A full-day kindergarten option, implementation of a formal STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program, the addition of a dual language option, systemic interventions and/or enrichments and the addition of instructional coaches – these were the top educational priorities identified in Phase I of Focus 205 – a collaborative conversation between the community and Elmhurst School District 205.

District 205 launched this community engagement program last fall. Phase 1 involved four town hall-style meetings held September through December of 2015, focusing on next generation learning, future-ready educational environments and utilization of resources for maximum student success. The Focus 205 Findings Report summarizes the work of this phase.

Phase 2 began last spring with a comprehensive Educational Alignment study; an update was presented to the Board of Education on May 24, 2016.

Focus 205 continues this fall with two more community meetings on October 3 and December 5, beginning at 7 PM in the York High School Commons. We hope you will join us as we recap the work done last year, celebrate student achievement in District 205 and begin exploring options that will support educational priorities in Elmhurst for years to come. RSVP at (630) 617-2300 ext. RSVP or at www.focus205.org. Please indicate if you require childcare (for ages 3-12).

In between those meetings, District 205 will be gathering community input through an online, interactive and completely confidential survey administered by a company called Thoughtexchange. What is Thoughtexchange? Watch their one-minute video to find out.

This is your chance to share what you value about District 205 as a parent and/or community member, what your vision is for our students’ future-ready learning, as well as ask any questions or contribute any thoughts you might have regarding public education in Elmhurst. Watch for the link in early October. Join the conversation!

Officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) recently announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 62nd annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Among them are seniors Elizabeth Brown, Amy Choi, Emily Landreth, Kevin Lipkin, Maria Muehleis, Noah Neidigh, Amelia O’Halloran, Mateo Sanchez, Colin Sandstrom, Amalia Siavelis, Sehe Tinfang, Gavin Vandenberg and Flanagan Waldherr, representing York Community High School.

These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth more than $33 million to be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and more than half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by over 420 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC’s goals of honoring the nation’s scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held separately for all three levels of District 205 students this year - EC-5, middle school and high school.

High School Conferences are Tuesday, October 4, from 4 to 8:30 PM and Tuesday, October 11 from 12:00 to 7:00 PM. As a result, there will be no school for York High School students only on October 11.

Middle School Conferences are Wednesday, October 5, from 4:00 to 8:30 PM and Friday, October 7, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. There will be no school for middle school students only on October 7.

Parents of middle school and high school students will soon be receiving an email at the primary email in PowerSchool. This email will contain a link through which they may sign up online to reserve conference slots during a specified window of time.

Online sign-up will go “live” beginning on Friday, September 23, at 6:00 AM for York High School, Bryan and Churchville Middle Schools. The signup windows close on Thursday, September 29, at 11:55 PM.

Sandburg Middle School is holding student driven conferences this year. Sign up took place during Curriculum night in August.
 

York has implemented a new policy regarding back packs at football games.  Students will not be permitted to bring back packs into home football games. Athletes may keep their belongings in their athletic lockers during the game. When the game is over they may come back to the building to get their belongings. The building will remain locked during the varsity game.This policy goes into effect on September 23, 2016 when York hosts Willowbrook for Homecoming.

Join other parents at the Elmhurst Public Library on Tuesday, October 18 from 12:30-2:30 PM when Jacqueline Rhew from Alexian Brothers will be presenting Intervention Strategies to Engage Students with Parents Struggling with School Anxiety and School Refusal. Sponsored by District 205 Social Workers, this program is free, but limited to the first 70 in attendance.

Para más información, comuníquese con Maria Gallegos al (630) 832-8682 ext. 3710

Para solicitar traducción al español en este evento, confirme asistencia a Maria antes del 14/10/16

“Welcome to Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205” premiered at elementary and middle school Curriculum Night events last week. It features the voices of D205 students who are also members of the Elmhurst Children’s Theatre. The two-minute video is an overview of the District’s educational priorities, punctuated with images of our students and staff at work and play. It reminds viewers that District 205 is a student-centered, future-focused community which believes all students can and must learn and grow.

Thanks go to the principals and staff of York High School, Churchville Middle School, as well as Lincoln and Field Elementary Schools, for making time in their busy May schedules to accommodate the camera crew from Motion Source. Produced by the Communications Office, the video is posted above and can also be found on the District 205 YouTube channel.

The York Distinguished Alumni Program (YDAP) Committee announces its 2016 Dukes of Distinction honorees. YDAP was created to recognize York Community High School alumni who have distinguished themselves through significant and/or extraordinary accomplishments, service and/or an outstanding contribution to society. This is the fourth “class” of inductees, bringing the total to 30. On Thursday, November 3, the following Dukes of Distinction for 2016 will be honored:

• Dan Konopka, Class of 1993
• Jack Lavin, Class of 1980
• Judd Lofchie, Class of 1976
• Tekki Lomnicki, Class of 1974
• Barbara Kegerreis Lund, Class of 1955
• Bob Nottelmann (deceased), Class of 1943
• Allan Tereba, Class of 1965

Please mark your calendar and plan to join us for a reception in the York Commons at 6:30 PM, followed by a program at 7:00 PM. This event is free and open to the public; no tickets are required. To read more about this year’s honorees, click here. Visit and like the YCHS Facebook page at www.facebook.com/YorkCommunityHighSchool.
 

