School Building Bond Referendum
information available on D15 website
On Tuesday, November 8, voters will decide if Community Consolidated School District 15 will build an elementary school at Osage Park in northeast Palatine, and a middle school on the Ela Road property it owns in the southwest portion of the District. Community members interested in learning more about the School Building Bond Referendum are encouraged to visit the D15 Referendum Information page on the District 15 website, www.ccsd15.net, for more information.
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PARCC exam results will be mailed
to District 15 parents in late October
Later this month, District 15 parents will receive letters containing copies of their children's most recent Partnership for Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) exam report and brochures that explain how the PARCC report is organized.
 Last year was the second year Illinois' school districts took the PARCC exam. The PARCC exam students took last year was a revised and streamlined version of the 2015 PARCC exam. Most students in Illinois take the PARCC exam online with a computer. Last year, most of the District's seventh- and eighth-grade students took the PARCC exam online. This year, plans call for District 15 students in Grades 5-8 to take the online version of the PARCC test.
The PARCC exam is one of several tools District 15 uses to plan instruction and measure growth. No single assessment can ever fully capture a student's skills and abilities. The PARCC exam is simply one reflection of your child's academic skill levels. The PARCC assessment is designed to give schools and teachers more information to support improvement efforts and personalize teaching to better guide your child's learning.
"District 15 looks forward to using the PARCC data to help inform our continuous improvement efforts," said Thomas Edgar, Ph.D., Executive Director for Assessment, Accountability, and Programs. "We anticipate that our PARCC exam results will improve as teachers and students become more familiar with the expectations of the Common Core State Standards and as our efforts to update our math curriculum and implement the Next Generation Science Standards unfold."
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Local Trick-or-Treating Hours
and Tips for a Safe Halloween
Parents, please be advised that the following trick-or-treating hours have been set for Monday, October 31, by the communities served by District 15: - Palatine: 3-7 p.m.
 - Rolling Meadows: 3-8 p.m.
- Hoffman Estates: 3-7 p.m.
- Arlington Heights: 3-7 p.m.
- Schaumburg: 3-7 p.m.
- Inverness: 3-7 p.m.
- South Barrington: 3-7 p.m.
Additionally, the Village of Palatine offers these easy tips to keep your children safe on Halloween:
- Always go trick-or-treating accompanied by an adult.
- Stick to the designated trick-or-treat time and pick subdivisions and areas with many homes.
- Plan a safe route so you know where your children are at all times. Set a time for their return home. If your child goes out with just friends, make sure he or she has a cell phone.
- Stay together as a group if going out without an adult. Be sure to let your parents know who you are with and where you are going.
- Stay in well-lit, populated areas and do not wander off by yourself.
- Do not eat any treats until they can be examined at home by an adult.
- Never enter a home or back or side yard of a stranger or get into a stranger's car. Call 911 or go to a neighbor's house for help.
- Carry a flashlight or glow stick, and add reflective tape on costumes to make them more visible to cars.
- Make sure costumes are flame retardant or have been treated with fire retardant spray.
- Avoid masks. They limit vision. Use make-up instead.
- Remember that this is a day of fun. Vandalism will not be tolerated. Damaging property is a crime and police will arrest those who think they can get away with mischief because it is Halloween.
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D15 Community Closet provides families
in need with clothing for all seasons
Palatine Assisting Through Hope (PATH) and the Northwest Suburban Council (NWSC) of PTA/PTSA are partnering with District 15 to provide all D15 students and their families with opportunities to be properly clothed no matter the season through the District 15 Community Closet.   The District 15 Community Closet operates like a thrift store, with clothes available in sizes from infant through adult. However, all of the clothes at the Community Closet are free to District 15 families in need of assistance. District 15 families in need of free, gently used clothing can now be signed up by a teacher, social worker, or any certified staff member for an appointment to shop the Community Closet. Families can visit the Community Closet twice a year, but can only receive winter coats and new socks and underwear on one visit. (New socks and underwear are only available for children.) The Community Closet is open one evening and one afternoon each month at Gray M. Sanborn School, 101 N. Oak Street, Palatine. The Community Closet will also be open during Parent-Teacher Conferences on Monday, November 21, and Tuesday, November 22. Parents can receive special vouchers to visit the Community Closet from their children's teachers, and go directly to Sanborn to visit the Community Closet without an appointment following their conferences. For more information, contact any District 15 school or social worker, or contact your school's PTA Health and Safety chair. Donations and Volunteers Needed!
