March 1, 2024

Thanks to the community’s support for Barrington 220's referendum in 2020, the district's Build 220 initiative has made tremendous progress in renovating our aging school buildings and transforming learning spaces for students. However, much work is still needed to ensure our students learn in schools that meet our community’s high expectations.

This month Barrington 220 is providing several opportunities for community members to share their feedback about projects that should be included in a potential school district referendum question on the November 2024 election ballot.

Community Phone Surveys

Phone surveys will be conducted the week of March 4 to gather community input on funding levels and support for projects to be included in a potential referendum question.

Community Meetings

In addition, the district will hold four community meetings. These meetings will feature a presentation, a survey about funding levels and support for projects, as well as an opportunity to ask questions. They are open to the public. Please note that each meeting will have the same agenda.

• Wednesday, March 6: 6pm @ BMS-Prairie Campus Library
• Saturday, March 9: 10am @ BHS Front Atrium (Lower Level) 
• Monday, March 11: 6pm @ Arnett C. Lines Elementary Library
• Thursday, March 14: 6pm via Zoom (Click here to register for the Zoom)

March 17 will mark exactly four years since the Barrington area community came together to support a $147 million school district referendum. Four years later, all of the major projects from the district’s “Build 220” initiative have been completed on time and within budget, and the new educational spaces are providing learning opportunities that will better prepare students for life beyond Barrington High School. Click here to view a photo gallery and learn more about some of the completed spaces!

Join us for our final two ribbon cutting ceremonies!

Summer school in Barrington begins on Monday, June 3, 2024 for all grade levels. Registration is now open on our summer school webpage. Below are the locations for each program. Please note that due to construction happening this summer, there are a few changes.

• Elementary summer school programs will be held at Roslyn Road Elementary and Barbara B. Rose Elementary.
• The middle school summer school program will be held at Prairie Campus.
• The high school academic summer school program will be held at Station Campus. Please note, BHS Athletic Camps will remain at BHS.
• The Jump Start and Dual Language programs traditionally held at Sunny Hill Elementary will be held at Hough Street Elementary.
• The early childhood Extended School Year (ESY) program will be held at the Barrington Early Learning Center.
• The elementary ESY program will be held at Countryside Elementary.
• The middle and high school ESY program will be held at Station Campus.

TICKETS: Music is for Everyone Concert

Barrington 220 Fine Arts is excited to collaborate with our Student Services Department on our first-ever sensory-friendly concert and interactive experience for neurodiverse audiences. Camille Saint-Saëns' The Carnival of the Animals will be performed by the BHS Chamber Orchestra on March 12 from 5:00pm to 5:40pm in the BHS auditorium. The concert will be produced in a manner that is inclusive for neurodiverse audiences, guests with sensory sensitivity, as well as anyone who would enjoy a less formal concert environment. There is no cost to attend, but please click here to reserve a ticket.

This year all students in grades 4 through 12, as well as teachers and parents across Illinois will have an opportunity to participate in the annual statewide Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey is designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school. As a parent, this opportunity will allow you to share your thoughts on the important elements of school effectiveness. Please note, Barrington 220 is under the Lake County Regional Office of Education, therefore parents must select Lake County to find your school. This applies even if a school is not located in Lake County. Click here to take the survey.

Sodexo to implement Nutrislice app for K-8

Sodexo, the food service provider for students in grades K-8, is implementing a new menu and nutritional system called Nutrislice for the start of the 2024-25 school year. This new system will replace the SO Happy app. The SO Happy app will be in place until the end of this school year, however, if you wish to begin familiarizing yourself with the Nutrislice app, iPhone users can click here to download it. You can also click here to view the Nutrislice menus.

Village of Barrington rail safety sessions

The Village of Barrington invites the community to attend a railroad safety session, presented by the Metra safety education staff. Two in-person sessions will take place on Tuesday, March 19 at Barrington's White House. During the event, Metra will cover various aspects of rail safety, including details from Operation Lifesaver and Metra's 3 E's: Education, Engineering, and Enforcement. Click here for more information and to register.

Safety Town registration opens April 4

The Barrington Junior Women's Club invites children entering kindergarten or 1st grade to register for Safety Town 2024! Safety Town is a week-long educational summer program, which teaches participants vital safety lessons through activities and demonstrations. An outdoor miniature town gives children a hands-on experience using safety skills while riding trikes and acting as pedestrians. Registration opens April 4. Click here to learn more.

Upcoming virtual event from Family Action Network

Barrington 220 partners with the Family Action Network (FAN), a non-profit organization that curates a high-quality speaker series. All events are free and open to the public. Join FAN for a discussion on Zoom called "Over the Influence: Why Social Media is Toxic for Women and Girls – And How We Can Take It Back" on March 20 at 7pm. Click here to register and learn more.