for sharing with others the opportunity to contribute as well. With your help, we will turn this vision into a joyful reality!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

A rendering of the proposed new Concord playground!

2025-26 Registration Deadline One Week Away

Our school district is transitioning from PowerSchool to a new system, and registration must be completed no later than Friday, May 9. Here are the registration instructions. Please contact your child's school office or email cassd63registration@cassd63.org if you have any questions.

Concord Playground Plans and Fundraiser Announced

In a proud partnership with CARE, our school district is committed to a community fundraising effort to build a needed new playground at Concord Elementary School. Our goal is to provide our children with an accessible, safe, and fun space to play, grow, and build lasting memories. With your help, we plan to turn this vision into a joyful reality. All donations made through CARE are tax-deductible, making this a meaningful gift to current and future generations of children in our community. Please share the fundraising campaign details and take a look at the proposed playground!

Next week is Teacher Appreciation Week and in honor of this we celebrate not only our outstanding teachers but our entire staff. In this District we are very lucky to have the very best educators and support staff. Please feel free to share your appreciation with any of our wonderful people who you think is doing an outstanding job and let them know you appreciate them. We will be celebrating our staff during the week, along with our parent organization CARE, who is planning different ways to celebrate our staff each day.

In honor of National School Nurse Day, we also celebrate our school district nurses, Katie Beringer at Concord Elementary, and Sarah Acitelli at Cass Junior High. Both work very hard to ensure that all of our students are healthy and safe while at school and to also make sure our parents have good information as we promote health and wellness in our school community.

Finally, we want to thank Julie Bartell who has stepped into the role of Concord Assistant Principal while Katie Doyle was out on maternity leave. Julie did an outstanding job while building great relationships with students and staff, and we appreciate all she did to make this temporary transition seamless. She will still be around assisting until the end of the school year as well.

Jazz and Art Show Success!

The 4th Annual Jazz & Art Show was held recently at Concord Elementary and it was a total success. The incredible artwork submitted by our own students coupled with music performed by our very talented jazz band made for a wonderful evening. Please enjoy these pictures from another great event!

3rd Grade Learns About Animals

Our Concord 3rd graders recently learned all about animal survival and adaptation in science and STEM. With this knowledge, they researched various birds and created two additional adaptations for existing species of birds. Once completed with their written descriptions and creative projects, the third graders enjoyed a gallery walk in the Learning Center and admired each other's work while enjoying the sweet sounds of birds chirping throughout the room. Please take a moment to enjoy the great work our students produced.

Cass Students Celebrate Arbor Day

Our 5th grade students and Ms. Jemin’s class joined others from Darien to celebrate Arbor Day at Ridgewood Park. Our students contributed to this special morning by releasing butterflies attentively hatched and raised in Ms. Newton, Mrs. Romaniszak, and Ms. Jemin’s classes.

Concord Junior Chorus Concert

The Concord Junior Chorus gave a wonderful performance last week. Thank you to music teacher Kali Sheldon and all of her talented performers for a great evening. Please enjoy these pictures from the performance.

4th Grade Parent Night May 15

There is a 4th grade parent night at Cass Junior High on Thursday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m. to talk about the transition to Cass Junior High for the 2025-26 school year. For those interested, there is also a beginning band meeting immediately following. We hope to see all of our 4th grade parents there!

8th Grade End of the Year Information

Cass Junior High does an amazing job celebrating our 8th grade students as they prepare to leave Cass Junior High. Here is important information from Principal Marcinkewicz that outlines all of the dates and events coming up between now and the end of the school year.

Last Chance to Enjoy Book Fair at Concord

The Concord Spring Book Fair ends on May 2. Students are able to bring money and shop during school hours or click here for the book fair homepage, where you can set up eWallets, donate to share the fair, and shop online. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity!

The 5th grade outdoor education trip to Iron Oaks Adventure Center is on Thursday, June 5. Here is more information on the trip as well as the waiver form required for your child to participate. Registration and fees are due no later than May 19.

Cass School District 63 partners with Ivy League Kids for before and after school child care. Enrollment in the Ivy League Kids program is now open for the 2025-26 school year. Please review this flyer for fee and enrollment information for next year.

Alumni Accolades
Congratulations to Hinsdale South students Rayyan Qureshi who placed 5th place in etomology and 9th in wind, and Eli Carder who placed 4th place in Write It, Do It and also earned top 10 overall at the State Science Olympiad. Congratulations also go to Ahahmeer Ali, Jacob Borowski, and Eva Joseph who helped the Hinsdale South team earn a ninth place finish at state.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Jeremy Fung who is state champ in orals at the ICTM 3AA State Math Competition this past weekend. 

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Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

Hinsdale South Back to School Bash Contribution Request

GPS Parent Series:  Everyday Principals to Grow Happy, Healthy and Smart Children

Mighty Oak Athletics Summer Strength Camp

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

This is a friendly but important reminder to complete your child's registration for the 2025-26 school year by the May 9 deadline. This year is critical because we are switching our student management program from PowerSchool to Skyward. Once the May 9 deadline passes, we are going to migrate our data for those registered for next school year, and there is no option to register in Skyward for this fall.

This means that if you wait until after May 9, there is a strong likelihood that you will have to register your kids in person in August, as if they are new students to the school district. Also, over the course of the summer, we will be developing our 2025-26 bus routes and class lists based on those who have registered by the deadline. There is no way to include those who have not registered.

There is no benefit in waiting until after this date, and doing so is going to make things much harder both for you, and for us here at school. I do not want this to sound harsh, but it is the reality of the change and our staff will be working hard over the summer to make it happen. If making the registration payment is a concern, please contact your child's school office or email cassd63registration@cassd63.org. We are here to help!

Here are the registration instructions, and on behalf of our office staff, I truly appreciate your cooperation in getting your kids registered by May 9. Thank you!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Cass students with perfect attendance through the second trimester.

At the April 22 meeting, the Board of Education recognized and thanked outgoing member Liz Mitha, who will soon be seated on the Board at Hinsdale High School District 86. The Board also discussed the application process for the open Board seat, May 1 deadline, and special meeting scheduled for May 13 to interview final candidates. Superintendent Mark Cross also reviewed the Phase II summer facility project, as well as plans for a new Concord playground, a cooperative effort between the district and CARE, with upcoming fundraising efforts to be shared soon. More meeting information is available under the Board Briefs.

School Board Applications Due May 1

The Cass School District 63 Board of Education is seeking qualified candidates to replace member Liz Mitha, following her recent election to the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board. The eventual appointment by the D63 Board will serve as a member of the Board for the remaining two years of the original four-year term.

Potential candidates who wish to be considered must complete the Board Candidate Application no later than noon on Thursday, May 1. A letter to the community from Board President Lana Johnson also includes the details, requirements, and timelines.

2025-26 Registration Deadline May 9

Our school district is transitioning from PowerSchool to a new system, and registration must be completed no later than Friday, May 9. Here are the registration instructions. Please contact your child's school office or email cassd63registration@cassd63.org if you have any questions.

Don't Miss the Annual Art and Jazz Show Next Week!

The 4th Annual Art and Jazz Show is coming on April 30 and will be held at Concord Elementary School at 6:30 p.m. All artwork should be submitted to Matt Etherington by April 25. Please contact Matt Etherington at metherington@cassd63.org or Belle Marien at bmarien@cassd63.org with questions. We hope to see you there!

Join the Book Fair Next Week at Concord

Our Concord Spring Book Fair will be April 28 through May 2 with a family shopping night on Wednesday, April 30, in conjunction with the Annual Art and Jazz Show. Students are able to bring money and shop during school hours or click here for the book fair homepage, where you can set up eWallets, donate to share the fair, and shop online. Please sign up here to volunteer!

8th Grade D.C. Trip Informational Meeting May 1

For parents of students going on the 8th grade trip to Washington, D.C. on May 19-21, there is an informational meeting immediately following the choir concert on Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 7:45 p.m. in the Cass Junior High library. Please contact Scott Kondraschow with questions at skondraschow@cassd63.org.

8th Grade Dance Tickets On Sale Through April

CARE is hosting the 8th grade dance at Chucks on the evening of May 9 and tickets are on sale now through April 30. You can order your tickets online or you can print this form and return it to the Cass Junior High office.

Fun at McTeacher Night!

McTeacher Night was held last week at the Darien McDonald’s to raise funds for our schools. Families were served by staff members, which our students all seem to enjoy, while helping CARE raise over $1,600. Thank you to our families and our staff for participating and attending this fun event.

School Lunch Hero Day is next week and in honor of this day, we want to thank Just A Dash and their staff who work in our schools, including Francis and Rahila at Cass Junior High and Stephanie and Alexis at Concord Elementary, as well as Amanda who oversees our District. Thank you all!

Cass School District 63 partners with Ivy League Kids for before and after school child care. Enrollment in the Ivy League Kids program is now open for the 2025-26 school year. Please review this flyer for fee and enrollment information for next year.

Front Row Seat Raffle for the Spring Choral Concert

Enter the front row seat raffle for the May 1 Spring Choral concert at Cass Junior High. Three winners will receive four seats. Visit the CARE Shop to purchase raffle tickets for your chance to win. 

Playground Fundraising Plans Coming Soon!

Details and renderings of the proposed Concord playground will be shared soon! The goal is to provide our children with an accessible, safe, modern, and fun space for kids to play and grow. CARE is leading an effort to fund the equipment with tax-deductible donations, with plans to recognize individual as well as corporate support. We look forward to making this dream a reality!

Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

DuPage County 211 (Health and Social Service Resources)

GPS Parent Series:  Stop Calling Them Soft Skills 

GPS Parent Series:  Suicide Signs and Symptoms

 College of DuPage Summer Camps

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Our first Multicultural Celebration last Friday evening was so successful, and I have never been so proud of our school district, as well as every community within our community. We had a jam packed gym for two hours straight, and we estimate that 600 to 800 people attended. Not bad considering it was our first time and if you missed it, you can be assured that we will do it again next year!

We sincerely thank our families who planned the most amazing ways to share their culture and background with everyone in attendance. They went so far above and beyond and put an incredible amount of work into making each country so special. We would also like to thank all of you who attended or supported this event. Just being there meant more to our participating families than you will ever know.

In a world that at times seems to be filled with hate and disharmony, I was so proud looking around our gym and seeing so much of that world smiling, laughing, sharing, and learning together. Darien Mayor Joe Marchese and his wife Cathy attended, and Joe told me this was one of the best events he has ever witnessed. I couldn’t agree more! A link to some cool pictures and two great videos are provided below.

On another note, our Board of Education is seeking qualified candidates to replace Liz Mitha, who was recently elected to the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board. Liz is an amazing human being and as Board President Lana Johnson shares in her letter to the community below, D86 is very lucky to have Liz in this role and we all benefit from her continued service in our high school district. We will miss her greatly, but our outstanding Board will appoint another stellar candidate.

Once appointed, the new member would serve for the remaining two years of the original four-year term. Take a look at the link below and if you meet the criteria and think you have an interest in this level of commitment and service to the community, given it some consideration. The responsibility of who is appointed lies with the Board when the time comes, but I welcome any questions in the meantime.

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

The Multicultural Celebration was a huge success!

April 18 Early Dismissal Reminder

There is a planned early release day scheduled for Friday, April 18 for school improvement planning. Concord will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.

The Cass School District 63 Board of Education is seeking qualified candidates to replace member Liz Mitha, following her recent election to the Hinsdale Township High School District 86 Board. The eventual appointment by the D63 Board will serve as a member of the Board for the remaining two years of Mrs. Mitha’s original four-year term.

Potential candidates who wish to be considered must complete the Board Candidate Application no later than noon on Thursday, May 1. A letter to the community from Board President Lana Johnson also includes the details, requirements, timeline, as well as a link to the online application. Potential candidates are welcome to contact Superintendent Mark Cross with any questions.

A Very Successful Multicultural Celebration!

Our Multicultural Celebration was a huge success, and a heartfelt thank you goes out to each of our families who went above and beyond to create the incredible displays, as well as the hundreds of people who enjoyed the event. From the food, the artifacts, the performances, to the vast information about various countries, it was a very special evening. A big thank also goes out to the planning committee whose hard work and vision helped make our first Multicultural Celebration such a success: Hajar Cummings, Beth Dooley, Matt Etherington, Jenny Kirkpatrick, Filomena Manna-DeChiara, Belle Marien, Katie Marinelli, Kristyn McElligott, Marie Musil, Sonali Patel, and Mark Cross. Thank you all, and we look forward to doing this again next year!

Registration for the 2025-26 school year is open and the absolute deadline for registration by May 9. The District is transitioning to a new student information system and any families not registered by the deadline will have to start the registration process the same as new students in August. Here are the registration instructions. Please contact your child's school office or email cassd63registration@cassd63.org if you have any questions.

Administrative Professionals Day is April 23 and without the excellent work of administrative assistants Maggie Adelman and Kathy Mensik at Cass Junior High, Amy Perez and Jessica Chapman at Concord, and Gayle Wilson and Amy Underhill in the district office, our schools and district would not be able to function. We truly appreciate their professionalism and what they put in each day to make it all happen!

Bus Driver Appreciation Day is April 22 and our students, families, and school district are very fortunate to have our great drivers making sure our students are safely transported back and forth to school each day. Thank you to Cass 63 drivers Joe Messina, Denise Kunz, Carrie Perry, Lou Stubblefield, Pete Alt, Wayne Ostrowski, and Keith Monaco, as well as our drivers Jerrold, Dave, Yoshi, Raul, Samuel, and William who drive our regular daily routes through our partners at Sunrise Transportation. We appreciate all of you!

Washington, D.C. Trip Informational Meeting May 1

For parents of students going on the 8th grade trip to Washington, D.C. on May 19-21, there is an informational meeting immediately following the choir concert on Thursday, May 1, 2025 at 7:45 p.m. in the Cass Junior High library. Please contact Scott Kondraschow with questions at skondraschow@cassd63.org.

4th Grade Parent Night May 15

There is a 4th grade parent night at Cass Junior High on Thursday, May 15 at 6:30 p.m. to talk about the transition to Cass Junior High for the 2025-26 school year. For those interested, there is also a beginning band meeting immediately following. We hope to see all of our 4th grade parents there!

Additionally, CARE is offering a great opportunity to help your student “step Up to 5th grade” by ordering a class of 2029 commemorative shirt. Shirts are on sale until April 20, so don’t miss out on your chance to celebrate your child moving on to Cass Junior High.

The 5^th grade outdoor education trip to Iron Oaks Adventure Center is on Thursday, June 5. Here is more information on the trip as well as the waiver form required for your child to participate. Registration and fees are due no later than May 19.

Advanced ELA for Incoming 6th and 7th Grade Students

Parents of 5th and 6th grade students who would like their child to be considered for advanced/accelerated English Language Arts class for 6th and 7th grade, please take a moment to read the parent letter to incoming 6th grade parents or the letter to incoming 7th grade parents for more information about the class, the criteria for consideration, and a registration link. Registration must be submitted by April 25 to be considered.

High Math for Incoming 5th Grade Students

Parents of 4th grade students who would like their child to be considered for high math for 5th grade, please take a moment to read this letter for more information about the class, the criteria for consideration, and a registration link. Registration must be submitted by April 25 to be considered.

4th Annual Art and Jazz Show April 30

The 4th Annual Art and Jazz Show is coming on April 30 and will be held at Concord Elementary School at 6:30 p.m. All artwork should be submitted to Matt Etherington by April 25. Please contact Matt Etherington at metherington@cassd63.org or Belle Marien at bmarien@cassd63.org with questions.

CARE Book Fair at Concord

Our Concord Spring Book Fair will be April 28 through May 2 with a family shopping night on Wednesday, April 30. Students are able to bring money and shop during school hours or click here for the book fair homepage, where you can set up eWallets, donate to share the fair, and shop online. Please sign up here to volunteer!

8th Grade Dance Tickets On Sale Through April

CARE is hosting the 8th grade dance at Chucks on the evening of May 9 and tickets are on sale now through April 30. You can order your tickets online or you can print this form and return it to the Cass Junior High office.

Dine to Donate at Culvers on April 23

Mark your calendar for a night off of cooking on April 23 from 5-9 p.m. at Culvers on Plainfield Road in Darien. Be sure to present this flyer so that 15% of your dine in or take out order will go back to CARE/District 63. Be sure to stop by after the Spring Band Concert!

Recognizing the Rotary Club of Darien

Superintendent Mark Cross and neighboring superintendents Andrew Wise and Bob Langman nominated fellow Rotarians Dr. Jerry Nwonye, Mayor Joe Marchese, Chris Gerrib, Heather Conroy, and Dr. Priti Doshi Shah to be recognized by the DuPage Illinois Association of School Administrators for their work on the Early Childhood Literacy Project. The Rotary Club of Darien along with these community leaders have supported the new partnership between three school districts and the Indian Prairie Public Library. The project was developed to provide local preschool aged children with a head start in early literacy through a gift bag of books, manipulatives, and resources, along with a video guide to support parents in being their child's first teacher. In the most recent distribution, these educational resources to 500 children. We appreciate this partnership and the contributions of these individuals for truly making a difference for our children and community!

Alumni Accolades
Congratulations to Hinsdale South students Andrea Crisp, Annina Garro, Quinn Isberg, and Asmitha Pallath for securing starring roles in Hinsdale South’s production of Six. Additional accolades go out to Casey Johnson as part of the ensemble, Cami Macias and Boston Desmond as part of the orchestra, and to crew members Hailey Linarez, Leah Casey, Caroline Nash, Shashi Murphy, Molly Severus, Elliot Davis, Kenny Mahl, Alaina DeRousse, Emileigh Gallagher, Janina Kremper, Blake Levine, and Christian Rodriguez. This production was a triumph for all who participated.

Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

Free Swim Lessons  

Hinsdale South Cheer Tryouts

Hinsdale South Cheer Summer Camp

GPS Parent Series:  Helping Kids Manage Today’s T(w)een Culture

Recycle Event hosted by Senator Curran and Representative La Ha

Indian Boundary YMCA Summer Camp

Rotary Club of Darien Casino Night

Darien Garden Club Backyard Birds and Sprouts Learning Garden Planting Day

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Our Multicultural Celebration this Friday evening has grown to be quite the event, and we hope you and your families are able to attend! On behalf of our planning committee as well as our participating families, we do ask that all children attending are accompanied by their parents or other responsible adult. This is important not only because of the size of the celebration, but also because of the displays and materials our families will be sharing. Please also be aware that some families may share food as part of this event, and parents need to be aware of potential food allergies. We want everyone to be safe, kids to be well supervised, and we will have an amazing event!

The Cass 63 Board of Education recently held a special meeting to approve moving forward with summer 2025 renovation work at both schools totaling $1,485,000. I will share more on this news soon, and some details are included in the Board Briefs. This project is completely separate from the proposed Concord playground, and more information on the fundraising effort is provided below. We will share more details regarding the proposed playground soon!

Last but not least, if you have not yet started the registration process for your children for next school year, you do not want to miss the May 9 deadline. Due to the change with our student management system, anyone registering after that date will have to start from scratch as a new student. This is critically important to our planning, and will also save you a ton of time if you complete this process in PowerSchool prior to the deadline. Details and links are provided below

As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns. Thank you!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Our kindergarten students performing at their concert.

We Hope to See You at the Multicultural Celebration!

On the evening of April 11, Cass School District 63 will be hosting a Multicultural Celebration at Cass Junior High School. Our families representing approximately 20 countries will showcase their heritage through clothing, dance, art, music, and foods. We look forward to celebrating and learning about the diverse backgrounds of the families in our school district, and to foster an appreciation for the different cultures that make up our local community.

For families with food allergies, please be aware that some tables may share foods as part of their culture, and there may be allergens in some of the food items. While we will do our best to provide ingredients, we also wanted to call your attention to this so that you can plan accordingly before attending. Any food served may contain, or may have come into contact with common allergens including, but not limited to peanuts, tree nuts, soy, dairy, eggs, wheat, and shellfish. Guests with allergies should exercise caution, as we cannot guarantee an environment free of allergens. Also, this is a family event and due to some of the displays, we ask that all children attending are with parents or other responsible adults.

This event is free of charge and the entire community is invited to attend anytime from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. We hope to see you there!

Registration for the 2025-26 school year is open and the absolute deadline for registration by May 9. The District is transitioning to a new student information system and any families not registered by the deadline will have to start the registration process the same as new students in August. Here are the registration instructions. Please contact your child's school office or email cassd63registration@cassd63.org if you have any questions.

Kindergarten Music Program

The Kindergarten music program was held on March 27 and what a wonderful evening it was. Thank you to teacher Kali Sheldon for creating a fun evening for our parents and families and for doing a great job developing the musical talents or our students. Please take a look at the evening’s program for an overview of how Ms. Sheldon is choosing what our students are learning and why she is choosing those activities for their growth.

In honor of Assistant Principals week, we would like to recognize Concord Assistant Principal Katie Doyle and Cass Assistant Principal Michelle Roberts for their hard work and dedication to the students in our District!

In honor of National Library Workers Day please join us in celebrating our library workers, Beth Dooley at Concord and Monique Bell at Cass who both work hard to make sure our libraries are organized and ready for our students and staff!

Important Message for 5th and 6th Grade Parents

As part of our Health Growth and Development curriculum in 5th and 6th grades, presenters from Candor Health will be joining us on Friday, April 18. This includes the Puberty I presentation in 5th grade. Program topics include eight physical and emotional changes that occur during puberty, including changes to the reproductive system, male and female anatomy, and harassment and sexual harassment are introduced and defined using age appropriate scenarios.

The 6th grade will receive a Human Reproduction and Embryology presentation. Program topics include a review of the physical and emotional changes that happen during puberty, female and male reproductive systems, the menstrual cycle of the female reproductive system, erection and ejaculation of the male reproductive system, embryology and the process of labor.

Here is a letter from Cass Junior High health teacher A.J. Petigo, which includes links to all class standards and objectives from the Candor Health website. Also, please be advised that if you would not like your child to participate in the program, they will not be required to do so if the parents submits a written request to Principal Christine Marcinkewicz at cmarcinkewicz@cassd63.org. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Advanced ELA for Incoming 6th and 7th Grade Students

Parents of 5th and 6th grade students who would like their child to be considered for advanced/accelerated English Language Arts class for 6th and 7th grade, please take a moment to read the parent letter to incoming 6th grade parents or the letter to incoming 7th grade parents for more information about the class, the criteria for consideration, and a registration link. 

High Math for Incoming 5th Grade Students

Parents of 4th grade students who would like their child to be considered for high math for 5th grade, please take a moment to read this letter for more information about the class, the criteria for consideration, and a registration link.

8th Grade Yard Signs Order Due April 11
Don’t miss out on your opportunity to celebrate your child’s graduation with a personalized yard sign. Orders are due on April 11 and can be ordered online or sent in to the school office. Please review this flyer for information on how to order.

8th Grade Dance Tickets On Sale Through April
CARE is hosting the 8th grade dance at Chucks on May 9 and tickets are on sale now through April 30. You can order your tickets online or you may print this form and return it to the Cass Junior High office.

Join Us for McTeacher Night on April 16

Mark your calendars for McTeacher Night at McDonald’s in Darien on Wednesday, April 16. Teachers and staff will be there selling apple pies and 20% of the proceeds go back to CARE/District 63. We looking forward to seeing our kids and families there!

4th Annual Art and Jazz Show April 30

The 4th Annual Art and Jazz Show is coming on April 30 and will be held at Concord Elementary School at 6:30 p.m. All artwork should be submitted to Matt Etherington by April 25. Please contact Matt Etherington at metherington@cassd63.org or Belle Marien at bmarien@cassd63.org with questions.

Cass Junior High will once again compete in a SDEAA Conference Swim Meet on April 29. Please see this flyer for information on practices and location of the meet. If you have any questions, please reach out to Landon Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org.

CARE Seeking Donations for New Playground

Details on a proposed new Concord playground will be announced soon and CARE is leading an effort to fundraise for this special project. We are seeking a playground that will provide a safe, fun space for kids to play, grow, and build lasting memories. All donations are tax-deductible, making it not only a meaningful gift to the community but also a great opportunity to give back. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to creating a space where our children can thrive and our community can come together. For more information and to learn how to help, please see this page. Thank you for helping us make this dream a reality!

Dine to Donate at Culvers on April 23

Mark your calendar for a night off of cooking on April 23 from 5-9 p.m. at Culvers on Plainfield Road in Darien. Be sure to present this flyer so that 15% of your dine in or take out order will go back to CARE/District 63. Be sure to stop by after the Spring Band Concert!

Hinsdale South High School Presents SIX: The Musical

Hinsdale South High School will be performing SIX The Musical April 11-13. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enjoy some of our talented alumni performing.

Polar Plunge in the Books

Congratulations to Concord staff members, Krista Jamrose, Katie Summers, Katie Paljetak, Kelly Glimco, Katy Modglin, and Bryann Poskonka for raising over $3,000 for Special Olympics Illinois by participating in the 2025 Law Enforcement Torch Run Polar Plunge last weekend. Well done!

Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

The Community Speaker Series presents 5 Simple Rules for Success in College

Darien Dash 2025

GPS Parent Series: Emotional Agility: Skills to Navigate Change

College of DuPage Stemcon

Lewis University Girls Volleyball Camp

NHRA Youth and Education Services Program

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

On behalf of Cass School District 63 and our planning committee, I hope that you and your families and friends will attend the Multicultural Celebration at Cass Junior High School on Friday, April 11, anytime from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. Our goal all along has been to celebrate and learn about the diverse backgrounds of the families in our school district, while fostering appreciation for the different cultures that make up our local community.

I’m very excited to share that some of our amazing families representing approximately 20 countries will showcase their heritage through clothing, dance, art, music and foods. They will be representing their incredible heritage from such homelands as Belize, The Caribbean, China, Croatia, Egypt, Greece, India, Ireland, Japan, Macedonia, Mexico, Pakistan, Palestine, Perú, The Philippines, Poland, Sweden, Syria, and Trinidad and Tobago. Amazing!

We are very excited to make this happen, and the entire community is invited to attend. Please feel free to share the event flyer with anyone you know, as well as our Facebook post. We hope to see you there. Have a wonderful and safe spring break!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Early Release and Spring Break
Friday, March 18 is an early release day with Concord being released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m. There is no school next week for Spring Break, and school resumes on Monday, April 7. Have a wonderful break!

Don't Miss the April 11 Multicultural Celebration!

On the evening of April 11, Cass School District 63 will be hosting a Multicultural Celebration at Cass Junior High School. Here is an event flyer with more details. Our purpose is simply to celebrate and learn about the diverse backgrounds of the families in our school district, and to foster an appreciation for the different cultures that make up our local community. Our families representing approximately 20 countries will showcase their heritage through clothing, dance, art, music and foods.

We are very excited to make this happen, and would love to have you be a part of it! This wonderful event is free of charge and the entire community is invited to attend anytime on Friday, April 11, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. We hope to see you there!

Registration for the 2025-26 school year is open. The deadline to register is May 9 and it is a hard deadline because the District is transitioning to a new student information system. Here are the registration details and instructions. Please contact your child's school office or email cassd63registration@cassd63.org if you have any questions.

Important Message for 5th and 6th Grade Parents

As part of our Health Growth and Development curriculum in 5th and 6th grades, presenters from Candor Health will be joining us on Friday, April 18. This includes the Puberty I presentation in 5th grade. Program topics include eight physical and emotional changes that occur during puberty, including changes to the reproductive system, male and female anatomy, and harassment and sexual harassment are introduced and defined using age appropriate scenarios.

The 6th grade will receive a Human Reproduction and Embryology presentation. Program topics include a review of the physical and emotional changes that happen during puberty, female and male reproductive systems, the menstrual cycle of the female reproductive system, erection and ejaculation of the male reproductive system, embryology and the process of labor.

Here is a letter from Cass Junior High health teacher A.J. Petigo, which includes links to all class standards and objectives from the Candor Health website. Also, please be advised that if you would not like your child to participate in the program, they will not be required to do so if the parents submits a written request to Principal Christine Marcinkewicz at cmarcinkewicz@cassd63.org. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.

High Math for Incoming 5th Grade Students

Parents of 4th grade students who would like their child to be considered for high math for 5th grade, please take a moment to read this letter for more information about the class, the criteria for consideration, and a registration link.

