As the weather continues to get colder and we get into inclement weather season, we wanted to share our weather guidelines for potentially closing schools.

D64 does not currently have an eLearning option, so if we need to close due to weather, schools would be closed, and it would be a non-student attendance day. We will adjust the calendar accordingly if we need to make up days during the school year. While it's never ideal to interrupt learning, we appreciate your understanding and cooperation when we are concerned about student and staff safety at school.

This is also a good time to remind you that in a winter weather situation, we would utilize our text messaging service to communicate a potential school closing. Our text messaging services will not replace any school emails or calls you receive but will be used supplementally to get you important information quickly.

How to receive text messages:

• You must opt-in to receive text messages. To do so, you will need to text “Y” or “Yes” to 67587.
• If you’d like to no longer receive District 64 text messages, you have to send “Stop” to 67587. 

If you’ve already signed up for the text alerts in the past, you do not have to do it again.

Transportation During Winter Weather

During winter weather conditions, bus travel may experience slower speeds, resulting in potential delays. We recommend utilizing the “Here Comes the Bus” app as an effective tool to track your child's bus arrival times. Detailed instructions for downloading and using the app are available on our website. It’s always a good idea to download the app now and login before there’s bad weather to make sure you can view the routes when you need it. 

On the topic of cold weather - this is a reminder that if it "feels like" 10° or warmer, students will have full outdoor recess. Please be sure your children wear winter gear and are dressed in layers. Also, don't forget to label the items with your child's name!

Thanks to the generous support of our community, we successfully raised $8,700 for the Kiwanis D64 Holiday Food Basket Drive! This funding will assist local families by providing them grocery gift cards and coupons for a free ham and pie at Mariano’s of Park Ridge.

We sincerely thank all who contributed, as your support is vital in brightening the holiday season for families and children in our school district!

All students in grades 3-8 are invited to participate in D64's School Level Spelling Bees. The top three spellers from each school will participate in the District 64 Spelling Bee on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, in the Hendee Rooms at the District Office. 

Last week, the staff and families at Washington Elementary School gathered for a special event to place a memory marker in front of a tree dedicated to the late nurse Denise Tully.

It was a heartwarming tribute, with the Tully family in attendance. The memorial reads, “Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day. In loving memory of Denise Tully.” The marker is located in front of a crabapple tree that was planted in August to honor Denise’s legacy.

Denise was a retired nurse who served at both Washington and Roosevelt Elementary Schools. She began her career in the health office at Roosevelt in 2008 and became a nurse at Washington in 2016, continuing there until the end of the 2023 school year. She passed away earlier this year. 

District 64 cares about the security of your student's personal information. Effective December 13th, we will be requiring all parents to create a minimum 12-character password for their PowerSchool Parent Portal account.

The parent portal will automatically prompt you to make the change when you try to log into it on or after December 13th. You will not receive any email notifications regarding updating your password.

Strong passwords are of the utmost importance - they protect your electronic accounts and devices from unauthorized access, keeping your sensitive personal information safe. The more complex the password, the more protected your information will be from cyber threats and hackers.

Join Us At Our Next Parent U

Join us at our next Parent University event on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, from 6 pm to 7 pm in the Hendee Rooms at the Jefferson Early Childhood Center.

Join the student services administrators as we provide updates on the development of specialized programs for students receiving special education services in District 64!

Going to kindergarten is an important life event. Preschoolers can feel excited— and a bit worried, too. Families have similar feelings, knowing their child is going to the “big school.” Please join us for this parent workshop where you learn strategies to support your child as they transition from preschool to kindergarten and about the continuum of services for students with special needs.

JOIN US ON January 21st at 6:00 pm in the Hendee Rooms at the Jefferson Early Childhood Center.

Meet other parents, get your questions answered, and learn transition strategies.

Upcoming Board Meetings

The following are the next Board meetings:

• December 19, 2024 - 7 p.m. - Hendee Rooms at the Jefferson Early Childhood Center

Looking to catch up on past meeting highlights? A summary of each meeting is available on our Current Board News webpage.

Please confirm meeting dates and times on the Board meetings webpage.

This Sunday, December 8th, at 1 PM, there will be a showing of "It's a Wonderful Life" at the Pickwick Theatre. Admission is free, but donations for the Park Ridge Community Fund will be accepted at the door.

Comments and questions may always be directed to the Superintendent or Board members through these links:

Email Dr. Ben Collins, Superintendent or contact members of the Board of Education via email links.

Park Ridge-Niles School District 64 | 847-318-4300 | news@d64.org

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