Turning a Page District 67 Makes Instructional Shift

Summer is such a critical time in school planning and it is set to be a busy season for us in District 67. During the 2022-23 school year, we conducted a thorough review of our curriculum and resources for early literacy. This culminated in a pilot and selection of a new English Language Arts (ELA) curriculum resource, Amplify, for our K-8 teachers.

Over the next two months, we will put the finishing touches on the professional development and staff support needed to fully implement this instructional change. We have 232 certified staff throughout District 67 and it is no small feat to move in unison in a new and different direction. We are fortunate to have an expert staff and I have full confidence that this new instruction will roll out smoothly as a result.

As additional support to our families and students, there have been summer suggestions for learning in your principal’s newsletters and posted online. We hope that the summer brings opportunities for family time, other learning experiences, and a time to recharge. We look forward to the return of our students in the fall to ensure that all students in our District are supported to reach and surpass their academic goals.

In the 2023-24 school year, after we have successfully launched our literacy resource, we will share more details on the next steps in our curriculum and resource alignment.

Sincerely,

Vail Kieser Director of Teaching and Learning

Growing Together

District 67’s partnership with Lake Forest Open Lands Association continues to be a highlight of the spring student experience at Everett, Cherokee, and Sheridan Elementary Schools. Different grades take turns going on field trips to explore the impact of invasive plant species, and the critical role of biodiversity, ecosystems, and animals in our area.

Young Artists

Celebrated at City Hall

District 67 students were recognized at a Lake Forest City Council Meeting in May when Mayor Stanford Tack presented awards to 42 local student artists from schools throughout Lake Forest, including Cherokee, Everett, Sheridan, and DPM!

Spring Sings

Provide Joyful Finale

Students at Cherokee, Everett, and Sheridan Elementary Schools performed at their Spring Sings during May. This long-standing District tradition always brings smiles to students, staff, and families at the end of the school year!

Buddy Day Builds Excitement for Fourth Graders

On May 8, District 67 fourth grade students attended a pep-rally and welcome event at Deer Path Middle School. In preparation for their move to fifth grade at DPM, this day provided an opportunity to tour the building and learn about DPM life from administrators, teachers, and students. Each fourth grader was also paired with a Buddy Class to meet and interact with current fifth graders.

Bringing New Music to Life

On May 17, Deer Path Middle School welcomed guest composer, Susan Brumfield, who was commissioned to write “A Nightingale’s Lullaby,” an original piece for our DPM choirs with support from the Spirit of 67 Foundation! Students participated in workshops with Ms. Brumfield and ended the day with a performance of the piece for families.

Talent Takes the Spotlight

Deer Path Middle School students lit up the stage with their singing, dancing, acting, and talents at the 2023 Talent Show! Hosts Nico and Peyton got the crowd involved with trivia and their own musical acts, and the audience reciprocated with enthusiastic applause!

At Sheridan Elementary School, students enjoyed one of their favorite events of the year - Exploration Day! Parents and community members visited Sheridan to share their expertise with students, allowing our Sharks to explore new and different topics, and discover hobbies from experts within our own community. All of this gave students the confidence to explore these opportunities further.

In one Deer Path Middle School seventhgrade ELA classroom, students conducted a Socratic Seminar about The Giver, discussing themes and analyzing characters. Using differentiation, their teacher skillfully switched students in and out of the inner circle, allowing for a more inclusive and dynamic conversation, so that everyone’s voice was heard.

Cherokee Elementary School fourth graders learned about animal adaptations and how to care for classroom animals. They researched and cared for green anole lizards and participated in creating their habitat and made daily quantitative and qualitative observations. Students also learned about internal and external stimuli as well as the difference between learned behaviors and instincts.

This year, in partnership with DPM APT, all eighth grade Deer Path Middle School students were invited to complete six acts or hours of service before graduation through in-school and extracurricular volunteering and activities. We celebrated all of the kindness and empathy demonstrated by our students at a special recognition breakfast in May.

In the Everett Elementary School library, kindergarteners have been learning the basics of coding and computer programming! They have discovered basic coding language including sequences and loops. After reading

The Three Billy Goats Gruff, they used their knowledge of sequencing (putting events in the correct order) to code BeeBot robots to retell the story!