4th Annual Art and Jazz Show April 30

The 4th Annual Art and Jazz Show is coming on April 30 and will be held at Concord Elementary School at 6:30 p.m. All artwork should be submitted to Matt Etherington by April 25. Please contact Matt Etherington at metherington@cassd63.org or Belle Marien at bmarien@cassd63.org with questions.

Connections Correction!
In last week’s Connections, an error was made when the eSports team and the Argonne Electric Car Competition were combined into one entry when in actuality, the teams are separate. We apologize for the error and following is the corrected information!

Cass eSports Team Success

Cass Junior High’s eSports program has launched with remarkable success, providing students with an opportunity to engage in competitive gaming while fostering teamwork, discipline, and school spirit. Our eSports team is currently ranked 1st in the country out of 600 middle school teams and we also have several students who are ranked in the top 20 nationally. Thank you to coach Matt Etherington for helping bring this opportunity to our students and helping guide this talented team through a very successful season.

Argonne Electric Car Competition

Last Saturday, Argonne National Laboratory hosted its annual Electric Car Competition, and we are thrilled to announce that our Cass team, Ryan Gallagher, Matteo Vitagliano, and Alfred Park, earned an impressive third place in the design competition! The contest began in late fall, when teams received a kit containing a battery pack, a motor, and a set of wheels. From there, students had to design and build everything else, including the gear system and power connections. Our team showcased incredible ingenuity, using a combination of the school’s 3D printer, balsa wood, and a tremendous amount of collaborative spirit to bring their vision to life. Congratulations to Ryan, Matteo, and Alfred!

Cass Junior High will once again compete in a SDEAA Conference Swim Meet on April 29. Please see this flyer for information on practices and location of the meet. If you have any questions, please reach out to Landon Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org.

March Madness 1st Grade Style

Our 1st grade classes have been conducting their own version of March Madness. The students have been listening to stories and voting on their favorites. The finals were today and the winner of the 1st grade Reading March Madness Tournament was Llama Destroys the World!

CARE Seeking Donations for New Playground

CARE has prioritized fundraising for a new Concord playground, and would love your support! This playground will provide a safe, fun space for kids to play, grow, and build lasting memories. All donations are tax-deductible, making it not only a meaningful gift to the community but also a great opportunity to give back. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to creating a space where our children can thrive and our community can come together. For more information and to learn how to help, please see this page. Thank you for helping us make this dream a reality! 

Join Us for McTeacher Night on April 16

Mark your calendars for McTeacher Night at McDonald’s in Darien on Wednesday, April 16. Teachers and staff will be there selling apple pies and 20 percent of the proceeds go to CARE. We looking forward to seeing our kids and families there!

Dine to Donate at Culvers on April 23

Mark your calendar for a night off of cooking on April 23 from 5-9 p.m. at Culvers on Plainfield Road in Darien. Be sure to present this flyer so that 15% of your sale will go back to CARE.

Hinsdale South High School Presents SIX: The Musical

Hinsdale South High School will be performing SIX The Musical April 11-13. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enjoy some of our talented alumni performing.

Alumni Accolades
Congratulations to Hinsdale South freshman Mauricio Gubert for finishing first in the Illinois Junior Academy of Science Region 5 Science and Engineering Fair which qualifies him to compete in the IJAS State Science and Engineering Fair in May.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South theater students Annina Garro, Quinn Isberg, Andrea Crisp, Casey Johnson, and Zara Jamil for being named all-sectional actresses at the recent IHSA Sectionals.

Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

Rotary Club of Darien Casino Night Fundraiser

GPS Parent Series: Tap Into Your Intuition to Connect with Your Child

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

I am a huge believer in teaching resilience, as I think it is one of the most important traits we can instill in our children. I'm also a strong believer in teaching and demonstrating a strong work ethic, the ability to communicate effectively, and of course, just being good human beings.

The thing about resilience is it can absolutely be taught, and it can help our children overcome so many future obstacles as they grow into adulthood. Having raised my two kids and now enjoying life with grandchildren, I love seeing these values get passed to the next generation and seeing it start at a very young age.

While very simple and short, I thought this recent CNBC article cut right to it on this topic. It addresses the obstacle so many parents face, which is that we all naturally want our kids to be happy. While there is nothing wrong with that, what we don't want as part of the effort to help our kids "be happy" is to do so at the expense of teaching them resilience.

While I am always searching for the reasons why so many kids and young adults struggle today, this one struck a chord and reinforces some of my personal views on this topic. I believe that we can have happiness for our kids as a long-term goal, but they will be much happier (and also probably more successful) in the end if we separate our emotions from their own as much as possible, and give them the tools to solve problems and work through issues, rather than trying to remove those obstacles. Sometimes, those challenges and obstacles are the very teacher that they need, and the worst thing we can do is try to solve it for them.

Thank you for allowing me to share these thoughts, and have a great weekend!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

The living wax museum visited the Board of Education!

Registration for the 2025-26 school year is open. The deadline to register is May 9 and it is a hard deadline because the District is transitioning to a new student information system. Here are the registration details and instructions. Please contact your child's school office or email cassd63registration@cassd63.org if you have any questions.

The 5Essentials Parent Survey was sent to families via email. Administered by the University of Chicago on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, this survey generates data that districts can use to guide continuous efforts to improve our schools and inform our parents and school community about our learning environment. The survey closes March 29. Thank you for participating!

District Multicultural Celebration April 11

On the evening of April 11, Cass 63 will be hosting a Multicultural Celebration. This will be a wonderful event and the entire community will be invited to attend. We are also still welcoming Proposal Submissions through Friday if you want to share about your own cultural heritage. Thank you!

Important Message for 5th and 6th Grade Parents

As part of our Health Growth and Development curriculum in 5th and 6th grades, presenters from Candor Health will be joining us on Friday, April 18. This includes the Puberty I presentation in 5th grade. Program topics include eight physical and emotional changes that occur during puberty, including changes to the reproductive system, male and female anatomy, and harassment and sexual harassment are introduced and defined using age appropriate scenarios.

The 6th grade will receive a Human Reproduction and Embryology presentation. Program topics include a review of the physical and emotional changes that happen during puberty, female and male reproductive systems, the menstrual cycle of the female reproductive system, erection and ejaculation of the male reproductive system, embryology and the process of labor.

Here is a letter from Cass Junior High health teacher A.J. Petigo, which includes links to all class standards and objectives from the Candor Health website. Also, please be advised that if you would not like your child to participate in the program, they will not be required to do so if the parents submits a written request to Principal Christine Marcinkewicz at cmarcinkewicz@cassd63.org. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.

At the March 18 meeting, the Board of Education welcomed 5th grade teacher Marie Musil and four of her students as they presented their wax museum projects. This included Sofia Schoper as Queen Elizabeth, Rhett Hofbauer as Steven Spielberg, Ada Shields as David Bowie, and Rayan Patel as Louis Armstrong. In terms of business, the Board approved curriculum resource materials and equipment, approved a low bid for exterior facility work and tabled interior renovation plans, subject to getting more details on the school district's potential energy tax credit. As always, more information on Board action and discussion is available in the Board Briefs.

Cass eSports Team Success

Cass Junior High’s eSports program has launched with remarkable success, providing students with an opportunity to engage in competitive gaming while fostering teamwork, discipline, and school spirit.

Overall the eSports team is ranked 1st in the country out of 600 middle school teams and we also have several students who are ranked in the top 20 nationally. Thank you to coach Matt Etherington for helping bring this opportunity to our students and helping guide this talented team through a very successful season.

Argonne Electric Car Competition

Last Saturday, Argonne National Laboratory hosted its annual Electric Car Competition, and we are thrilled to announce that our Cass team, Ryan Gallagher, Matteo Vitagliano, and Alfred Park, earned an impressive third place in the design competition! The contest began in late fall, when teams received a kit containing a battery pack, a motor, and a set of wheels. From there, students had to design and build everything else, including the gear system and power connections. Our team showcased incredible ingenuity, using a combination of the school’s 3D printer, balsa wood, and a tremendous amount of collaborative spirit to bring their vision to life. Congratulations to Ryan, Matteo, and Alfred!

Girls Volleyball Season Comes to an End

Congratulations on an excellent season for the girls volleyball team. Varsity finished their season with a 5-5 record, finishing on a 5-game winning streak against tough competition. Both varsity and JV teams showed tremendous growth in skill and teamwork as they progressed through the season. Thank you to coaches Landon Mitchell and AJ Petigo for leading these teams and helping our players grow their volleyball skills both individually and as a team.

Boys Volleyball tryouts are March 24 and 25 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. in the Cass Junior High gym. In order to participate, your student must have a sports physical in the school office that is dated no more than one year prior to the start of the season. Please have your student sign up in the gym and contact Landon Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org with questions.

CARE Seeking Donations for New Playground

CARE has prioritized fundraising for a new Concord playground, and would love your support! This playground will provide a safe, fun space for kids to play, grow, and build lasting memories. All donations are tax-deductible, making it not only a meaningful gift to the community but also a great opportunity to give back. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to creating a space where our children can thrive and our community can come together. For more information and to learn how to help, please see this page. Thank you for helping us make this dream a reality!

Concord Staff Taking Plunge for Special Olympics

On March 22, Concord team members Bryann Poskonka, Krista Jamrose, Katy Modglin, Katie Summers, and Katie Paljetak will be participating in the Chicago Polar Plunge supporting the Special Olympics. Please visit the Concord team fundraising page for and help them raise money for this great cause!

8th Grade Yard Signs

Celebrate your 8th grade student with a yard sign announcing their graduation from Cass Junior High in 2025. The proceeds from the sale go toward funding the 8th grade dance. Please see this flyer for more information and the order form.

Last Chance to Win Front Row Seats!

The Kindergarten music performance is on March 27 and here is your chance to win the best seats in the house. CARE is holding a seat raffle through March 24 so don’t miss out on your chance to avoid the lines and get the best pictures of the night.

Alumni Accolades
Congratulations to Hinsdale South students Elias Carder, Amanda Chen, Phuong Vu, Ryan Walters, Josh Mathew, Langston Love who medaled in the Business Professionals of America State Competition. Special congratulations and best of luck to Elias Carder, Amanda Chen, and Phuong Vu who are Business Professionals of America National Qualifiers. 

The lost and found at both schools are ready for a purge! If your child is missing anything, please have them check, or contact your child’s school office. Any unclaimed items will be donated at the end of the school day on March 27.

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Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

GPS Parent Series: How Not to Raise a Narcissist

Swarm Football & Cheer Registration Information

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

One of the ways our school district is very unique is that Argonne National Laboratory makes up 37 percent of the land in our school district. Argonne is owned by the federal government and since federal property is obviously exempt from taxation, school districts with federal land are at a financial disadvantage in funding their schools.

As a result, we rely on federal impact aid to offset a small amount of the funding we lose. Impact aid exists to at least partially offset lost revenue associated with nontaxable federal property, and we get roughly seven cents on the dollar compared to what we would get if the same land was valued the same as the rest. Even though we only get pennies on the dollar, this is roughly $400,000 of annual revenue that our school district has relied on for years and cannot live without.

We are part of two organizations that include other federally impacted school districts across the country that advocate for the continued funding of impact aid, including military bases, national parks, and Indian lands. There are only eight federally impacted school districts in Illinois, including Burr Ridge District 180 and Lemont High School District 210 which are the other two impacted by Argonne.

This funding is absolutely essential to our school district and for many years, federal impact aid has received bipartisan support, but we continue to need the support of both Congress and the White House to maintain our funding. Our local representatives including Sean Casten and Bill Foster, along with Senators Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth have been very supportive of this program and we need it to continue not only for our students and school district, but also our local taxpayers.

None of what I am sharing is political in nature, and I personally believe that the government has areas in which efficiencies can be improved. However, we believe that the federal government also has an absolute obligation to continue to fund the impact aid program going forward. Also, like all federal funding for schools, the funding conduit for impact aid is through the United States Department of Education, which is obviously going through major changes that could impact our funding as well.

I will continue to share more on this with our parents and school community. Should you ever have any communication or connection with any member of Congress, or if you communicate via the public portal of the White House, all you need to reference is support for full and continued funding of Section 7002 and federally impacted schools.

Any questions are very welcome, and I appreciate your support as we navigate the currently uncertain times. Thank you.

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Concord friends just hanging out!

2025-26 Registration Opens Monday

Registration for the 2025-26 school year opens on Monday, March 17. We will send an email and text message when the portal officially opens, and the deadline for registration is May 9. This year, the deadline is especially important as the District is transitioning to a new student information system. Since registration is through our current system, please note that May 9 is a hard deadline as we change to our new system over the summer to be ready to start the school year. Here are the registration details and instructions. Please contact your child's school office or email cassd63registration@cassd63.org if you have any questions.

The 5Essentials Parent Survey was sent to families via email. Administered by the University of Chicago on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, this survey generates data that districts can use to guide continuous efforts to improve our schools and inform our parents and school community about our learning environment. The survey closes March 29. Thank you for participating!

IAR Testing Begins March 18

Students in grades 3 through 8 will be participating in the Illinois Assessment of Readiness in March and April. The IAR assesses the progress of our students in meeting the Illinois Learning Standards in English language arts and mathematics, while the Illinois Science Assessment assesses student progress in grades 5 and 8.

During state testing, students are not allowed to arrive late to class or to leave early, so please review the schedule below and plan accordingly. We ask that students have earbuds or headphones each day of testing. The schedule for each school is as follows:

Concord Elementary School
March 19 and 20              3rd and 4th Grade Reading
April 9, 10, and 11            3rd and 4th Grade Math

Cass Junior High School
April 8 and 9                     5th-8th Grade Reading
March 18, 19, and 20       5th-8th Grade Math
April 22, 23, and 24          5th and 8th Grade Science

Please contact your child’s teacher or Principals Christine Marcinkewicz or Laura Anderson with any questions.

IAR Spirit Week at Concord

In honor of the start of the Illinois Assessment for Readiness (IAR) for our 3rd and 4th grade students, Concord is celebrating with IAR spirit week. Please be sure to check out the flyer to see how your child can participate in the fun!

District Multicultural Celebration April 11

On the evening of April 11, Cass 63 will be hosting a Multicultural Celebration. This will be a wonderful event and the entire community will be invited to attend. We are also still welcoming Proposal Submissions through March 21 if you want to share about your own cultural heritage. Thank you!

Keeping Our Kids Safe

We know that the safety of your children is the most important thing to you and with this in mind, we like to remind our parents that they can access the DuPage County Sheriff Sex Offender search list at any time to see who is living in your neighborhood. This link is also always available on the District’s website under the Healthy Kids, Safe Schools tab.

It is time for spring sports at Cass Junior High School! Following is information and updates on each sport and season. In order to participate in any sport, your student must have a sports physical in the school office that is dated no more than one year prior to the start of the season. Please have your student sign up in the gym if they are interested in joining any team, and contact the respective coaches with any questions.

Soccer - Boys’ and girls’ soccer tryouts are March 17 and 18 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Please contact Megan Newton at mnewton@cassd63.org or Sarah Leganski at sleganski@cassd63.org with questions.

Track and Field - Track & Field starts on Wednesday, March 19 and is open to all interested 5th through 8th grade students. While this is an all are welcome sport, only 56 students will be chosen to attend meets due to roster and busing limitations. If you have any questions, please contact Scott Kondraschow at skondraschow@cassd63.org, Matt Etherington at metherington@cassd63.org, or Taylor Latta at tlatta@cassd63.org.

Boys’ Volleyball - Boys’ Volleyball tryouts are March 24 and 25 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. in the Cass Junior High gym. Please contact Landon Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org with questions.

Win Front Row Seats for Kindergarten Performance

The Kindergarten music performance is on March 27 and here is your chance to win the best seats in the house. CARE is holding a seat raffle through March 24 so don’t miss out on your chance to avoid the lines and get the best pictures of the night.

Alumni Accolades
Congratulations to Hinsdale South Science Olympiad team members Eli Carder, Jacob Borowski, and Rayyan Qureshi for qualifying for the State Science Olympiad.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South JV Science Olympiad team members Shaheer Ali, Antonio Bosiljanov, Eva Joseph, Freya Pang, Yacine Ouchen, Cash Hipsking, and Orest Oleynych for medaling at the JV Science Olympiad Regional Competition.

The lost and found at both schools are ready for a purge! If your child is missing anything, please have them check, or contact your child’s school office. Any unclaimed items will be donated at the end of the school day on March 27.

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Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

Hinsdale South Danceline Tryouts

GPS Parent Series: From Struggles to Success

Project Rise Food Drive

DGC Sprouts Seed Starting 101

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Last week, I shared an update on our upcoming Multicultural Celebration, which is scheduled for the evening of Friday, April 11. We are so excited about this event, and we don’t want to leave anyone out!

From the proposals submitted by our district families so far, we have the following countries and cultural backgrounds represented: Belize, The Caribbean, Croatia, Greece, India, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Pakistan, Palestine, Perú, Sweden, and Syria. Is yours missing?

If so, our planning committee is still welcoming Proposal Submissions! All of the details are included under the link, and our main purpose is to celebrate and learn about the diverse backgrounds and cultures of our families and our community. If you are interested, please submit your proposal by March 21.

Also provided below is a link to the 5Essentials survey. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions. Thank you!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Don't forget to spring forward one hour this weekend!

Registration for the 2025-26 school year is opening on March 17. Look for information on how to register in the March 13 Cass63 Connections.

The 5Essentials Parent Survey was sent to families via email. Administered by the University of Chicago on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education, this survey generates data that districts can use to guide continuous efforts to improve our schools and inform our parents and school community about our learning environment. The survey closes March 29. Thank you for participating!

It is time for spring sports at Cass Junior High School! Following is information and updates on each sport and season. In order to participate in any sport, your student must have a sports physical in the school office that is dated no more than one year prior to the start of the season. Please have your student sign up in the gym if they are interested in joining any team, and contact the respective coaches with any questions.

Soccer - Boys’ and girls’ soccer tryouts are March 17 and 18 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Please contact Megan Newton at mnewton@cassd63.org or Sarah Leganski at sleganski@cassd63.org with questions.

Track and Field - Track & Field starts on Wednesday, March 19 and is open to all interested 5th through 8th grade students. While this is an all are welcome sport, only 56 students will be chosen to attend meets due to roster and busing limitations. If you have any questions, please contact Scott Kondraschow at skondraschow@cassd63.org, Matt Etherington at metherington@cassd63.org, or Taylor Latta at tlatta@cassd63.org.

Boys’ Volleyball - Boys’ Volleyball tryouts are March 24 and 25 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. in the Cass Junior High gym. Please contact Landon Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org with questions.

Kids Heart Challenge - Thank You!
On behalf of the American Heart Association, we would like to thank all of the Concord Elementary School students, families, and friends for your incredible generosity. With your hard work, we were able to raise $9,176.53 this year. The American Heart Association estimates that this money will save 183 lives by helping to teach people the critical skill of hands-only CPR. Since 2010, the Concord Elementary School community has raised $121,585.60 for this important cause.

District Multicultural Celebration April 11

On Friday, April 11, Cass 63 will be hosting a Multicultural Celebration. This has the potential to be a wonderful event and the entire community will be invited to attend! We are also still welcoming our students, families, and staff who wish to make a Proposal Submission to share about their cultural heritage. Thank you!

IAR Testing Begins March 18

Students in grades 3 through 8 will be participating in the Illinois Assessment of Readiness in March and April. The IAR assesses the progress of our students in meeting the Illinois Learning Standards in English language arts and mathematics, while the Illinois Science Assessment assesses student progress in grades 5 and 8.

During state testing, students are not allowed to arrive late to class or to leave early, so please review the schedule below and plan accordingly. We ask that students have earbuds or headphones each day of testing. The schedule for each school is as follows:

Concord Elementary School
March 19 and 20              3rd and 4th Grade Reading
April 9, 10, and 11            3rd and 4th Grade Math

Cass Junior High School
April 8 and 9                     5th-8th Grade Reading
March 18, 19, and 20       5th-8th Grade Math
April 22, 23, and 24          5th and 8th Grade Science

Please contact your child’s teacher or Principals Christine Marcinkewicz or Laura Anderson with any questions.

This week we want to recognize and thank Concord physical education teachers Craig Damrow and Greg Kirchen for their role in coordinating and orchestrating the Kid’s Heart Challenge for the past 16 years. In total this event has raised over $121,000 dollars that is donated back to the American Heart Association. This year’s event raised over $9,000. Thank you to both Mr. Damrow and Mr. Kirchen for not only being great teachers, but also role models for our students and ambassadors for a great cause.

CARE Seeking Donations for New Playground

CARE has prioritized fundraising for a new Concord playground, and would love your support! This playground will provide a safe, fun space for kids to play, grow, and build lasting memories. All donations are tax-deductible, making it not only a meaningful gift to the community but also a great opportunity to give back. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to creating a space where our children can thrive and our community can come together. For more information and to learn how to help, please see this page. Thank you for helping us make this dream a reality!

Choral Recital Night Success

Cass Junior High choral students shared their singing talents at Choral Recital Night. Students worked with Ms. Kriz to choose music and performed either individually or in small groups. Thank you to choral teacher Becky Kriz for helping to organize and prepare students for their performances. What a great night for all who attended!

CARE Virtual Meeting March 10

The next CARE meeting will be via Google Meet on Monday, March 10 at 7:00 p.m. and the meeting can be accessed at that time under the link. We know many of you aren’t able to attend in person, so this would be a good opportunity to sign up for activities or events that you would like to be involved with, or to simply join in and listen. 

Preschool Screening March 14

Cass School District 63 is holding a Preschool Screening on March 14 for children who live in our district and are 3-5 years old. Your child must be preregistered to participate. Please see under the link for more information and how to register.

Concord Staff Taking Plunge for Special Olympics

On March 22, Concord team members Bryann Poskonka, Krista Jamrose, Katy Modglin, Katie Summers, Katie Paljetak, and Kelly Glimco will be participating in the Chicago Polar Plunge supporting the Special Olympics. Please visit the Concord team fundraising page for and help them raise money for this great cause!

The lost and found at both schools is ready for a purge! If your child is missing anything, please have them check, or contact your child’s school office. Any unclaimed items will be donated at the end of the school day on March 27.

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Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

GPS Parent Series:   Cultivating Healthy Relationships 

Save the date! On the evening of Friday, April 11, we will be hosting our first Multicultural Celebration. Our purpose is simply to celebrate and learn about the diverse backgrounds and cultures of our families, to promote family engagement and involvement, and to foster appreciation for the diverse cultures that make up our community. This has the potential to be a wonderful event and the entire community will be invited to attend!

As our planning committee works on the details, we are looking for our families who wish to share about their cultural heritage. We recently sent out a Proposal Submission form to families who expressed interest previously, but we are sharing it again in the event we missed anyone the first time around. Please take a look at the details and respond to the form above if you are interested.

We are very excited to make this happen, and would love to have you be a part of it, or just plan on attending and enjoying the event. If you have any questions, please email me at mcross@cassd63.org. Your participation will help us develop this into something meaningful for our students, families, and community. Thank you!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Concord students participating in Jump Rope for Heart.

No School Friday, February 28

Due to a staff institute day, there is no school on February 28. Enjoy your long weekend.

District Multicultural Celebration April 11

On Friday, April 11, Cass 63 will be hosting a Multicultural Celebration. This has the potential to be a wonderful event and the entire community will be invited to attend! We are looking for our families who wish to make a Proposal Submission to share about their cultural heritage. Thank you!

IAR Testing Begins March 18

Students in grades 3 through 8 will be participating in the Illinois Assessment of Readiness in March and April. The IAR assesses the progress of our students in meeting the Illinois Learning Standards in English language arts and mathematics, while the Illinois Science Assessment assesses student progress in grades 5 and 8.

Concord Elementary School
March 19 and 20              3rd and 4th Grade Reading
April 9, 10, and 11            3rd and 4th Grade Math

Cass Junior High School
April 8 and 9                     5th-8th Grade Reading
March 18, 19, and 20       5th-8th Grade Math
April 22, 23, and 24          5th and 8th Grade Science

Please contact your child’s teacher or Principals Christine Marcinkewicz or Laura Anderson with any questions.

Chess Team Takes 3rd Place at Conference

Congratulations to our Cass Junior High Chess Team for placing 3rd in the recent conference tournament. Special recognition goes out to 6th grader Angus Woodbury, who was the fifth chair board winner, 7th grader Miles Kremper, who was the seventh chair board winner, and 7th grader Ian Chavez, who was the ninth chair board winner. Congratulations also go out to Angus and Ian who both went undefeated for the entire season!

Kids Heart Challenge

Last Friday, Concord students participated in our 16th Annual Kids Heart Challenge in their physical education classes. The kids engaged in varying activities while raising money for the American Heart Association. Please enjoy these pictures from a fun day, and thank you for the support in raising funds for a great cause!

We love to share the good news about our D63 staff, and in honor of School Social Workers Week, we are recognizing Dana Flutman at Concord Elementary and Bridget Gilmartin at Cass Junior High School. Our social workers play a huge part in meeting the needs of our students and their social and emotional growth. Thank you Mrs. Flutman and Mrs. Gilmartin!

Deadline Extended for Class of 2025 T-Shirt Orders

Help celebrate your 8th grade graduate by purchasing a Class of 2025 t-shirt. All you need to do is print this form and return it with payment to the Cass Junior High office no later than February 25.

Family BINGO Night March 7

Register now for a Family Fun Bingo night hosted by CARE. The fun takes place Friday, March 7 from 6:00-8:00 pm at Concord. Attendance is free, but registration is required, and includes one bingo card, popcorn, candy, cotton candy, balloon professional, and fairy hair! Pizza and water will be available for purchase and there are many kid friendly prizes!

Preschool Screening March 14

Cass School District 63 is holding a Preschool Screening on March 14 for children who live in our district and are 3-5 years old. Your child must be preregistered to participate. Please see under the link for more information and how to register.

Alumni Accolades

Congratulations to Hinsdale South High School basketball player Maeve Savage for reaching 1,000 career points.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South Math team members Mauricio Gubert and Shahmeer Ali for being a part of second place teams at the ICTM 3AA regional competition and to Eli Carder, Jeremy Fung, Collin Caldwell, Konrad Kremper, and Jeremy Fung for being a part of first place teams at the regional competition which qualifies them for the state competition in April.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Annina Garro and her speech partner for taking 2nd in state in Humourous Duet Acting at the IHSA speech state finals this past weekend.

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Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

---

Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

GPS Parent Series:   Better Days – Supporting Kids’ Mental Wellness

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

We are very pleased to welcome Megan Conlin as the next assistant principal at Concord Elementary School. Earlier this week, the Board of Education unanimously approved her appointment and she will begin her new position this summer. That is when Mrs. Katie Doyle assumes the role of principal, replacing Dr. Laura Anderson who is retiring after 18 years of dedicated service at Concord and D63.

We are very excited to have Mrs. Conlin join our team, and the formal announcement provides additional details about her strong background and the experience she will bring to Concord. We had an outstanding pool of applicants, and we found the leader who ideally fit the profile we created to help identify our next assistant principal. Mrs. Conlin already met some of the students and staff this week and she truly looks forward to getting to know all of our students, staff, and parents this fall!

While we are on the subject of exciting assistant principal announcements, Mrs. Doyle and her husband are welcoming a brand new baby into the world! While Mrs. Doyle is out on leave, Ms. Julie Bartell will fill in several days a week. Ms. Bartell is a recently retired principal from Burr Ridge District 180 who has already made the rounds to some classrooms to start getting to know our Concord students and staff. We are grateful to have her here to assist Dr. Anderson and support our students, teachers, and staff.

Exciting times! Please join us in congratulating and welcoming Mrs. Conlin, as well as congratulating Mrs. Doyle and welcoming Ms. Bartell!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Concord students enjoying Friendship Day!

At the most recent meeting, the Board of Education approved leaving the 2025-26 school year registration and transportation fees unchanged, employed Megan Conlin as assistant principal at Concord, and reviewed the timeline for the Phase II Facilities Plan. Mr. Cross also shared concerns regarding the status of federal impact aid funding for our school district. Please see the Board Briefs for more information from the meeting.

Class of 2025 T-Shirt Orders

Help celebrate your 8th grade graduate by purchasing a Class of 2025 t-shirt. All you need to do is print this form and return it with payment to the Cass Junior High office no later than February 25.

Don't Miss Family BINGO Night!

