The La Grange D102 Community Fund aims to bridge the gap between donated supplies and additional resources needed to meet the diverse needs of our students. Recognizing that some families in our district face economic challenges, we believe in the power of unity and collective support. When you donate, you contribute to a general fund, which would be used to purchase supplies otherwise not donated through Cheri’s Caring Closet. Some examples of how these funds might be used would be to purchase items such as food, clothing, school supplies, beds, etc.
I was very proud to attend several end-of-year celebrations and graduation ceremonies over the last few weeks. The work of our Park 8th graders, particularly those Student Council members who spoke at graduation, was so impressive. I want to thank Harry Keenan, Lexie Clanin, Madison Hale, and Declan Flynn for their leadership and for so maturely sending all of our students on to high school with thoughtful, optimistic, and practical words of wisdom. Thank you to all of the teachers, staff, family, friends, and community members who have helped guide each of our students this year and every year in their education. District 102 is truly a wonderful place to go to school.
Even though this school year has officially concluded, a different kind of work has already begun: Preparation for SY 24-25. Yes, our buildings are still bustling with activity. Not as much as when 3000 students showed up every day, but with different kinds of activities. In addition to summer school, summer camps, and Extended School Year (ESY) programs, several maintenance and renovation projects are underway in each building. Our goal is to improve our facilities every year, allowing us to maintain a standard for excellence in our academics, instruction, and student opportunities. This summer, we are improving our security measures at each building (notably cameras and doors), updating some of our aging infrastructure (notably the roof over the Park auditorium), and improving some instructional spaces (notably replacing aging and broken furniture with flexible and modular desks, tables and chairs as well as renovation to create additional programming spaces). There is a great deal of work being done and a great deal still to be done to ensure state-of-the-art instructional spaces for all students for years to come.
With the support of the Board of Education, I plan to launch a new parent/community/staff committee this fall focused on our facilities. This committee is not only a component of our Vision 2030 Strategic Planning, but an integral part of ensuring the highest quality education as well as access, opportunity, and safety for all our students now and into the future. I look forward to engaging with the community in the fall to listen to your hopes and visions for our District’s infrastructure's future and how we can continuously improve our school environments each year. I had a very wise friend who always told me that you have to ‘Maslow before you can Bloom’ - meaning if you do not ensure students' most basic physical needs, you can never expect them to achieve their true academic potential.
In a few weeks, I will have worked in and for District 102 for a full year. The staff, families, and community have been and continue to be so supportive, involved, and optimistic about our collective future. I appreciate all the ways, large and small, that we all work together for students in D102. Cheers to a great 23-24 and a strong outlook on 24-25. I wish you all a safe summer filled with memories, rest, and joy.
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Register for 24-25 School Year!
Registration for the 2024-2025 school year is now open. If you haven't completed registration yet, please log in to your PowerSchool Parent Portal and click Returning Student Registration. You will need to complete registration for each of your children. If you have additional questions, please visit the Registration page on our website.
If you know your child(ren) will not attend a D102 for the 24-25 school year, please notify your home school.
SY 24-25 Quick Links
School Supply Lists
Calendar for the SY 24-25
Health Forms
What is Summer EBT?
Summer EBT, or SUN Bucks, is a new permanent nutrition program authorized U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to help families buy food for their school-aged children during the summer. SUN Bucks 2024 will provide a $120 annual benefit to eligible children via an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) issuance by the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) later this summer. Illinois is one of 36 states that have announced their intent to launch Summer EBT in summer 2024.
More basic information on the new federal program is available on the following websites:
Federal page: https://www.fns.usda.gov/summer/sunbucks
Illinois page: https://www.dhs.state.il.us/page.aspx?item=163478
Sun Bucks hotline phone number: 833-621-0737
IWS Children's Clinic
Financial Snapshot
April 2024 Fund Balance Report
(Fund balance is the current amount of money available by fund)
Fund | Amount |
|---|---|
Education | $ 14,996,599 |
Operations and Maintenance | $ 3,688,233 |
Transportation | $ 1,528,188 |
IMRF/Soc Security | $ 1,854,191 |
Working Cash | $ 1,517,770 |
Tort | $ 261,937 |
TOTAL | $ 23,846,918 |
Budget to Actual - April 2024
Revenue (budget) | Revenue (actual) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
$ 53,856,876 | $ 50,396,512 | $ 3,460,364 |
Expense (budget) | Expense (actual) | Difference |
$ 52,405,059 | $(40,438,927) | $ 11,966,132 |
La Grange D102's McKinnon Art Gallery
The McKinnon Art Gallery is located in the heart of Park Jr. High School. Throughout the years, various pieces of art work has been shared throughout District 102. When the Salt Creek Foundation realized some of the art pieces in our collection, and decided to work together, in partnership, to assist fund the art gallery for the students and community to enjoy. They were able to gather all the art pieces and host them all in one location.
