Editor’s note: The RoundTable published a ETH 101 last week on everything high school students, parents and families need to know.
For students in Evanston/Skokie School District 65, summer ends next week and they will enter their new classrooms early next Thursday for the 2024-2025 school year.
Evanston Township High School is already back in session this week, while elementary and middle school students have a few extra days to soak up the sun.
With the new year comes the paperwork families need to submit, including tuition payments, meal applications, health forms and more. The district recently released a packet with all sorts of things. Guide for the start of school And a letter by Superintendent Angel Turner.
“It is my hope for the future that brings me joy in the present,” said Turner, who also the district’s budget deficit in their message to the community. “The future looks bright if we continue to work together and put our students at the heart of everything we do. Best wishes for a wonderful school year full of laughter, learning and a real sense of community.”
The only major change this year involves third- through fifth-grade sports. To save money and staff time, the district is turning over oversight of the sports program to the City of Evanston’s Parks and Recreation Department, which already offers arts and sports activities for a fee. Third- through fifth-grade sports will now fall under the city’s jurisdiction, while middle school sports will make that move next year.
“This partnership was developed to meet the specific needs of our community and provide all District 65 schools with the opportunity to offer inclusive sports leagues to their students,” the district said in Announcement of change. “Beginning in September, students at all District 65 elementary schools and magnet schools citywide will be able to participate in flag football and cross country programs. Winter and spring sports include basketball, cheerleading, soccer, tennis and track and field.”
Registration for fall sports began August 12 and is open through September 9. Students who receive free or reduced lunch are eligible for fee assistance from both the city and school district. For more information, visit cityofevanston.org/sportsprograms or by email to Eric Eichholz, the city’s sports and athletics program coordinator, at [email protected].
Scroll down to see the RoundTable’s compilation of important information and dates to keep in mind as the new school year begins.
Timetables and important dates
All schools in the district except the Joseph E. Hill Early Childhood Center will open for the new school year on Thursday, August 22nd. Tuesday and Wednesday, August 20th and 21st, are work days for staff to prepare for the start of the year.
The Preschool for All and Head Start programs at JEH begin on August 28.
Secondary schools start lessons every day at 8 a.m. and ends at 3:05 p.m., while the 10 elementary schools all begin at 9:05 a.m. and end at 3:35 p.m. The two kindergarten through eighth grade magnet schools – Dr. Bessie Rhodes School of Global Studies and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Literary and Fine Arts School – begin classes daily at 8 a.m. and end at 2:45 p.m. The Park School runs from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., and the Rice Education Center from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
If you have a child at JEH, you can the website for more information about morning and afternoon class times for preschool and Head Start students.
Each individual building will hold a “curriculum night” for parents, caregivers and families at some point during the first few weeks of school, so look for an announcement from your child’s teacher or principal with the date and time. In the meantime, here are some important dates to put in your calendar:
- Thursday, August 22: First day of school for kindergarten through eighth grade.
- Wednesday, August 28: First day for JEH.
- Monday, September 2: Registration for fall electives begins for students who participate in before and/or after school child care.
- Monday, September 23: The electives begin in the fall.
- Thursday, September 5: Food trucks, lawn games, arts and crafts, a DJ and other activity booths will be available at the annual Kits, Cats and Kids Block Party from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at ETHS’s Lazier Field at Church Street and Hartrey Avenue.
- Tuesday, September 10: The Caregiver Council for Disability Inclusion will hold its first meeting of the new school year from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at JEH. The council helps connect families of children with disabilities.
- Tuesday, September 10: The first district-wide PTA council meeting will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- Monday, October 7th to Thursday, October 10th: Parent-teacher meetings will take place. You will receive more precise dates for your own meetings from your school in good time.
Tuition fees and meal applications
During annual registration, families must pay student fees for things like transportation services, classroom activities, iPads, and basic school supplies. However, all fees are waived for students receiving free meals, and fees are reduced for students receiving reduced-price meals. For more information on applying for free or reduced-price meals, visit District websitewhere there is also a link to the application.
Families must submit new applications for free or reduced-price meals each summer unless you have already received a meal approval confirmation letter directly from District 65.
You can make payments online at the district webshopand you will also find instructions for Create an account hereIn addition, a personal payment is possible at the district office on the 2nd floor of the JEH.
Annual tuition fees — which covers basic school supplies, classroom activities, technology and transportation (only if the student takes the bus) — are due by Sept. 15. The district charges a $20 late fee. The total price, excluding transportation, is $270 for elementary students and $280 for middle school students.
Families receiving reduced-price lunches must pay $97 for elementary school students and $100 for middle school students. All fees are waived for those on a free lunch plan.
The district provides all necessary school supplies with the exception of backpacks and water bottles, so there is no supply list for summer shopping.
Health and wellness requirements
Illinois law requires school districts to have certain health information before students enter certain grades, specifically preschool, kindergarten, and sixth grade.
Before the first day of kindergarten, families must submit an eye exam report, proof of dental exam, and a child health screening form. The dental form must also be completed before second and sixth grade, and the health screening form must also be submitted before sixth grade. Information on all requirements and links to all of these forms can be found on the district’s website. Health and wellness website.
Read more about Vaccination requirements for each grade level and further details about Medicines for students, Allergy Resources And Illnesses or injuries of students.
Completed health forms can:
- dropped off at your child’s school
- dropped off at JEH (1500 McDaniel Ave.)
- by email to [email protected]
- faxed to 847-866-7280
Care options
District 65 offers child care programs for grades kindergarten through five every weekday before and after school. Two different services are used: the school’s own School Age Child Care Program (SACC) and a separate program from a company called Directly at schoolChildcare is available daily from 7 a.m. until school starts and from school finishes until 6 p.m. However, transportation is not provided.
transport
Students who live 2.5 kilometers or more from their school or for whom walking to school would pose a safety risk, are entitled to free bus travel to school and back home every day. Families of new students can request services by email [email protected].
For learners with different educational profiles and individualized educational plans, transportation services are built into the plans. Students attending magnet schools or specialty programs such as bidirectional language immersion program or Africa-centered curriculum can request bus service for a fee.
More Evanston 101: The RoundTable offers a crash course of information on many local issues.