Register now for a Family Fun Bingo night hosted by CARE. The fun takes place Friday, March 7 from 6:00-8:00 pm at Concord. Attendance is free, but registration is required, and includes one bingo card, popcorn, candy, cotton candy, balloon professional, and fairy hair! Pizza and water will be available for purchase and there are many kid friendly prizes!

Important Traffic Safety Reminders!

Safety is important at all times at both schools, but especially during pick up and drop off times at Concord. For those in the car line…

• Please use your turn signal to indicate to other cars as well as our dutiful crossing guard Mrs. Dooley whenever you are turning in or out of the Concord drive.
• Do not make any U-turns in school traffic and continue through the car line with everyone else.
• Please exercise patience and care at all times, and pay attention to your surroundings and not your phone. This is the law in school traffic zones.
• Remember that children are not allowed to exit cars until 7:45 a.m. This is when staff supervision begins and the school doors open.
• Parents must remain in cars to keep traffic moving safely. If getting out to unbuckle your child is necessary, then cars must be parked in the lot and children walked to the school entrance.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our kids safe!

This is your last chance to help support the 16th annual Kids Heart Challenge at Concord Elementary. Donations are being accepted through February 27. For information on how to register and donate please go to Concord Kids Heart Challenge 2025. Thank you for supporting this great cause!

Mock Newbery Celebration

Last week, some of our Cass students participated in the annual Mock Newbery celebration. After reading at least twelve of the nominated books, students met to review the results of our school-wide ballot and enjoy a delicious pizza party. Sixth grader Aziz Mitha read ALL 25 books and right behind Aziz was Aroush Qureshi, who read 23 books. Thank you to CARE for funding this opportunity for our students!

Concord Sexual Abuse Awareness and Prevention

As we have shared previously, we will begin teaching our mandated, age-appropriate child sexual abuse awareness and prevention education program at Concord. Erin’s Law will be taught during Skills for Learning lessons in the last week of February and the first week of March. Here is additional information and links regarding Erin’s Law and sexual abuse prevention.

If you have questions about this program, please contact school counselor Helen Park at hpark@cassd63.org. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please place your request in writing to Dr. Laura Anderson at landerson@cassd63.org.

Concord Holds Friendship Parties

Concord celebrated Valentine’s Day with CARE hosting our friendship parties. Our volunteers did a wonderful job creating fun games and crafts for our students to participate in and enjoy.

Darien Rotary Club Literacy Project

For the second year in a row, the Rotary Club of Darien has partnered with Cass School District 63, the Indian Prairie Public Library, as well as neighboring school districts Center Cass 66, and Darien 61 on a preschool literacy project to provide area children entering school for the first time with a head start in early literacy through a gift of books, manipulatives, and interactive resources.

A few weeks back, we hosted our local Rotarians as the next 500 literacy bags were put together to distribute to our youngest learners this spring. Superintendent and Darien Rotary Club member Mark Cross helps lead the project, and expressed the collective gratitude for the support of our local Rotary Club, the Indian Prairie Public Library, as well as our friends in the neighboring school districts, particularly some of our area preschool teachers and staff who were instrumental in developing the content.

We look forward to a continued partnership with Rotary to help give our youngest learners the best possible start in their educational journey.

Concord Staff Taking Plunge for Special Olympics

On March 22, Concord team members Bryann Poskonka, Krista Jamrose, Katy Modglin, Katie Summers, Katie Paljetak, and Kelly Glimco will be participating in the Chicago Polar Plunge supporting the Special Olympics. Please visit the Concord team fundraising page for and help them raise money for this great cause!

Alumni Accolades

Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Madison Witucki on qualifying for the IHSA state girls bowling finals.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South chess team member Konrad Kremper for earning an individual medal at last week’s IHSA chess state finals.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Annina Garro for taking 2nd place in humorous duet acting at the speech sectional, which qualifies her to compete in the IHSA competition.

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Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

24th Annual Darien Dash

Give Kids A Smile Day – Dental Screenings for Children

GPS Parent Series: Critical Skills to Unleash Perseverance

GPS Parent Series: Practical Strategies for Reducing Anxiety

4H International Night 

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Thank you all for your patience this week with the winter weather, a fire alarm and evacuation at Cass, and… well, it is only Thursday!

As much as we always try to be proactive with our planning and communications, things like this are a good reminder that sometimes you just have to stay calm, react to the situation, and respond the best way that you can. The good news is that all is well, the workers won’t be back during school hours to set the alarm off, and our weather forecast is looking good after this weekend.

On a much more fun note, what a great time we all had at Trivia Night last Friday! Our CARE group planned an outstanding event, raised $11,400, and everyone sure seemed to have a wonderful time. Some of the dress up themes were legendary as well! For those of you who supported by attending, donating, or participating in other ways, thank you for your support of our kids and our schools.

Enjoy the long Presidents’ Day weekend with your families!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Some of our D63 staff at Trivia Night!

Friday, February 14 is an early release day. Concord students will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m. Also, in honor of Presidents’ Day, there is no school on Monday, February 17. Enjoy the long weekend!

Spirit Wear is Back!

The CARE spirit wear store is open until February 19 so be sure to grab your spirit wear! ASAP! Not only will you be on trend with the latest Cass and Concord gear, but you're also supporting our local spirit wear vendor, the Hinsdale District 86 Transition Center microbusiness called THREADS. The District 86 Transition Center provides life and vocational skills instruction to young adults with disabilities between the ages of 18-22 who are from Hinsdale South & Central communities.

7th Grade Experiences Shakespeare

After spending the last few weeks reading, discussing, and analyzing A Midsummer Night’s Dream, by William Shakespeare in their English Language Arts class, our 7th grade students went on a field trip to the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre downtown last Friday to see the play. Students and staff alike were amazed with the performance.

Scholastic Bowl Begins February 18

The new Scholastic Bowl season is nearly here! Cass won the regular season last year and came in second place in the tournament. We have a great record to defend and that journey begins on Tuesday, February 18, from 3:30-5:00, with an introductory and informational meeting in Room 221 at Cass. This is open to all interested 5th-8th graders. Students can find out what it means to join and what to expect. Email Mr. Grand at jeffgrand@cassd63.org with any questions.

The 16th Annual Kids Heart Challenge is kicking off at Concord Elementary February 10 through February 27. For information on how to register please go to Concord Kids Heart Challenge 2025.

Concord Yearbook Sales Close February 20

If you have not already done so, now is your chance to order a Concord yearbook. If you would like to purchase a yearbook, please print and turn in this order form no later than February 20. Please contact Helen Park at hpark@cassd63.org with questions.

Chorus Performs at Papa Passero's February 19
Enjoy some fantastic entertainment and some good pizza at Papa Passero’s on February 19! The Cass Junior High 5th and 6th grade chorus will be performing from 6:00 to 6:30 pm and 7th & 8th Grade Advanced Ensemble will perform from 7:00 to 7:40 pm. Be sure to print or show this flyer and bring it with you to give to your server so that 20 percent of your bill will be donated back to the schools.

Kindergarten Round Up February 20

If you or someone you know has a child who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2025 and lives in Cass School District 63, it is time to register for kindergarten. Please contact Amy Perez at either aperez@cassd63.org or at 331-481-4000 and she will send the information needed to get started on the Fall 2025 registration process. Kindergarten round up will be held on Thursday, February 20 at 6:00 p.m. at Concord.

Preschool Screening March 14

Cass School District 63 is holding a Preschool Screening on March 14 for children ages 3 to 5 years old who live in our district. Please see under the link for more information and how to register. Your child must be preregistered to participate.

Concord Sexual Abuse Awareness and Prevention

It is estimated that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused by the time they turn eighteen years old. It is also estimated that around 90 percent of the abusers are people the child knows. In response to these startling statistics, and the hard work of Erin Merryn, who took a personal tragedy and created positive change across America, including Erin’s Law.

Beginning the last week in February, Concord will commence with our mandated, age-appropriate child sexual abuse awareness and prevention education program for our students at Concord. Erin’s Law will be taught during Skills for Learning lessons in the last week of February and the first week of March. Here is additional information and links regarding Erin’s Law and sexual abuse prevention.

If you have questions about this program, please contact school counselor Helen Park at hpark@cassd63.org. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please place your request in writing to Dr. Laura Anderson at landerson@cassd63.org.

Class of 2025 T-Shirt Orders

Help celebrate your 8th grade graduate by purchasing a Class of 2025 t-shirt. All you need to do is print this form and return it with payment to the Cass Junior High office no later than February 25.

Stock Up with Dine to Donate at Home Run Inn

Order by February 19 for this month’s Dine to Donate at Home Run Inn! Purchase the fresh pizzas of your choice before February 19 and then pick them up from the Darien Home Run Inn from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm on February 24, 25, or 26!  This would be a great time to stock up since Home Run Inn is giving 30 percent back to CARE! 

Family Bingo Night March 7

Register now for a Family Fun Bingo night hosted by CARE. The fun takes place Friday, March 7 from 6:00-8:00 pm at Concord. Attendance is free, but registration is required, and includes one bingo card, popcorn, candy, cotton candy, balloon professional, and fairy hair! Pizza and water will be available for purchase and there are many kid friendly prizes!

Concord Staff Taking Plunge for Special Olympics

On March 22, Concord team members Bryann Poskonka, Krista Jamrose, Katy Modglin, Katie Summers, Katie Paljetak, and Kelly Glimco will be participating in the Chicago Polar Plunge supporting the Special Olympics. Please visit the Concord team fundraising page for and help them raise money for this great cause!

Alumni Accolades

Congratulations and best of luck to Hinsdale South students Quinn Isberg and Annina Garro for advancing to the IHSA Speech Sectionals.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South students Peter Gerges and Layan Quaddoura for being named February Social Studies Students of the Month.

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Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

DuPage County is Offering Free Swim Lessons. To apply, please review the 2025 Protect Swimmers 10M Funding Opportunity Overview and complete the online application form no later than February 28, 2025.

GPS Parent Series: Peak Mind: Enhance Your Attention, Focus, and Performance

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

During February we celebrate Black History Month, and I wanted to share some great resources for parents from PBS, as well as Common Sense Media. Under the links you will find excellent references to great books that celebrate black history, culture, and other educational resources. I am always open to suggestions to share with parents for this and other important celebrations throughout the year.

Please mark your calendars for March 17, which is when registration will open for the 2025-26 school year. Since we will be leaving PowerSchool for a new platform, every current student will have to be registered for next year prior to the early May registration deadline so that we can complete the conversion process. This is important and we will provide reminders along the way, so your assistance and cooperation will be greatly appreciated.

Trivia Night is this Friday evening at Chucks, and 40 of our D63 staff and significant others look forward to seeing many of you there. We truly appreciate the time and effort of our parents in our CARE organization who are making this event happen. This event will not only raise funds that will have an impact on future opportunities for our students, but will also provide an incredibly fun night for everyone. More details are below, including links to the awesome teacher raffles. You do not need to be present to win!

Thank you!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

2nd graders performing at their recent concert.

Kindergarten Round Up February 20

If you or someone you know has a child who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2025 and lives in Cass School District 63, it is time to register for kindergarten. Please contact Amy Perez at either aperez@cassd63.org or at 331-481-4000 (x1) and she will send the information needed to get started on the Fall 2025 registration process. Kindergarten round up will be held on Thursday, February 20 at 6:00 p.m. at Concord.

Last Chance for Trivia Night

Trivia Night is on Friday, February 7, 2025 at the Chateau Orleans at 6pm! We are only a day away and still have tickets available! Come dressed as your favorite decade for a fun night of trivia, dinner and fun! Check out the flyer for more details and purchase individual tickets or a table on the CARE website!

5th Grade Hosts Wax Museum

Last week our 5th grade students participated in a living wax museum presentation. Ms. Musil and Mr. Kondraschow’s students read biographies of famous people, wrote essays, and prepared speeches to help create their “wax museum.” For the museum, students dressed as their chosen individuals, struck statue-like poses, and gave speeches to any visitor who pressed a button at their exhibit to make the figure come to life! Both parents and students marveled at the amazing wax figures and their fantastic speeches. It was a wonderful morning seeing the students' hard work come to life in such a creative and engaging way.

2nd Grade Concert

Last week, our 2nd grade student gave a wonderful music performance. Thank you to music teacher Kali Sheldon for preparing our 2nd graders and guiding them through an entertaining evening for our parents.

Poetic Power Poetry Contest

Students in Mrs. Howard’s 3rd grade class recently participated in a poetry writing contest through Poetic Power. Students could choose from many different types of poems to write, but they had to be 21 lines or less. We had seven students chosen to be included in an upcoming anthology published by Poetic Power. Congratulations to the following students whose poems were chosen: Araceli Casarrubias, Atharav Dongre, Sophia Hannon, Luke Hockemeyer, Yara Muslmani, Advika Singh, and Connor Yu.

Preschool Enjoys Family Day at the Museum

Our preschool families had an amazing time at the DuPage Children's Museum for Family Day! It was great to see so many Concord Elementary families exploring, playing, and learning together. Kids had a blast with all the hands-on exhibits, and parents got to enjoy some quality time watching their little ones discover new things. A big thank you to the museum for providing each child with a book to take home. We’re so glad you could join us and can’t wait for more fun events in the future!

The 16th Annual Kids Heart Challenge is kicking off at Concord Elementary February 10 through February 27. For information on how to register please go to Concord Kids Heart Challenge 2025.

Preschool Screening March 14

Cass School District 63 is holding a Preschool Screening on March 14 for children ages 3 to 5 years old who live in our district. Please see under the link for more information and how to register. Your child must be preregistered to participate.

Concord Yearbook Sales Close February 20

If you have not already done so, now is your chance to order a Concord yearbook. If you would like to purchase a yearbook, please print and turn in this order form no later than February 20. Please contact Helen Park at hpark@cassd63.org with questions.

Family Bingo Night March 7

CARE is hosting a Bingo Night this year is on Friday, March 7 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Concord. Attendance is free and includes one bingo card, popcorn, candy, cotton candy, balloon professional, and fairy hair! Pizza and water will be available for purchase and there are many kid friendly prizes! Registration is required!

The new Scholastic Bowl season is nearly here! Cass won the regular season last year and came in second place in the tournament. We have a great record to defend and that journey begins on Tuesday, February 18, from 3:30 - 5:00, with an introductory and informational meeting in Room 221 at Cass. This is open to all interested 5th-8th graders. Students can find out what it means to join and what to expect. Email Mr. Grand at jeffgrand@cassd63.org with any questions.

Dine to Donate at Home Run Inn

Home Run Inn Take N’ Bake will be CARE’s next dine to donate from February 24-26! It’s a little different this time, but still pretty simple! Purchase the pizzas of your choice before February 19 and then pick them up from the Darien Home Run Inn from 11:00 am to 8:00 pm on February 24, 25, or 26. Home Run Inn is giving 30 percent back to CARE!

This week we want to recognize teachers Jeff Grand, Audrey Vaci, Taylor Dazzo, and Marie Musil for their hard work organizing and assisting with the recent Cass Junior High Spelling Bee. Under their direction, we had more students than ever participating in this exciting competition that lasted 27 rounds and 3 ½ hours. We are proud to have so many teachers willing to go above and beyond to create these wonderful experiences for our students.

Several staff members also nominated 5th grade teacher Marie Musil for being an exceptional teacher who is dedicated to creating engaging and meaningful learning experiences for her students. This was especially evident in the incredible Wax Museum Biography project recently presented by the 5th graders (see story above). Every student was well-prepared, delivering outstanding speeches, thorough reports, and impressive outfits. Mrs. Musil continuously seeks out new and exciting activities to inspire and motivate her class. In their nomination, the 2^nd grade team said, “The success of this event is a testament to Marie’s passion and commitment, proving once again that she is simply the best!”

Spirit Wear is Back!

Show your school pride with our new spirit wear! Spirit wear will be on sale for a limited time from January 30 to February 19. Spirit wear orders will be delivered by the first week in March via your child’s classroom teacher. All proceeds go to CARE and D63 schools!

Alumni Accolades
Congratulations to Hinsdale South students Antonio Bosiljanov, Jacob Borowski, Rayyan Qureshi, Shahmeer Ali, Eli Carder, Eva Jospeh, and Yacine Ouchen for taking home medals in the Crystal Lake Central Invitational Science Olympiad. 

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Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

Local 1st Grade Girl Scout Troop 56482 (please complete form if interested)

GPS Parent Series: Digital Thriving: Technology and the Future

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

In the January 9 Connections, I shared that PowerSchool had a data breach that potentially compromised personal student information. Of course, we find this completely unacceptable, but I wanted to do our very best to keep you informed regarding everything that we know as this has developed.

In case you missed previous communications, this was a nationwide breach and we were informed that the actor was identified, and PowerSchool assured us that the incident is contained. They also stated that there is no evidence of malware or continued unauthorized activity. PowerSchool also said they do not anticipate the data being shared or made public, and they believe it has been deleted without any further replication or dissemination.

As a school district, we put together a PowerSchool Data Breach Information page so we can update information as we learn more. It also includes some FAQs of what we understand, as well as any recent communications from PowerSchool at the bottom of the page.

On January 29, we received an update from PowerSchool, which is included at the bottom of our information page. The communication states in part that PowerSchool has “initiated the process of notifying involved individuals about the resources now available to them. As part of this process, we have posted a notice to our website. Credit monitoring and identity protection services are now activated and available.”

According to PowerSchool, a direct email notification will be distributed by Experian on behalf of PowerSchool in the coming weeks “to applicable current and former students (or their parents / guardians as applicable) and educators for whom we have sufficient contact information.”

It is good to know that they will be attempting to contact impacted families directly. We will continue to share any updates as they become available. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, and thank you for your patience as we continue to learn all that we can.

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Our Cass Junior High Spelling Bee participants.

There is an early dismissal scheduled for this Friday, January 31. Concord students will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00.

Cass Spelling Bee Crowns a Winner

Congratulations to 6th grader Sai Sundaram who won the Cass Junior High Spelling Bee last week. After an incredible 27 rounds with 52 students, Sai was victorious, with our runner up and last year’s winner 6th grader Dhruv Rao battling until the very end. Even after three-and-a-half hours, five students representing all four grades remained.

Congratulations to Sai, Dhruv, and all 52 students who participated in the spelling bee this year, as they were remarkable competitors. We also wish Sai the best as she advances to the DuPage County Spelling Bee with 4,000 words to study! Congratulations to Sai, Dhruv, and all of our participants this year.

Concord Welcomes Author Ada Ari

Author Ada Ari recently visited Concord, and our students and staff were amazed by her presentations and interactions with the students throughout the day. Ms. Ari and our students engaged in an interactive cultural program that held everyone’s attention from start to finish. We hope you enjoy these pictures from a great day!

Kindergarten Round Up February 20

If you or someone you know has a child who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2025 and lives in Cass School District 63, it is time to register for kindergarten. Please contact Amy Perez at either aperez@cassd63.org or at 331-481-4000 (x1) and she will send the information needed to get started on the Fall 2025 registration process. Kindergarten round up will be held on Thursday, February 20 at 6:00 p.m. at Concord.

Trivia Night is Coming...Don't Miss Out!

Our annual Trivia Night is on Friday, February 7, and there are two great ways to participate If you have not yet done so, it's not too late to register as a table or individual for the biggest night of the year so don’t miss out on this great night and purchase your tickets on the CARE website.

You can also purchase tickets to give your student a chance to win the coveted teacher raffle prizes, whether you attend trivia night or not! Raffle items are now available on the CARE website, so head over and see what our teachers and staff have lined up!

Online sales will close on February 5. All online ticket purchases and in-person ticket purchases at Trivia Night will be combined and randomly selected at Trivia Night. Winners will be notified via email and do not have to be present at Trivia Night to win.

We love to share the good news about our incredible D63 staff, and in honor of National School Counseling Week, we are recognizing school counselors Helen Park at Concord Elementary and Lia Lamb at Cass Junior High. Our counselors meet with students individually, in large groups, and in classrooms helping students learn healthy social and emotional skills both in and out of school. Thank you Ms. Park and Mrs. Lamb!

Several staff members have nominated District School Psychologist Sara Zimmerman for recognition. Sara is a vital part of our student services team, and is always friendly and helpful to staff, students, and parents. Sara is always willing to assist and is respectful and compassionate in all of her interactions. District administrative assistant Amy Underhill said, "Sara has helped get many new staff members acquainted with our systems. She is a great resource for any parents who are new to the programs involved in student services. Her calm and friendly nature helps put people at ease in stressful situations."

ESports are Coming to Cass Junior High 

ESports are coming to Cass for our 6th through 8th students. Tryouts are February 3 and 4. Please see this flyer with more information about this new program. If you have any questions, please contact STEAM teacher and ESports sponsor Matt Etherington at metherington@cassd63.org.

8th Grade Picture Retakes February 13

Picture retake day for 8th grade students is February 13. If your child did not have their 8th grade photo taken yet, or if they want to retake the ones they have, please send them to school ready for pictures on February 13. Students may change after pictures if they wish. Please contact the Cass Junior High office with questions.

Spirit Wear is Back!

Show your school pride with our new spirit wear! Spirit wear will be on sale for a limited time from January 30 to February 19. Spirit wear orders will be delivered by the first week in March via your child’s classroom teacher. All proceeds go to CARE and D63 schools!

Alumni Accolades
Congratulations and good luck to Olivia Ruffalo and the Hinsdale South Varsity Dance team that qualified for the state competition this weekend. Other Cass graduates include Junior Varsity Dance team members Lily Balsamo, Tatiana Beard, Kerri Hagen, Cate Johnson, and Alixandra Smith.

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Lunch menus from our partner Just A Dash Catering are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks, and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

1^st Grade Girl Scout Troop 56482 Looking for Members. Please complete this form if you are interested.

GPS Parent Series: Positioning Students for the Changing Tide of Work

DGC Animal Classification Class

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

As a school district, we do not accept the status quo and we continue to push forward toward meaningful improvement and change. This is all part of a growth mindset, as no organization is truly thriving unless it has clear direction toward common goals, and remains focused on growth and measurable progress toward that vision. Certainly not all, but a good part of that vision is included as part of our Strategic Plan.

Two of those areas of focus are continued long-term facility planning, as well as our work to develop and build systems and support for student services and multi-tiered systems of support. Today I will share an update on our facility planning, and sometime soon an update in the area of student services.

Earlier this week, the Board of Education greenlighted the pursuit of Phase II of our facility planning, which we expect to complete this summer. While hopefully less disruptive than the Phase I geothermal HVAC, safety, and security projects of 2024, we are also excited about this phase, which 

The preliminary cost estimate totals approximately $1.9 million, and we expect to pay for this through a federal energy tax credit resulting from the geothermal project. Some of the larger project items include completion of ceiling replacement and LED lighting installation at Cass, renovation of the Cass gymnasium, renovation of Concord restrooms, and updates to music rooms in both schools.

In addition to this, we are separately pursuing a community fundraising effort to replace the Concord playground. On behalf of our Concord students and generations of kids to follow, please consider looking at this and sharing the opportunity as we work in collaboration with our CARE organization to make this incredible opportunity happen. We will also be sharing more about the playground with our kids soon!

I will share more details as both the facilities and playground project develops. In the meantime, please reach out if you have any questions. Thank you!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

3rd grade students receiving dictionaries from the Darien Rotary Club.

The 2025-26 District Calendar has been approved and Parent-Student Orientation will take place on Tuesday, August 19 and the first day for K-8 students will be Thursday, August 21. Orientation Day will be held later in the day and with a slightly different format to better accommodate our families. More details will be shared later in the spring, but please plan accordingly with the calendar dates for next school year.

Kindergarten Round Up February 20

If you or someone you know has a child who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2025 and lives in Cass School District 63, it is time to register for kindergarten. Please contact Amy Perez at either aperez@cassd63.org or at 331-481-4000 (x1) and she will send the information needed to get started on the Fall 2025 registration process. Kindergarten round up will be held on Thursday, February 20 at 6:00 p.m. at Concord.

At our most recent meeting, the Board of Education reviewed progress on the Vision 2025 Strategic Plan, heard about progress with our student academic growth, and also authorized moving forward with Phase II facility plans to prepare for bidding. Here are the Board Briefs for more information on what was discussed and acted upon at the meeting.

Concord Sexual Abuse Awareness and Prevention

It is estimated that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused by the time they turn eighteen years old. It is also estimated that around 90 percent of the abusers are people the child knows. In response to these startling statistics, and the hard work of Erin Merryn, who took a personal tragedy and created positive change across America, including Erin’s Law.

Beginning the last week in February, Concord will commence with our mandated, age-appropriate child sexual abuse awareness and prevention education program for our students at Concord. Erin’s Law will be taught during Skills for Learning lessons in the last week of February and the first week of March. Here is additional information and links regarding Erin’s Law and sexual abuse prevention.

If you have questions about this program, please contact school counselor Helen Park at hpark@cassd63.org. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please place your request in writing to Dr. Laura Anderson at landerson@cassd63.org.

Cass Band and Chorus Visit Concord

The Cass Junior High Band and Chorus recently visited Concord Elementary to perform for our youngest students. Concord enjoyed a wonderful concert and were also given a preview of the things that they will have an opportunity to be a part at the junior high music program.

Rotary Delivers Dictionaries to Third Grade Students

Superintendent Mark Cross welcomed his fellow Darien Rotary Club members to 3rd grade last week. Rotary is always looking for great ways to support our schools and the community at large, and one of the charitable things they do is donate dictionaries to every student in the 3rd grade in area schools. Several Rotarians delivered the dictionaries and talked to our kids, and we thank them for their generosity!

New ESports Program at Cass Junior High School

ESports are coming to Cass for our 6th through 8th students. Tryouts are February 3 and 4. Please see this flyer with more information about this new program. If you have any questions, please contact Matt Etherington at metherington@cassd63.org.

Cass Wax Museum Open January 31

Students in Ms. Musil and Mr. Kondraschow’s English Language Arts classes have created a wax museum, which will be open for parents to visit on January 31 from 11:00 to 11:45 a.m. Here is more information on parking and building access.

Time to Register for Trivia Night

Our annual Trivia Night is on Friday, February 7, at 6:00 p.m. Trivia Night Teacher raffles are now available on the CARE website! Head over and see what our teachers and staff have lined up! Online sales will close on February 5. All online ticket purchases and in-person ticket purchases will be combined and randomly selected at Trivia Night. Winners will be notified via email and do not need to be present to win.

CARE Seeking Donations for New Playground

CARE has prioritized fundraising for a new Concord playground, and would love your support! This playground will provide a safe, fun space for kids to play, grow, and build lasting memories. All donations are tax-deductible, making it not only a meaningful gift to the community but also a great opportunity to give back. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to creating a space where our children can thrive and our community can come together. Here is information on how to contribute. Thank you for helping us make this dream a reality!

Concord Staff Taking the Plunge for Special Olympics

On March 22, Concord team members Bryann Poskonka, Krista Jamrose, Katy Modglin, Katie Summers, and Katie Paljetak will be participating in the Chicago Polar Plunge supporting the Special Olympics. Please visit the Concord team fundraising page for and help them raise money for this great cause! 

Front Row Seats for the Second Grade Music Program

Enter the front row seat raffle for the upcoming 2^nd grade music program. Three winners will receive four seats. Visit the CARE Shop to purchase raffle tickets for your chance to win! 

Girls Volleyball Tryouts January 27 and 28

Cass Junior High will be holding tryouts for girls volleyball on January 27 and 28 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Interested students must have a current sports physical on file in the Cass office prior to the start of tryouts. Please contact Landon Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org with any questions.

BAM Theater is Coming to Concord

CARE has partnered with BAM Theater to come to Concord for the first time this spring to offer musical theater training on Thursdays from 2:45-3:45 p.m. after school. The program is for kindergarten through 4th grade students and the dates are March 20 and 27, April 10, 17, and 24 and May 8, 15 and 22. There will be a final performance after class at 4:00 p.m. on May 29 to which parents and families are invited to attend. Spots are filling up so don’t miss out and be sure to register soon.  

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program. Lunch menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. If you choose to provide feedback on a menu item through the menu program on the District’s website, please be sure to reference the school your child attends. 

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

GPS Parent Series: The Changing Landscape of the Drug Epidemic

GPS Parent Series:  The Way of Play

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

On Monday, we have an important holiday to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. and his great legacy. As a school district, it is important to honor the legacy of Dr. King and the dedication of his life to racial equality and justice. “The time is always right to do what is right.” I’ve always loved this quote from Dr. King and like so many of his words, this message is as important today as it has ever been.

