This month schools across D65 have celebrated sustainability and their contributions to climate justice! At Nichols Middle School, the lunch line looks a little different these days. The school is piloting a change for middle school lunchrooms to “serve-your-own” fruits and vegetables. These are usually served to students in pre-measured plastic cups and packaging, but this new way will reduce single-use plastic and waste by allowing students to make their own choices.

Preschoolers in Manette Nilson’s class at the Joseph E. Hill Early Childhood Center learned about compost and earthworms on Earth Day. Students read “What’s Sprouting in my Trash? A Book About Composting” by Esther Porter and talked about their favorite local parks. Then, during stations time with Ms. Nilson, they got the chance to hold a worm! While the holder giggled at the slimy feeling on their palm, their classmates used small magnifying glasses to see the worm up close. Happy Earth Day, D65!

We're having coffee and you're invited! Superintendent Dr. Angel Turner and members of her team are hosting one more session 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 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, in Spanish, and as a recorded version. Meeting summaries for each session will be available on the Structural Deficit Reduction Plan (SDRP) webpage soon.

This past month saw the miraculous transformation of the work site! Masonry precast walls are up, forming the outer shell of the school.

Foster School remains on time and on budget. We are so excited to return a neighborhood school to the Fifth Ward and welcome students to a brand-new, state-of-the-art building for the 2026-27 school year!

Watch a time-lapse video of the seven days it took to install the majority of the school's precast walls:

Please join us in congratulating Anthony Laera, who was named Feature Teacher of the Week earlier this month by the Learning Ally community! Mr. Laera is a special education teacher at Walker Elementary.

“We utilize this program extensively in District 65 to support our exceptional learners to access reading content in the general education classroom,” he says.

Learning Ally is a national nonprofit that provides audiobooks and other resources to students with reading disabilities.

Mr. Laera is a longtime teacher in D65 and was named a finalist for the Golden Apple Awards for Excellence in Teaching in March 2023! Read more about his work in the District and this prestigious recognition

Each month, Washington Elementary students take the lead in introducing the school-wide value through a short video. This month, they’re shining a light on courage with a newscast-style video; watch it below!

“Our goal is to empower students to become thoughtful, compassionate leaders both in and out of the classroom,” physical education teacher Joseph Hernandez says.

Social-emotional learning is built into the school experience for every student in District 65. See what this looks like in D65 classrooms with this quick video: Joy in Learning: Social-Emotional Learning