Dear Parents and Community Members,

On August 25th, we shall welcome our students and staff members to the 2016-2017 school year. The daily bell schedule will return; our hallways will bustle with students and staff settling into the new routines. The faculty and staff of District 35 are returning refreshed from their summer of professional development opportunities. There is an excitement to begin the new year as we engage our students to become successful learners not only in school but, more importantly, beyond our classrooms as community members. We will endeavor to balance their academic achievements while encouraging creativity, exploring the unknown, and celebrating the gains as we partner with our families to grow purposeful young learners.

Throughout the summer break, numerous maintenance projects were completed at each building including the major library renovation at South School to provide space for our full-day Kindergarten program, Central School gym floor restoration, and West School duct cleaning.

We must thank the Glencoe Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and the Glencoe Educational Foundation (GEF) for their contributions to our summer updates. Our fifth and sixth grade classrooms have opened the year with iPad packs as a result of PTO generosity; staff and students in two classrooms will benefit from the installation of SMARTBoard technology thanks to the generosity of the GEF; and, our teachers continue to benefit from the GEF’s support of our teacher laptop program. Such enhancements would not have been possible without the support of both the PTO and the GEF.

If you are new to Glencoe, or this is your first year with a child in our district, we encourage you to stay involved and join our monthly Board of Education meetings. This year, our Board of Education meetings will be held the first Thursday of the month at 7:00 p.m. Our Board of Education provides key leadership to define the direction of our educational operations across our school district. The Board is dedicated to ensuring our mission is addressed while also remaining respectful stewards of the community resources. Please be sure to note the updated information from the Glencoe Caucus shared at www.glencoecaucus.org. The support from the Glencoe Caucus is critical as the Glencoe community prepares to elect Board of Education members during the April 2017 election.

During the school year, you may receive updated information on school activities, news, and events on our newly refreshed district website. We also encourage our families and community members to register to receive our weekly newsletter with news from each of our schools.

We are prepared for another outstanding school year in District 35. Thank you to the Board of Education, staff members, and administrators for their hard work and continued focus on quality education. We look forward to working together as we promote a love of learning and a healthy respect for education among our staff, students, and families.

In partnership,

Catherine Wang