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Learn more about the history of the McKinnon Art Gallery within D102, and the art collection we have displayed.
Visitors are welcome to visit the gallery with a guided tour with an appointment, prior to their visit. Those wanting to visit the art gallery must complete the form below and request a tour date. Once submitted, you will receive communication within 2-4 days.
Around the District
Passport to Park
Current 6th-grade students from Congress Park, Cossitt, Forest Road, and Ogden visited Park Jr. High to tour the facilities, talk to teachers, and gain more information as they enter their next stage of education through D102.
Field Day
Park Jr. High Graduation
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The month has been filled with celebrations, and memories that will last a life time.
Congratulations to our graduating class of 2024!
End of Year Staff Celebration
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D102 hosted the annual End of Year Celebration for our outstanding staff members. This event marked another school year in the books while also recognizing those celebrating their work anniversaries in the district and those retiring at the year's end. #thankyoud102educators for your tireless efforts in guiding our students through their educational and personal growth.
#ThankYouD102Educators - D102 Educator Spotlight
The hashtag #ThankYouD102Educators was created as a way to recognize and express gratitude to our incredible staff for their tireless dedication. This serves as a way to highlight their hard work, passion, and the positive impact they have on their students. This is meant to celebrate our staff members throughout the school year and their dedication to D102's mission, vision, and dedication to our core behavioral values. 🌟🍎
STEMpathy Through Project Based Learning
#thankyoud102educators Today we are highlighting one of our educators, Alexander Parker from Cossitt Ave School, who has been working with grades third through sixth as head of the STEMpathy Club to develop an understanding of disability, dispel misconceptions about disability, and center empathy as part of The Nora Project curriculum. In the club, students look to engineer inclusive practices on multiple levels to understand the accessibility needs of all in their community.
Mr. Parker recently wrote about his experience with the STEMpathy Club and how it has impacted his students and approach within the classroom as an educator for Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL). Read the full article here: https://casel.org/.../building-stempathy-engineering.../
The Nora Project, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote disability inclusion by empowering educators and engaging students and communities. Read more about The Nora Project here: https://thenoraproject.ngo/
#d102studentspotlight
Kimberly Smith of Congress Park featured in 2024 Nora Project Thrive Together Gala
We are thrilled to announce that Kimberly Smith from Congress Park has been selected as a featured teacher for the 2024 Thrive Together Gala! A film crew visited her classroom to interview her and capture footage of her amazing students, showcasing the remarkable impact of The Nora Project curriculum. We are incredibly proud of Ms. Smith, and all of our D102 educators who continue to provide inclusive education. #thankyouD102educators
Community Page
Welcome, parents and family members of the D102 community! This is your dedicated space to discover the sports and activities available for your young scholars within the community of La Grange, La Grange Park, and Brookfield.
Here, you'll find an array of flyers highlighting engaging programs tailored to every age and interest. Whether your child is a sports enthusiast, an aspiring artist, or simply eager to explore new adventures, there's something here to captivate their curiosity and nurture their passions.
From youth sports leagues to creative arts workshops, from educational clubs to community events, we're committed to providing enriching opportunities for your child to learn, grow, and connect with their peers. Our aim is to foster a sense of belonging and camaraderie within our diverse community while promoting physical activity, creativity, and personal development.
Local Libraries
Community Giving
Donate to the Community Fund
Referral GPS - Connecting People to Treatment: We are committed to creating a culture of well-being for students, staff, parents, and the community. In an effort to continuously support this commitment, the district has entered an agreement with ReferralGPS.
ReferralGPS is a web-based service focused on assisting our students, staff, and community in finding local mental-health and substance use-related treatment. The service compliments the districts existing systems of support as a tool for student service teams and families to connect with treatment. Along with a searchable database of treatment options, ReferralGPS provides Care Navigation to assist families in triage, appointment setting, and follow-up care.
School families may access ReferralGPS in two ways:
1) Visit this link at https://referralgps.com/find-help/dist102 to search for treatment resources or connect with a Care Navigator anonymously.
2) Contact Student Services (social workers, psychologists, counselors) to seek out treatment options.
ReferralGPS takes into account all types of private and public insurance including PPO, HMO, Medicaid, Medicare, and families who are uninsured or underinsured. The platform also filters by age, gender, zip code, and special requests.
ReferralGPS is available for use by district students, staff, and families at no cost. All information entered on the ReferralGPS tool is completely confidential and securely stored.
If you are interested in seeking counseling-related services at this time, please consider visiting https://referralgps.com/find-help/dist102 or reaching out to the Student Services team.
Upcoming Events
District Events
June 13: Board Meeting
August 22: First Student Day (Half Day)