Our annual Trivia Night is the evening of February 7. CARE is planning a great event, which will be held at the Chateau Orleans in Darien. Registration information is below and early bird pricing ends Monday. I hope you will join many of our D63 teachers and staff for a fun night!

I hope you and your family have a good long weekend. Stay warm!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Students getting their ROAR awards from Dr. Anderson.

In honor of the legacy and holiday in recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King, there is no school on Monday, January 20.

Time to Register for Trivia Night

Our annual Trivia Night is on Friday, February 7, at 6:00 p.m. at the Chateau Orleans. Come dressed as your favorite decade for a fun night of trivia, dinner and fun. Early bird pricing has been extended until January 20, so grab your table before they are all gone! Check out the flyer for more details and purchase individual tickets or a table on the CARE website.

Concord Sexual Abuse Awareness and Prevention

It is estimated that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys will be sexually abused by the time they turn eighteen years old. It is also estimated that around 90 percent of the abusers are people the child knows. In response to these startling statistics, and the hard work of Erin Merryn, who took a personal tragedy and created positive change across America, including Erin’s Law.

Beginning the last week in February, Concord will commence with our mandated, age-appropriate child sexual abuse awareness and prevention education program for our students at Concord. Erin’s Law will be taught during Skills for Learning lessons in the last week of February and the first week of March. Here is additional information and links regarding Erin’s Law and sexual abuse prevention.

If you have questions about this program, please contact school counselor Helen Park at hpark@cassd63.org. If you do not wish for your child to participate, please place your request in writing to Dr. Laura Anderson at landerson@cassd63.org.

Visit the Cass Wax Museum January 31
Students in Ms. Musil and Mr. Kondraschow’s English Language Arts classes have created a wax museum, which will be open for parents to visit on January 31 from 11:00 to 11:45 a.m. Here is more information on parking and building access.

This week we are highlighting two D63 employees in our Staff Recognition Spotlight. Cass Junior High custodian Donna Gerren was nominated by Buildings and Grounds Director Keith Monaco for being truly dedicated, always going above and beyond, and being top notch at her job. All of our junior high staff appreciates Donna’s work every day!

Assistant principal Michelle Roberts was nominated by STEAM teacher and 504 coordinator Matt Etherington for being so helpful with the 504 program at Cass Junior High. Mr. Etherington said that her dedication to ensuring that all students receive the support they need is truly commendable, and the results have made a significant difference for our students and families!

CARE Seeking Donations for New Playground

CARE has prioritized fundraising for a new Concord playground, and would love your support! This playground will provide a safe, fun space for kids to play, grow, and build lasting memories. All donations are tax-deductible, making it not only a meaningful gift to the community but also a great opportunity to give back. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to creating a space where our children can thrive and our community can come together. For more information and to learn how to help, please see this page. Thank you for helping us make this dream a reality!

Concord to Welcome Author Ada Ari
Author Ada Ari will be visiting Concord on January 23 and students have a great opportunity to pre-order one of her autographed books in advance of her visit. Orders must be in no later than January 19 so please be sure to place your order right away.

7th Grade Learns About Renewable Energy

In Mrs. Romaniszak’s 7th grade Environmental Studies class, students began learning about some of the various types of renewable energy including wind, hydro, and solar. Students worked with a partner to build different types of structures that harness the various types of energy being studied. This allowed students to better understand different ways that the energy can be harnessed, as well as understand how that energy is transferred and transformed into other forms of energy to do work. Some students also had the opportunity to combine projects to build more complex structures utilizing a combination of energy resources.

Girls Volleyball Tryouts January 27 and 28

Cass Junior High will be holding tryouts for girls volleyball on January 27 and 28 from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Interested students must have a current sports physical on file in the Cass office prior to the start of tryouts. Please contact Landon Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org with any questions.

BAM Theater is Coming to Concord

CARE has partnered with BAM Theater to come to Concord for the first time this spring to offer musical theater training on Thursdays from 2:45-3:45 p.m. after school. The program is for kindergarten through 4th grade students and the dates are March 20 and 27, April 10, 17, and 24 and May 8, 15 and 22. There will be a final performance after class at 4:00 p.m. on May 29 to which parents and families are invited to attend. Please see this flyer for information on how to register.

Cass School District 63 is seeking a teacher assistant for at least the remainder of the 2024-25 school year. For more information or to apply for current vacancies, here is the application and information.

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program. Lunch menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. If you choose to provide feedback on a menu item through the menu program on the District’s website, please be sure to reference the school your child attends. 

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

GPS Parent Series: The Breakthrough Years

People’s Resource Center (PRC) Free Art Classes

People’s Resource Center (PRC) Free Computer Training Classes

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Earlier this week, we received a communication from PowerSchool about a recent data breach within the PowerSchool Student Information System. While we are working to learn as much as we can as quickly as we can, we are working under the assumption that some of our school district data was included in the breach.

According to PowerSchool, they learned in late December that compromised credentials at PowerSchool allowed an unauthorized party to access student data. We were informed that the actor was identified, and they have assured us that the incident is contained. PowerSchool also indicated that there is no evidence of malware or continued unauthorized activity. They do not anticipate the data being shared or made public, and they believe it has been deleted without any further replication or dissemination.

Although PowerSchool has shared this information, we are taking nothing for granted and will monitor this situation very carefully and ensure that our student and staff data remains protected. While PowerSchool continues a review of impacted customers, we have put together a PowerSchool Data Breach Information page that we will update as we learn more about this incident, and any impact on our student data as we learn more.

As an additional note, we have already made the decision prior to this incident to end our relationship with PowerSchool at the end of the current school year. Data breaches of this nature are unacceptable, and we are glad we had already made the decision to make this change.

In the meantime, we will share any updates as they become available, but I wanted to make you aware of the situation with as much accurate information as we can provide as soon as we reasonably could. Please feel free to reach out with any questions, and thank you for your understanding and patience as we work to stay on top of this.

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Cass students enjoying spirit week before the holiday break!

Concord Holiday Celebrations

Concord held its annual holiday celebrations on December 20 and kids had a fun day. Thank you to our amazing staff and volunteers for making a great day for our kids!

Sign Up for February 7 Trivia Night

Trivia Night is on Friday, February 7, at 6:00 p.m. at the Chateau Orleans. We are only four weeks out, so grab your table before they are all gone! Come dressed as your favorite decade for a fun night of trivia, dinner and fun. Early bird pricing has been extended until January 20. Check out the flyer for more details and purchase individual tickets or a table on the CARE website!

Storm Science Presentation

Our 5th and 6th graders at Cass Junior High recently had an amazing assembly presented by Storm Science. They learned about different aspects of weather with an engaging and entertaining presentation. The students were mesmerized throughout the assembly as they learned about severe weather and weather preparedness. Storm Science’s Nick Bartholomew, a storm chaser, presented a cumulus cloud simulation and explained the entire process to the students. Please enjoy these pictures from the presentation, and thank you to CARE for funding this fun learning experience.

Come Visit the Cass Junior High Wax Museum
Students in Ms. Musil and Mr. Kondraschow’s English Language Arts classes have created a wax museum, which will be open for parents to visit on January 31 from 11:00 to 11:45 a.m. Here is more information on parking and building access.

8th Grade Transition Meetings
On January 14, high school transition meetings will be held for 8th grade students to set class schedules for the 2025-26 school year. Students and parents will be meeting with Hinsdale South High School counselors via Zoom. Students will be joining the meeting from school and parents will be sent a Zoom link from the high school prior to the meeting date. Should you have any questions, please contact Hinsdale South High School.

Hinsdale South IEP and 504 High School Transition Night
Hinsdale South is hosting a meeting for parents of 8th grade students with either a 504 or an IEP and who will be attending Hinsdale South in the fall. Here is more information for parents who are interested.

CARE Playground Fundraising Effort

CARE has prioritized fundraising for a new Concord playground, and would love your support! This playground will provide a safe, fun space for kids to play, grow, and build lasting memories. All donations are tax-deductible, making it not only a meaningful gift to the community but also a great opportunity to give back. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to creating a space where our children can thrive and our community can come together. For more information and to learn how to help, please see this page. Thank you for helping us make this dream a reality!

Cass School District 63 is seeking an assistant principal at Concord Elementary School for the 2025-26 school year, and a social worker and teacher assistant for at least the remainder of the 2024-25 school year. For more information or to apply for current vacancies, here is the application and information.

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program. Lunch menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. If you choose to provide feedback on a menu item through the menu program on the District’s website, please be sure to reference the school your child attends. 

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the district does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

GPS Parent Series: What Happened to You; A Shift from “What is Wrong with You?”

GPS Parent Series: The Adverse Childhood Experiences

Darien Woman's Club Thank You

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

On behalf of the faculty, staff, administration, and Board of Education, I wish you and your family and loved ones a wonderful holiday season and school break. However you may spend your time together as a family, be sure to enjoy every minute with your kids because they grow up way too quickly.

Many of us also take time off over the break, so the school offices will mostly be closed. Should you need us for anything during this time, email is your best bet. Our weekly communications will also take a holiday break for the next two weeks, and we will resume regular district communications on January 9. A reminder on our winter break dates are provided below.

One additional note…please take a look below at the fundraising announcement for the new Concord playground! This is a wonderful collaborative effort between CARE and D63, contributions are tax deductible, and we couldn’t be more excited to make this project happen for our kids.

Have a wonderful holiday, and we will see you in 2025!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Early Release Day and Winter Break

Winter Break is here and there is an early release day on Friday, December 20. Concord will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m. There is no school from Monday, December 23 until students return on Tuesday, January 7. We wish you and your family a wonderful break and a happy holiday season!

CARE Announces Playground Fundraising Effort

CARE is excited to announce that we’ve started fundraising for a new Concord playground, and we’d love your support! This playground will provide a safe, fun space for kids to play, grow, and build lasting memories. All donations are tax-deductible, making it not only a meaningful gift to the community but also a great opportunity to give back. Every contribution, big or small, brings us closer to creating a space where our children can thrive and our community can come together. Thank you for helping us make this dream a reality!

CARE is offering three tiers of giving to support our playground project, each with special recognition on our donor wall:

• Champions - Supporters who contribute $1,000+ will be prominently displayed at the top of the wall as key leaders of this initiative.
• Sustainers - Supporters who contribute $500+ will be recognized in a central position, highlighting their vital role in keeping this project moving forward.
• Builders - Supporters who contribute $250+ will be honored as foundational contributors helping to bring this vision to life.

To become a supporters, please visit the CARE site or email CARE@cassd63.org. As a special thank you, all donors - regardless of the amount - will be invited to join us for a ribbon-cutting ceremony once the playground is complete. This event will be a celebration of your generosity and the incredible impact you’ve made on our community. We can’t wait to celebrate this milestone together!

At the December 17 Board of Education meeting, the Board approved the 2024 Tax Levy, adopted a Resolution in Support of Illinois Vision 2030 and discussed 2025 facility planning. For more detailed information on the board meeting, please take a look at the Board Briefs.

We love to share the good news about our incredible staff, and this week we are recognizing three of our teachers who most recently completed huge professional growth milestones.

Jessica Cahill - Master’s Degree in Teacher Leadership
Jennifer Kirkpatrick - Director of Special Education Licensure
Kristyn McElligott - Master’s Degree in Teacher Leadership

Their dedication and desire to be the best possible teachers they can be is highlighted by recognizing the tremendous undertaking it is to pursue this level of coursework while working full time. We are extremely proud of these three individuals, and all of our amazing teachers!

Attention 8th Grade Parents

8th Grade Picture Day is on Thursday, January 9. Students should come to school dressed up and ready for pictures. They may bring clothes to change into after pictures have been taken. No money is due at this time. Proofs will be sent to the school and sent home to parents for an opportunity to order pictures. If you have any questions, please contact the Cass Junior High office at 331-481-4000, extension 2.

Please mark your calendars for January 14 for 8th grade high school transition meetings to set class schedules for the 2025-26 school year. Students and parents will be meeting with Hinsdale South High School counselors via Zoom. Students will be joining the meeting from school. Parents will be sent a Zoom link from the high school prior to the meeting date. Should you have any questions, please contact Hinsdale South High School.

Second Grade Students Learn About La Befana

Concord teacher Mrs. DeChiara visits our second graders every year to teach the students about the Italian Christmas tradition of La Befana. The second graders love this annual presentation and enjoy learning a bit of the Italian language. Thank you, Mrs. DeChiara!

Cass Junior High Band Concert

Cass Junior High held its Winter Band Concert on December 12 and featured performances from the 5th Grade Beginning Band, Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Jazz Band and the Combined Band. Thank you to band teacher Daniel Murphy and all of our gifted musicians for a wonderful evening of music!

4th Grade Clothes Hanger Book Reports

Students in Ms. Isaacson’s 4th grade class created a “Clothes Hanger Book Report” after reading a novel. Each clothing piece has information about their book's plot, setting, characters, theme, and a personal review. They turned out great! Please enjoy some pictures of their projects.

Cass Junior High Cheer

From cheer clinics with high school cheerleaders to cheering on our Warrior’s sports teams, our cheerleaders have been working hard this year. Thank you to coaches Amy Gorzkowski and Stacie Gray for all their hard work in coaching our cheerleaders and helping them to improve both individually and as a squad.

Holiday Fun at Concord

Our Junior Chorus gave a fabulous holiday performance lead by chorus teacher Kali Sheldon. Additionally, our Concord staff got in on the holiday fun and participated in a festive sweater contest. Enjoy these pictures from the concert and the contest. 

Holiday Fun at Cass

Cass Advanced Ensemble members treated our students and staff to some great holiday music mixed with some classic tunes. Thank you to choral teacher Becky Kriz and to our advanced ensemble for giving us this festive send off into the holidays! Here are pictures of our carolers, as well as other fun from our Cass Spirit Week.

Save the Date - Trivia Night February 7

Save the Date! Get ready for a night of fun and friendly competition at the CARE Trivia Night Fundraiser is on Friday, February 7! Mark your calendars and gather your teams for an evening filled with brain-teasing questions, laughter, and community spirit! Which decade is your favorite?!

Follow CARE on Social Media

Follow CARE on socials to keep up with all the latest activities and learn how to get involved! Cass Resources for Enrichment / Facebook and @d63care / Instagram.

Cass School District 63 is seeking an assistant principal at Concord Elementary School for the 2025-26 school year, and a teacher assistant for at least the remainder of the 2024-25 school year. For more information or to apply for current vacancies, here is the application and information.

Alumni Accolades

Congratulations to Hinsdale South High School student of the quarter award recipients, Amanda Esposito, Amanda Chen, Anna Wilcox, Devin Casey, Katie Joseph, Erick Martinez, Casey Johnson, Rayyan Qureshi.

Kudos to Hinsdale South Art Honor Society members Amanda Esposito, Elliot Davis, Janina Kremper and Gracie Linarez who were tasked with creating and painting the art gallery entry way at Hinsdale South High School.  

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program. Lunch menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. If you choose to provide feedback on a menu item through the menu program on the District’s website, please be sure to reference the school your child attends. 

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

We talk here about the impact of smartphones and social media, and this week I wanted to share another recent Pew research study. According to this one, 72 percent of teens say they often or sometimes feel peaceful when they don’t have their smartphone, while 44 percent say it makes them feel anxious. It is incredibly telling that almost three-fourths of kids admit that they feel more peaceful without their phones! This study is interesting and worth a look for parents.

Common Sense Media research shows that teens spend an average of 4.5 hours per day on their phones, and some spend over 16 hours a day. That’s insane, and we aren’t even talking about young children and preteens, many of whom also spend considerable amounts of time on their phones. Of course, there are recommendations out there about when kids should have phones, as well as access to social media. Safety aside, there is absolutely no question that the heavy use of smartphones and social media is having a major impact on kids today.

Along those lines, I love a good book recommendation and wanted to pass this along to you. The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt addresses this critical topic, and I look forward to reading it soon. If any of you have read it, please let me know your thoughts. If not, it might be worth a look. The book description is very compelling, and it is a top seller on Amazon.

As always, please reach out anytime with any questions, concerns, or comments. We are all here for you. Thank you!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Cheering on the Warriors!

With winter weather comes the possibility of the need to cancel school and hold an e-learning day. This is a decision that is not taken lightly. Not only are the weather and road conditions taken into consideration, but also the conditions of the buildings and parking lots, the operability and availability of buses and drivers, the ability of staff to make the commute, as well as the air temperature and wind chill.

For more details, please visit our School Closing Information page, which includes details on our District e-Learning Plan and schedule for virtual instruction. Please review the plan in advance to understand what the expectations are for our staff and your child. Thank you for your understanding as we head into winter, and please contact the school office or your child’s teacher if you have any questions.

An important parent responsibility is to contact the school first thing in the morning when your child will be absent. This is important not only for safety, but also to limit the need for us to locate parents to find this information. Parents can either call the attendance line and leave the necessary information, or send it via email, whichever works best for you. 

For Concord absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 1 and then option 5, or email concordattendance@cassd63.org. For Cass absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 2 and then option 7, or email cassattendance@cassd63.org. 

For both calls or emails, please leave your child's name, grade level (and teacher for Concord), date of absence, reason for absence, parent name, and phone number. Please note that should you email an absence, the email must come from a parent email that is noted in PowerSchool.

Girls Basketball Season Comes to an End

The girls' basketball season ended strong! In the playoffs, the team made it past the first round beating higher seed Gower to advance to play the number two seed Old Quarry where their season ended. The girls learned a lot of skills and strategies throughout the season, most importantly, coming together as a team. Congrats to coaches Landon Mitchell and Bryan Koh and all the players on a successful season!

Cass Junior High has three 5th graders, two 6th graders, and five 7th graders participate in the Noetic Learning Fall Math Contest. Chi Vu was the 5th grade team winner and also earned Honorable Mention for her score. Angus Woodbury was the 6th grade team winner. Jimmy Hetue was the 7th grade team winner and also earned a National Honor Roll award for his score. A.J. Akin Akintayo, Calvin Tanouye, Matteo Vitagliano, and Ryan Gallagher all earned an Honorable Mention award. Congratulations to all of our participants!

District 86 Seeks Parent Teacher Advisory Committee Members

Hinsdale Township High School District 86 is seeking parents/guardians of students in Grades 6-8 to serve as representatives on the District's Parent Teacher Advisory Committee (PTAC). The committee is charged with helping to develop student behavior policy/procedures, and provides the D86 Board of Education with information and recommendations as needed. If interested, please use the following link to submit an application by Thursday, December 19 at 4:00 PM.

8th Grade Picture Day January 9

8th Grade Picture Day is on Thursday, January 9. Students should come to school dressed up and ready for pictures. They may bring clothes to change into after pictures have been taken. No money is due at this time. Proofs will be sent to the school and sent home to parents for an opportunity to order pictures. If you have any questions, please contact the Cass Junior High office at 331-481-4000, extension 2.

Dinner Tonight at Culvers!

This month's Dine to Donate is at Culvers on Thursday, December 12. Stop by for dinner and dessert after the Band concert.

Enter to Win Front Row Seats

Enter to win front row seats at next week’s junior chorus concert, and other upcoming music concerts as well! 

Alumni Accolades

Congratulations to Vishnu Chakroborty for being chosen to this year’s Forbes 30 Under 30 list for his startup Glide.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Collin Caldwell for being named Best Delegate – Russian Federation National Security Council at this year’s Model UN Conference.

Congratulations to Hinsdale South students Jacob Borowski, Antonio Bosiljanov, Eva Joseph, Rayyan Qureshi, Cash Hipskind, Eli Carder and Shahmeer Ali on earning medals at the Neuqua Valley Invitations Science Olympiad.  

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program. Lunch menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. If you choose to provide feedback on a menu item through the menu program on the District’s website, please be sure to reference the school your child attends. 

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Normally I enjoy sharing positive comments with you here, but this week the tone is going to reflect a harsh reality that is quite different. Unfortunately, racism is that reality, and sometimes issues come up in which we also see it among our own students. While we have wonderful and supportive families and as a district we have absolutely no tolerance for bigotry, hatred, or racism, I am not going to sugarcoat it or pretend that it can't or doesn't happen.

I don't care how young or old a child may be, there are hateful behaviors and disgusting terms that will never be tolerated if used about or toward our students, staff, or families in District 63. This is particularly true when what amounts to severe bullying or harassment targets a particular child in our schools, regardless of whether the actual bullying or harassment takes place at school or not. If it ultimately impacts them at school, we will take action to protect that child from this kind of behavior.

How we respond to any incident will obviously depend on the specifics of the situation, the age of the students involved, and any other facts of the case. That said, the important thing for everyone to understand is that we can and will deal with this type of behavior in the most serious terms, particularly when it impacts a child's mental or physical health, or is a threat to any student.

Again, just to make sure everyone hears this loud and clear, the actual behavior does not have to manifest itself at school and in today's world it often doesn't. In fact, in our experience, that is almost always the case since so much of this kind of behavior takes place via messaging, social media, and other means. But sometimes, kids actually do just come right out and say it directly to a person. Either way, it is absolutely unacceptable.

So let me be very clear. If your child engages in this kind of behavior and it impacts one or more of our students, just know that it is going to be dealt with and handled fairly, but very seriously. We have an absolute duty to protect every one of our students and keep them safe at all times, including and especially blatant bigotry, hatred, and racism. This is true for every individual from our Board of Education to our administrators, teachers, and staff in D63.

On behalf of all our students, families, and staff, I greatly appreciate your support in joining the effort to combat racism both here in our community and beyond. Thank you.

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Cass Junior High students hard at work.

Cass Junior High Perfect Attendance

Being at school every day is one of the most important ways to ensure a student’s success and with this in mind, we want to congratulate the following students on their perfect attendance during the first trimester at Cass Junior High: Jakylah Adams, Naya Alraghib, Matthew Archaga, Annosha Arif, Geno Arnold, Madison Bailey, Brady Bobinski, Manoela Bosiljanova, Ian Chavez, Ibrahim Diab, Lucas Duggan, Violet Duggan, Daniella Faye, Julianna Gonzalez, Alicia Huang, Chris Huang, Madelyn Jason, Jyoti Kapur, Sarina Kapur, Victoria Kirov, Lucy Krenn, Nikolas Leon, Shinaika Lewen, Mariano Mantucca, Athena Monroe, Zara Monroe, Abby Nunez, Veyden Patel, Angela Perez, Riyashree Ravikumar, Hannah Rouw, Emilia Straczek, Calvin Tanouye, Maya Thompson, Ana Vujovic, and Jay Vyas.

Congratulations to our perfect attendance students!

5th Grade Visits Field Museum

As a culminating activity to the study of Ancient Egypt, our 5th grade students enjoyed a field trip to the Field Museum yesterday. The students participated in an Ancient Egypt artifact class as well as a guided tour.

Bowling Night December 7 - Live Auction is Open!

Hey team! CARE’s Bowling Night fundraiser is this Saturday, December 7! Register here as a team player, an individual standout, or a cheerleader! Can’t attend but still want to support CARE? The on-line auction link is live! You do not have to be present to win!

Click here to check out and bid on tickets to Ravinia, Legoland, Drury Lane, and more! Help us make this event a home run!

Other Important CARE Events!

In addition to the Bowling Night this coming weekend, CARE has a lot of great things coming our way. Please check out all the great opportunities.

• Chess is coming back to Concord this year for our 2nd through 4th grade students through a partnership with Elite Chess! Here are more details and registration information for winter sessions.
• Enter to win front row seats at next week’s junior high band concert, and other upcoming concerts! 
• This month's Dine to Donate is at Culvers on Thursday, December 12. Stop by for dinner and dessert after the Band concert.

Concord students are learning to help others through service and donations. This year, the service project is to hold a Sports Equipment Drive, which is November 25 through December 12. Please see this flyer for information on what items are being collected. Thank for your helping others, while teaching our students the importance of service.

Chess Team Tryouts December 9 and 10

Cass Junior High Chess Team will be holding tryouts on December 9 and 10. Please see this flyer for more information.

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program. Lunch menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. If you choose to provide feedback on a menu item through the menu program on the District’s website, please be sure to reference the school your child attends. 

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Alumni Accolades
Congratulations to Hinsdale South student and D63 graduate Andrea Crisp for earning a role in this year's All State Theatre Festival! 

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District 86 Seeks Parent Teacher Advisory Committee Members

Hinsdale Township High School District 86 is seeking parents/guardians of students in Grades 6-8 to serve as representatives on the District's Parent Teacher Advisory Committee (PTAC). The committee is charged with helping to develop student behavior policy/procedures, and provides the D86 Board of Education with information and recommendations as needed. If interested, please use the following link to submit an application by Thursday, December 19 at 4:00 PM.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

We had an important Board of Education meeting earlier this week, with the presentation of the local tax levy, the appointment of Katie Doyle as the next Concord principal, and taking the next steps with our Phase II Facilities Plan. More information on our facility planning is provided in the Board Briefs below, and I will also share more on this in the coming weeks.

However, a very exciting component to this planning is the potential replacement of the Concord playground. This is long overdue, but top notch playgrounds are costly and will require some fundraising so the district can focus our resources on the infrastructure and facility needs that are most critical to resolve.

Fortunately for our kids and school district, our wonderful CARE parent organization is stepping up big time, and has already pledged $50,000 toward making this happen! This is absolutely awesome, but CARE does not want to stop there as they are also working on ideas for potential higher level fundraising, including recognizing large donors for their contributions.

This is also a good time to remind everyone that CARE is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, and donations are therefore subject to federal tax deductions. More details will be provided regarding both the playground project and corresponding fundraising effort, but I wanted to share the great news!

There will be no Connections next week as we celebrate Thanksgiving! Our weekly communications will resume on December 5. On behalf of all of us in Cass School District 63, travel safely and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Concord students working on a book project.

No School Next Week!

Due to Parent Teacher Conferences on November 25 and 26 and the Thanksgiving holiday, there is no school for students the week of November 25. School will resume on Monday, December 2. We wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving!

1st Trimester Progress in PowerSchool November 22

The end of the first trimester is November 22 and parents will be able to view a complete summary of your child’s progress through the trimester. Please remember that you can review your child’s academic progress and other information in PowerSchool at any time by following these instructions. Please contact the school office with any questions.

At the November 19 meeting, the Board of Education approved the tentative tax levy for fiscal year 2024, approved a three-year contract for Katie Doyle as the next principal at Concord, and reviewed the proposed Phase II Facilities Plan items that were recently reviewed and reprioritized by the Facilities Committee with the school district architects.

As a result of the committee’s work, the Board agreed to move forward with the updated Phase II Facilities Plan for work expected to be completed in the summer of 2025. Mr. Cross also reviewed potential plans for updating the Concord playground through a partnership and fundraising with CARE. For more information on the meeting, please see the Board Briefs.

Indian Prairie Library Writing Competition

Three Cass Junior High students swept the entire fourth through sixth grade poetry category of the annual Indian Prairie Write-On Competition. The winners were treated to a dinner with award-winning young adult author Misa Siguera (Momo Arashima series and It's Not Like It's a Secret) where they spoke with her one-on-one about the writing process. This was followed up by a presentation where Siguera spoke about writing and her path to becoming a published author followed by the announcement of the contest winners. Our Cass winners were fifth graders Dexter Gawel and Ada Shields and sixth grader Hridhan Jasrotia. They were each given a signed copy of the author's latest book and a cash prize. Congratulations, students!

Recognizing Our Staff - Sharon Chacko

We love to share the good news about our incredible D63 staff, and this week we are recognizing Sharon Chacko. Ms. Chacko is a speech pathologist in D63, and we share her services two days a week with our neighbors in Center Cass School District 66. As a result, Ms. Chacko works at four different schools in two districts, requiring far more than usual planning, scheduling, preparation, and communication to ensure that all student needs are being met.

Ms. Chacko shared that her teams in both school districts make her job easier by always offering to lend a hand. “They make teamwork and collaboration very easy because everyone shares the same goal and is so welcoming.” The leadership and student services teams in both districts greatly appreciate Ms. Chacko’s professionalism, communication, and teamwork. Congratulations and thank you, Ms. Chacko!

Bowling Night December 7 - Don't Miss Out on the Fun!

