Dear Foster School families,

I hope you’re doing well! On Monday I took a tour of Foster School and was encouraged by the progress being made on the construction. As we build community together, our physical building is also coming together!

Thank you to those families, friends and community members who came to our family night in February. Together we learned about the school, shared our aspirations, asked questions, and gained clarity on our journey.

Family Engagement Survey

At the meeting in February, we offered an opportunity for families to share with me some of the ways that we can best support their students both in the transition and throughout the school year. Although the house was packed, we know that not all incoming Foster School parents/guardians were able to attend. We would love to extend an opportunity for everyone to give feedback in the linked survey. This will help us to better understand your family’s capacities, interests, and availability. Your responses will help us build strong partnerships and inclusive opportunities for meaningful family engagement as we build our Foster School Community. 

Upcoming Events

We are excited to keep building relationships and planning for the future of our school community! Please mark your calendars for these upcoming events:

March 11, 6:30-7:30 p.m. at Lincolnwood Elementary School: This will be a working meeting for committees focused on summer community building, cultural engagement, and the back-to-school night

• Please note there will be no childcare at this meeting.
• Spanish interpretation will be provided.

Foster School Family Nights; Spanish interpretation provided:

• April 8, 6-7 p.m. at Kingsley Elementary School
• May 13, 6-7 p.m. at Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies

If you know other families who will be coming to Foster School, please pass this information along. 

I am excited for realizing this historic moment with all of you and look forward to hearing from you soon.

Warmly,

Charlise Berkel

Foster School Principal

Evanston/Skokie School District 65 is thrilled to return a neighborhood school to the Fifth Ward community. Our new school, with the capacity to serve 600 students in kindergarten through fifth grade, is scheduled to open in fall 2026.

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