River Forest
District 90  
Primer
February 2016    

Superintendent's Message
Dear Parents, Staff, Students, and Community Members,  

Photo Courtesy of Lori Suzuki
Students, faculty and staff members have been very busy this month. Our students are working hard and participating in a variety of classroom activities and extracurricular activities that support classroom instruction and learning. Please be sure to congratulate those students who participate in activities such as the Young Writers Conference, One Earth...Our Earth Film Contest, theater activities, musical events, or athletics. These activities, as well as many others, help to provide a well-rounded and equitable education for out students. 

The District is in the bittersweet position of finding a replacement for Martha Ryan-Toye, Director of Student Services, who is leaving District 90 to become the Superintendent  of Riverside School District 96. Martha's passion for supporting the academic and social emotional learning for all students has been a genuine asset to our school district in so many ways. More information about the process we will use to select her successor is below.

In compliance with the Erin's Law state mandate and as part of the Social Emotional curriculum, Linda Conway of ISEARCH will be holding age-appropriate sexual assault and abuse prevention workshops for students in Kindergarten through Grade 8. The District will be holding a Parent Information Night with Ms. Conway on March 15 at 7 p.m. in the Lincoln School auditorium. This Parent Information Night is an opportunity for families to ask any questions about Erin's Law, the law's implementation, and the nature of the curriculum. If for any reason, you prefer that your child not participate in the Erin's Law sessions, please contact your child's principal by April 4.
 
District 90, the River Forest Education Association, and our school nurses provided opportunities for the District's faculty and staff to learn more about healthy lifestyles. The week of health included health screenings, certified CPR courses, and an hour of wellness, all of which were designed to encourage our employees to take good care of their health. 
 
Every year in August we welcome a new cohort of Kindergarten students to District 90. While school starts in late summer, Kindergarten registration has already begun. Children who will be five years old on or before September 1, 2016 can be registered for this year's Kindergarten class. If you have a youngster who's ready to register for Kindergarten or know of a child who's at the age to register, please share the registration information outlined below.
 
Lastly, plans are underway for the 2016 Summer School, which will be held at Lincoln School. The dates for Summer School are June 8 to July 8, with no school held on July 4. While the course offering will be similar to ones offered last year, the District is also investigating the possibility of offering week-long programs, as well. More information will be forthcoming.
   
With warm regards,
   
Ed Condon, Ph.D. 
Superintendent
District News
District 90 Holds Health Week for Faculty and Staff 
District 90, the River Forest Education Association (RFEA), and school nurses joined forces to encourage all District employees to get and stay healthy, while adopting or increasing healthy lifestyle choices. District employees were invited to participate in a confidential Wellness Screening. In less than 30 minutes and with a simple blood draw, employees were provided with an overall summary of their health risks and the results of multiple lab tests that were designed to detect early stages of diseases or common illnesses. School nurses added their expertise to the initiative by leading a certified CPR course for any interested employees. And the RFEA provided an hour of wellness to all District employees. Breakout sessions included core, cardio, strength training, and kickboxing workouts, yoga and Pilate's sessions, an hour of floor hockey, and a wellness seminar. 
Selecting Martha Ryan-Toye's Successor
Martha Ryan-Toye, Director of Student Services, will be leaving District 90 to become the Superintendent of Riverside School District 96. Martha is an energetic leader who is passionate about educational and social emotional experiences for all students. She will assume her new post on July 1, 2016. The District has started the process to select her successor. School Exec Connect, a local school executive recruiting firm, has been chosen to facilitate the selection process. The vacancy was posted online through selected job banks and an Education Week advertisement with initial screenings scheduled for early March. School Exec Connect is presently conducting screening interviews of viable candidates to determine their general suitability for the position. Click on the link for more information about the selection process for Martha's role, now titled Director of Curriculum and Instruction.
Erin's Law Workshops
In compliance with the state mandate, District 90 will again provide an age-appropriate sexual assault and abuse awareness prevention curriculum this year. House Bill 6193, also called Erin's Law, aligns with the District 90's Social Emotional Curriculum for all students. Linda Conway, Director of ISEARCH Safety Programs, will provide group sessions for all of our Kindergarten through Grade 8 students. ISEARCH is a personal safety curriculum for K-8 students, and is supported by the Police Department of River Forest and River Forest Township Youth Services. Ms. Conway has a longstanding relationship with District 90 and will address concepts such as saying "no", safety rules for home and school, and the difference between safe and unsafe touches. District 90 is holding a Parent Information Night on March 15 at 7 p.m. in the Willard School auditorium. This Parent Information Night is an opportunity for Ms. Conway to answer any questions about Erin's Law, the law's implementation, and the nature of the curriculum.
 
If for any reason, you prefer that your child not participate in the Erin's Law sessions, please contact your child's principal by April 4.
Kindergarten Registration Continues
River Forest District 90 has begun registering children for Kindergarten. Children must be five years of age on or before September 1. To begin the registration process, families should pick up a Kindergarten registration packet. The packet contains all of the forms and information needed to register, such as proof of residency. For families who are new to District 90, registration packets are available at the Administration Building, 7776 Lake Street. Families will be asked to make an appointment with Josephine Ribaudo at 708-771-8282 or ribaudoj@district90.org to complete the process. The hours for registration at the Administration Building are 8:45 a.m. - 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. Families who have a student already attending a District 90 school can pick up the Kindergarten registration packet at Lincoln School, 511 Park Avenue, or Willard School, 1250 Ashland Avenue.
 