Calling all Superfans, Cheeseheads, and Bleacher Creatures! Join us Saturday, December 7 for CARE’s Bowling Night Fundraiser. There will be darts, billiards, raffles, a caricature artist, an on-line auction, and more! This year’s theme is Sports Legends. Join us for an evening of fun, fandom, and friendly competition to help CARE reach its fundraising gooooooooooal!

Concord Underground Spirit Week

Concord Teachers had some secret fun last week by participating in a staff-only Underground Spirit Week! Throughout the week teachers secretly dressed in all black, wore flannel and holiday wear along with partaking in crazy hair day and anything-but-a-cup day! It was so exciting to see the students use their quick observation skills to catch our teachers participating in such an engaging and clever activity.

Concord is holding a Sports Equipment Drive November 25 through December 12. Please see this flyer for information on what items are being collected.

Chess Team Tryouts December 9 and 10

Cass Junior High Chess Team will be holding tryouts on December 9 and 10. Please see this flyer for more information.

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Last Chance to Claim Lost and Found

The lost and found at Concord Elementary and Cass Junior High are getting full. If your child is missing anything, please have them come and check to see if it is in the lost and found. Any unclaimed items will be donated at the end of the school day on November 22. 

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program. Lunch menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. If you choose to provide feedback on a menu item through the menu program on the District’s website, please be sure to reference the school your child attends. 

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Alumni Accolades
Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Ryder McMurray for being named to the Red Grange All DuPage County Football team! 

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Earlier this week, we celebrated Veterans Day with an assembly at Cass Junior High School. It is always an honor having some of our veterans visit for this special day, and of course it doubles as a great learning experience for our students. To all the veterans in our community, thank you for your service to our country.

On November 15, we celebrate School Board Members Day. Board members are volunteers who serve a critical role in our community, not only with their commitment to education and our children, but to our taxpayers as well. I’ve had a school board as my boss for well over 20 years, and ours is the best. We are so fortunate to have these seven outstanding people serve in this role.

Also, next week is American Education Week and we always use this occasion to recognize and thank our teachers and staff for their professionalism and commitment to the education of our students. Our dedicated and child-centered people in District 63 are second to none, and we could not be any more grateful for their great work with the children in our community.

Concord parents, don’t forget the Book Fair next week, including family shopping night on November 20. We hope to see you there!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Thank you to our D63 faculty and staff for all that you do!

Cass Students Honor Our Veterans

In observation of Veterans Day, our 7th grade students hosted an assembly this week for some of our local family and friends who are veterans. The assembly was held to honor these true heroes, recognize their invaluable contributions, their courage, and their dedication, and show our deep appreciation for their sacrifices. The 7th grade students wrote and recited heartfelt letters of appreciation to the veterans in attendance with help from the symphonic band, advanced ensemble, and the advanced art class. With the addition of the Darien VFW Color Guard 2838 and our local Boy Scouts, the assembly was truly a group effort to show appreciation for the individuals who have fiercely defended our freedoms and secured our democracy.

Celebrating Our School Board Members

November 15 is School Board Members Day and in honor of this, we want to recognize our Board of Education members Lana Johnson, Rinku Patel, Urszula Tanouye, Steve Wyent, Chris Green, Katie Marinelli, and Liz Mitha. Please join us in thanking this incredible group of people for their leadership and dedication to the students, staff, and community of Cass School District 63.

Concord Book Fair is approaching! Students can shop November 18-22. Parents can shop online or at the family shopping night on Wednesday, November 20 from 4:30-7:00 p.m. Please see this flyer for more information.

CARE Bowling Night December 7

Calling all Superfans, Cheeseheads, and Bleacher Creatures! Join us Saturday, December 7 for CARE’s Bowling Night Fundraiser. There will be darts, billiards, raffles, a caricature artist, an on-line auction, and more! This year’s theme is Sports Legends. Join us for an evening of fun, fandom, and friendly competition to help CARE reach its fundraising gooooooooooal!

Concord Students Visit with an Author

Last week, Concord welcomed local resident, author, and illustrator Laura Smetana to share one of her published books, Little Squiggle's Lake Adventure, with students and to discuss the book making process and how she finds inspiration for her stories. During the visits she also taught the students how to draw Little Squiggle. Some students completed their drawings and hung them on their lockers.

Concord is holding a Sports Equipment Drive November 25 through December 12. Please see this flyer for information on what items are being collected.

Chess Team Tryouts December 9 and 10

Cass Junior High Chess Team will be holding tryouts on December 9 and 10. Please see this flyer for more information.

Boys Basketball Tryouts November 20 and 21

Boys Basketball tryouts are November 20 and 21. Please see the flyer for times as the tryouts will be before school on both days. Students must have a current sports physical on file to try out.

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With winter weather comes the possibility of the need to cancel school and move to e-learning due to severe weather conditions. This is a decision that is not taken lightly. Not only are the weather and road conditions taken into consideration, but also the conditions of the buildings and parking lots, the operability and availability of buses and drivers, the ability of staff to make the commute, as well as the air temperature and wind chill.

Timing of Announcements – A decision to cancel will be announced to the school community either the day prior or the morning of the cancellation. If the decision is made in the morning, it will be announced no later than 6:00 a.m. whenever possible.

Communication – The district does not utilize the media for these announcements and instead messages information directly to parents and staff. Once the decision is made, the school community will be notified through email, text messaging, and through a posting on the district's website and Facebook page.

District e-Learning Plan – While in person learning may be cancelled, the district will follow our e-Learning Plan for virtual instruction. Please review the plan in advance to understand what the expectations are for our staff and your child.

Early Dismissals and Late Starts – While some districts may choose to do so, District 63 does not plan to utilize early dismissals or late starts. Both can be a moving target with a very narrow window for decision making, which can result in much greater disruption to parents and families, as well as teaching and learning. In the event either would ever be necessary, announcements will be made immediately after a decision to do so.

Thank you for your understanding as we head into winter, and please contact the district or school office or your child’s teacher if you have any questions.

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Junior High Yearbook Orders Due December 1

If you did not order your Cass Junior High yearbook when you registered your child for the 2024-25 school year, now is your last chance to do so. All orders must be submitted by December 1 in order to receive a yearbook at the end of the school year. If you are interested in ordering a yearbook, please pay through MySchoolBucks or send a check in the amount of $28 made payable to Cass Junior High, put ”yearbook” on the memo line, and send it to the Cass Junior High office. Please contact the school office with any questions.

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The lost and found at Concord Elementary and Cass Junior High are getting full. If your child is missing anything, please have them come and check to see if it is in the lost and found. Any unclaimed items will be donated at the end of the school day on November 22. 

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program. Lunch menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Alumni Accolades
Congratulations to Kaydence Burton, Teona Gavatski and Floriano Garro for being name Hinsdale South social studies students of the month.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

In District 63, we stress the importance of excellent attendance because we know that students as a whole perform better when they are at school. A colleague recently passed along some excellent data on the impact of student attendance, and I thought it was worth sharing with our parents and staff.

• Kindergarten and 1st grade students who are chronically absent have an 81 percent chance of reading below grade level in 3rd grade.
• In 4th grade, chronically absent students score an average of 12 points lower on the NAEP assessments than students who demonstrated good attendance.
• By 8th grade, the gap between the chronically absent students and those with good attendance widens to 18 points on the NAEP.
• By 6th grade, chronic absence becomes a leading indicator that a student will drop out of high school.
• By high school, a chronically absent student is 7.4 times more likely to drop out.

By definition for the above research data, “chronic absence” means missing an average of two days per month, which is a total of 18 days, or 10 percent of the school year. “Good attendance” is missing nine days or less, or no more than five percent. The test data referenced above is based on the National Assessment of Educational Progress.

Is this true for every child? No, of course there are exceptions and this data does not control for other factors. However, this clearly demonstrates the importance of school attendance. Not only is it important for their learning and academic growth, but it also teaches good habits and a strong work ethic.

Thank you for doing your best to make sure your children are here at school! 

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Our 8th grade students put on a great science fair!

Parent-teacher conferences are November 25 and 26 and registration is open. The conference schedule is from 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. on Monday, November 25, and from 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 26. Concord teachers sent out emails to parents with instructions on how to sign up for a conference, and here is a letter from Principal Christine Marcinkewicz with the details and links for registration which is open through November 15. If you have not already signed up, please be sure to do so as soon as possible.

Cass Junior High Yearbooks

If you did not order your Cass Junior High yearbook when you registered your child for the 2024-25 school year, now is your last chance to do so. All orders must be submitted by December 1 in order to receive a yearbook at the end of the school year. If you are interested in ordering a yearbook, please pay through MySchoolBucks or send a check in the amount of $28 made payable to Cass Junior High, put ”yearbook” on the memo line, and send it to the Cass Junior High office. Please contact the school office with any questions.

Cass Students Participate in Mock Election

Students in Ms. Pollitz’s 6th grade civics classes have been learning about the election process since the start of the school year. To help connect their learning to the real world, a mock presidential election was held at Cass Junior High on November 4, in which all students participated in their social studies classes. Student voters were required to have a registered district email to vote. Students voted in an individual booth and received an “I Voted” sticker to commemorate the occasion.

8th Grade Science Fair

From studying how music affects mood to how smells affect taste to testing reaction time and so many projects in between, our 8th grade students did a tremendous job at the recent science fair! Thank you to our 8th graders for their hard work and to our parents and students for visiting the science fair.

Recognizing Our Staff – Sara Zimmerman and Kristyn McElligott

We love to share the good news about our incredible D63 staff, and this week we are recognizing Sara Zimmerman and Kristyn McElligott.

This coming week is School Psychology Awareness Week, and Sara Zimmerman is our dedicated, hardworking, and professional school psychologist. Her plate is very full as she is involved in so many aspects of student services, and meeting the needs of our students. Much of Sara’s work is behind the scenes, but all that she does is greatly appreciated respected by all of us, as well as our parents in D63!

Concord 2nd grade teacher Kristyn McElligott was nominated by teacher Katy Modglin for her dedication as well. Mrs. Modglin said, “Kristyn is an exemplary teacher and even a more exemplary team member. She goes above and beyond for not only her students but also her fellow staff members. She is inclusive of all students and staff and works hard to make Concord an enjoyable place to work. She is AMAZING in all aspects!”

Thank you to both Sara Zimmerman and Kristyn McElligott!

Boys Basketball Tryouts November 20 and 21

Boys Basketball tryouts are November 20 and 21. Please see the flyer for times as the tryouts will be before school on both days. Students must have a current sports physical on file to try out.

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Midwest Sheltor for Homeless Veterans Donations

   

In honor of the brave veterans who served our country, Cass Junior High students completed a donation drive for The Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans (MSHV) in Wheaton. Between the students and staff, we collected over 500 basic necessities of need and donated them to MSHV. The staff at MSHV was extremely grateful as their shelves were relatively bare, and they were in great need of many items. Kudos to the students in Ms. Musil’s, Mrs. Vaci’s, Mrs. Callahan’s, and Mr. Grand’s classes for meeting the goal of one item per student.

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Cass Junior High Spirit Week

Thank you to Cass Junior School student council for planning a fabulous Spirit Week! From TV Show/Movie Day to PJ Day and everything in between, the students and staff had a great time showing their school spirit.

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CARE Bowling Night December 7

Calling all Superfans, Cheeseheads, and Bleacher Creatures! Join us Saturday, December 7 for CARE’s Bowling Night Fundraiser. There will be darts, billiards, raffles, a caricature artist, an on-line auction, and more! This year’s theme is Sports Legends. Join us for an evening of fun, fandom, and friendly competition to help CARE reach its fundraising gooooooooooal!

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Front Row Ticket Raffle - Cass Fall Choral Concert

Would you like front row seats to your student’s fine arts events? CARE is raffling off front row seats to select band, choir and grade level music performances. Purchase at any time on the CARE website. The next event is the Cass Fall Choral Concert on November 14. Tickets are $1 and will be available until November 11.

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November Dine to Donate at Wayback Burger - November 12

Save the Date for this month's Dine to Donate at Wayback Burgers on Tuesday, November 12th!

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Alumni Accolades

Congratulations to Hinsdale South cross country runners Wojtek Gilarski and Anna Wilcox for qualifying to compete at the IHSA cross country state meet. We wish them the best of luck!

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program. Lunch menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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The lost and founds at Concord Elementary and Cass Junior High are getting full. If your child is missing anything, please have them come and check to see if it is in the lost and found. Any unclaimed items remaining at the end of the school day on November 22 will be donated to a local charity.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

It was a fun week for the kids and staff with the Halloween dance, festivities, and parties. Not all schools do so anymore, but we love celebrating and sharing the joy of Halloween with our kids in D63.

Incredibly, it is already November, which means parent-teacher conferences are around the corner. Concord teachers have already emailed registration information, and the conference registration portal for Cass Junior High opens at 8:00 a.m. on Friday, November 1. More details on conferences are provided below.

As a reminder, since election day is a mandated state holiday this year, there is no school on Tuesday, November 5. Also, don’t forget to set your clocks back this weekend and get that extra hour of sleep.

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Cass students ready for the Halloween dance and Concord staff ready for Halloween!

Sunday, November 3, ends Daylight Savings Time. Don’t forget to turn your clocks back one hour!

No School on Election Day

Tuesday, November 5, 2024 is Election Day and there is no school.

Recognizing Our Staff – Sarah Leganski and Amy Gorzkowski

We love to share the good news about our incredible D63 staff, and nominations are always welcome! This week we are recognizing Sarah Leganski and Amy Gorzkowski.

It was recently World Occupational Therapy Day, and Sarah Leganski plays a key role providing excellent services as an occupational therapist. She is so professional with our students, staff, and parents at both schools. Ms. Leganski is also a graduate of District 63 and is one of our awesome cross country and soccer coaches!

Cass Junior High English Language Arts teacher Amy Gorzkowski was recently nominated by fellow teacher Matt Etherington for her outstanding job in organizing the recent 7th grade field trip to Springfield. “Everything was seamless, from the logistics to the activities. The students had a fantastic time, and it was clear how much effort she put into making the trip both educational and fun,” Mr. Etherington shared. Thank you to Mrs. Gorzkowski for her part in giving our students an awesome experience! 

Parent-teacher conferences are November 25 and 26 and the schedule is from 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. on Monday, November 25, and from 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 26. We want to provide conferences in a format that allows for maximizing the time available, is appropriate for the grade level served, and is as parent-friendly as possible. Following are the details and registration procedures for each school.

Concord Elementary - All grade levels at Concord have both virtual and in-person conferences. Virtual conferences are available as a convenience to parents if that is your preference, but we also have an in-person option at Concord. Teachers from preschool through 4th grade sent out a conference registration email to all parents on October 24. Please contact the Concord school office if you did not receive an email.

Cass Junior High School - Due to the number of conferences and tighter schedule for each teacher as well as the age levels of the students, conferences for parents of students in 5th through 8th grades are virtual. Beginning on November 1, junior high conferences will be scheduled online through the Meet the Teacher platform. Here is a letter from Principal Christine Marcinkewicz with the details and links for registration for when the portal opens.

Please contact your child’s school office with any questions. Thank you!

Multicultural Celebration Survey Deadline November 1

Cass School District 63 will be hosting a multicultural celebration and we are looking for feedback from our families and assembling volunteers to help organize the event. To assist in our planning, we are asking parents to complete this survey. If you think you might be able to participate or even if you just have ideas to share, please respond by November 1.

8th Grade Parents - Hinsdale South Enrollment Open

8th grade parents, the enrollment website is now open in District 86 for Hinsdale South High School. Submitting information through this website is required for every incoming student planning to attend Hinsdale South in the Fall of 2025. Please submit initial registration information soon to District 86 via their registration website to avoid missing important information about high school course selection. Registration closes on November 8.

Boys Basketball Tryouts November 20 and 21

Boys Basketball tryouts are November 20 and 21. Please see the flyer for times as the tryouts will be before school on both days. Students must have a current sports physical on file to try out.

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Celebrating Halloween in D63!

We celebrate the fun of Halloween in our schools, with Cass students dressing up during the school day on Wednesday to be ready for their after school dance, and Concord kids dressed up for an assembly and class parties on Thursday. Please enjoy the pictures from these fun events!

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CARE Bowling Night December 7

Calling all Superfans, Cheeseheads, and Bleacher Creatures! Join us Saturday, December 7 for CARE’s Bowling Night Fundraiser. There will be darts, billiards, raffles, a caricature artist, an on-line auction, and more! This year’s theme is Sports Legends. Join us for an evening of fun, fandom, and friendly competition to help CARE reach its fundraising gooooooooooal!

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November Dine to Donate at Wayback Burger

Save the Date for this month's Dine to Donate at Wayback Burgers on Tuesday, November 12th!

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An important parent responsibility is to contact the school first thing in the morning when your child will be absent. This is important not only for safety, but also to limit the need for us to locate parents to find this information. Parents can either call the attendance line and leave the necessary information, or send it via email, whichever works best for you. 

For Concord absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 1 and then option 5, or email concordattendance@cassd63.org

For Cass absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 2 and then option 7, or email cassattendance@cassd63.org 

For both calls or emails, please leave your child's name, grade level (and teacher for Concord), date of absence, reason for absence, parent name, and phone number. Please note that should you email an absence, the email must come from a parent email that is noted in PowerSchool.

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The lost and founds at Concord Elementary and Cass Junior High are getting full. If your child is missing anything, please have them come and check to see if it is in the lost and found. Any unclaimed items remaining at the end of the school day on November 22 will be donated to a local charity. 

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program. Lunch menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

As most of you know, our parent organization CARE takes an active role in supporting our students, teachers, and school district. This is something that we all greatly appreciate, especially the volunteer parents who make so many good things happen!

This includes the recent DASH Fun Run at Concord, which was a huge success and raised approximately $7,500. Thank you to our students, parents, teachers, and especially our organizers! This was a great event and a beautiful day. Our Cass book fair in September was also a success, and we look forward to the Concord book fair coming up in November. Along those lines, there are a couple of CARE events coming up, including the annual Bowling Night Fundraiser on December 7. Registration details for bowling night are coming soon, and our annual Trivia Night is scheduled for February 7. Mark your calendars for both events!

Sometimes I get asked about fundraising and we all agree that it is important to connect fundraising efforts to good outcomes. CARE funds many great opportunities for our students and teachers. Sometimes these are smaller things that are impactful at a particular classroom or grade level, but we also look at larger things opportunities that might be funded in the future. It is always exciting when we can align fundraising to larger goals that can be so impactful for our kids.

If any group can make it happen, it is our CARE volunteers, and we thank them and all of you for your support of our kids, teachers, and schools!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Dodgeball fun at Cass Junior High!

Halloween Early Dismissal, Parties, and Costumes

Thursday, October 31 is an early release day for school improvement activities, as well as an early start on the costumes and Halloween activities for our families! Concord students will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass students at 12:00 p.m.

Concord Halloween and fall festival parties are being held on October 31. In order to assist in your planning, here are Concord Elementary’s guidelines. Cass Junior High is holding a Halloween Dance on October 30. Please review Cass Junior High’s guidelines for the dance and costumes.

Happy Halloween!

Cass School District 63 will be hosting a multicultural celebration and we are looking for feedback from our families and assembling volunteers to help organize the event. To assist in our planning, we are asking parents to complete this survey. If you think you might be able to participate or even if you just have ideas to share, please respond by November 1.

Parent-teacher conferences are November 25 and 26 and registration for conferences is coming very soon. The general conference schedule is from 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. on Monday, November 25, and from 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 26. We want to provide conferences in a format that allows for maximizing the time available, is appropriate for the grade level served, and is as parent-friendly as possible. Following are the details and registration procedures for each school.

Concord Elementary - All grade levels at Concord have both virtual and in-person conferences. Virtual conferences are available as a convenience to parents if that is your preference, but we also have an in-person option at Concord. On October 24, teachers from preschool through 4th grade will be sending parents the registration instructions and a link to the Google Calendar Scheduler. When you select your time with your child’s teacher, there will also be an opportunity to choose an in-person or virtual conference via Google Meet.

Cass Junior High School - Due to the number of conferences and tighter schedule for each teacher as well as the age levels of the students, conferences for parents of students in 5th through 8th grades will be all virtual. Beginning on November 1, junior high conferences will be scheduled online through the Meet the Teacher platform. Here is a letter from Principal Christine Marcinkewicz with the details and links for registration for when the portal opens. Reminders will be sent prior to registration opening.

We will continue to provide reminders, but please contact your child’s school office with any questions. Thank you!

Cass Junior High Spirit Week October 28-31

Cass Junior High spirit week is next week with different opportunities every day for students to participate. Please take a look to see how Cass students can join in the fun!

Parents Invited! 8th Grade Science Fair October 31

The 8th Grade Science Fair is October 31 and 8th grade parents are invited to attend. Please see this invitation for information on time, location and parking.

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5th Grade Studies Ancient Egypt

Our 5th grade students recently had an amazing time kicking off their study of Ancient Egypt. This hands-on project combined knowledge, creativity, and teamwork. Many of our student-created sarcophagi are displayed throughout the school for all grades to admire and enjoy.

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Recognizing Our Staff – Principals, Custodians, and IT Professionals 

We love to recognize our wonderful staff in D63, and this week we will catch up on some special people and days that we let slip past earlier this year!

IT Professionals Day – This day was September 17 and we think our information technology staff Mike Van De North of SinglePath Technology Support who keeps our network and systems running smoothly, and Technology Assistant Mark Pragides who supports our staff and students with day to day technology and support needs at Concord.

National Custodian Day – This special day is held on October 2 every year, and we appreciate the hard work and dedication of Pete Alt, Dan Farias, and Tina Milutinovic at Concord Elementary, and Donna Gerren, Steve Boutet, and Pete Pauley at Cass Junior High. Additionally, while they are not custodians, we are grateful for Director of Buildings, Grounds, and Transportation Keith Monaco who works nonstop, as well as Wayne Ostrowski who is our jack of all trades.

Principal Appreciation Day – Dr. Laura Anderson and Mrs. Christine Marcinkewicz are two dedicated and experienced principals who we recognize for Illinois Principal Appreciation Day, which is October 25 this year. The job of a principal is always challenging and both Dr. Anderson and Mrs. Marcinkewicz maintain high standards and a strong commitment to student growth and academic excellence at Concord and Cass.

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Homeless Veteran Donations Deadline October 28

One way we honor our veterans is by coordinating donations to the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans Freedom Commissary. The MSHV accepts your donations and provides to veterans and their families in need. Please see this flyer for information on what and where to donate.

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Cass School District 63 is seeking a teacher assistant at Cass Junior High School, as well as drivers and substitute custodians. For more information or to apply for current vacancies, here is the application and information.

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Alumni Accolades
Congratulations to Hinsdale South High School class of 2025 students Collin Caldwell, Elias Carder, Andrea Crisp, Amanda Esposito, Jeremy Fung, Jane Gallagher, Eva Gurklys, Katherine Joseph, Hailey Linarez, Langston Love, and Elizabeth Martin on being named National Merit College Board Scholars. This is a very impressive achievement and we are proud that eleven of our D63 graduates have attained this honor.

Also, congratulations to Hinsdale South students of the quarter Sam Rallo, Jeremy Fung, Emma Glashin, and Molly Severus.

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program. Lunch menus are updated regularly and payment information, preschool snacks and other details are available under the lunch program. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

As a school district, we want to celebrate our families and their diverse backgrounds and cultures. As part of our Vision 2025 Strategic Plan, Cass School District 63 is hosting a Multicultural Celebration the evening of April 11, 2025. This is something we have talked about for some time, and we are excited to make it happen.

We are assembling volunteers to help organize the event, but first we would like to gauge interest and get some ideas. To assist in our planning, we are asking parents to complete this survey and respond to the questions, each as they apply to you. If you think you might be able to participate or even if you just have ideas to share, please respond by Friday, November 1st. If you have any questions, please email me at mcross@cassd63.org.

Your responses will help us develop this into something meaningful for our students, families, and community. Thank you!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Concord students having a great time during the DASH Fun Run.

Parent-teacher conferences are November 25 and 26 and registration for conferences is coming very soon. The general conference schedule is from 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. on Monday, November 25, and from 8:30 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 26. We want to provide conferences in a format that allows for maximizing the time available, is appropriate for the grade level served, and is as parent-friendly as possible. Following are the details and registration procedures for each school.

Concord Elementary - All grade levels at Concord have both virtual and in-person conferences. Virtual conferences are available as a convenience to parents if that is your preference, but we also have an in-person option at Concord. On October 24, teachers from preschool through 4th grade will be sending parents the registration instructions and a link to the Google Calendar Scheduler. When you select your time with your child’s teacher, there will also be an opportunity to choose an in-person or virtual conference via Google Meet.

Cass Junior High School - Due to the number of conferences and tighter schedule for each teacher as well as the age levels of the students, conferences for parents of students in 5th through 8th grades will be all virtual. Beginning on November 1, junior high conferences will be scheduled online through the Meet the Teacher platform. Here is a letter from Principal Christine Marcinkewicz with the details and links for registration for when the portal opens. Reminders will be sent prior to registration opening.

We will continue to provide reminders, but please contact your child’s school office with any questions. Thank you!

At the Board meeting held on October 15, the Board welcomed students Skylar Herbert and Decker Kuntz to recognize their outstanding performance during the cross country season. The Board also recognized the preschool team, Pam Worth, Lauren Grochowski, and Kara Blatt for achieving Gold Circle recognition. The Board also reviewed the fiscal year 2024 financial audit and discussed phase two facility planning. For more information on the October 15 meeting, please see the Board Briefs.

Red Ribbon and Spirit Week is October 21-25 at Concord Elementary, and many fun activities have been planned. Here is the schedule of events as well as all the spirit themed days for students and staff.

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Supporting Our Veterans

One way we honor our veterans is by coordinating donations to the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans Freedom Commissary. The MSHV accepts your donations and provides to veterans and their families in need. Please see this flyer for information on what and where to donate.  

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CARE DASH Fun Run Success

CARE, our parent-teacher organization, coordinated and hosted the DASH Fun Run at Concord last week. This is a walking and running event that promotes school spirit, physical fitness, and healthy living, all while raising money to support our schools! The Concord students had an amazing time participating in all of the activities on such a beautiful fall morning. Thank you to CARE and our parents and families for supporting this fantastic event!

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Dodgeball Fun at Cass Junior High

We had a great turnout for the first-ever dodgeball tournament at Cass Junior High last week! With 24 teams and over 140 students participating, the students showed team spirit and outstanding sportsmanship.

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Cass Junior High Math Team is starting on Monday, October 21 and is open to all interested students. Please see this flyer for more information. Contact Ms. Mosquera with questions at kmosquera@cassd63.org.

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Halloween Festivities and Guidelines

Concord Halloween and fall festival parties are coming up at the end of October and we know that parents want to know what Halloween costumes may be worn. In order to assist in your planning, here are Concord Elementary’s guidelines, particularly as it relates to events taking place at school the morning of October 31. 

Cass Junior High is holding a Halloween Dance on October 30. Please review Cass Junior High’s guidelines for the dance and costumes.

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CARE Bowling Night

CARE is hosting its annual Bowling Night Fundraiser on Saturday, December 7. This year’s theme is Sports Legends! Be like Mike and save the date! Registration details coming are soon.

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program and lunch menus and other information are available under the link. The menus include nutritional and allergen information, as well as a detailed listing of ingredients and an option for rating food items. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. Preschool snack menus can be found here.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Earlier today I spoke with a few junior high students and was quickly reminded how kind and friendly so many of our kids are in District 63. Of course, this totally starts at home with you as parents because while some people are naturally friendly, it can also be taught. It might take some years to stick, but I think this is important, particularly when today it is so easy to allow a child to have their eyes on a device without ever having to acknowledge another person.

Personally, I was an old school parent who taught my kids to look people in the eye, be respectful, and always acknowledge another person's kindness. It wasn't always easy, especially when they were at an awkward age, but that was all the more reason to teach them the importance of this. I knew if they could do it as kids, these habits would carry over into adulthood.

Clearly, so many of you teach these same values, and it shows here at school. Not only do I see it, but our teachers, staff, and administrators do as well and we all talk about it. Kids are kids and they aren't always perfect, but we appreciate their good manners, kindness, and respect, and will do whatever we can to reinforce those habits and teach them the same thing here at school.

