D76 was able to provide Thanksgiving meals and free coats to our students and their families on Friday, November 20 in collaboration with D75, D79, D120 and The Chapel Mundelein. D76 identified and invited families in need who left with a complete Thanksgiving meal which were donated by community and staff members who were able to put together premade boxes or donate individual items. Collaboratively, around 410 coats were ordered and provided to those families thanks to Operation Warm. Our D76 PTO contributed hats, scarves and gloves as an additional bonus for our families on this day.
Additionally, Northern Illinois Food Bank hosted a mobile event the same day/time at MHS allowing for other community members and families to openly attend. D76 appreciates the willingness to help from our parents and community members during this time. Collaboratively, these efforts help to create holiday experiences for our students and families. We sincerely thank you.
Teaching and Learning
One of the most impactful ways we can improve our child’s reading ability is to introduce them to new vocabulary through the exploration of new topics. Much of a child’s language growth is simply developed by being engrossed in rich language in a multitude of topics. A student with a well developed vocabulary, derived from broad experience with multiple topics, will be well prepared to read, comprehend and become a self propelled learner. Below are some sample websites that you and your child can explore to support your child’s background knowledge.
- Stories and Language Arts: Storyline Online and Starfall
- Social Studies: PBS Learning
- Science: Climate Kids and Air and Space
- Math: Khan Academy and Math Game Time
- Learning Language: Duolingo
Facilities
D76 will be soliciting bids for the Summer 2020 classroom remodel project on December 18th. Once bids have been tabulated, results will be presented to the Board of Education for approval on January 19th. The classroom remodel project will consist of upgraded flooring, painting, lighting, technology, and furniture.
Finance
2020 Tentative Tax Levy
At their December 15th Meeting, the Board of Education approved the 2020 Tax Levy. The 2020 tax levy is $15,508,760 (exclusive of Bond and Interest). The increase is based on 2.3% for existing property (the 2019 CPI) and an additional 18% to capture new construction and remodeling.
Instructional Technology & Communications
Hour of Code
During the week of December 7th students at Diamond Lake District 76 participated in the “Hour of Code” yearly event. The Hour of Code began as a one-hour coding challenge to give students a fun first introduction to computer science and has become a global learning event, celebration, and awareness event. Each grade level utilized various coding resources found on our D76 Coding Dashboard and participated in various events exploring the world of Computer Science while providing students soft skills learning experiences of problem solving and perseverance.
Learning how to code doesn’t have to end in December. Students can access our free fun and engaging coding activities listed on or D76 Coding Dashboard at any time.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- Winter Break (No School): December 21 - January 1st
- Classes Resume with Remote Learning: January 4th
- Early Release Schedule for Students: January 4th
- Chat with the Principals: January 5th at 6 pm
- Martin Luther King Jr Day (No School): January 18th
- Remote Learning Planning Day (No School for Students): January 19th
- Board of Education Meeting: January 19th at 7:00 pm
