District 64 schools and offices will be closed on Monday, September 2nd, in observance of Labor Day. Enjoy the long weekend; we'll see everyone back at school on Tuesday!

The new school year brings back many fun events for our students and families. The PTOs at each school have done a fantastic job with their Back-to-School Bashes so far. Activities, music, and food are bundled in an evening that brings the community together. The inflatable courses and games only continue to get more epic! 

All District 64 parents are invited to our inaugural D64 PTO Kick-Off! Hear our Superintendent, Dr. Ben Collins, present information on the upcoming Referendum, and tour the aging Lincoln Middle School to see some of the proposed improvements with each school's Principal as your guide. 

• Tuesday, September 10th
• 7:00 p.m.
• Lincoln Middle School (200 South Lincoln Avenue)

PTOs will have their annual kick-off meeting to highlight their year and offer an opportunity to meet more D64 parents. Daycare will be provided and this is a great opportunity to support your child's education. 

We had a great start to our Referendum 2024 informational events. Each week, I will share a question from the presentations, hoping it will also help others.

Question: Would funds from the Referendum 2024 go towards salaries or programming?

Answer: No, this Referendum is unlike the 2007 Tax Rate Referendum, which restored class sizes and programs and created a fund balance. The 2024 Referendum seeks to address our highest-priority capital facility needs, and the size of the bond referendum that will appear on the ballot is $89,106,629 million, with all of that going toward our schools. Approximately 28% will go toward health, safety, and security upgrades (this includes the Lincoln addition, allowing the cafeteria to be moved out of the basement.), 34% toward mechanical and infrastructure improvements, 26% towards classroom improvements, and 12% towards building additions.

We would like you to learn all the facts about the Referendum to ensure you can make an informed decision. Here are next week's upcoming events:

• Tuesday, September 3rd - 7:30 pm - Virtual Presentation
• Thursday, September 5th - 7:00 pm - Tour of Lincoln Middle School

Please RSVP if you plan on attending any of the events. Based on the email you provide in the RSVP, links to the virtual presentation will be sent to you.

The full schedule of tours and events can be found online at d64.org/referendum2024.

A beautiful Crabapple Tree was planted at Washington Elementary School in memory of the late Denise Tully, who passed away in May. She was a retired nurse who spent more than 15 years working at Washington and Roosevelt Elementary Schools and had a deep passion for her work there and the people in the community. 

The tree was a generous donation from a family. Our facilities team worked with care yesterday to prepare the spot and plant the tree. It won't be long before it blossoms with white flowers, creating a lovely tribute to Denise's memory.

It was the Carpenter Cougars' first Pacers Friday of the year. The rain stopped in time for students to run laps around their field, getting a mark for every lap. It's a fun way to get moving and for parents to volunteer and cheer on the students! Plus, the Cougars had a Stuff the Squad car event this morning, donating non-perishable items.

The Board of Education election is coming in April 2025. Are you curious about Board service or what it takes to serve on the District 64 Board of Education? For those interested, we would like to invite you to our Potential Board Member Information Night on September 9th at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Hendee Rooms at the Jefferson Early Childhood Center.

You can find more information about the School Board Election here on our website.

Upcoming Board Meetings

The following are the next Board meetings:

• September 19, 2024 - 7 p.m. - LRC at Lincoln Middle School
• October 17, 2024 - 7 p.m.

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.

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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