Thank you for sharing your awesome kids with us, and we will do whatever we can to help them reach their potential not only academically, but as good human beings as well!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Cass 7th grade students exploring Springfield, Illinois.

Friday, October 11 is an early release day for school improvement activities. Concord students will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass students at 12:00 p.m. Additionally, there is no school on Monday in honor of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples Day. Enjoy your long weekend!

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Help Us Honor Our Veterans

Veterans Day is approaching and our 7th grade students are participating in a special letter writing project and this is your last chance to include your family and friends who are military veterans or on active duty. Please see this letter for more information on helping us honor the veterans you care most about.

Another way to honor our veterans is by making a donation to the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans Freedom Commissary (MSHV) who take your donations and gives them to veterans and their families in need. Please see this flyer for information on what and where to donate. 

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Social Emotional Learning at Cass Junior High School
We are working hard to meet the needs of our students both academically, as well as socially and emotionally. As part of that work, we use the MySAEBRS assessment in grades 5 through 8. The purpose of this brief, norm-referenced screener is to be proactive and work with parents and students to address any concerns as we prepare your children for high school. Here is more information on the SEL Screener and Opt Out Form that must be returned to the school office by October 15 if you do not want your child to participate. If you are fine with your child participating, there is nothing you need to do. Please contact Principal Marcinkewicz at cmarcinkewicz@cassd63.org with any questions.

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Preschool Playground Closed Temporarily
The Concord Preschool playground will be closed for no more than two weeks beginning on October 14. Concord successfully applied for and received a grant that will lead to some great improvements for our youngest students. Our kids will still be outdoors for play and recess, and we look forward to offering a great new play space for our students.

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Cass Junior High Math Team is starting on Monday, October 21 and is open to all interested students. Please see this flyer for more information. Contact Ms. Mosquera with questions at kmosquera@cassd63.org.

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Concord and Cass Halloween Festivities and Guidelines
Concord Halloween and fall festival parties are coming up at the end of October and we know that parents want to know what Halloween costumes may be worn. In order to assist in your planning, here are Concord Elementary’s guidelines, particularly as it relates to events taking place at school the morning of October 31. 

Cass Junior High is holding a Halloween Dance on October 30. Please review Cass Junior High’s guidelines for the dance and costumes.

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Concord Picture Retake Day October 16

Concord picture retake day is October 16. Students who did not have their pictures taken already or who would like to have their pictures retaken may participate. Order forms are available in the Concord Elementary Office or you may order online at www.mylifetouch.com using the Picture ID code EVTCPTFMQ. Students who are retaking their pictures must return the original photos on picture retake day so that new photos may be taken.

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7th Grade Springfield Trip

Last Friday, our 7th grade students enjoyed a full day of authentic learning in Springfield. This field trip brought the social studies curriculum to life as students explored the Illinois State Capitol, President Lincoln’s home, the Lincoln Museum, and other historical attractions. Please enjoy these pictures from this annual trip.

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Congratulations to Kaleia Pang

Congratulations to Cass Junior High student Kaleia Pang and her teammate who took 6th place overall in the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) held this past summer in Puerto Rico. Awesome!

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Music Concert Front Row Raffle

Would you like front row seats to your student’s fine arts events? CARE is raffling off front row seats to select band, choir and grade level music performances. Purchase at any time on the CARE website. The first event is the Cass Junior High Jazz Band & Advanced Vocal Ensemble Performance on October 17. Raffle tickets are $1 and will be available until October 11. 

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program and lunch menus and other information are available under the link. The menus include nutritional and allergen information, as well as a detailed listing of ingredients and an option for rating food items. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. Preschool snack menus can be found here.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

There is nothing more important or sacred than doing whatever we can to help keep our students safe and healthy. The Healthy Kids, Safe Schools section of our website includes information that could potentially be helpful to our parents and kids. This includes people you can contact at school if you need help. There are links to resources for talking to kids about a variety of topics, references for counseling, as well as information on bullying, sex abuse prevention, suicide prevention, and crisis support.

We also include resources for keeping kids safe online, something we talk about here from time to time. Smart phones and devices in the hands of kids are very powerful tools that need to be monitored carefully by parents, with full awareness of the risks of certain social media tools in particular. Under the Social Media Safety Tips section below, we highlight some things parents should be aware of regarding Snapchat. I welcome any suggestions on other resources that we can share.

Changing topics, CARE is planning some awesome activities this year, including the Concord DASH Fun Run on our early dismissal morning of October 11. The goal this year is to raise $5,500, with 100 percent of the donations directly benefiting students. At Cass, kids have the opportunity to have fun in a dodgeball tournament that same morning as part of their activities. No fundraiser, just fun!

Lastly, I would like to thank our fall athletic coaches who put in many hours for our student-athletes at Cass Junior High School. We are very grateful to have baseball coach Craig Damrow, softball coach Danielle Hosman, and cross country coaches Scott Kondraschow and Sarah Leganski coaching our kids and running these programs. Not only are they extremely knowledgeable and excellent coaches, but they are just great human beings and amazing role models for our kids. They also teach the importance of teamwork, sacrifice, and the value of putting in the time and effort to improve.

Thank you to our coaches, and congratulations to our kids on their successful seasons so far!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Concord students performing at a recent school assembly.

Bus Route Updates Effective October 7

The district posted updates to several bus routes that will go into effect on Monday, October 7 with the morning routes. Please be sure to check your child’s route to be sure that you have the correct stop and time. As a reminder, parents should contact Sunrise Transportation dispatch directly at 630-541-3414 should your child’s bus be late, appears to have missed your stop, or if your child did not arrive home on the bus. Please contact transportation director Keith Monaco at kmonaco@cassd63.org should you have any questions about your child’s bus stop.

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Veterans Day is approaching and our 7th grade students are once again participating in a special letter writing project. We need your help in finding family and friends who are military veterans or on active duty. Please see this letter for more information on helping us honor the veterans you care most about. We will honor veterans on November 12, and we ask that names are submitted by October 11 on the form.

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Preschool Playground Closed Temporarily

The Concord Preschool playground will be closed for no more than two weeks beginning on October 14. Concord successfully applied for and received a grant that will lead to some great improvements for our youngest students. Our kids will still be outdoors for play and recess, and we look forward to offering a great new play space for our students.

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The DASH Fun Run is October 11, and all Concord students are invited to help raise funds for CARE. Concord students will participate in running or walking laps and enjoying outdoor activities, regardless of dollars contributed. Our goal this year is to raise $5,500, with 100 percent of the donations directly benefiting students. See the flyer for more details, and pledge sheets will be sent home on September 30.

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Preschool Family Day and DASH Run

Preschool families are invited to come to Concord Elementary on Friday, October 11, from 8:15 - 9:00 a.m. to participate in the DASH Fun Run! All preschoolers will be able to participate with their families and friends in this CARE sponsored activity, and fundraising is not necessary to attend. To make the event more age appropriate, we will participate in playground games and activities in lieu of running laps. Make sure to wear gym shoes so everyone can enjoy playing on our playground! This family day will be tons of fun and helps to support our parent organization. A google form was recently sent to all preschool families.

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Girls Softball Finishes Strong

The softball team had a great season, finishing as the 5th seed going into the conference tournament. The girls grew together and played together as a team all season, improving each and every game. There was great leadership and each player showed a lot of heart and effort throughout the season. They played each opponent tough and made them work for their wins. It was a memorable season that we will be looking to grow upon moving into next year, but we will definitely miss our three 8th graders! Congratulations on a great season to Coach Hosman and the team!

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Congratulations to Vincent Chen

Cass Junior High student Vincent Chen competed in the XXXII Pan Am Junior Badminton Championships this past summer in Mexico taking 2nd place for U15 singles and 3rd place for U15 doubles! Congratulations and great job Vincent!

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As a school district, we share information from time to time regarding social media with parents to help keep our children safe. Please always remember no child under the age of 13 should be on any form of social media, including and especially Snapchat. Snapchat is popular with young people and while the premise behind the app seems innocent, it can lead to serious problems if used inappropriately.

Snapchat offers extra protections for 13 to 17 year olds, including requiring teens to be mutually connected or in their respective phone contacts before they can start communicating. Snap has a set of in-app parental tools called Family Center to help parents get insight into how their teens are using Snapchat, including who they are communicating with and what public content they are viewing. Kids and parents can easily report concerning accounts to Snap’s 24/7 Trust and Safety Team.

Here is a list of important actions to help protect your teens on Snapchat:

• Family and Friends Only – Tell your teen to only invite and accept Friends on Snapchat if they are friends in real life or family members. Encourage them to check their Friends List regularly to make sure they still want to be in touch with each friend.
• Location and Privacy Settings – Talk to your teen about their location and privacy settings. At Snapchat, privacy settings are turned on by default, so people can only see the things you want to share, for as long as you want to share them.
• In-App Reporting – Make sure your teen knows how to use the in-app reporting tools, and Snapchatters do not know who reported them. These reports go directly to the 24/7 Trust and Safety team to investigate and take appropriate action. There are also reporting tools for those who don’t use Snapchat, which any parent can easily use.
• Think Before You Send – Remind your teen that, as with sharing anything online, it’s important to be really careful about sending anyone – even a partner or close friend – personal or sensitive images and information. Snaps and Chats may delete by default, but there are ways to capture images from a phone or other device without a person’s consent. This is true despite Snapchat sending a notification in some instances when a screenshot is taken.
• Join Family Center – Make sure you and your teen are signed up for Snapchat’s Family Center.

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Girls Cheer Tryouts October 7-9

Cass Junior High cheer clinic and tryouts are October 7, 8 and 10. Please see this flyer for more important information. Please contact Mrs. Gorzkowski at agorzkowski@cassd63.org or Mrs. Gray at agray@cassd63.org with questions.

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Girls Basketball Tryouts October 7 and 8

Girls basketball tryouts are on October 7 and 8 in the Cass Junior High gym from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Students must have an IHSA Pre-participation Examination dated within the last year on file in order to try out. Please contact Coach Landon Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org with questions.

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Concord Picture Retake Day October 16

Concord picture retake day is October 16. Students who did not have their pictures taken already or who would like to have their pictures retaken may participate. Order forms are available in the Concord Elementary Office or you may order online at www.mylifetouch.com using the Picture ID code EVTCPTFMQ. Students who are retaking their pictures must return the original photos on picture retake day so that new photos may be taken.

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Music Concert Front Row Raffle

Would you like front row seats to your student’s fine arts events? CARE is raffling off front row seats to select band, choir and grade level music performances. Purchase at any time on the CARE website. The first event is the Cass Junior High Jazz Band & Advanced Vocal Ensemble Performance on October 17. Raffle tickets are $1 and will be available until October 11. 

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Cass School District 63 is seeking a permanent substitute teacher and teacher assistants for the 2024-25 school year. For more information or to apply for current vacancies, here is the application and information. 

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program and lunch menus and other information are available under the link. The menus include nutritional and allergen information, as well as a detailed listing of ingredients and an option for rating food items. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. Preschool snack menus can be found here.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

This week, I just want to express our gratitude for the support you as parents show our children, teachers, staff, and schools. I believe that a great partnership between home and school is a very important piece of providing our kids with a great education, and your assistance and support is an essential component of that partnership.

Over this past week as part of my professional work, I have spoken with school superintendents from different parts of Illinois, and across the country as well. To put it kindly, some of them have some very “interesting” stories that would demonstrate quite the opposite of anything resembling parental support.

While we are far from perfect and no parent is either, by communicating and working together we can achieve so many great outcomes for our kids. They are totally worth that effort, as they are why we are all here. Thank you!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Concord students excited about Dot Day activities.

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Honoring Our Veteran Family and Friends

Veterans Day is approaching and our 7th grade students are once again participating in a special letter writing project. We need your help in finding family and friends who are military veterans or on active duty. Please see this letter for more information on helping us honor the veterans you care most about. We will honor veterans on November 12, and we ask that names are submitted by October 11 on the form.

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Concord Fun Run T-Shirt Orders Due September 30

The DASH Fun Run is October 11, and all Concord students are invited to help raise funds for CARE. Concord students will participate in running or walking laps and enjoying outdoor activities, regardless of dollars contributed. Our goal this year is to raise $5,500, with 100 percent of the donations directly benefiting students. See the flyer for more details, and pledge sheets will be sent home on September 30.

Also, if you have not already purchased a DASH t-shirt for your child and wish to do so, you can send in your DASH t-shirt order form or purchase online by Monday, September 30. Students will be welcome to wear their shirts on the day of the event.

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Preschool Family Day and DASH Run

Preschool families are invited to come to Concord Elementary on Friday, October 11, from 8:15 - 9:00 a.m. to participate in the DASH Fun Run! All preschoolers will be able to participate with their families and friends in this CARE sponsored activity, and fundraising is not necessary to attend. To make the event more age appropriate, we will participate in playground games and activities in lieu of running laps. Make sure to wear gym shoes so everyone can enjoy playing on our playground! This family day will be tons of fun and helps to support our parent organization. A google form was recently sent to all preschool families.

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Junior High Picture Retake Day October 3

Cass Junior High Picture retake Day is Thursday, October 3. Students who did not have pictures taken on Orientation Day or who would like to have their pictures retaken may participate. Order forms are available in the Cass Junior High Office or you may order online at mylifetouch.com using the Picture ID Code EVT7KF9CF. Students who are retaking their pictures must return the original photos on picture retake day so that new photos may be taken.

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Cass Junior High Elects Leadership Team

Congratulations to our newly elected Cass Junior High Student Council Leadership Team! We look forward to Maya H., Rhett H., Grace T., and Addison W. leading our student leaders this year. Student Council as a whole meets once a month after school until 5:00 p.m. Meeting dates are shown on the district calendar and the next general assembly meeting will be October 8. Student Council sponsors this year are Amy Pollitz, Marie Musil, and Susan Paszkowski.

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Concord Celebrates Dot Day

Last week, students and teachers at Concord School recently celebrated International Dot Day by designing dots for a collaborative mural and creating other pieces of art, as well as completing dot themed STEM activities and learning growth mindset in Skills For Learning. Dot Week celebrates creativity, art, and recognizes the ability to “connect the dots” to celebrate community and human potential. Dot Day is inspired by Peter Reynolds' picture book, The Dot.

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6th Grade MAP Students Study Architecture

   

Our 6th grade MAP students recently completed their study of architecture with a field trip to the Chicago Architecture Center. The walking tour challenged our students to view our beautiful city through the lens of architecture and history. In addition, parent Chris Jackson, spoke to our class about his career as an architect. We thank him for his time in explaining the education required and responsibilities of an architect.

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Girls Basketball Tryouts October 7 and 8

Girls basketball tryouts are on October 7 and 8 in the Cass Junior High gym from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Students must have an IHSA Pre-participation Examination dated within the last year on file in order to try out. Please contact Coach Landon Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org with questions.

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Concord Fall Festival and Halloween Costume Guidelines

Concord Halloween and fall festival parties are coming up at the end of October and we know that parents want to know what Halloween costumes may be worn. In order to assist in your planning, Dr. Anderson is sharing our school guidelines, particularly as it relates to events taking place at school the morning of October 31. 

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Music Concert Front Row Raffle

Would you like front row seats to your student’s fine arts events? CARE is raffling off front row seats to select band, choir and grade level music performances. Purchase at any time on the CARE website. The first event is the Cass Junior High Jazz Band & Advanced Vocal Ensemble Performance on October 17. Raffle tickets are $1 and will be available until October 11. 

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Cass School District 63 is seeking a permanent substitute teacher and teacher assistants for the 2024-25 school year. For more information or to apply for current vacancies, here is the application and information. 

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program and lunch menus and other information are available under the link. The menus include nutritional and allergen information, as well as a detailed listing of ingredients and an option for rating food items. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. Preschool snack menus can be found here.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Last Friday, there was an incident at Hinsdale South High School that involved social media posts similar to others that have recently been spread, resulting in the district taking cautionary action to ensure the safety of students and staff. The district handled the situation quickly, worked closely with the police department, enacted their safety procedures, and determined that it was not a credible threat.

Unfortunately, these kinds of threats have become way too common. The one bit of good news is law enforcement is holding both children and their parents accountable for these posts, threats, and also in other extreme cases, the actual acts of violence.

The events also lead to rumors and questions about how and when the school districts communicate. I will be sharing more on this soon, but what I want you to know is that in the event we would have such an emergency, our first priorities are (1) the immediate safety and security of our students and staff; (2) investigating the issue and making certain we have all of the necessary information; and (3) communicating to parents and the school community.

We will always communicate, but it may not be the minute that it happens or in real time. If we are in a full lockdown, that also means you will not be able to come to the school, as we cannot and will not open any doors. In this highly unlikely scenario, our focus will always be on the safety of everyone here first, and you can be certain we will communicate with you as soon as possible.

But first, let’s do what we can to make sure that is never necessary. Keep an eye on your kids and their social media, and please share with us immediately if you have any concerns at all. Students and families can also confidentially contact the Safe2Help tip line by calling (844) 4-SAFE-IL, which is (844) 472-3345, texting SAFE2 which is 72332 or by emailing Help@Safe2HelpIL.com. By all means, if you see something, definitely say something. We will always take it seriously. Our kids and their safety is worth it.

Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns and I will continue to share more on this topic. Thank you! 

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Our students recently celebrated Patriot Day at Concord.

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Preschool Program Achieves Gold Circle Status

We are excited to announce that our Concord preschool program has achieved Gold Circle of Quality Status through ExcelRate Illinois. The Gold Circle of Quality recognizes programs which have demonstrated quality on a set of standards that focus on early learning and development and places a high priority on instructional excellence, family services, staff qualifications, professional development, and program administration.

We appreciate the hard work of our preschool team and coordinator Pam Worth, teachers Kara Blatt and Lauren Grochowski, speech pathologist Jane York, and all of our dedicated preschool teacher assistants, as well as the support of Principal Laura Anderson and Assistant Principal Katie Doyle. Their hard work and commitment to providing the best possible education to our youngest learners is the reason we have once again earned this honor. We are very proud of this achievement!

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Concord Honors Patriot Day

Concord Elementary School recently honored the United States of America and our many heroes in various ways, including a whole school patriotic assembly. This program of beautiful patriotic music from our students was led by music teacher Kali Sheldon. Please enjoy these pictures from the week.

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We Need Our Veteran Family and Friends

Veterans Day is approaching and our 7th grade students are once again participating in a special letter writing project, and we need your help in finding family and friends who are military veterans or on active duty. Please see this letter for more information on helping us honor the veterans you care most about.

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At the meeting held on September 17, the Board of Education met our new staff, held a hearing on the fiscal year 2025 budget, and reviewed updates related to the facility improvement projects. The Board Briefs include more details about the meeting.

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Fast Start to Cross Country

   

Our cross country team got off to a fast start, kicking off the season with a weeklong summer training before the start of the school year. We had a strong showing at our first meet, where Sky Herbert took 1st place overall in the girls race, a first at Jefferson in a long time. Sky is one of six 8th grade girls on our team, which means that we have a deep lineup of leadership this season. 

Decker Kuntz has been leading the way for our boys team as a 6th grader with a strong start to the season, taking 3rd place and 4th place overall in his first two races. Our boys team is young with a lot of room to grow, but we are learning how to work together and motivate each other to make the most out of practices, meets, and invitationals.

The Cross Country teams are coached by Scott Kondraschow and Sarah Leganski. Go Warriors!

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Girls Basketball Tryouts October 7 and 8

Girls basketball tryouts are on October 7 and 8 in the Cass Junior High gym from 3:30-5:00 p.m. Students must have an IHSA Pre-participation Examination dated within the last year on file in order to try out. Please contact Coach Landon Mitchell at lmitchell@cassd63.org with questions.

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8th Grade DC Trip

Our 8th Grade Class will be traveling to Washington, DC from May 19 to 21, 2025. An informational meeting will be held via Zoom on September 25 at 6:30 p.m. Please contact Mr. Kondraschow at skondraschow@cassd63.org with any questions.

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Save the Date 10-11-24 for our DASH Fun Run! CARE is still looking for sponsors or any type of donation. Be a DASH sponsor for $300 and CARE will advertise your business on our social media. Click the link to learn more!

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The next CARE meeting is this Monday, September 23 at 7:00 p.m. in the District Community Room located at Cass Junior High. We hope to see you there!

Cass Junior High book fair is coming up next week from September 24-26. Please see the link for more information.

You have one more week to get your spirit wear! Make sure your kids are decked out in Concord and Cass spirit wear during the 2024-25 school year. The spirit wear store is open from September 12 through September 27. Don’t miss out!

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Cass School District 63 is seeking a permanent substitute teacher and teacher assistants for the 2024-25 school year. For more information or to apply for current vacancies, here is the application and information. Also, our new lunch program partner Just a Dash Catering is also looking for potential food service workers right here in District 63. Here is more information on the positions and how to apply.

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Just A Dash Catering is our partner for the school lunch program and lunch menus and other information are available under the link. The menus include nutritional and allergen information, as well as a detailed listing of ingredients and an option for rating food items. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. Preschool snack menus can be found here.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

This week I would like to address two important safety matters, the first on a more national scale and the second right here close to home and school.

Last week I shared with you the Safe Firearm Storage Guidelines from the Illinois Department of Public Health. This is timely not only as good reminders for parents and citizens who are responsible gun owners, but also in light of last week’s tragedy at Apalachee High School in Georgia. Tragedies such as this always bring stark reminders to the surface, and gun safety includes not only handling, but safe storage as well.

Related to this, I will always remind parents to be very mindful of what your children are watching, hearing, and talking about on social media. You can never be sure, and you can never be too safe. As with guns, with smartphones and social media come great responsibility.

Bringing this much closer to home in terms of the safety of our littles ones in particular, we need the assistance and cooperation of our parents to make certain that it is safe at drop off time, particularly at Concord. The information below under “important notice” is outlined very clearly.

Also, if you are in the car line, you have to go through it just like everyone else. No U-turns in school traffic, or we will involve the police. Please exercise patience and care at all times, and pay attention to your surroundings and not your phone. This is the law in school traffic zones.

We appreciate your assistance and cooperation with these important matters. Your questions are welcome at any time. Thank you!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

All of our Cass students coming together on the first day of school.

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Just a reminder that Friday, September 13 is an early release day for school improvement planning. Concord will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.

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Concord Curriculum Night September 12

The final curriculum night for Concord will be held on the evening of September 12. The scheduled times are kindergarten at 6:00, 1st Grade 6:30, and 2nd Grade at 7:00 p.m.

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Important Morning Concord Traffic Reminders

To assist in making certain all Concord Elementary children are safe during the morning drop off in particular, parents absolutely must follow these important procedures:

• Children are not allowed to exit cars until 7:45 a.m. This is when staff supervision begins and the school doors open.
• Parents may not get out of cars to unbuckle students in the car line. If that is necessary, then cars must be parked in the lot and children walked to the school entrance.
• Children must exit the vehicles from the passenger side by the curb. This allows them to step safely on the sidewalk and not in the area where cars are passing.

For parents who walk their children to school or allow older children to walk on their own, children must either be supervised by parents or not arrive until 7:45 when supervision from the staff begins. Parents of students left unsupervised outside of these hours before or after school may have their children added to the Ivy League Kids program and charged accordingly.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation with this important matter and additional details and guidelines for each school can be found at the bottom of the page under Bus Routes, Pick Up, and Drop Off.

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Cass Junior High Remembers September 11

 

On Patriot Day, Mrs. Jemin’s class at Cass Junior High School released balloons in honor of those lost on September 11, 2001. On September 13, each grade level will participate in a different activity surrounding 9/11. Grade 5 will view a photo essay which demonstrates the basics around what took place. Students discuss a video called ‘what would you do’ which commemorates a person who led people to safety during the attacks. Grade 6 reads and discusses a prologue that Mayor Guiliani wrote for a book produced by Life Magazine about 9/11. 6th graders also learn about Gander, Canada and its significance during 9/11. Grade 7 views and discusses a timeline activity from the 9-11 Memorial Museum, which includes many photos and video clips that the class discusses as a group. Grade 8 will view a video entitled “9/11 Heroes: Surviving the Biggest Attack on US Soil.” Students will then participate in a “Days of Infamy” activity which compares and contrasts the speeches from President Roosevelt after Pearl Harbor and President Bush after the respective attacks. Teachers and students read both of the speeches, watch videos of both speeches, discuss in groups and complete a related activity.

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Cass Conference Golf Match

On September 10, the Cass Warriors dusted the golf clubs off and showed up to swing away at Twin Lakes Golf Club for the annual Southeast DuPage Elementary Athletic Association golf meet. The students representing the Warriors were Eddy Kasprowicz, Beckett Kuntz, Rian Green, and Ethan Alavi. The boys competed against five other schools in the conference and were able to find their rhythm and shoot well. They had some great tee shots, fancy chips, and sinking putts to finish up the round with competitive scores. Congratulations, and go Warriors!

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Just A Dash Lunch Program

To celebrate our new lunch program partnership, Just A Dash Catering brought in fun balloons for our students to enjoy, which led to some great pictures. We are still working through details and building the program, but we truly appreciate the freshly prepared food and professionalism of our people at Just A Dash. They are still looking for help, so if you know of anyone interested in a part time job that corresponds to your child’s school schedule, here is more information on how to apply.

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Concord Dot Week September 16-20

Get ready to make a mark and have a blast during Dot Week! Inspired by the book “The Dot” written by Peter H. Reynolds, we’re celebrating creativity and self-expression with a series of fun, dot-themed activities. From Art and Library to STEM, dot week will be filled with exciting projects and learning opportunities.

To add to the fun, we invite all students and staff to join in by wearing outfits in different colors each day, including red on Monday, orange on Tuesday, yellow on Wednesday, green on Thursday, and blue on Friday.

Let's fill our school with color and creativity as we explore the magic of making our mark! We can't wait to see all the vibrant outfits and dot-inspired projects.

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F.A.C.T.S. Assembly

Last week, Concord students participated in the F.A.C.T.S. (Friendship, Art, Caring, Trust and Sharing) Assembly which focuses on the principle that effective communication and positive interactions are essential for building friendships. Students engaged in games specifically designed to encourage them to interact with one another, improve their communication skills, and foster the idea of friendship.

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Preschool Screening September 20
Cass School District 63 is holding a Preschool Screening on September 20 for children who live in our district and are 3-5 years old. Your child must be preregistered to participate. Please see under the link for more information and how to register.

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8th Grade DC Trip

Our 8th Grade Class will be traveling to Washington, DC from May 19 to 21, 2025. An informational meeting will be held via Zoom on September 25 at 6:30 p.m. Please contact Mr. Kondraschow at skondraschow@cassd63.org with any questions.

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Cass School District 63 is seeking a permanent substitute teacher and teacher assistants for the 2024-25 school year. For more information or to apply for current vacancies, here is the application and information.

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CARE Updates
CARE Dine to Donate is back and to kick things off is Melt n Dip in Willowbrook on September 18. Enjoy a wonderful after dinner treat and bring this flyer with you to ensure that 15 percent of your purchases are donated back to our schools.

Make sure your kids are decked out in Concord and Cass spirit wear during the 2024-25 school year. The spirit wear store is open from September 12 through September 27. Don’t miss out!

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Through our new school lunch program partner Just A Dash Catering, our new online lunch menus for both Concord and Cass are now available. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. To start the school year, there is one regular and one vegetarian option each day. If you click on a menu item, it pulls up the nutritional information, and if you scroll beneath that information you will see “How would you rate this item?”. Once you give the food a basic rating, it will open a window that allows for more feedback. At the junior high there will also be a la carte options offered soon and those are listed under the menu link along with the prices. Preschool snack menus can be found here.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Politics is a topic we rarely address here, but I think it is important to share some thoughts so that our parents are aware of where we come from and how we handle related discussions. This is particularly important with the presidential campaigns leading up to the election exactly two months from today.

On the evening of September 10, the debate between Vice President Harris and former President Trump will be broadcast live. I started watching these debates many years ago as a kid at home with my parents. I won’t age myself as to which elections those were, but it was certainly a different era in terms of the discourse surrounding elections. Today we live in times that are much more politically divided.

What I want you to know is that what our district, teachers, and staff will never intentionally do is contribute to that divide. If a teacher has a curriculum-based reason for discussing the presidential election at an age-appropriate level, they will do so as they should. Teaching civics, history, social studies, and discussing current events is as important as ever, particularly as we get into the upper grade levels of the students we are preparing for high school and beyond.