Mark your calendar now for Thursday, September 29, when the Elmhurst District 205 Foundation will again be hosting a Family Night of basketball slams and jams featuring the Harlem Wizards at York High School. They will be playing against our own “D205 All Stars” made up of Elmhurst faculty and staff. Raffle prizes, concessions and awesome merchandise will be offered for sale. Proceeds benefit all Elmhurst public schools through Foundation programs. Get your tickets early to be sure you get the best seats in the house! Limited number of courtside and reserved seating available. Buy tickets now at www.harlemwizards.com.
 

Below are the dates in which eighth grade parochial students, who are residents of District 205, may shadow a current York student for the entire school day. We will allow up to 30 students per date on a first come, first served basis. Students will be assigned to shadow a York Ambassador. Ambassadors are trained to host students and acquaint them with many aspects of York High School. To request that your child can attend one of the dates, please click the link to sign up.

SIGN UP HERE

10/6/16

10/7/16

11/11/16

11/18/16

1/27/17

2/17/17

3/23/17

ACT has just released this year’s scores for the Class of 2016. At the state level, average composite scores on the ACT college entrance exam increased slightly from last year's 20.7 to 20.8. Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205 saw students’ scores increase from 24.2 to 24.7, a new all-time high in the history of the District. York Community High School ACT scores have been trending upward over the past five years.

A total of 156,403 students were tested in Illinois, including 655 from York. Following is the breakdown of the four areas tested, along with the State and District average composite scores:

“We are extremely pleased that our district has set a high-water mark with the ACT, and equally pleased at the growth we have seen in last year's senior class throughout their high school career,” said Superintendent Dr. David Moyer. “This is reflective of both the hard work of these students and the support they have received from of all of our staff over the years they have spent with us.”

The Class of 2016 was the last graduating class in Illinois that was required to take the ACT as a part of the Prairie State Achievement Exam (PSAE). The Illinois State Board of Education has decided to transition from the ACT to the SAT as the required measure of college readiness for Illinois juniors beginning in the spring of 2017. District 205 will continue to report the performance of its students on the ACT, but will also transition to the SAT with the rest of the state.

Today we will begin using the automated attendance information system. This system ensures that you are made aware of your child’s unexcused absence(s) in a timely manner. If your child is unexcused for one or more periods, you will receive an automated phone call and email by 5 PM on the day of the absence. The information you receive will not specify which periods your child was unexcused; it will only inform you that there was at least one unexcused absence. For a detailed record of your child’s attendance, you will need to log on to PowerSchool.

Upon receiving the information, if you believe the absence was recorded in error, your child should speak with his/her teacher, and the teacher will notify the attendance office of any changes. If the absence(s) should be excused, a parent or guardian must contact the attendance office (630-617-2444) within 48 hours. Replying to the email will NOT excuse the absence. Failure to excuse a student’s absence within 48 hours will result in the absence remaining unexcused.

Thank you for your partnership in supporting student attendance and maintaining accurate student records.

From the first notes to the final breath, West Side Story is one of the most memorable musicals and greatest love stories of all time. Arthur Laurents' book remains as powerful, poignant and timely as ever. The score by Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim is widely regarded as one of the best ever written. The world's greatest love story takes to the streets in this landmark Broadway musical that is one of theatre's finest accomplishments. Young kids find themselves caught between warring street gangs. Their struggle to survive in a world of hate, violence and prejudice is one of the most innovative, heart-wrenching musical dramas of our time, and unfortunately, highly relevant today.

Tickets to West Side Story will be available mid March for performances on April 27, 28, 29 and 30. Tickets for all York Drama events are available at  www.ticketpeak.com/yorkdrama.

Do not miss one of the most important, dynamic and beautiful musicals ever written. West Side Story has been on Broadway for a record breaking four full runs, and now it is on the York Stage.

Young Hearts for Life returns to York High School on Thursday, October 6 to provide free ECG heart screenings to all students who are registered. The screening is offered during the school day. To sign up your child,please go to www.yh4l.org and click on the drop down button that says Registration & Events. Click on Chicago Metropolitan Region and then choose your child's school.

In order to make this event successful, we need to have parent/community volunteers. All volunteers must attend one of the training sessions. We're using SignUp.com to register volunteers. Please sign up for York Community High School!

Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:

1. Click this link to access our invitation page: http://vols.pt/k5ATGg:

2. Enter your email address: (You will NOT need to register an account on http://vols.pt/k5ATGg)

3. Choose your spots. Be sure to sign up for your training session as well as the shift you will work at the screening. Please consider joining us for the entire day. SignUp.com will send you an automated confirmation and reminders.