Welcome to the 2013-14 school year, and thank you for reading D15 E-News!

D15 E-News is one of the best ways to keep up with what's happening in Community Consolidated School District 15. That's why, at the beginning of each year, we import into the D15 E-News mailing list all e-mail addresses that parents and guardians provide at registration.  

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Here's to a great year! 

Due to scheduling conflicts, a number of District 15 schools have changed their Parent Orientation dates. While some schools have already held their parent orientations, correct dates for those that have not are listed below:

• Central Road School: Wednesday, September 11
• Thomas Jefferson School: Thursday, September 19
• Lake Louise School: Wednesday, September 11
• John G. Conyers Learning Academy: Thursday, September 12
• Lincoln School: Wednesday, September 11
• Stuart R. Paddock School: Wednesday, September 11
• Pleasant Hill School: Thursday, September 12
• Frank C. Whiteley School: Tuesday, September 17
• Willow Bend School: Wednesday, September 11
• Winston Campus Elementary: Thursday, September 12
• Carl Sandburg Junior High: Tuesday, September 10
• Plum Grove Junior High: Tuesday, September 10
• Walter R. Sundling Junior High: Tuesday, September 10
• Winston Campus Junior High: Tuesday, September 10

For more information, please contact your child's school. 

Community Consolidated School District 15's proposed budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year will be presented for public hearing and consideration by the Board of Education during a special meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 25, at 5:30 p.m. at the Joseph M. Kiszka Educational Service Center, 580 N. 1st Bank Drive, Palatine. 

The proposal, which was presented to the Board at its August 14 meeting, outlines approximately $145.6 million in operating fund revenues and $148.8 million of operating fund expenditures resulting in an estimated $3.2 million deficit. That shortfall is projected to reduce the District's June 30, 2014, fund balance to approximately $52.8 million, or roughly 35 percent of the District's budget. 

Read more about District 15's proposed 2013-14 budget. 

Building off its theme for the 2013-14 school year - "Getting the 360 on Your Child" - SPARK (Special Education Parents Accessing Resources and Knowledge) has scheduled monthly meetings on such topics as executive functioning, sensory processing, emotional self regulation, academics, the new Common Core Standards, and more. 

SPARK's first event, which will be held Monday, September 23, from 7-8:30 p.m. at Walter R. Sundling Junior High, 1100 N. Smith Street, Palatine, will be titled "Executive Functioning & School Success." At this meeting, Michael Gladstein, author of the executive functioning writing system SQ Write, will further explain executive functioning as the ability to engage in purposeful, organized, strategic, self-regulated, and goal-directed behaviors. He will discuss executive functioning's relationship on student achievement regarding written expression, study skills, and school success.

SPARK is a committee of the Northwest Suburban Council of PTA/PTSA that serves families of children with special needs in District 15. Its monthly meetings are designed to give parents information to help them in the current and future steps of the journey of parenting children with specials needs. SPARK realizes the importance of providing:

• Relevant programs and resources related to special education.
• Opportunities to network and receive support and help.
• Connections for parents with outside resources. 

SPARK meetings for the 2013-14 school year are scheduled for: 

• September 23
• October 21
• November 11
• January 27
• February 24
• March 10
• April 28
• May 19

SPARK has representatives at each District 15 school, and all parents, educators, and administrators are encouraged to attend its monthly meetings. SPARK also has an online support group. If you would like to subscribe to this group, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/D15spark_supportgroup/join or e-mail D15spark_supportgroup-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.  

For more information on SPARK, visit www.ccsd15.net | For Parents/Students | Parent Resources | SPARK, or contact Jenni Bennett at 224-725-3795. 

The Village of Arlington Heights has announced that the Community Partnership Immunization Clinic has re-opened after being closed nearly eight months ago due to cuts in state funding. 

The clinic reopened on Monday, August 12, and has scheduled additional immunization opportunities for the following Mondays in 2013: September 16, October 21, November 18, and December 16. On those dates, immunizations will be offered from 5-7 p.m. at the Village of Arlington Heights, 33 S. Arlington Heights Road. 

The clinic is available for children who are on Medicaid or are uninsured, as well as those who have insurance that doesn't cover mandated immunizations.

Parents with eligible children must make reservations and provide the Village with immunization records one week prior to each clinic to ensure vaccine availability. Reservations can be made by calling 847-368-5760, and required immunization records can be mailed to or dropped off at the Village of Arlington Heights, 33 S. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005, or faxed to 847-368-5980.

Vaccines cost $10 per shot, and some adult vaccines are available with  reservations and prior records. Vaccines cannot be administered to children with insurance that covers immunizations.

New physical exams and immunization records are required for all kindergarten and sixth-grade students, as well as students who are new to District 15.

For more information, contact the Village of Arlington Heights' health department at 847-368-5760. 

More than 1,200 children from more than 500 families in the District have received beginning-of-year school supplies through the generous donations of a variety of local programs and individuals.

Palatine Township provided supplies for District 15 students through its Apple Tree Campaign. Each spring, Palatine Township pre-registers children to receive their fall school supplies through the Apple Tree Campaign. The township works with school social workers to identify which families need help purchasing supplies, the cost of which may range from $30 to $75 or more at the outset of the school year.

Once the township has collected and distributed school supplies to these families, remaining supplies are given to the District, and, upon request, are available for school staff to distribute to students in need while supplies last.
Also, a new donor, Black Diamond Charities in Burr Ridge generously provided 200 backpacks filled with supplies appropriate for kindergarten through sixth-grade students. 

In addition to these donations, the Chapel in Palatine donated 55 backpacks and the Hoffman Estates Chamber of Commerce donated gift cards to be used for needed supplies. The District continues to receive anonymous donations and occasional contributions from other individuals and groups in the area, as well.

Enrollment Procedures 

Financial Report Card for Fiscal Year 2013