What we don’t do is teach political views, as we believe that parents should decide what you discuss as a family. Our guidance for teachers is that they should be able to facilitate an age-appropriate discussion with their students and at the end of that discussion, the kids don’t really know where the teacher stands. Teachers are human and of course have their own individual opinions, but the kids in any classroom reflect a wide range of beliefs and opinions, which is something we respect.

Obviously this isn’t going to be an issue at school for our younger ones, but if appropriate to the curriculum and the age level of the students involved, teachers will handle any related discussions with sensitivity and common sense. We are not here to teach your child what to think, but we will certainly teach them to think critically, and elections are a great opportunity to do just that.

That said, some kids may express views or political speech as part of a greater discussion, or in other ways at school. This is fine, so long as opinions are expressed appropriately, free of insults or inappropriate language, and are not disruptive to the teaching and learning environment. We are not here to get involved with or facilitate political debates, but simply want to teach our students what they need to know to be informed citizens.

I hope this approach comes across as reasonable and common sense as it is intended. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, and thank you for your incredible support of our students, teachers, and schools in District 63!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

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Concord Curriculum Nights
Our annual curriculum nights at Concord are scheduled for the following dates and times.

September 5, 2024
Prekindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:00 p.m.
3rd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:30 p.m.
4th Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 7:00 p.m.

September 12, 2024
Kindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:00 p.m.
1st Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:30 p.m.
2nd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 7:00 p.m.

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IDPH Safe Firearm Storage Guidelines

In light of another school tragedy this week in Georgia, it is imperative that households with guns practice safe firearm storage. Firearm safety is not only about the handling of a firearm, but that responsibility also extends to secure storage. Safe storage consists of keeping firearms locked and unloaded, and separating firearms and ammunition when not in use. It also involves making sure household members understand the safety guidelines concerning firearms. Here is more information on this critical and timely topic.

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Wear Red, White, and Blue on 9-11 and 9-13 at Concord

On 9-11 and 9-13, Concord Elementary students should wear red, white, and/or blue to school in honor of Patriot Day and for the Patriotic Assembly. If you have any questions, please contact the Concord school office.

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An important parent responsibility is to contact the school first thing in the morning when your child will be absent. This is important not only for safety, but also to limit the need for us to locate parents to find this information. Parents can either call the attendance line and leave the necessary information, or send it via email, whichever works best for you.

For Concord absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 1 and then option 5, or email concordattendance@cassd63.org.

For Cass absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 2 and then option 7, or email cassattendance@cassd63.org.

For both calls or emails, please leave your child's name, grade level (and teacher for Concord), date of absence, reason for absence, parent name, and phone number. Please note that should you email an absence, the email must come from a parent email that is noted in PowerSchool.

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Annual Ice Cream Social September 6

CARE is hosting the annual Ice Cream Social beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, September 6 at Concord Elementary School. This is a great opportunity for our students and parents from the entire district to celebrate the beginning of a new school year. We hope to see everyone there!

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8th Grade DC Trip

Our 8th Grade Class will be traveling to Washington, DC from May 19 to 21, 2025. An informational meeting will be held via Zoom on September 25 at 6:30 p.m. Please contact Mr. Kondraschow at skondraschow@cassd63.org with any questions.

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7th Grade Springfield Trip

The 7th grade annual visit to Springfield, Illinois is scheduled for Friday, October 4. This is a one-day trip that includes visits to many historic sites, including Abraham Lincoln’s home and the Lincoln Presidential Museum. This trip coincides with the 7th grade social studies curriculum. Please see this flyer for registration information and contact Mrs. Gorzkowski at agorzkowski@cassd63.org with any questions.

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Junior High Baseball Season Underway

This is the inaugural year for Cass Junior High baseball and we couldn’t be prouder of our team! These young men come ready to work hard and improve their skills at each practice and every game. Thank you to Coach Craig Damrow on leading the team in our first season and we look forward to watching how much these players grow both individually and as a team.

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Concord Dot Week September 16-20

Get ready to make a mark and have a blast during Dot Week! Inspired by the book “The Dot” written by Peter H. Reynolds, we’re celebrating creativity and self-expression with a series of fun, dot-themed activities. From Art and Library to STEM, dot week will be filled with exciting projects and learning opportunities.

To add to the fun, we invite all students and staff to join in by wearing outfits in different colors each day:

Monday - Red
Tuesday - Orange
Wednesday - Yellow
Thursday - Green
Friday - Blue

Let’s fill our school with color and creativity as we explore the magic of making our mark! We can't wait to see all the vibrant outfits and dot-inspired projects.

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Concord Picture Day September 12

Picture day is coming to Concord on September 12. Order forms were sent home with your child or you may order online at www.mylifetouch.com using the specific Concord Picture Day ID: EVTCPTFMQ.

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Cass School District 63 is holding a Preschool Screening on September 20 for children who live in our district and are 3-5 years old. Your child must be preregistered to participate. Please see under the link for more information and how to register.

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Vision and Hearing Screenings
Vision and hearing screenings will be conducted in September at Cass Junior High and Concord Elementary School. Please review this information for dates, times and which students will be participating in which screenings.

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Part-Time Kitchen Help Needed at Concord

Just a Dash Catering is looking for part-time kitchen help during the school day, right here in District 63. Here is more information on how to apply, or contact Superintendent Mark Cross at mcross@cassd63.org with any questions. The school district is also seeking a permanent substitute teacher and teacher assistants. For more information or to apply for this or other current vacancies, here is the application and information. 

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Through our new school lunch program partner Just A Dash Catering, our new online lunch menus for both Concord and Cass are now available. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. To start the school year, there is one regular and one vegetarian option each day. If you click on a menu item, it pulls up the nutritional information, and if you scroll beneath that information you will see “How would you rate this item?”. Once you give the food a basic rating, it will open a window that allows for more feedback. At the junior high there will also be a la carte options offered soon and those are listed under the menu link along with the prices. Preschool snack menus can be found here.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

What a joyful day having our kids back to school! Today was an awesome day and if you don't believe me, just take a look at their smiling faces! After a long summer and some big changes in our district, it really was a day to enjoy and behold.

Outside of a couple stops we will get corrected, our bus routes ran very well. Any updates or changes will be posted on the bus route page by the end of the day on Friday, August 30, and this will include the preschool midday routes. Our new lunch program also got off to a good start and we'll certainly take some time to scale up, but it was fun seeing our students enjoy some freshly prepared food! Menu information and details are included below. And yes, the air conditioning feels good! We have a few rooms left to get balanced out and perfectly comfortable, but wow, what a difference!

This afternoon, we are looking forward to seeing the debut of the Cass Junior High baseball team! Under the leadership of Coach Craig Damrow, the Warriors will take on the Lakeview Spartans in our first baseball game in school history. Our cross country and softball seasons are also underway. Go Warriors!

Most importantly and as always, our focus throughout the year will be on the safety and academic growth of our students. We are so glad to have them back, and will do whatever we can to ensure their growth this coming year.

Have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Cass Junior High students arriving for their first day of school.

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In observance of Labor Day, there is no school on Monday, September 2. Enjoy your holiday weekend!

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Our annual curriculum nights will be held beginning next week. Please mark your calendars for the following evenings and times for each grade level.

September 4, 2024
Cass Junior High Curriculum Night, 6:30 p.m.

September 5, 2024
Prekindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:00 p.m.
3rd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:30 p.m.
4th Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 7:00 p.m.

September 12, 2024
Kindergarten Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:00 p.m.
1st Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 6:30 p.m.
2nd Grade Curriculum Night, Concord, 7:00 p.m.

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Reporting Student Absences

An important parent responsibility is to contact the school first thing in the morning when your child will be absent. This is important not only for safety, but also to limit the need for us to locate parents to find this information. Parents can either call the attendance line and leave the necessary information, or send it via email, whichever works best for you.

For Concord absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 1 and then option 5, or email concordattendance@cassd63.org.

For Cass absence reporting, call 331-481-4000, choose option 2 and then option 7, or email cassattendance@cassd63.org.

For both calls or emails, please leave your child's name, grade level (and teacher for Concord), date of absence, reason for absence, parent name, and phone number. Please note that should you email an absence, the email must come from a parent email that is noted in PowerSchool.

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Important Pick Up and Drop Off Reminders
To assist in making certain your children are safe during drop off times, children at Concord will not be allowed to exit cars until 7:45 a.m. when staff supervision begins and the doors open. Please do not have students arrive unsupervised before this time. At Concord, the school day starts at 8:00 and ends at 2:45, while direct staff supervision is from 7:45 to 3:00. Parents of students left unsupervised outside of these hours before or after school may have their children added to the Ivy League Kids program and charged accordingly. 

At Cass Junior High School, students cannot exit cars until 8:30 a.m. when the school doors open and staff supervision begins. With the exception of Encore, which starts earlier, the Cass school day starts at 8:45 a.m. and dismissal is at 3:30 p.m. Junior high parents are not able to use the Carmelite Spiritual Center and St. Therese National Shrine parking lot to pick up or drop off your children at school. This is private property and their parking lot should not be used for this purpose. Please use the traffic line for pick up and drop off at school.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation with this important matter. Additional details on drop off and pick up procedures and times is available under Bus Routes, Pick Up, and Drop Off.

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Bus Route Updates Posted August 30

With a couple of exceptions that will be corrected, our bus routes ran very well on the first day of school. The district will post updates to several routes no later than the end of the day on Friday, August 30. This update will include the preschool midday routes, for the first day of preschool which begins on September 3.

As a reminder, parents should contact Sunrise Transportation dispatch directly at 630-541-3414 should your child’s bus be late, appears to have missed your stop, or if your child did not arrive home on the bus. Please contact transportation director Keith Monaco at kmonaco@cassd63.org should you have any questions about your child’s bus stop. We ask that parents and students carefully review our Bus Procedures and Guidelines. We appreciate your assistance and cooperation in keeping our kids safe!

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D63 Family Directory Opens August 30
Our school district partners with DirectorySpot, an app that houses a directory to help our families to connect. The online directory of families can be sorted by classroom or grade, and unless parents opt out, the directory will include names, addresses, emails and phone numbers for parents and students. Emails will be sent informing families that the app is open and available to families on Friday, August 30.

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7th Grade Springfield Trip

The 7th grade annual visit to Springfield, Illinois is scheduled for Friday, October 4. This is a one-day trip that includes visits to many historic sites, including Abraham Lincoln’s home and the Lincoln Presidential Museum. This trip coincides with the 7th grade social studies curriculum. Please see this flyer for registration information and contact Mrs. Gorzkowski at agorzkowski@cassd63.org with any questions.

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Cass School District 63 is holding a Preschool Screening on September 20 for children who live in our district and are 3-5 years old. Your child must be preregistered to participate. Please see under the link for more information and how to register.

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Vision and Hearing Screenings
Vision and hearing screenings will be conducted in September at Cass Junior High and Concord Elementary School. Please review this information for dates, times and which students will be participating in which screenings.

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Cass School District 63 is seeking a permanent substitute teacher and teacher assistants for the 2024-25 school year. For more information or to apply for this or other current vacancies, here is the application and information. Also, our new lunch program partner Just a Dash Catering is also looking for potential food service workers right here in District 63. Here is more information on the positions and how to apply.

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Don't Miss the Ice Cream Social on September 6!

CARE is hosting the annual Ice Cream Social on the evening of September 6 at Concord Elementary. This is a great opportunity for our students and parents from the entire district to celebrate the beginning of a new school year. We hope to see everyone there!

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Through our new school lunch program partner Just A Dash Catering, our new online lunch menus for both Concord and Cass are now available. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. To start the school year, there is one regular and one vegetarian option each day. If you click on a menu item, it pulls up the nutritional information, and if you scroll beneath that information you will see “How would you rate this item?”. Once you give the food a basic rating, it will open a window that allows for more feedback. At the junior high there will also be a la carte options offered soon and those are listed under the menu link along with the prices. Preschool snack menus can be found here.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

The kids are back one week from today and the offices are open, teachers are working hard preparing, and our maintenance staff is busy cleaning and getting ready. Even though school hasn’t officially started for students, it has for many of our staff and as we finalize preparations for another great year!

This is an ideal time to emphasize the importance of safety as it relates to drop off procedures and buses. Details on student drop off and pick up are provided below and the times and procedures are very important, particularly at Concord with the little ones. At times, we have had concerns with parents leaving their children at school before 7:45 a.m. when staff supervision begins at Concord. This year, parents who leave their children unsupervised outside of the specified staffed hours of 7:45 to 3:00 may have their children added to the Ivy League Kids program and charged accordingly. Of course we would rather not do that, so please plan accordingly with these times.

We also ask that bus parents carefully review our Bus Procedures and Guidelines both for you and with your children and discuss the rules as appropriate for their age. Also, please keep in mind that pick up and drop off locations are neighborhood stops, and not likely to be immediately adjacent to or near your particular home. We are planning to communicate bus stop and route information by the end of the day on Monday, August 26.

We appreciate your assistance and cooperation in keeping all of our kids safe. Please contact your child’s school office with any questions, and we will see you on Tuesday for Parent Student Orientation!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Cass Junior High students having a great time this week at band camp.

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Welcome New D63 Staff!

We are excited to welcome 15 new staff members to our faculty and staff! The district recently held orientation and training and all new teachers are part of our mentoring program with an experienced D63 teacher and mentor. Following are our new employees, some of whom started the latter half of last school year.

Front Row, from left:
Megan Newton, Cass Science Teacher
Jenny Kirkpatrick, Concord Special Education Teacher
Lauren Slomski, Concord Teacher Assistant
Sally Oakes, Concord Permanent Substitute Teacher
Alex Gula, 4th Grade Teacher
Jeanne Erickson, Cass Language Arts & Social Studies Teacher
Sarah Acitelli, Cass Junior High Nurse
Sharon Chacko, Cass Speech Pathologist
Bryan Koh, Cass Teacher Assistant

Back Row, from left:
Kali Sheldon, Concord Music Teacher
Claire Monroe, Cass Math Teacher
Julia Holbert, Concord Special Education Teacher
Monica Rothbard, Kindergarten Teacher
Bridget Berger, 4th Grade Teacher
Cathy Fisher, Director of Student Services

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Back to school is right around the corner and we look forward to welcoming our students back! Following are some important dates for the start of the school year:

August 24              Popsicles in the Park – Kindergarten Meet and Greet
August 27              Parent Student Orientation Day*
                               *Please check for the suggested time you and your children should plan to attend. Registration must be completed and fees paid prior to participation in orientation.
August 29              First Day of School (Kindergarten-8th Grade)
September 3         First Day of Preschool
September 4         Cass Junior High Curriculum Night
September 5         Preschool, 3rd Grade and 4th Grade Curriculum Night
September 6         CARE Ice Cream Social
September 12       Kindergarten, 1st Grade and 2nd Grade Curriculum Night

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Following are the school supply lists for the 2024-25 school year at Concord Elementary School and Cass Junior High School. School supply lists are also always available on the district website.

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2024-25 Bus Routes Coming Soon

Regular bus routes, pick up, and drop off times through Sunrise Transportation are being finalized for the start of the 2024-25 school year and will be distributed via email by August 26. Parents should contact Sunrise Transportation dispatch directly at 630-541-3414 should your child’s bus be late, appears to have missed your stop, or if your child did not arrive home on the bus. Please contact transportation director Keith Monaco at kmonaco@cassd63.org should you have any questions about your child’s bus stop.

We ask that parents and students carefully review our Bus Procedures and Guidelines. Keep in mind that it is the responsibility of parents to get children safely to and from the bus stop, and it is the district's responsibility to get children safely from the bus stop to school. Also, pick up and drop off locations are neighborhood stops, and not likely to be immediately adjacent to or near a particular student’s home. Students should be waiting for the bus several minutes before the designated stop time. We appreciate your assistance and cooperation in keeping our kids safe!

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Please Review! Student Drop Off and Pick Up
To assist in making certain your children are safe during drop off times, children at Concord will not be allowed to exit cars until 7:45 a.m. when staff supervision begins and the doors open. Please do not have students arrive unsupervised before this time. At Concord, the school day starts at 8:00 and ends at 2:45, while direct staff supervision is from 7:45 to 3:00. Parents of students left unsupervised outside of these hours before or after school may have their children added to the Ivy League Kids program and charged accordingly. 

At Cass Junior High School, students cannot exit cars until 8:30 a.m. when the school doors open and staff supervision begins. With the exception of Encore which starts earlier, the Cass school day starts at 8:45 a.m. and dismissal is at 3:30 p.m.

We appreciate your patience and cooperation with this important matter. Additional details on drop off and pick up procedures and times is available under Bus Routes, Pick Up, and Drop Off.

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Important! Bus Stop Arm Reminder
The new school year is a great time for a reminder of the need to stop for school buses. Simply put, the only time a vehicle is not required to stop for a bus with red flashing lights on is when both vehicles are on a four (or more) lane roadway and the bus is stopped in the opposite direction from which the driver is traveling. Any other time you must stop, even if on private property like a parking lot. The following guide may be helpful. Violations will be reported immediately to the Darien Police Department.

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Upcoming CARE Meetings and Events

CARE is our parent organization that does wonderful work to help support our students and staff through fundraising, and by organizing some great events throughout the year for our families to enjoy. CARE is holding its first meeting on Monday, August 26 at 7:00 p.m. in the District Community Room at Cass Junior High. This is a great opportunity to learn more about CARE, and you can always email CARE@cass63.org to volunteer or learn how you can get more involved.

To start off the school year, CARE is hosting Popsicles in the Park for our incoming kindergarten families on August 24, the annual Ice Cream Social on September 6, and the Cass63 Dash on October 11. We hope to see you at these awesome events!

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Cass School District 63 partners with Ivy League Kids to provide our kindergarten through 8^th grade parents with before and after school childcare. To register for the program, the link above includes their registration portal and click on Register Now under Before/After School to complete the registration form online. Please note that each child will need a separate registration packet. Fee information is also included, and Ivy League Kids accepts Illinois Action for Children Child Care Assistance Program. If you have any questions, please contact the main Ivy League Kids office at 815-464-1265 or email contact@ivyleaguekids.org.

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Cass School District 63 is seeking teacher assistants for the 2024-25 school year. For more information or to apply for this or other current vacancies, here is the application and information. Also, our new lunch program partner Just a Dash Catering is also looking for potential food service workers right here in District 63. Here is more information on the positions and how to apply.

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Cass Junior High Picture Day August 27

Cass Junior High will hold their picture day on Orientation Day, including our 8th grade students. There will be a more formal 8th grade picture day later in the school year, but all students need to have their pictures taken at the beginning of the school year. Here is more information on how to order your child’s pictures.

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Fee Waiver and Free and Reduced Lunch
If you believe your family may qualify for fee waivers and/or free or reduced lunch and you have not already been notified that your family was approved for these benefits, please complete the following forms. Please note that if you wish to apply for both benefits, you must complete both forms in their entirety. Once completed, contact Amy Underhill at aunderhill@cassd63.org to arrange a time, or drop the forms off in the drop box at the main entrance of Concord Elementary School.

2024-25 Fee Waiver Application

2024-25 Free and Reduced Lunch Application

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In the Cass63 Connections, you will see information about programs that GPS Parent Series (GPS) is hosting under our Community Connections. Cass School District 63 is partnered with GPS to provide these helpful and informative programs. Please take a moment to read more about GPS and their goals to help families thrive.

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Through our new school lunch program partner Just A Dash Catering, our new online lunch menus for both Concord and Cass are now available. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. To start the school year, there is one regular and one vegetarian option each day. If you click on a menu item, it pulls up the nutritional information, and if you scroll beneath that information you will see “How would you rate this item?”. Once you give the food a basic rating, it will open a window that allows for more feedback. At the junior high there will also be a la carte options offered and we will have a list of those available soon.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Two more weeks until summer is officially in the books and the school year is started! We are excited to get rolling, and following are a few timely reminders, each with more details in the Connections below.

• Next week we have band camp and some of our fall sports getting started at Cass Junior High School. This includes the introduction of boys’ baseball this year, which we are very excited about!
• Parent Student Orientation Day is August 27. Assuming registration is complete and fees are paid, Concord teachers will email parents of their students in the afternoon next Friday, August 23, while Cass parents and students will get their class schedules at Orientation Day.
• School supply lists and other important back to school dates are also provided below.
• The lunch menu through our new partner Just A Dash Catering is available for the start of the school year.
• Ivy League Kids is our partner for before and after school care and registration and fee information is provided for parents who need it.
• The deadline for opting out of our DirectorySpot family directory is tomorrow.
• Keep an eye out for a back to school communication from our parent organization CARE.
• Next week, we will provide details on bus routes and stops, as well as details and drop off and pick up procedures.

On Monday, August 19, all offices will be back open and available to you. As always, feel free to call 331-481-4000 to arrange visits in advance. Otherwise, please don’t hesitate to contact us if there is anything you need!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

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Back to school is right around the corner and we look forward to welcoming our students back! Following are some important dates for the start of the school year:

August 24              Popsicles in the Park – Kindergarten Meet and Greet

August 27              Parent Student Orientation Day*
                               *Please check for the suggested time you and your children should plan to attend. Registration must be completed and fees paid prior to participation in orientation.

August 29              First Day of School (Kindergarten-8th Grade)

September 3         First Day of Preschool

September 4         Cass Junior High Curriculum Night

September 5         Preschool, 3rd Grade and 4th Grade Curriculum Night

September 6         CARE Ice Cream Social

September 12       Kindergarten, 1st Grade and 2nd Grade Curriculum Night

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Family Directory Opt Out Deadline August 16

Our school district partners with DirectorySpot, an app that houses a directory to help our families to connect. The online directory of families can be sorted by classroom or grade, and unless parents opt out, the directory will include names, addresses, emails and phone numbers for parents and students.

The deadline to fully opt out of the initial roll out is Friday, August 16. If you plan to have your family information included in the initial rollout of the 2024-25 directory (including if you are already in the current one), there is nothing you need to do. However, if you wish to opt all of your family information out of inclusion in the initial roll out of the directory, then please respond under the link above by August 16.

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Following are the 2024-25 school supply lists for Concord Elementary School, as well as Cass Junior High School. School supply lists are also always available on the district website.

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Cass Junior High Picture Day August 27

Cass Junior High will hold their picture day on Orientation Day, including our 8^th grade students. There will be a more formal 8th grade picture day later in the school year, but all students need to have their pictures taken at the beginning of the school year. Here is more information on how to order your child’s pictures.

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Through our new school lunch program partner Just A Dash Catering, our new online lunch menus for both Concord and Cass are now available. Lunches are $4.00 and milk is $0.75. To start the school year, there is one regular and one vegetarian option each day. If you click on a menu item, it pulls up the nutritional information, and if you scroll beneath that information you will see “How would you rate this item?”. Once you give the food a basic rating, it will open a window that allows for more feedback. At the junior high there will also be a la carte options offered and we will have a list of those available soon.

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Cass School District 63 partners with Ivy League Kids to provide our kindergarten through 8^th grade parents with before and after school childcare. To register for the program, the link above includes their registration portal and click on Register Now under Before/After School to complete the registration form online. Please note that each child will need a separate registration packet. Fee information is also included, and Ivy League Kids accepts Illinois Action for Children Child Care Assistance Program. If you have any questions, please contact the main Ivy League Kids office at 815-464-1265 or email contact@ivyleaguekids.org.

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Fall sports season is coming at Cass Junior High School, and the seasons commence before the official start of the school year. All students who wish to tryout and participate in any of the sports, must have a sports physical on file dated no more than 12 months prior to the first day of practice. Please reach out to the coach of the sport you are interested in with any questions.

Boys and Girls Cross Country – August 19 is the first day of practice at Cass Junior High

Boys Baseball – August 15 and 16 are tryouts at the Eisenhower Pony Field

Girls Softball – August 19 and 20 are tryouts at the Cass Junior High Softball Field

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Junior High Band Camp Starts Monday!

Cass Junior High Band Camp is next week and here is the schedule and details! For those unfamiliar with Band Camp, it is essentially a few practices before the school year starts. It gives the beginners a chance to get a head start on learning their instruments and for the returning band students to dust them off. Band Camp is not required, but if you are in town it is strongly recommended that you attend. Please contact Mr. Murphy at dmurphy@cassd63.org with any questions. We hope to see all of our band students there!

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The Board of Education held its monthly meeting on August and reviewed the tentative fiscal year 2025 budget, and Superintendent Mark Cross reviewed progress with the final details of the geothermal HVAC, safety, and security project. More meeting details and action can be found in the most recent Board Briefs. 

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Cass School District 63 is holding a Preschool Screening on Tuesday, September 20 for children who live in our district and are 3-5 years old. Your child must be preregistered to participate. Please see under the link for information and how to register.

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Fee Waiver and Free and Reduced Lunch
If you believe your family may qualify for fee waivers and/or free or reduced lunch and you have not already been notified that your family was approved for these benefits, please complete the following forms. Please note that if you wish to apply for both benefits, you must complete both forms in their entirety. Once completed, contact Amy Underhill at aunderhill@cassd63.org to arrange a time, or drop the forms off in the drop box at the main entrance of Concord Elementary School.

2024-25 Fee Waiver Application

2024-25 Free and Reduced Lunch Application

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Vision and hearing screenings will be conducted in September at Cass Junior High and Concord Elementary School. Please review this information for dates, times and which students will be participating in which screenings.

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Cass School District 63 is seeking a preschool teacher assistant for the 2024-25 school year. For more information or to apply for this or other current vacancies, here is the application and information. Also, our new lunch program partner Just a Dash Catering is also looking for potential food service workers right here in District 63. Here is more information on the positions and how to apply.

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

We are officially three weeks from our first official day with kids! The geothermal project is coming together beautifully and we have transitioned many classrooms to moving, cleaning and preparation for the school year. We are pulling this together for a successful start and most importantly, we all look forward to welcoming our students and families back in our safer and healthier schools.

While we have reopened the Concord office with limited hours, the Cass Junior High and District offices are still not available. As a result, and regardless of the location, we ask that you continue to arrange any visits in advance by emailing the person you wish to contact, or calling 331-481-4000. Office staff will return any messages and we will arrange any necessary meetings in our temporary office space at Concord.

We are also working on bus routes, but those will not be shared until right before the start of the school year. I promise we are working as fast as we can, but thank you for your patience until those are released. Also, Concord parents will receive emails from teachers around 2:00 p.m. on Friday, August 23 regarding your child’s classroom assignments for the school year. Assuming registration is complete and fees are paid, Cass students will receive their class schedules at Parent-Student Orientation on Tuesday, August 27.

More details on orientation are provided below, as well as other reminders and important dates for your calendars. Please also note that we have a couple of positions to fill in the district, including a preschool teacher assistant, and jobs in our kitchens with our new lunch program partner Just A Dash Catering.

We will continue to share more updates here each week, but please contact us with questions at any time.

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Cass Junior High students waiting for the 2024-25 school year to start.

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Family Directory Opt Out Deadline August 16

Our school district partners with DirectorySpot, an app that houses a directory to help our families to connect. The online directory of families can be sorted by classroom or grade, and unless parents opt out, the directory will include names, addresses, emails and phone numbers for parents and students.

The deadline to fully opt out of the initial roll out is Friday, August 16. If you plan to have your family information included in the initial rollout of the 2024-25 directory (including if you are already in the current one), there is nothing you need to do. However, if you wish to opt all of your family information out of inclusion in the initial roll out of the directory, then please respond under the link above by August 16.

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Back to school is right around the corner and we look forward to welcoming our students back! Following are some important dates for the start of the school year:

August 27             Parent Student Orientation Day*
                               *Please check for the suggested time you and your children should plan to attend. Registration must be completed and fees paid prior to participation in orientation.

August 29              First Day of School (Kindergarten-8th Grade)

September 3         First Day of Preschool

September 4         Cass Junior High Curriculum Night

September 5         Preschool, 3rd Grade and 4th Grade Curriculum Night

September 6         CARE Ice Cream Social

September 12       Kindergarten, 1st Grade and 2nd Grade Curriculum Night

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Cass Junior High Picture Day August 27

Cass Junior High will hold their picture day on Orientation Day, including our 8^th grade students. There will be a more formal 8th grade picture day later in the school year, but all students need to have their pictures taken at the beginning of the school year. Here is more information on how to order your child’s pictures.

