Engage 204
January 29
Community members are invited to attend the next Engage 204 session on January 29 from 7 to 9 pm at Still Middle School, 787 Meadowridge Drive, Aurora. This session will focus on “What is #FutureReady204?” Experts have stated that the majority of students entering elementary school today will be working in jobs that have not been created yet, using tools that have not been invented yet, solving problems that have not been thought of yet. During this interactive session, administrators will share how education is changing to help students develop life and work skills that will be needed in the future.
Engage 204 is a collaborative process between the community and District 204. Key to the success of this process is the collaboration and discussion between participants. District residents who attend will have the unique opportunity to share ideas and discuss topics in small groups in order to provide feedback to the Board of Education. Findings and recommendations will be presented to the Board of Education by July 2018. All District 204 residents are invited to participate in Engage 204.
RSVP is appreciated, but not required at RSVP. For more information, visit Engage 204.
Parent Survey
January 31
Teachers, parents, and middle and high school students across Illinois have the opportunity to participate in the Illinois 5Essentials Survey. This survey was designed to generate a detailed picture of the inner workings of your child’s school. As a parent, your voice is essential to help us understand the conditions at your child’s school and guide improvement. The Illinois 5Essentials Survey is administered online by the University of Chicago, on behalf of the Illinois State Board of Education. The state will provide survey results for individual schools only if a school has at least 20 percent of parents take the survey. If you have children attending more than one school, we ask that you complete the survey for each school. All survey responses will be kept confidential. University of Chicago asks parents for an email address when they begin the survey only for the purpose of sending a confirmation once the survey is completed. University of Chicago will never connect your identity and survey responses to you or your child or share the information with your school, the district or the Illinois State Board of Education.
To take this short survey:
1. Visit https://survey.5-essentials.org/illinois/survey/parent/login/.
2. Type and then select Dupage as District 204’s County location. This is the county associated with the district, not the location of an individual school.
3. Type your school’s name into the School field and then select your school.
Backpack Full of Cash
January 25
The Parent Diversity Advisory Council (PDAC) invites the community to a free screening of the film Backpack Full of Cash at 6:45 pm on Thursday, January 25, at Metea Valley High School. Narrated by Matt Damon, this documentary explores the growing privatization of public schools and the resulting impact on America’s most vulnerable children. Backpack Full of Cash is a cautionary tale about how, in cities like Philadelphia, privatization and funding cuts have had a devastating impact on public schools, and the most vulnerable children who rely on them. The film also showcases a model for improving schools – a well-resourced public school system in Union City, New Jersey, where poor kids are getting a high quality education without charters or vouchers. The film features genuine heroes like the principals, teachers, activists, parents and most hearteningly, students who are fighting for their education. To learn more, visit RSVP.
Preschool Tour
January 25
District 204’s Prairie Children Preschool offers early childhood education for children ages three and four. The program is open to all District 204 residents, with the main classrooms located on the first floor of the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora. The program runs for 2.5 hours each day, Monday through Thursday. Tuition is $245 a month. Remaining parent tours for the 2018-19 school year will be held at 9:30 am on the following dates: January 25 and February 8. Confirm your spot on the tour by calling Prairie Children Preschool at 630-375-3030.
Planetarium Family Night Canceled
January 19
Family Night at the Planetarium scheduled for Friday, January 19 has been canceled due to the planetarium’s projector malfunctioning. Repair work has been scheduled and hopefully the projector will be back to normal operations next week. We apologize for any inconvenience this cancellation causes. The next Family Night is scheduled for February 2.
Power of Choice Newsletter
January
Parents of Middle School Students: Parents are the most influential protective factor in their children’s lives. What parents say does matter and your children are listening, especially when it comes to the vital topic of drugs and alcohol. Sometimes the right words to start that conversation are difficult to find. Use this month’s Parents Use Your Power newsletter to get you started.
PowerTalk for Families: Effective communicators are better able to make decisions consistent with their goals and develop healthy relationships. This month’s PowerTalk for Families allows your child to interview you while building communication skills.
Parents of High School Students: Parents at times worry, wondering if their teen is coping with school pressure, getting along with peers, or making healthy decisions when faced with addictive substance. Research shows it is stress relieving and resilience building for parents to connect with other parents. Tips for parents to stay strong are available in January’s newsletter.
Parenting Strong Podcast: Alternative tobacco products and devices, such as electronic cigarettes, hookah, and e-pens, have emerged. Data on local teen use and health risks are discussed by prevention specialists in this vaping podcast. Parenting tips to prevent vaping are offered to keep our youth from becoming a new generation addicted to nicotine, and other substances.
The Power of Choice is a collaborative project led by 360 Youth Services in District 204 and 203 middle and high schools increasing the number of students making healthy choices regarding substance use.
This Week’s e-Folder
This week’s e-Folder has been updated with information on community programs. For more information about the programs listed below, visit the 204 e-Folder.
- Upcoming Engage 204 Sessions
- International Service Summit
- Young Naperville Singers
Third-Party Educational Programs
The following companies have rented space in our schools to offer an after-school educational program for students. The distribution of this material is in no way an endorsement of programs, services, activities or products by District 204. For more information about the programs listed below, visit Third-Party Educational Programs.
Brooks: Bricks 4 Kidz Lego Engineering Club
Clow: Let’s Build It! Engineering Classes; Dream Big Afterschool Performing Arts Classes; Illinois Chess Teachers Chess Club
Fry: NanoBeasts STEM + Robotics Classes; Bricks 4 Kidz Lego Engineering Club; Illinois Chess Teachers Chess Club
Gombert: NanoBeasts STEM + Robotics Classes
Kendall: Afterschool Chess Club and Engineering Classes; Dream Big Performing Arts Afterschool Classes; NanoBeasts STEM + Robotics Classes
Patterson: Illinois Chess Teachers Chess Club
Spring Brook: Bricks 4 Kidz Lego Engineering Club; Illinois Chess Teachers Chess Club
Watts: NanoBeasts STEM + Robotics Classes; Afterschool Chess Club and Engineering Classes
Young: Bricks 4 Kidz Lego Engineering Club
Next Board of Education Meeting
The next regular Board of Education meeting is at 7 pm on Monday, January 22, 2018 at the Crouse Education Center, 780 Shoreline Drive, Aurora. Meeting agendas and documents will be available online prior to the meeting. Video of the regular meeting can be streamed live or viewed the following day at YouTube.
E-news is sent from Indian Prairie School District 204. For more info, visit www.ipsd.org.