Donations to the District 15 Community Closet can be dropped off in donation boxes located in the main entrances at all District 15 schools. Receipt forms are available at each donation location. In addition to gently used clothing, donations of new pairs of socks and underwear in all sizes and styles are always needed, especially in the late fall and winter months when more families are accessing the Community Closet. Additionally, the District 15 Community Closet is always in need of volunteers to sort clothes and/or operate the closet when it is open. This is a great opportunity for junior high, high school, and college students to earn community service hours. Adults are welcome, too! For more information on donating and volunteering, contact info@path-palatine.org or visit PATH's website, www.path-palatine.org, and click "Be A Volunteer."
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District 15 offers three opportunities
for free developmental screening
Free developmental screenings for children up to 33 months old are offered to families who live in District 15 through the District's Early Intervention Program. The screenings, which are by appointment only, will be held on the following dates from 3-6 p.m. at the John G. Conyers Learning Academy, 2800 W. Central Road in Rolling Meadows: - Wednesday, November 9
- Wednesday, February 15
- Wednesday, April 26
To make an appointment, contact Erin Carp, Student Services Technology Specialist, at 847-963-3150. For more information, contact Melanie Mandarino, Early Intervention Facilitator, at 847-963-3410.
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 Kristi Yamaguchi shares her latest
children's book with Whiteley students
Famed figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi recently visited Frank C. Whiteley School.     Mrs. Yamaguchi is best known as the 1992 U.S. Olympic Gold Medalist in figure skating, and as the celebrity champion in the sixth season of Dancing with the Stars. However, during her visit to Whiteley, she shared her latest children's book, Cara's Kindness. In this story, Cara the Cat is struggling to pick the perfect song for her new ice-skating routine. But when a friend in need turns up at the rink, Cara drops everything to lend a helping hand. All she asks is that he pay it forward! Before long, Cara's kindness is passed all around ... and might even make its way back home! After reading Cara's Kindness to Whiteley students in Grades K-3, Mrs. Yamaguchi took questions from the students, and signed copies of the book for those who had purchased it. Mrs. Yamaguchi's visit to Whiteley was sponsored by Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville and Sourcebooks, Mrs. Yamaguchi's publisher. Proceeds from the sale of Mrs. Yamaguchi's children's books benefit her Always Dream Foundation and its early childhood literacy initiative.
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 Walk to School Day a huge success
at Winston Campus Elementary
Winston Campus Elementary had a great turnout for its Walk to School Day activities on Wednesday, October 5.   Students who walked to school were greeted by Andrew Tieman, Winston Campus Elementary Principal, Pablo Arboleda, Winston Campus Elementary Assistant Principal, and Mary Catherine Ritterbusch, the parent volunteer who organized the activities. They were joined by Jim Schwantz, Mayor of Palatine, Scott Thompson, Ed.D., District 15 Superintendent of Schools, Matthew Barbini, Ed.D., Deputy Superintendent of Schools, and many parent volunteers. Together, the group worked intersections and passed out Walk to School Day stickers to all of the walkers and bikers as they arrived on campus. "Some of our loyal parents have been monitoring their corners for years," noted Mrs. Ritterbusch. "Thank you, keep up the good work, and walk or bike as often as possible!" International Walk to School Day is a global event that involves communities from more than 40 countries walking and biking to school on the same day. It began in 1997 as a one-day event. Over time, this event has become part of a movement for year-round safe routes to school and a celebration -- with record breaking participation -- each October. Today, thousands of schools across America -- from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico -- participate every October. "We had a great turn out for the International Walk to School Day," said Mr. Tieman. "I want to thank our amazing PTA, especially Mrs. Ritterbusch and all of the parent volunteers for your support and organization."
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 Grant to help Central Road begin
'Energizing Student Potential'
Over the summer, Jeanne Marino, LRC Director at Central Road School, received an Energizing Student Potential grant from the Exelon Foundation, Nicor Gas, British Petroleum, Commonwealth Edison, and People's Gas.  The grant means Central Road is one of just 40 schools in Illinois and Indiana selected to participate in the Energizing Student Potential program for the 2016-17 school year. The grant will provide Central Road with the following: - $3,000 of hands-on STEM kits and curriculum, and $500 to support a STEM challenge and community project at the school.
- An Energizing Student Potential Energy Fair Kit to host an energy fair and carnival at the school.
- Access to educational energy audits, field trips, and classroom visits.
- Two days of professional development -- October 6-7 at the Museum of Science and Industry -- for a team of two teachers, and a one-day mid-year refresh.
- A culminating Celebration of Energy event at the end of the school year.
- Connections to STEM professionals to help students see all the possibilities of STEM and energy careers.
The Energizing Student Potential program is a STEM-focused energy program for Grades 5-8 that will help Central Road meet Next Generation Science Standards goals, engage students in learning about energy within STEM, and help energize the energy workforce of tomorrow. The program incorporates the resources of the region's largest energy companies into a standards-based curriculum for use in the classroom. It is designed to help educators bring energy into the classroom and to provide all the tools and resources necessary for students and teachers to learn together, explore energy together, and teach their local communities about energy.