District 90 encourages all families with children eligible for Kindergarten this year to register as early as possible. The earlier incoming Kindergarten families begin the registration process the sooner district administrators and principals are able to make critical decisions about staffing, the gender ratio of classrooms, the number of morning and afternoon sessions, and other important matters. Starting the registration process also enables families to make all the necessary appointments in advance that are required to enroll in Kindergarten, such as medical, dental, and eye exams.

Please share this information with any family you know who has a child that will be ready to start Kindergarten. The first day of school is Thursday, August 25.
Plans are Underway for Summer School
District 90 will again be hosting summer school. The dates for summer school will be June 8 to July 8, at Lincoln School. July 4 is scheduled as a non-attendance day. Summer School will consist of a traditional program that will be similar to what was offered last year. This District is also investigating the possibility of offering several one-week-long summer camps that may appeal to a broader range of students and families. More information will be available in coming weeks. Stay tuned for information about registration dates, class offerings, and other issues!
The Musical, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown, Lands on the Roosevelt Stage
      Photo Courtesy of Ashley Jimenez
With a total cast, chorus, dance troupe, and crew of 150, Roosevelt students thrilled audiences at four sold-out performances and two school assemblies of the musical, You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. Based on the characters and comic strip of Charles Schultz, the Grammy Award winning musical provides a perspective of the life of Charlie Brown. The performances were directed by the team Max Dykla, Julia Woolley, and Wendy Perry. Sets were designed by a team of students led by Paula Guzzetta.
Young Authors Conference Winners
District 90's Young Authors Conference was held on Saturday, January 30
Photo Courtesy of Lori Suzuki
at Lincoln School. Young writers and their families were entertained by l ocal children's author and writing coach, Mike Grosso. Students also participated in two breakout sessions. Kudos go to the winners of this year's Young Authors Conference: Ava Sloane Fisher, a third grader at Lincoln; Rose Kathryn Drab, a second grader at Willard; and Gabriella Saracco, a seventh grader at Roosevelt. You can read the winning entries by clicking on the story titles: The Midnight Witch, by Ava Sloane Fisher; My Talking Sneaker, by Rose Kathryn Drab; and The Dragon, by Gabriella Saracco. District 90's three winning students will also have the opportunity to participate in the Illinois Statewide Young Authors Conference at Illinois State University on May 14.
Willard Duo Wins One Earth...Our Earth Film Contest

Congratulations go to Miles Toppen and Carter Workman, Willard fourth grade students, who won the One Earth...Our Earth Film Festival - 2016 Young Filmmakers Contest at the elementary school level. Their film, Pretty Nice Island, uses animation, green screen, and props to address pollution and over consumption. The premier screening of their film and the awards ceremony will be held on March 6 at the Oak Park Library. Miles and Carter will receive $75.00, and will be selecting a non-profit organization for the matching grant portion of $75.00.

Early Childhood Resource Directory Available 
The Collaboration for Early Childhood's Resource Directory is available online and in a printed version. The Directory helps families find information on quality child care, activities, services, child development, health and safety issues, and other matters that are important to families with young children. The Collaboration for Early Childhood connects families to the information and services needed to support a child's successful development. Its key initiatives include the advancement of high quality child care and preschool; professional development for child care providers; parent information and support for all families; and developmental screening and referral services.  The 2016 issue of the Early Childhood Resource Directory is available in District 90 schools, in locations throughout River Forest, and online at   collab4kids.org.  
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Workshop Opens
Siemens is helping to introduce girls in grades 5 through 8 to engineering by hosting an Introduce a Girl to Engineering 2016 workshop on March 4 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the company's factory in West Chicago. Participants will be able to tour the factory, conduct experiments, and talk with women engineers. Refreshments will be served. The event is free, but requires reservations by February 29. For more information, contact Charlotte Baker at charlotte.baker@siemens.com.  
Author Bob Shea Visits Lincoln First and Second Graders
Children's author Bob Shea visited Lincoln's first and second grade classrooms on February 16. He delighted students and faculty with information about his books' characters, such as Ballet Cat and the Dinosaur. Shea's appearance complements the first and second grade literacy curriculum, and was sponsored by Anderson Bookstores.
Roosevelt Students Service Projects Reach Out to the Community
Several service projects are in full swing at Roosevelt. Fifth grade students collected gently used children's books for the Children's Clinic, a full service pediatric clinic sponsored by the Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society. Students in Grade 8 are also busy collecting backpacks as part of their Eighth Grade Lock-in, which will be held on February 28. 
In This Issue
District 90 Holds Health Week
Selecting Martha Ryan-Toye's Successor
Erin's Law Workshops
Kindergarten Registration Continues
Plans are Underway for Summer School
You're a Good Man Charlie Brown Lands on the Roosevelt State
Young Authors Conference Winners
Willard Duo Wins One Earth...Our Earth Film Contest

Important Dates
February 26
Roosevelt Eighth Grade Lock-In
7 p.m. - 2 a.m.
Roosevelt Middle School 

February 26
Willard Science Festival 
Grades K-2 1:15 p.m. - 1:55 p.m.
Grades 3-4 2:00 p.m. - 2:40 p.m.
Willard School

February 27
West 40 Speech and Drama Competition
8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m
Elmwood Park High School

February 27
Math Counts Competition
8:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
CNA Building (downtown)

February 28
International Fest
Lincoln School

March 1
Board of
Education Committee of the Whole Meeting
7:00 p.m.
Roosevelt Middle Library Learning Center

March 3
Evening Parent Teacher Conferences

March 4
Parent Teacher Conferences
(Non-Attendance Day)

March 7
Casimir Pulaski Day
(No School)
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