The children’s section of Evanston Public Library was filled last week with nearly 60 enthusiastic kindergarteners! Krystal Luce, Alyssa Zuravel, and Randy Heite’s classes at Kingsley Elementary School took a field trip to tour the library’s offerings, make a mosaic-style craft, and engage in a combination storytime/singalong.

Students in Mr. Heite’s class are learning about what it means to be an “avid reader.” If the sheer number of students who read to and with each other is any indication, there are many avid readers at Kingsley! 

Kindergarten in D65 is a time for play-based, joyful learning; exploration; and building a foundation to be a lifelong learner. Those sentiments were echoed in the students’ many wonderings and commentary about the day: “I’ve never been to a public library!” “How many books are in this library?” “That was the funnest time ever.”

District 65 staff is leading the way for educators both in Illinois and nationally! Instructional Technology Supervisor Nick Lamb participated as a panelist at the Illinois Digital Educators’ Alliance conference (IDEAcon). As a certified Apple Learning Coach, he was invited by Apple to share insights on how his coaching has positively influenced both staff and students across the district.

"The tools I gained from this program have empowered me to collaborate with educators on their personal goals, understand their teaching styles, and gather valuable classroom data,” he said. “By aligning support with each teacher’s needs, we ensure a consistent, district-wide experience where every educator feels confident and supported."

Haven Middle School educator Linda Matsumoto traveled to our neighbor to the northeast to present at the National Education Association’s National Leadership Summit in Detroit. Out of 3 million members, less than 100 are selected for this honor.

Ms. Matsumoto describes her presentation, “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) History: Perseverance and Resilience in the Face of Adversity,” as a “deep dive into the intersectionality of the AAPI community and other marginalized BIPOC groups through an equity lens.” She is a longtime District 65 team member and has helped uplift the AAPI community through her educational efforts.

Many students have begun work on creating their Code-It Challenge games, which will be available to play for free at the Showcase on April 12! More than 20 D65 students of color have been paired up with members of Northwestern’s National Society of Black Engineers. They meet each week at the library to code their video arcade programs.

Haven’t signed up yet? It’s not too late! This free challenge is open to all 5th-8th grade students — no experience necessary. Tutorials and drop-in hours are available to all participants.

The D65 middle school debate teams competed in their final debate last Saturday — congratulations to all participants on a great season! Two Nichols Middle School students in particular earned a special shoutout: Aaron and Jarrett, both 8th graders, took home first place at the Illinois Middle School Debate League tournament in January! The event was the largest debate tournament in District 65’s history, with schools from Chicago and Indiana participating.

The D65 Debate Program is open to all middle school students at no cost. The program allows students to debate in teams or individually against teams from across the city of Chicago and northwest Indiana. Stay tuned early next fall for next season’s registration window!

If you haven’t already, we invite you to apply to serve on one of three SDRP committees: Finance, Facilities, or Student Programming. Your voice, experience, and engagement are essential as we navigate this next phase.

Applications will remain open through 11:59 p.m. on March 24, 2025. The selection process will prioritize diverse perspectives and expertise to ensure well-rounded discussions and equitable solutions. To learn more about the purpose and structure of these committees, visit the SDRP page of our District 65 website (accessible right from the homepage).