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 Jarrett Payton shares anti-bullying message with Carl Sandburg Junior High students
Jarrett Payton, a former NFL running back and the son of Chicago Bears Hall of Famer Walter Payton, recently brought his "PROJECT: NO BULL" effort to Carl Sandburg Junior High.    "PROJECT: NO BULL" is the Jarrett Payton Foundation's in-school anti-bullying program. It seeks to create and maintain safe environments for our youth through strong messaging and influential projects that have a lasting impact on students. The Jarrett Payton Foundation is committed to positively impacting the lives of children and adolescents -- physically, emotionally, and psychologically -- by creating and providing programs that present them with a wide variety of opportunities specifically designed to develop their leadership skills and enrich their lives. "We are so grateful that Jarrett Payton visited Sandburg to share his beliefs related to anti-bullying," said Douglas Harter, Carl Sandburg Principal. "The message of 'PROJECT: NO BULL' aligned perfectly with our core beliefs and supports, and our students and staff enjoyed hearing it delivered by a local celebrity. Many thanks to Joe Dudycha, our P.E. teacher, for researching and initiating this opportunity."
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Community Consolidated School District 15
The mission of Community Consolidated School District 15 is:  "To produce world-class learners by building a connected learning community." Producing world-class learners in today's complex and fast-paced world is the single most important responsibility of the district. Schools, teachers, administrators, and support staff work together to ensure that all students enrolled in district schools receive the highest quality of educational opportunities that will not only enable them to meet or exceed state standards, but also will position them for success in future educational and career endeavors. Community Consolidated School District 15 is the third largest elementary district in Illinois, serving a diverse population in all or part of seven northwest suburban communities: Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Hoffman Estates, Inverness, South Barrington, Arlington Heights, and Schaumburg. District 15 has fifteen elementary schools, four junior high schools, and one preschool early childhood center and alternative public day school. For more information, please visit the District's website, www.ccsd15.net. |
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We count on the feedback of the community to keep the District evolving. If you have questions or concerns, please visit our Let's Talk webpage, choose the tab that interests you, enter your information, and click submit. Your message will be shared with District 15 staff immediately.
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Looking Ahead
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October 24SPARK: Innovative Assessment & Treatment for Autism, ADD & Learning Disabilities, 7-8:30 p.m., Walter R. Sundling Junior High October 31
Halloween
November 6Standard Time returns November 8School Building Bonds ReferendumTeacher Plan Day -- No Student AttendanceNovember 9Free Developmental Screenings, 3-6 p.m., John G. Conyers Learning Academy BOE Regular Meeting, 7 p.m., Walter R. Sundling Junior High November 11
Veteran's Day
November 12D15 Staff Volleyball Tournament, Winston Campus Elementary November 14-18American Education Week November 14SPARK: Square Pegs/Round Holes -- the Right Fit for the Right Student, 7-8:30 p.m., Walter R. Sundling Junior High November 15Illinois School Board Members Day November 21 and 22Parent/Teacher Conference Days - No Student AttendanceNovember 23Student Nonattendance Day - Staff follow their individual working calendarNovember 24 and 25Thanksgiving Recess - No SchoolNovember 24Thanksgiving Day Visit District 15's Districtwide Events Calendar
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| Be sure to check out the flyers from nonprofit groups, intergovernmental agencies, and other business partners online at www.ccsd15.net | Links | D15 E-Flyers.
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CONNECTIONS is a newsletter for Community Consolidated School District 15 parents and the community. It is prepared by the Communications Department and is distributed via e-mail.
It can be viewed at www.ccsd15.net | Our Services | Communications Department |
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An online version of District 15's 2016-17 Parent/Student Handbook can be viewed at www.ccsd15.net | For Parents/Students | Parent/Student Handbook.
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Be sure to check out the latest issue of Home & School Connection. Published in both English and Spanish, this two-page, monthly newsletter aims to provide busy parents with practical ideas that promote school success, parent involvement, and more effective parenting. |
 Thank you
for joining
our e-mail list! | D15 E-News is published by the Communications Department and offers our school community a convenient way to stay informed about important news in the district. District 15 values your privacy, and does not sell, rent, or give any contact information for its students or families to outside parties. Questions?
Please contact
Sandy Cramer at cramers@ccsd15.net.
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Community Consolidated
School District 15580 N. 1st Bank Dr.
Palatine, IL 60067
847-963-3000
Board of Education
Peggy Babcock
President
James G. Ekeberg, M.D.
Vice President
David W. Seiffert, Secretary
Gerald D. Chapman, Ed.D.
David Gurion
Zubair Khan
Jessica C. Morrison
Superintendent of Schools
Scott B. Thompson, Ed.D.
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