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Fall sports season is coming at Cass Junior High School, and the seasons commence before the official start of the school year. All students who wish to tryout and participate in any of the sports, must have a sports physical on file dated no more than 12 months prior to the first day of practice. Please reach out to the coach of the sport you are interested in with any questions.

Boys and Girls Cross Country – August 19 is the first day of practice at Cass Junior High

Boys Baseball – August 15 and 16 are tryouts at the Eisenhower Pony Field

Girls Softball – August 19 and 20 are tryouts at the Cass Junior High Softball Field

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Cass Junior High Band Camp is coming soon! For those of unfamiliar with Band Camp, it is essentially a few practices before the school year starts. It gives the beginners a chance to get a head start on learning their instruments and for the returning band students to dust them off. Exact times and procedures for Band Camp will be shared in the coming weeks, but the dates are noted below so you can plan accordingly. Band Camp is not required, but if you are in town it is strongly recommended that you attend. Please contact Mr. Murphy at dmurphy@cassd63.org with any questions.

Beginning Band (5th Graders)
Mon Aug 19 & Tues Aug 20 - 1 hour sectional (time TBD)
Weds Aug 21 & Thurs Aug 22 - 2 hour morning rehearsal

Concert Band (6th Graders)
Weds Aug 21 & Thurs Aug 22 - 2 hour afternoon rehearsal

Symphonic Band (7th & 8th Graders)
Weds Aug 21 - 2 hour afternoon rehearsal

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Cass School District 63 is seeking a preschool teacher assistant for the 2024-25 school year. For more information or to apply for this or other current vacancies, here is the application and information. Also, our new lunch program partner Just a Dash Catering is also looking for potential food service workers right here in District 63. Here is more information on the positions and how to apply.

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August Board Meeting Location
Due to the construction project, the Board of Education meeting scheduled for Tuesday, August 13, at 7:00 p.m. will be held at the Indian Prairie Public Library, located at 401 Plainfield Road in Darien. The meeting will take place in the board room on the 2nd floor.

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Upcoming CARE Events

CARE is our parent organization that does wonderful work to help support our students and staff through fundraising, and by organizing some great events throughout the year for our families to enjoy. We hope you will consider supporting CARE by volunteering, supporting a fundraiser, or simply by enjoying the many events they offer. To start off the school year, CARE is hosting Popsicles in the Park for our incoming kindergarten families on August 24, the annual Ice Cream Social on September 6, and the Cass63 Dash on October 11. We hope to see you at these awesome events!

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Fee Waiver and Free and Reduced Lunch
If you believe your family may qualify for fee waivers and/or free or reduced lunch and you have not already been notified that your family was approved for these benefits, please complete the following forms. Please note that if you wish to apply for both benefits, you must complete both forms in their entirety. Once completed, contact Amy Underhill at aunderhill@cassd63.org to arrange a time, or drop the forms off in the drop box at the main entrance of Concord Elementary School.

2024-25 Fee Waiver Application

2024-25 Free and Reduced Lunch Application

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Welcome back! Four weeks from today, students officially return for the first day of school. We aren’t ready yet, but we will be as the geothermal project begins to wrap up and we clean and prepare our schools for the new year. We are excited to finalize this important step in our facility planning, and get the kids back in school!

For parents who may be new to our school district, welcome to D63! Every week starting now and through the school year, we will share important information, calendars, school events, and lunch menus through the Cass63 Connections. Other information will obviously be provided from our principals and teachers when needed, but this is the central source for our regular communications as a district. Not only will it show up in your inbox, but it is always available on our website under the link above.

We will open the 2024-25 school year with Parent-Student Orientation on Tuesday, August 27, and the first day for our K-8 students on Thursday, August 29. Please review the orientation day schedule below for details, including the suggested time you and your children should plan to attend. As a reminder, registration must be completed and fees paid prior to participation in orientation.

Lastly, due to the construction project our offices are not open to the public, so please continue to arrange any visits in advance by emailing the person you wish to contact, or calling 331-481-4000. Office staff will return any messages and I will share once the offices are officially back open for in person business.

As always, please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions. Thank you!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Concord students celebrating the end of one school and looking forward to the next!

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August 27             Parent Student Orientation Day*
                               *Please check for the suggested time you and your children should plan to attend. Registration must be completed and
                               fees paid prior to participation in orientation.

August 29              First Day of School (Kindergarten-8th Grade)

September 3         First Day of Preschool

September 4         Cass Junior High Curriculum Night

September 5         Preschool, 3rd Grade and 4th Grade Curriculum Night

September 6         CARE Ice Cream Social

September 12       Kindergarten, 1st Grade and 2nd Grade Curriculum Night

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Fall sports season is coming at Cass Junior High School, and the seasons commence before the official start of the school year. All students who wish to tryout and participate in any of the sports, must have a sports physical on file dated no more than 12 months prior to the first day of practice. Please reach out to the coach of the sport you are interested in with any questions.

Boys and Girls Cross Country – August 19 is the first day of practice at Cass Junior High

Boys Baseball – August 15 and 16 are tryouts at the Eisenhower Pony Field

Girls Softball – August 19 and 20 are tryouts at the Cass Junior High Softball Field

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We are less than one month away from the Cass Junior High Band Camp! For those of you unfamiliar with Band Camp, it is essentially a few practices before the school year starts. It gives the beginners a chance to get a head start on learning their instruments and for the returning band students to dust them off. Exact times and procedures for Band Camp will be shared in the coming weeks, but the dates are noted below so you can plan accordingly. Band Camp is not required, but if you are in town it is strongly recommended that you attend. Please contact Mr. Murphy at dmurphy@cassd63.org with any questions.

Beginning Band (5th Graders)
Mon Aug 19 & Tues Aug 20 - 1 hour sectional (time TBD)
Weds Aug 21 & Thurs Aug 22 - 2 hour morning rehearsal

Concert Band (6th Graders)
Weds Aug 21 & Thurs Aug 22 - 2 hour afternoon rehearsal

Symphonic Band (7th & 8th Graders)
Weds Aug 21 - 2 hour afternoon rehearsal

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August Board Meeting Location
Due to the construction project, the Board of Education meeting scheduled for Tuesday, August 13, at 7:00 p.m. will be held at the Indian Prairie Public Library, located at 401 Plainfield Road in Darien. The meeting will take place in the board room on the 2nd floor.

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Upcoming CARE Events

CARE is our parent organization that does wonderful work to help support our students and staff through fundraising, and by organizing some great events throughout the year for our families to enjoy. We hope you will consider supporting CARE by volunteering, supporting a fundraiser, or simply by enjoying the many events they offer. To start off the school year, CARE is hosting Popsicles in the Park for our incoming kindergarten families on August 24, the annual Ice Cream Social on September 6, and the Cass63 Dash on October 11. We hope to see you at these awesome events!

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Accessing Your Child’s Report Card
We have had requests over this summer for parents needing access to their child’s report card for their sports teams. Here are instructions on how to access your these reports for your student. Please note that there is a “Standards Grades” tab and the top line is the overall grade for that class. There is also a spot where you can expand the class to see the individual assignments. Please double-check the school year on the top right of your PowerSchool page to make certain it references 2023-24 to access reports from last year.

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New Lunch Program Partnership

We are pleased to announce that Just A Dash Catering will be our new lunch program partner beginning with the 2024-25 school year. Just A Dash offers a different approach including allowing our students and families an opportunity to provide feedback on the food options that will be available to them, as well as online menu that is updated automatically with any changes and which provides nutritional information for our families. We hope the focus on increasing quality and nutritional value will be a positive improvement for our students.

Just a Dash is also looking for potential food service workers, cooks, and drivers in D63. Here is more information on the positions and how to apply.

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Fee Waiver and Free and Reduced Lunch
If you believe your family may qualify for fee waivers and/or free or reduced lunch and you have not already been notified that your family was approved for these benefits, please complete the following forms. Please note that if you wish to apply for both benefits, you must complete both forms in their entirety. Once completed, contact Amy Underhill at aunderhill@cassd63.org to arrange a time, or drop the forms off in the drop box at the main entrance of Concord Elementary School.

2024-25 Fee Waiver Application

2024-25 Free and Reduced Lunch Application

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Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

We wrapped up a busy but successful school year with so many wonderful, field trips, and student activities. It was so joyful celebrating our 8th grade graduates with their commencement moving on to high school, our 4th graders with their clap out moving on to junior high, as well as congratulating our retirees as they move on to the next phase of life. Mostly we celebrate the incredible academic and social growth that your children have made over the course of another great school year.

Personally, I get very reflective when a school year concludes, not only here at school but also in part because it reminds me so much of my own when they were so young. Kids grow and change so quickly, something I know most of you with older children in particular can already appreciate.

So be sure to enjoy every minute that you have your kids at home or together as a family. In the big scheme of life, your time together outside of work, school, activities, and life in general is relatively brief. And knowing how busy life is, remember to just take time and do simple things together as a family. It doesn’t have to be perfectly planned or an Instagram worthy photo op.

Instead, just breathe in that moment with a little one who still sits on your lap. Savor the time playing catch in the backyard. Make time for and enjoy the bike ride, the walk on a trail, or the picnic in a park. Sometimes, it is the simplest things that are the most memorable to you, and probably the most meaningful for your children as well. You only have one “Summer of 2024”, so make the best of it!

This will conclude our weekly district communications until August 1, and we will share any necessary updates between now and then. As always, thank you for your support of our teachers, staff, and schools. Have a wonderful summer! .

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

Last night, we held our commencement ceremonies for the Cass Junior High School Class of 2024. This is an incredible group of young ladies and gentlemen who are ready to take this step, and we could not be more proud of them! As Board President Lana Johnson shared in her remarks, their growth and development over many years in District 63 far exceeds the time they will spend in high school and probably college as well. In other words, we aren’t just building the foundation together with you as parents, but we are truly getting them most of the way there. There is no limit to what this group of young people can do!

As a reminder to the special message sent earlier this week, we will be sending technology devices home with students this summer, with the exception of our 4th and obviously 8th graders, as well as any students we know of who may be moving out of the district. These will need to return with your students when school resumes on August 29. If this is a particular issue for your family, please contact your child's school and if we don't hear from you, we will be sending the devices home tomorrow.

Also, don’t forget that our offices will be out of commission during the summer renovation project. Information on how best to contact us is provided below. The final Cass63 Connections of the 2024-25 school year will run next Thursday. At that point, we will communicate with you as needed over the course of the summer and the Connections will resume every Thursday beginning in early August.

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

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Friday, May 24 is the last day of school and it is also an early release day. Concord students will be released for the summer at 11:15 a.m. and Cass students at 12:00 p.m. Have a wonderful summer with your families!

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Summer Office Staff Access
Both of our buildings and offices will be closed to the public, and administrators and 12- month office staff will mostly be working remotely during the project. However, to ensure we can take care of our families that need in person assistance, we will have a workspace and pre-arranged business hours for all school and district offices in the Ivy League Kids room at Concord. Please arrange any visits in advance by emailing the person you wish to contact, or calling 331-481-4000. Office staff will return any calls if you leave a voicemail, but we recommend that you reach out to us by email to ensure the quickest response time.

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June Board Meeting Location
Due to the summer HVAC project, the Board of Education meeting scheduled for Tuesday, June 11, at 7:00 p.m. will be held at the Indian Prairie Public Library located at 401 Plainfield Road in Darien. The meeting will take place in meeting room two on the 2nd floor.

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Spring Choral Concert

 

At the Annual Spring Choral Concert at Cass Junior High, our students did an amazing job putting on a performance worthy of Broadway. Countless highlights from the greatest show tunes in musical history were performed. Some of these songs are extremely challenging, but under the direction of teacher Becky Kriz, our talented students did an amazing job!

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Concord Field Days

Concord Elementary students enjoyed their field days this week. The weather cooperated on both days and the kids had an awesome time!

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8th Grade Trip and Activities

The Cass Junior High School Class of 2024 has been enjoying some great activities outside of the classroom. Some were just fun, but things like the Washington, DC trip provide an incredible educational experience as well. Among many other things, this included the laying of the wreath at Arlington National Cemetery, a somber but incredible experience for our students.

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Rotary Literacy Project

 

Last week our preschool students were presented with literacy bags that contain books and manipulatives to help keep them learning in their academic journey. Thank you to the Darien Rotary Club who partnered with Cass District 63, Center Cass 66 and Darien District 61 to create and distribute these bags to our youngest learners, as well as Mr. Cross for coordinating the project as both our superintendent and a Rotarian.

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This fall, we will be offering three sports for interested students at Cass Junior High School. All students who wish to tryout and participate in any of the sports, must have a sports physical on file dated no more than 12 months prior to the first day of practice. Please see link for each sport for specific information on times and dates of tryouts and practices as well as the coaches contact information.

Boys Baseball – August 15 and 16 are tryouts at the Eisenhower Pony Field

Girls Softball – August 19 and 20 are tryouts at the Cass Junior High Softball Field

Boys and Girls Cross Country – August 19 is the first day of practice at Cass Junior High

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Dine to Donate the Last Day of School!

CARE is hosting is last Dine to Donate for the 2023-24 school year and they saved the sweetest for last! Take your kids for a last day of school treat at the Willowbrook Dairy Queen and be sure to present this flyer and 15 percent sales go back to our schools.

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Incoming Kindergarten Get Together

CARE invites all of our incoming Kindergarten students and their families to enjoy Popsicles in the Park on Saturday, August 24!

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Chess is Coming to Concord

Thank you CARE for helping bring Chess to Concord this fall for our 2nd through 4th grade students through a partnership with Elite Chess! Here are more details and registration information for fall sessions.

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Alumni Accolades

Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Parth Joshi on being awarded the Fermilab Science Award!

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

DYC Youth Basketball Workouts

Glenbard Parent Series Fall Programs

Fishing Derby hosted by Senator Curran and Representative La Ha’s

Knight’s Basketball 3 on 3 Tournament 

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Important Dates to Remember

For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.

May 24, 2024
Last Day of School – Kindergarten-8th Grade
Early Release Day – Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.

August 27, 2024
Parent-Student Orientation Day

August 29, 2024
First Day for Kindergarten - 8th Grade

September 2, 2024
No School – Labor Day

September 3, 2024
First Day for Preschool

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

We are taking the biggest step in our geothermal HVAC replacement project starting immediately after student dismissal next Friday, May 24. The interior phase of the project will begin to impact classrooms the last week of school as we prepare to clear out spaces and turn the buildings over to our general contractor almost immediately.

The main impact will be the removal of some electronic and audio visual equipment in most classrooms. The vast majority of classrooms at Cass Junior High School, and about half at Concord Elementary are directly impacted. Also, our teachers and staff have been both discarding and packing up items in preparation for areas in which we need to move, so some of our classrooms may no longer look like they normally do as we get ready for this phase of the project. Particularly at Cass Junior High School where the project is the most involved, we will also begin moving some items safely and in a manner that doesn’t impact students any more than necessary the last day and a half of school.

So your kids may talk about things no longer being on the walls, or storage bins stacked to the side in classrooms. Next week they might see us teaching like it is 1995! Our wonderful staff is keeping the impact to a minimum and they’re engaging the students with it as appropriate for their age. We are approaching all of this with a growth mindset and making the best of it, but I wanted to acknowledge some of this with you. We will also make sure everything is safe this entire time.

As a result of the project, we will also have a later start than usual this fall, with Parent-Student Orientation Day on August 27, and the first day for students in grades K-8 on August 29. Here is the 2024-25 calendar, which includes events scheduled so far, as well as a link to the scheduled days of the school year. I will acknowledge that it is possible this could change, but we have been planning for months to pull this off and be ready for the new year without any major disruptions.

I am very proud of the planning and vision from our district and Board of Education, the support of our taxpayers and community, and the hard work of our teachers, administrators, and staff as we go through some major inconveniences to get this job done right. It is our hope that it provides healthier, safer, and highly energy efficient schools for many years to come.

As always, I welcome any questions or concerns, and we will keep you updated as this progresses. Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

Board President Lana Johnson (left), Superintendent Mark Cross (right), and the Board of Education recently honored retiring teachers Angela Zurawski, Anya Schlottmann, and Ken Kohnke (not pictured).

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At the Board of Education meeting held on May 14, the Board recognized our retiring staff members, 4th grade teacher Anya Schlottmann after 36 years, Concord music teacher Angela Zurawski after 32 years, and junior high social studies and STEM teacher Ken Kohnke after 20 years of service in the district. The Board also recognized staff reaching milestone years of service.

The Board also heard a presentation on the new STEAM program coming to Cass Junior High School. A full list of those recognized, more details on the STEAM program, and other items discussed at the meeting can be found in the Board Briefs.

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Students Excel at Noetic Learning Math Contest

Some of our 6th grade students participated in the Noetic Learning Math Contest this school year. We are proud to announce that Jimmy Hetue scored 90 percent, which was a top four score for 6th grade in Illinois and also the team winner. Calvin Tanouye, Matteo Vittagliano and Ryan Gallagher all earned honorable mentions. Congratulations to these talented students!

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This fall, we will be offering three sports for interested students at Cass Junior High School. All students who wish to tryout and participate in any of the sports, must have a sports physical on file dated no more than 12 months prior to the first day of practice. Please see link for each sport for specific information on times and dates of tryouts and practices as well as the coaches contact information.

Boys Baseball – August 15 and 16 are tryouts at the Eisenhower Pony Field

Girls Softball – August 19 and 20 are tryouts at the Cass Junior High Softball Field

Boys and Girls Cross Country – August 19 is the first day of practice at Cass Junior High

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4th Grade Music Program

For the last music performance of the year at Concord Elementary and music teacher Angela Zurawski’s last production, our 4th grade students put on an outstanding show with a jazz and blues theme, as well as reliving their kindergarten concert from 2020 that never was. Thank you to Mrs. Zurawski for working to highlight the many talents of our children and helping to instill a love of music in generations of students!

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8th Grade Celebrates with Annual Dance

Our Cass 8th grade students enjoyed an amazing Friday night last week at the annual 8th grade dance. Congratulations to the Class of 2024!

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8th Grade Graduation Seat Raffle

CARE is raffling off four sets of eight seats for graduation in the 1st and 2nd rows! If you are interested, please see this flyer for information on how to enter. Good luck!

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Some Important Spring Dates

The end of the school year brings a lot of activities and following are dates that may be important for your family. Some of these dates and events are as follows:

          May 17         Last Day of Preschool
          May 20         3rd and 4th Grade Field Day
          May 20         8th Grade Bowling Trip
          May 21         Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grade Field Day
          May 21         Cass Junior High Recognition Night (invitation only)
          May 22         4th Grade Step Up Day at Cass Junior High School
          May 22         8th Grade Graduation Practice (students will be released at approximately 10:00 a.m.) 
          May 22         8th Grade Graduation, 7:00 p.m.
          May 23         All School Field Trip at Cass Junior High
          May 24         4th Grade Clap Out, Early Dismissal, and Last Day of school

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Ivy League Kids Ends Morning of May 24
Please be aware that the Ivy League Kids program will not be available after school on the last day for students on Friday, May 24. Ivy League Kids will be available that morning as usual, but will not be offered in the afternoon due to the immediate need to move equipment and shut down our schools in preparation for summer construction. This is a half day of school, so please arrange to have your children picked up at the end of the school day. Dismissal is at 11:15 a.m. at Concord Elementary and 12:00 p.m. at Cass Junior High. Thank you for your understanding!

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If your child is missing any items that you think may have been left behind in school, please be sure to have them check the lost and found prior to Thursday, May 23. All items still unclaimed by the end of the school day on May 23 will be donated. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s school office.

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Alumni Accolades

Congratulations to Hinsdale South student Eli Carder for taking 2nd place in the nation for Python Programming at the Business Professionals America Nationals! 

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We partner with Aramark to provide our school lunches. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

Hinsdale South High School Soccer Camp

Little Hornets Soccer Camp

Indian Prairie Summer Reading Program 2024

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Important Dates to Remember

For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.

May 17, 2024
Last Day of Preschool

May 24, 2024
Last Day of School – Kindergarten-8th Grade
Early Release Day – Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.

August 27, 2024
Parent-Student Orientation Day

August 29, 2024
First Day for Kindergarten - 8th Grade

September 2, 2024
No School – Labor Day

September 3, 2024
First Day for Preschool

Dear Cass School District 63 Parents,

As you know from the many messages and reminders, registration closes tomorrow. This year is quite different with the construction plans and our summer schedule and accessibility, so please complete registration if you have not yet done so and reach out if you need any help!

Next week I will share more on our construction schedule and the impact on the last week of school, as well as our summer availability and office access. Along these lines and for those impacted, our Ivy League kids program will be available before school on May 24, but not after our last day early dismissal. I apologize for any inconvenience, but this is absolutely necessary. Please reach out with any questions on this.

On behalf of all of us in District 63, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to our wonderful parents who have organized some really nice treats for our staff for Teacher Appreciation Week. You know who you are and I know none of you are looking for recognition, but it means more than you know. I would also like to thank our parent volunteers who have organized another very successful book fair at Concord last week. It was a huge success and more information is below.

Please take a look at the important spring dates below. There is something going on just about every day!

Finally, I would just like to say Happy Mother's Day to all of our Moms among both parents and staff in D63! Any child with a great Mom is so blessed, and we appreciate you. Enjoy your special day, and make sure they spoil you. Happy Mother's Day!

Mark R. Cross, Superintendent

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Early Dismissal May 10

Just a reminder that Friday, May 10, is a school improvement day and students will be released early. Concord will be released at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.

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2024-25 Registration Closes May 10

Registration for the 2024-25 school year closes Friday, May 10. Here are the registration instructions and we appreciate getting your children registered so that we can assign teachers and establish bus routes for this fall. Please contact your child’s school office or email us at cassd63registration@cassd63.org if you have any questions.

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Swim Team Success

The Cass Junior High swim team competed at Downers Grove South last week and did very well. Our girls’ team ended in 4th place and the boys ended in 9th place. We had some great swims and the kids competed well against their friends from other schools. Thank you to Coach Landon Mitchell for putting together a great addition to our athletic program and to Coach Mitchell and Kristen Kaplan for coaching our kids. Go Warriors!

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Kindergartners Learn to Grow Plants

 

Every year Kindergarten does three different planting projects with the students. They plant lima bean plants in five different planting conditions to see what the plants need to grow. The five conditions are too much water, soil only, no water, no sunlight, and sunlight, soil, and water. Students created a hypothesis about which plant they thought would grow the best. The second experiment was planting onions, radishes, and carrots. This experiment was in a special container so the kids can see how the roots grow and how the seeds germinate. Students also kept a science journal, in which they wrote down what was happening each time there was a new development in our vegetable garden. The third experiment is a secret surprise in honor of a very special day coming up this weekend. Shhh!

Kindergarten received a grant from CARE to access a new set of grow lights for our spring projects. Thank you to CARE for supporting our students, which allowed our Kindergarten teachers the opportunity to create this wonderful learning experience for our kids!

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5th Grade Celebrates Arbor Day

Our 5th grade students enjoyed taking part in Darien’s 25th Arbor Day celebration. Our students joined children from area schools and participated by raising and then releasing butterflies at the event. The annual event is special to our 5th graders as it brings together so many different members of our community each year.

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Some Important Spring Dates

The end of the school year brings a lot of activities and following are dates that may be important for your family. Some of these dates and events are as follows:

          May 10         Early dismissal and 8th Grade Dance
          May 13-15    8th Grade Washington D.C. Trip
          May 17         Last Day of Preschool
          May 20         3rd and 4th Grade Field Day
          May 20         8th Grade Bowling Trip
          May 21         Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grade Field Day
          May 21         Cass Junior High Recognition Night (invitation only)
          May 22         4th Grade Step Up Day at Cass Junior High School
          May 22         8th Grade Graduation
          May 23         All School Field Trip at Cass Junior High
          May 24         Early dismissal and last day of school

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8th Grade Graduation and Celebrations

The time for our students in 8th grade is coming to a close and we are celebrating our soon to be graduates, culminating with graduation ceremonies on Wednesday, May 22, at 7:00 p.m. Here is a newsletter outlining all information our 8th grade families need to know for the end of their time in Cass School District 63. Also for any families interested, here is information on how to order a graduation video or an individual graduation photo.

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8th Grade Graduation Seat Raffle

CARE is raffling off four sets of eight seats for graduation in the 1st and 2nd rows! If you are interested, please see this flyer for information on how to enter. Good luck!

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This fall, we will be offering three sports for interested students at Cass Junior High School. All students who wish to tryout and participate in any of the sports, must have a sports physical on file dated no more than 12 months prior to the first day of practice. Please see link for each sport for specific information on times and dates of tryouts and practices as well as the coaches contact information.

Boys and Girls Cross Country – August 19 is the first day of practice at Cass Junior High

Boys Baseball – August 15 and 16 are tryouts at the Eisenhower Pony Field

Girls Softball – August 19 and 20 are tryouts at the Cass Junior High Softball Field

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Ivy League Kids Ends Morning of May 24

Please be aware that the Ivy League Kids program will not be available after school on the last day for students on Friday, May 24. Ivy League Kids will be available that morning as usual, but will not be offered in the afternoon due to the immediate need to move equipment and shut down our schools in preparation for summer construction. This is a half day of school, so please arrange to have your children picked up at the end of the school day. Dismissal is at 11:15 a.m. at Concord Elementary and 12:00 p.m. at Cass Junior High. Thank you for your understanding!

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If your child is missing any items that you think may have been left behind in school, please be sure to have them check the lost and found prior to Thursday, May 23. All items still unclaimed by the end of the school day on May 23 will be donated. If you have any questions, please contact your child’s school office.

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Concord Book Fair Thank You!
CARE announced that with just over $11,200 in sales, they will receive $2,123.89 in Scholastic dollars for Concord Elementary and $2,400 for CARE to go toward their fundraising goal. We want to thank super volunteer Julie Ghrist who leads the organization of our book fairs, as well as our other parent volunteers, and of course all of you for supporting our students and staff in District 63!

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Cass School District 63 is seeking a school nurse and teacher assistants for the 2024-25 school year, and evening shift substitute custodians immediately. For more information or if you are interested in applying, here is the application and information.

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Does Your Family Need Summer Food Options?

If you are looking for available options to help feed your family this summer, there are several possibilities to help you. Free Summer Meals are available for children 18 and under. Click under the link for more information and where to find the meals.

For families, Find Food Illinois is a community food map where eligible families interested in food assistance may locate local food pantries, identify locations that accept SNAP and/or WIC, senior food resources etc. during the summer months. The Northern Illinois Food Bank also has great resources to help your family find food banks, summer lunch options, as well as assistance and resources.

In addition to these programs, the Summer Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT), or SUN Bucks, is a new nutrition program to help families buy food for their school-aged children during the summer. SUN Bucks 2024 will provide a $120 annual benefit to eligible children via an EBT issuance by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) later this summer. More basic information on the new federal program is available on the USDA website. Your children are automatically eligible if they have been directly certified or approved through application for free meals during the 2023-24 school year. If your family is not currently receiving free lunch, but you believe you would be eligible, please compete and return this application to the District office no later than May 23. Beginning on May 24 this application is no longer applicable and a state application will be released. We will share that application when it becomes available.

Please be aware that this application is not for the 2024-25 school year. It is specific to the summer 2024 EBT program only. Applications for the 2024-25 school year will be released around August 1. Please contact Amy Underhill at aunderhill@cassd63.org or Gayle Wilson at gwilson@cassd63.org with any questions.

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Alumni Accolades

Congratulations to Hinsdale South senior Adrian Folfas for being accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)!

Congratulations to Hinsdale South students Affan Haque and Mason Griskell for their top 5 showing in the Special Olympics softball throw!

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We partner with Aramark to provide our school lunches. Lunches are $3.60 and milk is $0.75, and here are the menus and more details.

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Following are resources and opportunities outside of the district that are available to our parents and families in or around our school community. Please be aware that the District does not endorse any outside organizations or activities, but is sharing this information as a courtesy to interested families.

Hinsdale South Environmental Concerns Organization Native Plant Sale

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Important Dates to Remember

For many more dates or to sync your calendar with ours, please visit the Cass 63 Calendar page.

May 10, 2024
Early Release Day – Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.

May 17, 2024
Last Day of Preschool

May 24, 2024
Last Day of School – Kindergarten-8th Grade
Early Release Day – Concord at 11:15 a.m. and Cass at 12:00 p.m.