Pie, pi, and puzzles — does a math event get any better!? Dawes Elementary hosted its annual math night for families on Pi Day (March 14). Between a daytime preview of the games and 200 attendees at the evening portion, every student got a chance to join in on the fun!

This was the district’s first Julia Robinson Mathematics Festival, an event named after a mathematician and hosted nationwide. Students enjoyed homemade pie, a pi-themed temporary tattoo station, and a passport that encouraged them to check out all of the games and puzzles, many of which can be replicated at home and are available in Spanish. Thanks to Dawes staff, the Dawes PTA, Math Circles of Chicago, and ETHS volunteers for making the night a success!

We're having coffee and you're invited! Superintendent Dr. Angel Turner and members of her team are hosting two upcoming sessions as an informal way to connect with the D65 community. These sessions are meant to complement the community meetings held this month regarding school closure/consolidation criteria. Spanish interpretation will be provided. We hope to see you there!

• April 22, 9:15-10:15 a.m. at Curt’s Café (2922 Central St.)
• April 29, 9:15-10:15 a.m. at Dr. Jorge and Luz Maria Prieto Community Center (formerly South End Community Center) (430 Asbury Ave.)

If you were unable to attend an in-person session, check out the presentations in English or in Spanish. A recorded version of the presentation as well as the meeting summaries for each session will be available on the Structural Deficit Reduction Plan (SDRP) webpage soon.

Haven Middle School is home to one of the best spellers of Suburban Cook County: Congratulations to Cecily on placing sixth at the Scripps ISC Regional Spelling Championship! Cecily, a seventh grader, won the District-wide English spelling bee for the second year in a row this year. 

“Your hard work and commitment to mastering the intricacies of the English language were truly impressive,” said Dr. Jaime Herron, Assistant Executive Director of South Cook ISC, in a congratulatory message.

D65 students in fourth through eighth grade participate in classroom and school spelling bees, and the winners advance to a District-wide bee.

More than 45 District 65 fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth graders completed the citywide Code-It! Challenge by creating their own video game! Aided by Northwestern mentors, tutorials, and weekly workshops at the Evanston Public Library, these students designed a video game with MakeCode Arcade and displayed it for others to play at the showcase last Saturday.

The games ranged in style and format, but all were creative and unique! Students and their families at Fleetwood-Jourdain Community Center tried out games including “Knight's Quest”, “Soulspeaker,” and “Eniah Robinson: The World’s Greatest Hero”.

Each student went home with a PyBadge kit, a device that had been loaded with their game, thanks to a Project Next Generation grant from the Illinois State Library. Additionally students won raffle prizes based on their participation throughout the challenge and the complexity of their final coded game.

Weren’t able to attend the showcase? All Code-It! Challenge games will be on display and can be played at Evanston Public Library!

As part of their recent professional development work, the District 65 Fine Arts Department visited Northwestern University's Block Museum of Art to see the exhibit “Woven Being: Art for Zhegagoynak/Chicagoland.” This powerful exhibition explored the confluences that continue to shape Indigenous creative practices in the region and beyond, offering a deeper understanding of the cultural dialogues that inform and inspire Indigenous art today.

Department chairs Marisa Hernandez (Oakton Elementary) and Sherri Kushner (Chute Middle) coordinated the collaboration between Northwestern and District 65. Educators took full advantage of the exhibit’s thought-provoking pieces, drawing inspiration and ideas to bring back to the classroom. 

“We loved having the time to collaborate with one another, share insights, and strengthen our connection to each other,” Hernandez said.